Mavericks Sign Dalano Banton To Exhibit 10 Contract
12:51 pm: It’s an Exhibit 10 deal for Banton, confirms Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
10:43 am: The Mavericks have signed free agent swingman Dalano Banton, the team announced today (via Twitter). In order to create room on the roster for Banton, Dallas waived camp invitee Matthew Cleveland, whose contract was fully non-guaranteed.
While details of Banton’s deal aren’t yet known, it will likely be non-guaranteed too, with Exhibit 9 and perhaps Exhibit 10 language.
Banton, who will turn 26 next month, was the 46th overall pick in the 2021 draft and has played in 216 regular season games for Toronto, Boston, and Portland over the past four seasons. In 2024/25, he made a career-high 67 appearances, averaging 8.3 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .391/.324/.728.
Banton reportedly auditioned for multiple NBA teams this summer, including Golden State and Indiana, while also drawing overseas interest.
It’s possible Banton will have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Mavericks’ regular season roster, battling with Brandon Williams ($200K partial guarantee) and Dennis Smith Jr. (non-guaranteed contract) to become the club’s 15th man. However, given that he’s being added to the preseason roster a week after training camp got underway, that might be a long shot.
If Banton’s deal does include an Exhibit 10 clause, he would be a candidate to join the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, assuming he’s waived in the next couple weeks. That could put him in position to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 with the Legends while making his case for a promotion to the NBA.
Mavs Notes: Flagg, Starting Five, Russell, DSJ
No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg showed off his versatility in his preseason pro debut on Monday, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The Mavericks forward scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds, and handed out three assists in just 14 minutes of action, taking on some point guard responsibilities against the defending champion Thunder.
As MacMahon notes, Flagg also showed off his defensive ability early in the first quarter when he stepped in from the weak side to block a Isaiah Joe layup attempt, which led to a fast-break basket for Dallas.
“You got to see the defensive side, you got to see the play-making and then the scoring,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “He was really, really good.”
While Flagg’s scoring and play-making may generate more highlights during his rookie season, the Mavericks are bullish on what he can do defensively, with Anthony Davis suggesting during training camp that his new frontcourt partner can “defend one through five,” as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays.
“We’re going to put him in situations where you have to guard maybe the best wing — have to guard (Kevin) Durant or Jimmy Butler or these guys,” Davis said of Flagg. “And we have enough confidence in him to go out and send him out there and be able to guard those guys. But he’s also got help on the back line with the other four guys on the floor.”
We have more on the Mavs:
- As Christian Clark of The Athletic details, the starting lineup that Kidd used on Monday – Flagg, Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively II – seems likely to be the one the team will deploy when the regular season begins. That means forward P.J. Washington, who started 56 of his 57 games last season, figures to come off the bench as long as the rest of the frontcourt is healthy and available.
- Russell made a strong impression in training camp, earning kudos from Kidd for fitting in quickly and being willing to speak up and use his voice despite being a Mavs newcomer, as Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. The Mavs’ head coach had more praise for the point guard following a preseason opener in which he scored five points and distributed a team-high five assists in 15 minutes of action. “I thought he did a great job finding guys,” Kidd said, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “I thought his defense was really good. Oklahoma City puts a lot of pressure on you on the one-on-ones and I thought he did a really good job defensively … I thought D-Lo did a really good job.”
- Dennis Smith Jr. didn’t play in Monday’s game, but Kidd appreciated the intensity the veteran guard brought to training camp, according to Afseth at RG.org. Smith, who is with the team on a non-guaranteed contract, says he appreciates the opportunity to compete for a roster spot in Dallas. “I’ve got to come out and put my best foot forward every day,” he said. “If that happens to be what the team needs, that makes it even better — and it is. So I’m in a good spot.”
Injury Notes: K. Jones, Sheppard, Sarr, Gafford, Suns
Pacers rookie Kam Jones, the 38th overall pick in this year’s draft, will be sidelined for several weeks due to a back injury, head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters on Monday (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). Carlisle added that third-year wing Ben Sheppard will miss Tuesday’s preseason opener due to an undisclosed injury.
While Carlisle indicated that Sheppard should be available soon, it sounds as if Jones probably won’t be ready to return by the time Indiana’s regular season schedule tips off on October 23 vs. Oklahoma City.
With a pair of players in the Pacers’ backcourt banged up, it’s possible veteran guard Delon Wright‘s chances of making the regular season roster have increased. Wright and center Tony Bradley are both on non-guaranteed contracts and are believed to be competing for the final spot on the team’s 15-man squad.
Here are a few more injury-related notes and updates from around the NBA:
- Wizards center Alex Sarr, who sustained a right calf injury during EuroBasket, took part in non-contact work in Monday’s practice, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. It was the first time this fall that Sarr had been a partial participant in a practice. Team officials said at the time of the injury that they expected 2024’s No. 2 overall pick to be ready for the start of the regular season.
- Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said on Sunday that injured center Daniel Gafford, who is recovering from an ankle injury, is “trending in the right direction” but still hasn’t been able to practice, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter link). Besides Gafford and Kyrie Irving (ACL), everyone else is practicing for Dallas, according to Kidd.
- Providing updates on a pair of potential starters, Suns head coach Jordan Ott said on Sunday that Jalen Green (hamstring) is “definitely progressing” and that “every day has been better” for him, while Mark Williams is “in a good place” as he ramps up for the season (Twitter video link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Ott didn’t commit to either player suiting up for one (or both) of the team’s preseason games in China on Friday and Sunday, but he also didn’t rule out the possibility. For what it’s worth, teammate Jared Butler said he thinks Green is “super close” to returning (Twitter video link via Rankin).
Seven NBA Two-Way Contract Slots Currently Open
While most of the NBA’s 30 teams filled all three of their two-way contract slots before training camps tipped off, there are still seven teams carrying just a pair of players on two-way deals, leaving one two-way slot open on their respective rosters, as our tracker shows.
Those teams are as follows:
- Brooklyn Nets
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Dallas Mavericks
- Miami Heat
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Orlando Magic
- Portland Trail Blazers
The majority of the players around the league who are in camp with teams on Exhibit 10 deals will ultimately end up with those clubs’ G League affiliates, but there’s an opportunity for the Exhibit 10 signees on those seven teams listed above to earn an 18-man roster spot entering the regular season.
Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted into two-way deals before the season begins, so several of those clubs are in the process of essentially holding an open competition for that last two-way slot. Besides the Nets (Fanbo Zeng) and Mavericks (Moussa Cisse; Matthew Cleveland), the rest of those teams have at least four players in camp on Exhibit 10 deals.
Not every player who is on an Exhibit 10 contract can have it converted to a two-way deal in the next couple weeks. For instance, while the Cavaliers have Killian Hayes, Chaney Johnson, Miller Kopp, Norchad Omier, and Tristan Enaruna in camp on Exhibit 10 deals, only the latter four are candidates for two-way conversions — Hayes already has five years of NBA service and is ineligible to have his contract converted. A player is only eligible to receive a two-way contract if this would be his first, second, third, or fourth NBA season.
[RELATED: 2025/26 Non-Guaranteed Contracts By Team]
Although many of these seven teams will likely reward one of their standout camp invitees with a promotion to a two-way contracts, that’s not necessarily how all of them will fill their remaining opening. When teams make roster cuts later in the preseason, some intriguing two-way targets will shake loose on waivers and in free agency, so these clubs could turn to the open market to address their third two-way slot.
Even teams that already have their three two-way slots filled could end up making changes between now and opening night, which would result in some current two-way players being waived, creating more potential targets for the teams with open slots.
A player on a two-way contract is eligible to be active for up to 50 NBA regular season games and can earn up to $636,435 (half the rookie minimum) if he remains under contract through at least January 7. Teams can continue swapping players on and off on two-way contracts until March 4. You can learn more about two-way deals in our glossary entry.
Southwest Notes: Zion, Bey, Alvarado, DSJ, Spurs
Zion Williamson was limited to just 30 games last season for health reasons, while Trey Murphy‘s year came to an early end due to shoulder surgery. So it was a very encouraging sign for the Pelicans that Williamson (15 points) and Murphy (18 points) were their leading scorers in their preseason opener. New Orleans became the first NBA team to play a game in Australia, winning an exhibition contest over Melbourne United on Friday.
“It was electric,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “The fans were in tune. They were engaged. It was a really great platform to come here and play high-level competition.”
Green lauded Williamson for his defensive activity after he picked up a pair of steals on Friday. That effort on the defensive end was on display again on Sunday as the Pelicans won their matchup against the South East Melbourne Phoenix. Williamson scored just eight points, but racked up nine rebounds (eight defensive), three steals, and two blocks in 15 minutes of action en route to a 127-92 win.
As good as Williamson was, it was new Pelican Saddiq Bey who stole the show in Sunday’s victory. Bey, who hasn’t played a regular season game since March 2024 due to an ACL tear, had 21 points in 21 minutes, knocking down four three-pointers and registering a game-high +27 plus-minus mark.
“I am just grateful to be out here,” Bey said in a post-game interview, according to Walker. “The opportunity to play in Australia is is a blessing.”
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado departed Sunday’s game in the third quarter due to an apparent right leg injury, Walker notes. Green said after the game that Alvarado will be reevaluated when the team returns home to New Orleans.
- Within an extensive breakdown of takeaways from the Mavericks‘ training camp, Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal writes that head coach Jason Kidd praised Dennis Smith Jr. as a camp standout, lauding his “energy.” Smith is on a non-guaranteed contract and has an uphill battle to earn a regular season roster spot, but it sounds like he’s doing all he can to make his case.
- After spending most of last season in the role of “acting” Spurs head coach, Mitch Johnson has the permanent title heading into 2025/26. Running a training camp for the first time, he has made an effort to implement his own style while carrying over many of the lessons he learned from longtime San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News details (subscription required). “(Last season) we were all just trying to maintain what was already going on, the things we put in during training camp, the principles we had,” veteran forward Harrison Barnes said. “Coming into this year, there’s just building blocks that will be different that (Johnson) can say, ‘OK look, I have full ownership of the things that are going on.'”
Mavs Notes: Davis, Thompson, Camp, Marshall, Injuries
As Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com writes, the Mavericks hired Jay Triano as their top offensive assistant coach this offseason, and the changes he has implemented on that end of the floor have been evident in training camp. Triano used Domantas Sabonis as Sacramento’s primary play-maker during his time with the Kings, and star big man Anthony Davis will have a similar role this season with Dallas.
“Ball movement. Getting to our spots and creating lanes for our guys,” Davis said. “We have a lot of guys who love basketball and can play-make. So the emphasis has been getting to our spots on the floor, opening up lanes for everyone, and then attacking the basket. … With Jay Triano coming over and kind of how they used Sabonis as the hub, kind of the same thing. And guys just playing off of that.”
Head coach Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison want Davis to be a more vocal leader, particularly since Kyrie Irving will be out to open the season as he continues to recover from a torn ACL, Afseth notes.
“I know they’re going to be looking on me to kind of lead them,” Davis said. “Just kind of what J-Kidd and Nico have been telling me to do all summer, so I’ve been texting these guys … and trying to get them ready for the season, especially with Kai out.
“I know they’re used to (Irving) kind of being the leader, but I’ve kind of just taken on that role with the help of actually Klay (Thompson) as well, as being two of the three oldest guys on the team. We’ve got a group of fairly young guys. I’m just trying to give them knowledge that I have and try to lead them to success.”
Here’s more on the Mavericks:
- According to Christian Clark of The Athletic, Thompson believes the Mavs can win the championship this season, provided they stay healthy and Irving returns at some point. “There’s no reason we can’t be the highest rated defensive team in the NBA,” Thompson said. “In my experience, what helps to win is having a roster full of two-way players. We have that.”
- Kidd was happy with the team’s performance during the first week of training camp, Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. “This group talks a little bit more, and that’s good. I don’t have to pull it out of them,” Kidd said. “The communication was good, guys are in, and the competition — everybody’s pushing each other. It’s good to see.” Kidd highlighted wing Naji Marshall as one of the standout performers, Afseth adds. “He was consistent all week on both sides of the ball,” Kidd said. “A lot of good things for Naji. I thought he was one of the guys that stood out this week.”
- Center Daniel Gafford is expected to miss a few weeks after spraining his ankle. He’s not the only player dealing with an injury, as Brandon Williams recently sustained a hamstring strain that will keep him out of action for a week, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Dante Exum also missed the first two practices of training camp, Curtis writes, though the reason was not disclosed.
Mavericks Notes: Flagg, Davis, Washington, Lively
No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg enters a unique situation with the Mavericks, who have two other former top picks on the roster in Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, plus a frontcourt with plenty of talent and depth. The 18-year-old forward says he’s going to use the versatility that helped him become an elite prospect, writes Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com.
“For myself, it’s just about being me — going through it, not changing for anybody, impacting the game in a lot of ways, and doing whatever I can to impact winning,” Flagg said at media day. “Coach (Jason) Kidd and I have talked about being versatile. We’ve got a bunch of guys who can do a lot of different things, so we want to use that to our advantage.”
Flagg, who won virtually every college player of the year award last season for Duke, is open about his expectations for 2025/26.
“I’d like to be Rookie of the Year,” Flagg said, per Afseth. “As a team, the goal is obviously to win a championship. But like I said earlier, if I stay true to myself and what got me here, the personal goals will work themselves out.”
Four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson believes Flagg has all the right ingredients to fulfill his potential, Afseth notes.
“Cooper can be as good as he wants to be,” Thompson said. “He’s got all the tools — height, athleticism — but what I love most is that he’s receptive to information and he wants to work. When you combine that with his athleticism, he can be special.”
Here’s more from Dallas:
- The Mavs only had a 1.8% chance of winning the draft lottery and Davis admitted he wasn’t watching the unlikely occurrence in May. Still, he was thrilled with the outcome, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic. “He’s a hell of a talent,” Davis said of Flagg. “He can do everything on the floor. It was a great moment for us.”
- Davis says his goal for this season is the same as it was when he was shockingly traded to Dallas in the Luka Doncic blockbuster in February, as Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. “Same as last year at my press conference: my goal hasn’t changed. I want to bring a championship here,” Davis said. “We’ve got a good team. The key is health — staying healthy. I’m happy and excited to be here, and I want to win here.”
- The 10-time All-Star big man is listed at 268 pounds for training camp, 15 pounds heavier his listed weight last season. Davis says he isn’t concerned, explaining that’s not unusual for him to enter camp above his playing weight because he typically loses 10-12 pounds during the season and is feeling “great,” tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
- According to Clark, forward P.J. Washington made it clear he hopes to spend the rest of his career with his hometown team. Washington signed a four-year, $89MM extension last month. “It’s always been home for me,” Washington said. “I’m just blessed to be here. I’ve always wanted to be here. Hopefully, I end my career here.”
- Center Dereck Lively II was limited to just 36 games last season after playing 55 contests as a rookie. He’s determined to be available more often in year three following offseason ankle surgery, per Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “I want to stay healthy—that’s the biggest (goal),” he said. “From there, I want to keep growing as a defensive anchor. Be somebody my teammates trust to call things out, protect the rim, and cover for them.” Lively will be on a minutes restriction to start the season and he’s happy with the team’s plan. “Honestly, I just take whatever comes,” the 21-year-old said. “If it’s 24 minutes, 20 minutes, whatever the coaches need from me, I’ll give everything I have in that time. I’m just focused on playing the right way and building myself back up.”
Daniel Gafford To Miss 2-3 Weeks With Ankle Injury
Mavericks center Daniel Gafford is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks after rolling his ankle, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Head coach Jason Kidd said the injury occurred Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
Dallas is set to open the season October 22 against San Antonio, so Gafford’s availability is in question if he takes the full three weeks to recover. He will likely miss the team’s entire preseason schedule, which starts Monday and ends October 15.
Gafford averaged a career-high 12.3 points per game last season, along with 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks, but injuries limited him to 57 games. He sat out 21 straight contests with a sprained knee late in the season, but was able to return in early April.
His offseason was highlighted by a three-year, $54MM extension that runs through the 2028/29 season. He had been considered a potential trade candidate before coming to terms on the new deal, and he remains trade-eligible without a six-month waiting period.
The Mavs are well stocked in the frontcourt if Gafford isn’t available for the season opener. Dereck Lively II would probably start at center alongside Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg.
Southwest Notes: Nunez, Castle, Morant, Lemons, Russell
Spurs draft-and-stash prospect Juan Nunez is expected be sidelined six months after undergoing right knee surgery on Tuesday, BasketNews relays.
FC Barcelona announced that a meniscal cyst was removed from Nunez’s knee, and the suture points of the meniscus from the first arthroscopy performed on March 11 were reinforced. The 21-year-old averaged 5.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game last season in the EuroLeague.
Nunez was selected with the 36th overall pick of the 2024 draft and was acquired by San Antonio in a draft-night trade with Indiana.
We have more on the Southwest Division:
- The Spurs’ backcourt plans have been put on hold due to injuries, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News notes. De’Aaron Fox, who signed a four-year, maximum-salary extension this offseason, injured his hamstring during offseason workouts and has already been deemed doubtful for the Oct. 22 regular-season opener against Dallas. Dylan Harper, the second pick of this year’s draft, is rehabbing from left thumb surgery. That leaves Stephon Castle as the primary ball-handler in the early going. “I think what he has already done is just something we want to continue to grow him in,” coach Mitch Johnson said of last season’s Rookie of the Year. “He has already shown the chops to do it.”
- Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant intends to negotiate his next contract without an agent, according to Drew Hill of the Daily Memphian (subscription required; hat tip to RealGM). Morant was previously represented by Jim Hill and Mike Miller but parted ways with Miller in June. Morant, who signed a five-year, $197MM contract which expires after the 2027/28 season, has started an advisory firm with family ties, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Phil Morant, his uncle, is the chief managing director of a new Memphis-based advisory firm, ILOC. His mother, Jamie Morant, is also an employee of the firm run on a day-to-day basis by former head of Grizzlies security Kevin Helms.
- The Rockets have added Robbie Lemons as an assistant coach, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Lemons previously worked on Mike Brown’s staff in Sacramento, specializing in coaching analytics and strategy.
- D’Angelo Russell, signed to a two-year contract by the Mavericks as a free agent, doesn’t want to be just a stopgap until Kyrie Irving returns from a knee injury, he said this week, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “Obviously, with Kai out, there’s minutes available, but I’m not looking at it like I’m just holding down the fort,” Russell said. “I want to establish myself here, be consistent, and help us win games. When Kai comes back, I’ll adjust, but my mindset is to make an impact from day one.”
Mavs Notes: Starters, Kyrie, Smith, Robinson-Earl, Coaches, Lively
The Mavericks made one very significant roster addition over the summer, drafting No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg out of Duke. But the club’s starting five has yet to be determined heading into training camp, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
“This is competition,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “We’re going to look at a lot of combinations.”
Kidd has indicated that everyone aside from All-Star guard Kyrie Irving is expected to fully participate in practice, tweets Christian Clark of The Athletic. For now, free agent signing D’Angelo Russell is expected to start in Irving’s stead.
There’s more out of Dallas:
- Irving continues to improve from the ACL tear he suffered last March. Kidd, however, offered a measured take on his recovery to date, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “He is doing quite well, as we can see, but he’s not ahead of schedule, and so let’s not say that,” Kidd said. “That’s unfair to him and to the Mavs because it’s not true. Is he on schedule? It looks like it.” Mavs president of basketball operations Nico Harrison had suggested in July that the star guard was “ahead of schedule” in his rehab process.
- New Mavericks additions Dennis Smith Jr. and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl signed non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 agreements, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The agreements protect the team in the event that either player sustains an injury in training camp or the preseason and don’t count against the cap unless they carry over to the regular season.
- Kidd weighed in on Dallas losing assistant coaches Sean Sweeney, Jared Dudley, and Alex Jensen to other teams this summer, Curtis tweets. “The guys who left will be missed,” Kidd said. “Sweeney, Duds and Alex… It’s a compliment that we must be doing something right. Not wrong.”
- Third-year Mavericks center Dereck Lively II indicated during his media day session that he has grown this summer, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Lively, who was listed at 7’1″ last season, claims he is currently 7’2″ or 7’3″.