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Decisions On 2026/27 Rookie Scale Team Options

August 28th, 2025 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

While decisions on player and team options for veteran NBA contracts are typically due in June, the deadline to exercise third- and fourth-year team options for players on rookie scale contracts arrives each fall. This year’s deadline for teams to pick up rookie scale options is October 31, 2025.

All the players whose options will be exercised or declined by Oct. 31 are already under contract for the 2025/26 season. Their teams will have to make a decision on whether they want to lock in those players’ contracts beyond the coming season, picking up or turning down team options for the 2026/27 campaign.

For players who signed their rookie scale contracts in 2023 and have already been in the NBA for two years, teams must decide on fourth-year options for 2026/27. For players who just signed their rookie deals last year and only have one season of NBA experience under their belts, teams will already be faced with a decision on third-year options for ’26/27.

In many cases, these decisions aren’t difficult ones. Rookie scale salaries are affordable enough that it usually makes sense to exercise these team options, even if a player isn’t a key cog on the roster. And for those players who do have a significant role on a team’s roster, the decision is even easier — it’s not as if the Spurs will consider turning down their option on Stephon Castle, for instance.

Still, we’ll wait for a trusted reporter, the NBA, a player (or his agent), or a team itself to confirm that an option is indeed being exercised or declined, and we’ll track that news in this space.

Listed below are all the rookie scale decisions for 2026/27 team options that clubs must make by Oct. 31. This list will be updated through the deadline as teams’ decisions are reported and announced. The salary figures listed here reflect the cap hits for each team.

Here are the NBA’s rookie scale team option decisions for 2026/27 salaries:

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Hornets

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

Denver Nuggets

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat

Milwaukee Bucks

  • None

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

Philadelphia 76ers

Phoenix Suns

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

San Antonio Spurs

Toronto Raptors

Utah Jazz

Washington Wizards

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NBA 2025 Offseason Check-In: Indiana Pacers

August 27th, 2025 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2025 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the Indiana Pacers.

Free agent signings

  • Isaiah Jackson: Three years, $21,000,000. Includes Achilles-related injury protection. Re-signed using Bird rights.
  • James Wiseman: Two years, minimum salary. First year partially guaranteed ($1MM). Second-year team option. Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

  • Acquired their own 2026 first-round pick from the Pelicans in exchange for the No. 23 pick in the 2025 draft and the draft rights to Mojave King.
    • Note: The Pelicans had acquired the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick (with top-four protection) in a previous trade; the Pacers got it back in this deal.
  • Acquired the draft rights to Kam Jones (No. 38 pick) from the Spurs in exchange for the Kings’ 2030 second-round pick and cash ($2.5MM).
  • Acquired Jay Huff from the Grizzlies in exchange for the Trail Blazers’ 2029 second-round pick and the right to swap their 2031 second-round pick for either the Pacers’ or Heat’s 2031 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).

Draft picks

  • 2-38: Kam Jones
    • Signed to four-year, $8,685,386 contract. First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed ($1,075,459). Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  • 2-54: Taelon Peter
    • Signed to two-way contract.

Two-way signings

  • Quenton Jackson
    • One year, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season).
  • Taelon Peter
    • Two years, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season); second year non-guaranteed.

Note: The Pacers carried over RayJ Dennis on a two-way contract from 2024/25.

Departed/unsigned free agents

Other roster moves

Salary cap situation

  • Operating over the cap ($154.6MM) and below the luxury tax line ($187.9MM).
  • Carrying approximately $181.8MM in salary.
  • Hard-capped at $195,945,000.
  • Full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14,104,000) available.
  • Full bi-annual exception ($5,134,000) available.

The offseason so far

Through 82 regular season contests and 22 of 23 total playoff games, 2024/25 was a dream season for the Pacers, who improbably overcame a 10-15 start to win three playoff series and then went toe-to-toe with the 68-win Thunder in the NBA Finals. But with Indiana looking to seize control of Game 7, star point guard Tyrese Haliburton – who was coming off a calf injury – tore his right Achilles tendon, ending his night, his season, and ultimately the team’s championship hopes.

Haliburton’s injury didn’t invalidate all the memorable performances, comebacks, and series victories that came before it, but it put a serious damper on one of the greatest years in team history — and it will have a lasting impact beyond the spring of 2025.

Even if the Pacers hadn’t won Game 7 in Oklahoma City, getting through that night without any serious injuries likely would’ve given the front office confidence to heavily invest in the roster going forward. Team owner Herb Simon hardly ever pays the luxury tax, but for a team that came within one win of a title and was in position to bring back its entire core, I think he would’ve been comfortable doing so.

However, with Haliburton ruled out for the entire 2025/26 season, Indiana’s outlook for the coming year isn’t nearly as promising. Without their star player available, the Pacers almost certainly won’t be a serious championship contender next spring. That likely made Simon much more reluctant to become a taxpayer, which – in turn – resulted in the loss of longtime center Myles Turner in free agency to the division-rival Bucks.

To be clear, the Pacers and Turner were very much engaged in contract talks when free agency started, and president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard later insisted that ownership was willing to go “deep into the tax” to bring back the 29-year-old. Still, I have to think Indiana’s front office wasn’t quite as aggressive as it would have been if Haliburton were healthy.

While there were conflicting reports on exactly what the Pacers’ final offer to Turner was, most of those reports suggested the team hadn’t gone beyond a three-year bid worth about $22-23MM per year. That’s comfortably below what rival Eastern Conference centers like Jarrett Allen ($30MM per year), Jakob Poeltl ($28MM per year), and even Nic Claxton ($24.3MM per year) received on their most recent long-term contracts.

It seemed as if the Pacers were playing hardball with Turner to some extent, recognizing that no rival suitor had $20MM+ in cap room available and perhaps hoping that his price would come in low enough that they could duck under the tax line with a cost-cutting move elsewhere on the roster. Public remarks from Pritchard and general manager Chad Buchanan in the wake of Turner’s departure certainly suggested they weren’t expecting Milwaukee to find a way to open up the cap space necessary to give the big man a four-year contract worth in excess of $27MM annually. Turner reportedly accepted that offer without giving the Pacers a chance to match it.

With the rest of their starters and top reserves already under contract for the 2025/26 season, the Pacers dedicated much of their summer to finding a way to fill the new Turner-shaped hole in their frontcourt. They picked up Tony Bradley‘s non-guaranteed minimum-salary option and re-signed the centers who opened last season second and third on the depth chart behind Turner: Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman.

Both Jackson and Wiseman suffered early-season Achilles tears of their own last fall, but Indiana clearly still believes both players are capable of providing positive minutes and is confident about how their recoveries are progressing.

I was pretty convinced that Jackson wouldn’t even get a qualifying offer, but the Pacers not only made him a restricted free agent, they re-signed him to a three-year, $21MM contract that will be fully guaranteed as long as he doesn’t have any recurring Achilles issues. As for Wiseman, he got a deal similar to the one he signed last year, a two-year, minimum-salary pact with a partially guaranteed first-year salary and a second-year team option.

Relying on a pair of big men coming off Achilles tears and a veteran journeyman would be risky, so the Pacers were also active on the trade market addressing the center position, acquiring Jay Huff from the Grizzlies in exchange for a future second-round pick and a second-round swap.

Huff is an intriguing pickup. He has put up monster numbers in the G League in recent years, and that production began to translate to the NBA level in 2024/25, as he averaged 6.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 11.7 minutes per game across 64 outings for Memphis, with a .515/.405/.786 shooting line. I get the sense that the Pacers have high hopes for Huff, having brought in an assistant coach who worked closely with him at Virginia and reportedly helped convince the Grizzlies to take a shot on him a year ago.

Huff and Jackson will likely be fighting for the top spot on the Pacers’ depth chart at the five, with Wiseman and Bradley possibly vying for a spot on the 15-man regular season roster — neither player has a fully guaranteed deal, so if Jackson and Wiseman look healthy and effective, Bradley could be the odd man out.

Up next

With 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals, the Pacers’ roster looks ready for the regular season, but there’s a little wiggle room there. As noted above, neither Wiseman nor Bradley has a guaranteed contract, so Indiana could waive one of them this fall in order to open up its 15th roster slot. In that scenario, Bradley would be the more likely release candidate, since he’s not owed any guaranteed money, whereas Wiseman has a $1MM partial guarantee.

If the Pacers do open up a roster spot, they wouldn’t be obligated to fill it right away and could create some additional roster and financial flexibility by leaving it open at the start of the season. But it’s also worth keeping an eye on veteran forward James Johnson, who remains unsigned. Buchanan said last month that Johnson hopes to continue his playing career, and Indiana has found room for him on its roster after the start of the season in the past.

The more pressing items on the Pacers’ to-do list this fall will be a pair of potential contract extensions — Bennedict Mathurin is eligible for a rookie scale extension, while Aaron Nesmith is up for a veteran extension.

Both players will face an October 20 deadline, though Nesmith has two years left on his current deal and would become extension-eligible again starting in July 2026 if he doesn’t sign a new contract at this point. Mathurin, conversely, would be headed for restricted free agency next summer if he enters the season without an extension in place.

Nesmith has a more clearly defined role and more clearly defined extension parameters — the Pacers are limited to offering him up to three years and approximately $63MM on top of the $22MM he’s still owed over the next two seasons. That price seems reasonable for a player who has emerged as one of the club’s most reliable wings — Nesmith has averaged 12.1 points per game and made 42.3% of his three-point attempts over the past two seasons while admirably handling tough defensive assignments.

Mathurin has more upside than Nesmith as a scorer and an all-around offensive weapon, but his fit in Indiana’s Haliburton-led offense hasn’t exactly been seamless, so it’s unclear exactly how hard the team will push to get something done.

On one hand, it may make sense to extend Mathurin now before he takes on a larger role with Haliburton out and potentially has a career year in 2025/26. On the other hand, the Pacers simply may not be convinced he’s part of their long-term plans, especially if he’s seeking a deal north of $20MM per year — they avoided the tax this year, but a lucrative new contract for Mathurin would put them in danger of surpassing that threshold in 2026/27.

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Traded First-Round Picks For 2026 NBA Draft

August 27th, 2025 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

The 2026 NBA draft is still nearly 10 months away, but a number of teams have already traded away their first-round picks for ’26, and more clubs may do so before this season’s trade deadline.

We’ll use the space below to keep tabs on each team’s first-round pick for 2026, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its first-round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on the protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2027 if it doesn’t change hands in 2026.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2026 first-round pick:

Note: Teams marked with an asterisk (*) have traded away their 2027 first-round pick (either unprotected or with protection) and can’t freely trade away their 2026 first-rounder due to the Stepien Rule.

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Own pick.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Own pick.
  • New York Knicks (*): Own pick.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Traded to Thunder (top-four protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Sixers would instead owe the Thunder their 2027 first-round pick (top-four protected).
  • Toronto Raptors: Own pick.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Own pick.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (*): Traded swap rights to Jazz and Hawks.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Detroit Pistons: Own pick.
  • Indiana Pacers: Own pick.
  • Milwaukee Bucks (*): Traded swap rights to Hawks.
    • The Hawks will receive the most favorable pick of the Bucks and Pelicans’ first-rounders; the Bucks will receive the least favorable of the two.

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks (*): Traded swap rights to Spurs.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Own pick.
  • Miami Heat (*): Own pick.
  • Orlando Magic: Traded to Grizzlies or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Washington Wizards: Traded to Knicks (top-eight protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Wizards would instead send the Knicks their 2026 second-round pick and 2027 second-round pick, and Washington would have swap rights on its pick (details outlined at bottom of article).

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets (*): Own pick.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (*): Traded swap rights to Jazz.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Bulls (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Trail Blazers would instead owe the Bulls their 2027 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Thunder (top-eight protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Jazz’s obligation to the Thunder would be extinguished and Utah would have swap rights on its pick (details outlined at bottom of article).

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Own pick.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Thunder or Wizards.
    • The Thunder will receive the two most favorable picks of their own, the Rockets’ (top-four protected), and the Clippers’ first-rounders. The Wizards will receive the least favorable of the three.
  • Los Angeles Lakers (*): Own pick.
  • Phoenix Suns (*): Traded to Wizards, Grizzlies, or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Sacramento Kings: Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks (*): Own pick.
  • Houston Rockets: Traded to Thunder or Wizards (top-four protected).
    • The Thunder will receive the two most favorable picks of their own, the Rockets’ (top-four protected), and the Clippers’ first-rounders. The Wizards will receive the least favorable of the three.
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Rockets would instead send the Thunder their 2026 second-round pick and Oklahoma City would only receive one of the above picks instead of two.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Own pick.
    • The Grizzlies have swap rights on their pick. Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Hawks or Bucks.
    • The Hawks will receive the most favorable pick of the Bucks and Pelicans’ first-rounders; the Bucks will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.
    • The Spurs have swap rights on their pick. Details outlined at bottom of article.

A series of 2026 first-round picks are tied up in a pair of convoluted trade/swap scenarios. The first of those situations involves the Spurs‘, Hawks‘, Jazz‘s, Timberwolves‘ and Cavaliers‘ first-rounders, while the second involves the Suns‘, Wizards‘, Magic‘s, and Grizzlies‘ picks.

Here are the details on how the first set of picks will be distributed:

The Spurs will receive the most favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Spurs’ own first-round pick.
  2. The Hawks’ first-round pick.

The Jazz will receive the most favorable of the following picks if their own first-rounder is in the top eight:

  1. The Jazz’s own first-round pick.
  2. The Timberwolves’ first-round pick.
  3. The Cavaliers’ first-round pick.

The Timberwolves will receive the least favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Timberwolves’ own first-round pick.
  2. The Jazz’s first-round pick (if in the top eight).

The Hawks will receive the most favorable of the following picks, while the Cavaliers will receive the least favorable:

  1. The least favorable of the Hawks’ own first-round pick and the Spurs’ first-round pick.
  2. The least favorable of the Cavaliers’ first-round pick and either the Jazz’s first-round pick (if in the top eight) and the Timberwolves’ first-round pick (whichever is most favorable).

If the Jazz’s pick lands outside the top eight, it will be sent to the Thunder, and the Timberwolves will keep their own first-round pick. In that scenario, the Jazz/Timberwolves picks would not be in play for the Hawks and Cavaliers — and Utah wouldn’t control a first-rounder.

Here are the details on how the second set of picks will be distributed:

The Wizards will receive the most favorable of the following picks if their own first-rounder is in the top eight:

  1. The Wizards’ own first-round pick.
  2. The Suns’ first-round pick.

The Grizzlies will receive the two most favorable of the following picks, while the Hornets will receive the least favorable:

  1. The Grizzlies’ own first-round pick.
  2. The Magic’s first-round pick.
  3. The least favorable of the Wizards’ first-round pick (if in the top eight) and the Suns’ first-round pick.

If the Wizards’ pick lands outside the top eight, it will be sent to the Knicks. In that scenario, the Wizards pick wouldn’t be in play for the Grizzlies and Hornets — and Washington wouldn’t control a first-rounder.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

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2026 NBA Free Agents By Team

August 26th, 2025 at 10:40am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2026 free agents by team is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2025/26 season.

Players with team or player options for the 2026/27 season are listed, unless they’re rookie scale options. Potential restricted free agents are marked with (RFA). Players on Exhibit 9 or Exhibit 10 deals in the fall of 2025 won’t be listed here unless they make the regular season roster.

This list will continue to be updated throughout the 2025/26 season, so be sure to use it and our list of 2026 free agents by position/type as points of reference.

Both lists can be found anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Free Agent Lists” section of our mobile menu. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Updated 9-2-25 (3:19 pm CT)

Atlanta Hawks

  1. Luke Kennard
  2. Kristaps Porzingis
  3. Dyson Daniels (RFA)
  4. Trae Young ($48,967,380 player option)
  5. Mouhamed Gueye ($2,406,205 team option)
  6. Eli Ndiaye (two-way)
  7. Jacob Toppin (two-way)
  8. Keaton Wallace (two-way)

Boston Celtics

  1. Chris Boucher
  2. Anfernee Simons
  3. Xavier Tillman Sr.
  4. Neemias Queta ($2,667,944 team option)
  5. Josh Minott ($2,584,539 team option)
  6. Jordan Walsh ($2,406,205 team option)
  7. Max Shulga (two-way)
  8. Amari Williams (two-way)

Brooklyn Nets

  1. Haywood Highsmith
  2. Keon Johnson
  3. Tyrese Martin (RFA)
  4. Drew Timme (RFA)
  5. Jalen Wilson (RFA)
  6. Tyson Etienne (two-way)

Charlotte Hornets

  1. Pat Connaughton
  2. Spencer Dinwiddie
  3. Mason Plumlee
  4. Collin Sexton
  5. Drew Peterson (two-way)
  6. Antonio Reeves (two-way)
  7. KJ Simpson (two-way)

Chicago Bulls

  1. Jevon Carter
  2. Zach Collins
  3. Ayo Dosunmu
  4. Kevin Huerter
  5. Nikola Vucevic
  6. Coby White
  7. Dalen Terry (RFA)
  8. Julian Phillips ($2,406,205 team option)
  9. Yuki Kawamura (two-way)
  10. Emanuel Miller (two-way)
  11. Lachlan Olbrich (two-way)

Cleveland Cavaliers

  1. Larry Nance Jr.
  2. Dean Wade
  3. Lonzo Ball ($10,000,000 team option)
  4. Craig Porter Jr. ($2,406,205 team option)
  5. Nae’Qwan Tomlin (two-way)
  6. Luke Travers (two-way)

Dallas Mavericks

  1. Dante Exum
  2. Dwight Powell
  3. P.J. Washington
  4. Brandon Williams
  5. D’Angelo Russell ($5,969,250 player option)
  6. Miles Kelly (two-way)
  7. Ryan Nembhard (two-way)

Denver Nuggets

  1. Bruce Brown
  2. Tim Hardaway Jr.
  3. Christian Braun (RFA)
  4. Peyton Watson (RFA)
  5. Jalen Pickett ($2,406,205 team option)
  6. Hunter Tyson ($2,406,205 team option)
  7. Tamar Bates (two-way)
  8. Curtis Jones (two-way)
  9. Spencer Jones (two-way)

Detroit Pistons

  1. Javonte Green
  2. Tobias Harris
  3. Jalen Duren (RFA)
  4. Jaden Ivey (RFA)
  5. Daniss Jenkins (two-way)
  6. Colby Jones (two-way)
  7. Tolu Smith (two-way)

Golden State Warriors

  1. Quinten Post (RFA)
  2. Gui Santos (RFA)
  3. Draymond Green ($27,678,571 player option)
  4. Trayce Jackson-Davis ($2,406,205 team option)
  5. Jackson Rowe (two-way)

Houston Rockets

  1. Kevin Durant
  2. Jeff Green
  3. Aaron Holiday
  4. Josh Okogie
  5. Jae’Sean Tate
  6. Tari Eason (RFA)
  7. Fred VanVleet ($25,000,000 player option)
  8. Isaiah Crawford (two-way)
  9. JD Davison (two-way)
  10. Kevon Harris (two-way)

Indiana Pacers

  1. Tony Bradley
  2. Bennedict Mathurin (RFA)
  3. James Wiseman ($3,018,158 team option)
  4. RayJ Dennis (two-way)
  5. Quenton Jackson (two-way)

Los Angeles Clippers

  1. John Collins
  2. Chris Paul
  3. James Harden ($42,317,307 player option)
  4. Bradley Beal ($5,621,700 player option)
  5. Bogdan Bogdanovic ($16,020,000 team option)
  6. Brook Lopez ($9,187,500 team option)
  7. Nicolas Batum ($5,881,680 team option)
  8. Trentyn Flowers (two-way)
  9. Jordan Miller (two-way)

Los Angeles Lakers

  1. Rui Hachimura
  2. Jaxson Hayes
  3. LeBron James
  4. Maxi Kleber
  5. Gabe Vincent
  6. Austin Reaves ($14,898,786 player option)
  7. Deandre Ayton ($8,104,000 player option)
  8. Marcus Smart ($5,390,700 player option)
  9. Christian Koloko (two-way)
  10. Chris Manon (two-way)

Memphis Grizzlies

  1. Jock Landale
  2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($21,621,500 player option)
  3. Vince Williams Jr. ($2,489,752 team option)
  4. GG Jackson II ($2,406,205 team option)
  5. PJ Hall (two-way)

Miami Heat

  1. Simone Fontecchio
  2. Norman Powell
  3. Terry Rozier
  4. Keshad Johnson (RFA)
  5. Nikola Jovic (RFA)
  6. Andrew Wiggins ($30,169,644 player option)
  7. Pelle Larsson ($2,296,271 team option)
  8. Vladislav Goldin (two-way)

Milwaukee Bucks

  1. Thanasis Antetokounmpo
  2. Cole Anthony
  3. A.J. Green
  4. Chris Livingston (RFA)
  5. Kevin Porter Jr. ($5,390,700 player option)
  6. Gary Trent Jr. ($3,881,960 player option)
  7. Gary Harris ($3,815,861 player option)
  8. Taurean Prince ($3,815,861 player option)
  9. Jericho Sims ($2,801,346 player option)
  10. Andre Jackson Jr. ($2,406,205 team option)
  11. Jamaree Bouyea (two-way)
  12. Pete Nance (two-way)
  13. Mark Sears (two-way)

Minnesota Timberwolves

  1. Mike Conley
  2. Joe Ingles
  3. Jaylen Clark (RFA)
  4. Leonard Miller ($2,406,205 team option)
  5. Enrique Freeman (two-way)

New Orleans Pelicans

  1. Jose Alvarado ($4,500,000 player option)
  2. Kevon Looney ($8,000,000 team option)
  3. Karlo Matkovic ($2,296,271 team option)
  4. Trey Alexander (two-way)
  5. Hunter Dickinson (two-way)
  6. Bryce McGowens (two-way)

New York Knicks

  1. Jordan Clarkson
  2. Mitchell Robinson
  3. Ariel Hukporti (RFA)
  4. Guerschon Yabusele ($5,775,000 player option)

Oklahoma City Thunder

  1. Ousmane Dieng (RFA)
  2. Isaiah Hartenstein ($28,500,000 team option)
  3. Luguentz Dort ($18,222,222 team option)
  4. Kenrich Williams ($7,163,000 team option)
  5. Brooks Barnhizer (two-way)

Orlando Magic

  1. Tyus Jones
  2. Moritz Wagner
  3. Jamal Cain (two-way)
  4. Orlando Robinson (two-way)

Philadelphia 76ers

  1. Andre Drummond
  2. Eric Gordon
  3. Kyle Lowry
  4. Kelly Oubre Jr.
  5. Trendon Watford ($2,801,346 team option)
  6. Dominick Barlow (two-way)
  7. Hunter Sallis (two-way)
  8. Jabari Walker (two-way)

Phoenix Suns

  1. Collin Gillespie
  2. Jordan Goodwin
  3. Nick Richards
  4. Nigel Hayes-Davis (RFA)
  5. Mark Williams (RFA)
  6. Koby Brea (two-way)
  7. Isaiah Livers (two-way)

Portland Trail Blazers

  1. Matisse Thybulle
  2. Blake Wesley
  3. Robert Williams
  4. Duop Reath (RFA)
  5. Rayan Rupert (RFA)
  6. Shaedon Sharpe (RFA)
  7. Toumani Camara ($2,406,205 team option)
  8. Sidy Cissoko (two-way)
  9. Caleb Love (two-way)

Sacramento Kings

  1. Terence Davis
  2. Keon Ellis
  3. Drew Eubanks
  4. Doug McDermott
  5. Dario Saric
  6. Isaac Jones (RFA)
  7. Keegan Murray (RFA)
  8. Zach LaVine ($48,967,380 player option)
  9. Daeqwon Plowden (two-way)

San Antonio Spurs

  1. Harrison Barnes
  2. Jordan McLaughlin
  3. Kelly Olynyk
  4. Lindy Waters III
  5. Jeremy Sochan (RFA)
  6. Julian Champagnie ($3,000,000 team option)
  7. Harrison Ingram (two-way)
  8. David Jones Garcia (two-way)
  9. Riley Minix (two-way)

Toronto Raptors

  1. A.J. Lawson
  2. Garrett Temple
  3. Ochai Agbaji (RFA)
  4. Sandro Mamukelashvili ($2,801,346 player option)
  5. Jonathan Mogbo ($2,296,271 team option)
  6. Jamal Shead ($2,296,271 team option)
  7. Ulrich Chomche (two-way)
  8. Chucky Hepburn (two-way)
  9. Alijah Martin (two-way)

Utah Jazz

  1. Kevin Love
  2. KJ Martin
  3. Georges Niang
  4. Jusuf Nurkic
  5. Walker Kessler (RFA)
  6. Elijah Harkless (two-way)
  7. John Tonje (two-way)
  8. Oscar Tshiebwe (two-way)

Washington Wizards

  1. Marvin Bagley III
  2. Anthony Gill
  3. CJ McCollum
  4. Khris Middleton
  5. Malaki Branham (RFA)
  6. Tristan Vukcevic (two-way)
  7. Jamir Watkins (two-way)
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Key 2025 NBA Preseason Dates, Deadlines

August 26th, 2025 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

The most notable dates of the 2025 NBA offseason are behind us now that we’re well clear of the draft and the free agent period. However, there are still a number of dates and deadlines to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months before teams take the court for the 2025/26 regular season.

Here’s the breakdown:

August 27 – September 14

  • FIBA EuroBasket 2025.

August 29

  • Last day for teams to waive players and apply the stretch provision to their 2025/26 salaries.

September 5-6

  • Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement weekend for the 2025 class.

September 23

  • Media day for the Nets, Knicks, Sixers, Pelicans, and Suns.

September 25

  • Training camps open for the Nets, Knicks, Sixers, Pelicans, and Suns.

September 29

  • Media day – and training camps open – for the other 25 teams.

October 1

  • Last day for a restricted free agent to sign his qualifying offer (unless his team agrees to push back the deadline).

October 2

  • Preseason begins.

October 17

  • Preseason ends.

October 18

  • Last day for players on fully non-guaranteed contracts to be waived and not count at all against a team’s 2025/26 cap. They must clear waivers before the first day of the regular season.

October 20

  • Last day of the 2025 offseason.
  • Roster limits decrease from 21 players to 18 (4:00 pm CT). Teams will be limited to carrying 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals as of this deadline.
  • Last day for teams to sign a player to a rookie scale extension (5:00 pm CT).
    [RELATED: Players eligible for rookie scale extensions]
  • Last day for teams to sign an extension-eligible veteran player with multiple seasons left on his contract (such as Tyler Herro) to an extension. An extension-eligible veteran player on an expiring deal (like Kevin Durant) can still be extended after October 20.
  • Last day for teams to complete sign-and-trade deals.
  • Last day for teams to convert an Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way contract.

October 21

Information from NBA.com was used in the creation of this post.

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Community Shootaround: Russell Westbrook

August 25th, 2025 at 9:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Recent reports indicate that the Kings are the only team with genuine interest in signing free agent guard Russell Westbrook.

However, that comes with a major stipulation — they first have to clear some salary and some playing time to make that happen. Sacramento already signed a veteran point guard in Dennis Schröder, so the only way Westbrook could get a meaningful role is if Sacramento deals either Malik Monk or 2024 No. 13 overall pick Devin Carter.

Both of those guards have been the subject of trade rumors this summer. That’s in part due to the Kings’ interest in trading for Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. One recent report declared that the Kings are still interested in finding a new home for Monk. A subsequent report stated that Sacramento isn’t actively engaged in any discussions about a Monk deal.

Westbrook will be 37 in November but it’s still somewhat surprising that his market is so limited. He appeared in 75 regular season games with the Nuggets last season, including 36 starts, averaging 13.3 points. 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists. He also appeared in 13 postseason games but struggled to make an impact.

He could have guaranteed himself $3.47MM by exercising his player option but chose to test the market instead. There have been no indications in recent weeks that Denver is showing interest in a reunion, and the same goes for his previous two teams, the Lakers and the Clippers.

That brings us to today’s topic: Do you think the Kings will eventually sign free agent guard Russell Westbrook? If not, do you think he’ll find another landing spot and if so, what will be his likely destination?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

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NBA 2025 Offseason Check-In: New York Knicks

August 25th, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2025 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the New York Knicks.

Free agent signings

  • Guerschon Yabusele: Two years, $11,275,000. Second-year player option. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • Jordan Clarkson: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

Draft picks

Two-way signings

  • None

Departed/unsigned free agents

Other roster moves

  • Signed Mikal Bridges to a four-year, $150,000,000 veteran contract extension that begins in 2026/27. Includes fourth-year player option and trade kicker (5.69%).
  • Exercised team option on Ariel Hukporti ($1,955,377).

Salary cap situation

  • Operating over the cap ($154.6MM) and above the luxury tax line ($187.9MM).
  • Carrying approximately $204.1MM in salary.
  • Hard-capped at $207,824,000.
  • Portion of taxpayer mid-level exception ($185,000) available.
  • One traded player exception ($2,092,344) frozen.

The offseason so far

When the Knicks made blockbuster trades for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns in 2024, they gave up nearly all of their tradable first-round picks and sacrificed their cap flexibility for the foreseeable future, going all-in on a core headlined by Bridges, Towns, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart.

If the new-look roster had crashed and burned in 2024/25, perhaps the club would’ve seriously explored trades involving one or more of those “core” players this summer, but after the Knicks made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years this spring, no major roster changes were forthcoming.

That doesn’t mean it was an uneventful offseason in New York though. The biggest change came on the sidelines, where head coach Tom Thibodeau was let go after five pretty impressive seasons with the team. Thibodeau was named Coach of the Year in 2021 and won playoff series in 2023, 2024, and 2025, leading the Knicks to 50-win seasons in each of the past two years.

Still, Thibodeau faced plenty of criticism for his rotation decisions, including his tendency to lean heavily on his top players and not exercise a ton of patience with youngsters in the developmental stage. Thibodeau’s players have generally supported him publicly, but that relationship between the veteran coach and his players showed some signs of cracking in March during an odd back-and-forth through the media with Bridges. Player usage was reportedly one reason for Thibodeau’s dismissal, along with a sense that a talented roster wasn’t reaching its full potential.

New head coach Mike Brown will be tasked with getting more out of a similar roster that has undergone some changes around the edges. The club used most of its taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Guerschon Yabusele as a frontcourt replacement for Precious Achiuwa and was able to sign Jordan Clarkson to a minimum-salary contract after he was bought out by the Jazz.

Given their extremely limited ability to add talent while operating near the second tax apron, the Knicks’ decision to target Yabusele using their most valuable free agent asset – the taxpayer MLE – raised some eyebrows. But the Frenchman had a very successful return to the NBA last season for Philadelphia, serving as one of the few bright spots in a miserable Sixers season as he showed off a little scoring ability (11.0 PPG on .501/.380/.725 shooting), rebounding (5.6 RPG), and play-making (2.1 APG) while handling a variety of defensive assignments.

The hope in New York is that Brown will feel more confident deploying Yabusele than Thibodeau did with Achiuwa, whose playing time fluctuated over the course of the season and disappeared altogether in the playoffs.

As for Clarkson, the idea is for the veteran guard to add some scoring punch to a second unit that didn’t have much of it last season. The Knicks ranked dead-last in the NBA in bench scoring (21.7 PPG), finishing far behind the 29th-place Lakers (26.2 PPG). Clarkson is no longer in his prime as he enters his age-33 season, but even as his production has dipped a little over the past couple years, he has maintained a scoring average of 16.8 PPG in 28.7 MPG since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Knicks’ most significant player transaction this summer came at the start of August, when the team finalized a four-year, $150MM extension with Bridges. The three-and-D forward had an up-and-down first season in New York, but still finished the year with a 50.0% field goal percentage and made several big defensive plays in the postseason. After giving up so many first-round picks for him a year ago, the Knicks were probably never going to let Bridges enter the season on an expiring contract.

Bridges’ maximum allowable four-year deal on an extension would have been worth about $156.2MM, so the Knicks were able to get a slight discount of about $1.5MM per year. It’s not much, but it could turn out to be more important than you’d think as the team continues to navigate the tax aprons in the coming years.

Up next

The Knicks are carrying just 12 players on standard contracts but also only have about $3.72MM in breathing room below their second-apron hard cap. Not only does that mean New York won’t be able to carry a 15th man until much later in the season, but it also means the team won’t have the ability to sign more than one free agent to a minimum-salary contract ($2,296,274).

The Knicks’ 14th man would have to be a draft-rights-held player on a rookie minimum deal ($1,272,870). Signing a rookie free agent wouldn’t suffice, since tax variance would be applied to that player, who would count as if he were a veteran free agent for tax and apron purposes.

There’s technically a way the Knicks could take a different route with that 14th roster spot, but it would require the team to shed some salary, either via trade or using the stretch provision (the latter will only be an option for a few more days). The most obvious candidate for a cost-cutting trade might be 2024 first-rounder Pacome Dadiet, who didn’t get much run as a rookie and whose 2025/26 salary ($2,847,600) is above the minimum.

But even trading Dadiet without taking any salary back wouldn’t quite create enough cap flexibility for the Knicks to sign a veteran free agent to be their 14th man after they’ve filled the 12th and 13th roster spots. So unless a bigger deal is coming – perhaps one involving center Mitchell Robinson – I think the Knicks will probably roll with their current group and operate like they did for most of last season — one player short of the 15-player max and right up against a hard cap.

Landry Shamet, Ben Simmons, and Malcolm Brogdon are among the veteran free agents who have been mentioned as candidates to be the Knicks’ 13th man, with Malik Beasley recently emerging as a potential option too. I get the sense that Beasley would be their top target if it looks like he’s in the clear in the federal gambling investigation being conducted by the Eastern District of New York, but he may receive offers worth more than the minimum.

For the 14th spot, 2025 second-rounder Mohamed Diawara and 2023 second-rounder James Nnaji look like the prime candidates. Both young bigs left their teams in Europe earlier this summer and seem to be preparing to join the Knicks. I’d probably bet on one to sign a standard contract and the other to get a two-way slot.

Speaking of two-way slots, the Knicks are the only NBA team that has yet to fill any so far this offseason. They still have a two-way qualifying offer on the table for Kevin McCullar Jr., so it’s a safe bet he’ll end up filling one of those openings. Either Diawara or Nnaji should get one too. That would still leave a third opening up for grabs before the start of the regular season.

If New York doesn’t have a specific target in mind for that spot, a training camp competition is possible — former G League Ignite prospect Dink Pate is among the players reportedly expected to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the team.

Finally, we should point out that Robinson is eligible for a contract extension and will maintain that eligibility throughout the regular season. The Knicks’ roster is getting increasingly expensive and Robinson has had a hard time staying on the court over the past few seasons, but he’s an extremely impactful defender and rebounder when he’s available. I wouldn’t expect New York to rush into a deal unless it’s a team-friendly one, but if Robinson looks healthy and effective this fall, it could certainly be worth exploring.

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NBA 2025 Offseason Check-In: San Antonio Spurs

August 24th, 2025 at 4:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2025 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the San Antonio Spurs.

Free agent signings

  • Luke Kornet: Four years, $40,700,000. Third year partially guaranteed ($2.55MM). Fourth year non-guaranteed. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • Jordan McLaughlin: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception. Waived right to veto trade.
  • Lindy Waters III: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($500K). Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Adam Flagler: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Micah Potter: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

  • Acquired the Kings’ 2030 second-round pick and cash ($2.5MM) from the Pacers in exchange for the draft rights to Kam Jones (No. 38 pick).
  • Acquired Kelly Olynyk from the Wizards in exchange for Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and either the Mavericks’, Thunder’s, or Sixers’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).

Draft picks

  • 1-2: Dylan Harper
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $56,140,113).
  • 1-14: Carter Bryant
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $23,419,858).

Two-way signings

Departed/unsigned free agents

Other roster moves

  • Signed De’Aaron Fox to a four-year, maximum-salary veteran contract extension that begins in 2026/27. Projected value of $222,394,368.

Salary cap situation

  • Operating over the cap ($154.6MM) and below the luxury tax line ($187.9MM).
  • Carrying approximately $179.9MM in salary.
  • Hard-capped at $195,945,000.
  • Portion of non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($3,104,000) available.
  • Full bi-annual exception ($5,134,000) available.

The offseason so far

It’s the sort of champagne problem that any NBA team would probably welcome, but the two best things to happen to the Spurs this year have created something of a redundancy on their roster, resulting in some uncertainty about whether this is what their core will look like going forward or whether a trade will be necessary to balance the depth chart.

The first of the Spurs’ big breaks came in January, when De’Aaron Fox made it clear to the Kings that he wouldn’t be signing an extension with the team and had just one trade destination on his wish list: San Antonio. With some leverage in trade talks, the Spurs were able to get a pretty good deal on Fox, acquiring him for a package made up of bench players, two first-round picks, and five second-round selections. Seven draft picks isn’t nothing, but those two first-rounders were far less than it cost to acquire non-All-Stars like Mikal Bridges and Desmond Bane on the trade market in recent years.

San Antonio’s second fortunate turn of events occurred at the draft lottery, when the club entered the night in the No. 8 slot and came away with the second overall pick. With Cooper Flagg considered the consensus top pick in this year’s draft class, that put the Spurs in position to nab Rutgers guard Dylan Harper at No. 2 in June’s draft.

The only problem? Fox, Harper, and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle are all guards who thrive with the ball in their hands and who haven’t developed a reliable outside shot. That doesn’t mean they’re not valuable players — all three absolutely are. But given their overlapping skill sets, it remains an open question whether the Spurs can make it work with all of them playing big minutes (and at least two of them sharing the court for most of the game).

That question fueled speculation that the Spurs might dangle that No. 2 overall pick in trade talks to bolster their roster on the wing or in the frontcourt, passing up Harper and simply rolling with Fox and Castle in the backcourt. But Harper – who almost certainly would’ve been the No. 1 pick if he were in last year’s class – was ultimately too good a prospect to pass on.

The Spurs clearly envision Harper as a part of their long-term future, and Castle is in that group too after earning Rookie of the Year honors this spring. But what about Fox? He entered the offseason on an expiring contract, with the ability to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Would the Spurs be more reluctant to extend him after drafting Harper? Would adding Harper at least make them more inclined to draw a hard line in extension negotiations with Fox?

The answer to both of those questions was no. Immediately after his six-month restriction lifted in early August, Fox signed a four-year, maximum-salary extension that will keep him under contract even beyond the end of Castle’s and Harper’s rookie deals.

It wasn’t really a shocking outcome. The Spurs and Fox likely planned on that extension back when the trade with Sacramento was made, and it would’ve been bad business for the club not to hold up its end of the bargain for an All-Star caliber player who essentially forced his way to San Antonio. But it puts the Spurs in a fascinating position going forward and will make their backcourt chemistry one of the most interesting Western Conference storylines to monitor in 2025/26.

While the Harper pick and the Fox extension were the two most meaningful transactions of the summer for the Spurs, the team also made a pair of notable moves to bolster its frontcourt around rising star Victor Wembanyama, who missed the last two months of the 2024/25 season after being diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. San Antonio used most of its non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Luke Kornet, then later sent a pair of former first-round picks (Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley) to Washington along with a second-round pick for Kelly Olynyk.

There may have been some sticker shock when word broke that Kornet – who had never earned more than $2.5MM in a season – signed a four-year, $41MM deal. But only the first two years are fully guaranteed, and Kornet easily outplayed his minimum-salary deal with Boston last season. The Celtics had a +14.9 net rating during Kornet’s 1,361 minutes of action — no Boston player had an individual net rating higher than that.

While Kornet gives the Spurs another solid rebounder and defender in the middle, Olynyk will add more shooting to their frontcourt. A career 37.1% three-point shooter, Olynyk has been even better in recent years, making nearly 40.0% of his outside attempts since the start of the 2022/23 season. With Western Conference powers increasingly leaning into double-big lineups, San Antonio now has more options to deploy that sort of look, given the ability of both Olynyk and Wembanyama to stretch the floor and play outside the paint on offense.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the one making those lineup decisions on the Spurs’ sidelines will be Mitch Johnson, who took over head coaching duties last fall after Gregg Popovich suffered a stroke and was given the job on a full-time basis this spring. It’s the first coaching change in nearly three decades in San Antonio, but all indications last season were that Johnson had the full support of everyone within the organization, from players to management to Popovich himself.

Finally, while Harper will be the Spurs rookie under the spotlight this season, we should mention the fact that the team actually had two lottery picks and used the second one, No. 14 overall, to draft Arizona wing Carter Bryant. Bryant struggled in six Summer League games, making just 28.6% of his shots from the field (25.8% of his threes) and turning the ball over 3.2 times in just 24.1 minutes per game, but he’s considered a strong three-and-D prospect who could become a long-term fixture in San Antonio.

Up next

The Spurs have 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, with guard Lindy Waters III on a minimum-salary deal that includes a $500K partial guarantee. Even if the team intends to carry Waters on its regular season roster – which seems likely – there’s an open roster spot available, and adding a 15th man wouldn’t come with any tax or apron concerns.

If San Antonio does intend to fill that roster spot before the season begins, it could make sense to add one more big man for depth purposes, given that Wembanyama is coming off a health scare and Olynyk isn’t exactly a true center. For what it’s worth, former Spur Charles Bassey remains unsigned and has been reasonably productive in limited minutes for San Antonio.

I expect any major trade activity to take place closer to the deadline rather than before the regular season, but Keldon Johnson and – to a lesser extent – Devin Vassell have been frequent subjects of trade speculation and are worth keeping an eye on going forward.

Harrison Barnes (veteran) and Jeremy Sochan (rookie scale), meanwhile, are the most noteworthy extension candidates on San Antonio’s roster. At age 33, Barnes may not be part of the Spurs’ long-term plans, but he has been an iron man in recent years, having not missed a game since December 2021, and was a full-time starter last season. I wouldn’t expect him to sign another long-term deal, but a one- or two-year extension might work for both sides.

While Barnes has long established his skill set and his value to an NBA team, Sochan is a little more difficult to evaluate. The 22-year-old has been used in different roles across his three years in the league and had multiple extended injury absences last season. He’s a good defender and a solid rebounder for his size, but he’s not all that dangerous on offense, scoring almost exclusively from inside the arc.

When Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report previewed rookie scale extension candidates in the spring, he cited Moses Moody and his three-year, $37.5MM extension as a possible comparable for Sochan and projected a three-year, $33MM extension for the Spurs forward. That sounds about right to me, but whether Sochan would accept that sort of offer remains to be seen. It’s possible it will take something a bit more lucrative to keep him off the 2026 restricted free agent market.

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Community Shootaround: Malik Beasley’s Future

August 23rd, 2025 at 3:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Malik Beasley could be considered the top unrestricted free agent on the market now that he is no longer a target of a federal gambling investigation.

Beasley played a major role in Detroit’s return to relevance last season. He was the runner-up in the Sixth Man of the Year voting after knocking down 319 three-pointers during the regular season, second only to Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards (320).

The investigation – and Beasley’s financial issues – came to light at the worst possible time. He was reportedly poised to sign a three-year, $42MM contract with the Pistons but that offered was pulled during the federal probe.

Detroit pivoted from Beasley and acquired Caris LeVert via free agency and Duncan Robinson in a sign-and-trade to serve as the wings on its second unit. The Pistons still hold Beasley’s Non-Bird rights but can only offer him a starting salary of $7.2MM. On paper, the Pistons don’t really have a pressing need to bring back Beasley.

If Detroit doesn’t re-sign him, Beasley will almost certainly have to take less in the marketplace, considering the salary cap challenges that a majority of teams are facing. Beasley might even have to settle for a veteran’s minimum deal and hope for better luck next summer.

The Knicks are one of the teams believed to have interest in Beasley but they could only give him a minimum deal.  The Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Warriors and Sixers are some of the other teams with roster openings that might be looking to add another shooter, but all four clubs project to be taxpayers and have limited cap flexibility.

That brings us to today’s topic: Now that Malik Beasley is no longer a target in a federal gambling investigation, where will the unrestricted free agent wind up? Will he re-sign with Detroit or head elsewhere? Which contender would benefit the most from signing Beasley, one of the league’s premier three-point shooters?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

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Checking In On Two-Way Contract Slots Around NBA

August 23rd, 2025 at 11:08am CST by Rory Maher

NBA teams are each permitted to carry up to three players on two-way contracts; at any given time there could be a maximum of 90 players on two-way deals around the league. These players generally bounce back and forth between the NBA and G League, but remain under team control and can’t be poached by rival franchises.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Two-Way Contract]

While we can expect the NBA-wide total to hover at or near 90 for much of the regular season, many teams have yet to fill all of their two-way slots for the 2025/26 campaign. That isn’t surprising, since we’re still about five weeks away from the start of training camps and two months away from the beginning of the regular season.

As our 2025/26 two-way contract tracker shows, 14 NBA teams still have open two-way spots for a total of 18 two-way openings. Two more are reportedly spoken for — Timberwolves restricted free agent guard Tristen Newton is expected to sign his two-way qualifying offer and Branden Carlson is expected to complete a two-way deal with the Thunder.

Here’s the current breakdown of the two-way openings across the league:

Teams with multiple open two-way slots

  • Golden State Warriors (2)
  • New York Knicks (3)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (2)

Some of these spots may already be spoken for. As we noted above, Carlson is expected to sign a two-way contract with the Thunder. The Warriors have a two-way qualifying offer on the table for Taran Armstrong, while the Knicks (Kevin McCullar Jr.) also have a two-way restricted free agent who has yet to sign.

Some of these clubs also have second-round picks from this year’s draft who look like logical candidates for two-way spots. Golden State selected Alex Toohey at No. 52 and Will Richard at No. 56 — it would be a surprise if at least one of them doesn’t end up on a two-way deal. New York has yet to sign No. 51 pick Mohamed Diawara, though he’s a candidate for a standard roster spot, as we discussed earlier this month.

Teams with one open two-way slot

  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Orlando Magic
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Minnesota’s inclusion in this section is likely a formality, since Newton is reportedly returning on a two-way deal. Utah also has yet to sign No. 53 overall pick John Tonje, who could be earmarked for the Jazz’s last two-way spot.

There’s not a single clear-cut candidate for all of these openings though, so agents whose clients are seeking an 18-man roster spot will likely reach out to these clubs to see how they intend to use their third two-way contract slots.

Players with NBA experience who sign Exhibit 10 deals for training camp are also candidates to monitor, since some of them are also eligible for two-way deals and could be converted before the season begins. Colin Castleton (Orlando) is a recent example of a player who fits this bill.

Teams with no two-way openings

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors

In theory, these 16 teams are good to go for training camp. In actuality, several of them could make two-way changes both before and after camps begin.

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