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Why So Many Players Will Be Signed-And-Waived Before Season

September 12th, 2025 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have signed three free agents to their offseason roster this week. They’ve also waived those same three players, with Quincy Guerrier, Tyreke Key, and Jarkel Joiner each spending no more than a single day under contract with the team, despite the fact that training camp is still weeks away.

There will be dozens of this sort of “sign-and-waive” transaction completed in the next five-plus weeks before opening night — many of them will involve players who don’t have a realistic path to make their team’s regular season roster and won’t be under contract for more than a day or two.

While they may look pointless on the surface, these moves are meaningful to teams and players for a couple reasons. Here are the two reasons why you can count on seeing many more sign-and-trade moves in the coming weeks:

1. In order to secure a player’s G League rights

Up to four players waived by a team prior to the start of the NBA regular season can be designated as “affiliate players.” As we explain in more detail in our glossary entry on the subject, if a player designated as an affiliate player signs a G League contract, he’s automatically assigned to that team’s NBAGL squad.

A player can only be made an affiliate player if his returning rights aren’t already controlled by a G League team. That’s why our annual list of affiliate players around the league consists mostly of undrafted rookies and a few veterans who have never played in the NBAGL before.

If a player has only ever been assigned to the G League while on a standard or two-way contract with an NBA team, his returning rights aren’t controlled by that club. For example, if a team were to sign Emoni Bates to a training camp deal this fall, it could designate him as an affiliate player, since he has only played in the G League while on a two-way contract with the Cavaliers — that means the Cleveland Charge don’t control his returning rights.

Sign-and-waive transactions involving players meant to be designated as affiliate players often don’t occur until training camps begin, since a player is typically require to participate in at least one day of team activities in order to qualify as an affiliate player.

2. In order to award a player a bonus

Many of the players who are signed and immediately waived by an NBA team can’t be designated as affiliate players because their G League rights are already controlled by a specific club.

This applies to the three players signed-and-waived by the Raptors this week — Guerrier and Key played for the Raptors 905 last season, while Toronto’s affiliate made a trade last month to acquire Joiner’s returning rights. That means if Guerrier, Key, and Joiner sign G League contracts this fall, the 905 would control them as “returning rights” players and wouldn’t have to use one of their four “affiliate player” slots to retain them.

The Raptors didn’t need to sign Guerrier, Key, and Joiner to contracts to acquire their G League rights, but giving them non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deals will allow Toronto to award those players some bonus money on top of their standard G League base salaries.

A player who signs an Exhibit 10 contract and then is waived before the season will earn his Exhibit 10 bonus if he spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate. This season, the maximum Exhibit 10 bonus amount is $85,300. Since those bonuses don’t count against the cap, they serve as a way for teams to reward or incentivize a player who joins their G League affiliates instead of seeking another opportunity, perhaps overseas.

The majority of players who sign Exhibit 10 contracts are awarded the maximum allowable bonus ($85,300), but some G League role players will agree to receive bonuses that come in below that max. For example, Key – who averaged just 17.3 minutes per game during the NBAGL regular season in 2024/25 – agreed to a bonus worth just $35K, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Still, even a modest Exhibit 10 bonus represents a significant raise for a player who signs a G League contract. Shams Charania of ESPN reported in the fall of 2022 that the base NBAGL salary at that time was $40,500. It’s possible that figure has increased slightly since then, but it’s still just a small fraction of what a player would earn on a standard – or even a two-way – NBA contract. An Exhibit 10 bonus could double or even triple a G League player’s earnings for that season.

It’s worth noting that if the Raptors hadn’t acquired Joiner’s returning rights from the Hawks’ G League affiliate, they wouldn’t be in position to carry him on the 905’s roster or give him an Exhibit 10 bonus. If an NBA team signs and waives a player whose NBAGL rights are held by another organization, it’s generally a safe bet that a G League trade to acquire that player’s returning rights is in the works.

While only some of the many sign-and-waive transactions that occur between now and the start of the regular season are about acquiring a player’s NBAGL rights, nearly all of them will involve lining up some bonus money for a player ticketed for the G League.

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Highest-Paid NBA Players By Team

September 12th, 2025 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

On Tuesday, we listed the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2025/26 season. Although that list presented a clear picture of the highest earners for the current season, not every NBA team was represented. Two of the league’s 30 franchises – the Trail Blazers and Bulls – didn’t have a single player in the top 50.

Our list of highest-paid players for 2025/26 also only provided a snapshot for this year. For example, Wizards forward Khris Middleton, who cracked the top 50, will certainly be well compensated for the coming season, but he’s on an expiring contract and will fall off that list next year after reaching free agency.

Today, we’re shifting our focus to the highest-paid players by team. This will allow us to check in on the clubs that weren’t represented on our initial list, as well as identifying some of the league’s most lucrative multiyear commitments — we’ve included each club’s highest-paid player for the current season (by 2025/26 base salary) and its highest-paid player in total (by total guaranteed base salary, including player options but not team options).

Let’s dive in…

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

  • 2025/26: Jayson Tatum ($54,126,450)
  • Total: Jayson Tatum (five years, $313,933,410)
    • Note: Tatum’s final year is a player option.

Brooklyn Nets

  • 2025/26: Michael Porter Jr. ($38,333,050)
  • Total: Michael Porter Jr. (two years, $79,139,200)

Charlotte Hornets

  • 2025/26: LaMelo Ball ($37,958,760)
  • Total: LaMelo Ball (four years, $168,705,600)

Chicago Bulls

  • 2025/26: Josh Giddey (exact amount TBD)
  • Total: Josh Giddey (four years, $100,000,000)
  • Note: Giddey’s new four-year, $100MM contract with the Bulls will make him the team’s highest-paid player (both this season and overall), but the deal isn’t yet official and the exact terms aren’t yet known.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

  • 2025/26: Anthony Davis ($54,126,450)
  • Total: Anthony Davis (three years, $175,369,698)

Denver Nuggets

Detroit Pistons

  • 2025/26: Cade Cunningham ($46,394,100)
  • Total: Cade Cunningham (five years, $269,085,780)

Golden State Warriors

  • 2025/26: Stephen Curry ($59,606,817)
  • Total: Stephen Curry (two years, $122,193,975)

Read more

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2027 NBA Free Agents

September 11th, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2027 free agents is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2026/27 season. The player’s 2027 age is in parentheses.

Players who are currently free agents or who are on our 2026 free agent list are not seen here. Players who have team or player options for the 2026/27 season aren’t listed below, but will be added to this list eventually if they remain on their current contracts.

Players with team or player options for the 2027/28 season are listed below, unless they’re still on their rookie scale contracts.

This list will be continually updated. You’ll be able to access it anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on 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 10-31-25 (6:47 am CT)

Unrestricted Free Agents

Point Guards

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Power Forwards

Centers

Restricted Free Agents

Point Guards

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Power Forwards

Centers

Player Options

Point Guards

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Power Forwards

Centers

Team Options

Point Guards

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Power Forwards

Centers

Two-Way Free Agents

Point Guards

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Power Forwards

Centers

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NBA 2025 Offseason Check-In: Cleveland Cavaliers

September 10th, 2025 at 3:54pm 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 Cleveland Cavaliers.

Free agent signings

  • Sam Merrill: Four years, $38,000,000. Re-signed using Bird rights.
  • Larry Nance Jr.: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

Draft picks

  • 2-49: Tyrese Proctor
    • Signed to four-year, $8,685,386 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed ($500K). Fourth-year team option.
  • 2-58: Saliou Niang
    • Will play overseas.

Two-way signings

  • Luke Travers
    • One year, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season).

Departed/unsigned free agents

Other roster moves

  • None

Salary cap situation

  • Operating over the cap ($154.6MM) and above the luxury tax line ($187.9MM).
  • Carrying approximately $226.3MM in salary.
  • No hard cap.
  • One traded player exception frozen ($8,500,000).
  • One traded player exception available ($1,000,000).

The offseason so far

When the Cavaliers fell to Indiana in the second round of the playoffs this spring, it was a gut punch for a couple reasons. First and foremost, it was an incredibly disappointing way to end what had been one of the best years in team history up until that point. Only the 2008/09 Cavs – propelled by an MVP season from an in-his-prime LeBron James – racked up more regular season victories than the 64 last season’s club won.

It was also a discouraging outcome because it happened right before the Cavs’ roster was set to get significantly more expensive. Cleveland managed to duck below the luxury tax line at February’s deadline, but even without re-signing any key free agents, the team’s salary for 2025/26 was set to enter second-apron territory.

After the Suns, Celtics, and Timberwolves got a first-hand look last season at the impact of operating in the second tax apron, those teams were all in the process of moving below that threshold this summer. Would the Cavs really be willing to go deeper into the second apron in order to re-sign guys who played key roles for the 2024/25 squad, such as Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill?

As it turns out, the answer was yes — to a point. The Cavs didn’t hesitate to negotiate a new multiyear deal with Merrill, who established himself as one of the club’s best shooters and whose defense has improved significantly since he entered the league. The two sides reached an agreement on a four-year, $38MM contract two days before the league-wide free agent period opened, keeping Merrill off the market.

While that contract is fully guaranteed, it’s only worth about 5.5% of the cap in year one and will remain in that neighborhood over the next four years. It’s a fair deal for a rotation player who figures to average 20-plus minutes per game and who won’t be played off the floor in the postseason — as a point of comparison, another Eastern Conference wing who plays a similar role, Boston’s Sam Hauser, will be paid $45MM over the same four-year period.

Although Cleveland made Merrill a priority, the front office didn’t do the same for Jerome, whose breakout year earned him a third-place finish in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

As good as Jerome was, he was exposed defensively in the playoffs, and the Cavs likely didn’t feel the need to invest heavily in another offense-first guard while already paying big bucks to Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland — especially since doing so would have cost them exponentially more in tax penalties. After agreeing to a three-year, $27.7MM deal with the Grizzlies, Jerome suggested in a social media post that he was “never presented with the option of returning” to Cleveland.

Like the decision to pass on Jerome, the other Cavaliers’ moves were made with financial considerations in mind. That includes their straight-up trade of Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball. Okoro ($11MM) will only earn slightly more in 2025/26 than Ball ($10MM), but Okoro’s contract is guaranteed through the 2026/27 season, while the Cavs will hold a team option for Ball in ’26/27, giving them some extra financial flexibility.

Of course, swapping a wing for a point guard also made sense from a roster construction standpoint after having re-signed Merrill and not Jerome.

Although Ball returned last season from a two-and-a-half-year injury absence related to recurring knee problems, he still wasn’t exactly a paragon of health, having appeared in just 35 games. If he can bump that number to at least 50-60 appearances in 2025/26, it would be a major boon for the Cavs, since Ball has a knack for making his team better even when his box-score numbers don’t look all that impressive.

The Cavs used one of their second-round picks to select former Duke guard Tyrese Proctor and sign him to a multiyear contract that starts at the rookie minimum. The gap between cap hits for a rookie minimum salary ($1,272,870) and a veteran minimum salary ($2,296,274) isn’t massive, but when a team is as deep into luxury tax territory as Cleveland is, the savings represent far more than that modest difference suggests.

Proctor spent three years with the Blue Devils and should be more NBA-ready than a one-and-done prospect, but he’s still just 21 years old and may not be prepared to contribute right away. That would probably be OK with the Cavs, who figure to focus on developing Proctor’s game in the hopes that he’ll be ready to take on a more regular rotation role in a year or two.

Finally, the Cavs added some much-needed frontcourt depth by reuniting with Larry Nance Jr. on a minimum-salary agreement. Nance, who was in Cleveland for three-and-a-half seasons from 2018-21, averaged 27.6 minutes per game during his first stint with the organization. This time around, he’ll likely be asked to play a more modest role behind big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, but – as long as he’s healthy – he’ll be a solid insurance option up front in the event of an injury to either of those players.

Up next

Although injuries to Garland (toe) and Max Strus (foot) are expected to sideline them for the start of the regular season, the Cavs seem unlikely to carry a full 15-man roster due to luxury tax concerns. However, they’ll need to get to at least 14 players on standard contracts, which will require adding one more player at some point in the next month or two.

Despite being limited to minimum-salary offers for veteran free agents, the Cavs have no shortage of options for that 14th spot. If they want to add one more ball-handling guard for depth purposes due to health concerns about Garland and/or Ball, a player like Malcolm Brogdon or Cameron Payne would make sense.

With Strus expected to miss an extended period, one more wing would be a logical choice too — someone like Garrison Mathews, Landry Shamet, or Gary Payton II could fit that bill. Cleveland has also been linked to Malik Beasley, though he remains under investigation by the NBA, and it’s unclear if one of the league’s best sharpshooters will have to settle for the veteran’s minimum.

The Cavs could even target one more big man to further fortify their frontcourt behind Allen and Mobley, given that Nance is coming off a season-ending knee issue. Precious Achiuwa and Thomas Bryant are among the vets still out there.

Whichever direction they go, I’d like to see the Cavs use that spot on a player who can actually contribute rather than a locker-room leader who won’t see any action — with Garland and Strus already recovering from major injuries, Cleveland isn’t in position to throw away a valuable opportunity to add more playable depth.

The Cavaliers also have one open two-way slot to fill alongside Nae’Qwan Tomlin and Luke Travers. The path they take with their standard roster spot could dictate what position they want to address with that final two-way opening.

Finally, it’s worth noting that several key Cleveland players – Garland, Strus De’Andre Hunter, and Dean Wade – will be eligible for extensions during the preseason. However, Garland, Strus, and Hunter all have multiple guaranteed years left on their current contracts and Wade has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate in the event that the Cavs want to try to reduce their tax bill.

I’d be a little surprised if any of those four players signs an extension before the regular season begins, given Cleveland’s cap situation. The team, which is carrying the NBA’s most expensive roster in 2025/26, probably isn’t eager to lock in more long-term money earlier than it needs to.

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NBA’s Top 50 Highest-Paid Players For 2025/26

September 9th, 2025 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Many of the NBA’s highest-paid players are on contracts considered maximum-salary deals, but the 2025/26 salaries for those players vary significantly depending on when the player signed his contract and how much NBA experience he has. That’s why a player like Stephen Curry will earn nearly $22MM more than LaMelo Ball in ’25/26 despite both players technically being on max deals.

When a player signs a maximum-salary contract, he doesn’t necessarily earn the NBA max for each season of that contract — he earns the max in year one, then gets a series of identical annual raises. In Curry’s case, his 2025/26 salary actually exceeds this year’s maximum, since the annual cap increases since he began earning the max haven’t kept pace with his annual 8% raises.

Listed below are the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2025/26 season. The players on this list don’t necessarily have the contracts with the largest overall value. This top 50 only considers the current league year, with the player’s ’25/26 base salary listed.

Additionally, we’ve noted players who could potentially increase their earnings via incentives or trade bonuses. We didn’t add those notes for players like Curry or Anthony Edwards, who have trade bonuses but are already earning their maximum — their salaries for this season can’t increase beyond their max.

Here are the NBA’s 50 highest-paid players for the 2025/26 season:

  1. Stephen Curry, Warriors: $59,606,817
  2. Joel Embiid, Sixers: $55,224,526
    Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: $55,224,526
  3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: $54,126,450
    Jimmy Butler, Warriors: $54,126,450
    Anthony Davis, Mavericks: $54,126,450
    Jayson Tatum, Celtics: $54,126,450
  4. Kevin Durant, Rockets: $53,282,608
    • Durant can earn another $1,426,001 in likely incentives.
  5. Devin Booker, Suns: $53,142,264 (10% trade kicker)
    Jaylen Brown, Celtics: $53,142,264
    Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: $53,142,264
  6. LeBron James, Lakers: $52,627,153 (15% trade kicker)
  7. Paul George, Sixers: $51,666,090 (15% trade kicker)
  8. Kawhi Leonard, Clippers: $50,000,000 (15% trade kicker)
  9. Zach LaVine, Kings: $47,499,660
  10. Cade Cunningham, Pistons: $46,394,100
    Lauri Markkanen, Jazz: $46,394,100
    Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers: $46,394,100
    Evan Mobley, Cavaliers: $46,394,100
    Jamal Murray, Nuggets: $46,394,100
  11. Luka Doncic, Lakers: $45,999,660
    Trae Young, Hawks: $45,999,660 (15% trade kicker)
  12. Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves: $45,550,512
    Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers: $45,550,512
    Pascal Siakam, Pacers: $45,550,512
  13. Domantas Sabonis, Kings: $42,336,000
    • Sabonis can earn another $2,600,000 in unlikely incentives.
  14. OG Anunoby, Knicks: $39,568,966 (15% trade kicker)
  15. Darius Garland, Cavaliers: $39,446,090 (15% trade kicker)
    Ja Morant, Grizzlies: $39,446,090 (15% trade kicker)
    Zion Williamson, Pelicans: $39,446,090
  16. James Harden, Clippers: $39,182,693 (15% trade kicker)
  17. Scottie Barnes, Raptors: $38,661,750
    Franz Wagner, Magic: $38,661,750
  18. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder: $38,333,050 (15% trade kicker)
    Michael Porter Jr., Nets: $38,333,050
  19. Brandon Ingram, Raptors: $38,095,238
  20. LaMelo Ball, Hornets: $37,958,760 (15% trade kicker)
    Tyrese Maxey, Sixers: $37,958,760
  21. Bam Adebayo, Heat: $37,096,620
    De’Aaron Fox, Spurs: $37,096,620
  22. Desmond Bane, Magic: $36,725,670
    • Bane can earn another $1,233,090 in unlikely incentives.
  23. Kyrie Irving, Mavericks: $36,566,002 (15% trade kicker)
  24. Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves: $35,000,000 (7.5% trade kicker)
    Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies: $35,000,000
    Jalen Suggs, Magic: $35,000,000
  25. Jalen Brunson, Knicks: $34,944,001 (15% trade kicker)
  26. Alperen Sengun, Rockets: $33,944,954
  27. Jalen Green, Suns: $33,584,499
  28. Khris Middleton, Wizards: $33,296,296
    • Middleton can earn another $3,222,221 in unlikely incentives.
  29. Immanuel Quickley, Raptors: $32,500,000
    • Quickley can earn another $2,500,000 in unlikely incentives.

For the first time in NBA history, a base salary above $30MM is required to earn a spot on the league’s list of the top 50 highest-paid players, and even that isn’t quite enough for a few players. A pair of Trail Blazers veterans – Jrue Holiday at $32.4MM and Jerami Grant at $32MM – are the top two highest-paid players who didn’t make the cut.

It’s also worth noting that a small handful of players who just missed the top 50 have the ability to earn more than Quickley’s $32.5MM base salary if they achieve certain performance incentives during the coming season. Those players are as follows:

  • Jordan Poole, Pelicans: $31,848,215
    • Poole can earn another $3,750,000 in unlikely incentives.
  • Tyler Herro, Heat: $31,000,000
    • Herro can earn another $2,500,000 in unlikely incentives.
  • Dejounte Murray, Pelicans: $26,783,568
    • Murray earned an additional $4,017,535 for 2025/26 via a trade bonus on top of his base salary; he can also earn another $2,267,997 in unlikely incentives.
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Players Currently Affected By Trade Restrictions

September 8th, 2025 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has no shortage of rules affecting which players can and can’t be traded at any given time, which complicates our understanding of which players are actually moveable. That’s especially true leading up to the regular season, when players who recently signed free agent contracts, extensions, and rookie contracts all face different sets of trade restrictions.

In an effort to clear things up, we’re looking today at which players around the NBA are currently affected by trade restrictions of one kind or another. Let’s dive in…

Recently signed free agents

In most cases, a free agent who signed a contract in the offseason is ineligible to be traded until December 15.

Currently, our list of players who will become trade-eligible on December 15 features 80 names, including several of the guys who signed the biggest free agent contracts of the summer, such as Kyrie Irving, Myles Turner, and Julius Randle.

But the list is technically even longer than that, since we haven’t included players who signed non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 and/or Exhibit 10 contracts. Most of those players will be waived by opening night, but if they earn spots on regular season rosters, the December 15 trade restriction would apply to them as well.

A free agent who signs after September 15 won’t become trade-eligible until three months after his signing date.

Any player who has his two-way contract converted to a standard deal during the offseason also doesn’t become trade-eligible until December 15 or until three months after the move, whichever comes later. However, no players were promoted from two-way contracts to standard deals this summer. All the players who finished last season on two-ways either became free agents on July 1, were waived, or are still on their previous contracts.

A select group of players who signed free agent contracts this offseason won’t become trade-eligible until January 15. These eight players all meet a specific set of criteria. Not only did they re-sign with their previous team this offseason, but they got a raise of at least 20%, their salary is worth more than the minimum, and their team was over the cap, using Bird or Early Bird rights to sign them.

That group includes Naz Reid, Santi Aldama, and Sam Merrill, among others, and may end up featuring a few more current free agents, such as Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes, and Jonathan Kuminga.

The above rules apply to players who sign standard contracts, not two-way deals. A player who signs a two-way contract is ineligible to be traded for 30 days. There are currently five players to whom this restriction applies, including Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who signed with the Grizzlies on September 4 and won’t become trade-eligible until October 4.

Two-way players are rarely traded, but it happens every now and then, like when RJ Luis was sent from Utah to Boston in last month’s Georges Niang deal.

Recently signed draft picks

Like a player who signs a two-way contract, a draftee who signs his first NBA contract is ineligible to be traded for 30 days. Currently, this restriction only impacts two players: Celtics second-rounder Amari Williams, who signed on August 15, and Jazz second-rounder John Tonje, who signed on August 26. They’ll become trade-eligible on September 14 and September 25, respectively.

The rest of this year’s draftees can currently be traded.

That list of tradable 2025 draftees includes all the players besides Williams and Tonje who have signed, since more than 30 days have passed since their officially completed their deals.

It also includes the two players who remain unsigned – including Warriors second-rounders Alex Toohey and Will Richard – since their draft rights can be traded until they sign their contract. If Toohey and Richard officially sign NBA contracts for 2025/26, they’ll become trade-ineligible for 30 days.

Players with veto ability

Lakers forward LeBron James and Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard are the only NBA players who have genuine no-trade clauses in their contracts, but several other players have the ability to veto trades this season due to various quirks of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Clippers guard James Harden, Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, Nets guard Cam Thomas, and Magic big man Moritz Wagner are some of the notable players whose consent will be required to trade them during the 2025/26 season.

Under the current CBA, a player who would normally meet the no-trade criteria due to re-signing with his current team on a one-year contract (or a two-year deal with a second-year option) can opt to waive his right to veto a trade.

At least a dozen players have done so this season so far, including Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr., Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, and Mavericks guard Dante Exum, so once they become trade-eligible (on either December 15 or January 15), they can be moved without any issue.

Players who have signed veteran extensions

A player who signs a rookie scale extension becomes more difficult to trade due to the “poison pill provision,” but he could theoretically be moved immediately.

That’s not necessarily the case for a player who signs a veteran contract extension. A player who signs a veteran extension becomes ineligible to be traded for the next six months if he meets any of the following criteria:

  • His extension locks him up for more than four total years (including his current contract).
  • The extension includes a first-year bump of more than 20% (or more than 20% above the NBA’s estimated average salary, if his previous salary is below that average).
  • His extension includes an annual increase or decrease exceeding 5% anytime after the first year of the deal.

With the help of our extension trackers, here are the players currently affected by that rule, along with the dates they’ll become trade-eligible:

Since the trade deadline will land on February 5, a player who finalizes an extension between now and then (such as Mavericks forward P.J. Washington) wouldn’t become trade-eligible until the 2026 offseason.

Mavericks big man Daniel Gafford also signed an extension this offseason, but his deal didn’t exceed four total years, include a first-year bump exceeding 20%, or feature any subsequent annual raises greater than 5%, meaning he remains eligible to be traded.

Players who have signed Designated Veteran extensions

A Designated Veteran contract is also known as a “super-max” deal — it’s a maximum-salary contract that starts at 35% of the cap instead of 30% because the player has met certain performance criteria before achieving 10 years of NBA service.

A player who signs a Designated Veteran contract or extension can’t be traded for one full year after his signing date.

Only one player has signed a super-max contract this offeason: Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’ll become trade-eligible on July 7, 2026, the one-year anniversary of his signing.

Players affected by aggregation restrictions

When a team trades for a player via salary-matching or using an exception (ie. not by absorbing the player into cap room), that team can’t “aggregate” the player in another trade for two months. Aggregating a player means combining his salary with another player’s for matching purposes.

The majority of the trades made this offseason so far were completed in June or early July, at least two months ago, so this restriction only applies to a handful of players at the moment. Here are those players, along with the dates when they’ll become aggregation-eligible:

Any player who is traded this season after December 16 (without being acquired via cap room) won’t be eligible to be flipped prior to the trade deadline in a second deal that aggregates his salary with another player’s.

This aggregation restriction also applies indefinitely to any player on a team who is operating over the second tax apron. Currently, only the Cavaliers fit that bill.

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Traded Second-Round Picks For 2026 NBA Draft

September 8th, 2025 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

We’re using the space below to keep tabs on each NBA team’s second round pick for 2026, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first-round picks for 2026 can be found right here.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on 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 second-round pick:

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Traded to Hawks or Grizzlies.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Traded to Heat (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Nets will keep it and their obligation to the Heat will be extinguished.
  • New York Knicks: Possibly traded to Celtics or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Traded to Thunder, Suns, or Wizards.
    • The Thunder will receive the most favorable pick of the Sixers’, Mavericks, and Thunder’s second-rounders; the Suns will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Wizards will receive the least favorable.
  • Toronto Raptors: Traded to Pacers (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Raptors will keep it and their obligation to the Pacers will be extinguished.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Traded to Rockets.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Own pick.
  • Detroit Pistons: Traded to Celtics, Magic, or Knicks.
    • The Celtics will receive the most favorable pick of the Pistons’, Bucks’, and Magic’s second-rounders; the Magic will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Knicks will receive the least favorable.
  • Indiana Pacers: Traded to Hawks, Grizzlies, Spurs, Timberwolves, or Nets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Celtics, Magic, or Knicks.
    • The Celtics will receive the most favorable pick of the Pistons’, Bucks’, and Magic’s second-rounders; the Magic will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Knicks will receive the least favorable.

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Nets.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Kings or Pistons.
    • The Kings will receive this pick if it lands between 31-55; the Pistons will receive if it lands between 56-60. The Hornets’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.
  • Miami Heat: Traded to Hawks, Grizzlies, Spurs, Timberwolves, or Nets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Orlando Magic: Possibly traded to Celtics or Knicks.
    • The Celtics will receive the most favorable pick of the Pistons’, Bucks’, and Magic’s second-rounders; the Magic will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Knicks will receive the least favorable.
  • Washington Wizards: Own pick.
    • If the Wizards’ first-round pick lands in the top eight, the Wizards would send the Knicks their second-rounder.

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Hornets or Timberwolves.
    • The Hornets will receive the most favorable pick of the Nuggets’ and Warriors’ second-rounders; the Timberwolves will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Celtics, Knicks, or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
    • The Thunder have the ability to swap their own pick for the Sixers’ or Mavericks’ second-rounder. The Thunder will receive the most favorable pick of the Sixers’, Mavericks, and Thunder’s second-rounders; the Suns will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Wizards will receive the least favorable.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Celtics, Spurs, or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Spurs or Bucks.
    • The Spurs will receive this pick if it lands between 31-55; the Bucks will receive if it lands between 56-60. The Jazz’s obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Traded to Hornets or Timberwolves.
    • The Hornets will receive the most favorable pick of the Nuggets’ and Warriors’ second-rounders; the Timberwolves will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Nets or Grizzlies.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Raptors.
  • Phoenix Suns: Traded to Wizards.
  • Sacramento Kings: Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Thunder, Suns, or Wizards.
    • The Thunder will receive the most favorable pick of the Sixers’, Mavericks, and Thunder’s second-rounders; the Suns will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Wizards will receive the least favorable.
  • Houston Rockets: Own pick.
    • If the Rockets’ first-round pick lands in the top four, the Rockets would send the Thunder their second-rounder.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Traded to Clippers or Trail Blazers.
    • The Clippers will receive this pick if it lands between 31-42; the Trail Blazers will receive if it lands between 43-60. The Grizzlies’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Celtics, Spurs, or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Possibly traded to Timberwolves.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.

Here are the details on how the Knicks‘, Timberwolves‘, Trail Blazers‘, and Pelicans‘ second-round picks will be distributed:

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

  1. The Knicks’ second-round pick.
  2. The Timberwolves’ second-round pick.
  3. The Trail Blazers’ second-round pick.
  4. The Pelicans’ second-round pick.

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

  1. The Knicks’ second-round pick.
  2. The Timberwolves’ second-round pick.

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

  1. The Trail Blazers’ second-round pick.
  2. The Pelicans’ second-round pick.

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

  1. The most favorable of the Knicks’ and Timberwolves’ second-round picks.
  2. The most favorable of the Trail Blazers’ and Pelicans’ second-round picks.

Here are the details on how the Celtics‘, Pacers‘, Heat‘s, and Clippers‘, and Spurs‘ second-round picks will be distributed:

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

  1. The Clippers’ second-round pick.
  2. The most favorable of the Celtics’, Pacers’, and Heat’s second-round picks.

The Spurs will receive the most favorable of the following picks, while the Timberwolves will receive the least favorable:

  1. The Spurs’ second-round pick.
  2. The least favorable of the Pacers’ and Heat’s second-round picks.

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

  1. The Celtics’ second-round pick.
  2. The most favorable of the Pacers’ and Heat’s second-round picks.

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

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Community Shootaround: Breakout Candidates

September 7th, 2025 at 10:27pm CST by Rory Maher

In an article for HoopsHype, Mike Shearer lists seven players who could be primed for breakout seasons in 2025/26. Here’s his full list:

Shearer acknowledges that Sharpe’s inclusion is a little unconventional, as the 22-year-old averaged a career-best 18.5 points per game in ’24/25. But the Canadian wing is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract and is eligible for an extension until October 20, so he certainly has financial reasons to be motivated for a big season.

Mathurin, who is also eligible for a rookie scale extension, should have a big role for Indiana with Tyrese Haliburton out for the year. Ditto for Nembhard, one of the league’s more unheralded role players who has a chance to show he can be more than that this season.

Boston revamped its roster this offseason for financial and roster-building reasons. There were rumblings that Hauser might be on the trade block, but he’s still a Celtic, and Shearer believes the former Virginia star should have plenty of opportunities to shine in ’25/26.

Shearer also describes why he thinks Miller (second season cut short due to wrist surgery), LaRavia (essentially replacing Dorian Finney-Smith) and Shannon (a Nickeil Alexander-Walker replacement?) could take leaps forward.

We want to know what you think. Do you agree with the players on Shearer’s list? If not, why? Which other players could be primed for breakout seasons? Head to the comment section to weigh in.

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Hoops Rumors’ 2025 Offseason Check-In Series

September 7th, 2025 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

In advance of the NBA season, 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’re taking a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins.

All of our Offseason Check-In articles are linked below, sorted by conference and division.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

Central

Southeast

Western Conference

Northwest

Pacific

Southwest

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NBA 2025 Offseason Check-In: Los Angeles Lakers

September 7th, 2025 at 2:46pm 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 Los Angeles Lakers.

Free agent signings

  • Deandre Ayton: Two years, $16,208,000. Second-year player option. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • Jake LaRavia: Two years, $12,000,000. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • Marcus Smart: Two years, $10,524,700. Second-year player option. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • Jaxson Hayes: One year, $3,449,323. Re-signed using Non-Bird rights. Waived right to veto trade.
  • RJ Davis: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Eric Dixon: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Arthur Kaluma: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Kylor Kelley: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Augustas Marciulionis: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

  • Acquired the draft rights to Rocco Zikarsky (No. 45 pick) from the Bulls in exchange for the draft rights to Lachlan Olbrich (No. 55 pick) in the 2025 draft and cash ($2.5MM).
  • Acquired the draft rights to Adou Thiero (No. 36 pick; from Nets) in a seven-team trade in exchange for the draft rights to Rocco Zikarsky (No. 45 pick; to Timberwolves) and cash ($3.25MM; to Timberwolves).

Draft picks

  • 2-36: Adou Thiero
    • Signed to three-year, $5,949,688 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third-year team option.

Two-way signings

  • Christian Koloko
    • One year, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season).
  • Chris Manon
    • One year, $85,300 partial guarantee.

Departed/unsigned free agents

Other roster moves

  • Signed Luka Doncic to a three-year, maximum-salary veteran contract extension that begins in 2026/27. Projected value of $160,838,784. Includes third-year player option.
  • Waived Jordan Goodwin (non-guaranteed contract).
  • Waived Shake Milton (non-guaranteed contract).
  • Waived Trey Jemison (two-way contract).

Salary cap situation

  • Operating over the cap ($154.6MM) and above the luxury tax line ($187.9MM).
  • Carrying approximately $194.8MM in salary.
  • Hard-capped at $195,945,000.
  • Three traded player exceptions available (largest worth $1,891,857).

The offseason so far

The Lakers’ offseason began in somewhat dramatic fashion when agent Rich Paul announced on June 29 that LeBron James was picking up his player option for 2025/26. James was one of 10 players who exercised a player option in June, but two factors made his case unique. First, the ’25/26 season will be the first time in his career that LeBron is on an expiring contract; and second, Paul was the only agent who put out a lengthy statement accompanying his client’s opt-in decision.

Within that statement, Paul said that LeBron “knows the Lakers are building for the future,” wants to contend for a title, and understands “the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future.”

“We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career,” Paul’s statement concluded. “He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”

Even for a player like James, whose two-plus decades in the NBA have included countless cryptic – some might say passive-aggressive – interview responses, social media posts, and media leaks, this one was a pretty rich text. Was LeBron suggesting he wanted a trade? Expressing displeasure that he didn’t work out a multiyear deal with the Lakers? Putting pressure on the team to go all-in in 2025/26? Hinting that he plans to retire next year?

We haven’t gotten a definitive answer to those questions over the past two months, but Paul’s statement also didn’t lead to any sort of summer fireworks involving the Lakers and James. We know based on their stunning Luka Doncic deal in February that the Lakers are capable of keeping a blockbuster trade under wraps, but there has been no indication that we’re headed in that direction with James, at least not in 2025. All indications are that the 40-year-old will open the season in Los Angeles and look to win a title alongside Doncic.

Still, it’s clear that a passing of the torch is in process in Los Angeles. While the organization has revolved around James since 2018, the spotlight has shifted to Doncic, who was also at the center of some early offseason speculation. As of August 2, Doncic’s extend-and-trade restrictions would lift and he’d be eligible to sign a maximum-salary extension with the Lakers. Would he take advantage of that opportunity and commit to the team long-term?

As August 2 approached, it became clear that there would be no drama on that front either. Not only did Doncic sign a maximum-salary extension with the Lakers, but he did so on the first day he was eligible, forgoing potential 2026 free agency and signaling that he’s all-in on L.A.

With Doncic extended and things relatively quiet on the LeBron front following that June statement, the Lakers’ focus this offseason was primarily on upgrading the roster around their two stars. The front office, which backed out of a trade for center Mark Williams at February’s deadline due to concerns about his physical, didn’t return to the trade market to make those upgrades, instead using a series of cap exceptions in free agency to improve the team’s depth.

One of four teams to use its entire non-taxpayer mid-level exception this offseason, the Lakers split their MLE between forward Jake LaRavia and center Deandre Ayton.

Ayton, a former No. 1 overall pick, is the more familiar name of the two and fills a greater hole for the Lakers, whose lack of a reliable big man was an Achilles heel in their first-round playoff loss to Minnesota in the spring. But LaRavia, an underrated, defensive-minded forward who is still just 23 years old – and whose shooting percentages significantly improved in his third NBA season – shouldn’t be overlooked.

LaRavia could play an important role for L.A., especially since the team lost Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency to Houston. Finney-Smith’s exit was a little surprising, given that he thrived following his mid-season trade to the Lakers and only got two fully guaranteed years on his deal with the Rockets. The Lakers could’ve matched that offer even while prioritizing 2027 cap flexibility, but they’re betting on LaRavia and a healthy Jarred Vanderbilt providing the wing defense they sacrificed with Finney-Smith’s departure.

The Lakers also prioritized defense with their bi-annual exception, using it to add former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. The veteran guard has battled injuries over the past couple seasons, but if he’s back to full health, Smart would be a bargain on his $5.1MM cap hit this season — even if he’s not quite the player he was in his prime years.

Finally, in need of more depth at center beyond Ayton, the Lakers used Jaxson Hayes‘ Non-Bird rights to give him a raise to 20% above his minimum salary. Hayes was overextended as the club’s starting center in the second half of last season, but as a backup on a fairly team-friendly deal, he’s certainly capable of returning positive value.

Up next

Obviously, if anything is going to happen before next summer with James, it will be the most pressing item on the Lakers’ agenda. But if we assume that the four-time MVP at least plays out his record-setting 23rd NBA season in Los Angeles, there’s not much left on the club’s offseason to-do list.

While the Lakers only have 14 players on standard guaranteed contracts, they don’t currently have a path to adding a 15th man, since they’re only operating $1.1MM away from their first-apron hard cap. If they don’t shed salary by making a trade or buying out a player, they’d have to wait until at least mid-January to sign a veteran free agent.

The Lakers do have a two-way contract slot open alongside Christian Koloko and Chris Manon. With five players signed to Exhibit 10 deals, there could be an open competition in training camp for that spot. Undrafted rookie forward Eric Dixon would presumably be the favorite if he’s healthy — he was reportedly expected to sign a two-way deal in June, but after a foot injury prevented him from suiting up for Summer League games, he got an Exhibit 10 contract instead.

The Lakers do still have a handful of extension-eligible players on the roster after agreeing to terms with Doncic. Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, and Austin Reaves could all sign new deals. But Kleber and Vincent haven’t been healthy enough since arriving in L.A. to prove themselves as reliable, regular rotation players, and Hachimura may be more valuable as a trade chip if his contract remains expiring.

As for Reaves, he was offered an extension, but because he can’t sign for more than $89MM over four years at this point, he’s expected to wait until at least next summer, when he’d be eligible for a more lucrative contract.

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