Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Haywood Highsmith To Be Reevaluated In Eight Weeks

October 19th, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Nets forward Haywood Highsmith recently experienced a setback in his attempted return from a torn meniscus, the team announced (via Twitter). He will be reevaluated in eight weeks.

According to the Nets, Highsmith was evaluated after experiencing swelling in his right knee while recovering from an meniscectomy and it was determined that his rehab program would need to be modified and extended.

An eight-week recovery period would put Highsmith at risk of missing at least the first quarter of the Nets’ season, and likely more than that, as he will presumably not be immediately cleared to return to game action at the eight-week mark.

Highsmith averaged a career-high 6.5 points and 0.9 steals per game last season while shooting 38.2% from deep. After going undrafted in 2018, he established himself as a valuable role player for the Heat, capable of defending multiple positions and making outside shots. He was traded to the Nets in August along with a second-round pick in a salary-cutting move for Miami.

Highsmith was able to hang onto his roster spot as the Nets made their cuts ahead of the regular season, including waiving Kobe Bufkin.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports that Highsmith made himself valuable to the organization with his leadership and locker room presence on such a young team (Twitter link). If he makes a full recovery before February’s deadline, Highsmith could have some value on the trade market on his expiring $5.6MM contract.

Nets Waive Kobe Bufkin

October 19th, 2025 at 4:23pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Nets have waived guard Kobe Bufkin, the team announced today. Shams Charania of ESPN first reported the news (via Twitter).

Bufkin was traded from the Hawks to the Nets last month in exchange for $110K in cash considerations. He joined a roster loaded with guard competition after the team took Ben Saraf, Egor Demin, and Nolan Traore in the first round of the 2025 draft.

Bufkin, 22, has struggled with injuries throughout his NBA career and has appeared in just 27 total games in his first two NBA seasons. He averaged 5.0 points and 1.6 assists in 11.9 minutes per game during his time with the Hawks.

The former 15th overall pick struggled to carve out much of a role with Brooklyn during preseason, averaging just 10.9 minutes in his two outings and scoring 7.0 PPG on .364/.375/.600 shooting splits.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), because Bufkin’s $4,503,720 salary is fully guaranteed, the Nets will remain slightly above the minimum salary floor entering the season. Not reaching the floor would cause Brooklyn to lose its luxury tax distribution, which is projected to be around $12.8MM, Marks adds (Twitter link).

The move will also get Brooklyn’s roster within the regular season limits — the team now has 15 players on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals.

Bufkin will become an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers on Tuesday.

Wizards Waive Dillon Jones

October 19th, 2025 at 3:10pm CST by Rory Maher

3:10 pm: Jones has been waived, according to the Wizards (Twitter link).

2:07 pm: In order to set their 15-man standard roster for the regular season, the Wizards will waive Dillon Jones, sources tell Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

If he goes unclaimed on the waiver wire, the Wizards will carry a dead-money cap hit worth $2,753,280 for the remainder of the season, since Jones’ salary is fully guaranteed. Washington will decline its third-year option on Jones as part of the move.

Jones was the 26th overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft after a standout college career at Weber State. He spent his rookie season season with the Thunder, who traded him to Washington along with a second-round pick in a salary-dump deal in late June, shortly after Oklahoma City won its first championship.

A 6’5″ forward, Jones averaged 2.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 54 regular season games with the Thunder (10.2 minutes per contest). He also played 23 G League games (32.3 MPG) with the Oklahoma City Blue, averaging 13.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 5.7 APG on .422/.296/.667 shooting.

Jones, who turns 24 years old in 10 days, appeared in three preseason games with the Wizards, averaging 2.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 1.3 SPG in 11.3 MPG.

Our Luke Adams speculated this morning that Jones might be the odd man out in Washington when he checked in on the roster situations around the league.

Although he’s being released by the Wizards, it doesn’t sound like Jones will be out of the NBA for long. Both Jake Fischer of The Stein Line and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype say Jones is expected to draw “strong interest” on the two-way contract market (Twitter links).

Kevin Durant Signs Two-Year Extension With Rockets

October 19th, 2025 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

12:15 pm: Durant’s extension is now official, the Rockets announced in a press release (Twitter link).

8:02 am: The Rockets and star forward Kevin Durant have agreed to terms on a new two-year contract extension, his business partner Rich Kleiman tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Charania, the deal is worth $90MM and includes a second-year player option for the 2027/28 season.

Houston was one of the teams on Durant’s list of preferred destinations when the Suns put him on the trade block during the summer, so there was an expectation after the two teams agreed to a deal that Durant and the Rockets would work out an agreement of their own sooner or later.

However, there was also a sense that the Rockets weren’t willing to give Durant the maximum extension he was been eligible for, which was worth roughly $119MM over two years (based on a projected $166MM cap). That maximum salary figure would’ve increased slightly at the six-month mark after the trade, but the 37-year-old couldn’t sign an extension longer than two years due to the over-38 rule.

Ultimately, the two sides agreed to an extension that will see Durant take a pay cut from his current $54.7MM salary but still represents a massive payday for a player entering his 19th NBA season. According to Charania (Twitter link), there was an understanding when Durant was dealt to the Rockets that he wouldn’t push for a maximum contract in order to help the team maintain flexibility to build and retain its roster going forward.

Durant has expressed this fall that he feels comfortable in Houston, where he has reunited with one-time Seattle SuperSonics teammate Jeff Green (story via Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle) and fellow University of Texas alums Royal Ivey, D.J. Augustin, and Dexter Pittman, each of whom has a role within the Rockets’ organization (story via Lerner). As Chris Mannix of SI.com wrote in a feature story earlier this week, Durant is hopeful that he’ll retire as a Rocket.

“I’m looking to be here as long as I can, play my last years of my career,” he said. “That’s the intent. I know, I said that about Phoenix, too, but that’s the intent. I would love to do that. I mean, I’m 37 years old and I’m going on 19 years in the league. I want to be solidified in a spot and build with a team with a group of guys that’s going to be around for a while. So hopefully this is it.”

Although Durant’s stint with the Suns didn’t play out as he or the team hoped, the 15-time All-Star continued to put up monster offensive numbers during his time in Phoenix. In 62 games last season, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 36.5 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .527/.430/.839.

The Rockets are optimistic that Durant’s ability to score in the half-court setting will raise their ceiling after they struggled in those situations, especially in crunch time, during last season’s first-round playoff series vs. Golden State.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), Houston was projected to be about $80MM below the second tax apron in 2026/27 prior to Durant’s deal. His new salary will come in low enough to allow the club to extend Tari Eason and fill out its roster in free agency next summer while remaining below that threshold. Eason is eligible to sign a rookie scale extension today or Monday — if he doesn’t work out a deal with the Rockets at this time, he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer.

According to Charania (Twitter link), Durant’s new contract – including the player option – increases his total career current and future earnings to over $598MM, which is an NBA record. LeBron James was the previous record-holder, coming in just below $584MM.

Knicks Waive Garrison Mathews, Alex Len, Matt Ryan

October 18th, 2025 at 4:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

As expected, veteran guard Garrison Mathews was cut by the Knicks, the team announced (via Twitter). New York has also waived Alex Len and Matt Ryan.

Mathews signed a non-guaranteed contract last month, as did Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet, with the understanding that the team was only able to keep one of them due to financial limitations. Brogdon announced his retirement on Wednesday, so Shamet appears to have earned the roster spot.

A report on Friday stated that Mathews has been impressive since training camp opened, but the Knicks didn’t have the ability to fit two veteran salaries on their roster without trading someone away. Shamet played for New York last season and was considered the front-runner to make the team.

The report also states that Mathews is likely to draw interest from teams that need outside shooting help now that he’s on waivers. He has been with three teams in his six NBA seasons and shot 39% from three-point range with Atlanta last season.

Len and Ryan both signed with the Knicks in mid-September, with Len getting an Exhibit 9 contract and Ryan receiving an Exhibit 10 deal. Both were considered long shots to make the team, but Ryan may wind up with New York’s G League affiliate.

It looks like the last available roster spot will go to rookie small forward Mohamed Diawara, who was selected with the 51st pick in this year’s draft. That had been expected due to the Knicks’ cap limitations — Diawara’s rookie minimum salary will allow the team to remain below their hard cap.

With Shamet and Diawara filling the 13th and 14th spots on New York’s roster, the team will have to wait until early April to add a 15th man, unless it makes a cost-cutting trade before then.

Amir Coffey To Make Bucks’ Regular Season Roster

October 18th, 2025 at 3:58pm CST by Rory Maher

Amir Coffey has survived a roster crunch in Milwaukee, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that the veteran wing will make the Bucks‘ regular season roster.

A 6’7″ guard/forward, Coffey had spent his entire NBA career with the Clippers prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 72 games last season, the 28-year-old averaged 9.7 points on .471/.409/.891 shooting in 24.3 minutes per contest.

Coffey appeared in four preseason games with Milwaukee this fall, averaging 3.3 PPG in 11.4 MPG.

Coffey, who is entering his seventh season, signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal with the Bucks in August — that contract will be converted to a standard non-guaranteed deal.

The news means that the Bucks will likely be waiving either Andre Jackson Jr. or Tyler Smith ahead of the 2025/26 regular season. Both players are owed guaranteed money — Jackson has an $800K partial guarantee, while Smith is owed approximately $1.96MM — so the team technically doesn’t have to release either player for a couple days. Monday is the deadline for teams to set their regular season rosters.

The 36th overall pick of the 2023 draft, former UConn wing Jackson averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game across 67 appearances last season, including 43 starts. Smith, the No. 33 overall pick of last year’s draft, appeared in 23 NBA games as a rookie last season, averaging just 5.3 minutes per night.

For what it’s worth, Jackson appeared in all four of Milwaukee’s preseason games in 2025, while Smith appeared in two.

Pacers Waive Cameron Payne, Two Others

October 18th, 2025 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

3:36 pm: The Pacers have officially waived Payne, the team confirmed in a press release. Recent signees Kyle Guy and Ray Spalding, who are ticketed for the Noblesville Boom in the G League, have also been cut, per the Pacers.

According to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), the team is still weighing its options at the back of the roster, including whether to keep all of its centers or potentially add another point guard.

2:47 pm: Cameron Payne won’t make the Pacers‘ regular season roster, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), who reports that the team plans to waive the veteran point guard.

After initially targeting Monte Morris this fall for a training camp deal, Indiana pivoted to Delon Wright, who was injured during the preseason, prompting the club to sign Payne last week as a replacement.

A 10-year NBA veteran who has earned regular playing time in Phoenix, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and New York in recent years, Payne had a potential path to a roster spot on a Pacers team that will be without star Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles tear) for the entire 2025/26 season and is also currently missing T.J. McConnell (hamstring).

However, Payne didn’t stand out over the course of three preseason games, shooting just 28.6% from the field and registering nearly as many turnovers (six) as assists (seven). After getting a start in his first preseason outing as a Pacer, the 31-year-old came off the bench in the last two and was behind rookie guard (and preseason standout) Taelon Peter in the rotation on Friday.

Payne was on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract, so waiving him won’t leave any dead money on the Pacers’ cap. Indiana is now in position to keep center Tony Bradley, who is on a standard non-guaranteed contract, assuming the team plans to carry a full 15-man standard roster into opening night.

Heat Waive Achiuwa, Three Others; Convert Young To Two-Way Deal

October 18th, 2025 at 12:45pm CST by Rory Maher

October 18: Miami has officially announced the four cuts detailed below, along with Young’s conversion to a two-way deal.

October 17: The Heat have waived big man Precious Achiuwa ahead of the regular season, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Miami has also released Ethan Thompson, Dain Dainja, and Bez Mbeng, Chiang adds.

All four players were signed to non-guaranteed contracts for training camp, so the Heat won’t carry any money on their books by cutting them loose.

A 6’8″ forward/center, Achiuwa has spent the past five years in the NBA after being selected 20th overall by Miami in the 2020 draft. The 26-year-old has appeared in 320 regular season games with the Heat, Raptors and Knicks over that span, with career averages of 7.6 points and 5.7 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per contest.

It’s unclear where Achiuwa will land next after he was unable to find a new team for most of the offseason — he didn’t sign with the Heat until late September.

Thompson, Dainja and Mbeng were on Exhibit 10 deals with Miami are now eligible for bonuses worth up to $85,300 as long as they spend at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

By process of elimination, it appears that guard Jahmir Young will fill the Heat’s third and final two-way spot, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. The Heat can simply convert Young’s Exhibit 10 deal to a two-way pact and intend to do so, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

A 6’1″ point guard who went undrafted out of Maryland in 2024, Young opened his first professional season with the Grand Rapids Gold, before signing a two-way deal with Chicago in February and finishing the year with the Bulls.

Although he logged just 30 total minutes in six games at the NBA level, but starred in the NBAGL, averaging 21.7 points, 7.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game in 43 total outings for the Nuggets’ and Bulls’ affiliates. The 24-year-old was named to the G League’s All-Rookie team and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

Warriors Waive Seth Curry, LJ Cryer

October 18th, 2025 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have made a pair of cuts, announcing in a press release that they’ve placed guards Seth Curry and LJ Cryer on waivers (Twitter link).

The decision to waive Curry, who was in camp on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract, had been expected. While Golden State reportedly wants to have Stephen Curry‘s brother on its roster, the team is hard-capped at the second tax apron and isn’t currently in position to carry a 15th man.

The younger Curry is expected to return to the team at some point within the first couple months of the season, tweets Anthony Slater of ESPN. The Warriors could bring the 12-year veteran back by mid-November but could opt to wait a little longer than that in order to give themselves a little additional flexibility below their hard cap for the rest of the season.

Cryer, meanwhile, had a solid preseason with Golden State, averaging 5.0 points, 1.8 assists, and 1.6 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game across five outings. It seemed as if the undrafted rookie out of Houston might be making a case for a two-way deal, but today’s move suggests the plan is likely for him to join the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s G League affiliate, assuming he clears waivers.

Cryer would earn a bonus worth $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with Santa Cruz.

The Warriors now have 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.

Bulls’ Zach Collins Undergoes Wrist Surgery, Out At Least One Month

October 18th, 2025 at 11:39am CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls big man Zach Collins underwent surgery on Friday to repair a non-displaced fracture in his left wrist, the team announced (Twitter link). He’ll be reevaluated in four weeks.

Collins, 27, was projected to be Nikola Vucevic‘s primary backup at center, so Chicago’s frontcourt depth will be significantly impacted by his injury during the early going.

Collins was included in the three-team blockbuster trade last February among the Bulls, Spurs and Kings. That was the deal in which Zach LaVine wound up in Sacramento and De’Aaron Fox headed to San Antonio.

He appeared in 28 games, including eight starts, after the deal and averaged 6.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19.7 minutes per game. Collins has appeared in 378 regular season games over the course of a career that began in Portland during the 2017/18 season.

Collins has an $18.1MM expiring contract, which figures to make him a trade candidate this season.