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Trae Young, Hawks Not Expected To Discuss Extension During Offseason

August 10th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

There are no plans for extension talks between Trae Young and the Hawks this summer, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscriber link).

As Fischer indicated during a Bleacher Report live stream on Thursday, Young and his camp have been resigned for a while to the idea that he’ll have to play out the final guaranteed year on his current deal. He’ll face a decision on a $49MM player option next summer.

Fischer reports that when Young was represented by Klutch Sports, Rich Paul viewed him as a potential partner for Victor Wembanyama. At the time, Paul was hoping to get one of his points guards to the Spurs, whether it was Young, De’Aaron Fox or Darius Garland.

Fischer states that Fox’s contract expiring a year before Young’s brought a sense of urgency to his future, along with Fox’s desire to relocate to Texas. San Antonio acquired him from Sacramento in a three-team deal in February and gave him a four-year max extension last week.

Young is now represented by CAA, and Fischer makes it clear that he’s not looking to force his way out of Atlanta. The Hawks appear to be a legitimate contender after upgrading their roster over the summer, and Fischer states that Kristaps Porzingis may be the best scoring forward Young has ever teamed up with.

Fischer notes that Atlanta’s improvement could boost Young’s chances of earning All-NBA honors this season, which would increase the maximum value of a five-year contract into the $335MM range.

Sources tell Fischer that Young is disappointed that the Hawks haven’t reached out to him about an extension. However, that could change if he pushes them back toward the playoffs. If it doesn’t happen, he may wind up as one of the top free agents in next year’s market.

Fischer adds that Young’s strong relationship with coach Quin Snyder adds to the optimism that a new deal will eventually get worked out.

Calf Injury Will Prevent Jeremy Sochan From Playing In EuroBasket

August 10th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan will miss the EuroBasket tournament due to a calf injury, the Polish Basketball Federation announced.

Sochan felt pain in his calf following a workout earlier this week and alerted the Polish team’s medical staff. A meeting was held Saturday that included representatives of the Spurs, along with Sochan’s agent and family, and it was determined that the best course of action would be for him to return to San Antonio for treatment and rehabilitation.

The injury isn’t expected to affect Sochan’s availability when NBA training camps open late next month.

“We did the necessary tests for Jeremy. The injury is not serious, but there are less than three weeks left until EuroBasket,” said Lukasz Koszarek, director of the Polish national team. “This is very little time. Jeremy is a very important part of our team, he has great contact with all the players and staff and we are very sorry that his adventure with the national team ends so quickly this summer.”

Sochan, whose mother is Polish, has represented the country in international competitions since the junior level. He made his debut for the Polish senior team at EuroBasket in 2022.

Selected with the ninth pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Sochan has been a versatile player for the Spurs during his three years in the NBA. He averaged 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 54 games last season and is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.

Spurs general manager Brian Wright commended Polish officials for their handling of the injury, and Sochan expressed regret at having to miss the tournament.

“I am very disappointed, but due to a calf muscle injury, unfortunately, I will not be able to play for Polish at this year’s EuroBasket,” he said. “I’ve been working hard for this over the last few months, and the time I trained and played with the national team was amazing. It’s a special group and I really enjoyed being a part of this team. Fortunately, the doctors predict that I will be fully healthy by the time the start of the preparation camp before the upcoming NBA season. I want to thank my teammates, coaches and the whole staff, especially the fans in Poland, for their support. I appreciate it very much and know that although I will not be able to be with you, I will support Poland with all my heart.”

Rockets Reluctant To Give Kevin Durant Max Extension?

August 9th, 2025 at 6:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

In the latest episode of The Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Tim MacMahon indicated that the Rockets appear reluctant to sign Kevin Durant to a maximum-salary extension — or anything close to it.

“The Rockets aren’t going to go all-in — by all appearances and by what I’ve heard — they’re not going all-in on an extension for Kevin Durant,” MacMahon said (hat tip to HoopsHype). “Now, doesn’t mean it won’t happen. But there have been rumblings of, ‘Hey, KD is not going to push for the full max.’ I don’t know that the Rockets are going to put anything on the table that’s close to the max.

“I think the Rockets are like ‘it’s not ideal,’ but I don’t think they would panic if they go into the season with Kevin Durant on the contract that he’s on, just on the expiring deal.”

Durant will make $54.7MM during the upcoming season on the final year of his current contract. Since the trade to Houston became official on July 6, he has been eligible for a two-year extension worth roughly $118.7MM. Waiting until January 6 would allow him to tack on nearly $2MM to his maximum extension value.

For what it’s worth, one source Kurt Helin of NBC Sports spoke to at Summer League suggested Durant might accept an extension for around $100MM over two years.

Houston was reported as one of Durant’s preferred destinations when Phoenix was going through the trade process, so the possibility of him leaving after one season may be minimized. Because they obtained him in a trade, the Rockets would hold full Bird rights on Durant if he does become a free agent next summer. He’ll remain extension-eligible all season and could sign as late as June 30, 2026 to avoid free agency.

Brian Windhorst of the Hoop Collective points out that general manager Rafael Stone has been cautious about overextending his resources. Most of his signings have been short-term, including recent deals with Fred VanVleet and Dorian Finney-Smith, and the long-term contracts he gave to Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. are viewed as good values around the league.

Windhorst adds that the Rockets seem to be prioritizing financial flexibility for the summer of 2027. VanVleet’s new contract covers two seasons, while Finney-Smith only has two years of guaranteed money. Smith and Steven Adams will both see their salaries decline after the 2026/27 season.

On the same podcast, Tim Bontemps credits Stone for “understanding the new economic environment the league is in.” He suggests that Stone’s restraint will help the team better navigate the apron structure once expected extensions for Tari Eason, Amen Thompson and possibly Reed Sheppard eventually kick in.

“The Rockets have done a remarkable job of showing fiscal discipline and restraint all the way through,” Bontemps said. “And I think if they can continue to do that, they’re going to have a real advantage over the competition, because we’ve seen other teams not do that. And I think it’s going to bite them later.”

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

Marcus Morris Pays Off Casino Debts; Fraud, Theft Charges Dismissed

August 9th, 2025 at 5:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Charges of fraud and theft against longtime NBA player Marcus Morris were dismissed Wednesday after he paid off his debts to two Las Vegas casinos, according to Caroline Bleakley of television station KLAS.

To obtain a line of credit for gambling purposes, Morris wrote checks totaling $265K to the casinos in 2024. He was arrested last month at a South Florida airport because he didn’t have sufficient funds in his bank account to cover the checks.

Court documents state that Morris obtained $115K from MGM Grand Hotel and Casino through bad checks in May 2024 and failed to reimburse the casino after the checks bounced. The following month, he took $150K in a similar fashion from the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. There were two felony counts in each case — drawing or passing a check for $1,200 or more with the intent to defraud and theft valued at $100K or more.

Morris described the experience of being arrested in several Instagram posts last week, relays Cody Nagel of CBS Sports. He admitted taking out markers with the two casinos, which he said he’s done for years, but emphasized that he didn’t attempt to avoid repaying his debt. He added that he was held in jail for 51 hours under constant lockdown with no food or water.

“I would pay [anything] to stay outta jail,” Morris wrote. “Money paid back and lesson learned. FRAUD, I can’t live with.”

Morris emphasized that he wasn’t trying to scam anyone, arguing that he simply took too long to repay the money he owed. Explaining how gambling markers work, he stated that no cash ever left the casinos.

“If you know gambling, you can’t take money out the casino if you got a marker!” Morris wrote. “You spend that money there … no money was exchanged or taken from any casino and into my pocket.”

Morris expressed disappointment with the casinos for handling the matter through the legal system rather than contacting him directly. He stated that he was in Las Vegas recently and has been frequenting the two casinos “at a high level” for several years.

Morris, 35, played for eight NBA teams from 2011 to 2024. He went unsigned last season after finishing 2023/24 with Cleveland.

Suns To Hire Mike Muscala As Assistant Coach

August 9th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns intend to hire former NBA forward/center Mike Muscala as an assistant coach, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Muscala, 34, retired as a player last summer after 11 years in the NBA.

The No. 44 overall pick of the 2013 draft, Muscala spent the majority of his career with the Hawks and Thunder, but he also had brief stints with the Sixers, Lakers, Celtics, Wizards and Pistons. Across 548 regular season appearances, he averaged 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game, with a shooting slash line of .451/.373/.830.

Muscala, who starred in college at Bucknell, never played for the Suns, but he does have a connection to new head coach Jordan Ott. Scotto points out that the two men worked together in Atlanta, where Ott got his NBA start as a video coordinator.

When Muscala retired, his father indicated that Mike intended to pursue a graduate degree in sports management, with an eye on continuing his basketball career in coaching and/or management. A little over a year later, he has his first NBA coaching job.

Richaun Holmes Signs Two-Year Contract With Panathinaikos

August 9th, 2025 at 11:29am CST by Rory Maher

As expected, free agent center Richaun Holmes has officially signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos, the 2024 EuroLeague champions announced today (Instagram link).

According to the Greek club, Holmes’ deal features an option in year two, meaning he could become a free agent again in 2026. He will reportedly be one of the highest-paid players in Europe.

Holmes arrived in Athens on Friday night and was thrilled to be greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of Panathinaikos supporters, writes Apostolos Mavrakis of Sportal.gr (hat tip to Sportando).

“I came here to win. I’m where I want to be, ready to play and to fight for victories,” Holmes said. “This is incredible — I can’t put it into words. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life … the love was instant. I can’t wait to get on the court and give it back.”

When asked what convinced him to sign with Panathinaikos, the 31-year-old big man said it felt good to be wanted.

“I think just how they came, how they pursued me, they wanted me,” Holmes said. “They sold me on the idea of the importance that they needed me here, they wanted me here, and that was everything to me. I just wanted to be pursued, wanted to be wanted.

“I came here to do some great things. This is a powerhouse club and I’m looking to add to that and be a part of it. I’m just glad to be a part of this legacy, honestly.”

Holmes was the 37th overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Bowling Green and has spent the past decade in the NBA, suiting up for five different teams during that time. He had his best years in Sacramento, where he was the Kings’ full-time starting center and put up 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game across 61 outings in 2020/21.

After becoming an unrestricted free agent, Holmes drew interest from a handful of EuroLeague clubs, including Fenerbahce in Turkey. A report last weekend stated he was mulling an offer from Panathinaikos while waiting to see if he’d be offered a guaranteed NBA contract — evidently he didn’t find an NBA deal to his liking.

Holmes will be looking to help lead Panathinaikos to a title or two in 2025/26 after the club fell just short this past season. The Greens went 22-0 during Greece’s regular season before losing to Olympiacos in the final. In the EuroLeague, Panathinaikos finished third with a 22-12 record but was defeated by Fenerbahce – the eventual champions – in the semifinals.

Holmes will be Panathinaikos’ final offseason signing, according to owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos (story via Aris Barkas of Eurohoops).

Heat’s Highsmith Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out 8-10 Weeks

August 8th, 2025 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat forward Haywood Highsmith suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during a recent training session in his hometown of Baltimore and has undergone surgery to repair the injury, the team announced today (via Twitter).

According to the Heat, the procedure was completed in Miami on Friday by team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick (Twitter link). Highsmith will begin rehabilitation work immediately, but the expectation is that he’ll be sidelined for approximately eight-to-10 weeks.

Training camps are scheduled to get underway in roughly seven-and-a-half weeks, so Highsmith’s injury figures to delay his availability this fall. He’s unlikely to be back to full health by the time the Heat begin practicing and may not be ready to return by the time the regular season tips off a few weeks later.

It’s an unfortunate setback for a player who is entering a contract year and who will be looking to establish himself as a regular part of Erik Spoelstra‘s rotation after seeing his role fluctuate last season. Highsmith set career highs by appearing in 74 regular season games and averaging 24.6 minutes per night, but was in and out of the starting lineup and was briefly removed from the rotation entirely.

A versatile defender with good length, Highsmith averaged 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game last season, with a shooting line of .458/.382/.721. He’ll earn about $5.6MM in 2025/26 on an expiring deal.

Celtics Sign Joe Mazzulla To Multiyear Extension

August 8th, 2025 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have extended their head coach’s contract, announcing today in a press release that Joe Mazzulla has officially signed a new multiyear deal with the club.

“We are very excited that Joe has agreed to extend with the Celtics,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a statement. “He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans. He’s worked hard and accomplished amazing things in his first three years as a head coach – including averaging over 60 wins per season and winning the 2024 NBA Championship.

“Joe is a gifted leader who brings a consistent commitment to learning, improving, and maximizing each day we get to compete for the Boston Celtics.”

Mazzulla, who joined the Celtics’ coaching staff in 2019 as an assistant, was unexpectedly thrust into the head coaching role ahead of the 2022/23 season when Ime Udoka was suspended by the club. Udoka never returned to the team, resulting in Mazzulla earning the position on a permanent basis.

Mazzulla has acquitted himself very well in his first three years as the Celtics’ head coach, winning 57, 64, and 61 regular season games for an overall record of 182-64 (.740). He has also guided Boston to a 33-17 record in the playoffs, as well as a 2024 championship.

Mazzulla finished third in Coach of the Year voting in his first year on the job in 2022/23, then ranked fourth a year later.

He’ll face a new challenge in his fourth year in the role, as the Celtics have spent the offseason retooling their roster to cut costs after operating above the second tax apron last season. With Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis no longer on the roster and Jayson Tatum expected to miss most or all of 2025/26 while he recovers from a torn Achilles, Mazzulla will have to find a way to maximize a group that features less talent than his previous rosters.

Wizards Re-Sign Anthony Gill To One-Year Deal

August 7th, 2025 at 1:12pm CST by Rory Maher

1:12pm: As Robbins tweets, Gill’s signing is now official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.

12:57pm: The Wizards are re-signing free agent forward Anthony Gill to a one-year contract, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Gill has spent the past five seasons in Washington, largely serving as a veteran leader and mentor to his younger teammates. Although he was waived in late June before his $2,546,675 salary for 2025/26 would’ve become guaranteed, multiple reports from Josh Robbins of The Athletic — including at the time of Gill’s release — indicated that both sides were interested in a reunion, so the signing had been anticipated.

After going undrafted out of Virginia in 2016, Gill started his professional career overseas, playing in Turkey with Yesilgiresun Belediye in 2016/17 before spending three years with Russian club Khimki, which competed in the EuroLeague at the time. He parlayed his strong international play into multiple contracts with the Wizards, his first and only NBA team to this point.

Gill, who will turn 33 years old in October — a few days before the season begins — appeared in 51 games in ’24/25, posting modest averages of 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per contest. In addition to the Wizards, the 6’7″ forward was also linked to multiple EuroLeague teams this summer.

As Robbins explained last month, the new deal is a win for both sides, as Gill will earn more on a veteran’s minimum contract ($2,667,947) than his old contract would’ve paid him and the league’s reimbursement policy will reduce the Wizards’ salary cap hit to $2,296,274, equivalent to a player with two years of experience.

Interestingly, the signing of Gill puts the Wizards at 16 players on standard contracts, one above the regular-season limit. While Justin Champagnie is on a non-guaranteed deal, he should be a lock to make the roster after a breakout ’24/25 campaign.

Assuming Gill makes the cut, perhaps one of Washington’s new additions, like Malaki Branham or Dillon Jones, could be the odd man out. For what it’s worth, Jones ($2.75MM) makes far less money than Branham ($4.96MM).

The Wizards also brought back Marvin Bagley III on a minimum-salary deal last month. His contract is guaranteed, but he technically would have the smallest dead-money cap hit.

Latest On Trae Young

August 7th, 2025 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

Within the last week, a pair of star point guards have finalized maximum-salary extensions with their respective NBA teams: Luka Doncic signed a three-year deal with the Lakers, while De’Aaron Fox completed a four-year contract with the Spurs.

Hawks guard Trae Young has been eligible since the start of July for the same extensions that Doncic and Fox just signed (up to $222.4MM over four years), and while his NBA résumé doesn’t quite stack up to Doncic’s, it compares favorably to Fox’s.

Young has made four All-Star teams (Fox has one All-Star nod) and led Atlanta to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. He has a career scoring average of 25.3 points per game and led the NBA with a career-high 11.6 assists per game in 2024/25.

Still, there have been no indications that the Hawks and Young are engaged in serious discussions about a new deal or that an extension agreement is imminent, as an ESPN panel discussed during Tuesday’s episode of NBA Today (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM).

“Trae has done a lot to show that he’s invested in the Hawks,” ESPN’s Marc J. Spears said. “Nickeil Alexander-Walker, (Luke) Kennard, he convince them to sign with the Hawks. Instead of going to the Jordan (Brand event in Greece) this summer, he came to Summer League and he got to meet with (new senior VP of basketball operations) Bryson Graham… (and) some other new front office guys. There’s a new front office in Atlanta that’s trying to make decisions.”

In addition to adding Alexander-Walker and Kennard in free agency, the Hawks made a trade for big man Kristaps Porzingis and will get forward Jalen Johnson back after a shoulder injury ended his 2024/25 season early. Atlanta has been lauded for its offseason work and is viewed as a strong playoff contender in the East after being eliminated in the play-in tournament this past spring.

While it remains possible that the Hawks and Young will work out a new multiyear deal at some point in the next couple months, Spears believes the season may begin without an extension in place for the star point guard.

“What I’m hearing now at this point – and you can tell by Trae’s tweet and I saw him during the Finals – I think he’s disappointed that it hasn’t come, it hasn’t been offered,” Spears said of a potential extension. “So don’t be surprised if he plays this out and sees what happens next summer.”

The tweet Spears was referring to was posted by Young last week in response to star NFL pass rusher Micah Parsons, who submitted a trade request to the Dallas Cowboys in the midst of a public contract standoff.

“This why you pay the man early,” Young wrote. “When someone will take less early to stay in a place he wanted to be forever, you do it… the price only goes up now! Get what you deserve bro!”

We don’t know for sure whether Young’s remarks about Parsons’ situation can be applied to his own contract negotiations with the Hawks or whether he’s willing to accept less than his max to finalize an agreement this summer. Still, the fact that Young chose to post that comment publicly raised some eyebrows.

As talented a scorer and passer as Young is, the Hawks also have to weigh the fact that his 41.1% field goal percentage in 2024/25 was a career low and he has never been an especially strong defender. The new-look front office, led by general manager Onsi Saleh, may also want to evaluate his fit with the team’s new players before making a massive long-term investment in the 26-year-old.

Young will earn about $46MM in 2025/26 and holds a player option worth just shy of $49MM for the ’26/27 season. He would remain extension-eligible during the coming season as long as he declines that player option as part of an extension agreement.

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