Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Spurs Sign Lindy Waters On One-Year Deal

July 24th, 2025 at 5:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

July 24: Waters is officially a Spur, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (via Twitter) that the minimum-salary deal includes a $500K partial guarantee.

July 23: Free agent swingman Lindy Waters III has agreed to a one-year contract with the Spurs, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

San Antonio officially had 13 players on its 15-man roster entering Wednesday, as our roster counts show, so the team won’t have to make room for Waters.

Waters spent his first three NBA seasons with Oklahoma City. He finished last season with the Pistons after playing with the Warriors until the trade deadline. Waters was acquired by Detroit in the multi-team blockbuster deal that sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State.

Waters played 38 games for the Warriors, including nine starts, and averaged 5.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 17.2 minutes per night. The Warriors acquired him in a draft-night trade with the Thunder.

Waters’ playing time dropped in Detroit, as its main motivation in the trade was to acquire backup guard Dennis Schroder. Waters made 14 appearances off the bench for the Pistons, averaging 3.4 PPG in 8.8 MPG.

Waters has 156 games of NBA experience and has taken a vast majority of his shot attempts from beyond the three-point arc. He’s had a 36.6 percent success rate from long range in his career.

With Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, lottery pick Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie among the Spurs’ options at the wing, there’s no clear path for Waters to gain rotation minutes but he’ll add depth at the shooting guard and small forward positions.

Celtics Release JD Davison

July 24th, 2025 at 4:24pm CST by Rory Maher

The Celtics have waived guard JD Davison, the team announced (via Twitter).

Boston exercised its 2025/26 team option on Davison at the end of June. However, as we noted at the time, Davison’s $2.27MM salary for next season is fully non-guaranteed, so the Celtics won’t incur a cap hit by releasing him.

According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (Twitter link), cutting Davison has moved the Celtics under the punitive second tax apron, giving the team more maneuverability on the trade market.

The Celtics selected Davison 53rd overall in the 2022 draft after he played one college season at Alabama. The 22-year-old had spent virtually all of the past three campaigns on a two-way deal with Boston, but was converted to a multiyear standard contract just before the ’24/25 regular season ended.

While Davison’s NBA contributions have been very modest to this point – 36 total regular season appearances for a total of 198 minutes over his three seasons – he has been a standout performer in the G League, including winning the MVP award with the Maine Celtics in ’24/25.

Davison appeared in 45 combined games with Maine last season, averaging 25.6 points, 7.7 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 34.6 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .482/.332/.762.

The Celtics now have 15 players on their standard roster.

Jared Butler Signs With Suns

July 24th, 2025 at 4:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

July 24: Butler’s deal with the Suns is official, per a team press release (Twitter link via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports). According to Bourguet, Butler’s contract is non-guaranteed and he and Goodwin will be vying for a roster spot this fall.

July 23: The Suns have reached an agreement on a one-year contract with Jared Butler, agents Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller of Priority Sports tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The 24-year-old guard became a free agent late last month when the Sixers declined their team option on his $2.35MM salary for 2025/26. He finished the season in Philadelphia after being acquired from Washington at the deadline, and the Sixers converted his two-way deal to a standard contract a week after the trade.

Butler appeared in 60 total games last season, and he put up the best numbers of his career in 28 games with Philadelphia. He averaged 11.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the short-handed team, while making 17 starts and posting .426/.352/.870 shooting splits.

Butler began his career in Utah after being selected with the 40th pick in the 2021 draft. He also had a brief stay with Oklahoma City before joining the Wizards on a two-way contract in 2023.

The Suns are making another move to bolster their backcourt, claiming former Lakers guard Jordan Goodwin off waivers. Once both transactions are official, Phoenix will have a full roster with 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.

Jazz Waive Guard Jaden Springer

July 24th, 2025 at 3:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Jazz have waived guard Jaden Springer, the team announced in a press release.

Utah had a Friday deadline to decide whether to give Springer a $400K partial guarantee to his $2,349,578 non-guaranteed contract. Springer will now look for another NBA opportunity, unless a team claims him.

After a 10-day contract with the Jazz expired, Springer signed a three-year contract with the club in March but the last two years were not guaranteed. Springer made 17 appearances for Utah, including two starts, and averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 13.2 minutes.

Boston traded the 6’4″ combo guard and a future second-round pick to Houston at February’s trade deadline. The Rockets soon waived Springer and he joined Utah after clearing waivers. Springer came off the bench in 26 games for the Celtics last season.

He was a late first-rounder pick by the Sixers in 2021 but struggled to establish a rotation role. Overall, he’s appeared in 110 NBA games, averaging 2.9 points in 8.8 minutes. He’s made just 23.8 percent of his 3-point attempts.

By releasing Springer, the Jazz now have 15 players on standard contracts.

Restricted Free Agent Kuminga, Warriors Remain At Impasse

July 24th, 2025 at 3:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Negotiations between restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors remain at a stalemate, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter video link).

“It’s a staring contest between these two sides that could continue much longer than just this month,” Charania said.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported last week that Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, has held numerous discussions with Warriors officials in Las Vegas this month trying to secure a contract that pays at least $25MM in average annual salary, even in the short term. According to Fischer, the Warriors have been reluctant to meet that price in a long-term agreement.

Charania visited with Kuminga on Wednesday said that the 22-year-old forward told him that he was in “absolutely no rush to do a deal with the Warriors.” According to new ESPN insider Anthony Slater (video link), coach Steve Kerr has been in contact with Kuminga during the process but Kerr’s tendency to reduce his role during crunch time and in the postseason has left some “scar tissue,” adding that Kuminga no longer wants to be a “Plan B” option.

Turner continues to pursue possible sign-and-trade transactions. According to Charania, the Suns and Kings “have made concrete offers with the Warriors over the last week or so.” Those clubs have also offered Kuminga an “opportunity for significant minutes, a starting-caliber role” and “those are two things he wants more than anything.”

Golden State has balked at the packages those teams have offered, which leaves Kuminga as well as the organization in limbo. The Wizards, Heat, Bulls, Bucks, and Nets have also been previously named as possible suitors for Kuminga.

The Warriors’ other potential offseason moves have been delayed until the Kuminga situation is resolved, Charania adds. Slater identifies Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Seth Curry as free agents that Golden State is interested in. The Warriors currently have just nine players on standard contracts.

Kuminga appeared in just 47 games in 2024/25, having missed more than two months due to a badly sprained ankle. He had an inconsistent role when healthy, averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes per game, with a .454/.305/.668 shooting line.

Although he was out of the Warriors’ rotation entirely for some key games at the end of the regular season and in the postseason, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points per game on .554/.389/.720 shooting in his final four playoff games vs. Minnesota after Stephen Curry injured his hamstring.

Lonnie Walker IV To Join Maccabi Tel Aviv

July 24th, 2025 at 12:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

12:57pm: Walker’s contract is for three years and approximately $10MM, according to Urbonas. It includes an NBA exit clause until Aug. 1 for this season and exit clauses for 2026 and 2027 until July 15 of those years.

12:19pm: Free agent forward Lonnie Walker IV is signing with Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, NBA insider Marc Stein tweets.

The Sixers declined their $2.9MM option on the 26-year-old at the end of last month, making him an unrestricted free agent. Terms of the contract are yet to be disclosed but he’ll be one of the highest paid players in the EuroLeague, according to Stein. It will be a multiyear contract, Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com tweets.

Interestingly, Walker was linked to another Israeli club this month. He reportedly received a two-year offer from Hapoel Tel Aviv. Real Madrid also showed interest in Walker.

Walker was productive for the injury-riddled Sixers during the second half of the season. He appeared in 20 games and averaged 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists. However, Philadelphia had major salary cap concerns heading into free agency, which undoubtedly factored into the front office’s decision.

After being waived by Boston just before the start of last season, Walker spent time with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague while awaiting his next NBA opportunity. He signed a two-year contract with Philadelphia in late February.

Prior to his stint with the Sixers, Walker appeared in 322 regular season games with the Spurs, Lakers, and Nets from 2018-24.

Suns Claim Jordan Goodwin Off Waivers

July 23rd, 2025 at 4:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 24: The Suns issued a press release confirming they’ve claimed Goodwin, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.

JULY 23: The Suns have claimed former Lakers guard Jordan Goodwin off waivers, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Goodwin, 26, was released over the weekend so L.A. could create room below the first apron to sign Marcus Smart with its bi-annual exception. In late June, the Lakers picked up their team option on Goodwin’s $2.35MM contract for the upcoming season, which carries just a $25K guarantee.

Phoenix inherits Goodwin’s full contract via the waiver claim, so L.A. will have the $25K come off its books.

Jordan joined the Lakers on a two-way contract in early February and was converted to a standard deal in late March. He appeared in 29 games, making five starts and averaging 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 18.7 minutes per night. He also posted .438/.382/.818 shooting numbers.

The move marks a return to Phoenix for Goodwin, who was acquired from Washington two summers ago as part of the Bradley Beal trade. He appeared in 40 games with the Suns during the 2023/24 season before being dealt to Memphis.

Goodwin began his career on a 10-day deal with the Wizards in 2021 and signed a two-way contract the following season.

The addition of Goodwin will give the Suns 14 standard contracts, along with three two-way deals. His contract will remain non-guaranteed, apart from the $25K, until the league-wide guarantee date in January, and he will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Rockets Sign Josh Okogie

July 22nd, 2025 at 5:37pm CST by Luke Adams

5:37pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

12:37pm: The Rockets and free agent wing Josh Okogie have reached an agreement on a one-year contract, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Charania reports that it’s a $3.1MM deal for Okogie, which suggests it’ll be worth his minimum ($3,080,921). It will be fully guaranteed, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Okogie, who will turn 27 in September, opened the 2024/25 season with Phoenix before being traded to Charlotte in January’s Nick Richards deal. He appeared in a total of 40 games for the Suns and Hornets, making seven starts and registering averages of 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 15.6 minutes per contest, along with a .443/.348/.741 shooting line.

Considered a talented, versatile perimeter defender, Okogie had excellent on/off-court splits during his stint with the Hornets, albeit in a small sample. The team had a +2.6 net rating in his 274 minutes of action and a -13.7 mark when he wasn’t on the court.

Okogie’s contract with the Hornets called for his $7.75MM salary for 2025/26 to become guaranteed if he remained under contract through June 30. The two sides agreed to push back that deadline to July 15 as the front office explored the trade market for the 6’4″ swingman, but Charlotte had no luck finding a deal and ultimately waived Okogie last week.

The Rockets recently released Jeenathan Williams, who had a non-guaranteed contract of his own, in order to move team salary approximately $3.6MM below the first tax apron, giving the club the ability to bring in one more veteran-minimum player to fill its 14th roster spot. It looks like Okogie, whose deal will count for about $2.3MM against the cap, will be that player, giving Houston another defensive-minded option on the wing.

Barring cost-cutting moves, the Rockets won’t have the ability to add a 15th man while remaining below their first-apron hard cap until later in the regular season.

Marcus Smart Officially Signs With Lakers

July 22nd, 2025 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Marcus Smart has officially joined the Lakers. The team announced the signing of the veteran guard in a press release.

“Adding a player like Marcus Smart to our roster allows us to compete at the highest level,” Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said in the statement. “Marcus epitomizes what it means to prioritize winning above all else – whether that’s making huge plays on the defensive end or hitting critical shots in key moments of the most intense games. He knows and understands playoff winning and will be a key leadership voice in our group.

“Surrounding our stars with two-way players like Marcus is critical to our overall vision of how we want to play and win next season. This is an exciting player acquisition, for sure.”

Smart reached a buyout agreement with the Wizards over the weekend and was placed on waivers. At that time, it was reported that the combo guard had decided to join the Lakers. Smart’s new contract is worth roughly $10.5MM over two years and includes a player option for the second season.

Smart, who gave up $6.8MM of his $21.59MM salary as part of his buyout with Washington, could back up both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and will boost his new team with his leadership, ball-handling and defensive prowess.

Smart, 31, has battled health problems over the past two seasons. He was named Defensive Player of the Year with Boston in 2022, but his career took a downturn after a trade to Memphis in the summer of 2023. A wide swath of injuries limited him to 39 total games in a year and a half with the Grizzlies before he was sent to Washington in a three-team deal at this year’s trade deadline.

He appeared in 19 games with Memphis and 15 games with the Wizards last season, averaging 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 20 minutes per night with .393/.348/.761 shooting numbers.

NBA Names Kyle Filipowski Summer League MVP, Announces All-SL Teams

July 22nd, 2025 at 3:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jazz forward/center Kyle Filipowski has officially been named the Summer League Most Valuable Player for 2025, the NBA announced today (via Twitter). Filipowski is also one of five players who earned a spot on the All-Summer League first team.

Here are the full All-Summer League teams, per the league (Twitter links):

First Team

Kyle Filipowski (Jazz)
Nique Clifford (Kings)
David Jones-Garcia (Spurs)
Jordan Miller (Clippers)
Terrence Shannon Jr. (Timberwolves)

Second Team

Ron Holland (Pistons)
Isaac Jones (Kings)
Kon Knueppel (Hornets)
Ajay Mitchell (Thunder)
KJ Simpson (Hornets)

Filipowski, who is entering his second NBA season after playing 72 games as a rookie, appeared in a total of six Summer League contests (Salt Lake City and Las Vegas). He averaged 23.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game. He especially excelled in Las Vegas, averaging 29.3 PPG and 7.7 RPG in three outings.

Clifford, a rookie drafted with the No. 24 pick last month, posted averages of 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals in six contests. Jones-Garcia, who is seeking a contract, finished an eight-game summer campaign with averages of 22 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He posted averages of 21.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists in a handful of games in Vegas.

Miller (22.0, 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists) racked up impressive number in five summer games after being waived earlier this month by the Clippers. Entering his second season with Minnesota, Shannon (22.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists) excelled in three contests.

After competing in the Summer League championship game on Sunday, both the Hornets (Knueppel and Simpson) and Kings (Clifford and Jones) had multiple players recognized for their play in Las Vegas. Knueppel was named the MVP of the championship game.