Pistons President Langdon: Young Core Remains Top Priority
Building and developing the team’s young core remains the top priority for the Pistons, president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon told The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson.
Despite their surprising resurgence last season in which the Pistons — who had the worst record in the league in 2023/24 — made the playoffs, Langdon didn’t feel this offseason was the right time to make a splashy move for a big-time player.
Langdon planned to re-sign Malik Beasley before the sixth man was investigated as part of a federal gambling probe. Langdon then pivoted in free agency, signing Caris LeVert and acquiring Duncan Robinson in a sign-and-trade. He also re-signed backup big Paul Reed.
Langdon opted not to trade away any of his young regulars for a star-level player.
“We want to see what those guys’ ceilings are. It’s continuing to put players with them that can continue to help them grow, develop and reach their potential,” Langdon said. “That’s one thing we try to be as cognizant as possible of, which is something at times that can be challenging. Of course, you want to continue to get better, but we’re very aware of what the timing of that is. We want our guys to continue to develop and at least get close to their ceiling or potential. Then maybe at that point is when we realize, OK, what is the proper player fit for these guys when it’s time to really go?”
Once Langdon and the Pistons can assess how those young pieces fit, they’ll have a better idea what kind of player can lift the team to a higher echelon.
“I don’t think we truly understand who our players can be at this point,” he said. “I just think it’s too early for us to truly understand what the best way to press the proverbial gas pedal is right now. So, we’re gonna try to be patient with that and let our young guys continue to develop.”
Here’s more from Patterson’s interview with Langdon:
On potential rookie scale extensions for Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren:
“I’ll never speak to that. We’re happy to have them as Pistons, and we’ll continue to help them be the best possible versions of themselves and reach their potential. I thought (Duren) had a tremendous year last season, especially in the second half when we made the run. And (Ivey) got off to a great start before getting injured. We’re excited to have them both back at the start of this season.
On Cade Cunningham‘s leadership:
“He uses his voice well, in terms of holding them accountable and driving them in the right direction when he needs to. He’s also very supportive of them and allows them to be who they are as human beings, but also as basketball players.”
On not having any long-term commitments beyond Cunningham’s extension:
“Having optionality with your group, that’s all it is at the end of the day. You can’t predict how your team’s going to be from year to year. You want to make sure that if it’s going well, you can continue. Or, if there’s a way that you can get better, you want to be able to pivot. That’s how it is with us and not getting locked into something that you can’t get out of if it doesn’t go well. That’s always a difficult thing, for every team, for every organization, for every decision maker, because you can go either way. If you have a really good player that you don’t lock in long-term and then he leaves … well, that’s on you.”
28 Current NBA Players Competing In FIBA EuroBasket 2025
On the heels of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 and the Paris Olympics in 2024, the 2025 NBA offseason doesn’t feature a major international tournament in which the United States’ top stars are competing.
However, several of the league’s biggest names – including three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and five-time All-NBA first-teamer Luka Doncic – are taking part in FIBA EuroBasket 2025, which tipped off on Wednesday.
The tournament, also known as the European Basketball Championship, takes place every four years and features 24 European countries vying for a gold medal. The 24 teams who qualified for EuroBasket are split up into four groups and will face the other teams in their group across five games from August 27 to September 4.
At the end of group play, the top four teams from each group will advance to the knockout round, which is a single-elimination tournament featuring the remaining 16 countries.
By our count, 28 active NBA players are taking part in EuroBasket 2025, along with 30 former NBA players and several more who were selected in an NBA draft but have yet to play in the league.
Here’s the full list of current and former NBA players set to compete in EuroBasket, sorted by group and country:
Group A
Czechia (Czech Republic)
- Current NBA players: Vit Krejci (Hawks)
- Former NBA players: None
Estonia
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Henri Drell
Latvia
- Current NBA players: Kristaps Porzingis (Hawks)
- Former NBA players: Davis Bertans, Dairis Bertans
Portugal
- Current NBA players: Neemias Queta (Celtics)
- Former NBA players: None
Serbia
- Current NBA players: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Clippers), Nikola Jovic (Heat), Tristan Vukcevic (Wizards)
- Former NBA players: Vasilije Micic, Marko Guduric, Filip Petrusev
Serbia’s roster also includes Nikola Milutinov and Vanja Marinkovic, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.
Turkey
- Current NBA players: Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Adem Bona (Sixers)
- Former NBA players: Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, Shane Larkin, Omer Yurtseven, Onuralp Bitim
Group B
Finland
- Current NBA players: Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
- Former NBA players: None
Germany
- Current NBA players: Franz Wagner (Magic), Dennis Schröder (Kings), Tristan Da Silva (Magic)
- Former NBA players: Daniel Theis, Isaac Bonga
Great Britain
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Tarik Phillip
Lithuania
- Current NBA players: Jonas Valanciunas (Nuggets)
- Former NBA players: Deividas Sirvydis
Lithuania’s roster also includes Rokas Jokubaitis, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league, and Azuolas Tubelis, who was on a two-way contract with the Sixers during the 2023 offseason but was waived before the season began.
Montenegro
- Current NBA players: Nikola Vucevic (Bulls)
- Former NBA players: Marko Simonovic
Sweden
- Current NBA players: Pelle Larsson (Heat)
- Former NBA players: None
Group C
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Current NBA players: Jusuf Nurkic (Jazz)
- Former NBA players: None
Cyprus
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
Georgia
- Current NBA players: Goga Bitadze (Magic), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Raptors)
- Former NBA players: Tornike Shengelia
Greece
- Current NBA players: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Former NBA players: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Tyler Dorsey, Kostas Papanikolaou, Kostas Antetokounmpo
Italy
- Current NBA players: Simone Fontecchio (Heat)
- Former NBA players: Danilo Gallinari, Nicolo Melli
Italy’s roster also includes Matteo Spagnolo, Gabriele Procida, and Saliou Niang, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.
Spain
- Current NBA players: Santi Aldama (Grizzlies)
- Former NBA players: Willy Hernangomez, Juancho Hernangomez
Group D
Belgium
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
France
- Current NBA players: Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Guerschon Yabusele (Knicks), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards)
- Former NBA players: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Theo Maledon, Elie Okobo, Jaylen Hoard
France’s roster also includes Isaia Cordinier, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.
Iceland
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
Israel
- Current NBA players: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
- Former NBA players: None
Israel’s roster also includes Yam Madar, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.
Poland
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Jordan Loyd
Slovenia
- Current NBA players: Luka Doncic (Lakers)
- Former NBA players: None
Which Veteran Free Agent Should Knicks Sign?
The Knicks have been identified as one of the teams interested in free agent guard Malik Beasley. However, it’s not entirely clear whether teams are prepared to move forward on Beasley while he remains a subject of a federal gambling investigation. If they are, he may receive more than a minimum-salary contract, which is all New York can offer.
Besides Beasley, who might make sense for the Knicks’ open veteran’s minimum roster slot? James Edwards III of The Athletic explores this topic in depth.
Edwards’ list includes a pair of guards who played for the Knicks last season under former coach Tom Thibodeau — Landry Shamet and Delon Wright. The issue with signing Shamet or Beasley is that the Knicks already added shooting guard Jordan Clarkson in free agency after he was waived by Utah. Wright might be a more logical choice, since the team is lacking in true point guards beyond Jalen Brunson and Tyler Kolek.
Edwards also identifies a handful of other players who could end up filling New York’s open veteran-minimum roster slot, including Alec Burks, Monte Morris, Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Malcolm Brogdon.
Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News believes Shamet or Wright would make the most sense, given their familiarity within the organization. Winfield argues that either one could be the kind of low-maintenance finishing piece a title team might end up leaning on in a crucial situation.
Speaking of Kolek, Edwards believes that only one of the young players on the current roster, a group which also includes Pacome Dadiet and Ariel Hukporti, will crack Mike Brown‘s rotation, given that there are already nine solid proven veterans at the new head coach’s disposal.
And-Ones: Award Predictions, Top Forwards, Free Agency, Cui
Will Nikola Jokic win a fourth Most Valuable Player award in 2025/26? He’s the top choice among a panel of ESPN Insiders to capture the league’s top individual honor next season. Luka Doncic ranks as the second pick, with reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander getting the third-most votes.
The panel also offers their predictions on five other major awards, including Rookie of the Year (no surprise, they picked No. 1 draft choice Cooper Flagg) and Sixth Man of the Year (Alex Caruso and Naz Reid received the most votes}.
We have more from around the international basketball world:
- Who’s the top forward in the NBA? Giannis Antetokounmpo is in a class of his own, according to The Athletic’s Zach Harper. The Bucks superstar holds the tier-one level all by himself in “The Bounce’s Top 40 Forwards.” Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero and Zion Williamson are in the tier-two “Still Elite, Just Not Giannis” level. Heading up the group of six players who round out the top 10 and start the tier-three level is Draymond Green.
- Free agency isn’t what it used to be in the NBA, with most star players signing extensions before they ever reach that point. HoopsHype’s Alberto De Roa examines the decline in free agency’s importance, noting that only one player this summer who changed teams — new Bucks center Myles Turner — secured a contract with at least $100MM in guaranteed money.
- Cui Yongxi – also known as Jacky Cui – is working toward an NBA comeback after tearing his ACL in December with the G League’s Long Island Nets, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. He has been working out in Brooklyn and is now participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages in Los Angeles. The 22-year-old free agent guard had been on a two-way contract and appeared in five games with the Nets but was waived by Brooklyn in December following the injury.
Cuban Regrets Not Opening Bidding Process During Mavs’ Sale
Former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban doesn’t regret his decision to sell a large portion of his stake in the team but wishes he’d have opened up the process, he stated during an interview on the DLLS podcast (hat tips to Jasmyn Wimbish of CBSSports.com and Tim Cato of AllDllls.com).
“I don’t regret selling the team, I regret how I did it,” Cuban said. “Would I still sell the team? Yes, for all the same reasons I’ve said 100 times. Would I do it the same way? Absolutely not. I would have put it out to bid, but I didn’t so it doesn’t matter.”
Mavericks are now primarily owned by Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont, her son-in-law and the team’s governor.
Dumont’s role as team governor wasn’t in Cuban’s plans. Cuban kept a 27% stake in the Mavericks intentionally, since a part owner needs at least a 15% stake to remain governor of the team. When the sale was made official, there was nothing to indicate Cuban would continue his role in running the team’s basketball operations. He blames the league for losing his governor title.
“I did have it in writing,” Cuban said. “… Like I said before, there was a clause in there that gave me the right to be in every meeting, every trade discussion, everything, and the NBA took that out.”
Commission Adam Silver denied earlier this year that it was a league decision.
“Any decision as to what Mark’s role would be in basketball operations was a function of an arrangement to be made between Mark Cuban and Patrick,” Silver said in March.
But Cuban reiterated during the podcast that the league was to blame.
“Who the hell do you think took it out?” Cuban said. “I’ve got a letter from my lawyer saying the NBA made us remove it.”
However, Cuban says he has a good relationship with Dumont.
“I still talk to (him) a fair amount,” Cuban said. “He does care. And he cares when we lose. He’s spending time to learn. He’s learn a ton in time. Now I can talk to him about analytics. I can talk to him about our roster.”
However, Cuban says he doesn’t stay in contact with general manager Nico Harrison, who made the controversial trade that sent fan favorite and franchise player Luka Doncic to the Lakers. Cuban made it known publicly shortly after the trade occurred that he had no say in the matter and was against the idea of dealing Doncic.
“We all were hurt when Luka got traded — me as much as anyone, because I felt like I let people down by not being there,” Cuban said. “But what’s done is done. And we got Cooper (Flagg) — the basketball gods were looking down on us and he’s the real deal.”
The entire interview with Cuban can be accessed here.
Wolves Among Teams To Touch Base With Malik Beasley
The Timberwolves are among the teams that have been in contact with Malik Beasley‘s camp about the free agent swingman, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Minnesota joins the Pistons, Cavaliers, and Knicks as the teams known to have expressed interest in Beasley, Scotto notes.
As we detailed earlier today, while the 28-year-old is no longer a target of a federal investigation into unusual gambling and prop betting activity, he’s still considered a subject of that probe, so he hasn’t been fully cleared by either investigators or the NBA. However, his outlook has apparently improved enough that teams are increasingly willing to explore the idea of signing him.
Beasley spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Timberwolves from 2020-22 before being traded to Utah as part of the Rudy Gobert mega-deal during the ’22 offseason. He put up some of the best scoring numbers of his career in Minnesota, averaging 15.1 points per game in 130 outings, with a 38.9% mark on three-point tries.
The Timberwolves have 13 players under contract and are operating about $5.9MM below the second tax apron, so they would have the ability to offer Beasley more than a minimum-salary contract using the taxpayer mid-level exception, especially if they’re not committed to carrying a 15th man to open the regular season.
The Pistons still control Beasley’s Non-Bird rights, giving them the ability to offer him a first-year salary worth up to $7.2MM. However, their level of interest in re-signing him after adding Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson this summer is unclear.
The Knicks and Cavaliers are both limited to minimum-salary offers. As Scotto points out, Cleveland’s desire to add another wing may have increased in the wake of Max Strus‘ foot surgery.
Cavs’ Strus Undergoes Foot Surgery, Out At Least 3-4 Months
Cavaliers wing Max Strus underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot, the team announced today (Twitter link). The injury occurred during an offseason workout.
According to the Cavs, Strus is expected to resume basketball activities in approximately three to four months. That means he’ll be sidelined for the start of the regular season, which will tip off in less than two months.
It’s a tough break for the Cavs and for Strus, who averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 25.5 minutes per game during his second year in Cleveland in 2024/25. He’s one of the team’s most reliable three-point shooters, knocking down 38.6% of 5.9 attempts per game last season, and finished the year as the starting small forward.
The silver lining for the Cavs is that there should be enough wing depth on the roster to get by without Strus during the first half of the season. De’Andre Hunter is the leading candidate to move into the starting lineup, with newly re-signed sharpshooter Sam Merrill likely in line for an increased role off the bench.
Veteran forward Dean Wade and second-year wing Jaylon Tyson are among the other reserves who should move up on the depth chart this fall.
A Jones fracture is a break in the fifth metatarsal, the bone that connects the pinkie toe to the base of the foot. Zach LaVine (2024), Dariq Whitehead (2023), and Ryan Rollins (2023) are among the NBA players who have dealt with similar injuries in recent years.
The three-to-four month timeline provided today by the Cavs is a projection for when Strus will resume basketball activities, so his absence will likely extend beyond that. But for what it’s worth, four months from today would be right around Christmas.
Jazz Sign John Tonje To Two-Way Contract
The Jazz have officially signed second-round pick John Tonje to a two-way contract, according to NBA.com’s transaction log (hat tip to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype).
Tonje, 24, spent four seasons at Colorado State, then transferred to Missouri in 2023 for his super-senior season, but was limited to eight appearances due to a season-ending foot injury. He was granted a medical redshirt and made the most of his final year of college eligibility with a breakout season at Wisconsin in 2024/25.
In 37 games for the Badgers, Tonje averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 31.1 minutes per game, posting a shooting line of .465/.388/.909. The 6’5″ shooting guard was a consensus second-team All-American and was named to the All-Big Ten first team.
Using a pick they’d previously acquired from the Clippers, the Jazz selected Tonje with the No. 53 overall pick in June.
Tonje will fill Utah’s lone remaining two-way opening, joining Oscar Tshiebwe and Elijah Harkless as the team’s two-way players. The club now officially has 19 players under contract, two shy of the offseason limit.
EuroBasket Notes: Cyprus, Players To Watch, Celtics, Heat, Top Matchups
Cyprus, which will be competing in EuroBasket for the first time ever this year, announced its 12-man roster for the event on Monday, as FIBA relays. Cyprus’ national team doesn’t feature any current or former NBA players, but the group includes former Wichita State big man Darral Willis, up-and-coming point guard Filippos Tigkas, and sharpshooter Konstantinos Simitzis, who was the squad’s leading scorer in the qualifiers.
Competing in Group C, Cyprus will begin its group-play games on Thursday against Bosnia and Herzegovina before taking on Greece, Spain, Georgia, and Italy.
Here’s more on EuroBasket 2025, which will tip off on Wednesday:
- In a pair of stories for Eurohoops.net, Javier Molero identifies six under-the-radar young players to keep an eye on during EuroBasket play and names the 10 “hidden” stars to watch. The latter group includes several NBA veterans, including Magic big man Goga Bitadze (Georgia), Celtics center Neemias Queta (Portugal), and Heat forward Pelle Larsson (Sweden).
- Brian Robb of MassLive.com takes a look at the current and former Celtics who will be competing in EuroBasket, while Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald previews the event from the perspective of the Heat, who have three active players participating.
- Which of the group-stage games being played between August 27 and September 4 are the most interesting? Michalis Gioulenoglou of Eurohoops.net singles out some “must-watch” matchups, including Greece vs. Italy on Thursday, Lithuania vs. Germany on Saturday, and Turkey vs. Serbia next Wednesday.
Latest On Malik Beasley
An ESPN report last week stating that Malik Beasley is no longer a target of a federal gambling investigation into unusual prop betting activity has fueled speculation about the possibility of the free agent sharpshooter joining an NBA team for the start of the 2025/26 season. The Knicks and Cavaliers are among the clubs said to have interest.
However, as we detailed over the weekend, the term “target” has a specific legal definition to federal prosecutors, and while it may not apply to Beasley, that doesn’t mean he’s entirely in the clear.
The former Pistons wing is still a “subject” of the investigation being conducted by the Eastern District of New York, a source has confirmed to Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports.
As Schiffer explains, a subject of an investigation is defined by the Department of Justice as “a person whose conduct is within the scope of the grand jury’s investigation,” whereas a target is someone who “has substantial evidence linking him or her to the commission of a crime and who, in the judgment of the prosecutor, is a putative defendant.”
In practical terms, that means that while federal investigators aren’t zeroing in on Beasley specifically, he also could still theoretically face criminal charges, something his lawyer Steve Haney acknowledged to Robert Snell and Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News.
“I have no idea,” Haney said when asked if Beasley will be charged. “That is the frustrating thing. You live in a state of purgatory with a cloud hanging over your head for what? Forever? And you’re out of the league and can never play basketball again?”
It makes sense that NBA teams would be reluctant to finalize a deal with the 28-year-old before getting clarity on whether or not he’ll face charges (or discipline from the league) related to the unusual activity on Beasley-related prop bets during the 2023/24 season. Still, it’s worth noting that there’s technically nothing stopping an NBA club from signing him.
For example, Heat guard Terry Rozier, who has also been investigated as part of the federal probe into illegal betting, continued to play during the second half of last season while that investigation was ongoing and is still on Miami’s roster. Based on somewhat conflicting reports about his status, it sounds as if Rozier in the same boat as Beasley — not a “target,” but not fully cleared yet either as the probe continues.
Besides being a subject in a federal investigation, Beasley has also had his share of financial issues in recent years, as outlined in multiple reports this summer. He allegedly failed to pay off debts to a celebrity barber, a money lender, a marketing firm, and a dentist, and was evicted from his apartment earlier this month after being accused of not paying rent.
Haney, who has been working with Beasley in an effort to clear up his debts, said his client could reclaim his apartment as soon as this week and suggested that his financial woes have been overstated.
“A lot of his problems came from, I think, a lack of management and not having somebody diligently coordinating a lot of his financial matters,” Haney told The Detroit News. “And though I’m not his business manager, I am trying to help coordinate whatever I can to get him back in better standing.
“… It is not fair to characterize him as being broke. Athletes are very busy. They have had a life of privilege. They are not used to handling business affairs. Most of these NBA players get people around them that they trust to handle business affairs. Malik obviously did not have people in his management circle that were diligent. We are working with him to go through and solve some of the problems.”
If not for Beasley’s off-court complications, he’d almost certainly be the most coveted unrestricted free agent left on the market. The former Florida State standout is coming off a very strong season in Detroit in which he was the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up after averaging 16.3 points per game and ranking second in the NBA in three-pointers made (319). He has knocked down 41.5% of 8.1 three-point attempts per contest over the past two seasons for the Bucks and Pistons.