Luka Garza Discusses Signing With Celtics
After playing a limited role for the Pistons and Timberwolves over the course of his first four NBA seasons, former Iowa star Luka Garza admitted he was motivated to sign with the Celtics because he’ll have an opportunity to earn more playing time, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.
“Obviously, the franchise speaks for itself and just the winning and the history,” Garza said. “I’m a big basketball junkie, so obviously the chance to put on that uniform and play for the Celtics is attractive enough. But obviously there’s a lot of opportunity, especially in the frontcourt and with the guys that we have. I think the front office and the coaches believe in me and what I can do, so I just saw that as really good for me at this stage in my career.”
The Celtics traded starting center Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta and lost backup Luke Kornet to San Antonio in free agency, while Al Horford is considered unlikely to return next season. After being stuck behind Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid in Minnesota, Garza could carve out a significant role in the middle for Boston, which only has Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman as fellow big men on standard deals.
“I feel like I learned so much from my time in Minnesota from being around those type of guys, but I think it was time to find that opportunity to get on the floor,” Garza said, per Robb. “I felt like in the limited opportunities I was able to get, I was able to show well and maximize those. But for me it was a priority for me to get somewhere where I could get more of those opportunities.”
While he hasn’t played many NBA minutes to this point in his career, Garza has dominated at the G League level and clearly the Celtics liked his game, otherwise they wouldn’t have given him a two-year deal that’s fully guaranteed.
Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama Cleared For Basketball Activities
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has recovered from the blood clot in his right shoulder and has been medically cleared to resume basketball activities, he told Maxime Aubin of French outlet L’Équipe (Twitter link).
“I’m officially cleared to return,” Wembanyama said. “It just happened — I got the green light from the Spurs’ medical staff just a few hours ago (last Friday). Phew, I’ll finally be able to play a bit of basketball again!“
After earning Rookie of the Year honors and finishing as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year during his debut in 2023/24, Wembanyama had a superlative second season in ’24/25, making his first All-Star appearance and averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.8 blocks in 33.2 minutes per game.
However, shortly after the All-Star break, the 21-year-old center was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, cutting his season short. Despite playing just 46 games, Wembanyama still led the NBA in total blocked shots (176) by a wide margin — Brook Lopez was second with 148.
Both Wembanyama and the Spurs organization have expressed optimism that 2023’s No. 1 overall pick would be fully recovered from the blood clot ahead of the 2025/26 season, which has now come to fruition.
The 7’4″ big man seemed doubtful in April about his odds of suiting up for France at this summer’s EuroBasket, which begins in late August. It seems unlikely that today’s update will have changed those plans, though we may have to wait for official confirmation.
Terry Taylor Signs With Chinese Team
Free agent forward Terry Taylor has officially signed a contract with the Ningbo Rockets of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to his agency (Instagram link).
CSE’s announcement says Taylor’s deal covers the 2025/26 campaign, which suggests he signed a one-year contract.
After going undrafted out of Austin Peay in 2021, Taylor spent his first three NBA seasons bouncing between two-way and standard contracts with the Pacers and Bulls, respectively.
The 25-year-old played in the NBA G League with the Stockton Kings during the 2024/25 season, though he did make three brief NBA appearances with Sacramento after signing a 10-day deal in March.
Taylor helped Stockton win its first NBAGL title last season, recording 22 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the series finale. In 31 regular season games (34.8 minutes per contest) for the Kings’ G League affiliate, he averaged 17.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 blocks on .462/.390/.727 shooting.
In 98 career regular season games at the NBA level, the 6’4″ forward has averaged 4.6 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 12.0 MPG. Since he holds four years of experience, Taylor is no longer eligible for a two-way contract.
Ningbo is coming off a disappointing CBA season in which it finished just 10-36, which was the fourth-worst record in the league.
New York Notes: Porter, Sharpe, McCullar, Knicks
While Michael Porter Jr. is grateful for the time he spent with the Nuggets, including winning a championship in 2023, he says he’s ready for a “new chapter” after being traded to the Nets, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
“I always said New York was my least favorite NBA city,” Porter laughed. “Just because I grew up in the Midwest, where there’s so much space and no traffic. So it’ll be an adjustment. But I think it’ll end up being an amazing place for me.”
The 27-year-old was frequently the third offensive option for Denver, but he’ll have an opportunity to expand his game with the rebuilding Nets. Porter recognizes there could be rough patches as he works to develop his skills, Lewis notes.
“It’s gonna be like exploring the game and working on the things in practice. Part of being a successful NBA player is when you’re working on things during the season, you should work on the shots and things you’re gonna get in the game,” Porter said. “I feel like now my daily preparation and my daily work will be a little bit different, and hopefully, that translates over to the game.
“It’ll probably be some more self-creation, iso situations. [Head coach] Jordi [Fernandez] has already talked to me about creative ways to get me in comfortable spots on the floor. So it will be a dialogue. I’m excited to see where it goes. And it’s definitely gonna be an adaptation. I won’t be the same player [on opening night] as I will be Game 20 as I adjust to that heavier load and that heavier role.”
Here a few more notes on the NBA’s two New York-based teams:
- Day’Ron Sharpe‘s new two-year deal with the Nets is not yet official, but that’s merely a technicality as Brooklyn looks to maximize its cap space. The 23-year-old center said he’s glad to be back with the team that selected him 29th overall in the 2021 draft, Lewis adds in another story. “I just feel that was the best option for me, and that’s where Brooklyn was at,” Sharpe said. “I just decided what I decided.”
- 2024/25 was essentially a lost season for Knicks wing Kevin McCullar Jr., per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. The 24-year-old missed last year’s Summer League and several months of his rookie campaign due to a knee injury after being drafted with the 56th pick in 2024. “This is really my real rookie season,” McCullar said Sunday after pouring in 30 points in a 94-81 Summer League loss to Boston. “Last year I just got to be able to get my feet wet a little bit. … I love playing and I missed it for so long. Now it’s pretty much my rookie season.” McCullar is one of a handful of young players vying for a roster spot in the fall — he’s technically a restricted free agent after he was tendered a two-way qualifying offer, which is equivalent to a one-year two-way contract.
- The Knicks‘ decision to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau and replace him with Mike Brown has opened Leon Rose and the rest of the front office to “new degrees of accountability,” Bondy contends in a subscriber-only story. The move will be heavily scrutinized if the Knicks fall flat with Brown at the helm, particularly since there wasn’t much public desire to part with Thibodeau after he led the team to the conference finals, Bondy writes.
Grizzlies Sign Cam Spencer To Four-Year Contract
1:00pm: Spencer has officially signed his new four-year contract, the Grizzlies announced this afternoon (via Twitter).
11:48am: After initially agreeing to a two-year, minimum-salary contract when free agency opened on June 30, the Grizzlies and Cam Spencer have since amended the terms of that agreement, agents Mark Bartelstein and Ross Aroyo tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Charania, Spencer will now be signing a four-year, $10.5MM contract that includes three fully guaranteed seasons. The fourth year will be a team option, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
The 53rd pick of the 2024 draft after winning a national championship with UConn, Spencer appeared in 25 games with the Grizzlies last season, averaging 4.2 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 10.1 minutes per contest. His shooting line was .415/.365/1.000.
The 25-year-old combo guard had a much bigger role in his eight G League appearances (32.2 MPG) with the Memphis Hustle in ’24/25, averaging 23.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.5 APG and 1.2 SPG on .538/.493/.765 shooting.
When the Grizzlies initially agreed to a two-year, minimum-salary deal with Spencer, they likely didn’t know whether or not they’d have to renounce his rights in order to accommodate Jaren Jackson‘s renegotiated contract.
It appears Memphis was able to hang onto Spencer’s Non-Bird rights while maintaining enough cap room for Jackson’s new deal, which will allow the club to go beyond two years and a little above the minimum for Spencer.
As we wrote earlier today, Spencer’s deal with the Grizzlies is one of four reported signings that will likely be officially completed now that Jackson’s renegotiation and extension is complete.
Bucks President Feigin: Team In ‘Good Place’ With Giannis
Appearing on NBA TV’s broadcast of the team’s Summer League game against the Clippers on Sunday, Bucks president Peter Feigin was asked for his two cents on where the organization stands with Giannis Antetokounmpo and what the relationship looks like moving forward.
“We kind of laugh internally, it’s where we’ve been for 10 years,” Feigin said (Twitter video link; hat tip to Bleacher Report). “Giannis loves Milwaukee, Milwaukee loves Giannis. We’re in a good place. We feel great about it. It’s business as usual.
“I think we get kind of a fun little joy in everybody else thinking they know what’s going on and what the clickbait is, but for us, we’re in a good spot. Giannis is in a good place. He’s enjoying the summer, and we’re looking forward to next season.”
Antetokounmpo’s future has been one of the most popular subjects of speculation this offseason on the heels of a third consecutive first-round playoff exit for the Bucks and a Damian Lillard Achilles tear.
However, while rival clubs have been monitoring the situation closely in the hopes that Giannis will ask for a trade, that hasn’t happened. In fact, Milwaukee has moved aggressively this summer in an effort to maintain a roster capable of contending without Lillard and longtime starting center Brook Lopez, who left in free agency for the Clippers.
The Bucks re-signed several of their own free agents, including Bobby Portis, Gary Trent Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., and Taurean Prince, reached agreements to bring in new role players like Gary Harris and Cole Anthony, and made the most surprising free agent addition of the NBA offseason when they landed Myles Turner on a four-year, $109MM deal.
While Antetokounmpo hasn’t entirely shut down the speculation by making any definitive statements about his future, most teams have gone about their business this summer as if the two-time MVP won’t be seeking a change of scenery in the short term. For his part, Giannis suggested last week that he’ll “probably” be in Milwaukee going forward. Feigin’s remarks on Sunday point in that direction too.
Reported Signings That Aren’t Yet Official
Most of the free agent deals and all of the trades that were reported during or before the July moratorium have since been officially finalized, but there are still a handful of signings that we’re waiting on. Here’s a quick breakdown of the reported free agent contracts that have not yet been formally completed and announced:
Brooklyn Nets:
The Nets are the only NBA team that still has cap room remaining, so they’re likely weighing their options for how best to use that space before officially cutting into it by signing Sharpe and/or Williams. It’s possible that one of those two contracts will eventually slot into the room exception in order to help Brooklyn maximize its cap space.
Dallas Mavericks:
The Mavericks are hard-capped at the second tax apron as a result of using their taxpayer mid-level exception to sign D’Angelo Russell. Signing Exum, even for the minimum (which will likely be what his new deal is worth), would push their team salary above that hard cap, which isn’t permitted. So Dallas will need to make a cost-cutting move before officially finalizing Exum’s deal. Former first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper is considered a trade candidate.
Memphis Grizzlies:
- Santi Aldama (three years, $52.5MM)
- Ty Jerome (three years, $27.66MM)
- Cam Spencer (four years, $10.5MM)
- Jock Landale (one year, minimum salary)
The Grizzlies needed to finalize Cole Anthony‘s buyout and renegotiate Jaren Jackson‘s contract using cap room before making all of these moves, which can be completed without using cap space. Anthony’s buyout and Jackson’s renegotiation both happened over the weekend, so I’d expect Memphis to start officially finalizing these signings soon — perhaps even as soon as today.
Minnesota Timberwolves:
It’s not entirely clear why the Timberwolves‘ two big deals for their power forwards have been delayed. My best guess is that Minnesota is waiting on a decision from another free agent on an offer that would use the team’s taxpayer mid-level exception.
In that scenario, the Wolves would want to get Reid’s and Randle’s first-year salaries as low as possible to ensure their team salary stays below a second-apron hard cap. If there’s not another non-minimum free agent incoming, the club could potentially increase Reid’s and Randle’s first-year salaries slightly. That’s just my speculation, however.
Many two-way deals and Exhibit 10 agreements around the NBA have also been reported and not yet finalized, but those won’t affect teams’ cap situations, so the ones above are the ones we’re keeping the closest eye on.
Cavs’ Koby Altman Signs Contract Extension
Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman has signed a contract extension that will run through the 2029/30 season, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.
Altman last signed an extension back in January 2022. Reporting at the time indicated that deal kept him under contract through ’27/28, so the new extension will tack on two additional years.
Altman, who has been the head of basketball operations in Cleveland since 2017, oversaw the post-LeBron James rebuild following the star forward’s departure in 2018 and has since constructed one of the NBA’s most talented rosters. The Cavaliers have won at least 48 games and earned a playoff berth in each of the past three seasons. In 2024/25, the club racked up a conference-high 64 regular season victories.
The Cavaliers have drafted Darius Garland and Evan Mobley during Altman’s tenure, as well as trading for Jarrett Allen and Donovan Mitchell. Altman also oversaw the 2024 head coaching search that resulted in the team hiring Kenny Atkinson, who earned Coach of the Year honors this spring.
Altman’s job will get more challenging going forward — after remaining out of luxury tax territory for seven straight seasons in the wake of James’ exit, the Cavs have soared past that tax threshold this offseason and will be operating above the second tax apron in 2025/26.
While carrying one of the league’s most expensive rosters is more of a burden on ownership than management, the roster restrictions that apply to second-apron teams will make it more difficult for Altman and his front office to continue complementing the Cavs’ core with quality role players.
Cleveland lost Ty Jerome in free agency this offseason, but re-signed free agent wing Sam Merrill, swapped Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball, and brought back former Cav Larry Nance Jr.
According to Charania, other members of Altman’s front office – including general manager Mike Gansey and assistant general manager Brandon Weems – have also been extended.
How Teams Are Using 2025/26 Mid-Level Exceptions
In addition to receiving more than $154MM in cap room and being allowed to surpass that threshold in order to sign players using Bird Rights or the minimum salary exception, each NBA team also receives a mid-level exception. The value of this exception varies depending on a club’s total team salary.
A team that goes under the cap to use its available cap room, for instance, receives a form of the MLE known as the room exception. An over-the-cap team receives the full mid-level exception, unless that team is also over the first tax apron ($195,945,000), in which case it gets a modest “taxpayer” version of the MLE. A team whose salary is over the second tax apron ($207,824,000) isn’t permitted to use its mid-level at all.
We detailed the exact values of each form of mid-level exception earlier this offseason, but here’s a quick breakdown:
- Room exception: Can be used for contracts up to three years, with a starting salary worth up to $8,781,000.
- Full/non-taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to four years, with a starting salary worth up to $14,104,000.
- Note: Though its name suggests otherwise, using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception doesn’t mean a team can’t or won’t be above the luxury tax line ($187,895,000) at season’s end; it simply means the team’s total salary can’t surpass the first tax apron ($195,945,000).
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to two years, with a starting salary worth up to $5,685,000.
Now that most of the NBA’s teams have used up their cap space, it’s worth keeping an eye on which clubs still have part or all of their mid-level exceptions available, which we’ll do in the space below.
This list will be kept up to date throughout the 2025/26 league year, with new MLE deals added once those signings (or trades) are officially completed and we confirm the contract details.
Note: After the 2026 trade deadline, the value of the exceptions below will begin to prorate downward.
Here’s where things currently stand:
Mid-Level Exception:
Non-taxpayer: $14,104,000
Taxpayer: $5,685,000
Teams marked with an asterisk (*) technically have access to the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception but aren’t currently in position to use the entire thing without surpassing the first tax apron.
Atlanta Hawks
- Used: $11,000,000 (Luke Kennard)
Boston Celtics
- Used: $0
Charlotte Hornets
- Used: $6,670,882 (Ousmane Dieng); $7,000,000 (Tyus Jones)
Note: Dieng and Jones were acquired in trades.
Chicago Bulls
- Used: $10,107,163 (Jaden Ivey)
Note: Ivey was acquired via trade.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Used: $0
- The Cavaliers are operating above the second apron and don’t currently have access to a mid-level exception.
Dallas Mavericks
- Used: $5,685,000 (D’Angelo Russell)
Denver Nuggets
- Used: $0 *
Detroit Pistons
- Used: $14,104,000 (Caris LeVert)
Golden State Warriors
- Used: $5,685,000 (Al Horford)
- The Warriors are operating above the first apron and can’t currently use more than the taxpayer portion of the MLE.
Houston Rockets
- Used: $12,700,000 (Dorian Finney-Smith)
Indiana Pacers
- Used: $2,654,880 (Kobe Brown)
Note: Brown was acquired in a trade.
Los Angeles Clippers
- Used: $8,750,000 (Brook Lopez); $5,354,000 (Bradley Beal)
Los Angeles Lakers
- Used: $8,104,000 (Deandre Ayton); $6,000,000 (Jake LaRavia)
Miami Heat
- Used: $395,029 (Myron Gardner)
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Used: $0
New Orleans Pelicans
- Used: $8,000,000 (Kevon Looney)
New York Knicks
- Used: $5,500,000 (Guerschon Yabusele)
- The Knicks are operating above the first apron and can’t currently use more than the taxpayer portion of the MLE.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Used: $0 *
Orlando Magic
- Used: $7,000,000 (Tyus Jones)
Philadelphia 76ers
- Used: $3,415,000 (Dominick Barlow)
Phoenix Suns
- Used: $0 *
Portland Trail Blazers
- Used: $14,104,000 (Damian Lillard)
Sacramento Kings
- Used: $871,000 (Dylan Cardwell)
San Antonio Spurs
- Used: $11,000,000 (Luke Kornet)
Toronto Raptors
- Used: $2,221,677 (Trayce Jackson-Davis)
Note: Jackson-Davis was acquired via trade.
Utah Jazz
- Used: $9,219,512 (Kyle Anderson)
Note: Anderson was acquired via trade.
Washington Wizards
- Used: $5,685,000 (D’Angelo Russell)
Note: Russell was acquired via trade.
Room Exception:
Available: $8,781,000
Brooklyn Nets
- Used: $0
Memphis Grizzlies
- Used: $8,781,000 (Ty Jerome)
Milwaukee Bucks
- Used: $5,134,000 (Kevin Porter Jr.)
Summer League Notes: Flagg, C. Porter, Sarr, Raptors
The Mavericks are shutting down No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg for the rest of Summer League after he appeared in the team’s first two games in Las Vegas, reports NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter video link).
Flagg opened his Summer League career on Thursday with a 5-of-21 performance that he referred to as “one of the worst games of my life,” but showed on Saturday why he was considered the consensus top prospect in the 2025 draft class, piling up 31 of Dallas’ 69 points in a loss to San Antonio.
Having exhibited on Saturday that he has little left to prove in Las Vegas, Flagg will shift his focus to training camp in the fall, with the Mavericks not looking to risk an injury to a player who figures to be a key part of their lineup when the regular season gets underway.
Here are a few more Summer League items of interest:
- Third-year guard Craig Porter Jr., who will be vying for rotation minutes in Cleveland this fall, was expected to be one of the leaders of the Cavaliers‘ Summer League team, but a left hamstring injury sidelined him on Sunday and has rendered his availability for the rest of the Vegas League uncertain, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
- Wizards big man Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft, set a new Summer League record on Sunday by blocking eight shots, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. After averaging a modest 6.5 rebounds per game as a rookie, the seven-foot Sarr showed promise on that front Sunday too, grabbing 12 boards.
- Eric Koreen of The Athletic shares five Raptors-related observations from the team’s first two Summer League games, singling out second-year big man Ulrich Chomche, who is returning from an ACL injury, and second-year forward Jonathan Mogbo, who will be fighting to retain his rotation spot this fall, as a couple players who have stood out in Toronto’s two victories.
- A panel of ESPN insiders share their early Summer League observations on several members of the 2025 rookie class, including Flagg, Dylan Harper, Noa Essengue, and Nique Clifford.