Giannis Antetokounmpo Still Awaiting Bucks’ Approval For EuroBasket
Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t taken part in any team activities as Greece prepares for EuroBasket because he’s still waiting for the Bucks to provide written permission for him to participate, according to Aris Barkas and Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops.
While most players don’t need permission from their NBA clubs to play in international tournaments, Antetokounmpo is an exception due to the size of his contract, sources tell the authors. They explain that the FIBA insurance policy, which is covered by the Greek federation, doesn’t pay enough to cover Antetokounmpo’s NBA contract in case he suffers a serious injury. Because there’s a cap on the insurance payout, he can’t proceed without authorization from the Bucks.
Barkas and Barbarousis note that Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Lakers guard Luka Doncic are also affected by that stipulation, but they are both practicing and participating in exhibition games with their EuroBasket teams.
The FIBA-NBA agreement permits NBA players to join their national team’s training camp 28 days before the start of a major FIBA competition. Greece’s first EuroBasket game will take place on August 28, so Antetokounmpo would have been permitted to start training at the beginning of the month if not for the insurance snag.
Antetokounmpo has already missed three Greek exhibition contests, and he isn’t expected to play against Montenegro on Thursday. The authors state that Greece will participate in the Acropolis tournament before wrapping up exhibition play August 24 against France, but it’s still uncertain whether Antetokounmpo will be cleared to suit up for any of those contests.
The issue comes amid continuing uncertainty over Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee. Trade speculation was rekindled earlier this month when Shams Charania of ESPN reported that the two-time MVP remains uncertain that he can achieve his goal of winning at least one more NBA title while playing for the Bucks.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Changing Number As Part Of ‘Fresh Start’
Looking for a “fresh start” as he enters his eighth NBA season, Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. announced recently that he’s changing his uniform number, writes Rohan Nadkarni of NBC News. Jackson will give up his familiar number 13, which he has worn since his rookie season of 2018/19, in favor of number 8, which his father wore for part of his NBA career.
“It’s super personal to me. It’s super personal to my family,” Jackson said of the switch. “I’m connected with 8 in a real way. It reaches into the territory of new beginnings. It’s infinite. It’s just a good place to draw energy from.”
Jackson’s new number won’t be the only change as Memphis tries to rebound after being swept out of the playoffs by Oklahoma City. New head coach Tuomas Iisalo will lead the team into training camp after replacing Taylor Jenkins late last season, and the Grizzlies will have to adjust to the loss of Desmond Bane, Jackson’s teammate for the past five seasons, who was traded to Orlando in June.
“I wasn’t too much surprised,” Jackson said of the Bane deal. “I mean, when your brothers leave, you are still going to hurt, just because you’re a human being. But at the end of the day, it’s a business. And we’re grown.”
Some of the savings from unloading Bane were used to renegotiate and extend Jackson’s contract, giving him a five-year, $240MM deal that solidifies his status as one of the cornerstones of the franchise. With Bane gone, Jackson has taken on more of a leadership role to ensure the team’s younger players aren’t shaken by the personnel moves happening around them.
“You’re going to get closer to your prime, and things are going to change for you,” he said. “I feel like this is a good starting point for a whole new journey of stuff. I’m approaching this year with that spearheaded, disciplined mindset of trying to get us to the promised land.”
Jackson is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 74 games while shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range. He became an All-Star for the second time and was a second-team All-Defensive selection.
The Grizzlies may need even more production from him this season to contend in a tough Western Conference, and Jackson believes he’s ready to provide it while setting a strong example for his teammates.
“Whoever’s in the locker room is in your foxhole, and that’s where you’re going to war with,” he said. “What are your habits? What are your techniques? Are you willing to share? Are you willing to talk? Who are the leaders? It’s simple, but it’s not easy.”
Board Of Governors Unanimously Approves Sale Of Celtics
The sale of the Celtics to an investor group led by William Chisholm has received unanimous approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors, the league announced (via Twitter).
The results of the vote were never really in doubt, but it’s significant that there was no opposition to Chisholm’s purchase. The league states that the deal is expected to be finalized soon.
Chisholm, a Massachusetts native and lifelong Celtics fan, reached a tentative agreement in March to purchase the franchise for a $6.1 billion valuation, which set a record at the time as the largest amount ever paid for a North American sports team. That number has since been exceeded by the sale of the Lakers for a $10 billion valuation.
Chisholm submitted the highest offer among four groups that were bidding for the team. According to Brian Robb of MassLive, his other stakeholders include Aditya Mittal, Robert Hale and Bruce A. Beal Jr., along with Sixth Street, a private investment firm.
When the sale was first announced, Wyc Grousbeck intended to remain in his role as the team’s governor through the 2027/28 season. However, a report on Tuesday indicates that’s no longer possible because Grousbeck will control less than the 15% minimum stake that the NBA requires for the person who holds that position.
Instead, Chisholm will become lead governor as soon as the sale is official with Grousbeck serving as alternate governor and CEO through the 2027/28 season. Chisholm is buying majority control of the franchise now and will purchase control of the rest of the team in 2028 at a reported valuation of $7.3 billion.
Chisholm will take over the Celtics during a time of transition after years of being one of the NBA’s elite teams. Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury coupled with a second-round playoff exit have placed an emphasis on cost-cutting measures to lower the team’s tax bill and escape second apron restrictions. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet are already gone from last year’s roster, and more money-saving moves may take place before the new season begins.
Pelicans’ Missi, Rockets’ Okogie Playing In AfroBasket
While it lacks the star power of the upcoming EuroBasket tournament, FIBA’s 2025 AfroBasket event, which tipped off on Tuesday, features a pair of NBA players. Second-year Pelicans center Yves Missi is suiting up for Cameroon, while veteran Rockets wing Josh Okogie is representing Nigeria.
Both players got off to strong starts on Wednesday in their teams’ first AfroBasket games. Missi contributed 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 24 minutes to help lead Cameroon to an 86-65 win over Tunisia, while Okogie had five points, five assists, four rebounds, and a +12 on/off mark in 27 minutes of action during Nigeria’s 77-59 victory over Madagascar.
Jonathan Kuminga was listed on the preliminary roster for the Democratic Republic of Congo, but isn’t suiting up for the team as his restricted free agent standoff with the Warriors extends well into the offseason.
Still, there are several other former NBA players taking part in the tournament, as the full list of rosters shows.
Bruno Fernando (Angola), Edy Tavares (Cape Verde), Matt Costello (Côte d’Ivoire), Christian Eyenga (Democratic Republic of Congo), Mamadi Diakite (Guinea), Ibou Badji (Senegal), Karim Mané (Senegal), and Wenyen Gabriel (South Sudan) are among the names that may be familiar to NBA fans, with Tavares (14 points, 19 rebounds) and Costello (12 points, 11 rebounds, six assists) submitting big performances en route to victories in their first group play games.
A handful of notable former NBA players are also on the sidelines as coaches for the event, including Luol Deng for South Sudan, DeSagana Diop for Senegal, and Sam Vincent for Libya, observes Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
AfroBasket’s field is made up of 16 national teams divided into four groups of four teams apiece. Each squad faces the other clubs in its group once during the preliminary round; the top-ranked team in each group after those three games advances directly to the quarterfinals, while the eight second- and third-place teams square off in “play-in” games to earn quarterfinal berths.
Group play will continue through Sunday, with the play-in games for the knockout round held next Monday and Tuesday. The quarterfinals will take place on August 20 and 21, with the semifinals played on Aug. 23 and the final (and third-place game) on Aug. 24.
NBA 2025 Offseason Check-In: Atlanta Hawks
Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2025 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the Atlanta Hawks.
Free agent signings
Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Four years, $60,647,200. Fourth-year player option. Trade kicker (7.5%). Signed using Bird rights and acquired via sign-and-trade from Timberwolves.- Luke Kennard: One year, $11,000,000. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Trades
- Acquired the draft rights to Asa Newell (No. 23 pick) and either the Pelicans’ or Bucks’ 2026 first-round pick (whichever is more favorable) from the Pelicans in exchange for the draft rights to Derik Queen (No. 13 pick).
- Acquired David Roddy (two-way; from Rockets), the right to swap their own 2031 second-round pick for the Rockets’ 2031 second-round pick (56-60 protected; from Rockets), and cash ($85,300; from Rockets) in a seven-team trade in exchange for Clint Capela (sign-and-trade; to Rockets) and Daeqwon Plowden (two-way; to Suns).
- Note: Roddy was subsequently waived.
- Acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker (sign-and-trade) from the Timberwolves in exchange for the Cavaliers’ 2027 second-round pick and cash ($1.5MM).
- Acquired Kristaps Porzingis (from Celtics) and a 2026 second-round pick (from Celtics) in a three-team trade in exchange for Terance Mann (to Nets), Georges Niang (to Celtics), the draft rights to Drake Powell (No. 22 pick; to Nets), and the Cavaliers’ 2031 second-round pick (to Celtics).
Draft picks
- 1-23: Asa Newell
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $16,240,653).
Two-way signings
- Eli Ndiaye
- One year, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season).
- Jacob Toppin
- One year, $85,300 partial guarantee.
- Keaton Wallace
- One year, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season).
Departed/unsigned free agents
- Clint Capela (Rockets)
- Caris LeVert (Pistons)
- Garrison Mathews (unsigned)
- Larry Nance Jr. (Cavaliers)
Other roster moves
- Signed 2024 second-round pick Nikola Djurisic to a three-year, $5,949,688 contract. Second year non-guaranteed. Third-year team option. Signed using second round pick exception.
Salary cap situation
- Operating over the cap ($154.6MM) and below the luxury tax line ($187.9MM).
- Carrying approximately $182.3MM in salary.
- Hard-capped at $195,945,000.
- Portion of non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($3,104,000) available.
- Full bi-annual exception ($5,134,000) available.
- Three traded player exceptions available (largest worth $13,101,561).
The offseason so far
After the Hawks lost Jalen Johnson to a season-ending shoulder injury in January and traded away veteran role players like De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic a couple weeks later, it looked like they might be ready to throw in the towel on the 2024/25 season. But led by Trae Young, new starting center Onyeka Okongwu, Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Dyson Daniels, and rapidly improving No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta went 17-14 after the trade deadline, earning a play-in berth.
The Hawks failed to clinch a playoff spot in the play-in tournament, but given what their young core showed in the second half, it came as no surprise that the front office – headed by newly promoted general manager Onsi Saleh, who replaced Landry Fields – took an aggressive approach to upgrading its roster this offseason.
The Hawks entered the summer with the 13th and 22nd overall picks in the draft, but ultimately used neither of them, trading the No. 22 pick to Brooklyn as part of a three-team trade for Kristaps Porzingis and moving down from No. 13 to No. 23 to select Asa Newell while acquiring an unprotected 2026 first-rounder in the process.
The Porzingis trade will have the greater on-court impact for Atlanta in 2025/26, with the former Celtics forward/center set to complement Okongwu in the frontcourt and help make up for the departures of big men Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. But the Hawks’ new-look front office might’ve received more kudos for its other draft-pick deal, which saw the team move down 10 spots this year and net the more favorable of the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ 2026 first-round picks.
While that 2026 first-rounder doesn’t look quite as tantalizing now as it did back in June when a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade seemed more viable, it could still end up being an extremely valuable asset, given that the Pelicans are coming off a 21-win season and have several key players still recovering from major injuries. The 2024 offseason trade between the two teams that centered around Daniels and Dejounte Murray has turned into a big win for the Hawks, who now have a chance to reap the rewards of a deal with New Orleans for a second consecutive year.
Porzingis should be an upgrade on Capela and Nance up front as long as he’s healthy, but the Hawks had a handful of other holes to fill this offseason, as they lost three key reserves. Terance Mann and Georges Niang were sent out in the Porzingis deal, while Caris LeVert signed with Detroit as a free agent.
With plenty of spending flexibility below the luxury tax line to operate, the Hawks addressed those holes by adding a pair of veterans for mid-level type deals. Veteran sharpshooter Luke Kennard was signed to a one-year, $11MM contract using Atlanta’s actual mid-level exception, while three-and-D guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker was acquired via sign-and-trade using a trade exception created as a result of last year’s Murray deal.
All of the newcomers look like great fits. Despite Daniels’ excellence, the Hawks ranked just 18th last season in defensive rating, so adding a rim protector like Porzingis and another talented point-of-attack weapon like Alexander-Walker should put the club in position to improve that ranking in 2025/26.
Atlanta was also in the middle of the pack in terms of three-point attempts (15th) and three-point percentage (18th), making it a logical move to sign one of the NBA’s very best three-point shooters. Kennard hasn’t made fewer than 43.3% of his outside attempts in any of the past five seasons and should get his fair share of open looks with Young, the NBA’s reigning assist leader, setting him up.
The Hawks’ level of success in 2025/26 will ultimately come down to what they get from Young and their growing young core, including Risacher, Daniels, Okongwu, and a healthy Johnson. But they did well this summer to get role players who should nicely complement those long-term building blocks.
Up next
The Hawks are technically only carrying 13 players on standard contracts at the moment and are operating about $5.5MM below the luxury tax line. That gives them enough room to bring in two more players on minimum-salary contracts to carry a full 15-man roster into the season without becoming a taxpayer.
Whether they go that route or leave their 15th spot open remains to be seen, but they’ll at least have to add a 14th man. It seems like former Magic wing Caleb Houstan will probably be that player, but the two sides have yet to officially finalize the one-year deal they reportedly agreed to on July 17.
Assuming that contract eventually gets signed and it’s fully (or at least mostly) guaranteed, count on Houstan opening the season on the roster. But if the agreement falls through or if Houstan gets a non-guaranteed deal, that 14th spot will be more wide open.
Reports in the wake of June’s draft indicated that undrafted rookie Lamont Butler would be signing a two-way contract with Atlanta, but the Hawks have since signed three different players to two-way deals. There’s still plenty of time between now and opening night for the club to make changes to its two-way slots, but it looks at this point that if Butler comes to camp, it would be on an Exhibit 10 contract rather than a two-way. We’ll have to wait for more clarity on that subject.
Besides filling out the back of their roster, the Hawks have some bigger-picture decisions to make regarding contract extensions for key players before the season begins. Daniels, for instance, is eligible for a rookie scale extension and would reach restricted free agency in 2026 if he doesn’t sign a new contract in 2025.
When Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report projected rookie scale extensions in May, he estimated a four-year, $94MM deal for Daniels. I think his next contract will probably come in higher than that, given how defensive aces like Jaden McDaniels (five years, $131MM) and Jalen Suggs (five years, $150MM) got paid on their extensions in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Still, the Hawks are probably taking notice of how RFA negotiations are playing out this summer and wondering if they can convince Daniels to accept something a little more team-friendly than those McDaniels and Suggs contracts this fall.
In addition to Daniels, Young and Porzingis are also eligible to sign contract extensions. Unlike Daniels, those two veterans will remain extension-eligible all season long if they don’t work out new deals before opening night.
Still, recent reporting has suggested there’s nothing doing between Young and the Hawks at the moment, and there have been no indications that the team is seriously exploring an extension with Porzingis either. I’ll be curious to see whether Atlanta is willing to go all the way into next offseason without extending either player or whether the team shows more urgency to get something done this fall or even during the season.
It’s worth noting that Porzingis’ maximum extension for now would be about $116MM over three years, whereas he could get up to $192.7MM over four years as of January 7, six months after the trade. But I don’t think the Hawks would go as high as the former number, let alone the latter, so that’s probably a moot point.
As for Young, his maximum-salary extension right now is worth about $222.4MM over four years. He could qualify for a five-year, $335MM contract if he makes an All-NBA team in 2025/26, but again, I’m not sure Atlanta is willing to go up to his current max, let alone to that higher number, so it might just further complicate their contract talks if Young earns super-max eligibility.
Tom Dundon Reaches Tentative Deal To Buy Trail Blazers
2:15 pm: In an updated version of their Sportico report, Soshnick and Novy-Williams says the Blazers’ sale will include two separate payments — one at the closing of the sale and one at a later date. The “blended” valuation of the two payments will be roughly $4.25 billion, sources tell Sportico.
11:18 am: The Blazers will be valued at more than $4 billion in the sale, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
11:01 am: A group led by billionaire Tom Dundon, the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, has reached a tentative agreement to buy the Trail Blazers from Paul Allen‘s estate, sources tell Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico.
Blue Owl Capital co-president Marc Zahr and co-CEO of Collective Global Sheel Tyle are among the other investors who are part of Dundon’s group, according to Soshnick and Novy-Williams, who say the buyers intend to keep the team in Portland.
The Trail Blazers announced their plans to sell the franchise back in May. Allen, the longtime Blazers owner who purchased the franchise for $70MM in 1988, passed away on October 15, 2018, resulting in control of the team being transferred to his sister Jody Allen, the trustee and executor of his estate.
The plan following Paul Allen’s death was for ownership of the Blazers to eventually change hands as part of an estate sale, which is the process that’s playing out now. The investment bank Allen & Co. (no relation) and the law firm Hogan Lovells were selected to lead the sale of the team.
As Soshnick and Novy-Williams note, while the valuation of the Blazers in this tentative deal isn’t yet known, a trust generally has a fiduciary duty in an estate sale to maximize the value of its assets and to sell to the highest qualified bidder.
When Sportico last updated its NBA franchise valuations in December 2024, the site estimated the Blazers’ worth to be $3.6 billion. New owners have agreed to buy the Celtics ($6.1 billion valuation) and Lakers ($10 billion valuation) since then.
All estate proceeds as a result of the Blazers sale will be directed toward philanthropy, per the late Allen’s wishes.
In addition to owning the NHL’s Hurricanes, Dundon has invested heavily in pickleball — he’s the majority owner of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball. Dundon, who is also the chairman and managing partner of the Dallas-based investment firm Dundon Capital Partners, will serve as the Blazers’ new governor if and when the sale is officially approved by the NBA, per Sportico’s report.
League Announces 2025 NBA Cup Schedule
After previously announcing the dates and groups for its third annual in-season tournament, the NBA today revealed the schedule for the group play portion of the event. The group play stage of the tournament, which is formally known as the Emirates NBA Cup, will begin on October 31 and run through November 28.
The group play games will take place on five consecutive Fridays, with a handful of games also played on Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Wednesday, Nov. 26. The NBA has published its schedule by date, as well as its schedule by team.
Each Friday will feature a doubleheader on Amazon Prime, while NBC/Peacock will nationally broadcast a doubleheader on Nov. 25 and ESPN will air a tripleheader on Nov. 26. The full schedule of nationally televised NBA Cup games, starting with Celtics at Sixers and Lakers at Grizzlies on Oct. 31, can be found right here (Twitter link).
The NBA Cup quarterfinals will take place on December 9 and 10, with the semifinals to follow on Dec. 13 and the final to be played on Dec. 16. The higher-seeded teams will host the quarterfinal matchups, while the semifinals and final will take place in Las Vegas. Amazon Prime will broadcast all seven games in the knockout round.
West Group C, which includes the Nuggets, Rockets, Warriors, and Spurs, will be the most heavily featured group in nationally televised broadcasts — five of the 15 NBA Cup games on the national broadcast schedule will be matchups from that group, including three apiece for Houston and Golden State.
The Bucks, the champions of last year’s second annual in-season tournament, will be featured on Amazon in a group play game on Nov. 28 vs. the Knicks.
In addition to announcing the NBA Cup schedule, the league also revealed today that Amazon Prime’s first Friday doubleheader of the season, on October 24, will feature a pair of playoff matchups from this past spring (Twitter link). The Celtics will visit the Knicks at 7:30 pm Eastern time, with the Lakers hosting the Timberwolves at 10:00 pm ET.
[RELATED: NBA Reveals Opening Week, Christmas Day, MLK Day Matchups]
The full NBA regular season schedule for 2025/26 will be announced on Thursday.
Suns Hiring Steve Clifford As Coaching Advisor
The Suns put out a press release on Tuesday formally announcing their team of assistants under first-year head coach Jordan Ott, but the club is making one more notable addition to its staff that wasn’t included in that announcement, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Phoenix is hiring former NBA head coach Steve Clifford as a coaching advisor, sources tell Scotto.
Clifford, who will turn 64 next month, had multiple stints as the Hornets’ head coach from 2013-18 and 2022-24. He also coached the Magic from 2018-21. Overall, he compiled a regular season record of 340-461 (.424) in Charlotte and Orlando, earning four playoff appearances across 10 seasons.
Clifford also has no shortage of experience as an NBA assistant, including stints with the Knicks, Rockets, Magic, and Lakers from 2001-13. Prior to his first NBA job, he worked as a college assistant and head coach for about a decade-and-a-half.
When the Suns were in the process of filling out Ott’s staff, reporting indicated that the team was seeking a lead assistant with previous head coaching experience. Phoenix didn’t end up finding anyone who fit that bill, with Jesse Mermuys, DeMarre Carroll, and Brian Randle expected to occupy the top three front-of-bench spots under Ott.
By bringing aboard Clifford in an advisory role, the Suns are providing Ott with a more experienced confidant who can help him navigate his first year as a head coach.
Clippers Sign Jason Preston To Camp Contract
The Clippers have signed guard Jason Preston to a training camp contract, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets.
Preston was an early second-round pick by the Clippers in 2021 after a stellar college season at Ohio University. However, he never truly found his footing at the NBA level, partly due to injuries.
Preston was on the Jazz’s roster early last season as a two-way player but was waived in November after suffering a calf strain.
A 6’4″ point guard, Preston missed his entire rookie season with a right foot injury and was cut ahead of the 2023/24 season after appearing in 14 NBA games in ’22/23.
Preston began the 2023/24 season with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League squad, then caught on with the Jazz in January on a two-way deal. He spent the rest of that season shuttling between the NBA roster and the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s NBAGL affiliate. He only appeared in one G League regular season game last season.
Across 21 career NBA contests with the Clippers and Jazz, Preston has averaged 2.5 points, 2.0 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game.
According to our roster count tracker, Preston will be the 20th player on the Clippers’ camp roster. Assuming he signed an Exhibit 10 deal, the 26-year-old would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the G League’s San Diego Clippers.
Rookie Alex Toohey Believes He’s Perfectly Suited For Warriors
Second-round pick Alex Toohey believes he’s a perfect fit for the Warriors, even though he remains unsigned. Toohey, a 6’8” Australian forward, was selected with the No. 52 pick in the draft.
He notes that Andrew Bogut spent a chunk of his career in the organization and Luc Longley played for the Bulls in the 1990s when Steve Kerr also wore a Chicago uniform. Those Aussies are part-owners of the Sydney Kings. Toohey played for the Kings in Australia’s National Basketball League for the last two seasons.
“The list of teams that were interested in me, I think I got the best of the lot,” Toohey told Olgun Uluc of ESPN. “Obviously [there’s] the Australian connection there, and the way they play, it’s something I think I’ve learned a lot before even knowing I’m going to be a Warrior: learning how they play, studying their schemes, their offenses and defenses.”
Despite his draft position, Toohey believes he can make an immediate impact. First, the Warriors have to officially add him to either the 15-man or two-way roster. Toohey is one of the remaining unsigned second-rounders, due to the ongoing saga involving restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
Golden State has essentially frozen its roster until the Kuminga situation is resolved. The Warriors are looking to maximize their cap flexibility and don’t want to lock in certain roster spots or create a hard cap before determining what will happen with Kuminga.
Toohey got an NBA education during Summer League play. He appeared in six games last month and averaged 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per contest. He shot just 26.2 percent from the field.
“It was tough,” Toohey said. “The athleticism is obviously another level, and the pace of the game. Especially the Warriors; we had one of the highest-paced offenses. And it felt like that. We’d be pretty gassed after a few minutes of getting up and down. We felt that wore teams down, and that put us in some games we maybe shouldn’t have been in. That’s definitely one part of it.
“Then, figuring out that: I got drafted for a reason. They obviously see things in me, and believe in me, so it’s just finding that internal confidence and being able to make a play in transition, or make a three when it comes your way.”