Bucks’ Pat Connaughton Opts In For 2025/26
Bucks guard/forward Pat Connaughton has picked up his 2025/26 player option, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The move locks in Connaughton’s salary of $9,423,869 for next season and puts him on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2026.
Connaughton’s option decision comes as no surprise. He played a key role on Milwaukee’s championship team in 2020/21 and had a career year in ’21/22, when he averaged 9.9 points per game on .458/.395/.833 shooting, but his playing time and his production have dropped off significantly since then.
This past season, the 32-year-old wing averaged just 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 14.7 minutes per game across 41 outings. His 32.1% three-point percentage was his worst mark since his rookie year in 2015/16.
Since Connaughton wasn’t going to receive a starting salary of $9.4MM if he had become a free agent, it makes sense for him to take the guaranteed money by exercising his option.
Now, the decision on Connaughton’s future is back in the Bucks’ hands. He’ll likely be a trade candidate on that $9.4MM expiring contract as Milwaukee looks to reshape its roster and remain in the playoff picture while Damian Lillard recovers from an Achilles tear. Given his drop-off in minutes and effectiveness, Connaughton won’t have any trade value on his own, but his deal could be used for salary-matching purposes.
As our player option tracker shows, Connaughton is one of three Bucks players with an option decision to make this month. Bobby Portis ($13.45MM) and Kevin Porter Jr. ($2.55MM) are viewed as good bets to opt out in search of more lucrative multiyear deals.
Poll: Who Will Win Game 7 Of NBA Finals?
For the first time since 2016, there will be a Game 7 in the NBA Finals.
The last time an NBA Finals went the distance, Cleveland completed a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against the 73-win Warriors, with a LeBron James chase-down block and a Kyrie Irving three-pointer in the final two minutes of Game 7 helping to seal the first championship in Cavaliers franchise history.
While there’s certainly no guarantee that Sunday’s Game 7 between the Thunder and Pacers will be as dramatic as that one from nine years ago, the two teams have put on an impressive show so far in this year’s Finals, starting with a Tyrese Haliburton game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds left in Game 1 to give the Pacers the upset victory.
The series has been back and forth since then — after falling behind 1-0 and 2-1, the Thunder won Games 4 and 5 and – with Haliburton battling a calf strain – appeared to be on the verge of their first championship since the team relocated to Oklahoma City.
But with their backs against the wall in front of a supportive home crowd in Indianapolis, the Pacers responded by racing out to a 22-point lead by the half of Game 6, then expanded that lead to 30 points by the end of the third quarter. The home fans didn’t exactly have to sweat out a close finish in the fourth.
As resilient as the Pacers have been all postseason, they’ll enter Game 7 as the solid underdogs. BetOnline.ag currently has Oklahoma City listed a 7.5-point favorite.
The Thunder’s regular season success is one big reason why that betting line is where it is. Oklahoma City submitted one of the best seasons in NBA history, with a 68-14 record and a +12.7 net rating. The Pacers also finished strong after getting off to a 10-15 start, but they had more losses by the 25-game mark than OKC did all year.
Home-court advantage in Game 7 is another significant factor to consider. The Thunder had an NBA-best 35-6 home record during the regular season and have gone 10-2 at Paycom Center during the playoffs.
While one of those two postseason home losses came to the Pacers, the Thunder have played far better basketball in Oklahoma City than in Indiana over the course of this series, with averages of 117.7 points and 10.7 per turnovers in their three home games, compared to 103.0 points and 18.7 turnovers per contest on the road.
Still, the Pacers have been excellent away from home over the course of the playoffs, winning seven of 11 games outside of Indiana, and their role players haven’t performed significantly better at Gainbridge Fieldhouse than elsewhere. In the Finals, Aaron Nesmith has knocked down 55.0% of his three-pointers on the road, while Obi Toppin has hit 38.9%. T.J. McConnell has put up 12.7 PPG and 4.7 APG on .630/.750/1.000 shooting in his three Finals road games.
Most importantly, even though his health was a major question mark entering Game 6, Haliburton was able to suit up on Thursday and will do so again on Sunday. The Pacers star said on Saturday that he’s still sore and is getting around-the-clock treatment, but not having to play in the fourth quarter on Thursday helped him and he’ll be good to go on Sunday (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star).
Ahead of Sunday’s big game, we want to know what you think.
Do you expect the Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, to win the first of what they hope will be multiple championships? Or do you expect Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, and the upstart Pacers to pull off yet another upset and earn the franchise its first NBA title?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your predictions!
Who will win Game 7?
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Oklahoma City Thunder 54% (550)
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Indiana Pacers 46% (474)
Total votes: 1,024
Mavs’ Dwight Powell Picks Up Player Option
June 21: Powell has officially exercised his option, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
June 20: Mavericks center Dwight Powell is exercising his player option for the 2025/26 season, reports Mark Stein of The Stein Line (via Twitter). Powell had until Tuesday to make a decision on the option, which will pay him $4MM next season.
Powell, Dallas’ longest-tenured player, appeared in 55 games for head coach Jason Kidd last season, averaging 2.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game in 10.0 minutes per night.
Powell has been with the Mavericks since the 2014/15 season, when he was traded from Boston to Dallas in a mid-season deal. He was a regular starter for the club as recently as the 2022/23 season, but has seen his playing time decline within the last couple years.
The Mavericks have Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford all currently under contract at the center position and are on track to draft Cooper Flagg, who is expected to play minutes at power forward.
Powell’s return will give the Mavericks some depth in case of injury, as well as a veteran who can help instill Kidd’s schemes, assuming he remains on the roster. The big man, who will turn 34 next month, could also end up becoming a trade candidate if the team faces a cap or roster crunch this summer.
If he plays out his contract, Powell will be extension-eligible during the 2025/26 season and would become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Powell is one of two Mavs who holds a player option for ’25/26. Teammate Kyrie Irving also has a decision due by Tuesday.
Hoops Rumors’ 2025 NBA Offseason Previews By Team
In advance of the NBA’s 2025 draft and free agent period, Hoops Rumors has been previewing the coming offseason for all 30 teams, looking at their salary cap situations and the roster decisions they’ll have to make this summer.
Our Offseason Preview articles are linked below, sorted by conference and division. While a Trade Rumors Front Office subscription is required to read most of them, our Jazz preview is open to all.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
Central
Southeast
Western Conference
Northwest
Pacific
Southwest
Southwest Notes: KCP, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Weaver
Former Magic wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said in the latest episode of his Dawg Talk Podcast (YouTube link) that he got a heads-up he would be traded to the Grizzlies before the agreement was reported last Sunday, so he wasn’t caught off guard when the news broke on social media. And while it took him a little time to wrap his head around the idea of changing teams again just one year after signing with Orlando, the 32-year-old is enthusiastic about what he’ll be able to bring to his new club in Memphis.
“The more I talked about it, the more I got excited,” Caldwell-Pope said, singling out Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey as new teammates he’s looking forward to playing with. “A lot of the guys over there I know and I’m going to enjoy playing with. Seeing them, playing against them and the style that they have, I think it fits right into my game.”
Caldwell-Pope had a down year with the Magic in 2024/25, scoring just 8.7 points per game with a 34.2% mark on three-point attempts — both marks were well below his career averages. However, he knocked down 40.3% of his outside shots in the five seasons before ’24/25 and won a pair of titles during that stretch, so he’ll bring championship experience to a Grizzlies team that has won just a single playoff series during the Morant/Jackson era.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Having acquired this year’s No. 16 overall pick in their deal with Orlando, the Grizzlies took a closer look on Friday at a prospect who could be a target in that spot, bringing in Georgia’s Asa Newell for a pre-draft workout, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). Earl Timberlake (Bryant), Jahmyl Telfort (Butler), Jordan Gainey (Tennessee), and Obinna Anochili-Killen (Marshall) also participated in the session, Cole notes.
- According to Grant Afseth of RG.org, a number of agents who represent point guards in this year’s free agent class have said they’re eyeing the Mavericks. With Kyrie Irving expected to miss a portion of next season while recovering from ACL surgery, those player reps view Dallas as a good spot for their clients to “build value and contribute to a playoff-caliber roster,” Afseth writes. Chris Paul and Malcolm Brogdon are among the free agent point guards who have been linked to the Mavs, while Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball have been cited as possible trade options.
- New Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars tells Rod Walker of NOLA.com that he wasn’t disappointed when the club’s first-round pick slipped to No. 7 on lottery night, since he’s confident New Orleans will still get a good player at that spot. As Walker details, one reason why Dumars isn’t worried is because he trusts the scouting ability of new senior VP of basketball operations Troy Weaver. “Troy has a unique skill set,” Dumars said. “His ability to identify talent in this league is elite. He has a long track record of being able to identify players at an elite level.”
Rudy Gobert Will Reportedly Miss EuroBasket 2025
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert will not compete in this summer’s EuroBasket tournament, according to Yann Ohnona of French outlet L’Equipe.
A longtime member of France’s national team, Gobert suggested in February that he was likely to sit out the event, per RealGM.
“After the Euro, it’s always harder, that’s when you feel the backlash. And you don’t recover the same at 33 years old than at 23,” said Gobert, who turns 33 next week.
The four-time Defensive Player of the Year has not missed an international competition with France since 2017, Ohnona writes. That was also a EuroBasket tournament.
Gobert, who was named to the All-Defensive Second Team this season with Minnesota, has won a total of six medals with France, including a pair of silvers at the 2021 and 2024 Olympics. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is also considered unlikely to play for France this summer after being diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis — a blood clot — in his right shoulder in February, Ohnona notes.
EuroBasket 2025 begins August 27 and runs through September 14.
Latest From Fischer, Stein: KD, Suns, Ware, Raptors, Knicks, Donovan
The Suns continue to project confidence that a trade involving star forward Kevin Durant will be agreed to before June 25, the first night of the 2025 NBA draft, sources tell Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
According to the authors, Phoenix’s front office — led by new general manager Brian Gregory — is “quietly hopeful” it will be able to land a first-round pick in a potential Durant deal to use next Wednesday. The team currently controls one late first-rounder (No. 29 overall) and one late second-rounder (No. 52).
Fischer and Stein point to the first-round selections controlled by the Raptors (No. 9), Rockets (No. 10), Timberwolves (No. 17) and Heat (No. 20) as examples of some of the picks the Suns have tried to acquire in Durant trade talks. But they also haven’t been thrilled with the offers they’ve received to this point, which is why a deal has yet to come together.
Here’s more from The Stein Line duo:
- The Heat have been “firmly against” including big man Kel’el Ware in their offers to the Suns for Durant, sources tell Fischer and Stein. The 15th pick of last year’s draft, Ware was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2024/25 after a solid debut season. Phoenix is believed to be prioritizing draft capital from Miami with Ware evidently off-limits.
- Fischer and Stein confirm that the Raptors also are unwilling to part with starting center Jakob Poeltl to acquire Durant. Assuming he isn’t moved, league sources tell The Stein Line that Toronto and the Austrian big man have mutual interest in a contract extension “in the near future.”
- Toronto continues to be active in trade talks, particularly when it comes to the draft. According to Fischer and Stein, the Raptors have expressed an openness to moving down from No. 9, but have also discussed the possibility of trying to add a second lottery pick. No matter which pick(s) they ultimately control, rival teams believe the Raptors are focused on drafting a center.
- The Knicks are not expected to hire a head coach until after next week’s draft, which will take place over two days (the second round is on Thursday), one person familiar with the matter told The Stein Line. Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins interviewed for the job this week and both of the former head coaches are believed to have “levels of support” in New York. According to Fischer and Stein, Brown is said to be close with executive William Wesley, while Jenkins reportedly impressed the team in his interview.
- Although New York was denied permission to interview Billy Donovan, the Bulls claim their extension talks with their head coach preceded that request, per Fischer and Stein. “They love him,” one source familiar with management’s thinking said of Chicago’s fondness for Donovan. Stein first reported that the Bulls and Donovan were finalizing an extension.
- In case you missed it, Fischer and Stein also reported that multiple teams have shown interest in Suns wing Cody Martin as part of the Durant trade talks.
Potential Second-Rounder Jalon Moore Suffers Torn Achilles
Former Oklahoma forward Jalon Moore sustained a torn Achilles tendon in a pre-draft workout in San Antonio, agent Mike Silverman tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (all Twitter links).
Moore had successful surgery the day after he suffered the injury and is expected to make a full recovery, per Givony.
“We’re truly heartbroken for Jalon,” Silverman said. “It’s time to revamp the NBA pre-draft process. Flying around the country to perform intense competitive workouts exposes players to risk of major injuries. No other pro sports league puts their draft prospects in this position.”
Moore, who spent his first two college seasons at Georgia Tech prior to transferring to Oklahoma in 2023, had a solid senior season for the Sooners in 2024/25, averaging 15.9 points and 5.6 rebounds on .471/.381/.840 shooting in 34 games (30.3 MPG). He was viewed as potential second-round pick in 2025 prior to the injury, coming in at No. 63 on ESPN’s big board.
Moore’s workout with the Spurs was his 13th of the pre-draft process and he had three more on tap, according to Givony, who questions whether it’s advisable for prospects to partake in such an arduous process due to the extensive travel and physical demands.
Cam Thomas Hopes To Re-Sign With Nets
Appearing on WTKR News 3 in Norfolk, Virginia (Twitter video link via sports director Marc Davis), shooting guard Cam Thomas made it clear that he hopes to re-sign with Nets this summer (hat tip to Brian Lewis of The New York Post).
“It’s a situation I can’t really control,” Thomas said of being a restricted free agent. “Just got to leave that up to my agency, my agents and the front office. … But I definitely want to be back in Brooklyn. It’s definitely home for me. Being drafted there, you know you definitely build bonds with a lot of people there. So I definitely love being there.
“But at the same time, you’ve still got to do what’s best for you in the business aspects. So, we have to play that by ear. But I definitely want want to be back in Brooklyn for sure. It’s definitely my home.”
The 27th pick of the 2021 draft, Thomas didn’t get much playing time in his first two NBA seasons. That changed in 2023/24, when he averaged a career-best 31.4 minutes per contest en route to leading the team in scoring (22.5 points per game).
The 23-year-old posted career-high numbers in multiple statistical categories in ’24/25, including 24.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG and 3.8 APG, but was limited to a career-low 25 games due to a series of hamstring injuries.
Retaining Thomas is expected to be a priority for the Nets, who project to have by far the most cap room in the league in free agency.
Heat Among ‘Several’ Teams Interested In Cody Martin
As part of the wider trade talks involving Kevin Durant, “several” NBA teams have expressed interest in Suns wing Cody Martin, league sources tell Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Although the report states multiple teams are intrigued by the possibility of adding Martin, only one is actually listed — the Heat, who are “known to hold an affinity” for the veteran guard/forward.
As the authors point out, Martin’s identical twin brother Caleb Martin had a productive three-year run with Miami.
Cody Martin, whose $8.68MM salary for 2025/26 is non-guaranteed until June 30, was acquired by Phoenix in February ahead of the trade deadline. He spent his first five-and-a-half seasons in Charlotte, the team that selected him 36th overall in 2019.
While the 29-year-old is a strong, versatile defender and solid play-maker, he hasn’t been much of a scoring threat in the NBA, holding career averages of 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steal on .436/.308/.661 shooting in 21.9 minutes per game across 259 appearances.
Martin has also been plagued by injuries the past few seasons, including a sports hernia ailment in 2024/25 which delayed his Suns debut.