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); $601,553 (Quenton Jackson)
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); $724,598 (Bryce McGowens)
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); $125,931 (Dalen Terry)
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); $2,857,143 (Tristan Vukcevic); $1,131,970 (Jamir Watkins)
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.); $600,000 (Pete Nance)
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.
Southeast Notes: Simpson, Ware, Toppin, Magic Coaches
Hornets guard KJ Simpson is embracing his role as the primary initiator on Charlotte’s Summer League team after missing the event as a rookie a year ago, writes Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. The Hornets’ roster is loaded with guards, and Simpson is aware he needs to become more consistent with his offense if he wants to find a role with the team this season.
“I know I’m a way better shooter and way better efficient scorer than I was during the season,” Simpson said. “Just being more efficient, taking better shots and better decision making, that can always improve.”
Simpson also knows he has to be a pest defensively if he wants to earn his place on the court. One player he’s looking to for inspiration is T.J. McConnell, whose game tape he has been watching for inspiration — that includes the Pacers guard’s tendency to pick up full-court defensively.
“T.J. is a good example that he just goes out there heart over height, and I just want to go out there and prove I can do the same thing at that same level,” Simpson said.
We have more from around the Southeast division:
- After being called out by Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra for his lackluster Summer League start and overall approach, second-year big man Kel’el Ware responded in a major way on Sunday evening, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Ware racked up 21 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks in his fourth Summer League outing while making two of three three-point shots, though Jackson notes that more is still needed in terms of attention to detail on the defensive glass and transition defense. “He’s the coach and he has that trust in me and he wants to see me be the best I can be,” Ware said after the game. “So I took it as motivation.” Summer League coach Eric Glass liked what he saw from Ware. “When he comes in with that focus and that intensity, the rest of his game blossoms,” Glass said. “He has that potential and we want to see him do it again tomorrow.”
- Jacob Toppin is hoping to build off a strong start to Summer League with the Hawks, writes Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Toppin’s speed and athleticism with the ball has stood out during his play, and Summer League coach Bryan Bailey has noticed. “Obviously, his size, his length and ability to shoot the ball,” Bailey said. “We even saw (Friday) in the game, just in the fourth quarter, he can push the ball. He can dribble. So we got him as a weapon in transition. Just keep developing those things.” The Hawks have a roster loaded with athletic wings, but Toppin knows what he needs to do to prove himself worth the investment. “On the defensive end, being a menace, being able to guard one of four, keeping guys in front,” he said. “Offensively, being that athletic wing who’s going to run the floor space, make open shots and stuff like that.”
- Losing in the first round for a second consecutive season helped convince Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley that additional help was needed, not just on the roster, but on the coaching staff as well, writes Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. That led the team to hire God Shammgod and former Bucks’ assistant Joe Prunty. “What they bring is experience,” Mosley said. “They bring a level of player relationship that they’ve developed over time throughout being in the league all these years. For our staff, they continue that connectivity that we have.” Mosley has worked with both coaches before – Shammgod in Dallas and Prunty in Cleveland – and is excited about what the duo can bring to the team. “Sham, more on the coaching side, being able to dissect some of the offense, the individual movement and plays of guys,” Mosley said. “Joe’s going to be tasked more with the offensive focus, offensive flow of the way in which we’re playing.”
Knicks To Hire Riccardo Fois To Coaching Staff
The Knicks have made the first hire of the Mike Brown coaching era, adding player development coach Riccardo Fois, reports Fred Katz of the Athletic (via Twitter). Katz notes that Fois is currently in Las Vegas with the Knicks as they watch their summer league squad compete.
The Knicks recently missed out on one of their top choices for Brown’s coaching staff, as it was reported that Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego would be remaining in New Orleans.
Fois spent last season as an assistant coach under Brown with the Kings. Before that, he was an assistant coach at the University of Arizona, after serving as the director of player development for the Suns from 2019-2021 and director of analytics at Gonzaga. Fois also has extensive international experience, having been an assistant for the Italian national team.
Fois’ time with the Suns, which included their 2021 run to the NBA Finals, gave him a good deal of experience with Mikal Bridges, who spoke about the coach when Fois left Phoenix.
“Riccardo is one of the most hard working people I know. All he cares about is getting people better and winning,” Bridges said in a 2021 statement from the University of Arizona. “The best thing about him is he’s an even greater person. He helped me a lot with developing my game and never letting me get too comfortable. I’m going to miss my guy and I wish him the best!”
Fois’s offensive creativity and familiarity with Brown’s coaching style will be key as the Knicks attempt to build a new system with a largely incumbent roster.
Mason Plumlee Rejoins Hornets On One-Year Deal
July 13: The Plumlee signing is official, writes Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
June 30: Journeyman center Mason Plumlee is joining the Hornets on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Plumlee will make $3.6MM in 2025/26, though his cap hit will only be approximately $2.3MM.
This will be his second stint in Charlotte. Plumlee also played there for two seasons from 2021-23. The 35-year-old has also played for Brooklyn, Portland, Denver, Detroit, the Clippers and Phoenix in a career that began in 2013.
Plumlee was a rotation big for the Suns this past season. He appeared in 74 games, including 21 starts, averaging 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 17.6 minutes per game. He has appeared in 860 games over the course of his 12 NBA seasons.
After adding Mark Williams via trade and Khaman Maluach via the draft, there was no role for Plumlee next season in Phoenix. He could get ample playing time in the Hornets’ depleted frontcourt, depending on their other offseason moves.
Thunder Sign Chet Holmgren To Five-Year Max Extension
July 13: The Holmgren extension has been made official, per a press release from the Thunder.
July 9: Thunder big man Chet Holmgren has agreed to a fully-guaranteed, five-year maximum rookie contract extension, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link).
Holmgren’s first-year salary under the extension will start at 25% of the 2026/27 salary cap, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. Based on the NBA’s latest cap projection, that would work out to a five-year, $240MM deal.
The second pick of the 2022 draft, Holmgren has battled through injuries in his first three years as a pro but has excelled during his time on the court.
After not playing at all during the 2022/23 season due to a foot injury suffered during the offseason, Holmgren bounced back to start every game in the 2023/24 season, averaging 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per night.
A pelvic fracture limited Holmgren to 32 regular season games this past season. He posted averages of 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.2 blocks prior to the playoffs, then started all 23 postseason contests en route to the franchise’s first championship since moving to Oklahoma City. He averaged 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.9 blocks during the title run.
Holmgren joins league Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander among current OKC players to receive max extensions. The next order of business is to give star forward Jalen Williams a max contract of his own. He’s also eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
While we’ll wait for the official details to confirm, it doesn’t sound as if Holmgren’s deal will include Rose Rule language that could increase the value of that first year beyond 25% of the cap if he makes an All-NBA team, wins Defensive Player of the Year, or is named MVP.
Charania’s report does say the value of the extension could reach $250MM, which would exceed the projected value of a standard 25% max deal even if the cap rises by the maximum allowable 10% next year (it’d be worth $246.6MM in that scenario). However, that may just be a case of generously rounding up.
Hornets, Spencer Dinwiddie Finalize One-Year Deal
July 13: The Dinwiddie signing is official, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer notes (via Twitter).
July 2: Free agent point guard Spencer Dinwiddie has agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Hornets, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Charania’s report doesn’t include any salary details, but I’d expect it’ll be a veteran’s minimum deal for Dinwiddie, who played for the minimum last season as well, as a member of the Mavericks.
Dinwiddie, 32, played a more significant role than expected in Dallas due to the Luka Doncic trade and a series of injuries affecting guards like Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum. He was one of the only Mavs players who made it through the season without dealing with any major health issues.
In 79 games (30 starts), Dinwiddie averaged 11.0 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 27.0 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .416/.334/.802. All of those numbers were in the ballpark of his career rates.
Charlotte entered the offseason with LaMelo Ball as the only point guard on a guaranteed contract for next season and didn’t address this position in last week’s draft, but have been busy adding backcourt depth since then. The Hornets made a trade for combo guard Collin Sexton and agreed to re-sign point guard Tre Mann before also agreeing to terms with Dinwiddie.
A report over the weekend indicated that the Hornets were considering making a run at Chris Paul, a North Carolina native, as they sought a veteran point guard. However, the 12-time All-Star wants to play as close to his home in Los Angeles as possible, prompting Charlotte to pivot to other targets and ultimately land on Dinwiddie.
Hornets Re-Sign Tre Mann To Three-Year Deal
July 13: Mann’s signing has been made official, the team announced in a press release (via Twitter).
July 1: The Hornets are re-signing free agent guard Tre Mann to a three-season, $24MM contract, sources inform ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). The deal will include a third-year team option, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Mann’s fate appeared somewhat up in the air, as the Hornets had opted not to extend him the $6.96MM qualifying offer that would have made him a restricted free agent. However, head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson recently referred to the former first-round pick as a “priority” and said he expected him to return.
On Tuesday, the two sides reached an agreement to make that happen.
The 24-year-old out of Florida missed most of the 2024/25 season due to a back ailment, but he has participated in all of Charlotte’s offseason activity and 5-on-5 scrimmages. Across just 13 healthy games, the 6’3″ pro averaged a career-best 14.1 points, along with 3.0 assists and 2.9 rebounds. He had a shooting line of .435/.400/.905.
In addition to striking a deal with Mann, the Hornets also reached a deal to bring back former center Mason Plumlee.
Charlotte is, however, bringing in some new additions, highlighted by rookie No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel and forward Sion James out of Duke, former UConn wing Liam McNeeley UConn, and ex-Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Hornets also agreed to acquire guard Collin Sexton from Utah, along with Milwaukee wing Pat Connaughton.
Booker, Brooks, Green Prepare For Upcoming Suns Season
Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks will be entering the 2025/26 season with a chip on their shoulders as a result of the trade that sent them to the Suns in exchange for Kevin Durant, writes Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.
“I love the trade. It gives me and Jalen an opportunity,” Brooks said in response to Green asking him about the deal, prompting Green to interject, “Motivation.”
Brooks added that he felt like coming to Phoenix had been a long time in the making — he thought he had been traded to the Suns in his sophomore season, a deal in which the Grizzlies believed they were trading MarShon Brooks.
“I can’t wait to connect with the fans and bring that toughness, bring that urgency, and be ready for the journey,” Brooks said.
Green was candid about how he took being traded from the Rockets, who drafted him No. 2 overall in the 2021 draft.
“It hurts. Houston is home to me and forever will be home to me,” he said. “I started my NBA career there and built a lot there… obviously it was sad to leave, but it’s a business.”
He also expressed optimism about the coming season, and specifically about how he could fit with newly extended Devin Booker.
“We’re two people who are going to be able to accept the double team and play off each other,” Green said. “We’re two people who know how to attract the defense, and everyone’s going to set up around us. So when we’re doing something like that, you’ve got to pick who you want to score tonight. And me and him both, it’s going to be a deadly scoring duo.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Booker is already hard at work preparing for the upcoming season (Twitter video link).
“I’m told he’s been working out with players on the Suns, the young players on the Suns, over the last week, two weeks,” Charania said. “So he’s fully immersed himself with this team, with Jalen Green, with Dillon Brooks… I think there will be a better feel, they’re hoping, around this team.”
That’s a sentiment that Green echoed, despite knowing that outside expectations for the Suns have declined following a disappointing couple seasons and the departure of Durant.
“The position we’re in, we’re going to surprise a lot of people and make a lot of noise,” Green said.