Cj Huntley Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Summer League Notes: Filipowski, Harper, Pelicans, Labissiere, Huntley

July 16th, 2025 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Kyle Filipowski has turned in a series of impressive performances for the Jazz‘s Summer League team in Las Vegas, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, who wonders whether Utah might consider starting the second-year big man this fall. As Larsen points out, the team’s most-used starting lineup featured Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, and John Collins, so Filipowski could theoretically slot into Collins’ old role.

Last year’s No. 31 overall pick has been shut down for the rest of Summer League, Larsen tweets, after averaging a Vegas-best 29.3 points in 28.6 minutes per game with a .561/.391/.625 shooting line in the Jazz’s first three contests.

This year No. 2 pick, Dylan Harper, has also been shut down for the rest of Summer League, according to the Spurs (Twitter link via Tim MacMahon of ESPN). Harper struggled with his shot in the two games he played, making just 10-of-28 shots from the field (35.7%), including 1-of-8 three-pointers (12.5%), but he contributed 16 points in both outings.

Here are a few more notes from Summer League:

After going undrafted out of Washington in 2024, Keion Brooks spent most of his rookie season on a two-way deal with the Pelicans, but he appeared in just 14 NBA games and didn’t get a qualifying offer in June. Still, he’s making a case with his Summer League play – including a 16-point showing on Tuesday – that he deserves to be re-signed, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). “I’m just trying to get better at the things I was already kinda good at already,” Brooks said. “I know much isn’t going to be expected of me as far as creating my own shot. So it’s just about being a real good glue guy.”
It has been an up-and-down Summer League so far for Pelicans lottery picks Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, per Will Guillory of The Athletic. While Queen had 17 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday, with Fears scoring 14 points in 23 minutes, the duo combined to commit 14 of New Orleans’ 25 turnovers on the night.
A first-round pick way back in 2016, big man Skal Labissiere is the oldest member of the Magic‘s Summer League team at age 29, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Labissiere tells Beede that he doesn’t feel like he has “anything to prove to anyone,” but is hoping the Summer League showcase will help him earn another NBA job. “We talk about opportunity … It only takes one,”Magic Summer League coach Ameer Bahhur said. “For him, he’s been doing it at a high level for a long time. He knows who he is and now it’s just continuing to show that he’s progressed.”
Rookie forward CJ Huntley, who is on a two-way contract with Phoenix, has reminded Suns Summer League head coach DeMarre Carroll a little of Jarrett Allen with his play in Las Vegas, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic relays. “Just with his force to the rim. Anytime he gets it in the paint, he’s putting it in the rim,” Carroll said. “He’s just got to continue to keep rolling with force, keep playing with that force and keep developing and I think he’ll be OK.”

Pacific Notes: Horford, Warriors, Reaves, Luka, Ayton, Huntley

July 3rd, 2025 at 10:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams around the NBA widely believe that free agent big man Al Horford will end up on the Warriors, Jake Fischer said during on a Bleacher Report stream on Thursday (YouTube link).

Appearing on SportsCenter, ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed that the Warriors are “hopeful” about where they stand in the Horford sweepstakes, but cautioned that a decision may not be imminent and that there’s no guarantee the 39-year-old will continue his playing career.

“I’m told he is reviewing multiple options, including the Warriors, the Lakers, but also retirement,” Charania said, per RealGM. “He is 39 years old. He just finished season 18. I’m told it would be a surprise if he makes a final decision by this weekend. He certainly has earned the right to make a decision at his own time.”

Charania made his comments before the Lakers agreed to bring back free agent center Jaxson Hayes, so it’s unclear whether or not they’re still in play for Horford.

If they do want to add more frontcourt depth, the Lakers could open up a 15-man roster spot by moving off Shake Milton‘s non-guaranteed contract and would have $5.1MM in bi-annual exception money to offer Horford, though there has been chatter linking De’Anthony Melton to that roster spot, as Dan Woike of The Athletic tweets.

Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:

The Warriors are in the market for a veteran big man in large part because long-tenured center Kevon Looney is headed to New Orleans. Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic takes a look back at what Looney meant to Golden State, referring to him as the team’s “backbone.”
Austin Reaves‘ agent, Aaron Reilly, denied a report from John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter video link), who claimed that Reaves and LeBron James don’t like playing with newest Lakers star Luka Doncic. “Austin has nothing but the utmost respect for Luka and truly enjoys playing alongside him,” Reilly said, per Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation (Twitter link). “Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false. He’s excited to be on the court with Luka—both now and in the future.
While Deandre Ayton is getting a second-year player option on his new deal with the Lakers, neither side wants him to exercise it, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, who explains that both Ayton and the Lakers are hoping he far outperforms that the value of that option (in the $8.4MM range) and can command a significant raise in free agency next summer. Team sources are confident the Lakers have the right coaching staff to make it happen, Woike writes, noting that JJ Redick has a reputation for relating to players and assistant Scott Brooks previously worked with Ayton in Portland.
The Suns‘ two-way contract with undrafted rookie forward CJ Huntley will cover two seasons, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Suns Sign App State’s CJ Huntley To Two-Way Deal

June 26th, 2025 at 9:53pm CST by Earnest Marshall

July 3: Huntley’s two-way contract is official, the Suns announced today in a press release.

June 26: The Suns were quick to add an undrafted rookie from the 2025 class, agreeing to sign Appalachian State forward CJ Huntley to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link).

Huntley played all five collegiate seasons at App State, improving almost every year. In 2024/25, he averaged 15.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and shot 49.3% from the field and 35.6% from three. He’s a 6’10” forward, giving Phoenix a potential developmental stretch big.

As Givony notes, Huntley gained fans during the pre-draft process, which was highlighted by a standout performance at the Portsmouth Invitational.

Phoenix has no players currently signed to two-way deals, so they’ll have two more spots to fill if they so choose. Collin Gillespie, Jalen Bridges and TyTy Washington closed the 2024/25 season on two-way deals with Phoenix, but will all be free agents.

Western Notes: Kidd, Blazers, Kings, Nelson, Nuggets

June 10th, 2025 at 5:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Letting Jason Kidd go to the Knicks would be a terrible outcome for the Mavericks, according to Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News. There’s reportedly mutual interest between Kidd and the Knicks.

Under Kidd, Dallas has won five playoff series in four seasons. Cowlishaw also notes that Kyrie Irving likes Kidd and believes in him. In Cowlishaw’s viewpoint, the only way general manager Nico Harrison‘s vision for the current group will work is dependent on Anthony Davis staying healthy and Irving getting healthy and remaining happy. If Cooper Flagg then plays up to his draft status, the Mavs have a chance to secure a title in 2026/27 before the window of opportunity runs out for their aging stars.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Arthur Kaluma (Texas), Gabe Madsen (Utah), Chibuzo Agbo (USC), Alex Toohey (Sydney Kings), Jahmai Mashack (Tennessee) and Dylan Cardwell (Auburn) worked out for the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report tweets. Toohey is the biggest name in the group, as the Australian forward is ranked No. 36 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Jeremy Roach (Baylor), Caleb Love (Arizona), Jaxson Robinson (Kentucky), John Tonje (Wisconsin), Great Osobor (Washington), CJ Huntley (Appalachian State) will work out for the Kings on Wednesday, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets. That group is headed by Tonje (19.6 PPG with the Badgers last season), a high-scoring guard who is ranked No. 42 by ESPN.
Grant Nelson (Alabama) is expected to reschedule a workout with the Jazz, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Nelson, who worked out for the Nets on Tuesday, is currently rated 65th by ESPN.
Though the Nuggets took the Thunder to a Game 7 in these playoffs, they can’t afford to run it back with the same group, Sean Keeler of the Denver Post opines. The bench is in serious need of upgrades, Keeler argues, as the Nuggets basically went six deep this season and that forced the starters to empty their tanks.

Draft Notes: George, Storr, McCollum, Huntley, Clayton, Brazile

May 27th, 2024 at 9:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Projected first-round pick Kyshawn George believes he’ll immediately be a two-way asset for any team that drafts him, he told Michael Scotto and Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype.

“I think I’m a very dangerous shooter from the outside who can shoot from deep and make a shot from everywhere on the court,” George said. “I’m long and a versatile player. I’m a good defender who can bother shots with my length, and I have quick hands. I think I’m a smart player, too.”

George is ranked No. 19 on ESPN’s Best Available list. The native of Switzerland played the point most of his formative years but is projected as a shooting guard. The 6’8” George averaged 7.6 points and 2.2 assists in 31 games with Miami University last season while knocking down 40.8% of his 3-point attempts.

“I try to learn from various players,” he said. “I study ball handling like Luka Doncic, shooting like Klay Thompson, and pace like Doncic. I pick up different elements from different players to improve my game.”

We have more draft-related news:

Guard AJ Storr has withdrawn from the draft and will play for Kansas next season, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Storr is transferring from Wisconsin, where he averaged 16.8 PPG last season.
Javian McCollum is withdrawing and will transfer to Georgia Tech, Rothstein tweets. McCollum averaged 13.3 PPG for Oklahoma last season. Appalachian State’s CJ Huntley and Florida’s Walter Clayton will also return to college, per Rothstein (Twitter links).
Forward Trevon Brazile has changed his mind and will now withdraw from the draft, Rothstein adds in another tweet. Brazile, who played for Arkansas last season, previously stated he was “100 percent into the draft.” It’s uncertain where he’ll play next season.

Larsson, Hall, Sears Among Latest Draft Early Entrants

April 18th, 2024 at 12:14pm CST by Rory Maher

Arizona guard Pelle Larsson, who is ranked No. 45 on ESPN’s big board, is forgoing his final season of college eligibility and entering the 2024 draft, agent Daniel Poneman told Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).

A native of Sweden, Larsson averaged 12.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 3.7 APG with an impressive .519/.426/.750 shooting line in 36 games as a senior for the Wildcats in 2023/24 (30.1 MPG). Arizona made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, when it lost to Clemson.

Speaking of Clemson, big man PJ Hall, another potential second-round pick who is No. 59 on ESPN’s board, was on a list of college senior early entrants that was sent to NBA teams a couple days ago, according to Givony (Twitter links). As far as we’re aware, Hall did not make an announcement on whether he intends to test the draft waters or forgo his final year of eligibility.

Alabama’s Mark Sears was on that early entrant list as well, and he recently announced (Instagram link) that he’ll be testing the draft waters. The No. 90-ranked prospect on ESPN’s board, Sears helped lead the Crimson Tide to the Final Four before losing to eventual champion UConn.

Here are a few other players who appeared on the senior early entrant list that Givony provided and are not on our own early entrants list:

Joseph Bamisile, VCU
Koby Brea, Dayton (also in transfer portal)
Jack Brestel, Roanoke College
CJ Huntley, Appalachian State

As with Hall, we haven’t seen announcements from these four players, so we’re not sure if they’re testing the draft waters or intend to stay in the draft. May 29 is the deadline for college early entrants to withdraw from the draft and return to school, Givony notes.