Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Celtics Waive Hayden Gray

September 20th, 2025 at 7:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics have opened a spot on their training camp roster by waiving Hayden Gray, according to NBA.com’s official transaction log.

The 22-year-old guard signed an Exhibit 10 contract in July after going undrafted out of UC San Diego. He was a member of Boston’s Summer League team, getting into one game and putting up seven points, two assists and two steals in 20 minutes.

Gray is expected to join the G League’s Maine Celtics, Smith adds. The Exhibit 10 deal will make him eligible for a bonus worth $50,000 if he spends at least 60 days with the team.

Gray was the Division I leader in steals with 3.1 per game last season. He also averaged 11.2 points, 3.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 35 games while shooting 47.9% from the field and 41.8% from three-point range.

Gray’s departure leaves Boston with 20 players, one short of the offseason limit. Three new signings became official earlier today.

Hornets Sign Marcus Garrett, Waive Brandon Slater

September 20th, 2025 at 11:38am CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets continue to make changes to the back end of their roster ahead of training camp, having signed free agent guard Marcus Garrett, the team announced (via Twitter).

In a corresponding move, forward Brandon Slater has been released.

While the terms of Garrett’s contract were not revealed, it’s likely to be an Exhibit 10 deal, which would make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived before the season begins and spends at least 60 days with the Hornets’ G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

Garrett, who went undrafted out of Kansas in 2021, appeared in 12 NBA games while on a two-way contract with the Heat as a rookie, but he has spent most of his professional career in the G League, including the past two seasons with the Swarm. He signed a 10-day hardship contract with the Hornets in March and appeared four NBA games, averaging 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per contest.

Known as a solid defender, Garrett played 42 games (29.7 MPG) for the Swarm in 2024/25, averaging 10.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.8 APG and 1.5 SPG on .451/.298/.705 shooting.

Garrett will fill Charlotte’s 21st and final roster spot for the time being.

Celtics Sign Kendall Brown, Jalen Bridges, Ron Harper Jr.

September 20th, 2025 at 8:13am CST by Rory Maher

September 20: The Celtics have finalized their camp deals with Brown, Bridges and Ron Harper Jr., according to RealGM’s log of NBA transactions. Harper’s agreement with Boston was first reported last month.

September 19: The Celtics intend to sign free agent wing Kendall Brown, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

While Scotto doesn’t explicitly state what type of contract Brown will sign, he suggests it will be an Exhibit 10 deal, as the 22-year-old will reportedly have a chance to compete for a two-way contract in training camp. Exhibit 10 contracts, which are non-guaranteed and do not count against the salary cap, can be converted into two-way deals.

A former top high school recruit, Brown was selected 48th overall in the 2022 draft after one college season at Baylor. He spent most of his first two NBA seasons on two-way deals with the Pacers prior to being converted to a standard deal in March 2024.

Brown was released by Indiana last fall and didn’t make any NBA appearances in 2024/25, having spent the year in the G League, though he had a brief stint on a two-way deal with Brooklyn in late winter. In 37 games (33.9 minutes per contest) with the Long Island Nets last season, the athletic guard/forward averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals on .565/.400/.750 shooting.

Scotto also confirms (via Twitter) that Jalen Bridges remains on track to finalize a camp deal with Boston and will be another player vying for a two-way spot. Bridges’ agreement with the Celtics was first reported on July 2.

Bridges spent 2024/25 — his rookie season — on a two-way contract with Phoenix. The Suns chose not to give him a qualifying offer in June, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Both Brown and Bridges suited up for the Celtics during Las Vegas Summer League.

The Celtics do not currently have a two-way opening, with the spots occupied by Max Shulga, Amari Williams and RJ Luis Jr., a trio of rookies. Of the three, Luis’ roster looks the most vulnerable, considering Boston used second-round picks on Williams and Shulga, while Luis — who went undrafted — was acquired in a salary-dump deal with Utah.

Nuggets Sign, Waive Dane Goodwin

September 19th, 2025 at 8:59pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Nuggets have signed and subsequently waived Dane Goodwin, per the NBA’s transaction log. Goodwin was likely on an Exhibit 10 training camp contract.

The 6’6″ guard went undrafted in 2023 and has been signed and waived by the Kings and Jazz in the last two seasons. He averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 40.4% on three-pointers with the Salt Lake City Stars (Utah’s G League affiliate) last season.

Goodwin was a five-year player for Notre Dame, where he held career averages of 10.8 PPG and 4.4 RPG on .443/.391/.823 shooting splits.

The move will allow Goodwin to secure a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he stays with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, for at least 60 days. That is a likely outcome, as the Gold acquired Goodwin’s returning rights from the Stars in a trade in August.

Suns Sign David Duke Jr., Damion Baugh

September 19th, 2025 at 8:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Suns have signed David Duke Jr., reports Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot (via Twitter). The terms of the deal were unreported, but it will almost certainly be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.

This will mark Duke’s fifth season in the NBA. He spent the first two years of his career with the Nets and the last two with the Spurs, with whom he was on a two-way contract last season. He holds career averages of 4.2 points and 0.9 assists in 11.9 minutes per night.

Garcia also reports (via Twitter) that the Suns have signed Damion Baugh to a training camp deal. Baugh was previously on a two-way contract with the Hornets, but was waived to accommodate the team bringing in Antonio Reeves.

A 6’4″ shooting guard, Baugh averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 assists in 24.7 minutes per game in his rookie season with the Hornets last year after going undrafted in 2023.

The Suns’ roster currently contains 13 fully guaranteed deals, with Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler on non-guaranteed deals vying for a standard roster spot. While it’s possible Duke or Baugh could get a chance to compete for a regular season roster spot, they seem more likely to be ticketed for the Valley Suns, Phoenix’s G League affiliate.

Wizards Sign Sharife Cooper, Keshon Gilbert, Jonathan Pierre

September 19th, 2025 at 6:57pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Wizards have signed free agent guard Sharife Cooper to a two-way contract, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Washington also signed Keshon Gilbert and Jonathan Pierre to Exhibit 10 contracts, the team announced (via Twitter).

Cooper was selected 48th overall in the 2021 draft by the Hawks. Robbins notes that Travis Schlenk, the Wizards’ senior vice president for player personnel, was serving as the Hawks’ head of basketball operations when Cooper was drafted.

Cooper played 13 games in his rookie year in Atlanta, averaging three minutes per night. He hasn’t been in the NBA since then, but spent multiple seasons in the G League, where he holds averages of 19.3 points and 7.0 assists per game, and split time last year between the Greek, French, and Turkish leagues, posting averages of 14.7 points and 3.8 assists during EuroCup play.

Cooper joins Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins as the team’s two-way players.

The Wizards’ signing of Gilbert had previously been reported, but was made official today. Also made official was the signing of Pierre, a 6’9″ forward who played for Washington’s Summer League team and averaged 7.7 points in 22.2 minutes per game.

Both players are signed to Exhibit 10 deals that will allow them to receive a bonus worth up to $85,300 if they are waived and then spend at least 60 days with the Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go.

Mavericks Sign D’Moi Hodge To Deal

September 19th, 2025 at 4:59pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Mavericks have signed free agent guard D’Moi Hodge, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (via Twitter). The terms of the deal were not revealed, but it’s likely a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract.

Hodge played seven games with the Lakers during the 2023/24 season after going undrafted in 2023. He averaged 2.0 points in 5.9 minutes during that time, then played last season for Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek League, averaging 7.1 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 15 EuroCup games.

Hodge has struggled with consistency as a shooter, but did make 35.4% of his three-point attempts in 30 G League games during his rookie season.

Should he be waived by the Mavericks and proceed to spend at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, Hodge could earn a bonus worth up to $85,300.

Once Dennis Smith Jr.‘s contract is officially finalized, Dallas will have a full 21-man offseason roster.

Pelicans Sign Christian Shumate

September 19th, 2025 at 2:21pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans have signed Christian Shumate, according to RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions.

A 6’6″ forward, Shumate had a brief eight-game stint with Tulsa during the 2020/21 campaign before spending his final four college seasons at McNeese State. He went undrafted in June, making him an unrestricted free agent.

While Shumate was a somewhat erratic offensive player during his college career, only shooting 26.9% on three-pointers and 51.2% on free throws, he was an All-Southland selection in each of his four years at McNeese State and won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award in both 2024 and 2025.

In 35 games as a senior last season, Shumate averaged 10.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 27.6 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .623/.309/.423. He helped the Cowboys reach the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year — they upset Clemson in the first round before falling to Purdue.

Shumate almost certainly signed an Exhibit 10 deal and will likely be waived by New Orleans before the season begins. If he spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, he could earn a bonus worth up to $85,300.

The Pelicans’ offseason roster is now full, with 21 players under contract.

Hornets Sign Brandon Slater, Waive Keyontae Johnson

September 19th, 2025 at 1:16pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets have signed Brandon Slater, the team announced in a press release (via Twitter). In a related move, Keyontae Johnson has been waived.

A 6’8″ forward, Slater went undrafted in 2023 after five college seasons at Villanova. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Boston two years ago, was cut, and spent the 2023/24 season in the G League with the Maine Celtics.

Instead of returning to the NBAGL, Slater signed with GS Lavrio of Greece’s top basketball league. In 24 games (19.5 MPG) with the Greek club, Slater averaged 7.4 PPG and 3.0 RPG on .444/.344/.771 shooting.

Slater most recently suited up for Charlotte at the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer Leagues, averaging 5.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 1.1 SPG in eight appearances (17.7 MPG).

While the 26-year-old will fill the Hornets’ final roster spot for now, he likely signed an Exhibit 10 deal and will be waived in the coming days. If that comes to fruition, Slater will be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with the Greensboro Swarm — the Hornets’ G League affiliate — in ’25/26.

Nets Sign Yuri Collins To Partially Guaranteed Deal

September 19th, 2025 at 11:20am CST by Rory Maher

The Nets have officially signed free agent guard Yuri Collins, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

Sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) that Collins received a one-year standard contract with a $85,300 partial guarantee, just like Brooklyn’s recent contract agreements with David Muoka and D’Andre Davis, and is expected to be released soon. Davis was waived in order to make room on the 21-man roster for Collins.

A 6’0″ point guard, Collins went undrafted out of St. Louis in 2023 and has spent the past two seasons in the NBAGL with the Santa Cruz Warriors. After a fairly modest role in 2023/24, the 24-year-old’s usage rate nearly doubled in ’24/25, averaging 13.7 points, 10.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 49 combined games (32.2 minutes per contest). He posted a shooting line of .412/.264/.780.

Collins, who led the G League in assists per game (10.8) last regular season, signed a 10-day deal with Golden State in February and made his NBA debut that month, appearing in two games.

For G League purposes, the deals for Collins, Davis and Muoka will essentially function like Exhibit 10 contracts would have, and it’s safe to assume all three players will end up joining the Long Island Nets. The only real difference is that the $85,300 each player is receiving as a partial guarantee will count against the Nets’ cap.

Clubs generally favor Exhibit 10 deals because they don’t want those cap hits on their books, but those small partial guarantees may help ensure that the Nets’ team salary is above the minimum salary floor by opening night. Brooklyn is the only NBA team still operating below the cap.

According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link), Long Island acquired Collins’ returning player rights this offseason, yet another indication that he’ll be headed to the NBAGL in 2025/26.