Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Grizzlies Sign Braxton Key

September 23rd, 2025 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have signed free agent forward Braxton Key, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link). Memphis had an open spot on its 21-man offseason roster, so no corresponding move was necessary to make room for Key.

A 6’8″ forward who has played for the Sixers, Pistons, Nuggets, and Warriors, Key spent most of the 2024/25 season in the G League. He made a total of 49 appearances for the San Diego Clippers and Santa Cruz Warriors, averaging 16.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 31.7 minutes per game.

Key’s strong play in the G League earned him a late-season call-up to the Warriors’ roster. He signed a two-way contract in March and was promoted to a standard deal on the final day of the season, though he only logged 11 total minutes in three garbage-time appearances for Golden State.

While the Grizzlies didn’t specify what kind of contract Key signed, it’s likely a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal. If so, it could be converted to a two-way contract prior to the regular season or it could make Key eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Memphis Hustle. The Grizzlies’ G League affiliate would need to acquire his returning rights from the Clippers’ affiliate for that to happen.

Assuming Key is in fact on an Exhibit 10 deal, he’s one of three Exhibit 10 signees on Memphis’ roster, along with Lawson Lovering and Tyler Burton. The team is also carrying 15 players on guaranteed deals and three on two-way contracts.

Hornets Sign Terrell Brown Jr.

September 23rd, 2025 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets continue to swap players in and out of the final spot on their 21-man offseason roster, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed guard Terrell Brown Jr.

Since waiving veteran wing DaQuan Jeffries last Thursday, the Hornets have rotated players on Exhibit 10 contracts through that 21st roster spot in order to ensure those players receive bonus money if and when they report to Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

Prior to signing Brown, the Hornets also briefly carried DJ Rodman, Marcus Garrett, Brandon Slater, and Keyontae Johnson. Rodman was waived to make room for Brown.

Brown, who went undrafted out of Washington in 2022, has spent most of his first three professional seasons in the G League, including the past two years with the Greensboro Swarm. He appeared in 48 NBAGL games in 2024/25, averaging 7.6 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 22.0 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .405/.229/.859.

In all likelihood, Brown will soon be waived and will have the opportunity to earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with the Swarm this season.

Kings Re-Sign Terence Davis To Non-Guaranteed Contract

September 23rd, 2025 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have re-signed guard Terence Davis to a non-guaranteed training camp contract, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Davis, who has appeared in 122 total games across four seasons for the Kings since being traded from Toronto to Sacramento in 2021, entered the summer on a non-guaranteed deal but was waived earlier this month.

While Davis’ previous contract was a standard deal, his new arrangement likely includes Exhibit 9 and/or Exhibit 10 language. An Exhibit 9 clause would give the Kings protection in the event that the 28-year-old suffers an injury during the training camp or preseason, while an Exhibit 10 clause would allow the team to give Davis a bonus if he’s waived before the season and then spends at least 60 days with Sacramento’s G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings.

Davis appeared in 64 games for the Kings in 2022/23 and averaged 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per contest, with a .423/.366/.791 shooting line. However, he hasn’t spent much time on an NBA roster since then.

Davis opened the 2023/24 campaign with the Rip City Remix in the G League, but suffered a torn Achilles in December that ended his season. The 6’4″ guard spent the majority of ’24/25 with the Wisconsin Herd in the NBAGL, averaging 14.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 3.1 APG with a .415 3PT%, before he was called up to the Kings on the last day of the season.

The Kings only have 14 players on standard contracts, so it’s possible there will be a path to a regular season roster spot for Davis if he impresses in camp, though he seems more likely to return to the G League. Sacramento now has 18 players under contract, includes its two-ways.

Heat Pick Up 2026/27 Options On Jaquez, Ware

September 23rd, 2025 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have picked up their rookie scale team options on forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and center Kel’el Ware for the 2026/27 season, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Jaquez and Ware were already under contract for the upcoming season — now their salaries for ’26/27 are guaranteed as well.

Jaquez, the 18th overall pick in the 2023 draft, finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in his first season but saw his playing time cut back a little in his second year, as he averaged 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 20.7 minutes per game across 66 outings (17 starts).

Jaquez will earn $3.86MM in 2025/26 and $5.94MM in ’26/27 on his newly exercised fourth-year option. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2026 offseason and would reach restricted free agency in 2027 if he hasn’t signed a new contract by that point.

Ware, who was drafted 15th overall in 2024, started 36 of the 64 games he played as a rookie last season, averaging 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 22.2 minutes per night. The 21-year-old big man made the All-Rookie second team and finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting.

Ware is now under contract for $4.44MM in 2025/26 and $4.65MM on his third-year option in ’26/27. The Heat will have to make a decision next fall on his $7.14MM fourth-year option for ’27/28 — at this point, it’s hard to envision a scenario in which it’s not exercised.

Miami is the first team to pick up any rookie scale options for the 2026/27 season. The deadline is October 31 and all the outstanding decisions can be viewed right here.

Pistons Signing Quincy Olivari

September 22nd, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Pistons are signing free agent guard Quincy Olivari, his agent Darrell Comer tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Olivari, 24, had been on a two-way deal with the Lakers for part of 2024/25. The 6’3″ Xavier alum appeared in just two contests for Los Angeles last season after signing on with the club as an undrafted rookie.

The Lakers waived him in January 2025, and he finished his season with L.A.’s NBAGL affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. He suited up for Brooklyn’s Summer League club in July.

Across 31 outings with South Bay, including 29 starts, Olivari averaged 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, with a shooting line of .401/.342/.781.

Details of the contract have yet to be revealed, although it seems likely given his limited experience that Olivari has agreed to a training camp deal with Exhibit 10 language.

Detroit currently has three other players — Charles Bediako, Dawson Garcia and Brice Williams — signed to Exhibit 10 deals. All three of the Pistons’ two-way contracts are occupied, while the team has 14 of its 15 standard roster spots filled.

Should Detroit cut Olivari before the start of the season and sign him to its affiliate team, the Motor City Cruise, Olivari could be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 — provided he sticks with Motor City for at least 60 days.

Jazz Sign Matthew Murrell

September 22nd, 2025 at 6:15pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 22: The Jazz have officially signed Murrell, the team announced in a press release.

JUNE 27: Ole Miss guard Matthew Murrell has agreed to sign with the Jazz, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link).

Givony doesn’t provide any specifics on the contract agreement, but it will likely be an Exhibit 10 deal, which could be converted into a two-way contract or would put Murrell on track to earn a bonus if he’s waived by Utah and then spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.

After testing the draft waters in 2023 and again in 2024, Murrell was automatically draft-eligible this year. Unfortunately, he had a down year for the Rebels in his final college season, averaging just 10.8 points per game with a 31.9% mark on three-point tries. Both marks were below his career rates.

However, Murrell finished the season strong with a series of productive performances in the NCAA tournament as Ole Miss earned a spot in the Sweet 16. He had 15 points, four rebounds, and a pair of steals in a round-of-32 win over Iowa State.

Murrell, who racked up 1.8 steals per contest as a “super senior,” is known as an excellent defender and is one of the most explosive athletes in the 2025 draft class, says Givony. The 23-year-old ranked 93rd overall on ESPN’s pre-draft big board.

Steven Crowl Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Jazz

September 22nd, 2025 at 6:15pm CST by Earnest Marshall

SEPTEMBER 22: The Jazz have announced in press statement that they have signed Crowl.

JUNE 26: The Jazz are planning to sign Steven Crowl to an Exhibit 10 deal, according to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson (Twitter link).

Crowl played his entire five-year collegiate career with Wisconsin, averaging 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 153 career games for the program.

Before even getting to free agency, the Jazz have a crowded roster, though all of Svi Mykhailiuk, Johnny Juzang, KJ Martin and Jaden Springer have partial or non-guaranteed contracts. The team also has Elijah Harkless currently signed to a two-way contract, but those can be swapped any time with relative ease, since they don’t count against the cap.

Crowl will have an opportunity to show he deserves a two-way contract in training camp — an Exhibit 10 contract can be converted to a two-way deal. If he’s waived from his fully non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal and then spends at least 60 days with Utah’s G League affiliate, he’ll earn a bonus worth up to $85K.

Hornets Sign DJ Rodman, Cut Marcus Garrett

September 22nd, 2025 at 5:08pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Hornets have signed free agent forward DJ Rodman and cut guard Marcus Garrett, the club announced (Twitter link).

Rodman, the son of Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman and brother to NWSL superstar Trinity, has been in the G League since going undrafted out of USC in 2024. He split his 2024/25 season with the Capital City Go-Go and Maine Celtics. Most recently, he suited up for Charlotte’s Summer League squad.

Rodman logged five collegiate seasons with Washington State and the Trojans, averaging 6.1 PPG on .411/.354/.764 shooting. The 6-foot-6 wing also averaged 4.2 RPG, 1.0 APG and 0.5 SPG across his 143 NCAA games.

Exact details of the contract have yet to be divulged, but it is likely to be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal for the 24-year-old. Garrett had also been inked to an Exhibit 10 contract.

Assuming Rodman and Garrett sign G League contracts and spend at least 60 days with the Hornets’ NBAGL affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, each player will be eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 on top of his base G League salary.

Exhibit 10 signings can be promoted to two-way contracts, but at present, all three of Charlotte’s two-way contract slots are occupied.

Nets Sign Fanbo Zeng

September 22nd, 2025 at 4:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

September 22: The Nets have officially finalized their deal with Zeng, who appears on the 21-man training camp roster announced today by the team. He reportedly signed an Exhibit 10 contract.

August 2: Fanbo Zeng, one of the top prospects in China, has agreed to a contract with the Nets, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Zeng, 22, is a 6’10” forward who’s coming off a productive season with the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association. He averaged 14.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 53% from the field and 41% from three-point range.

In 2020, Zeng announced his intention to play college basketball at Gonzaga, but he changed his mind the following spring and committed to the G League Ignite. He appeared in 19 total games for the former independent G League team during the 2021/22 season.

He signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers the following summer and played five games for them during Summer League, but he returned to China that fall.

Zeng injured his back in late April during a CBA contest and decided to pull out of the FIBA Asia Games, which start next weekend, according to NetsDaily. The injury, diagnosed as a lumbar transverse process fracture, normally comes with a two- to three-month recovery process, so he should be fine by the start of training camp.

Zeng hired American agents three months ago in an effort to revive his NBA prospects, NetsDaily continues. He should be a featured attraction when Brooklyn travels to Macao in October for two exhibition games against Phoenix.

Scotto doesn’t provide any details about Zeng’s contract, but it may be an Exhibit 10 deal with an invitation to participate in training camp. The Nets already have 10 players with standard contracts, along with three more expected signings and four other players with non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deals. They have one open two-way slot, so Zeng could be in position to compete for that.

Pacers Sign Ashworth, Felton To Exhibit 10 Contracts

September 22nd, 2025 at 2:38pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pacers have signed guards Steven Ashworth and RJ Felton to Exhibit 10 contracts, the team announced today in a press release.

The announcement specifies the moves were designed for Ashworth and Felton to join the Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom, which implies both players will be released by Indiana before the season begins. Each player would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with Noblesville.

Both players’ agreements with the Pacers were first reported in June, shortly after they went undrafted.

Ashworth spent three years at Utah State before spending his final two college seasons at Creighton. As a “super senior” in 2024/25, he averaged 16.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG and a Big East-best 6.8 APG in 35 games (36.0 MPG) for the Blue Jays.

Felton, who played four years of college ball at East Carolina, averaged 18.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.2 SPG on .414/.376/.743 shooting splits in 30 games (34.5 MPG) last season for the Pirates.

Ashworth and Felton also suited up for the Pacers’ Summer League team in July.

The Pacers currently have a full 21-man roster ahead of training camp.