Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Sign Drake Powell To Rookie Scale Contract

July 8th, 2025 at 6:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have signed No. 22 overall pick Drake Powell to his rookie scale contract, the team announced today in a press release.

Powell officially became a Net on Monday when the three-team trade involving the Hawks and Celtics that was agreed to prior to the draft was finally finalized, sending his draft rights to Brooklyn.

A day later, he has become the last of 2025’s first-round picks to sign his rookie scale contract — all 30 of those players, including each of Brooklyn’s five first-rounders, are now under contract with their respective teams.

[RELATED: 2025 NBA Draft Pick Signings]

Powell averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game for UNC last season on .483/.379/.648 shooting. At 6’6″ with a 7’0″ wingspan and elite athleticism, he brings a versatility and hard-nosed defensive mindset that the Nets could use in their rotation.

However, he won’t be available when Summer League gets underway for Brooklyn later this week. As Brian Lewis of The New York Post details, Powell is being held out as a precaution due to tendinopathy in his left knee, an injury he sustained during the pre-draft process.

Assuming he signs for 120% of his rookie scale amount, which is the standard, Powell will earn $3.37MM as a rookie and $3.54MM in year two, with third- and fourth-year team options that could bring the total value of his rookie contract to $16.72MM.

Clippers Waive Jordan Miller

July 8th, 2025 at 5:19pm CST by Rory Maher

The Clippers have waived guard/forward Jordan Miller, according to the official transaction log at NBA.com.

As our list of early salary guarantee dates for 2025/26 shows, Miller would have been owed a partial guarantee of $350K had he remained on Los Angeles’ roster past July 15.

Miller’s $2.19MM deal for next season also had a second trigger date for making the regular season roster, which no longer applies unless he’s claimed off the waiver wire.

It’s worth noting that Miller is on the Clippers’ summer league roster. According to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), assuming Miller clears waivers, the plan is for the 25-year-old to return to the team on a new contract and continue with summer league.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link) adds that the Clippers plan to “keep (Miller) as part of the organization,” which is a little vague, but could suggest he’ll be back at some point on a new deal.

A former second-round pick (48th overall in 2023), Miller was promoted to a four-year standard contract on March 1 after spending most of his first two seasons on a two-way deal with the Clips. The 25-year-old only got 28 minutes of playing time across eight games as a rookie, but he played well for the Clippers’ G League affiliate, and was able to carve out some rotation minutes on a 50-win team in year two, averaging 4.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 37 games (11.4 minutes per contest).

Miller hit the 50-game limit for two-way players on March 1, which is part of the reason the Clips converted him. They also gave him a prorated salary for 2024/25 well above the minimum using part of their mid-level exception, with the remaining three years of his deal being non-guaranteed.

I wouldn’t be surprised if a team decided to claim Miller, as he’s shown some real upside at the NBAGL level, including averaging 24.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.6 APG and 1.0 SPG on .509/.350/.844 shooting in seven games last season (31.1 MPG).

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link), L.A. is approximately $8.9MM below its first-apron hard cap with three openings on its standard roster. The Clippers could use the remaining $5.3MM they have left of the full mid-level exception to sign someone, add another player on a minimum-salary deal, and sign 50th overall pick Kobe Sanders using the second-round pick exception, says Smith.

Kings Sign Drew Eubanks

July 8th, 2025 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have officially signed center Drew Eubanks, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. The move had been anticipated after the big man was waived last week by the Clippers.

Eubanks, 28, opened the 2024/25 season with the Jazz and appeared in 37 games for the club, averaging 5.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 15.4 minutes per contest.

His playing time dropped off after he was sent to the Clippers in a deadline deal — the 6’10” center averaged just 2.7 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 7.4 MPG across 24 appearances in Los Angeles and only saw garbage-time action in the playoffs for the Clippers. As such, it came as no surprise when L.A. opted to waive him before his $4.75MM salary for 2025/26 became guaranteed.

Eubanks will provide depth in the Kings’ frontcourt behind center Domantas Sabonis, giving the team a reliable veteran off the bench alongside young bigs Isaac Jones and Maxime Raynaud.

While the terms of his one-year deal haven’t yet been reported, it will almost certainly be a minimum-salary contract for Eubanks.

Pacers Sign Kam Jones, Quenton Jackson

July 8th, 2025 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have officially announced a pair of signings, issuing a press release to say that they’ve finalized a standard contract with second-round pick Kam Jones and have brought back restricted free agent guard Quenton Jackson on a two-way deal.

A 6’5″ combo guard, Jones spent his entire four-year college career at Marquette, where he was a consensus second-team All-American and a member of the All-Big East first team in 2025 after averaging 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in 33.8 minutes per game across 34 outings as a senior.

Pacers president of basketball operations said on Monday that Jones reminds him of Andrew Nembhard as a player and Tyrese Haliburton as a person, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

“He’s hyper-positive,” Pritchard said. “… He’s got that kind of an ‘it factor’ of, that’s a Pacer.”

Indiana drafted Jones using the No. 38 overall pick, which the team had agreed to acquire a day earlier from San Antonio in exchange for a future second-round pick and cash. The rookie guard will occupy a spot on the Pacers’ 15-man roster in 2025/26 after signing a four-year, $8.7MM contract, according to Tony East of Locked on Pacers (Twitter link), who says the deal includes a good deal of non-guaranteed money in the later seasons.

As for Jackson, he received a qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent after finishing each of the past two seasons on two-way deals with Indiana. The former undrafted free agent averaged 5.8 PPG, 1.9 APG and 1.6 RPG on .475/.375/.775 shooting in 28 games (13.6 MPG) in ’24/25 for the Pacers.

With Jackson back under contract on another two-way deal alongside RayJ Dennis, the Pacers have two of their three slots filled. The leading candidate for that third opening is probably Enrique Freeman, given that Indiana still has a two-way qualifying offer on the table to the 2024 second-rounder.

Isaiah Livers Signs Two-Way Deal With Suns

July 8th, 2025 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

11:37 am: Livers’ two-way contract is now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

10:46 am: Free agent forward Isaiah Livers has agreed to sign a two-way contract with the Suns, agents Andy Shiffman and Mark Bartelstein tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Livers, the 42nd overall pick in the 2021 draft, got his NBA career off to a promising start in his first two seasons with Detroit, averaging 6.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game on .426/.378/.830 shooting through 71 appearances from 2021-23.

However, hip problems have derailed the 26-year-old’s career during the past two years, limiting him to 23 outings in 2023/24 and then keeping him on the shelf for the entirety of the ’24/25 season. After being traded from the Pistons to the Wizards in January 2024 and then waived by Washington a month later, Livers underwent a hip resurfacing surgical procedure last fall.

Livers said at the time that the hip issue had bothered him for two years, but he has since made a full recovery, per Charania, and will resume his playing career for the Suns.

Rookies Koby Brea and CJ Huntley are currently on two-way deals in Phoenix, so Livers will occupy the club’s third and final two-way slot.

Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward Signs Rookie Scale Contract

July 7th, 2025 at 10:26pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have signed former Washington State forward Cedric Coward to his rookie scale contract, according to the official NBA.com transaction log.

Coward played just six games for the Cougars in 2024/25 before suffering a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the remainder of his senior season. He averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 55.7% from the floor and 40.0% on three-pointers during his abridged stint with the Cougars.

Before transferring to Washington State, the 6’6″ wing played two years at Eastern Washington, averaging 11.3 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 66 games. He spent his freshman season at Willamette University in Oregon.

After acquiring the 16th overall pick in their Desmond Bane trade with Orlando, the Grizzlies used a future first-rounder to move up five more spots on draft night to snag Coward with the No. 11 overall pick.

Coward is considered doubtful to play in Summer League this month as he continues to recover from that shoulder injury that cost him most of ’24/25, but he’s expected to be ready for training camp.

As our rookie scale breakdown shows, the Grizzlies rookie figures to earn a first-year salary of $5.7MM and a four-year total of $26.3MM.

Of this year’s 30 first-round picks, 29 have now signed their rookie scale contracts. No. 22 overall pick Drake Powell, whose trade to Brooklyn was just finalized on Monday, figures to make it a perfect 30 for 30 very soon.

Pistons Sign Second-Round Pick Chaz Lanier

July 7th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

10:20 pm: Lanier signed a four-year, $8.8MM contract that is guaranteed for the first two seasons, with a non-guaranteed third year and a fourth-team option, Hoops Rumors has learned.

4:46 pm: The Pistons have signed their second-round pick, guard Chaz Lanier, according to a team press release.

Lanier was chosen with the 37th overall pick. Detroit didn’t have a first-round selection.

While terms have yet to be revealed, Lanier will join the 15-man roster, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. That means he signed a standard contract, rather than a two-way deal.

Lanier averaged 18.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest while shooting 43.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range across 38 games for Tennessee last season. Named the 2024/25 Jerry West Award winner, given annually to the nation’s best shooting guard, Lanier finished his five-year collegiate career shooting 40.2% on three-pointers after playing his first four seasons for the University of North Florida.

Lanier is set to compete for the Pistons on their Summer League team in Las Vegas.

Pacers Sign James Wiseman

July 7th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

10:00 pm: Wiseman signed a two-year, minimum-salary contract with a partial guarantee and a second-year team option, according to Tony East of Locked on Pacers (Twitter link). It’s a similar structure to the deal the big man received from the team last offseason.

2:31 pm: The Pacers have brought back free agent center James Wiseman, the team confirmed in a press release. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard had told reporters earlier in the day that a new deal with Wiseman was in the works.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Wiseman signed with the Pacers as a free agent a year ago after playing for Golden State and Detroit in his first four NBA seasons. The big man impressed Indiana in the preseason and appeared to have the edge for the backup center role behind Myles Turner, but tore his left Achilles in the club’s regular season opener.

Wiseman has dealt with several injuries in his young career, including missing the entire 2021/22 season following knee surgery. Over the course of five years, the 24-year-old has appeared in 148 total games (55 starts), averaging 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per contest.

As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets, Pritchard said on Monday that Wiseman will get an opportunity to compete in Indiana’s new Turner-less frontcourt alongside Jay Huff, Tony Bradley, and restricted free agent Isaiah Jackson, who is considered likely to re-sign.

It’s unclear whether or not Wiseman’s salary will be guaranteed or if he’s assured of a regular season roster spot — it’s possible he’ll be vying for a 15-man spot with Bradley, whose salary is non-guaranteed. Still, Pritchard spoke enthusiastically today about Wiseman.

“We saw a lot of potential in him in the preseason and going up until his injury,” Pritchard said, per Matthew Glenesk and Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “Very long. Very athletic. Becoming a better shooter. I think he’s getting to that point where his injury is allowing him to get on the court and — not full, but do a lot. I think (assistant coach) Jim Boylen has done a great job with him and Isaiah quite frankly, in this shortened summer and they’ll continue to work. You don’t replace Myles but a combination of those players, we’re going to have to rely on.”

Clippers Sign First-Rounder Yanic Konan Niederhauser

July 7th, 2025 at 8:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers have signed center Yanic Konan Niederhauser to a rookie scale contract, according to the NBA transactions log.

Niederhauser was the 30th and final first-round selection in last month’s draft. As our rookie scale salary table shows, he’ll make $14,091,596 over the next four seasons with a starting salary of $2,743,800, assuming he received the maximum allowable 120% of his rookie scale amount. The third and fourth year of rookie contracts include team options.

Niederhauser played one season at Penn State after two seasons at Northern Illinois. With the Nittany Lions, he averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 25.1 minutes per game while making 29 starts.

Niederhauser improved his draft stock this spring by shining during the pre-draft process, particularly at the G League Elite Camp — his performance there earned him an invitation to the full-fledged combine.

The 6’10” rookie projects as L.A.’s third-string center entering camp behind starter Ivica Zubac and free agent addition Brook Lopez. He’s on the team’s Summer League roster.

Isaiah Stevens Signs Two-Way With Kings

July 7th, 2025 at 7:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

July 8: Stevens’ two-way deal with Sacramento is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, it’s a two-year contract.

July 7: Isaiah Stevens will sign a two-way deal with the Kings, according to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee and Sean Cunningham of KRCA News (Twitter links).

Stevens finished the season on a two-way with the Heat but didn’t receive a qualifying offer, which landed him in the unrestricted free agent pool.

Stevens, 24, appeared in three games with Miami last season. The point guard saw action in 33 regular season G League games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s affiliate, and averaged 12.8 and 9.4 assists in 36.9 minutes per contest.

The six-foot Stevens, who went undrafted out of Colorado State, signed his two-way with Miami in late December.

Former Auburn center Dylan Cardwell signed one of the other two-ways from Sacramento. The third one remains unclaimed for the time being.