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Raptors Finalize Murray-Boyles, Hepburn Signings

July 1st, 2025 at 2:42pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Raptors have officially signed No. 9 overall draft pick Collin Murray-Boyles and finalized their reported agreement with two-way player Chucky Hepburn, per a pair of team press releases.

An All-SEC second teamer during his 2024/25 sophomore season at South Carolina, Murray-Boyles notched averages of 16.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 2.4 APG across 32 contests. His 58.6% field goal percentage paced the conference.

Murray-Boyles, a 6’7″ forward, will earn $6.33MM during the first season of his rookie scale deal and a total of $28.82MM across his first four pro years.

Despite being the 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and an All-ACC First Teamer at Louisville as a senior last year, Hepburn went undrafted last week. The 6’2″ guard was quickly snagged by Toronto. Across 34 games in 2024/25, Hepburn averaged 16.4 PPG, 5.8 APG and 3.5 RPG.

As a two-way player, Hepburn will likely split his time between Toronto and the team’s G League affiliate, the Raptors 905. He’ll be eligible to suit up for 50 regular season contests with Toronto before the team would need to elevate him to its standard roster.

Celtics Sign Josh Minott To Two-Year Deal

July 1st, 2025 at 2:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

July 7: The Celtics have officially signed Minott, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

July 1: The Celtics and free agent forward Josh Minott have agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth $5MM, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The contract includes a team option, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

It’s the second time in two days the Celtics have agreed to a two-year, minimum-salary contract with a former Timberwolf who had his team option declined by Minnesota over the weekend — Boston also struck a deal with big man Luka Garza on Monday.

Minott, 22, was the 45th overall pick by Charlotte in 2022 and was traded to Minnesota on draft night. He was never able to earn a rotation spot with the Wolves, appearing in 93 total games in three seasons, including 46 this year, with career averages of 2.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 5.0 minutes per night.

The addition of Minott brings the Celtics’ roster to 15 players and pushes their projected team salary slightly back over the second tax apron, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). Boston won’t ultimately operate in second-apron territory and could duck back under by simply waiving a player on a non-guaranteed salary, though additional moves are likely.

Cavaliers Sign Tyrese Proctor

July 1st, 2025 at 2:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Second-round pick Tyrese Proctor has signed with the Cavaliers, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

It’s a four-year, $8.69MM contract with full guarantees for the first two seasons, a partial guarantee for the third and a team option in the final year, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Proctor was a third-team All-ACC selection this year at Duke, where he averaged 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 38 games. The native of New South Wales is a product of the NBA Global Academy, which he attended in 2021, and a member of the Australian national team.

Proctor, who was selected at No. 49, is Cleveland’s highest draft pick this season. Having him fill a standard roster spot on a rookie contract rather than giving him a two-way deal will provide financial benefits for a Cavs team that is hovering near the second apron.

Raptors, Jakob Poeltl Finalize Extension

July 1st, 2025 at 1:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

July 8: The Raptors and Poeltl have officially finalized their new contract agreement, the team announced in a press release.

“Jakob has developed into one of the league’s top two-way centers and signing him to an extension was a top priority this offseason. As valuable as he is on the floor, we also really appreciate his leadership and experience off-court,” general manager Bobby Webster said in a statement. “Jak shares our goals – he wants to win as much we do, and we’re thrilled he’ll be a Raptor for seasons to come.”

“Toronto has always felt like home for me – I want to be a Raptor for life. Thanks to Bobby and team ownership for believing in me, and to the fans for their amazing support,” Poeltl added in a statement of his own. “We have a young core that’s full of potential and I believe we’re ready to take the next step. I can’t wait to get together back on the Scotiabank Arena court.”

July 1: Veteran big man Jakob Poeltl will sign a contract extension with the Raptors, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Poeltl will pick up his $19.5MM player option for the 2026/27 season and add three more years to the deal.

According to Charania, the four years beyond ’25/26 will be worth $104MM in total, which means Poeltl is getting $84.5MM in new money on the three newly added seasons. That works out to roughly $28MM per season.

The deal includes a trade kicker, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), who states that Poeltl hopes to play the rest of his career in Toronto. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line adds (via Twitter) that the final year is only partially guaranteed for $5MM, though that there are triggers that could increase that partial guarantee.

Agents Michael Tellem and Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports considered several options for Poeltl, including an extension while declining the option, Charania adds (Twitter link), but the decision to opt in was made to give the Raptors more flexibility over the next two years.

The 29-year-old center put up career-best numbers this season, averaging 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per night, but he was limited to 57 games. Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports states (via Twitter) that Poeltl sat out games late in the season despite being healthy, which he likely wouldn’t have agreed to do unless he knew he had a new contract coming.

Poeltl has been the Raptors’ starting center since being acquired from San Antonio at the 2023 trade deadline. He’s a strong contributor on both ends of the court, shooting 62.7% from the field this season while posting 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.

Toronto refused to include Poeltl in recent trade talks with Phoenix involving Kevin Durant. The Suns reportedly asked for Poeltl and received a “firm” no from the Raptors.

The new contract means Poeltl can’t be traded for the next six months, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link).

Sixers Sign VJ Edgecombe, Johni Broome, Hunter Sallis

July 1st, 2025 at 1:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have signed first-round pick VJ Edgecombe and second-rounder Johni Broome, the team announced in a press release.

Edgecombe was the third overall selection after a spectacular season at Baylor, where he was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned second-team all-conference honors. He’s an explosive athlete with the potential to excel for Philadelphia at both ends of the court.

All first-round picks are eligible to receive up to 120% of the NBA’s rookie scale salary. If he gets the full amount, Edgecombe will make $11.1MM in his first season and $50.4MM over the four years of the contract.

Broome was SEC Player of the Year at Auburn and a finalist for the Wooden Award, which honors the top player in college basketball. He received a four-year deal with the first two seasons guaranteed and a team option on the final year, according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Broome was signed using the second-round exception.

The Sixers also signed Hunter Sallis to a two-way contract. The 22-year-old guard ranked fifth in the ACC in scoring this season at Wake Forest.

Raptors Sign Sandro Mamukelashvili

July 1st, 2025 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

July 3: The Raptors have officially signed Mamukelashvili, per NBA.com’s transaction log. Since non-minimum contracts can’t be signed during the July moratorium, we now have confirmation that the big man will be on a minimum deal.

July 1: The Raptors have made a deal to fortify their frontcourt, agreeing to terms with free agent forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili on a two-year contract worth $5.5MM, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The deal will include a second-year player option, Charania adds. It will likely be a minimum-salary contract that’s being rounded up from about $5.26MM.

Mamukelashvili, 26, has spent the past two-and-a-half seasons in San Antonio after a stint with the Bucks earlier in his NBA career. He has been productive with the Spurs but has played limited minutes, including in 2024/25, when he made 61 appearances but averaged just 11.2 minutes per night. He put up 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in that role off the bench.

Mamukelashvili’s most memorable night came on March 19 when he went off for 34 points and nine rebounds in just 19 minutes of action against New York. He made 13-of-14 shots from the floor, including all seven of his three-pointers.

The Raptors had been in the market for a frontcourt addition with Chris Boucher in free agency. Mamukelashvili figures to vie for minutes behind starting center Jakob Poeltl.

Trail Blazers Announce Signings Of Hansen Yang, Caleb Love

July 1st, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Trail Blazers have signed first-round pick Hansen Yang to a rookie scale contract and undrafted free agent Caleb Love to a two-way deal, the team announced in a pair of press releases.

Yang, 20, is a 7’1″ center who starred with the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association. He was selected as CBA Rising Star of the Year the past two seasons and Defensive Player of the Year in 2023/24. He has also been a CBA All-Star in both his years with Qingdao.

Like all first-round picks, Yang is eligible for up to 120% of the NBA’s rookie scale salary. Assuming he gets the full amount, he’ll make $4.4MM in his first season and $21.4MM over the four years of his contract.

Love played at Arizona, where he was named Pac 12 Player of the Year in 2024 and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 team this season. Love played three years at North Carolina before transferring, and the Blazers note that he’s the 13th player in NCAA history to reach 1,000 points with two schools.

Bucks Trade Connaughton, Picks To Hornets For Micic

July 1st, 2025 at 11:45am CST by Rory Maher

July 6: The Hornets have officially acquired Connaughton and the Bucks’ 2031 and 2032 second-round picks in exchange for Micic, the team confirmed today in a press release.

July 1: The Bucks have agreed to trade veteran forward Pat Connaughton and two second-round picks to the Hornets for guard Vasilije Micic, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The second-rounders heading to Charlotte will be Milwaukee’s own in 2031 and 2032, Charania adds.

As Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron tweets, Micic ($8.1MM) only makes about $1.3MM less than Connaughton ($9.4MM) next season, but the Serbian has been repeatedly rumored to be seeking a return to Europe this summer, and could give up a significant portion of his salary in a buyout. Assuming that comes to fruition, it should give the Bucks enough cap room to sign Myles Turner after waiving and stretching Damian Lillard.

Connaughton, 32, was an important reserve for the Bucks when they won the title in 2021 and has been with the team for the past seven years. However, in part due to injuries, he hasn’t looked like the same player in recent years, having been out of Milwaukee’s rotation for much of 2024/25.

Connaughton averaged 5.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists on .469/.321/.774 shooting in 41 regular season games last season (14.7 minutes per contest). He only played 14 minutes over three appearances during the Bucks’ first-round playoff series vs. Indiana, which Milwaukee lost in five games.

Charlotte will acquire a couple of second-round picks for taking on Connaughton’s expiring contract. The Hornets just reacquired Micic yesterday when the Mark Williams trade with Phoenix became official.

Bucks Sign Gary Harris To Two-Year Deal

July 1st, 2025 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

July 8: The Bucks’ deal with Harris is official, the team announced in a press release.

“We are excited to welcome Gary to Milwaukee,” general manager Jon Horst said in a statement. “Gary’s leadership and experience will provide further depth and stability to our backcourt, and his extensive playoff background will be instrumental during the postseason. We are thrilled for Gary to be a Buck.”

July 1: After making a pair of huge moves earlier on Tuesday morning, the Bucks have resumed filling out the edges of their roster. According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), the team has reached an agreement on a two-year deal with free agent swingman Gary Harris.

While Charania doesn’t specify the financial details, it will likely be a minimum-salary contract for Harris. It will also include a second-year player option, Charania notes.

Harris, 30, saw his playing time decline in recent years in Orlando. He averaged just 14.8 minutes per game in 48 appearances in 2024/25, with averages of 3.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per night.

However, Harris has a long history of playing rotation minutes for both the Nuggets (2014-21) and Magic (2021-25) as a three-and-D wing. He has attempted 4.0 three-pointers per game over the course of his 11-year career and has knocked down 36.9% of them, including 38.8% since he arrived in Orlando as part of the Aaron Gordon trade in 2021. The veteran also earned praise from his Magic teammates this season for his play on defense, even in his limited role.

It has been a busy week so far for the Bucks. In addition to agreeing to terms to Harris, they’ve also struck deals to re-sign Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., Taurean Prince, and Gary Trent Jr. while unexpectedly landing a four-year commitment from Myles Turner and even more unexpectedly deciding to waive Damian Lillard and stretch his remaining salary to create short-term cap flexibility.

Kings Trading Valanciunas To Nuggets For Saric

July 1st, 2025 at 11:02am CST by Rory Maher

The Kings have agreed to trade center Jonas Valanciunas to the Nuggets in exchange for forward/center Dario Saric, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Valanciunas will earn about $10.4MM in 2025/26, with a non-guaranteed $10MM salary for ’26/27. Saric is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him approximately $5.4MM next season.

The Nuggets are able to take on Valanciunas’ higher salary due to the newfound roster-building flexibility they created as a result of the agreed upon trade that will send Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick to Brooklyn for Cameron Johnson.

Valanciunas spent his first six-plus NBA seasons with Toronto, the team that selected him No. 5 overall in the 2011 draft. He also played for Memphis and New Orleans prior to becoming a free agent last year.

The 33-year-old landed with the Wizards via sign-and-trade last summer, then was traded to Sacramento in February. The durable big man made 81 combined appearances last season, averaging 10.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 18.8 minutes per contest.

While he’s a very limited defensive player, Valanciunas is a bruising low-post scorer and rebounder with a soft touch and should be a productive backup for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

As for the Kings, they were likely motivated to make the deal for financial reasons. As Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron tweets, Sacramento will save about $5MM in the trade, which will give the team the flexibility to complete its reported deal with veteran guard Dennis Schröder without going into the tax.

Saric signed a two-year, $10.6MM deal with Denver last summer, but it didn’t work out the way either party had hoped. The 31-year-old only played in 16 games last season, averaging 3.5 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 13.1 MPG.