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Celtics Sign Luka Garza To Two-Year Contract

June 30th, 2025 at 7:13pm CST by Eli Cohen

July 7: The Celtics’ deal with Garza is now being listed as official in NBA.com’s transaction log.

June 30: The Celtics have agreed to a two-year deal with center Luka Garza, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Keith Smith of Spotrac confirms (via Twitter) that the deal is a minimum-salary contract, which would come in around $5.3MM across those two seasons.

The 26-year-old Garza is entering his fifth season in the league. He began his career in Detroit before spending the past three seasons with the Timberwolves, with whom he averaged 4.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per night in 92 total games.

Jon Krawcyznski of The Athletic tweets that the Celtics have had an eye on Garza for a while, having previously inquired about his availability.

After losing Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks and Luke Kornet to the Spurs, and with Al Horford drawing significant interest around the NBA, the Celtics find their frontcourt rotation very thin, with just Xavier Tillman and Neemias Queta under contract.

Garza has never averaged more than 8.7 minutes per game, but he brings size, scoring and energy to a team that is looking to remain competitive as Jayson Tatum recovers from his ruptured Achilles.

Clint Capela Agrees To Three-Year Contract With Rockets

June 30th, 2025 at 7:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

9:12pm: The Rockets are acquiring Capela in a sign-and-trade with the Hawks, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), who reports that Houston is giving Atlanta a second-round pick swap in 2031 and cash to complete the deal.

7:03pm: The Rockets continued to retool their frontcourt by agreeing to a three-year, $21.5MM contract with Hawks free agent Clint Capela, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. The contract is fully guaranteed, Charania adds (Twitter link).

It’s no surprise that Capela, who lost his starting job in the second half of this past season, was leaving Atlanta. The Hawks are acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Celtics to be their starting big man, at least for next season.

Going to the Rockets, where he started his career, is somewhat of a surprise, given they already have one of the league’s top young big men in Alperen Sengun.

Houston also signed Steven Adams to a three-year extension in mid-June. Where Capela fits on the depth chart remains to be seen.

As for the contract terms, how they’ll acquire Capela is another mystery. Houston also agreed to a four-year deal with forward Dorian Finney-Smith on Monday, apparently via their non-taxpayer mid-level exception. That would mean the Rockets would have to work out a sign-and-trade to bring in Capela.

This past season, Capela started 41 of 55 games and averaged 8.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in 21.4 minutes. That was the first time in eight seasons Capela didn’t average a double-double. He was the Hawks’ regular starting center the previous four seasons after a six-year stay with Houston.

Clippers Sign Brook Lopez To Two-Year Deal

June 30th, 2025 at 6:53pm CST by Eli Cohen

July 6: Lopez is officially a Clipper, according to a press release from the team.

“Brook is an elite rim protector and range shooter who will bring a different dimension to our frontcourt,” president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “He is also a former champion and a genuine pro who will be a great addition to our group.”

The second year of Lopez’s contract is a team option, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.

June 30: After spending seven seasons in Milwaukee, center Brook Lopez is headed back to Los Angeles, having agreed to sign a two-year, $18MM contract with the Clippers, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).

The Clippers were known to be in the market for a reliable veteran big man to back up Most Improved Player runner-up Ivica Zubac. Based on the terms, it looks like they’ll be using a majority of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to add Lopez.

Using the non-taxpayer mid-level will trigger a first-apron hard cap for the Clippers, who are about $8MM below that threshold, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). The club should also still have more than $5MM of its mid-level remaining, notes cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link).

Lopez had one of his better shooting seasons for the Bucks this year, hitting 37.3% of his 4.7 three-point attempts per night. However, his overall production was slightly down in terms of rebounding and rim protection as the Bucks dealt with a litany of injuries and chemistry issues.

The 37-year-old big man will slot in next to newly retained Nicolas Batum to form a heady, skilled defensive bench pairing. The center duo of Zubac and Lopez should provide the Clippers with a solid defensive anchor at all times, while Lopez will give the club a different look offensively than Zubac, who has made one three-pointer since entering the NBA in 2016.

The Bucks agreed to re-sign Bobby Portis yesterday and reached a new deal with Kevin Porter Jr. earlier today, but the loss of Lopez raises more questions about the direction of a team that will already be without its second star in Damian Lillard, who will miss most or all of 2025/26 with an Achilles tear.

Pistons Add Caris LeVert On Two-Year Contract

June 30th, 2025 at 6:41pm CST by Rory Maher

July 8: LeVert has officially signed with the Pistons, according to a press release from the team (Twitter link).

June 30: The Pistons are signing free agent wing Caris LeVert to a two-year, $29MM contract, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (via Twitter).

It’s a straight two-year deal with no player or team option for the 2026/27 season, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

The signing could be completed using either the full mid-level exception or cap room, depending on whether the Pistons operate over or under the salary cap.

A nine-year veteran, LeVert split last season between Cleveland and Atlanta after the Cavaliers traded him to the Hawks in February as part of the De’Andre Hunter deal. He made 64 combined appearances in 2024/25, averaging 12.1 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds on .467/.373/.710 shooting in 24.9 minutes per game.

LeVert, who played four years of college ball in Michigan with the Wolverines, will be 31 years old in late August.

In addition to his familiarity with Michigan, LeVert also played under Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff for two-plus seasons while they were members of the Cavs.

Grant Afseth first reported that Detroit was viewed as the frontrunner to land LeVert, with The Stein Line later confirming the rumor. The Hawks are reportedly targeting Nickeil Alexander-Walker as their primary free agent addition, though it might take a sign-and-trade to land him.

LeVert will bring versatile offense and play-making to the Pistons and will likely come off the bench behind Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. He could also slot in as a small forward in certain lineups.

The Pistons pivoted to signing LeVert in the wake of the Malik Beasley gambling allegations.

Kevon Looney Signs With Pelicans On Two-Year Deal

June 30th, 2025 at 6:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

July 7: The Pelicans have put out a press release formally announcing their deal with Looney.

“Kevon Looney is an elite professional with a proven championship pedigree,” Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a statement. “He is a warrior in the trenches and brings an incredible work ethic along with invaluable experience, toughness, and selfless leadership to our locker room. His commitment to doing the little things that win games embodies our team values, and we’re excited to welcome him to New Orleans.”

Looney’s new contract includes a second-year team option, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

June 30: Kevon Looney‘s lengthy stay with the Warriors is ending. The veteran big man has agreed to a two-year, $16MM contract with the Pelicans, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

Looney joins a frontcourt that includes Yves Missi, late lottery pick Derik Queen, Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones, among others.

Looney is noted for his defensive work and durability. He has appeared in at least 74 games over the past four seasons, including 76 this past season.

He was on the second unit much of the season, as his minutes were cut to 15 per game while Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post saw their roles expand. Looney averaged 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Looney’s Pelicans debut will be his 600th career regular season appearances. He played a major role in Golden State’s run to the NBA championship in 2018 and 2022. He’s been on the Warriors’ roster since he was a late first-round pick in 2015.

The Pelicans will use a portion of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Looney. The signing will hard-cap the team at the first tax apron.

Spurs Sign Luke Kornet To Four-Year Deal

June 30th, 2025 at 6:30pm CST by Eli Cohen

July 7: The signing is official, per the transaction log at NBA.com.

According to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link), Kornet’s deal is only fully guaranteed for two seasons, with a small partial guarantee ($2.55MM) on year three and a fourth-year team option. The contract has a descending structure, with a first-year cap hit of $11MM, Katz adds.

June 30: Free agent center Luke Kornet will head from Boston to San Antonio, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Spurs and Kornet are in agreement on a four-year contract worth $41MM.

The fourth year of Kornet’s new deal, which figures to be completed using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, will be a team option, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Kornet has played the last three-and-a-half seasons with the Celtics, carving out a role for himself as a valuable third-string center and averaging 10.2 minutes per game over the course of Boston’s title run in 2024.

Kornet averaged a career-high 18.6 minutes per game in 2024/25 due in part to Kristaps Porzingis‘ health issues. Boston had a +14.9 net rating during Kornet’s 1,361 minutes of action — no Celtics player had an individual net rating higher than that.

Despite coming into the league as a stretch five, the 7’2″ center has almost completely removed the three-point shot from his game, and instead has become more paint-focused while staying an imposing rim protector on defense.

Kornet has averaged one block per game in each of the last two seasons despite playing fewer than 20 minutes per night, and his defense was a notable contribution during the Celtics’ playoff series with the Knicks.

While the Celtics had hoped to retain the 29-year-old’s services, the Spurs quickly emerged as a prime target to make Kornet their backup center behind cornerstone Victor Wembanyama.

The Clippers were also said to have interest in Kornet, but ended up agreeing to terms with Brook Lopez.

Bucks Re-Sign Kevin Porter Jr. To Two-Year Deal

June 30th, 2025 at 6:22pm CST by Luke Adams

July 7: Porter has officially re-signed with the Bucks, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

June 30: The Bucks and free agent guard Kevin Porter Jr. have agreed to a two-year deal worth $11MM, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Porter turned down a $2.55MM player option over the weekend in order to become a free agent. He’ll have an opportunity to return to the open market again in a year, as his new deal will feature a player option for 2026/27, per Charania.

Porter opened the 2024/25 season with the Clippers before being sent to Milwaukee at the trade deadline. He finished the season strong with the Bucks, averaging 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 19.9 minutes per game while shooting 49.4% from the floor, including 40.8% on threes.

The 25-year-old’s off-court history – ranging from a locker-room incident that ended his time in Cleveland to a domestic altercation that led to his exit from Houston – have limited his value to some extent in recent years, preventing him from securing big money or longer-term commitments. However, the Bucks liked their brief stint with Porter last season enough to move forward with him.

The Bucks will use the bi-annual exception to re-sign Porter, since they wouldn’t be able to complete the deal using his Non-Bird rights, notes Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). The BAE will be worth about $10.5MM over two seasons.

Bulls Re-Sign Tre Jones On Three-Year Contract

June 30th, 2025 at 6:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

July 6: The signing is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. The deal includes a third-year team option, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

June 30: The Bulls have agreed to a three-year deal worth $24MM with one of their own free agents, guard Tre Jones, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

Jones was acquired at the trade deadline from the Spurs in the three-team swap that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento. In 18 appearances with Chicago, including nine starts, he averaged 11.5 points, 4.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game while shooting 57.1 percent from the field.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan repeatedly lauded the point guard down the stretch for his high basketball IQ and his knack for making winning plays.

This signing became increasingly likely in recent days. The agreed-upon deal sending Lonzo Ball to Cleveland opening up more backcourt minutes and Jones has an opportunity to fill them. Assuming restricted free agent Josh Giddey remains with the Bulls, Jones, entering his sixth NBA season, projects as the second unit point guard.

Jones spent his first four-and-a-half seasons with San Antonio. In 297 career regular season games, he has averaged 8.4 points and 4.7 assists in 21.7 minutes.

The Bulls held Jones’ Bird rights, so they won’t have to use any of their cap exceptions to complete the signing.

Mavericks Sign D’Angelo Russell To Two-Year Contract

June 30th, 2025 at 6:12pm CST by Rory Maher

July 6: Russell’s deal is official, according to the Mavericks (Twitter link).

June 30: The Mavericks are signing free agent guard D’Angelo Russell to a two-year contract, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The second year will be a player option, Charania notes (via Twitter).

While Charania states that Russell’s deal is worth $13MM, veteran reporter Marc Stein hears (via Twitter) it’s just shy of $12MM.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks confirms (Twitter links) that Russell will be signed using the taxpayer mid-level exception, which will hard-cap the Mavs at the second tax apron. Dallas is about $1.6MM below the second apron, Marks adds.

Stein reported multiple times leading up to free agency that Dallas was the frontrunner to sign Russell to a two-year deal using the taxpayer version of the MLE. Assuming he received the full amount, he will earn $11,654,250 over the next two years.

Russell is a one-time All-Star who is taking a steep pay cut, having earned $18.7MM in 2024/25.

The second overall pick of the 2015 draft, Russell is coming off a down season in which he averaged 12.6 points, 5.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 58 combined appearances with the Lakers and Nets (25.5 minutes per game). 12.6 PPG and 25.5 MPG represented career lows for Russell, who also posted career-worst percentages from the field (39.0%) and from three-point range (31.4%).

While he is a talented scorer and play-maker who is capable of carrying an offense for stretches, Russell tends to be quite streaky and is a subpar defender. The 29-year-old will likely be the starting point guard for the Mavs until Kyrie Irving is able to return from the torn ACL he sustained in early March.

Nuggets Trade Michael Porter, First-Round Pick To Nets For Cam Johnson

June 30th, 2025 at 6:09pm CST by Luke Adams

July 8: The trade is official, the Nets announced in a press release.

June 30: The Nuggets and Nets have agreed to a trade that will send Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Nets in exchange for Cameron Johnson, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The move will create significant cap flexibility for Denver. Porter is owed a little over $79MM across the next two seasons, while Johnson’s contract has a base value of $44MM over those same two years (he also has some unlikely incentives that count toward the tax aprons).

It also looks like a potential on-court upgrade for the Nuggets. While Porter is an extremely talented scorer and shooter who averaged 18.2 points per game on a .504/.395/.768 shooting line in 77 games for Denver in 2024/25, Johnson is considred a strong defender and is a pretty good scorer and shooter in his own right.

Johnson scored a career-high 18.8 points per game on .475/.390/.893 shooting in 57 outings for the Nets this past season. He also set a new career high with 3.4 assists per contest.

The trade will move the Nuggets’ team salary more than $13MM below the first apron, potentially opening up the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to use in free agency, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). That could be a valuable tool for a Denver team looking to add quality depth to support a strong starting lineup.

The Nets, meanwhile, will use a chunk of their cap room to accommodate Porter’s incoming salary — if they had been operating over the cap, they wouldn’t be able to swap Johnson straight up for MPJ and his $38.3MM cap hit.

The move will reduce their cap room to about $17MM, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks, though that number is fluid, depending on how the team handles its non-guaranteed contracts and whether either of the reported deals for Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams go into the room exception.

The unprotected 2032 first-round pick is clearly the prize of the deal for Brooklyn. Nikola Jokic will be 37 years old in 2032, and there’s no guarantee he’ll still be a Nugget anyway, so that pick has a good deal of variability and could turn into a very valuable asset.

Still, the Nets don’t view Porter as a mere salary dump. They’re excited about the former lottery pick – who celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday – and intend to keep him, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.