NBA rumors

The Golden State Warriors have started exploring the trade market for Kristaps Porzingis, who is currently sidelined indefinitely due to recurring symptoms related to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Latvian big man is weighing his future in basketball as he continues to deal with a medical condition that has affected his availability.

Last summer, Porzingis signed a new two-year, $40 million contract with Golden State. The deal includes just $3 million in guaranteed money out of his $20 million salary for the 2027-28 season, potentially making his contract an interesting trade asset.

Porzingis appeared in 32 games last season, splitting time between the Atlanta Hawks and the Warriors. He averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 24 minutes per game.

The Utah Jazz have signed guard Kobe Bufkin to a two-way contract, with the former No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft replacing Blake Hinson.

Bufkin was among the New Orleans Pelicans’ final roster cuts.

The Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings are reportedly interested in signing Walter Clayton Jr. to a two-way deal.
The guard was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday and is expected to clear waivers soon.

Dallas currently has a full standard roster but owns an open two-way slot. Dusty May also has a relationship with Clayton from recruiting him during his time at Michigan.

The No. 18 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft averaged 7.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 69 games last season.

The Philadelphia 76ers have exercised the third-year rookie scale option on VJ Edgecombe. His contract is now guaranteed through the 2027-28 season.

The No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals while starting 75 games as a rookie.

Edgecombe was also a unanimous All-Rookie First Team selection and has quickly become one of Philadelphia’s key young pieces.

Jaden McDaniels and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a one-year, $40 million contract extension.
The new deal will keep the forward under contract through the 2029-30 season.

McDaniels was already signed to a long-term contract, but Minnesota has now added another season to the agreement.

The move reinforces his importance to the Timberwolves’ core after the franchise had also kept him off the table in trade discussions earlier this year.

Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a five-year, $209 million rookie-scale contract extension.
The deal secures one of the franchise’s key building blocks for the long term.

Miller is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 20.2 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 38.3% from three. Charlotte went 41-24 with him in the lineup and 3-14 without him.

The No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is expected to take on an even bigger role following the departures of LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.

The Phoenix Suns plan to convert Duop Reath to a two-way contract. The big man joins Phoenix after spending three seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Suns are set to keep Reath on a two-way deal for the upcoming season.

Reath averaged 6.2 points over his three seasons in Portland and adds depth to Phoenix’s frontcourt.

Ben Simmons is not expected to be waived by the Sacramento Kings despite suffering a season-ending Achilles injury, according to John Hollinger. The reason is the salary continuation rule, which requires teams to keep paying injured players on non-guaranteed contracts until they recover.

As a result, Sacramento would carry Simmons’ $2.45 million salary on its books for the entire season regardless of whether he is waived.

The Kings could therefore keep him on the roster and explore using his contract in a trade. Sacramento also sits $3.1 million below the luxury tax line, giving the franchise enough financial room to sign another player to fill its open 15th roster spot.

Moussa Cissé’s spot on the Dallas Mavericks roster appears to be in serious jeopardy. If waived, the big man is already drawing interest from the Lakers, 76ers, Bulls and Hawks.

According to The Stein Line, Cissé is viewed by rival teams as the Dallas player most at risk of being released. Chicago reportedly has interest in claiming him off waivers, while Atlanta is also monitoring the situation despite not currently having an open standard roster spot.

If Cissé clears waivers, the 76ers and Lakers are expected to have strong interest in signing him to a two-way deal, even though neither team currently has a two-way opening.

Oso Ighodaro has agreed to a three-year, $29 million contract extension with the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix will first exercise his $2.5 million team option for 2027-28, meaning the new deal will begin in 2028 and run through 2031.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the center has established himself as a reliable rotation player after being a second-round pick.

The extension will cover the 2028-29 through 2030-31 seasons, reinforcing Phoenix’s long-term belief in his development.

Cason Wallace has agreed to a five-year, $139 million rookie-scale extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The deal strengthens his place in the franchise’s long-term plans.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Wallace is coming off a season in which he averaged 8.6 points, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game, earned second-team All-Defensive honors and led the NBA with 150 total steals.

Thunder GM Sam Presti had already pointed to Wallace’s development as part of the reason Oklahoma City moved Luguentz Dort: “We think you can have a great role on this team. We believe in you as a player.”

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to explore the trade market for Dalton Knecht as they look to find him a new home. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the California franchise has recently held discussions with several teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz, to explore a potential trade.

Knecht’s future in Los Angeles appears increasingly unlikely. As Siegel noted, the young forward’s future does not seem to be with the Lakers. It remains to be seen which team will be willing to acquire him and whether the ongoing talks will lead to a deal before the start of the new season.

The New York Knicks are actively exploring trade scenarios involving Tyler Kolek. According to SNY, moving the young guard could allow the franchise to open up a roster spot for Bruce Brown.

Brown would provide greater two-way versatility than Kolek, giving New York more options in its backcourt rotation. His ability to contribute on both ends of the floor and handle multiple roles could make him a valuable addition. For now, the Knicks are evaluating their options, and no deal has been announced. It remains to be seen whether the franchise can turn its reported interest into a completed move.

Jimmy Butler is gradually moving closer to a return after suffering a torn ACL last season. The Golden State Warriors forward is targeting a comeback around January or February, hoping to help the team compete for another NBA championship.

In an interview with ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Butler made his ambitions clear: “I just want to help those guys win another title, man. And get me one. I felt I let them down.” His rehabilitation has given him renewed confidence as he starts moving, running and jumping again. “I could still do it,” he said, adding that critics would be “real shocked” if they expected him to return as a poor player.

Meanwhile, according to Slater, Steph Curry reportedly told Draymond Green that Butler represented their last chance at another championship: “This is it. This is our last ride.”

The Charlotte Hornets’ decision to trade LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly stemmed from a lack of belief that the point guard was the right player to build a winning team around. According to Tim MacMahon, Charlotte did not view Ball as the ideal centerpiece for its long-term project.

The move brought Ball’s time in Charlotte to an end after he joined the franchise in 2020 and emerged as one of its leading talents. The Hornets opted to change direction, acquiring Naz Reid and several future draft assets as they look to build for sustained success.

According to Shams Charania, the New York Knicks have also waived Tony Bradley and Ochai Agbaji, in addition to the injured Drew Eubanks.

The reigning champions are now down to 15 players, with 13 guaranteed contracts, plus James Wiseman and Bruce Brown.

Barring any trades, New York will have to waive one more player to avoid crossing the second apron, as mandated by ownership.

Brandon Miller is seeking a contract extension worth more than $200 million from the Charlotte Hornets, with the rookie-scale extension deadline approaching next week. According to the report, Miller’s camp is targeting a deal worth more than $40 million annually.

Charlotte must now weigh the financial commitment as it continues to shape its roster for the future. Miller and Kon Knueppel are emerging as key pieces of the franchise’s long-term plans, with the organization looking to build around its young talent. The negotiations could prove crucial in determining Charlotte’s salary-cap flexibility and the direction of its rebuilding project.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are reportedly in contract extension talks with Cason Wallace. Discussions are said to be centered around a deal worth approximately $25 million per season.

According to Marc Stein, the 22-year-old guard is viewed as an important part of Oklahoma City’s long-term core, particularly because of his defensive impact and positional versatility.

Recent extensions for other young NBA players are also part of the market context: Dyson Daniels signed a four-year, $100 million deal with Atlanta, while Christian Braun agreed to a five-year, $125 million extension with Denver.

Kawhi Leonard is expected to make his Toronto Raptors debut tomorrow against the New York Knicks. It will be Leonard’s first appearance with Toronto since returning to the franchise.

The former Finals MVP is expected to take the floor in the preseason matchup against New York, giving the Raptors their first game look at Leonard after training camp.

Masai Ujiri has made it clear that the Dallas Mavericks intend to keep Kyrie Irving alongside Cooper Flagg. The franchise wants to build around the two players, but the strategy has raised questions among rival NBA front offices.

According to reports, some executives doubt whether Dallas can stick to that plan while addressing other weaknesses across the roster. The different stages of Irving’s and Flagg’s careers add another layer of complexity: Irving is an established veteran, while Flagg represents the foundation of the team’s long-term future.

The Mavericks must find a balance between competing now and building for the future, ensuring they can strengthen the supporting cast without compromising their commitment to the young star.

Anthony Black and the Orlando Magic are not expected to agree on a contract extension before the October 19 deadline. The two sides reportedly have yet to hold serious talks either during the offseason or since training camp began.

According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Orlando’s salary situation complicates the negotiations, with Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero already on significant long-term deals.

Unless there is a major shift in negotiations, Black is expected to reach restricted free agency in the summer of 2027. The No. 6 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft averaged 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 64 games last season.

The Golden State Warriors have reached an agreement with Brandin Podziemski on a five-year, $110 million contract extension that includes a mutual option for the final season.

Podziemski becomes the fifth player from the 2023 NBA Draft class to sign an extension, joining Victor Wembanyama, Keyonte George and twins Amen and Ausar Thompson.

The 23-year-old guard averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season, shooting 45% from the field, 37% from three-point range and 80% from the free-throw line.

According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, the deal will still allow Golden State to have $55-60 million in salary cap space next summer. Podziemski’s extension carries a first-year salary of $18.9 million, just $1.9 million above his previous cap hold.

The New Orleans Pelicans have waived Christian Koloko. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported the news, citing league sources.

The Cameroonian center, born in 2000, will now have to evaluate his options to continue his NBA career. After his stint with the Toronto Raptors, where he made his NBA debut, Koloko had been looking for more playing time and consistency to establish himself in the league.