Mon Aug 11 10:43am ET
Field Level Media
The Detroit Pistons are finalizing a one-year deal with free agent forward Javonte Green, ESPN reported Monday.
Green, 32, split last season with New Orleans and Cleveland, averaging 5.1 points in 68 games (19 starts).
He has career averages of 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 263 games (74 starts) with the Boston Celtics (2019-21), Chicago Bulls (2021-24), Pelicans and Cavaliers.
Undrafted out of Radford (Va.) in 2015, Green played overseas from 2015-19 before getting a shot with Boston.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Detroit Pistons signed forward Javonte Green to a one-year deal on Monday. Last campaign, Green saw action in 50 regular-season games with the Pelicans and 18 with the Cavaliers. He averaged 5.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 blocks and 1.0 steals across 18.5 minutes per contest. The 32-year-old could find himself out of the Pistons' rotation at times, having to compete with Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Duncan Robinson, Ronald Holland II and Caris LeVert for minutes.
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey is still seeking a new contract that will pay him an average of $30 million per season, but the team doesn't quite agree with that figure. According to The Stein Line's Jake Fischer, the Bulls are standing firm at $20 million per season. Their last offer came in at $80 million over four years, but Giddey and his team didn't seem to budge. He remains a restricted free agent, so the Bulls ultimately have control, but some other teams have shown interest. As of right now, the Brooklyn Nets are the only team that has the cap space to offer Giddey what he wants. In his first year with Chicago, the former sixth-overall pick averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.9 turnovers per game.
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (calf) recently injured his calf while training with Poland's national team for the upcoming EuroBasket competition. The Polish Basketball Federation has announced that this will keep the 22-year-old out of it altogether. The good news, however, is that Sochan is headed back to San Antonio for treatment and does not expect to miss training camp for this coming season. Last year, Sochan appeared in 54 games and averaged 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 turnovers per game while shooting 53.5% from the floor and 30.8% from deep.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young was reportedly growing frustrated with no contract extension negotiations as he watched some others ink a new deal, like Luka Doncic. Now, according to NBA Insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, reports that Young and the Hawks are 'resigned' to the idea of no contract extension this summer. The star point guard is under contract for this coming season with a player option worth $48.9 million in 2026-27. Neither side is reportedly looking to part ways, but if Young hits free agency, that would mean he and newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis hit the market at the same time. Across seven seasons with the Hawks, Young has averaged 25.3 points, 9.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 4.2 turnovers per game. While it would be very unlikely that the Hawks let him walk for nothing, it's a development worth watching.
According to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, free-agent utility man Ben Simmons is reportedly drawing interest from the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. Both teams have a need, and since Simmons can play multiple positions, his presence would help address depth concerns for either club. In addition, he may be willing to sign at a discounted rate. The 29-year-old averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in 275 regular-season contests for the Philadelphia 76ers. However, his production has significantly declined ever since, most recently averaging 2.9 points, 3.8 boards, and 3.1 assists in a brief stint with the Los Angeles Clippers last season. Still, Simmons' versatility could prove useful for clubs with limited cap space. He's an excellent passer and is still somewhat sound on the defensive end. On the other hand, the former LSU Tiger has been plagued by numerous injuries over the years. He's also not a good shooter.
Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (knee) recently suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee while training. He underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined for 8-to-10 weeks. The 28-year-old started in 42 games for the Heat throughout the 2024 campaign. Still, he wasn't a reliable contributor on the fantasy end overall, averaging 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 74 regular-season contests. His anticipated return timetable means he's now likely to miss some time to begin the year. However, Highsmith isn't projected to hold a routine spot in Erik Spoelstra's rotation, so it's not much of a blow to fantasy managers. With that in mind, his absence could still allow guys like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic to spend a little more time on the floor, at least early in the season.
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard took a big leap in 2024-25 and aims to improve even more in the upcoming season. "I feel like everybody should be excited," Pritchard said on the Celtics Talk Podcast. "There's a lot of opportunities across the board. For me, personally, I'm excited every year. Because it's an opportunity to prove myself again, to show that I can take another step. And that's my goal every year. I'm definitely hungry and motivated this year, been working really hard. So I'm excited." Pritchard was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year last season after he averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, shooting 40.7 percent from downtown. Following an offseason of change in Boston, Pritchard will have every chance to play an even more important role on his team.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is projected to command a major pay raise with his next contract. The 27-year-old is currently on a four-year, $54 million deal, which has a player option for the final season (2026-27). Reaves will likely more than double his current annual salary. "I think he will get $30 [million] plus," an NBA executive told ESPN. According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, NBA executives expect the Lakers to keep Reaves as Luka Doncic's long-term backcourt partner. Reaves will start the next season after a career year, during which he averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.1 steals. His stats slightly dipped in all categories after Doncic arrived mid-season, and it will be intriguing to see how well the two work together moving forward.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (Achilles) was seen at the New England Patriots' practice on Wednesday, walking without a boot or brace. It's been nearly three months since Tatum ruptured his right Achilles during the playoffs against the New York Knicks. He appears to be making great progress. An anonymous NBA scout mentioned last week that Tatum "looked way ahead" in his recovery and was "kind of shocked" by how well the six-time All-Star was moving during a basketball camp in Las Vegas. While Tatum's progress is promising, the Celtics have no reason to rush him back, and it wouldn't be surprising to still see him sit out the entire 2025-26 campaign.
The San Antonio Spurs have signed forward/center Micah Potter to an Exhibit 10 contract. He will get a chance to impress during training camp after parting ways with the Utah Jazz. Potter spent three seasons in Salt Lake City on a two-way contract. 2024-25 was his most successful campaign, as Potter occasionally filled in as a starter and averaged 4.3 points with 4.3 rebounds in 18.6 minutes. Potter, who began his pro career in 2021-22 with the Detroit Pistons, turned 27 in April and clearly doesn't have many opportunities left to stick in the NBA.
Forward/center Richaun Holmes will head overseas for next season, having agreed to a two-year deal with Panathinaikos. He was a free agent after the Washington Wizards decided to waive Holmes last month. Holmes made 31 appearances with the Wizards in 2024-25, averaging 7.4 points and 5.7 rebounds in 17.2 minutes. For several years, Holmes has struggled to crack the regular rotation on teams and will now try his luck in Greece. Panathinaikos, a seven-time EuroLeague champion, also has other former NBA players on its books, including Kendrick Nunn and Cedi Osman.
Indiana Pacers guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin is penciled in for a starting role in 2025-26. "I'm projecting him as our starter at the 2 this year on Day 1," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote. "I told him this, I was on the phone with him and his agent four days ago, and I said, 'You're going to be with the starters on Day 1. It's your job to lose. But here's what we need from you: We need you to keep working on the running and simply running to the corners and stretching out the defense.'" The starting role will boost Mathurin's fantasy value. In 85 career games as a member of the first unit, Mathurin has posted 16.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland (toe) is progressing from offseason surgery but will likely not be ready for the start of the season. "That's not a medical opinion. That's just my sense of this," Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. "Under-promise and over-deliver. We're not going to rush or push this. If he is ready, then great. I will rely on (trainer) Steve (Spiro) and Darius to tell me. But I don't expect that." Garland injured his left big toe in March and went under the knife in early June. It was then expected that he would miss 4-5 months. Lonzo Ball is set to begin the 2025-26 season as Cleveland's starting point guard if Garland isn't healthy enough to play.
Forward/center Chris Boucher has joined the Boston Celtics as a free agent. ESPN's Shams Charania reports that Boucher signed a one-year, $3.3 million contract with the team. Boucher came off a three-year, $35.25 million deal this offseason. The 32-year-old was a valuable impact player off the bench for the Raptors but could find himself in a much more important role in Boston. The Celtics have essentially lost all their frontcourt depth over the summer, and they might even consider Boucher as a potential starter. In his last season with the Raptors, Boucher averaged 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in 17.2 minutes.
The Utah Jazz have agreed to acquire forward Georges Niang in a trade with the Boston Celtics. In another money-saving move, the Celtics are trading away Niang and two future second-round picks for rookie guard/forward RJ Luis Jr., who the Jazz signed to a two-way deal after he went undrafted in June. Niang will pack his bags for the second time this offseason. Boston picked him up last month from the Atlanta Hawks in the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Early in his career, Niang spent four campaigns with the Jazz. He will add veteran presence and three-point shooting to the squad but isn't expected to be a fantasy factor. Last season, Niang shot 40.6 percent from deep to average 9.9 points in 21.5 minutes across 79 games with the Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Guard/forward Brandon Boston Jr. has joined 2025 EuroLeague champions Fenerbahce on a one-year contract. The former Kentucky Wildcat moves to Europe after playing four years in the NBA. Following a three-year stint with the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Jr. put together a strong campaign with the New Orleans Pelicans. In 2024-25, Boston Jr. notched 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 23.6 minutes over 42 appearances with the Pelicans. Surprisingly, the 23-year-old failed to land an NBA deal after a good season. However, he now has a chance to impress in Turkey with a team that features many former NBA players.
Shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV will return to Europe for the start of the 2025-26 season after signing a three-year deal with six-time EuroLeague winners Maccabi Tel Aviv. Walker IV also began last season overseas with Zalgiris Kaunas but finished it with the Philadelphia 76ers. The former first-round pick posted 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game with the 76ers. However, Philadelphia declined to exercise its team option on Walker IV's contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. Walker IV reportedly has an NBA out clause in his contract with Maccabi, so he might be back in North America soon.
Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta revealed that he underwent offseason surgery to address a lingering knee problem. "It's been good," Queta told Bobby Manning of CLNS of his recovery. "We've been dealing with this stuff (since) a couple years ago. We just decided it was a great time for us to do it. We're trying to get back to 100%. We feel pretty confident in the process and we're just grateful that we were taken care of, and I want to make sure I'm healthy and get back to 100% and I feel like I'm on the right path to do that." So far, Queta's role with the Celtics has been limited, but with Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet leaving and Al Horford's return unlikely, he may become a player to watch for fantasy managers next season.
Guard/forward Johnny Juzang has agreed to a deal to join the Minnesota Timberwolves. ESPN's Shams Charania reports that Juzang will sign a one-year contract. Juzang was left looking for a new team after the Utah Jazz waived him on June 30. The 24-year-old had some solid stretches with the Jazz, averaging 8.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 19.8 minutes last season. However, he'll face much tougher competition for playing time with the Timberwolves and looks set to start the 2025-26 season as a third-stringer at the end of the bench.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic shouldn't be considered a buyout candidate. There have been numerous reports that a buyout could take place. However, Stein has repeatedly denied the validity of the reports and insists that Vucevic will begin the 2025 season with the Bulls unless "a trade materializes between now and the start of training camp." The 34-year-old finished the 2024 campaign by averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds in 73 appearances. While his production has dipped over the last few seasons, he remains a double-double threat. Another All-Star selection also shouldn't be ruled out. Of course, there are a number of teams interested, although it may make sense to wait things out, considering Vucevic will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Bulls would love to get something in return before then, so the club may be forced to settle for a trade that's less than ideal.
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