Forward/center Kai Jones had a workout for the Miami Heat on Monday, NBA insider Chris Haynes reports. Jones is an unrestricted free agent. He's had a turbulent journey in the NBA since entering the league in 2021 as a first-round pick. After skipping the entire 2023-24 campaign, Jones signed with the Los Angeles Clippers last season and also spent time with the Dallas Mavericks. Over 40 appearances, Jones averaged 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11.7 minutes. If he signs with the Heat, Jones would bolster the team's frontcourt depth but isn't expected to be a factor in fantasy basketball.

Point guard Russell Westbrook is expected to end up with the Sacramento Kings for the start of the new season. ESPN's Tim MacMahon reports that league sources consider Sacramento the most likely destination for the former MVP. Westbrook became an unrestricted free agent this offseason after declining a $3.47 million player option to return to the Denver Nuggets. While Westbrook is way past his peak, he can still make plenty of noise in the right circumstances. Last season, the 36-year-old veteran averaged 15.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.7 steals in 38 starts with the Nuggets. His fantasy production might be limited in Sacramento, as Westbrook is seen as Dennis Schroder's backup.

Forward/center Al Horford is still without a contract but is expected to sign with the Golden State Warriors for the upcoming campaign. Sources have told ESPN's Anthony Slater that retirement remains an option for the 39-year-old big man, but the Warriors see him as "a firm part of their plan" in 2025-26. Horford looks like a good fit for the Warriors and is likely to occupy the starting center's role. In Boston, Horford started only 75 of 125 games over the last two seasons. A regular starting role would boost his fantasy outlook, but since he doesn't play in back-to-backs, Horford can't be relied on as a nightly option.

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has a two-year contract offer on the table from the team, but he is reportedly leaning toward accepting a $7.9 million qualifying offer. Sources told ESPN's Anthony Slater that "Kuminga has indicated to those close to him" that he finds the qualifying offer more appealing than the team's contract offer. The Warriors have tried to secure his signature with a two-year, $45 million deal, which includes a team option for the second year and does not have an inherent no-trade clause. Meanwhile, Kuminga is seeking a three-year, $82 million pact. He has until Oct. 1 to accept the qualifying offer.

The Boston Celtics waived forward Miles Norris on Sunday. Norris was released from his two-way contract to make room for RJ Luis Jr., who was acquired on Tuesday. He spent 2024-25 in the G League, playing in over 44 games between the Maine Celtics and Memphis Hustle. The 25-year-old averaged 16.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 steals across 30.5 minutes per contest during his appearances. With just three career NBA games under his belt, Norris will hope to land a contract elsewhere before training camp this fall.

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.