August 9, 2025
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.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Miami Heat
August 7, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBC Sports Boston
August 7, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
August 7, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
August 7, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: Paul Garcia
August 7, 2025
Forward
Harrison Ingram has re-signed with the San Antonio Spurs on a two-way deal. The 22-year-old is gearing up for his second NBA season. Harrison also spent last season with the Spurs on a two-way contract after the team selected him in the second round of the 2024 draft. Ingram made only five NBA appearances, logging 35 total minutes. He had much more fun in the G League, averaging nearly a double-double during the regular season with 12.8.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. The Dallas-born forward is likely to spend most of the 2025-26 season in the G League again.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA.com
August 6, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: Eurohoops
August 6, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: Caitlin Cooper
August 6, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: Chris Fedor
August 6, 2025
Forward
Riley Minix will return to the San Antonio Spurs for the upcoming campaign on a two-way contract. After going undrafted, Minix also earned a two-way deal from the Spurs a year ago. He made his NBA debut in November, going scoreless in seven minutes against the Houston Rockets. Minix showed class in the G League Tip-Off Tournament, putting up 20.5 points per game and grabbing 7.0 rebounds. However, the Vero Beach, Florida native made only three regular-season appearances in the G League before his rookie campaign was cut short by a shoulder injury. He's fully healthy ahead of the new season, having featured in five Summer League games with the Spurs.
--Taavi PailkSource: Shams Charania
August 6, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
August 6, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
August 5, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: EuroLeague
August 5, 2025
Point guard
Jeff Dowtin Jr. has signed a three-year deal with six-time EuroLeague champions Maccabi Tel Aviv. The 28-year-old has decided to take his talents overseas after bouncing around five teams during his four-year NBA career. Last season, Dowtin Jr. made 41 appearances with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 7.0 points and 1.9 assists in 15.1 minutes. Maccabi has also just announced the signing of Dowtin Jr.'s teammate from Philadelphia,
Lonnie Walker IV. Earlier in the offseason, the Israeli club brought in
Oshae Brissett from the NBA.
--Taavi PailkSource: Maccabi Tel Aviv
August 5, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: Maccabi Tel Aviv
RADIO
