The NBA is Back in the Emerald City: A SuperSonics Expansion Association (NBA 2K23)

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2025 NBA Expansion Draft

Ousmane Dieng was the Sonics' first pick in the 2025 NBA expansion draft. The former first-round pick will finally have the chance to earn starter minutes after playing a limited role with OKC the past three seasons.

The Seattle SuperSonics and Las Vegas Lights took center stage in the NBA universe tonight with the first expansion draft the Association has held since 2004 when the Charlotte Bobcats joined the league.

The NBA Draft and free agency is just around the corner, but the Sonics and Lights took their first steps toward building their roster by selecting unprotected players from the other 30 teams. A clear strategy emerged from the two drafts – the Lights opted to take older and more experienced players to try to contend right away, while the Sonics chose younger prospects who they hope will develop into premier players down the line.

A coin toss determined that the Sonics would have the first selection, and with their No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Expansion Draft, Seattle selected Ousmane Dieng (F, 79) from Oklahoma City. Dieng, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 draft, had a reduced role with a stacked Thunder roster the past three seasons. He averaged 6.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 15.0 minutes per game last season. Dieng, now 22, has shown his talent in limited opportunities, however, as extrapolated over 36 minutes Dieng is averaging 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.2 steals in his career.

The Lights had the next two picks and opted to select De’Andre Hunter (F, 80) from the Chicago Bulls and Jusuf Nurkic (C, 80) from the Portland Trail Blazers. Hunter, who was dealt by the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline in 2024 to the Bulls in the DeMar Derozan (G, 78) deal, has been a steady role player in his NBA career but has never been asked to be a top-three option on a team. He averaged 11.0 points and 3.4 rebounds on 49% shooting and 41% shooting from three last season. Nurkic has been a decent but unspectacular NBA center in his career with Portland and will play with a new team for the first time since he was dealt from the Denver Nuggets in 2016-2017. He averaged 11.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game a season ago.

With their next two selections, the Sonics picked Jakob Poeltl (C, 79) and a surprise choice to some, Jalen Hood-Schifino (G, 78). Seattle picked the steady Poeltl from Toronto given the draft’s lack of depth with center options, then opted for potential with Hood-Schifino, the No. 18 pick in the 2023 draft. Jalen played a whopping one minute for the San Antonio Spurs in his rookie season, but started to see a little more time last year, averaging 5.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 13.5 minutes per game. The combo guard showed potential in his time on the court, averaging 15.4 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.6 steals per 36 minutes.

The rest of the draft was productive for the Sonics and Lights, with Las Vegas bringing in solid role players in Jarred Vanderbilt (F, 80), Talen Horton-Tucker (F, 78), John Konchar (G, 78), Terry Taylor (F, 77), and John Wall (G, 75). Wall in particular was an interesting choice in that the 35-year-old guard has said this will be his final season. He’s still proven to be a steady playmaker as he averaged 12.3 points and 5.3 assists in his return to the Washington Wizards last year.

Seattle picked up a couple of contributors on the wing in Malik Beasley (G, 79) and Luguentz Dort (F, 78) to pair with a number of young prospects in Kylan Boswell (G, 76), Arterio Morris (G, 75), and Bryce Hopkins (F, 71).

There is still a lot that can change with the projected starting fives for both teams with free agency and the NBA Draft still to come, but with the expansion draft concluding, here is an early look at the starting lineup for Seattle and Las Vegas.

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Siakam, Anthony-Towns, Dealt in 3-Team Blockbuster

Thunder, T-Wolves, Nets combine for offseason shocker

Pascal Siakam (F, 88) and Karl Anthony-Towns (C, 86) were dealt this week ahead of the NBA Draft in a three-team trade that will have profound effects on the Eastern and Western Conference hierarchy.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, a team on the rise after winning 48 games and making their first postseason since 2020, made an aggressive move to improve their frontcourt with the addition of Siakam. Siakam, who the Brooklyn Nets signed to a four-year deal last offseason in free agency, has been an NBA All-Star the past three seasons and he averaged 18.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists last year.

The Thunder will plug Siakam into the power forward role to pair alongside Chet Holmgren (C, 87) in the frontcourt while the starting backcourt is projected to consist of Shai-Gilgeous Alexander (G, 92), Josh Giddey (G, 92), and 2024 first-overall pick Isaiah Collier (G, 81). The move immediately catapults a Thunder team that has been stockpiling its roster with high-level assets into title contention.

Meanwhile, the Nets are set to acquire Anthony-Towns from a Timberwolves team that is hitting the reset button. Anthony-Towns has made the last two All-Star games and averaged 19.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists a season ago. Much to his reported delight, he’ll return to his natural center position after playing the power forward spot alongside Rudy Gobert (C, 81) in the frontcourt for the past three years. Additionally, the Nets got back third-year guard Colby Jones (G, 77) from the Thunder. Jones, the No. 34 overall pick in the 2023 draft, is a combo guard who flashed for Oklahoma City in limited capacity last year, averaging 22 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per 36 minutes.

Minnesota was well over the luxury tax this year and would have been again in 2025-2026, and it simply wasn’t worth it for ownership considering the T-Wolves were the No. 10 seed and bounced in the first round of the play-in. The Anthony Edwards-Gobert-Anthony-Towns trio has never finished above .500 in the three years since Minnesota acquired Gobert in their swing-for-the-fences move in the summer of 2022 that never paid off.

The Timberwolves acquired a plethora of assets for Anthony-Towns, including the No. 7 and No. 18 picks in this year’s draft, as well as first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. Both of those first-round picks could be highly valuable as the 2026 pick originally belonged to the Miami Heat, who missed the playoffs the past two years and are expected to hit the reset button this offseason, and the 2027 pick is the Suns', who could be rebuilding by then with Kevin Durant (F, 94) nearing retirement age.

Minnesota received two players in the deal in Alexander Sarr (C, 73), a French center who will be overseas for one more year, and Mookie Cook (F, 75), Oklahoma City’s first-round pick (No. 8 overall) in last year’s draft who was buried on the depth chart and didn't see any court time. Minnesota also acquired 2026 and 2027 second-round picks in the deal.

Full Trade Details:

Thunder Get:

Pascal Siakam – From BKLN
David Duke Jr. (F, 76) – From BKLN
2030 Second-Round Pick – From BKLN

Nets Get:

Karl Anthony-Towns – From MIN
Colby Jones – From OKC
2025 Second-Round Pick (No. 50) – From OKC

T-Wolves Get:

C Alexander Sarr – From OKC
SF Mookie Cook – From OKC
2 2025 First-Round Picks (No. 7 + No. 18) – From OKC
2026 First-Round Pick (Heat) – From OKC
2026 Second-Round Pick (Mavs) – From OKC
2027 First-Round Pick (Suns) – From BKLN
2027 Second-Round Pick (Pacers) – From OKC

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‘Transcendent Talent’ Taylor Goes No. 1 to Utah in 2025 Draft

The Utah Jazz picked North Carolina’s A.J. Taylor with the No. 1 overall pick in tonight’s NBA Draft. It was the expected selection as the 6-foot-5 combo guard was the clear cut top prospect in the draft. Thanks to the Knicks, who dealt this pick in 2024 for a one-year rental in Jordan Clarkson (G, 74), Utah continues to upgrade its roster with elite young talent.

Taylor joins a Utah team that already has a backcourt already featuring Anthony Black (G, 82) and Nick Smith Jr. (G, 85), so Taylor could start his career as an impact sixth-man depending on how preseason practice goes. Taylor averaged 21.3 points and almost 2 steals per game during his dominant one-and-done campaign.

A.J. Taylor Scouting Report: A.J. Taylor is someone that scouts think can be a transcendent player in the NBA. Most scouts believe he’ll be the next elite guard that can be the face of the NBA in the future. Taylor has all of the tools to become an all-around elite point guard. During his freshman year he stepped in and became the team's go-to scorer. He’s great at attacking the basket and finishing at the rim. He has a nice mid-range jump-shot and he’s decent from beyond the Arc. Assist numbers could be misleading due to the make-up of his college team. Taylor might play too fast at times which causes him to force bad shots and some ill-advised turnovers. Clear cut, can’t miss top prospect in this draft.

Player Archetype: Slasher
Shades of: Young D. Rose / Ja Morant



At No. 2, the Chicago Bulls selected Lamonte Wilson, who DraftExpress expert John Baden called potentially “the most skilled player in this draft.” The Bulls cashed in on their lottery luck, jumping up from No. 13 where they had a good chance at handing their pick over to the Golden State Warriors to picking a 6-foot-8 wing with all the athleticism you could want.

Wilson averaged 19.6 points but was a weak rebounder (2.2 rebounds) for a Kentucky team that played in the national title game. Wilson is expected to immediately be inserted into the starting lineup and pair with Zach Levine(G, 85) on the wing.

Lamonte Wilson Scouting Report: Lamonte Wilson could be the most skilled player in this draft. The issue is that Wilson tends to rely solely on his raw talent and supreme athleticism. Wilson was a ball dominant scorer while at Kentucky, and some scouts are concerned about how efficient he’ll be in the NBA and if his style of play ever becomes conducive to winning games. Wilson has the talent to become a long-term building block for a team looking for a dominant scoring guard, but drafting him this high also comes with some risk, and will require some patience for him to develop. He has the physical tools needed to become a really good defender—he just needs to stay locked-in on the defensive end of the floor.

Player Archetype: Slasher
Shades of: Andrew Wiggins / Eric Gordon



With the No. 3 pick, the Washington Wizards had a choice between forward Armel Zipser and guard Isiah Drexler. Some mocks projected Washington to pick Drexler, a premier bucket-getter out of Houston, but instead of trying to fit him with Bradley Beal(G, 86) still on the roster the Wizards opted for Zipser of the G-League Ignite.

Zipser is a 6-foot-9 hybrid forward with immense upside, and given Washingon’s lack of star power in ther frontcourt, they were enticed by his playmaking, rebounding, and shooting from inside 20 feet.

Armel Zipser Scouting Report: Armel Zipser isn’t considered the safest bet in this draft, but he has a ton of upside — the question is will he ever reach that ceiling. Zipser is a knock-down shooter from mid-range and can finish inside with an array of post moves. While Zipser isn’t an elite athlete he’s still more than capable of finishing lobs when he has space. Zipser is also a good playmaker, and is great at finding open shooters and cutters while posted up. He is also an excellent rebounder who boxes out and tracks balls out of his area. He’s an effective interior defender who has the strength and size to neutralize post players and protect the rim. Scouts worry about his lackadaisical approach to practice and training—the talent is there, but he needs to develop a better work ethic.

Player Archetype: Stretch Four
Shades of: Chris Webber / John Collins



At No. 4, the Brooklyn Nets waited to see who would be selected between Zipser and Drexler and with Zipser off the board, they happily selected the 6-foot-6 freshman wing out of Houston. The Nets cashed in on the Phoenix Suns’ poor record thanks to the Kevin Durant (F, 94) trade from the 2022-2023 season.

Drexler is easily the best shooting guard prospect in the draft after averaging 23.5 points per game for the Cougars a season ago. He also flashes elite defensive play after tallying almost 2 steals per game, but needs to get more consistent there. Drexler will join a Nets team that just added Karl Anthony-Towns (C, 86), is expected to re-sign Ben Simmons (F, 85), and has a rising sharpshooter on the wing in Gradey Dick (G, 79).

Isiah Drexler Scouting Report: Drexler is one of the most talented scorers in this year's draft and has the defensive upside to make him a perennial all-star. Drexler is a creative bucket-getter who uses subtle pump fakes, hesitations, and shimmies to throw defenders off balance. Can score from mid-rage; finish at the rim through contact and shot over 40% from beyond the Arc in his lone year in college. Great defensive upside due to his tough mindset and impressive measurables. Puts in the effort on the defensive end of the court, but he’s not always reliable due to his inexperience. Willing passer, but needs to get better as a pick-and-roll operator to allow his offensive game to blossom in the NBA.

Player Archetype: Two-Way Guard
Shades of: Offensive minded Jimmy Butler



To round out the top five, the Seattle SuperSonics made their first pick in franchise history (for this era of Sonics, anyway) and quickly submitted their draft card for Kentucky point guard Johnnie Jones. Jones is a throwback type of lead guard who is an elite playmaker who can score when called upon. He and Lamonte Wilson co-led the Wildcats as freshmen and though he played the Robin to Wilson’s Batman, Jones played his best basketball of the season when it mattered the most during the NCAA Tournament. Jones averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals for Kentucky in his one and only season in college.

The 6-foot-4 Jones will immediately slot in as the Sonics’ starting point guard and is expected to be the face of the franchise in the immediate and long-term future.

Johnnie Jones Scouting Report: Johnnie Jones started to live up to his potential in the 2nd half of the season while leading the Wildcats to the National Championship Game. He broke out during the NCAA Tourney and yielded a 7-to-1 Assist/Turnover ratio while shooting 39% from 3pt range. Jones is a high feel player who has above average athleticism, and creates based on his handle and vision. Ideal pick-n-roll playmaker who can pull-up or hit the roller or wing. He’s a disciplined defender and his IQ translates to that side of the court. While he’s neither a stopper nor a flashy offensive player, he oozes control, pace and awareness always. He’s a quality spot-up shooter who is improving his shot off the dribble.

Player Archetype: Playmaker
Shades of: Kyle Lowry / Peak Goran Dragic



The Las Vegas Lights followed at No. 6 and shook up the lottery with the surprise pick of wing Cordell Lockett. Lockett out of the G-League Ignite was projected by many outlets to be picked in the late lottery, but the Lights selected the 18-year-old with the hope that he’ll build on the solid foundation he’s showcased as a young player. It will be interesting to track Lockett’s career given the other players on the board that some feel have higher upside like Marlon Parks and Layton McKey.

Cordell Lockett Scouting Report: Cordell Lockett is a high-effort defender and complementary offensive player. Lockett is a decisive scorer; he grabs the ball and goes when attacking closeouts or sprinting in transition. He’s an improving 3-point shooter who has good touch on floaters, which helps dampen any concerns about his funky shooting form. Plays with effort and passion, he’ll dive for loose balls, close out hard on the perimeter, and take a charge. Energy player with good fundamentals. Lacks good ball-handling which limits his ability to create scoring opportunities for himself. Robotic passer who doesn’t make advanced reads.

Player Archetype: Interior Finisher
Shades of: Keldon Johnson / Garrett Temple

With their first pick from the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected big man Braylen Robinson with the No. 7 overall selection. Robinson, a 6-foot-9 post player out of Indiana, should be a plus defender from day one. His elite athleticism and ability to guard wings should also allow him to play alongside a bigger, lumbering big like Rudy Gobert (C, 81).

Braylen Robinson Scouting Report: Braylen Robinson is an otherworldly athlete with a muscular frame who can defend across positions, but needs to find a role on offense. Exceptional leaper who often looks like he’s floating when he goes up for dunks, blocks, and rebounds. Extraordinary defender at the college level whose strength, agility, and mindset should translate well to the NBA as someone who can contain wings, and also play small-ball center. Improved as a shooter in college, but he still only shot 32 percent from 3 and he only shot 69 percent from the line—his touch is average. Lacks passing vision. Doesn’t process actions quickly on offense.

Player Archetype: Hybrid Defender
Shades of: Kenneth Faried / Aaron Gordon



The Orlando Magic, the No. 1 seed in the East last year, had two lottery picks this year and while many speculated they would trade one or both of the picks to move up for acquire a veteran, they liked the way the board fell for them. Their No. 8 overall pick, which they acquired in a trade with the Celtics a couple of years ago for Cole Anthony(G, 78), was used to select Marlon Parks. Parks should fit in well with the rest of the Magic’s roster as an elite shot maker with range that stretches well beyond the arc.

Marlon Parks Scouting Report: Marlon Parks displays the potential to be a dynamic shot maker and a well-rounded two-way player. Parks has a quick shooting release with in-the-gym range. Parks is not just a spot up shooter, he’s very dangerous off the dribble and coming off screens. Has potential as a crafty interior finisher, who has a soft touch on his floater. Runs hard in transition to the wings and corner 3’s. Hustles on defense and crashes the boards, but lacks ideal lateral quickness to effectively guard quicker players. Has the length and effort to be a good defender, but needs to develop more attention to detail.

Player Archetype: 3-Level Scorer
Shades of: Thrift Shop Ray Allen / C.J. Miles



At No. 9 overall, the Portland Trail Blazers picked center Layton McKey out of Duke. McKey is a boom-or-bust type of pick for a Trail Blazers team that could be ready to turn the page on the Damian Lillard (G, 85) era this offseason. McKey put up big numbers for the Blue Devils last season, averaging 16.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game.

Layton McKey Scouting Report: Layton McKey is a thin-framed center who projects as a switchable defender and versatile offensive player—if he develops his jumper. McKey is a good ball-handler who can grab-and-go in transition, or score with finesse on cuts and rolls. He’s an effective passer who easily thrives as a scorer or playmaker on the short roll. Impressive defensive potential once his fundamentals improve: he’s mobile moving laterally and plays hard, plus has the length and reaction time to contain guards and wings. Good shot blocker. His thin frame allows beefier players to plow through him on the post and perimeter drives; he needs to get significantly stronger to effectively defend bigs. Has NBA range, but wasn’t an efficient shooter.

Player Archetype: Pass First Big
Shades of: Athletic Al Horford / Nic Claxton



The San Antonio Spurs, fresh off a disappointing absence from the playoffs despite Victor Wembanyama’s (C, 92) best efforts, looked to improve their backcourt with the pick of point guard Nico Toolson at No. 10. Toolson, out of Arizona. The only thing holding Toolson back from being drafted higher is his size – he’s a light 169 pounds at 6-foot-1. However, he flashed some elite playmaking with the Wildcats (5.8 assists per game) to go along with real scoring ability (15.1 points per game).

Nico Toolson Scouting Report: Nico Toolson is a speedy point guard who can excel in the pick-n-roll game, but his small stature may limit his upside. Toolson is a turbo-charged player that hits top speed in a flash. His tight handle should allow him to generate some scoring opportunities in Iso’s. He has a quick release on his shot and is capable of scoring off the dribble. Can stop and pop to pull up from anywhere. Good passer with nice accuracy, does a good job pushing the ball ahead on break or finding open man in the pick-n-roll. Struggles converting at the rim, he can get there at will but is usually forced into tough shots.

Player Archetype: Tempo Pushing Point
Shades of: Kenny Smith / D.J. Augustin



The Miami Heat appear to be on the precipice of a rebuild, and with the No. 11 overall pick they selected wing Luke Paxson out of Georgia. Paxson is a much better athlete than he looks and flashes high-level scoring ability (12.8 points per game), but will need to become more consistent and improve his handle off the bounce.

Luke Paxson Scouting Report: Luke Paxson is a superb athlete who has been an extremely streaky shooter during his one year at Georgia. Paxson will need to improve his ball handling skills to take advantage of his natural skill. Still a raw scorer, but he has major hot streaks where he drains 3s displaying the smoothness of elite shooters. Solid defender with great lateral quickness. Tends to force contested shots instead of passing. He has a lean frame and struggles with bigger stronger players. Tends to lose focus occasionally on defense when playing off-ball.

Player Archetype: Athletic Finisher
Shades of: Terrence Ross / Terrance Ferguson



The Utah Jazz owned another lottery pick at No. 12 thanks to the Rudy Gobert trade with the Timberwolves, and they used it to select one of the most polarizing players in the draft in Pravi Krstic. Krstic is tall and has bulk, but is weak and his fluidity on the perimeter has scouts projecting he would be more effective playing the “3” or the “4” rather than the “5”. The Jazz plan to invest long term in Walker Kessler (C, 79) and have Nikola Vucevic (C, 83) for one more season, so it will be interesting to watch the Jazz’s development plan for the Serbian product.

Pravi Kstic Scouting Report: Pravi Krstic is a complicated prospect: He’s a modern tweener who has the height to play center, but will need to add some strength. Might be better suited playing as a wing until he’s strong enough to handle NBA bigs. Needs to become a better rebounder. Krsitc is a threat from outside, and has a quick first step for someone his size which allows him to blow by defenders when they close out on him. Savvy player for his age, makes the right plays on offense. Capable of winning off the dribble and finishing at the rim. The biggest questions surrounding Krstic is where will he play at while on the court, and can he become a NBA center or will he end up as a wing player.

Player Archetype: Face Up Five
Shades of: Andrei Bargnani / Andrei Kirilenko



With their second lottery pick, the Magic picked Croatian guard Jorgovan Zizic at No. 13. Zizic, along with Parks, will add a shooting punch Orlando is happy to add alongside the athleticism and playmaking they already have on the roster with Paolo Banchero (90), Franz Wagner (88), Saddiq Bey (86), and Ausar Thompson (85). Zizic was an elite role player for F.C. Barcelona last year and his shooting will immediately translate to the NBA despite his lack of athleticism.

Jorgovan Zizic Scouting Report: Jorgovan Zizic is a knockdown shooter who is a team player and should fit in nicely on any NBA team. Zizic is a great shooter off the catch with a quick release and deep range. He can also hit shots off screens and handoffs. Shooting threat off the bounce using one or two dribbles to create room for his jump shot. Active on-ball defender with great fundamentals and length who defends with his feet and not his arms, sliding laterally to mirror opponents and rarely committing careless fouls. Below-the-rim athlete who struggles to finish around the hoop. He displays touch on crafty right-handed layups but avoids contact and lacks a reliable left-hand.

Player Archetype: Shooter
Shades of: Anfernee Simons / Poor Man's Klay Thompson



To round out the lottery, the Chicago Bulls picked Latrell McCoy out of Texas. McCoy is short for a pure center prospect, but he’s a physical presence and could be an elite small-ball “5” with four shooters around him. Chicago doesn’t have any true centers on the roster ahead of free agency, so McCoy could see playing time right away and his defense should translate immediately as he averaged 2.2 blocks per game last year at Texas.

Latrell McCoy Scouting Report: Latrell McCoy is an explosive shot blocker and leaper who can fill a role right away. Elite upside as shot blocker. Not afraid to get physical—long wingspan and nimble feet make him a sentry defending the paint. Does a good job of blocking shots from behind when trailing the ball-handler. Excellent interior finisher—throw him the ball anywhere and he’ll catch it. In lineups with 4-shooters, he has the leaping ability to pressure the rim with his rolls. Good rebounder on both ends of the floor. His off-ball defense was an issue this year—needs to improve his awareness—gets caught watching to often. Not a good passer. Struggles as a shooter outside of the paint…doesn’t have a back-to-the basket game yet.

Player Archetype: Rim Protector
Shades of: DeAndre Jordan / Robert Williams

Here’s how the rest of Round 1 and Round 2 played out. For full scouting reports on all of these players, go here.

2025 NBA Draft - Rest of Round 1 Recap
Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt
15	Hornets	Gavran Saric	C
16	Rockets (via BKLN)	Braxton Knox	SF
17	Pelicans	Omari Tinsley	PG
18	Timberwolves (via OKC via PHI)	Treyvon Okoye	SF
19	Mavericks	Miran Ukic	SF
20	Warriors	Jaheim Law	PG
21	Raptors	Carl Kempton	SG
22	Thunder (via UTA)	Tyshawn Ward	PF
23	Pacers	Bryce Marble	SF
24	Spurs (via ATL)	Edward Poole	C
25	Raptors (via LAL)	Clayton Parham	SG
26	Pistons	Shannon Hobbs	C
27	Clippers (via OKC)	Jamie Hughes	PF
28	Grizzlies	Collin Haynes	SF
29	Magic	Ontrel Ali	SG
30	Jazz (via CLE)	Jackie Strawberry	PG
31	Pelicans	Swin Carr	C
32	Nets (via HOU)	Evan Hollins	PG

2025 NBA Draft - Round 2 Recap
Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt
33	Clippers	Aubrey Forth	PF
34	Knicks	Garret Falls	C
35	Pistons	Jared Mitchell	PG
36	Thunder	Bobby Upshaw	PG
37	SuperSonics	Louie Reyes	PF
38	Lights	Shayne Jacobs	PG
39	Suns	Jovan Bjelica	PF
40	Nuggets	Kyler Delk	SG
41	Rockets	Clarence Smith	SF
42	Jazz	Tommy Gavel	C
43	Spurs	Jace Hammonds	SF
44	Kings	Michael Cardinal	C
45	Kings	Rolando Jeter	SF
46	Spurts	Howard Embry	PF
47	Hornets	Matthew Quinn	PF
48	Knicks	Sebastian Webb	PF
49	Cavs	Peja Olic	SF
50	Nets	Kia Goodwin	SG
51	Wizards	Riley Myers	PG
52	Nets	Craig Perdue	SF
53	Jazz	Colin Cross	C
54	Raptors	Greg Elliott	SG
55	Jazz	Casey Pittman	PF
56	Hawks	Kevin Kelly	SG
57	Clippers	Marcel Brooks	PG
58	Pistons	Gavin Ruffin	PG
59	Hawks	Coty Gilmore	SG
60	Magic	Derrick Rider	PF
61	Rockets	Dane Sheehey	SG
62	Cavs	Byron Reeves	SF

[HarkTheSound]

2025 NBA Free Agency Headlines

Bam Adebayo suits up in Warriors gear for the first time during the team's September training camp after he was part of a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat over the summer.

Several marquee players were slated to hit restricted and unrestricted free agency this summer, but by and large, most of them returned to their teams on lucrative contract extensions. There are moves expected to be made before the start of the season, especially in the wake of the Thunder-Nets-Timberwolves stunner ahead of the draft, but here are the top headlines from free agency.

Antetokounmpo, Mitchell re-up with Cleveland

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF, 97) and Donovan Mitchell (SG, 91) are staying in the Midwest after all. Last offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks saw the writing on the wall with Giannis entering his player option season and didn’t feel he would re-sign with the team, so they traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a blockbuster deal that saw Darius Garland (PG, 92) and Evan Mobley (C, 91) shipped to Milwaukee in exchange for Antetokounmpo.

The move was made in the wake of Cleveland blowing a 3-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs to the Toronto Raptors, The Cavaliers wanted a fresh start and a superstar to pair with Mitchell and 2023 No. 2 overall pick Scoot Henderson (PG, 88), so they targeted Giannis even without a guarantee that he would re-sign with the team after one season.

Cleveland bounced back from the Toronto debacle to tie for the most wins in the East this season and the No. 2 seed, and while they were bounced in the second round of the playoffs to the Detroit Pistons, Giannis saw enough potential with the organization to return on a five-year, $297.12 million deal with a player option for his fifth year. Mitchell soon followed suit with his own deal of five years at $239.5 million as Cleveland’s core of Henderson, Mitchell, and Giannis will look to build on a positive, but unfulfilling, first campaign.

Tatum Back with the Celtics, Markkanen Inks four-year deal

It’s been quite the run for Jayson Tatum (SF, 96) as a member of the Boston Celtics. Tatum has already etched his name into Boston lore after helping the team play in three straight NBA Finals with a title in 2024. He led the league in scoring in 2023 and 2024, and was First-Team All-NBA from 2022-2024 and Second-Team All-NBA this year. However, Tatum and the Celtics are coming off a massive disappointment of a season, only winning 35 games in the wake of Jaylen Brown’s (SG, 91) departure to Philadelpha last offseason.

Despite the setback, Celtics brass and the 27-year-old Tatum had lengthy discussions this offseason about how to get the team back on track and Tatum left the talks confident enough to re-sign with the team on a five-year, $276.6 million deal with a player option in the fifth year. Despite some overtures from the Los Angeles Clippers, Tatum is back in the fold with Boston.

After the Tatum re-signing, Boston targeted Utah’s Lauri Markkanen (PF, 85) and inked him to a four-year, $92.40 million deal. Some feel the move was a bit of an overspend on Boston’s part, but the Celtics believe in the Arizona product’s shooting ability after he flirted with a 50-40-90 shooting split this year (49.1-44.2-89.7) and think he has another level to reach despite modest averages of 12.8 points and 5.8 rebounds a season ago.

Boston is rumored to be working the phones for trades, and Marcus Smart (PG, 82) and Robert Williams (C, 86) are two names that have come up that the Celtics are interested in moving. They completed a smaller trade this free agency period, conducting a sign-and-trade with the 76ers that saw Boston move talented but immature guard Tre Mann (PG, 80) Philadelphia for the equally mercurial Malik Monk (SG, 79). What other moves do the Celtics have in store this offseason to ease Tatum’s concerns about life for the team post-Jaylen Brown?

Miami-Golden State Swap Highlights Sign-and-Trade Deals

There were a couple of trades of the sign-and-swap nature, with none being bigger than the deal that sent Miami’s Bam Adebayo (C, 87) to the Golden State Warriors in a package for Jonathan Kuminga (PF, 82), James Wiseman (C, 80), and four draft picks.

The Warriors are coming off three mediocre years by their standards (first-round playoff exit in 2023, missed playoffs in 2024, and a second-round exit last year), so Golden State management felt the time was now to make a big move to make a final run at multiple championships with Stephen Curry (PG, 92) and Jordan Poole (SG, 84) as the team’s core.

Time will tell if the Warriors would be better off selling their assets considering the team’s lack of recent success and luxury tax hits, but Golden State will now pair Adebayo with Curry and Poole to form a formidable trio. Adebayo averaged 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks last year and is the ideal fit in Golden State’s system.

Kuminga had his best season as a pro last year at age 22, averaging 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1 steal and 1.2 blocks per game, and appears to be on an upward career trajectory, but his contract expired and he sought a massive extension Golden State simple didn’t want to pay given the investments they still have in Curry, Poole, and Andrew Wiggins (SF, 84). So, they signed and shipped Kuminga off, who gets his five-year, $170.3 million extension and will be one of the top options for a Heat team that is hitting the reset button and is shopping Jimmy Butler (SF, 88) this offseason.

The move creates some flexibility for Golden State. The Warriors won’t have the massive (and risky) Kuminga deal on their books, while Curry and Adebayo are heading into the final year of their respective deals. Poole and Wiggins have two years left (Wiggins has a player option that he will likely exercise), and Golden State has been shopping Wiggins for a similarly talented wing on an expiring deal. Meanwhile, Miami inks their forward of the future in Kuminga to pair with Tyler Herro (SG, 82), and they get something back for Adebayo who, by all indications, was ready to leave the team for free agency next offseason.

Wiseman joins Kuminga in the trade and he has one year left on his deal at a manageable $7 million. Wiseman has proven to be a decent, but unspectacular, NBA center, averaging 12.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last year, and will try to prove he’s worth an extension as Miami’s starting center next year.

Knicks Ship Brunson to Washington for Williams, Bazley

The Jalen Brunson (PG, 84) experiment didn’t play out remotely as New York fans or front office members hoped, as the Villanova product never developed into a franchise-caliber starting lead guard during his three years with the Knicks. He averaged 12.1 points and 6.2 assists last year in New York.

Brunson opted out of the fourth year of his deal, so New York completed a sign-and-trade with Washington and got back Grant Williams (PF, 80) and Darius Bazley (PF, 79). The Wizards wanted to clear out some of their frontcourt space to make room for incoming No. 3 pick Armel Zipser (PF, 74), so Zipser now has an opening starting at the “4” to pair with Myles Turner at the “5”.

Brunson will take over the starting point guard spot and pair with Bradley Beal (SG, 86) in the backcourt, and this moves Killian Hayes (PG, 80) to the sixth man role where he should be. Hayes was the Most Improved Player of the Year last year averaging 11.2 points and 7.7 assists per game, but is not a starting caliber point guard but should make for an effective pairing with Brunson in the lead guard role.

Williams was an integral role player for Boston in helping them reach three straight NBA Finals before departing last offseason in free agency, and he brings solid intangibles to a Knicks team that needs it. Bazley also came over in the deal and averaged a respectable 9.4 points and 5 rebounds per game in a reserve role.

Restricted Free Agents Back in the Fold on Big Deals

Several high-level players, the future faces of the NBA , re-upped with their teams on big deals while a couple of others still have something to prove if they wanted to cash in.

Tyrese Haliburton (PG, 93) and Jalen Green (SG, 92), the stars of their NBA Finals teams, cashed in. Haliburton is a three-time All-Star and averaged 16.9 points, 10.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game last year and signed a four-year, $152.75 extension.

Meanwhile, Green doesn’t have any All-Star game appearances under his belt but he carried the Houston Rockets to an NBA Finals appearance in 2024 before helping Houston finish this job last year. The 23-year-old already has a championship under his belt and now a four-year, $148 million contract extension to show for it. He averaged 22.2 points and 4.5 assists on 54-46-82 splits last year.

Other big-name restricted free agents to stay with their teams included Detroit’s Cade Cunningham (PG, 93), Oklahoma City’s Josh Giddey (SF, 92), Milwaukee’s Evan Mobley, Toronto’s Scottie Barnes (PF, 86), and Sacramento’s Davion Mitchell (PG, 85). Cunningham in particular seems to be on the verge of a star turn after making Third-Team All-NBA last year and his first All-Star game after averaging 25.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.7 steals on 53-44-87 splits.

Notable Free Agency Signings

[studbucket]

Those are some huge moves and deals. That Cleveland-Milwaukee trade looks like it could be a win-win as it allows Milwaukee to get some good talent to build around while giving Cleveland the chance to really take the next step.

I really like the Bam trade for Golden State, though I am not sure if it's enough for them to be a true contender. He seems like the type of player who would fit in very well with Steph and Kerr's offense.

FYI that the image below "Notable Free Agency Signings" is broken for me.

[HarkTheSound]

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

Those are some huge moves and deals. That Cleveland-Milwaukee trade looks like it could be a win-win as it allows Milwaukee to get some good talent to build around while giving Cleveland the chance to really take the next step. I really like the Bam trade for Golden State, though I am not sure if it's enough for them to be a true contender. He seems like the type of player who would fit in very well with Steph and Kerr's offense. FYI that the image below "Notable Free Agency Signings" is broken for me.

Milwaukee had a couple of flameouts in the postseason and their roster was starting to trend downward so I thought it was a good shakeup, especially since Giannis already has his ring with the team.

Cleveland had to take Scoot in the draft after they got lucky and earned the No. 2 pick, but it also created a three-guard backcourt with Garland and Mitchell that was very small, so I knew Garland and Scoot needed to be broken up. After they blew the 3-0 lead I knew the Cavs needed to make a big move, and not a lot of teams could send anything remotely valuable enough for Giannis, but I think I found as fair a trade as I could.

The image is working for me on my desktop and mobile internet browsers -- are you using an app to view this thread? I'll try reuploading the image just in case.

[studbucket]

Image is viewable for me now. I was on desktop, not sure what the issue was (I got the broken image icon that happens when the image URL doesn't exist).

[HarkTheSound]

Trade Season Concludes; Big Names on the Move

Jimmy Butler attacks Dillon Brooks in the Portland Trail Blazers' first preseason scrimmage after Butler was traded by the Miami Heat for a package including Damian Lillard this summer.

NBA preseason action is on the horizon, but off-the-court movement involving some of the league’s marquee names have kept the Association in the spotlight. Let’s break down the trades from this offseason as teams are finalizing their rosters with October quickly approaching.

Nets Involved in Second Multi-Team Trade

The Nets were at the center of another multi-team trade this offseason, but this time it was a four-team swap with the Golden State Warriors, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Denver Nuggets. All four teams have been jockeying to improve their rosters this offseason to try to become more legitimate contenders, and it culminated in the biggest trade of the summer.

The team that shook up their roster the most was the Denver Nuggets – Denver missed the playoffs last year after failing to advance out of the first round the previous two seasons. Denver shipped out Michael Porter Jr. (SF, 83) to the Brooklyn Nets and forward Aaron Gordon (PF, 83) to the Atlanta Hawks, as well as a plethora of picks to Brooklyn and Atlanta, and got back John Collins (PF, 84), Andrew Wiggins (SF, 84), and Spencer Dinwiddie (SG, 80). Denver will pair Dinwiddie (14.3 ppg, 5.2 apg) in the backcourt with Jamal Murray (PG, 82) while Wiggins (12.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and Collins (15.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg) will slot next to Nikola Jokic (C, 93) in the frontcourt.

The Nets shipped out Mikal Bridges (SF, 84) and Dinwiddie to get back Porter Jr. and three draft picks, including Denver’s 2030 first-round pick. Bridges never materialized into anything more than a role player on the wing for Brooklyn in the three seasons he played for the team after the Kevin Durant (SF, 95) trade in 2022. Dinwiddie was a steady starter for the team for several years but the Nets wanted to make room at the “2” guard for a trio of talented young guards in Gradey Dick (SG, 80), Colby Jones (SG, 77), and No. 4 overall pick Isiah Drexler (SG, 76).

Brooklyn will plug Porter Jr. (13.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg) in a starting lineup that has been completely rehauled from last year, as he’ll pair with Ben Simmons (PF, 85) and Karl-Anthony Towns (C, 86) in the frontcourt. Brooklyn’s starting lineup is projected to be huge – all of the frontcourt players are 6-foot-10 or taller with a 6-foot-8 Dick (couldn’t resist) and 6-foot-5 Shake Milton (PG, 78) as the starting backcourt.

The Warriors’ end of the deal was simple – ship out Wiggins for Bridges. Wiggins’ play for Golden State had slipped in recent seasons, and although he is still a versatile piece that can still defend the best wings in the league, his declining offense and contract offset that in Golden State’s mind. Wiggins will make $28.2 million this year with a player option of $30.2 million next season that he is fully expected to accept.

With a ballooning tax bill and extensions likely on the way for Stephen Curry (PG, 92) and Bam Adebayo (C, 87), who are entering the final year of their respective deals, the time was now to deal Wiggins for an expiring contract in Bridges. Bridges disappointed in his time with Brooklyn (10.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg last season), but is still an elite wing defender and shot 42% from 3 last year. He won’t be a go-to option, but he won’t have to be and should fit in well next to Curry, Jordan Poole (SG, 84), and Adebayo.

The Hawks have been frustratingly close to breaking through as a true Eastern Conference contender, but they’ve fallen short when it matters most in the past three seasons. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals as a No. 2 seed three seasons ago and took the Boston Celtics to seven games before losing in Game 7. The following year, Atlanta made it to the second round as No. 5 seed before losing to the Celtics again, this time in a humiliating sweep. Then, last season as the No. 4 seed, the Hawks were defeated in the first round by the Indiana Pacers on their home floor in Game 7.

Trae Young (PG, 92) won MVP last year and had the most assists per game for a player in a season since John Stockton in 1990, but he’s so ball-dominant that he was a big reason why Dejounte Murray (PG, 90) left for the Raptors last offseason. That Hawks team from three years ago, which won 52 games and was on the cusp of the NBA Finals, is no more and they could be in store for a rebuild. They traded Collins for Gordon in what many see as a lateral move, but Collins sought a change of scenery and Atlanta will get another athletic frontcourt teammate for Young to throw lobs to.


Full Trade Details:

Nets Get: Michael Porter Jr. (via DEN), 2030 First-Round Pick (via DEN), 2026 Second-Round Pick (via DEN), 2029 Second-Round Pick (via DEN)

Warriors Get: Mikal Bridges (via BKLN)

Nuggets Get: John Collins (via ATL), Andrew Wiggins (via GSW), Spencer Dinwiddie (via BKLN)

Hawks Get: Aaron Gordon (via DEN), 2026 Second-Round Pick (via DEN via ATL), 2030 Second-Round Pick (via DEN)

Butler, Lillard dealt in Heat-Blazers trade

Two franchise mainstays are on the move after the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers finalized a move to swap Jimmy Butler (SF, 88) and Damian Lillard (PG, 85).

For the Blazers, they're moving on from the Lillard era after 13 seasons as they hope to hand the keys of the backcourt to a dynamic trio of young guards: Anfernee Simons (PG, 87), Shaedon Sharpe (SG, 85), and Mikey Williams (PG, 78). The Blazers have mired in mediocrity in recent years and they’re hoping to jumpstart the roster with the infusion of Butler, who expressed his desire to move on from Miami this offseason.

Butler is entering the final year of his contract and will slot comfortably as the team’s starting small forward alongside Simons and Sharpe, and with Dillon Brooks already on the roster, Portland has a deep set of guards and wings. The potential is there for things to go south if this roster doesn’t gel, but the Blazers are betting on Butler’s leadership at age 36 to guide what is otherwise a younger team that has the upside of a playoff contender.

Meanwhile, for the Heat, the move is all about the future. Yes, they acquired a 35-year-old declining guard in Lillard who is set to make nearly $59 million this year with a player option of $63.3 million next year, but it’s a bullet they’re willing to bite because Portland is also shipping Miami two first-round picks in the deal as a sweetener.

Miami finished well outside of the playoff chase last year and they’re hitting a roster reset that could take a couple of seasons to come to fruition. For now, they’ll pair Lillard with Tyler Herro (SG, 82) in the backcourt alongside a frontcourt of Jonathan Kuminga (PF, 82) and James Wiseman (C, 80).


Full Trade Details:

Heat Trade: Jimmy Butler, 2026 Second-Round Pick, 2028 Second-Round Pick

Blazers Trade: Damian Lillard, 2026 First-Round Pick (Top 5 Protected), 2028 First-Round Pick (Top 5 Protected), 2027 Second-Round Pick, 2030 Second-Round Pick

Suns, Celtics Swap Disgruntled Centers

After being the focus of trade rumors for much of the offseason, the Boston Celtics dealt Marcus Smart (PG, 82) and Robert Williams (C, 86) to the Phoenix Suns in a deal for Deandre Ayton (C, 88). Both teams had disappointing 2024-2025 seasons as neither made the playoffs despite having some of the league’s best players on their respective rosters.

The Celtics took another step in their offseason roster makeover by trading for one of the most talented centers in the league in Ayton. Despite his talent, Ayton never put it all together for Phoenix and he was unhappy with his role as the Suns’ third option behind Devin Booker (SG, 92) and Kevin Durant for the past three seasons. The 27-year-old requested a trade this offseason after he took a lot of the blame for playing soft during Phoenix’s tumultuous 35-win season while averaging 14.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1 block per game.

Ayton gets a fresh start in Boston and he’s set to play in a contract season, so it will be intriguing to see if he can finally realize his full potential as one of the team’s top options alongside Jayson Tatum (SF, 96).

For the Suns, they finally pulled the trigger on a move to deal Ayton after years of speculation that he was on the trade block. In the three seasons since the Durant deal, the most wins Phoenix has had in a season is 44, so they finally made a move that they hope will help better balance the roster and give the team some defensive-minded assets alongside Booker and Durant. The duo has had a good working relationship in the three seasons since the trade brought the former Thunder, Warriors, and Nets star to The Desert, but they had to make a move to shake up a roster that has lacked a quality point guard and a defensive presence in the middle since Durant arrived.

Smart had a down season last year (7.3 ppg, 5.2 apg, 1.4 spg) but should pair well with the ball-dominant Booker. Williams (8.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.2 bpg) will serve as the defensive anchor and is a big upgrade over the inconsistent Ayton.


Full Trade Details:

Suns Trade: Deandre Ayton, Terrence Shannon Jr. (SG, 73), 2026 Second-Round Pick, 2027 Second-Round Pick

Celtics Trade: Marcus Smart, Robert Williams

Other Notable Offseason Trades

Celtics Trade: Jaxson Hayes (C, 78)
Grizzlies Trade: Jake LaRavia (SF, 78)


Bulls Trade: Cameron Johnson (PF, 80)
Nuggets Trade: Christian Braun (SF, 74), Berk Buycks (SF, 72), 2028 Second-Round Pick


Hornets Trade: Monte Morris (PG, 79)
Grizzlies Trade: Brandon Clarke (C, 77), 2027 Second-Round Pick


Timberwolves Trade: D’Angelo Russell (PG, 84)
Spurs Trade: Kelly Oubre Jr. (SG, 81), Ja’Kobe Walter (SG, 73), 2027 Second-Round Pick