We’re still two months away from the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, and while EuroBasket 2025 is giving us some basketball to watch, we’re still in the dead zone of the NBA calendar. But that doesn’t mean nothing is going on behind the scenes. There’s a few players still awaiting decisions on their restricted free agency like Jonathan Kuminga and Josh Giddey, and some notable free agents like Russell Westbrook and Al Horford have yet to find a new home for next season.
With that in mind, here’s all the latest chatter around the league on some notable free agents.
Beasley is still involved to some degree in a federal gambling investigation, but teams are “keeping tabs” on his situation in the event that he is fully cleared of any wrongdoing, according to The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer. Four teams specifically are interested in Beasley as the Knicks, Cavaliers, Timberwolves and Pistons have reportedly been in contact with his representation.
Beasley was expected to re-sign with the Pistons this summer after a standout year where he averaged 16.3 points on 41.6% from 3-point range off the bench for a team that made the Knicks sweat a bit in the playoffs. Beasley’s 3-point shooting was crucial in Detroit’s success, so it’s not hard to see why they’d want him back, but re-signing him becomes more difficult for the Pistons now that they’ve made most of their moves this summer.
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Detroit can only offer him $7.2 million next season, which is far below the reported three-year, $42 million he was expected to get prior to this investigation, but it is still more than what the other teams mentioned can offer. The Knicks, Cavaliers and Wolves can only offer the veteran minimum, which is roughly $3.3 million. Beasley is looking for a deal above the vet minimum, per Fischer. That bodes well for Detroit, but this is all dependent on the resolution of the federal investigation.
Mavericks trying to create extra roster spot
Dallas wants to re-sign Danté Exum for next season, but in order to do so they’d need to open a roster spot to make room for him. According to Fischer, the Mavericks hope to have that figured out by the end of this week either by finding a trade to move Olivier Maxence-Prosper or Jaden Hardy, or waiving one of them. The sudden push to make that happen is because the league’s deadline to waive and stretch a player is August 31st.
Maxence-Prosper has the smaller contract of the two players, so waiving and stretching his contract would be less of a hit to Dallas’ books going forward. Maxence-Prosper is owed $3 million next season with a $5.2 million club option the following year. Hardy is owed $18 million over the next three years with a club option in the third year, so waiving and stretching his contract would cost Dallas more money in the long run.
Aside from the financial part of it, keeping Hardy would be more beneficial for the Mavericks, a team with too many forwards and not enough backcourt help, which is the reason they’re wanting to keep Exum. With Kyrie Irving sidelined with a torn ACL until at least February at the earliest, the Mavericks are going to need all the help they can get in the backcourt, and Hardy could help in that regard. Neither player has gained consistent minutes in coach Jason Kidd’s rotation, but Hardy’s scoring and ability to run the offense for short periods of time would be more useful for Dallas next season. Maxence-Prosper gives the Mavs some needed defense. But with a slew of wings, his presence becomes redundant on this roster.
Brogdon receiving interest from Knicks, Timberwolves
Malcolm Brogdon‘s season was cut short in February after sustaining a left ankle sprain that kept him out for the last two months. He was playing on the final year of his contract and has remained unsigned this summer, but is getting interest from a couple teams, per Fischer. The Knicks, Timberwolves and Warriors have registered interest in the veteran guard, but the restricted free agency of Kuminga is holding things up for Golden State. The same is likely true for other teams, as everyone waits to see if the Warriors try to trade Kuminga or indeed re-sign him.
Both the Knicks and Wolves could sign Brogdon to a veteran minimum contract, and he’d certainly provide quality minutes as a backup guard. He’s only two years removed from winning Sixth Man of the Year with the Celtics in 2023. And while he’s spent the last two seasons on losing teams with the Trail Blazers and Wizards, he can provide quality scoring and facilitation off the bench in a winning situation.
