SerpApi.Org
Following the NBA’s Vegas Summer League, HoopsHype has gathered the latest intel on what’s next for the Hawks, Thunder, and Mavericks after their three-team trade, Jonathan Kuminga and Bennedict Mathurin free agency updates, Cam Johnson and Dennis Schroder trade talks, extension talks for Anthony Davis, Miles Bridges, and Lu Dort, and exclusive interviews with Trae Young, CJ McCollum, Nikola Vucevic, and Meleek Thomas.
What’s next for the Hawks, Thunder and Mavericks after their three-team trade involving Lu Dort and Zaccharie Risacher?
The Atlanta Hawks bolstered their wing defense and physicality by acquiring 27-year-old swingman Lu Dort to pair with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the wing. Atlanta also created nearly $50 million in salary cap space for the following summer, assuming Devin Carter’s $7.37 million team option is declined, with the flexibility to pursue a star player on the trade or free agency market.
While Dort is on an expiring $17.22 million contract, the Hawks want to keep the Canadian swingman beyond this upcoming season, league sources told HoopsHype.
Several teams expressed trade interest in acquiring Dort before he was traded to Atlanta, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat, league sources told HoopsHype.
In addition to Dort, Ryan Nembhard was acquired by Atlanta to provide added point guard depth behind veteran guard CJ McCollum and No. 8 overall pick Kingston Flemings. Nembhard is eligible for restricted free agency after this season.
Meanwhile, after being discussed in separate trade talks involving Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford, former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher finally landed in Dallas. New Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz previously scouted Risacher as a 16-year-old prospect and described him as a “fluid 6-foot-8 wing with growth potential who can shoot it, competes defensively, and has a great all-around feel for the game,” as he tweeted in September of 2021. Risacher has a $17.4 million team option for the 2027-28 season.
The Mavericks also have $7 million remaining from the Davis trade exception, as noted by former HoopsHype colleague Yossi Gozlan.
For Oklahoma City, the Dort trade was a financial decision, as Thunder general manager Sam Presti told The Oklahoman. “The impression I have been given is that the savings generated this summer, and from being out of the tax the last several years, will be re-allocated to future teams.”
Looking ahead, this comment is noteworthy with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's supermax contract kicking in for the 2027-28 season and substantial pay raises eventually coming for two other key guards if they remain in Oklahoma City.
By sending Dort to Atlanta, the Thunder opened up more playing time for rising young guards Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace, including a starting spot. Wallace, an All-Defensive Team selection, is extension eligible. Comparable guards to Wallace who’ve signed recent contract extensions include Dyson Daniels and Christian Braun, who both signed for $25 million per season, and Jalen Suggs, who signed for $30 million annually. Should Wallace enter restricted free agency next year, he’d be a highly coveted player. Various teams have called the Thunder through Wallace’s tenure to gauge what it would take to pry him from the franchise, as previously mentioned on HoopsHype.
Overall, Oklahoma City has now ducked the second apron and acquired seven second-round picks via the trades of Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. The Thunder also created a $17.2 million trade exception.
Jonathan Kuminga free agency updates
Speaking of the Hawks, unrestricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga remains a candidate to return to Atlanta on a potential one-plus-one deal, league sources told HoopsHype.
With Atlanta currently $4.1 million below the luxury tax and having 17 players on the roster for 15 spots, the Hawks remain in trade discussions. As previously reported by HoopsHype, veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield is a trade candidate to monitor. It’s also worth noting that forward Mo Gueye has a $2.41 million non-guaranteed salary for the upcoming season and will be re-evaluated in three or four months after suffering a fractured left foot and having surgery. Devin Carter also became more expendable after the acquisition of Ryan Nembhard.
Kuminga, 23, has also drawn sign-and-trade interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Milwaukee Bucks. As Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner of Verus Basketball, navigate his free agency, each interested team has its own unique profile and variables being weighed, such as his average annual salary, roster fit, and deal structure. There is no specific dollar amount Kuminga is seeking that applies to all interested teams.
The Lakers and Hawks had discussions on a Kuminga sign-and-trade that would’ve involved Jarred Vanderbilt and a Los Angeles 2032 first-round pick swap, as Khobi Price of the California Post first reported. However, the Hawks have been resistant to taking on Vanderbilt’s $13.29 million salary for the 2027-28 season, which is a player option.
Could a combination of Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy, who both have team options for the 2027-28 season, work better in a three-team trade construct involving Kuminga landing with the Lakers and the Hawks getting a traded player exception along with draft pick compensation?
Furthermore, while LeBron James remains atop their wish list, the Cavaliers have continued to keep tabs on Kuminga consistently. Amid Cleveland’s pursuit of both players, Max Strus and Dennis Schroder have come up as potential trade candidates.
The Charlotte Hornets have been linked with interest in Schroder, league sources told HoopsHype. It’s worth noting that Hornets executive Jeff Peterson is said to still be a fan of Schroder dating back to their time together in Atlanta.
Other interested teams, including the Clippers and Bucks, have large traded player exceptions at their disposal. The Clippers have a $17 million TPE from the John Collins trade, while the Bucks have a $25.5 million TPE from the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
Cam Johnson trade talks
Numerous teams have called the Denver Nuggets hoping they’d be willing to dump forward Cam Johnson, who’s owed $23.06 million in the final year of his contract, but those inquiries have been rebuffed, league sources told HoopsHype.
After shooting career-highs from the field (.480) and beyond the arc (.430), Denver was pleased with his production despite injuries limiting Johnson to 54 starts last season. In Johnson’s last 15 regular-season games, he averaged 15.2 points on 56.2 percent shooting from the field and 48.2 percent from downtown.
Bennedict Mathurin free agency updates
The Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, league sources told HoopsHype. However, the Clippers are hesitant to make significant roster decisions as Kawhi Leonard’s Aspiration investigation remains ongoing and has held up his expected trade to the Toronto Raptors.
Meanwhile, Mathurin has drawn sign-and-trade interest from several teams, sources said, after the 24-year-old swingman averaged a career-high 17.6 points last season.
Miles Bridges' future with the Suns
There were several layers of familiarity when the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets swapped Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and an unprotected 2033 first-round pick for Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick.
Bridges and Suns owner Mat Ishbia share strong Michigan State ties, and the trade between both franchises marked their fourth such transaction since January 2025. In addition, Phoenix now has six Klutch Sports Group clients on their roster.
Following the trade acquisition of Bridges, the Suns hope to extend him long-term, league sources told HoopsHype. Currently, the 28-year-old forward is on an expiring $22.83 million contract for the upcoming season.
What’s next for Anthony Davis and the Wizards?
While re-signing star guard Trae Young was the biggest splash for the Washington Wizards this offseason, several items remain on their checklist.
With fellow star Anthony Davis extension-eligible August 6th, the Wizards plan to have extension talks with the 33-year-old, 10-time All-Star forward, league sources told HoopsHype.
The Golden State Warriors have expressed trade interest in Davis. Yet, Washington has rebuffed such inquiries to this point, putting a major wrench in Golden State’s dream scenario of pairing Davis with free agent target LeBron James in the Bay Area.
Elsewhere, the Wizards will look to add a backup point guard behind Young to round out their roster, HoopsHype has learned.
Trae Young: 'I've learned that recency bias is a real thing'
Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins made a strong statement of support for star guard Trae Young after re-signing the 27-year-old, four-time All-Star to a four-year, $213 million contract.
“I would say there’s a quiet confidence in Trae, but also our group that we’re going to let our play do the talking,” Dawkins said at a joint press conference with Young in Las Vegas. “He’s always been like that. There’s one player in the last 50 years who’s averaged 25 points and nine assists, and he’s sitting to my right, so I think he’ll handle business on the court when the time’s right.”
Following the joint press conference with Young and Dawkins at the team’s hotel in Las Vegas for NBA Summer League, Young spoke with HoopsHype at the team’s hotel about his reaction to re-signing, if he’s trying to get Anthony Davis to also sign long-term with the franchise, his mindset for the upcoming season, how he plans to help turn the Wizards around, and what’s next for No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa.
Scotto: What did you think of your new deal and what people have thought about it publicly since?
Young: It’s something that they believe in me. I’m glad we were able to get it done because this is where I wanted to be. Regardless of what it was, I wanted to figure out how we were going to stay here and I could build with these young guys because that’s what I wanted to do.
Scotto: Have you talked to Anthony Davis about extending and being with you in Washington long-term?
Young: I’m not going to tease him about that (an extension). He’s earned multiple extensions. That’s the thing about the NBA. We’ve got our own lives going on. The last thing we’re talking about is what we’re making. I don’t really think about it too much. I know what I’ve got to do and what I want to do with this team, and I hope to turn it back around. That’s all I care about. Whenever I do that, a winner will be standing. I’ve learned that recency bias is a real thing.
Scotto: After dealing with injuries last season, what’s your mindset coming into the new season?
Young: For me, I can’t look too far ahead. I feel like last year I didn’t extend with the Hawks, and there were so many things going on since we had new teammates and we were looking forward to getting to the playoffs. That was the one regret I had. I feel like I looked too far ahead to begin last season. I’m not going to do that again. I haven’t done that before the NBA. Last year, I got away from it. That’s why I got hurt. It’s a blessing in disguise. I’m here for a reason.
Scotto: After previously turning Atlanta around and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, how can you help the Wizards turn it around similarly?
Young: You have to be a student of the game, watch what they do best, and figure out how you can help them. Then, in return, that’s helping you. You’re getting the best version of your teammates in games. That’s the name of the game for a point guard and the leader of the team. It’s the wins and losses. That’s the most important stat. How can I help my teammates the best I can? I’ve already started with Will Riley and Tre Johnson in the few games I played with them last year and then watching them like AJ Dybantsa this summer. Get in the gym and build chemistry. When you win, everyone is taken care of.
Scotto: What can AJ Dybantsa bring to this team as a rookie?
Young: First, the one thing I love about him is his confidence in how he believes in himself. That’s how I am. I may not be as loud about it as he is, but I love how confident he is. I know he feels like he has some things he can get better at, and I know I can see it in his game. It’s crazy how talented he is already. There aren’t that many freshmen who lead the country in points while in college, and he’s one of them. To do that and play the way he played while getting the attention he got, you can see how good a player he is, but he has a lot more room to grow too.
CJ McCollum: 'It's a great situation for both parties'
Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum spoke briefly with HoopsHype after one of the team’s Vegas Summer League games about his return to the franchise, where the Hawks rank in an improved Eastern Conference, and what to expect from Jalen Johnson in his first full season as the team’s unquestioned best player.
Scotto: What are your thoughts on returning to Atlanta?
McCollum: I never made it to free agency. It’s a great situation for both parties. We had good momentum into the playoffs. We didn’t finish the way we wanted, but I think there’s a lot to build on. I love the staff. I love Onsi (Saleh). I love the organization. I love the Resslers. I love Quin (Snyder). I get along really well with the team and the players. There’s a lot of good basketball left for everybody. I’m excited to be back in Atlanta and for the challenge to try to build off what we were able to do last year.
Scotto: Where do you guys rank in the East in a conference that’s improved elsewhere?
McCollum: I don’t compare ourselves to others. Right now, it’s about focusing on getting better individually and collectively. We can’t control how other teams look. You can control your approach to the game. Teams will get better and evolve. For us, it’s about focusing on improving our intangibles, understanding our schemes, and what Quin wants from us. Then, building on the momentum and experience that we had playing in the playoffs in a big environment on the road and in our home games. We played against a team that won the NBA Finals. All those things help you as you go into a new season.
Scotto: What do you expect from Jalen Johnson in his first full year as the face of the franchise?
McCollum: He loves the game and takes it seriously. I think that’s what’s important. When you have those intangibles of habits, work ethic, and appreciating small details and nuances of the game in terms of what time you’re showing up, how you’re taking care of your body, ice tubs, cold tubs, sauna, steam room. When you do all the little things well, the big things show up at 7 and 8 PM. I think he has the right mentality to improve, and he works and takes the game seriously by taking care of his body. I think this will be another great year for him where he can continue to evolve and show a lot of the world what we already know.
Nikola Vucevic hopes to continue his NBA career beyond this season
After being traded by the Orlando Magic to the Chicago Bulls in 2021, two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic signed with Orlando as a free agent this summer for several reasons.
“It was a mix of things,” Vucevic told HoopsHype via text message. “Obviously, the time I spent there. The team is good, and with the hiring of coach (Sean) Sweeney, they want to win now. It worked great for my family, which was also very important for me.”
As Vucevic turns 36 in October, he showed he can still be a productive player, averaging 16.9 points on 50.5 percent shooting from the field and 37.6 percent from downtown, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 48 starts for the Chicago Bulls before being traded to the Boston Celtics.
Yet, this summer, after being honored by Montenegro for retiring from international play, HoopsHype asked Vucevic if this will also be his last NBA season. “No, not yet,” Vucevic replied with a smiley face emoji.
Meleek Thomas: 'Everybody is going to understand and realize that I’m one of the best on any floor I step on at the same time'
After being selected 34th in the 2026 NBA Draft and signing a four-year, $9.3 million deal, which includes the first three years fully guaranteed for a total of $6.4 million, Cleveland Cavaliers 19-year-old guard Meleek Thomas led all scorers in Vegas Summer League action with 27.3 points in four games played on 50 percent shooting from the field and 43.8 percent shooting beyond the arc.
Thomas briefly spoke with HoopsHype after one of his Vegas Summer League games about how he envisions himself contributing to Cleveland this season, player comparisons to his game, and more.
Scotto: How do you see yourself getting on the court for the Cavaliers?
Thomas: Bringing energy, picking up defensively, and being a pest. Getting my wind up, being able to stay out there, and not needing breaks. I need to be reliable on defense. If you’re reliable on defense, I feel like everybody on the team is going to know what I bring offensively. They’re going to trust me with the ball offensively to run actions and make decisions for the team as time goes on. If they can trust me defensively, I feel like that’s the biggest part. Installing my defensive ability in my teammates’ minds and letting them know I’m here.
Scotto: Are there any player comparisons to your game?
Thomas: Nobody really. I love basketball and take different attributes and different skills from different players. I’ve watched the greatest in the game and added it to my bag, which I take pride in.
Scotto: At any point on the journey, were there moments where you had to overcome something to make the NBA a reality?
Thomas: Not overcome anything, but stick to my faith, be true to who I am, and know what I bring to a game and any team. Know myself. With me knowing myself, there’s no doubt or anything to overcome. Go out there and be you. I’m going to continue to show myself that I’m the best, but everybody is going to understand and realize that I’m one of the best on any floor I step on at the same time.
You can follow Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Blue Sky (@MikeAScotto).
This content may be blocked in parts of Europe due to GDPR. To use it, connect your VPN to a non-EU country and try again.
We highly recommend you add HoopsHype as a preferred source on Google. You just have to click here.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBA Intel: Anthony Davis, Trae Young, Jonathan Kuminga, Benn Mathurin, Cam Johnson, Miles Bridges, free agency and trade talks
