NBA Player News

Drummond (toe) exercised his $5 million player option for the 2025-26 season Friday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

Drummond missed the last 17 games of the 2024-25 season due to a toe injury. The veteran big man's future in Philadelphia was uncertain, as testing free agency or opting in for the 2025-26 campaign were both viable options, especially with Joel Embiid's status in question after he played only 19 games and underwent left knee surgery. Drummond played in 40 games last season and averaged 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor.

Omoruyi is signing a contract with the Raptors, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.

The details of Omoruyi's contract are unknown at this time, but he's likely ticketed for the G League. The Alabama product took a step back during the 2024-25 campaign in terms of scoring, but he converted at a clip of 73.4 percent from the field and averaged 1.1 blocks over 37 appearances.

Cardwell agreed to a two-way contract with Sacramento on Thursday, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com reports.

Cardwell is known for his ability to finish at the rim, converting on 70.0 percent of his field-goal attempts during his final season at Auburn while also averaging 2.5 offensive rebounds over 38 games. He works just as hard on the defensive end, as shown by 1.4 swats per matchup during the 2024-25 campaign.

Goldin is signing a two-way contract with the Heat, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Goldin featured for three different teams throughout his five-year college career, and he spent his senior year with Michigan, where he averaged a solid line of 16.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 assists per game across 37 contests. The Heat have Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware as solid options at center, so Goldin could see most of his minutes with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League. Don't expect Goldin to see consistent minutes at the NBA level as a rookie.

Williams was selected by the Celtics with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

After a four-year run at Drexel to begin his collegiate career, Williams delivered a solid two-way performance in his lone season at Kentucky in 2024-25, posting averages of 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 blocks in 22.8 minutes per game while shooting 56.1 percent from the field in 36 contests. While he brings good size at 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, Williams' lack of foot speed and lateral quickness could hinder him at the NBA level. With the Celtics trading away Kristaps Porzingis and both Luke Kornet and Al Horford uncertain to be retained in free agency, Williams provides much-needed frontcourt depth for the Celtics. However, the Celtics aren't likely to count on him to be a regular contributor at the NBA level as a rookie, as Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com relays that the British-born center will ink a two-way deal and is expected to see most of his playing time in the G League.

Zikarsky was selected by the Bulls with the No. 45 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Bulls then traded his rights to the Timberwolves.

A 7-foot-3 center with a 9-foot-7 standing reach, Zikarsky offers tremendous potential as a rim protector. The 18-year-old from Australia possesses good mobility for his size and is a strong finisher, but a lack of lateral speed and an unreliable outside shot could prevent him from emerging as a starter at the NBA level. With Rudy Gobert on the books for at least two more seasons and with the Timberwolves investing a first-round pick in another center in Joan Beringer, Zikarsky won't be needed to contribute right away. According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com, Zikarsky will sign a two-year, two-way deal with Minnesota, meaning that he'll likely see most of his playing time over the next two seasons in the G League with the Iowa Wolves.

Raynaud was selected by the Kings with the No. 42 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Raynaud didn't start playing basketball until his final year of high school, making his continued progression as a player even more impressive. He had a monster year at Stanford in 2024-25, averaging 20 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 35 percent from deep on 5.5 attempts per contest. The Kings have Domantas Sabonis as their starting center and Jonas Valanciunas as the backup, but Raynaud should find a way to see minutes in the rotation. He isn't expected to do much in fantasy in the early stages of his career, but he might be a prospect worth stashing in some formats if he finds a way to crack the rotation on a steady basis.

Broome was selected by Philadelphia with the No. 35 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Broome is fresh off a strong senior season at Auburn, where he earned First Team All-American honors and was named the SEC Player of the Year while leading his team to a Final Four. The 6-10 big man averaged 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 0.9 steals over 36 appearances during his final collegiate campaign. Broome's skillset may not translate to him becoming an above-the-rim player at the NBA level, but he's an excellent offensive rebounder and manages to create space near the hoop.

Kalkbrenner was selected by the Hornets with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Kalkbrenner, out of Creighton, wrapped up his college career as one of the most accomplished defenders in Big East history, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors four times. During the 2024-25 season, he posted 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting an efficient 65.3 percent over 35 contests. Though concerns about his athleticism may have kept him out of the first round, Kalkbrenner's production and defensive pedigree give him a strong chance to contribute right away for a Hornets team that recently dealt Mark Williams.

Niederhauser was selected by the Clippers with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Niederhauser flew under the radar on a struggling Penn State team in 2024-25 but still put together a solid season, averaging 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 61.1 percent over 29 games. His offensive game is still a work in progress, but his blend of size and athleticism gives him real potential as a rim protector. With Ivica Zubac entrenched as the starting center, the Clippers can afford to bring Niederhauser along gradually.