In the days leading up to the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, many teams and front-office personnel were involved in negotiations with players from the 2022 NBA Draft class. Many players, such as Dyson Daniels, Christian Braun, Bennedict Mathurin, and Tari Eason, found themselves entering the final years of their respective rookie contracts and seeking long-term commitments from their organizations.
While Daniels and Braun were among the nine players who received new deals that total over $1.1 billion in contract extensions for the 2022 draft class, Mathurin and Eason were not as lucky.
Despite holding discussions with their respective organizations, these two young talents have entered the 2025-26 season with no long-term extensions and will become restricted free agents next summer.
After an offseason that saw the restricted free-agent markets of Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga, Quentin Grimes, and Cam Thomas stall and remain unsolved until around the time training camps began, this is definitely not an ideal situation for any player.
However, just because Mathurin, Eason, and others did not receive an extension doesn't mean they are destined for a similar holdout. On the flip side of this, those who received contract extensions are not necessarily in the best spot to maximize their overall potential.
This extension deadline is always a game that agents and players deal with before the start of the new NBA season, and it's essentially a time for them to bet on themselves.
That is what Mathurin and Eason will be doing during the 2025-26 season, as they will look to prove their value to both the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets, respectively, while also signaling to the rest of the NBA that they will be free agents.
The 2025-26 NBA season is in full swing, as every team has played at least one game. Now, it's time for the first Siegel's Scoop of the new season, featuring intel and notes across the NBA from the Oct. 20 rookie extension deadline, as well as some updates on key injury situations around the league:
Bennedict Mathurin, Pacers in a ‘good place'
With Tyrese Haliburton out for the entire 2025-26 NBA season as he rehabs his Achilles injury suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Bennedict Mathurin was chosen by head coach Rick Carlisle to step into a much larger role in his fourth season.
This decision was made by Carlisle over the summer, well before the rookie extension deadline.
With several key moments during the Pacers' playoff run last year, including 24 points and 13 rebounds off the bench in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, everyone knew Mathurin would be thrust into a larger role entering the 2025-26 season. After all, he proved last season to be Indiana's most dynamic, athletic scoring option.
At the same time, the Pacers understood that these expectations and breakout performances would inflate his price in contract negotiations.
Although there was adequate communication between Mathurin, his representation, and the Pacers' front office throughout the offseason, it became pretty clear this organization was in no rush to spend money after watching Myles Turner walk in free agency, ultimately joining the Milwaukee Bucks, one of Indiana's biggest rivals.
Talks with Turner were very “unsteady,” one source close to the situation told ClutchPoints before the start of the 2025-26 season. Whereas Turner felt like he deserved to be paid over $25 million per season on a new deal with the Pacers, especially after previously taking team-friendly deals, the organization was never prepared to offer more than $22 million, sources said.
As a result, Turner's agent, Austin Brown of CAA Sports, held unexpected but immediate discussions with Bucks general manager Jon Horst and other members of Milwaukee's braintrust once word of negotiations between Turner and the Pacers going nowhere became league-wide knowledge. Talks between Turner and Indiana were inconsistent and inadequate, leading to his departure.
The opposite can be said about Mathurin and the conversations he had with the Pacers this offseason.
Both sides understood reaching a long-term extension would be challenging, given the organization's financial standing. Indiana is operating with the mindset of operating below the tax lines for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, mainly due to Haliburton's injury.
While Mathurin would have preferred to receive a new, long-term deal this offseason, he is at peace knowing he has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove this year. The relationship between Mathurin and the Pacers after failing to reach a deal on a rookie extension was described as being in a “good place,” a source close to the situation said.
Mathurin even hinted at such at the start of the season, claiming that he isn't focused on what could've been.
“It's not that big of a deal, man,” Mathurin said on Wednesday about not receiving an extension, via Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “Obviously, I would've loved to, but I'm not worried about that. It's just about going into the game, going into the season with my mind straight knowing that, you know what?
“I'm going to have a great season. I can actually be who I've been wanting to be. There's no worries for me about no extension.”
Well, Mathurin backed up this statement in a large way on Thursday in the Pacers' home opener. The fourth-year swingman played a team-high 45 minutes in Indiana's 141-135 double-overtime loss to the Thunder, registering 36 points and 11 rebounds. He fouled out of the game in the second overtime period.
If he keeps playing like this, Mathurin will be thrilled he didn't find common ground on an extension this offseason. A major deal awaits him in restricted free agency should he continue to emerge as the Pacers' top scoring option alongside Pascal Siakam.
While they will not play the Pacers, their in-division rivals, for the first time this season until the middle of November, the Detroit Pistons also declined to extend either Jaden Ivey or Jalen Duren entering the final years of their respective rookie deals.
Like Mathurin's situation with the Pacers, both Ivey and Duren are in good standing with Detroit, sources said. The Pistons preferred to have both players become restricted free agents next summer instead of extending them right now in order to maintain cap flexibility to maneuver around an open roster.
Not to mention, the organization is in a holding pattern with Ivey, who suffered a season-ending broken fibula injury in his left leg in January last season and recently underwent right knee surgery on October 16. At no point were the Pistons prepared to offer Ivey a contract extension this summer, sources said, knowing he would not be 100 percent entering the year.
There has also been chatter around the league outside of Detroit about what they will decide to do with their core around All-Star guard Cade Cunningham. Duren appears to be a sure-thing building block at the center position, but with Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II becoming extension-eligible in 2026, the Pistons will have tough contract decisions to make with their projected payroll rising.
Could Ivey wind up being the odd man out in Detroit? This is a situation worth monitoring as the 2025-26 season progresses.
Rockets questioning Tari Eason's long-term fit?
One of the more intriguing storylines to come out of the rookie extension deadline was Tari Eason and the Houston Rockets failing to negotiate a long-term deal. This came as a surprise to many around the league, as there was a level of anticipation for Eason to sign a new contract after Kevin Durant took less money on his $90 million extension.
The Rockets had the flexibility to give Eason a strong deal and keep him as a key secondary contributing factor in Ime Udoka's rotations after Durant and Fred VanVleet took discounts on their respective contracts.
Eason and the Rockets spoke about a new extension multiple times leading up to the deadline on Monday, and both sides expected to get a deal done, sources said. Houston's final offer was one that eclipsed $100 million, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
A new four-year contract with an annual average value of roughly $25 million per season seemed like the best deal Eason could've received, no matter what. Ultimately, because of some concerns about guarantee clauses in the contract, Eason and his representation declined the extension, and he will now become a restricted free agent next offseason.
Over his first three years in the NBA, Eason has played in just over 65 percent of the Rockets' total games. There are obvious injury concerns that surround him, which is why it was somewhat surprising that general manager Rafael Stone and Houston's front office were willing to commit $100 million to Eason.
The Rockets were not in the wrong for wanting to protect themselves on a new contract for a player who has not been the most durable early in his career, and increasing the value of this deal from their initial offers definitely signaled that the organization wants Eason around long-term.
Since Stone took over the Rockets' front office in 2020, he has always operated with caution when it comes to new contracts for his players. While these deals are oftentimes rewarding for his talents, Stone always has the organization's future at the front of his mind, as any top-level general manager should.
The relationship the Rockets' front office has with their players is fantastic, which is why veterans like VanVleet and Durant are two of the many players who have taken discounts through the years and restructured their deals to benefit the team.
In Eason's case, the money was there for the taking, but he will now bet on himself and enter a market in 2026 that once again won't be too favorable to restricted free agents. A lot of time and games still exist this season, but Eason did not put together a great performance by any means in the Rockets' opening game of the season.
Eason had just three points in 22 minutes off the bench against the Thunder on Tuesday night, and he was simply outmatched on the court as a primary defensive option for Houston. Since he is not a starter for them and carries injury concerns, it appears as if not agreeing to an extension with Eason will work out in the Rockets' favor.
Even though the Rockets made it clear they wanted to keep Eason, perhaps these failed negotiations will lead to the organization rethinking their future with the 17th pick from 2022.
This is especially true with Amen Thompson becoming extension-eligible next summer and VanVleet having a $25 million player option that would be in his best interest to utilize and remain in Houston coming off his torn ACL.
Dyson Daniels, Christian Braun beat the deadline
Unlike Mathurin, Eason, and others who did not receive contract extensions before the start of the 2025-26 season, Dyson Daniels did.
The Atlanta Hawks rewarded Daniels with a four-year, $100 million contract extension that keeps him with the organization through the 2029-30 season. Daniels, a 22-year-old lengthy and dynamic combo guard, emerged as a core option for the Hawks following the Dejounte Murray trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.
He averaged 14.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while leading the league with 3.0 steals. Daniels finished as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year and went on to win the league's Most Improved Player award.
It was not a secret to anyone that Daniels and the Hawks were very likely to agree to an extension before the deadline, but his numbers did come in as a bit of a surprise since he and his camp were pushing for the same five-year, $150 million contract Jalen Suggs received from the Orlando Magic last summer, league sources said.
The Hawks discussed five-year options with Daniels in the same ballpark as the $25 million per season deal he received on Monday. As a result, Daniels and his agent, Daniel Moldovan of Lighthouse Sports Management, opted to take the $100 million deal on the table for the next four years.
Moldovan also represents fellow Australian guard Josh Giddey, who signed a four-year, $100 million contract as a restricted free agent with the Chicago Bulls this past summer.
This deal for Daniels allows him to maximize his rise as a focal point on the Hawks roster and become an unrestricted free agent in 2030 at 26 years old. By then, he will be entering the prime of his career, and the hope is that this four-year contract aligns him perfectly to attack the market as one of the best two-way guards in the league.
Atlanta continues to be very high on Daniels and envisions him being a part of their roster for many years to come. After signing Daniels, the Hawks now have him, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu locked into their deals together for at least the next three seasons.
Better yet, the Hawks are not tied down financially, even after committing over $300 million to these three young talents. Kristaps Porzingis will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, coming off his expiring $30.7 million cap hit for the 2025-26 season, and Trae Young owns a $48.9 million player option.
Porzingis has left the door open for possibly remaining in Atlanta past the 2025-26 season. No meaningful extension talks were held with Porzingis, as the organization will evaluate its financial standing next offseason, especially with another situation needing to play out first before a decision on the Latvian big man can be made.
There has been no change in Trae Young and his stance with the Hawks, sources said. Both sides understand the business aspect of a potential extension, and he remains committed to this team despite not really engaging in any realistic contract negotiations this past offseason.
The Hawks are willing to wait and see how everything develops this year with a roster they believe can finish as a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference. At no point has Atlanta considered trading Young, as the internal hope is that common ground will be found on a new deal next offseason, sources said.
It will be interesting to evaluate the Hawks after the NBA Cup, as any tensions that may exist between the star point guard and the team can be eased by winning.
Along with Daniels signing a new deal on Monday, the Denver Nuggets and Christian Braun also agreed to a five-year, $125 million contract extension, which was about the same as the five-year proposal the Hawks offered to their two-way guard.
Braun has established himself as a key part of the Nuggets' success since being drafted 21st overall in 2022, and the team had no intentions of letting him walk away this offseason without signing an extension, sources said.
If the organization had waited for Braun to become a restricted free agent, there was fear that another team would force the Nuggets' hand and run up his price on an offer sheet that would severely impact their future cap sheets.
Denver wanted to lock this deal in now and not worry about it lingering into next summer, given their limited financial flexibility.
The Nuggets value Braun's two-way impact and his ability to be the bridge between the stars — Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray — and the team's second unit. Braun, Jokic, Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Cam Johnson are now on the books for $185.6 million for the 2026-27 season.
It will be interesting to see what kind of impact Peyton Watson, who did not receive an extension, has this season. A breakout year for Watson could force the Nuggets to make a major financial decision by either keeping him and finding a way to move money around or letting Watson walk as a restricted free agent.
While it's a small sample size and his role will change depending on the opponents they face, first-year head coach David Adelman only used Watson for 16 minutes off the bench in their thrilling 137-131 overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. Watson finished with just two points from the free-throw line, two rebounds, an assist, and two turnovers.
There is obviously a path to the Nuggets retaining Watson once he becomes a free agent, as Jonas Valanciunas is a one-year player for Denver who will be waived next offseason to save $10 million. The Nuggets will also explore the trade market once more for Zeke Nnaji, something they have done multiple times over the last year, with no suitors existing.
That potential $17 million between Valanciunas and Nnaji would be enough for Denver to negotiate a new, fair contract with Watson. But that is a problem for Denver to figure out down the road, as their only focus is winning right now and competing for a championship in June.
Like the Hawks and Nuggets with Daniels and Braun, respectively, the Portland Trail Blazers entered the offseason with the idea of wanting to reward Shaedon Sharpe with a long-term contract extension.
With Anfernee Simons departing via trade, and given his development through his first few years in the league, Sharpe emerged as a future All-Star talent in the eyes of Portland's front office last season, sources said.
The Blazers wanted to get a deal done with Sharpe so it didn't hang over him as he became a focal point of the team's offense. So, Sharpe and the Trail Blazers agreed to a four-year, $90 million contract with an annual average value of $22.5 million through the 2029-30 season.
Portland saved itself and eliminated a lot of stress by locking in Sharpe's deal, but a major dark cloud now hangs over this organization in the wake of Chauncey Billups being arrested by the FBI for allegedly being involved in a wide-ranging scheme to rig underground poker games backed by Mafia families.
Billups appeared in federal court on Thursday following his arrest and has been placed on indefinite leave by the Trail Blazers and the NBA. Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties for what will likely be the remainder of the 2025-26 season in Portland.
Other news and intel from around the NBA
Cleveland Cavaliers: All-Star point guard Darius Garland is targeting a potential return from his left big toe surgery as early as the first week of November, league sources told ClutchPoints. While Garland will be ready to go whenever the Cleveland Cavaliers' medical staff gives him the green light, the organization is being cautious with how soon he returns to the court, resulting in no clear set date.
Should Garland be held out for the team's three-game homestand from Oct. 31 to Nov. 5, he will very likely make his return during a six-game homestand starting on Nov. 13. Garland continues to be in the later stages of his injury progression and has ramped up his activities behind the scenes to prepare for game action. He is very close to returning.
Dallas Mavericks: In a recent exclusive interview with ClutchPoints, Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy credited Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson for helping him develop through watching film:
“Those guys have been very helpful to me since they arrived,” Hardy said. “Being able to watch film with two champions like them, who pick up on different things, is amazing. I am always picking their minds and asking them different things because they are so unique.”
SEE THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH JADEN HARDY HERE.
Golden State Warriors: The Golden State Warriors are optimistic that wing Moses Moody will make his season debut on Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers, league sources said. Moody has missed the first two games of the regular season with a minor left calf injury and figures to be an integral part of the Warriors' rotation upon returning, potentially being featured in the starting lineup throughout the early portion of the season.
Milwaukee Bucks: Amir Coffey and Andre Jackson Jr. earned the Milwaukee Bucks' final two roster spots over 2024 second-round pick Tyler Smith, who was waived by the organization before the start of the season, as first reported by ClutchPoints on Saturday. Head coach Doc Rivers is said to be “very fond” of Jackson's mentality and attributes as a versatile defender on the wing, sources said. Multiple teams have been exploring the possibility of pursuing Smith, preferably to a two-way contract.
New York Knicks: Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns played through the New York Knicks' season opener with a Grade 2 quad strain, citing that he didn't want to miss the game and “disappoint the fans,” according to Ian Begley of SNY. The Knicks are continuing to treat Towns' quad injury and will monitor his minutes based on how he feels throughout the early portion of the season. It is likely New York will give Towns some days off to rest and recover.
