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The Pistons have exercised their 2025-26 contract options on Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser, the team’s PR department tweets.
For Ivey and Duren, the options cover their fourth NBA seasons. Ivey, the fifth pick in 2022, will now get a guaranteed $10,107,163. Duren, chosen 13th overall in that same draft after the Pistons swung a deal to acquire him, will make $6,483,144 next season.
Both players will either start or be regular second-unit players this season. They will be eligible for rookie scale extensions next summer.
Thompson and Sasser were first-rounders last season. Thompson, the No. 5 pick in 2023, will make $8,775,162 in 2025-26, while Sasser, the No. 25 pick last year, will receive $2,886,431. The Pistons will have until October 31, 2025, to pick up their fourth-year options for ’26-27.
Notably, the Pistons also have a fifth player who has a rookie scale team option for 2025-26: Wendell Moore, acquired over the summer in a trade with Minnesota, would make $4,574,283 if his option is picked up.
While Detroit still has another 10 days to exercise Moore’s option, teams typically announce all of those decisions at the same time, so his omission from Monday's press release is a strong indication that option won’t be picked up. Assuming that’s the case, he’d become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
More must-reads:
- Magic's Jalen Suggs to sign five-year extension following breakout year
- Wizards, Corey Kispert agree to a four-year extension
- The 'Detroit Pistons & the Bad Boy era' quiz
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LeBron James Teases Team Up With Serbian Superstar
Those who have been paying attention to the NBA for the past two decades are quite aware that nobody has generated more storylines in that time than LeBron James. Not only was the Akron native the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, he entered the league with expectations that he’d be the best player since the iconic Michael Jordan. Then, in his efforts to reach his idol’s level, James changed the business of basketball. Of course, James is certainly not the first player to put pressure on a front office. He’s not the only one who has gone out of his way to team up with other great players. Nevertheless, the autonomy that he’s displayed has shown his peers that they’re more than just pawns. With that in mind, James’s current situation speaks not only to where he is in his career, but what he’s become known for. LeBron James Teases Team Up With Nikola Jokic As of today, James is a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite him not reaching out to Deandre Ayton or Marcus Smart after Luka Doncic helped recruit them to L.A., that appears as if it’ll be the case when the 2025-26 season tips off. However, the Lakers aren’t the only team that the four-time NBA MVP is thinking about. Indeed, league insiders are of the belief that James has had legitimate interest in playing for the Dallas Mavericks. As he’s expected to retire within the next two years, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been linked to James as well. To that point, James is an Ohioan who was drafted by the Cavs. He’s even spent more seasons (11) with the Cavs than any other franchise. In a similar vein, the Miami Heat –whom James won two championships with, including his first —are a potential option. Even the New York Knicks, a team that he courted as a free agent in 2010, have been suggested. The King and The Joker? Following the latest offseason twist, James may not find himself with any of the aforementioned teams. In an Instagram post made by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic‘s agent (Misko Raznatovic) on Saturday, James and business partner Maverick Carter can be seen sitting together on a boat in Saint Tropez, France. The caption reads: “The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026!” As Jokic is expected to sign a rich contract extension with the Nuggets next summer, what does that mean for James? Crazy Enough To Work? James is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, which should increase his future flexibility. Given his age, the days of him signing a maximum contract may be over. However, Denver will have $45.5 million worth of expiring contracts entering the 2026-27 season. Without sacrificing either Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon, the Nuggets could potentially create a trade package that would satisfy the Lakers. At that point, all that needs to happen is for James and Jokic to sign off on it. Perhaps it’s a pipe dream, but it’s just crazy enough to work.
Cleveland Guardians Slapped With Bad News Before Trade Deadline
The Cleveland Guardians are quite a mystery heading into the MLB trade deadline, as no one seems to know whether they will buy, sell or possibly even do nothing before July 31. The Guardians are hovering around .500, but they are still smack dab in the middle of the American League Wild Card race. That's in spite of losing 10 straight just before the All-Star break. Even with Cleveland remaining in contention, there are some who believe the Guardians might sell given their conservative nature, but talk show host Bruce Drennan has provided some rather bad news for the team in that regard: the players they might want to move don't have much value. “No top prospects for a big bat, and I don’t necessarily see us selling players, like Carlos Santana or Lane Thomas. What can you get in return?” Drennan said. Drennan has a point. Santana and Thomas are both impending free agents, and neither has been all that good this season. Santana owns a .665 OPS, and Thomas has been on and off the injured list while hitting just .160 on the year. Of course, the Guardians would surely be able to land a hefty return for players like Steven Kwan and Emmanuel Clase, but it does not seem like Cleveland is going to move either of those two stars. Perhaps the Guardians will surprise some people and go all in by adding pieces at the deadline, but that isn't exactly in their nature. We'll see what happens before the end of the months, but it stands to reason that Cleveland might just stand pat, as Drennan anticipates. Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage
Cowboys make questionable move amid Micah Parsons stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
Quinn Ewers’ Camp Performance Forces Dolphins Into Tough QB Decision
Being the backup quarterback isn't necessarily the most exciting role for anyone, but for a team like the Miami Dolphins, where starter Tua Tagovailoa has suffered four concussions since entering the NFL in 2020, it could be vital. As of now, a clear battle for that spot has formed between rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers and veteran former first-round selection Zach Wilson as they go head-to-head. Of course, training camp is where these kinds of questions can be solved, and so far, it appears that Ewers has done a good job in putting his best foot forward. On Friday, David Furones of the Sun Sentinel gave a very positive update on the young quarterback, stating, "Dolphins rookie QB Quinn Ewers had a strong third practice of training camp. Made several impressive, big-time throws." The update sparked conversations among many fans, both supporting Ewers and a serious showing that there's interest in seeing who comes out on top. "Show ‘em, Quinn," said one comment. "He just does a lot of things (anticipatory throws, timing throws, MOTF accuracy, etc.) that fit this system much better than what Wilson does. I think with refinement and development we could have a backup in Miami that can operate the offense efficiently…finally," said another. "Love to hear it!" a third added. A fourth stated, "I'd be surprised if he's not the backup.." "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Quinn Ewers has the physical tools to stick at the next level. It’s just a matter of shaping the rest," a fifth continued. "That’s QB2 potential QB1 in the future Glad we drafted Ewers," said another. Another big test for both Ewers and Wilson will be during the Dolphins' three preseason games, as the coaching staff will get a much better look at how these two perform during live matchups. Luckily for both, though, being the backup is all they're truly fighting for, as Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports predicts that each will make the final 53-man roster, with cuts needing to be made by Aug. 27.
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