Here is your NBA Morning Brief covering all the latest NBA news, scores, trades, injuries, and standout performances from around the league.
TOP NBA Story of the Day: Cole Anthony leaves NBA for Australian NBL
Twenty-six-year-old guard Cole Anthony has decided to leave the NBA after six seasons and test himself in Australia’s NBL, signing with Melbourne United.
Anthony was selected as the 15th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, spending the next five seasons there before being traded last year to the Memphis Grizzlies in the deal that sent Desmond Bane to Orlando. However, his stint in Memphis was short-lived, as the team bought out his contract, leading him to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.
He appeared in 35 games for the Bucks, averaging 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in about 15 minutes per game off the bench.
Over his career, he appeared in 367 NBA games, posting averages of 12.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
Now, the former North Carolina Tar Heel will continue his career with Melbourne United, having signed a one-year contract.
Interestingly, he will reunite there with his former Orlando Magic teammate, Joe Ingles. The two appeared in 75 games together during the 2023-24 season with the Magic, when Orlando made a run to the NBA playoffs.
COLE WORLD 🌏@MelbUnited have signed former NBA point guard Cole Anthony on a one-year deal 🤯
— NBL (@NBL) August 5, 2026
Read more: https://t.co/NAChQO56uv pic.twitter.com/XJIPKQVWUF
NBA MOVES & TRANSACTIONS: Toronto Raptors add two players to training camp roster
The Toronto Raptors have added two new players to their training camp roster who will have the opportunity to earn a spot among the 15 roster positions.
Andre Jackson Jr. and Trey Jemison have reportedly secured another opportunity to play in the league.
According to Brett Siegel from Clutch Points, Jackson will join the Raptors on a training camp contract and compete for a place on the regular roster. The 24-year-old spent his first three NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Last season, he appeared in 48 games, averaging 2.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 8.5 minutes per contest.
In addition to him, the Toronto Raptors have also signed Jemison, who became an NBA champion last season with the New York Knicks.
The 26-year-old center has signed a two-way contract with his new team.
Last season, he appeared in 13 regular-season games, averaging 1.0 point and 1.4 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game.
NEWS: Free agent center Trey Jemison and Toronto Raptors have reached an agreement on a two-way contract, league sources tell me. The NBA champ finds a new home. pic.twitter.com/8RbPbsb2LL
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 4, 2026
NBA RUMOR MILL: Ben Simmons could return to the Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons missed the entire 2025/26 season, but he is now linked with a potential return to the Philadelphia 76ers, although it will not be an easy deal to pull off due to their financial situation.
Philadelphia is very close to the first-apron hard cap and currently lacks the flexibility to sign Simmons – or any veteran – to a minimum contract.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, they are just $1.8 million below the first apron, and there has been no talk of cutting anyone from the current roster. As a result, they are currently unable to sign the Australian player.
Simmons began his career with the 76ers, who selected him as the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. During his time there, he became the Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star, and was named to an All-NBA team. However, his tenure ended on a sour note, and injury troubles in recent years make a reunion even more difficult to achieve.
The 76ers are only $1.8M below their first apron hard cap. There’s been no talk of them getting rid of anyone on their current roster, and therefore can’t sign Simmons or someone else to a minimum. https://t.co/Qfl9ywSMv3
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) August 4, 2026
NBA MARKET WATCH: Cap space watch
As the 2026 NBA offseason begins to take shape, cap space is quickly becoming one of the most decisive factors in how the league’s free agency and trade market will unfold.
A clear divide is emerging between teams that are financially flexible and those operating near the second apron, where every move requires far more precision and long-term calculation. That gap is already shaping conversations across front offices, especially as teams begin prioritizing either aggressive roster upgrades or preservation of future flexibility.
Several franchises enter this phase of the offseason with significant cap room, positioning themselves as potential accelerators of the market. These teams are not necessarily chasing star-level free agents, but instead are strategically placed to absorb contracts, facilitate multi-team trades, or take advantage of opportunistic signings once the market begins to move.
On the other end of the spectrum, contending teams remain heavily restricted by apron-related limitations, which continues to push them toward smaller, targeted improvements rather than major roster overhauls. In many cases, this is forcing front offices to explore creative mechanisms such as sign-and-trade structures or veteran minimum additions to address clear roster needs.
The next phase of the offseason will likely be dictated by how quickly the cap-space teams decide to act. Historically, once the first major domino falls, it creates immediate ripple effects across the league, unlocking stalled negotiations and forcing other organizations to adjust their strategy in real time.
For now, the market remains in a holding pattern — but the financial landscape is already clearly defining who will have the power to shape it.
OFF-COURT PULSE: Luka Doncic’s ex-fiancee withdraws child support petition
Luka Doncic’s former fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, has reportedly withdrawn her court case seeking child support for the former couple’s two children.
According to TMZ, Goltes filed documents on Monday asking a Los Angeles judge to dismiss her petition without prejudice, which would allow the matter to potentially be raised again in the future.
It was previously reported that Doncic had asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that Goltes’ petition for child support and attorneys’ fees had no legal basis in California because their children live in Slovenia.
Doncic and his attorney reportedly claimed that the Loss Angeles Lakers superstar had attempted to convince Goltes to move to California with their children. However, Goltes allegedly declined and has continued living in Slovenia with them since May.
Doncic and Goltes were together for approximately a decade before ending their engagement, with TMZ reporting that the distance between them contributed to the separation. They share two daughters: two-year-old Gabriela and seven-month-old Olivia.
