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: Ben Simmons teases NBA return
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Ben Simmons, appears to be teasing a major push to fulfill his plans for an NBA comeback.
Simmons last played in the NBA during the 2024/25 season as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, before missing the 2025/26 season. While inactive in the NBA, he achieved success in professional fishing.
On Instagram, the Australian forward stated that he is proud of where he stands and is “ready for wherever this goes”.
Although Simmons has endured injuries and reported mental health issues in recent years – following a dramatic breakup with the Philadelphia 76ers – the 30-year-old was previously a three-time All-Star, a two-time All-Defensive Team selection, an All-NBA Team member, and the NBA Rookie of the Year.
While he was recently linked to a potential reunion with the Sixers, an NBA insider dismissed the idea.
NBA MOVES & TRANSACTIONS: San Antonio Spurs add shooting guard to a training camp roster
The San Antonio Spurs have signed Taelon Peter, a second-round pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA draft, to an Exhibit 10 contract, bringing him into their training camp, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
The 24-year-old shooting guard appeared in 38 games for the Pacers last season, averaging 4.5 points in 12.9 minutes per game.
An Exhibit 10 contract gives him the opportunity to compete for a roster spot during training camp or earn a financial bonus if he ends up with the team’s G League affiliate.
NBA RUMOR MILL: Cavaliers ready to offload Schroder
The Cleveland Cavaliers are considering several trade options involving German guard Dennis Schroder.
According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers are open to parting ways with the World and European champion with the German national team to clear financial flexibility as they continue their ongoing push for free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson. They are reportedly looking for opportunities to create cap space in pursuit of one of the two free agents.
Schroder spent last season with the Sacramento Kings and the Cleveland Cavaliers, appearing in 70 regular-season games between the two teams and averaging 10.8 points and 4.9 assists per game. In the summer of 2025, he signed a three-year contract worth $44.4 million.
The Cavaliers also viewed him as a trade candidate during their pursuit of LeBron James – who ultimately signed with the Philadelphia 76ers – and are now once again exploring trade scenarios. This could see the journeyman land on a new team, having played for 11 different NBA franchises over his 13-year career.
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.
