Just because NBA basketball isn't in session doesn't mean the whole sport is taking a break. The 2027 FIBA EuroBasket World Cup Qualifiers are underway, as are the pre-qualifiers for the 2029 World Cup.
Plenty of Boston Celtics are in action. Neemias Queta is suiting up for Portugal, Hugo Gonzalez for Spain, and Luka Garza for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the qualifiers, and Amari Williams for Great Britain in the pre-qualifiers.
Queta and Gonzalez played each other in their first game of the August window. Gonzalez suited up a bit for Spain earlier in the summer, but this was Queta's first appearance.
Portugal pulled off a major upset, earning a 95-89 win over Spain. Queta finished with 16 points, nine rebounds (five OREB), and one assist while shooting 5-of-10 from the field. Gonzalez, on the other hand, didn't play as well.
He put up three points, four rebounds, and one assist on 1-of-4 shooting. On the plus side, Gonzalez played a team-high 23:27, showing how much the team trusts him at just 20 years old. On the other side, he was a -23.
Queta's best teammates on Portugal's roster include Travante Williams, St. John's forward Ruben Prey, and Diogo Brito. Meanwhile, Gonzalez has a ton of NBA players and former NBAers on his team. Juancho Hernangomez, Willy Hernangomez, and rookies Aday Mara and Baba Miller. So, needless to say, Portugal's victory was impressive.
Garza, meanwhile, helped Bosnia and Herzegovina pick up a 78-76 victory over Italy while coming off the bench. He had 10 points and seven rebounds (two OREBs) on 4-of-8 shooting from the field.
He backed up Jusuf Nurkic, who was absolutely dominant. The Utah Jazz big man ended the game with 25 points, 14 rebounds (six OREBs), and two assists, taking down Simone Fontecchio and Nico Mannion's Italian side.
Lastly, there's Williams. Great Britain isn't in the mix for the 2027 FIBA World Cup, but they're trying to cement their place for 2029. And they picked up a huge 110-75 win over Switzerland this week.
Williams contributed eight points, seven rebounds (two OREBs), and two assists, shooting 4-of-7. He also committed five fouls and turned the ball over three times.
Each team has just one game left in this current window. On Sunday, Great Britain plays Slovakia. Then, on Monday, Spain plays Greece, Portugal plays Georgia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina plays Lithuania.
© Jesse Johnson
Jonathan Kuminga and Jaden McDaniels
1. Bennedict Mathurin signs with Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans have signed Bennedict Mathurin to a two-year, $16 million contract that has a player option in the second year. In order to make the deal happen, the LA Clippers renounced their rights, meaning Mathurin was no longer a restricted free agent.
Mathurin was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2022 but was shipped out at the trade deadline last year. Indiana sent him to the Clippers as part of the package that landed them Ivica Zubac.
Now, he'll get a chance at a career reset in New Orleans. Mathurin will be competing alongside a young core of Derik Queen, Jeremiah Fears, and others.
2. Jonathan Kuminga signs with Timberwolves
Mathurin wasn't the only signing in the last week, though. The Minnesota Timberwolves signed Jonathan Kuminga to a two-year, $12.3 million deal. Like Mathurin's, his deal also includes a second-year player option.
After years of drama with the Golden State Warriors and half a season with the Atlanta Hawks after being traded there, Kuminga is finally in a place that clearly wants him. He'll be the Wolves' starting power forward, sharing the floor with LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert.
Not long ago, Kuminga turned down a three-year, $25 million deal with the Warriors. Now, here he is, taking what could effectively be a one-year prove-it deal if he wants it to be.
Kuminga will look to be a high-level role player in Minnesota, but he spent his time with the Warriors wanting to be more than that. Time will tell whether he can settle into that type of situation.
3. Timberwolves trade Josh Green to Jazz
That wasn't the only trade the Timberwolves made, though. When they signed Kuminga to a contract, they went into the second apron. That's not a place they want to be. So, they quickly fixed the issue.
Minnesota traded Josh Green, who they received from the Charlotte Hornets in the Ball trade, to the Jazz. In return, they received Cody Williams and John Konchar, the latter of whom will be waived and stretched.
Williams is the most intriguing player in the deal. The Jazz picked him with the 10th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, he hasn't turned into much for them. But perhaps a fresh start in Minnesota could help.
© Cary Edmondson
Jalen Duren and Draymond Green
4. Warriors sign three players
The season is almost here. Just two months left until NBA action. So, teams are starting to round out their rosters. The Wolves made moves, the Pelicans made a signing, and the Golden State Warriors did, too.
Golden State made its first few signings of the summer. Georges Niang signed a partially guaranteed, one-year deal with the Warriors. It becomes fully guaranteed on January 7.
Meanwhile, the Warriors also signed Brandon Williams and Dalen Terry. They will compete for a deal during training camp.
Williams played real minutes for the Dallas Mavericks last season, while Terry was shipped from the Chicago Bulls to the New York Knicks and then finally to the New Orleans Pelicans. He helped bring Jose Alvarado to New York.
5. The Jalen Duren situation
This is just like the Kawhi Leonard saga -- never-ending. The Detroit Pistons still haven't re-signed restricted free agent Jalen Duren, and at this point, it feels inevitable that some ugly feelings will come out of the situation.
However, even though there were sign-and-trade rumblings earlier in the offseason, that doesn't seem to be a likely pathway anymore. At least, not according to the Pistons.
During a recent edition of The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Tim MacMahon said that the Pistons are actively turning teams away from Duren on the trade market.
"The one restricted free agency situation that remains unresolved is Jalen Duren, who the Pistons absolutely positively 100% intend to keep, and made it clear to anybody pursuing him in a sign and trade possibilities like, you're wasting your time."
Duren was an All-Star last year. Named to the All-NBA Third Team. If Detroit wants to improve on its first-place finish last season, it needs Duren back.