NBA Notes: Spurs, Victor Wembanyama, Bucks, Celtics, cuts roundup

Spurs

The Spurs made a pair of easy offseason calls, exercising their team options on both Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle for the 2026-27 season. Wembanyama’s fourth-year option is worth $16.87 million, while Castle’s third-year option comes in at $10 million.

Castle, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, and Wembanyama, a 2025 All-Star, are cemented as the franchise’s core moving forward.

San Antonio will, however, begin the season short-handed.

Forward Jeremy Sochan has been ruled out for next Wednesday’s opener in Dallas after spraining his left wrist in practice, per the team. Sochan had recently ramped up to full 5-on-5 work while returning from a calf injury and was trending toward playing on opening night before the setback.

The 21-year-old remains day-to-day, though he also faces a looming deadline — as Sochan is one of 15 players still eligible for a rookie-scale extension before Monday’s cutoff.

If no deal is reached, he’ll play out the season and enter restricted free agency next summer.

Bucks

Milwaukee has added a pair of familiar faces to its preseason roster, signing John Butler Jr. and Stephen Thompson Jr. to Exhibit 10 contracts, per RealGM’s transaction log.

Butler, 22, spent time with the Wisconsin Herd last season and averaged 7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks over nine games.

Thompson, his former G League teammate, played 48 contests and contributed 14.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting 38.7 percent from three.

Both players are expected to be waived shortly and rejoin the Herd for the G League season. By spending at least 60 days with Milwaukee’s affiliate, each could earn a bonus of up to $85,300 under their Exhibit 10 deals.

Celtics

Boston continues to fine-tune its roster ahead of opening night. The team waived Jalen Bridges, Kendall Brown, and Wendell Moore, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, and officially converted Ron Harper Jr.’s Exhibit 10 deal into a two-way contract.

Harper impressed in the G League last season with 16.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 38.6 percent from three across 37 games for the Motor City Cruise and Maine Celtics. He’s averaged 4.3 points in limited preseason minutes and now joins Amari Williams and Max Shulga as Boston’s three two-way players.

This marks Harper’s final year of two-way eligibility, as he’s appeared in at least one regular-season game in each of the past three seasons. He’ll become a free agent again in 2026.