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Fred VanVleet has one more guaranteed season under contract with the Houston Rockets.

The team has a $44.9 million option on VanVleet for the 2025-26 season.

If the veteran point guard has his way, he'll be in Houston for a long time.

"I didnt come here to be a rental," VanVleet said.

"I didnt come here to be a free agent (again).

I came here for a long-term home.

Ive loved my time here so far.

I think I have a good understanding with management and the coaches about what the future looks like with this team.

The business will always take care of itself.

I dont really get too concerned with that stuff.

That stuff will work itself out.

But I think my family and I will be in Texas.

I came here for a home, and I think I found one." VanVleet is also relishing helping a young team grow into a playoff contender.

He uses his experience as an undrafted player to mentor his younger teammates.

"Every last one of them, I have a great relationship with all the guys," VanVleet said.

"Theres a lot more of us than there is ...

stars in the league.

The rest of the guys are trying to figure it out.

I can always relate to those guys.

I always tell the story I was a side-hoop guy.

I was the guy shooting on the side with no coaches.

I was rebounding with myself.

I always keep that in mind." Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball's long road back to the court is nearly complete.

Ball has been practicing with the Bulls throughout training camp.

Now, the veteran point guard plans to play in two of Chicago's final three preseason games over the next week.

Ball has not appeared in an NBA game since January 14, 2022.

He's had multiple surgeries since that point and has missed the entirety of the last two seasons.

Ball said his knee is "feeling good" and that he "feels better than he has in a long time".

The Bulls have been pleased with the way he's played and how Ball's knee had held up during training camp.

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams is out of a walking boot and progressing in his rehab from a strained tendon in his left foot.

The Hornets said they will reevaluate Williams ahead of the start of the regular season.

Williams has played in only 62 total games in his first two NBA seasons.

In his rookie season, the Hornets center missed several games due to spraining his left ankle, as well as a right thumb dislocation.

Last season, Williams played in only 19 games.

He was shut down in early-December due to a lower back injury.

Charlotte is counting on Williams to be their starting center this season.

Having the 7-footer back should also help the Hornets improve defensively.

Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer have announced their commitments to Duke for the incoming class of 2025.

Cameron is the second ranked player in the class, while Cayden is a top-20 recruit.

Cameron and Cayden are the sons of Carlos Boozer, who played for Duke until he was drafted in 2002.

"I'm proud of them.

They've worked their butts off for this moment," Carlos Boozer told ESPN.

"Really excited that they took their time.

Decided to play together in college, which is amazing.

They both complement each other so well.

They made the best decision for them.

Me and Mom couldn't be any prouder.

It's going to be a fun journey." The Boozers, who picked Duke over Miami, attend Christopher Columbus High School in Miami.

Sacramento Kings wing Kevin Huerter has been cleared for full contact.

Huerter will now progress through a ramp-up period before returning to game action.

Huerter was limited to open training camp, as he's still recovering from offseason surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

It's expected that he'll be ready to play at the start of the regular season, or shortly thereafter.

After putting together a career-best season in his first year with the Kings, Huerter's play dipped in his second season in Sacramento.

The Kings are hoping the 6-foot-7 wing will provide them with perimeter shooting and depth behind a talented group of shooting guards and small forwards.

The New York Knicks are likely to keep Landry Shamet into the regular season, sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic.

Because the Knicks are up against the hard cap, the other spot will likely go to a rookie on a minimum salary.

Shamet has averaged 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22.9 minutes over two preseason games with the Knicks.

Shamet spent last season with the Washington Wizards, averaging 7.1 points in 15.8 minutes over 46 games.

Shamet is a career 38.4 percent three-point shooter.

The New York Knicks are $300,000 below the "second apron" following their trades for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges.

The Knicks are not allowed to exceed the second apron at any point this season.

It's been great execution of a plan.

It's five years in the making," Tom Thibodeau said.

"It's accumulating the draft capital, and looking at the opportunities and going step by step and figuring out the things you can do." There were a couple of key instances where the Knicks were able to lower their 24-25 cap to eventually execute the Towns' trade.

For example, Jalen Brunson's contract signed in 2022 declined by $1.3 million from last season to this season.

Mitchell Robinson's contract also declined by $1.3 million from last season to this season.

The Knicks also declined to extend a qualifying offer to Precious Achiuwa that saved them $300,000 over what he would have cost them if they extended it to him and he signed it.

Finally, the Knicks signed Pacome Dadiet to a contract at 80 percent of his preassigned salary slot for the first year, which saved $800,000.

Knicks vice president of strategic planning Brock Aller is credited with leading much of the team's cap saving transactions.

"Brock has been terrific," said Thibodeau, who previously ran the Timberwolves' front office.

"And it's not easy.

It's your immediate plan and also your future plan.

You have to look at it in almost three different ways.

There's the basketball standpoint, what does it mean for what's on the floor? Then there's the financial impact.

Then there's also the penalty aspect that you have to look at as well.

So all three things before you make a decision you have to dig deep on.

So they've done a great job." The Oklahoma City Thunder have waived guard Javonte Cooke.

The Thunder signed center Chase Jeter to an Exhibit 10 contract to bring their roster back to offseason maximum of 21 players.

Both Cooke and Jeter are expected to play for the Oklahoma City Blue of the G League this upcoming season.

Cooke played for the Iowa Wolves of the G League for the last two seasons.

Jeter played for teams in Austria and Czechia over the last two seasons.

The Orlando Magic have waived guard Javonte Smart.

The Magic filled out their 21-player offseason roster by signing center Robert Baker II to an Exhibit 10 contract.

Both Baker and Smart are expected to play for the Osceola Magic of the G League this upcoming season.

Smart spent part of last season on a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, before finishing the year with KK Crvena zvezda in Serbia.

Baker spent most of last season with the College Park Skyhawks of the G League.

Baker also played for Akita Northern Happinets of Japan's B.League.

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