CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hornets have released veteran point guard Mike Conley just days after acquiring him in a flurry of deadline trades, the team confirmed.
Hornets Cut Ties With Conley
If the 38-year-old clears waivers, he can sign with any NBA team except the Chicago Bulls. League sources have pointed to possible interest from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who moved Conley to the bench this season before sending him to Chicago in a three-team deal with Detroit on Tuesday. Chicago then routed him to Charlotte on Wednesday as part of the Coby White transaction.
Conley appeared in 44 games for Minnesota, averaging 4.4 points and 1.8 assists in 18.5 minutes while shooting 32.2 percent from the field. The Hornets never intended to keep him, making the move a quick procedural stop.
Minnesota has since added guard Ayo Dosunmu but still has two open roster spots should the franchise seek a reunion.
Celtics Ship Tillman, Clear Luxury Tax
Boston executed a post-deadline swap, sending center Xavier Tillman Sr. and $3.5 million in cash considerations to Charlotte, according to multiple reports. Tillman has appeared in just 14 games this season, averaging 2.2 points in fewer than eight minutes, and may not remain with the Hornets beyond paperwork.
The financial impact on Boston is significant. After beginning the league year above the second apron, the Celtics now sit roughly $842,000 under the luxury-tax threshold with 12 players on standard contracts, per cap analyst Yossi Gozlan. The club can legally operate below the 14-player minimum for short stretches and is expected to consider elevating two-way guard Max Shulga later in the year at the rookie minimum rate.
Charlotte effectively receives free cash: the $3.5 million payment exceeds Tillman’s remaining salary.
Yabusele Opts Out, Helps Bulls and Knicks
Forward Guerschon Yabusele declined his $5.78 million player option for the 2026-27 season while moving from the New York Knicks to the Chicago Bulls, reports indicate. The opt-out eased concerns for potential trade partners and paved the way for several deadline deals, including New York’s acquisition of guard Jose Alvarado.
Yabusele becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer and is drawing interest from multiple EuroLeague clubs; Hapoel Tel Aviv is among the teams tracking his status, according to The Athletic. The decision also grants Chicago additional cap flexibility in 2026, whereas the outgoing Dalen Terry would have reached restricted free agency.
Source: Hoops Wire
