NBA rumors – Free agency and trade buzz, rumblings and reports

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The market is officially open, and NBA free-agency news is coming in fast. Stay up to date with the latest deals, rumors and rumblings.

More: Every deal so far | Summer of LeBron | Trades | Woj’s latest

Key offseason dates

Sunday: Free agency begins after midnight ET
Friday: Moratorium ends at noon ET; signings and trades can be made official
July 13: Deadline to withdraw qualifying offers to restricted free agents

July 1 updates

2:17 p.m. ET: Shooting guard Glenn Robinson III has agreed to a two-year, $8.3 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, according to a Yahoo Sports report. The 2017 slam dunk champion appeared in only 23 games for the Indiana Pacers last season because of a left ankle injury.


1:10 p.m. ET: The Philadelphia 76ers will meet with LeBron James‘ agent, Rich Paul, today in Los Angeles, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. James isn’t expected to attend the meeting. The 76ers have also been engaged in talks with the San Antonio Spurs on a potential Kawhi Leonard trade, and so far, have kept three players off-limits in talks, team sources say: Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz.


11:15 a.m. ET: The New York Knicks and 21-year-old big man Luke Kornet have agreed to a one-year deal, league sources confirm to ESPN’s Ian Begley.


11:11 a.m. ET: The Milwaukee Bucks will not waive guard Brandon Jennings, making his $2.2 million contract guaranteed for the 2018-19 season, a source told The Undefeated’s Marc Spears.


10:39 a.m. ET: Restricted free agent point guard Fred VanVleet has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal to stay with the Toronto Raptors, according to multiple reports. VanVleet, 24, finished third in 2018 Sixth Man of the Year voting behind Eric Gordon and winner Lou Williams.


10:33 a.m. ET: The Detroit Pistons have made re-signing James Ennis a priority, but the Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets have expressed interest in signing the 28-year-old forward, league sources tell ESPN’s Ian Begley.


2:29 a.m. ET: The Portland Trail Blazers and shooting guard Nik Stauskas agreed to a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Stauskas spent the 2017-18 season with the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.


2:19 a.m. ET: Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James spoke to Cleveland general manager Koby Altman over the phone just after midnight, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. James’ agent Rich Paul was also on the call.


2:17 a.m. ET: The Houston Rockets and center Clint Capela plan to meet Sunday in Los Angeles, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Capela is arguably the top restricted free agent available.


2:42 a.m. ET: The first teams to contact New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins were the Los Angeles Lakers and the Pelicans, a source told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Cousins is recovering from a torn left Achilles tendon.


1:20 a.m. ET: The Minnesota Timberwolves are expected to bring back guard Derrick Rose on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Rose joined the Timberwolves after the trade deadline last season; he started the 2017-18 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.


1:07 a.m. ET: The Boston Celtics will retain starting center Aron Baynes with a two-year, $11 million deal, according to ESPN’s Chris Forsberg.


1:05 a.m. ET: The Houston Rockets are bringing back reserve shooting guard Gerald Green on a one-year, $2.4 million deal, a source told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.


1:03 a.m. ET: ESPN has confirmed that the Phoenix Suns will sign former Houston Rockets small forward Trevor Ariza to a one-year, $15 million deal.


12:59 a.m. ET: The San Antonio Spurs signed small forward Marco Belinelli to a two-year, $12 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Belinelli spent the 2017-18 season with the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers. Belinelli won a championship with the Spurs in 2014.


12:54 a.m. ET: The Memphis Grizzlies signed small forward Omri Casspi to a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Casspi started the 2017-18 season with the Golden State Warriors before the eventual champions waived him to make room for backup point guard Quinn Cook.


12:43 a.m. ET: The Brooklyn Nets signed former Portland Trail Blazers center Ed Davis to a one-year, $4.4 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


12:18 a.m. ET: The Oklahoma City Thunder will retain reserve big man Jerami Grant on a three-year, $27 million contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


12:36 a.m. ET: The Dallas Mavericks went through a free-agent adventure with LA Clippers center DeAndre Jordan in 2015. This time, Dallas and Jordan appear to have agreed on a one-year deal worth $24.1 million, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.


12:15 a.m. ET: The San Antonio Spurs and forward Rudy Gay agreed to terms on a one-year, $10 million deal, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.


12:07 a.m. ET: The Houston Rockets will retain point guard Chris Paul with a four-year, $160 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


June 30 updates

11:59 p.m. ET: The Milwaukee Bucks will sign power forward Ersan Ilyasova to a three-year, $21 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


11:56 p.m. ET: According to ESPN’s Ian Begley, the New York Knicks are interested in free-agent small forward Mario Hezonja. The fifth pick in the 2015 draft by Orlando, Hezonja is also interested in meeting with New York, who just used the ninth pick of the 2018 NBA Draft on forward Kevin Knox.


11:56 p.m. ET: The Brooklyn Nets will re-sign wing Joe Harris to a two-year, $16 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


11:55 p.m. ET: Small forward Doug McDermott will sign with the Indiana Pacers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. McDermott spent the 2017-18 season with the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.


11:46 p.m. ET: The LA Clippers are expected to meet with shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Caldwell-Pope spent the 2017-18 season with the Los Angeles Lakers.


11:42 p.m. ET: The Oklahoma City Thunder and small forward Paul George have agreed on a four-year deal worth $137 million, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


11:38 p.m. ET: The Denver Nuggets will re-sign free agent Will Barton to a four-year deal worth $54 million, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes. The fourth year is a player option. Barton will be Denver’s starting small forward in 2018-19.


10:48 p.m. ET: Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook hosted a “summer hype house party” near Lake Arcadia and unrestricted free-agent small forward Paul George arrived in OKC on Saturday night, sources told ESPN’s Royce Young. Thunder GM Sam Presti will meet with George and his agents will meet Saturday night, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


9:31 p.m. ET: Small forward Kevin Durant intends to sign a two-year deal with a player option to stay with the Golden State Warriors, according to a report from ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Durant’s salary will fall below the $35.65 million max salary because of the player option in Year 2, per reporting by ESPN’s Bobby Marks.


4:39 p.m. ET: The Phoenix Suns have waived point guard Tyler Ulis, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Ulis’ $1.5 million salary for next season would have become guaranteed on Sunday if the team did not release him. Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said Friday that the team was looking to acquire a point guard in free agency.


1:41 p.m. ET: LeBron James‘ camp and the Cleveland Cavaliers front office have maintained a dialogue since the end of the season, but the two sides will not have a face-to-face meeting when free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. ET, sources told ESPN. It is unclear at this point if an in-person meeting between James and the Cavs has been scheduled for down the line.


1:18 p.m. ET: The Atlanta Hawks have waived guard Isaiah Taylor, who averaged 6.6 points and 3.1 assists in 67 games last season. Had Taylor remained on the roster beyond Saturday, $300,000 of his $1.5 million salary for 2018-19 would have become guaranteed.

June 29 updates

7:32 p.m. ET: The Dallas Mavericks will decline the team option of the final year of power forward Dirk Nowitzki‘s contract, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. This was a mutual decision as the Mavericks plan to pursue LA Clippers center DeAndre Jordan in free agency; Dallas plans to re-sign Nowitzki as well.


6:43 p.m. ET: DeAndre Jordan will not pick up the option of the final year of his four-year, $87.6 million contract with the LA Clippers, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. This clears the way for Jordan to begin negotiations with the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent. The Mavs had previously explored trade options for the Clippers big man had Jordan opted to play the final year of his deal.


12:32 p.m. ET: LeBron James will not pick up the player option on the final year of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and will become an unrestricted free agent, according to ESPN and multiple reports, though it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s leaving. Because of the difficulty of completing a sign-and-trade deal, James opting out actually limits his options for leaving the Cavs to teams with cap space to sign him outright, leaving LeBron’s likely outcomes as joining either the Los Angeles Lakers or Philadelphia 76ers or returning to Cleveland.

June 28 updates

1:44 p.m. ET: The Dallas Mavericks have made center DeAndre Jordan their primary target as free agency nears, league sources told ESPN. Jordan, who infamously spurned the Mavs in 2015 free agency after making an oral commitment to come to Dallas, has a deadline of 11:59 p.m. ET Friday to decide whether to opt in to the final season of his contract that would pay him $24.1 million.


12:54 p.m. ET: New York Knicks center Enes Kanter is leaning heavily toward exercising his $18.6 million player option for 2018-19, sources told ESPN’s Ian Begley. Kanter will continue to survey the market until his Friday deadline, sources said, but barring an unforeseen significant change, he will opt in.


12:10 p.m. ET: The San Antonio Spurs are fully engaged in trade talks with several teams on Kawhi Leonard, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


11:57 a.m. ET: Paul George has informed Oklahoma City Thunder officials that he will not be opting in for the final year of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. George, who will decline a $20.7 million salary for the 2018-19 season, remains seriously interested in returning to the Thunder in free agency, with the Los Angeles Lakers also receiving serious consideration, sources said.

June 27 updates

10:01 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers re-engaged the San Antonio Spurs in pursuit of a trade for All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard, league sources told ESPN. The Spurs have wanted to find a way to repair the franchise’s relationship with Leonard, but an overwhelming Lakers offer could convince San Antonio to part with its franchise star, league sources said.


7:10 p.m. ET: The Cleveland Cavaliers will pick up the $2.5 million team option on Kendrick Perkins‘ contract for 2018-19. The decision is a salary-cap ploy to try to aggregate the veteran center’s salary along with an existing contract to pursue a trade around the league, multiple league sources told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.


5:07 p.m. ET: The Cleveland Cavaliers will extend a $3.4 million qualifying offer to restricted free-agent forward Rodney Hood ahead of Friday’s midnight deadline, according to multiple reports. Hood, 25, came to Cleveland from Utah in the flurry of moves executed at the trade deadline by Cavs general manager Koby Altman.


4:35 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers have extended a $5.6 million qualifying offer to forward Julius Randle, making him a restricted free agent, the Associated Press reported. The Lakers will have the option to match any offer sheet Randle signs from another team, but his future in L.A. remains unclear, as the franchise has lofty aspirations in free agency.


2:20 p.m. ET: The Dallas Mavericks have withdrawn their $4.3 million qualifying offer to forward Doug McDermott, making him an unrestricted free agent, league sources told ESPN’s Zach Lowe. Dallas, however, still has interest in retaining the 2014 Naismith College Player of the Year.


12:42 p.m. ET: As LeBron James remains hesitant to be the first superstar to decide on the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, pressure is mounting for the Lakers front office to execute a trade with the San Antonio Spurs to acquire disgruntled All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard, league sources told ESPN.


12:40 p.m. ET: There is growing concern in Los Angeles that Paul George is no longer assured of signing with the Lakers, league sources told ESPN. George, 28, can decline his $20.7 million player option with the Oklahoma City Thunder and would officially hit the free-agent market Sunday.

June 26 updates

7:24 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Clippers traded Austin Rivers to the Washington Wizards for Marcin Gortat, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Austin Rivers opted into the final year of a three-year deal for $12.65 million.


4:22 p.m. ET: Saying there is “no pressure” on him entering free agency, Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson said it will not be a failure if the team doesn’t land a superstar this offseason and that he and the Lakers should be judged on how they do next summer. Johnson added: “If I can’t deliver [after two summers] I’m going to step down myself.”

June 25 updates

11:40 p.m. ET: The Denver Nuggets declined the team option of center Nikola Jokic for the 2018-19 season, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Jokic will enter restricted free agency while he and the Nuggets negotiate a long-term contract.


8:18 p.m. ET: San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Danny Green exercised his player option for the 2018-19 season, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.


4:14 p.m. ET: The Indiana Pacers will make Lance Stephenson an unrestricted free agent by declining the team option for the 2018-19 season, league sources told ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Stephenson, 27, was due to make $4.3 million.


1:28 p.m. ET: Although LeBron James hasn’t announced whether he’ll pick up his player option, sources close to the situation told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that he has no intention of hearing elaborate recruiting pitches from teams.

June 24 updates

1 p.m. ET: Atlanta Hawks forward Mike Muscala has exercised his $5 million player option, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Muscala, who turns 27 on July 1, averaged 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds last season for the Hawks. Atlanta is now projected to enter the offseason with $20 million in available cap space, according to ESPN Front Office Insider Bobby Marks.


12:40 p.m. ET: With the deadline passing Saturday, Carmelo Anthony did not exercise the early termination option on the final year of his contract to join the 2018 free-agent class. Anthony, officially a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder again next season, will earn $27.9 million in 2018-19 to complete the five-year, $120 million contract he signed with the New York Knicks in 2014.


12:26 p.m. ET: Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler will exercise his player option for the 2018-19 season, league sources told ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Chandler, 31, is opting into a $12.8 million salary instead of entering free agency this summer.

June 22 update

1:20 a.m. ET: San Antonio Spurs GM R.C. Buford stated the franchise’s desire to keep disgruntled All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard in the fold Thursday after the NBA draft but said the club “will explore all of our options.” Leonard wants to be traded to Los Angeles, preferably to the Lakers, sources have told ESPN.

June 21 updates

4:51 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers contacted the San Antonio Spurs after Kawhi Leonard‘s public trade request last week but immediately felt the Spurs had no intention of engaging in any dialogue, sources close to the situation told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. As one Lakers source put it, “They basically shut the door on us.”


4:33 p.m. ET: Dwight Howard and the Brooklyn Nets have mutually agreed to enter into buyout talks for his $23.8 million expiring contract. Howard, 32, would then enter free agency this summer. On Wednesday, the Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn agreed to a trade that will send Howard to the Nets in exchange for center Timofey Mozgov, two second-round picks and cash, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

June 20 updates

9:16 p.m. ET: New York Knicks center Kyle O’Quinn has declined his $4.2 million contract for the 2018-19 season to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. O’Quinn averaged 7.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 58 percent shooting in 18 minutes per game for the Knicks in 2017-18.


9:48 a.m. ET: The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to send center Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets for center Timofey Mozgov, two future second-round picks and cash, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Hornets will receive the Nets’ second-round pick (No. 45) in Thursday’s NBA draft and a 2021 second-round pick, league sources said.


7:41 a.m. ET: San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich traveled to Southern California on Tuesday and met with Kawhi Leonard, league sources told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski. Leonard wants a trade to Los Angeles — preferably the Lakers — but the Spurs are unlikely to be motivated to facilitate a deal to L.A., league sources said.

June 19 update

1:02 p.m. ET: ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during an NBA draft preview show Monday night that Rockets guard Chris Paul will return to the team and is putting all his focus into recruiting LeBron James to Houston.

June 18 update

4:28 p.m. ET: San Antonio Spurs forward Rudy Gay is declining his 2018-19 player option to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, league sources tell ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Gay, 31, is turning down a salary of $8.8 million in order to hit free agency.

June 16 update

11:57 a.m. ET: Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio, league sources told ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Leonard has Los Angeles — preferably the Lakers — at the center of his preferences for a trade destination, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but a source with the Spurs said Leonard hasn’t asked them for a trade.

June 13 updates

10:33 a.m. ET: ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that a meeting — or a series of them — will be set between Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and star forward Kawhi Leonard about whether a lasting trust and partnership can be rebuilt. Leonard is eligible to receive a five-year, $219 million contract extension this summer, but his future in San Antonio has come into question after his relationship with the franchise became strained last season.


8:45 a.m. ET: League sources told ESPN’s Chris Haynes that Warriors All-Star forward Draymond Green will turn down Golden State’s three-year, $72 million extension when it’s offered. That’s because if he earns MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or All-NBA Team honors next season, he will be eligible for a super-max contract of five years, $226 million.

June 12 updates

5:14 p.m. ET: Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving said Tuesday that a contract extension this summer doesn’t make sense for him, and his sole focus is on getting healthy for next season and helping Boston take another step toward title contention.


4:55 p.m. ET: Two-time reigning Finals MVP Kevin Durant could sign for as long as four years and about $160 million this offseason, and Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers is prepared to give him “whatever he wants.”


3:45 p.m. ET: Jodie Meeks exercised his $3.5 million contract option to return to the Washington Wizards for the 2018-19 season, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Meeks will serve the remaining 19 games of a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy to start the season. Meeks, 30, played 77 games for the Wizards last season, averaging 14.5 minutes and 6.3 points a game.


10:15 a.m. ET: Indiana Pacers forward Thaddeus Young is seriously contemplating declining his $13.7 million player option for the 2018-19 season and becoming an unrestricted free agent, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Young, 29, has until June 29 to make a decision on the option.





Source : ESPN