Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 6/11/2026
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill will hold a live chat Thursday at 11 am Central time (noon Eastern) exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Use the link below to ask a question in advance, participate in the live event and read the transcript afterward.
Mavericks Notes: Irving, Finances, Marshall, Lively, Thompson
In the latest step in his recovery from a torn ACL that forced him to miss the entire season, Kyrie Irving put his skills on display Tuesday at the NBPA Top 100 Camp in Rock Hill, South Carolina, according to BasketNews. The Mavericks guard offered advice and motivation to the top 100 high school players in the United States, then gave some of them a chance to face him one-on-one in the Can You Guard Kyrie Challenge (Twitter video link from NBA Central).
The team hasn’t provided an official update on Irving’s status, but he was reportedly impressive in his battles with the high school stars. Irving said recently on social media that he’s nearly 100% recovered.
“This mission is bigger than just the basketball court,” he told the players. “I pray that you guys understand that you have a chance to change your life with the game of basketball, to utilize it as a vehicle to take you around the world, to meet different people, gain insight, gain knowledge. Last year, I had a very traumatic injury, tore my ACL. And just to be back out here in front of you guys, it’s just an honor. I don’t take for granted, man, it’s been a long year, mentally, emotionally, something – when something that you love gets taken away from you for a temporary moment, that really defines you.”
There’s more on the Mavericks:
- Dallas didn’t get much value in terms of players by trading Anthony Davis to Washington, but unloading his $58.5MM salary for next season puts the team in much better financial shape, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron states in his offseason preview. The Mavs currently have 13 players under contract for 2026/27 with a total commitment of $161.8MM. They are comfortably below both aprons and roughly $38MM away from the luxury tax line. They also created a $20.8MM trade exception in the Davis deal that enables them to sign someone for up to $21MM. In addition, Dallas has access to the $15MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception as well as the $5.5MM bi-annual exception. Gozlan notes that using that space to take on unwanted salary from other teams could be an easy way to restock the Mavericks’ future draft assets.
- One of the team’s most important offseason decisions will be whether to extend Naji Marshall, who will become eligible for a new deal on July 6, Gozlan adds. Marshall should attract plenty of trade interest with an expiring $9.4MM contract, but the Mavs have indicated that they want to keep him as part of their future. Gozlan projects a new deal in the range of the MLE at around $45MM over three years, which is low enough to avoid creating a six-month trade restriction.
- Dereck Lively II will also be extension-eligible, Gozlan notes, but the Mavericks are unlikely go that route since injuries have caused him to miss 121 games over the past two seasons. Gozlan expects that the new front office will want to watch Lively for a year before making a decision.
- Gozlan also suggests that 36-year-old Klay Thompson might become a buyout candidate whether he stays in Dallas or gets traded. Thompson will have a $17.5MM expiring contract and isn’t in the situation he expected when he signed with the Mavs to team up with Luka Doncic on a contender. Gozlan points out that Dallas could take back up to $26.5MM in a Thompson deal.
Southwest Notes: Castle, Ejiofor, Grizzlies’ Draft, Pelicans
Stephon Castle used some strategy to maneuver his way to the Spurs in the 2024 draft, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. San Antonio held the No. 4 pick, and Castle was intrigued by the chance to team his perimeter defensive skills with an elite rim protector like Victor Wembanyama,
“I was just looking on the defensive side of things (in San Antonio), where being able to pair with Victor was definitely a plus in my eyes,” Castle said. “I just thought it would have been a perfect fit, and I feel like it was.”
To reach the Spurs, Castle had to get past the Rockets, who held the third pick. Castle was aware of coach Ime Udoka‘s interest in him, but preferred not to join a team with a veteran point guard already in place. Houston had Fred VanVleet, so Castle opted against holding a private workout with the Rockets. The strategy worked, as Houston selected Reed Sheppard, and Castle went on to win Rookie of the Year honors and become a fixture on a young team that’s already in the NBA Finals.
“I think being (in San Antonio) was always number one on my list,” Castle added. “Internally, I always felt like I was the best player in that draft. (But) I didn’t know what could happen. My agent always told me, like, anything can happen in a draft. Like, you could not work out for a team, not have talked to a team, and they can still take you. So, I mean, I wasn’t really planning on playing in Houston. I didn’t really know how any of that worked. I was kind of hoping I could slide my way to San Antonio. It kind of worked out for me.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor will have a pre-draft workout with the Spurs on Thursday, according to Adam Zagoria (Twitter link). San Antonio holds the 20th pick, which falls within Ejiofor’s projected draft range.
- Cameron Boozer appears headed to the Grizzlies with the third pick, and the team may try to find Ja Morant‘s eventual replacement at No. 16, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal states in a subscriber-only story. Cole examines the fit for Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson, Alabama’s Labaron Philon, Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz and Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie.
- The Pelicans are hiring David Cosgrave as vice president of health and performance and Joe Sharpe as head athletic trainer, states Rod Walker of NOLA. “David Cosgrave and Joe Sharpe bring a level of professionalism and experience that immediately strengthens our organization and supports our commitment to build a fully integrated, best-in-class medical and performance team,” executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a statement.
- Scoop Jardine announced that he’ll be joining the Pelicans as a “global director scout” (Instagram link). The former Syracuse standout spent time playing in the G League and in Canada before moving into coaching at the high school level.
And-Ones: Rozier, Payton, Clarke, Silver
The trial for Terry Rozier and three other defendants in a federal gambling case is scheduled to begin on February 8, 2027, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. The former Heat guard pleaded not guilty in December to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, claims that the NBA has mishandled the investigation and is wrongfully preventing Rozier from continuing his career.
“The NBA has literally flagrantly fouled the presumption of innocence,” Trusty said (Twitter video link). “… They’re still trying to find ways to pretend they’re victims and that Terry should be prohibited from playing basketball. … They are not on the side of angels in this case.”
Trusty has petitioned Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to remove a bond restriction that prevents Rozier from playing in the NBA, and the league has been given a Monday deadline to respond, Vorkunov adds.
Rozier also pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of sports bribery and honest services wire fraud conspiracy that were filed by federal prosecutors last month, per ESPN.
Rozier’s lawyers have asked the Department of Justice and Judge Hall to dismiss the charges against him.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former SuperSonics star Gary Payton is confident that the NBA will be returning to Seattle soon, Dana Scott of The Arizona Republic writes in a subscriber-only story. “There’s a lot of talk. The government over there in Seattle is going to be fine,” Payton said. “Seattle will be back with Las Vegas, so I’m not really worried about none of what they’re talking about. We’ll work it all out. There’s nothing that’s going to snag them. The ownership with Tod Leiweke (CEO of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken) and all them, we’re going to be fine. I’m just excited for them to get back. We should’ve never lost it but we’re gonna be back.”
- Brandon Clarke‘s death last month has brought new scrutiny to kratom, the substance he was carrying in his car during his recent arrest in Arkansas, per Melody Gutierrez of The Athletic. Many states are moving to outlaw kratom, including Clarke’s home state of Tennessee, which is placing restrictions on it starting July 1.
- Meeting with a small group of reporters last week, commissioner Adam Silver defended the success of the league’s 65-game minimum to be eligible for major awards and All-NBA honors, relays Sam Amick of The Athletic. “Our star participation was up, actually, significantly this year,” Silver said. “Taking injuries out (of the equation), with so-called load management or one-day absences (being the focus), we’re down 30% this year. … (Players) don’t want to disappoint the fans.”
NBA Finals Notes: K. Johnson, Wembanyama, LeBron, Ratings
One of the overlooked reasons for the Spurs‘ victory in Game 3 was the job that forward Keldon Johnson did defensively against Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only piece. Despite being six inches shorter and 28 pounds lighter, Johnson was able to use his physicality to throw Towns off his game.
“I just tried to make it tough for him,” Johnson said. “He’s a really good player. He’s been playing at a really high level throughout the series, so I just tried to make it tough on him, make his catches tough, try to make him uncomfortable, just doing whatever I can to make him have a tough night.”
Towns was limited to 11 points on Monday after scoring 18 and 21 in the first two games of the series. Johnson, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, posted a team-best plus-14 rating in 17 minutes of action.
“He’ll do whatever the coaching staff asks him to do, bringing his energy and physicality (to the assignment),” San Antonio center Luke Kornet said of Johnson. “His versatility is important for us.”
There’s more on the NBA Finals:
- Before leading the Spurs to a pivotal win, Victor Wembanyama relaxed on Sunday with a trip to Gramercy Park, one of New York City’s quietest and most exclusive attractions, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Wembanyama and his sister spent the afternoon sketching, admiring the statues and watching a Shakespearian presentation, helping him clear his mind for the challenge ahead. “Really tried to relax. The Playoffs, it’s like a — I don’t know how to say that word — a whirlwind. It’s hard to put your head out of the water,” Wembanyama said after Game 3. “Sometimes, I don’t even got to watch the game back right away. I need some time off, let my brain cool down, recover. Recover as much for the body as for the mind.”
- LeBron James suggests that the Knicks’ two road wins to open the series were the result of a lack of attractions in San Antonio that interest NBA players, relays Ryan Anderson of The New York Post. “I mean, San Antonio, we focus on basketball,” James said on his Mind the Game podcast (YouTube link). “You ain’t doing s–t in San Antonio. Nothing at all. Nothing. And I mean nothing.”
- Monday’s contest drew the highest television rating for the NBA Finals since the 1998 Finals between the Bulls and Jazz, the league announced (Twitter link). The game averaged 23.8 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, peaking with 26.3 million at 11:15 pm Eastern Time.
Knicks Notes: Towns, Brunson, Brown, Rose, Lin
Coach Mike Brown was upset with the free throw disparity in Monday’s Game 3 loss, but Knicks players don’t believe that’s what caused their 13-game playoff winning streak to end, Steve Popper of Newsday writes in a subscriber-only story. Karl-Anthony Towns blamed an uncharacteristic sloppiness with the ball as New York committed 13 turnovers, several as the result of unforced errors.
“That ain’t cost us the game,” Towns responded when asked about Brown’s comments on the officiating. “Turned the ball over. Didn’t execute. Didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins in a row. That’s how you lose a game. We didn’t do what we’ve been doing for 13. We decided to do something different, and it ain’t going to work. Throwing the ball away is a clear indication of how you’re going to lose the game, especially in the playoffs.”
Another concern Popper raises is stagnation on offense, with Brown saying too often players were standing and watching whoever had the ball. Popper notes that Jalen Brunson finished with 32 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, but he only had five assists as the offense lacked its usual fluidity.
“We’ve got to pick up the ball movement, for sure,” Towns said. “We have to. Two, we have, what, 13 games in a row, 50 days of film to show what it looks like when we’re at our best. So we’ve got good film. We’ll get back to our fundamentals, what makes us great, what made us great, and get back to work.”
There’s more from New York:
- Speaking to reporters before tonight’s Game 4, Brown addressed the league’s decision to not give Victor Wembanyama a flagrant foul for an incident with Brunson early in Monday’s contest, per James L. Edwards of The Athletic (Twitter link). “They’re not going to listen to me,” Brown told reporters. “I said my piece. You just hope at the end of the day things are consistent on both ends.”
- One of the Knicks’ most valuable qualities is having a core of players who have been together for several years, states Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. As it becomes tougher to keep rosters intact due to CBA restrictions, teams that can establish continuity tend to have an advantage. Vorkunov points out that it’s been true for every NBA champion since 2021. “I think you just get a familiarity and a certain comfort level with those guys,” Josh Hart said. “All of them can go out there and make plays, especially end of shot clock. … I think it’s more so the trust that’s built, and you know where everyone likes the ball and plays for them to execute.”
- Leon Rose‘s refusal to speak to the media has kept him out of the spotlight more than most other NBA executives, but the Knicks’ president has done an incredible job building the current roster, observes Chris Mannix of SI. Mannix examines the moves that Rose has made over the past five years to turn the franchise around, including the 2022 signing of Brunson in free agency. “I think he has a great basketball mind,” Brunson said of Rose. “The way he’s been able to do this, especially here with all the scrutiny people do to him and everything, I just think the way he goes about his business is as good as anyone.”
- Jeremy Lin, who earned his greatest fame during his time in New York, believes Brunson deserves more credit for giving the Knicks a discount in his last extension and providing the financial flexibility that made them title contenders, per Melissa Rohlin of The California Post. “I don’t think enough people are talking about him giving up $113MM to build a team full of players that want to win,” Lin said. “I think that speaks volumes. That’s also historic. It’s not talked about enough. Now he’s starting to get some of the recognition he deserves as a player, but he’s the consummate teammate and professional.”
Central Rumors: Portis, Bulls, Quinn, Niang, Pistons
There’s a “growing belief in some corners” that if the Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, the deal will also include Bobby Portis, reports Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link).
Portis, who has played with Antetokounmpo for the past six seasons and won a title with Milwaukee in 2021, has provided consistent production as the team’s top frontcourt reserve in recent years, averaging 13.8 points and 7.3 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game since the start of the 2023/24 season. The 31-year-old forward/center will earn $14.5MM in 2026/27 and holds a $15.6MM player option for ’27/28.
We have a few more items of interest from around the Central Division:
- Although the Bulls don’t appear likely to make a trade involving their No. 4 overall pick, the idea that they might move up from No. 15 is “gaining momentum,” writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, citing a source. While Cowley suggests that might just mean using second-round assets to move up a spot or two to nab a specific target, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints says rival personnel believe the Bulls might be eyeing Keaton Wagler. The Illinois guard is considered likely to come off the board in the 5-9 range, so that would be a more challenging trade for Chicago to make.
- Cowley and Siegel also checked in on the Bulls‘ coaching search, with Cowley confirming the reported finalists and suggesting that the team will make its choice “well before” the draft begins on June 23, perhaps at some point within the next week. Siegel, who previously identified Heat assistant Chris Quinn as a candidate for Chicago, is hearing that Quinn will “probably” end up remaining in his role on Erik Spoelstra‘s staff in Miami.
- Having traveled to Italy to watch Cavaliers 2025 second-round pick Saliou Niang play for Virtus Bologna in the Lega Basket Serie A playoffs, head coach Kenny Atkinson referred to the draft-and-stash prospect as a “strong, determined young man” and lauded the 22-year-old’s energy and his leadership, per Federico Bettuzzi of Tuttosport (hat tip to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando). “I believe he will be part of our franchise’s future,” Atkinson added.
- Hunter Patterson of The Athletic lists five prospects the Pistons should consider with their No. 21 pick, assuming they’re still available, starting with Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie. Duke’s Isaiah Evans, Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, Santa Clara’s Allen Graves, and Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas also earn mentions from Patterson.
Scotto’s Latest: MPJ, Mann, Wade, Mamukelashvili, Dick
While veteran forward Michael Porter Jr. will be eligible to sign a contract extension with the Nets this offseason, teams around the NBA are also keeping an eye on him as a potential candidate, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Porter will turn 28 this month and is entering his ninth year in the NBA, whereas the rebuilding Nets added five rookies to their roster a year ago and are poised to draft another with the No. 6 overall pick on June 23. As Scotto explains, executives across the league aren’t convinced that Porter fits with Brooklyn’s timeline beyond his current contract, which will pay him $40.8MM in 2026/27 before expiring next summer.
According to Scotto, the Warriors were among the teams with interest in Porter at the deadline and considered giving up a first-round pick for him. That deal likely would’ve involved Jonathan Kuminga, who was sent to Atlanta as part of a package for Kristaps Porzingis instead. Based on its cap situation, Golden State isn’t as well positioned this offseason to make another run at Porter unless the team is prepared to move off Jimmy Butler‘s sizable expiring contract as he recovers from an ACL tear.
Scotto adds that Nets guard Terance Mann was involved in those pre-deadline trade discussions, but his involvement in a potential Porter deal would’ve necessitated a third team, which threw a wrench into those negotiations. Mann, who still has two years and $31.5MM left on his own contract, is well-liked in Brooklyn and is considered a positive locker room presence, says Scotto.
Here are a few more highlights from Scotto’s latest round-up of notes and rumors:
- Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, who will be an unrestricted free agent, is expected to draw interest from multiple teams who will have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available, Scotto reports, pointing out that it could be difficult for a cap-strapped Cleveland team to make a competitive offer. The Cavs were the only club to operate over the second tax apron this past season and won’t have a ton of salary coming off their books if they re-sign James Harden.
- Raptors big man Sandro Mamukelashvili is expected to decline his minimum-salary player option and command a significant raise in unrestricted free agency. According to Scotto, Mamukelashvili has a chance to earn a contract worth a significant chunk of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which has teams wondering whether Toronto will be able to retain him. The Raptors only have Mamukelashvili’s Non-Bird rights, and while they could use their MLE to re-sign him, they have luxury tax concerns to consider.
- Rival executives view Gradey Dick as the Raptors‘ most obvious trade candidate if they look to trim some salary and create more breathing room below the tax line. Dick, who is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract, is coming off a down year but was a regular starter and averaged 14.4 points per game in 2024/25, so the 22-year-old could be viewed as a bounce-back candidate, Scotto notes.
- In case you missed it, we also passed along reporting from Scotto on the Pelicans’ efforts to acquire a lottery pick and the Hornets and Kings discussing Domantas Sabonis.
Pelicans Trying To Acquire Lottery Pick?
The Pelicans are making an effort to acquire a lottery pick in this month’s draft, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports that the team is believed to have its eye on a specific player in the neighborhood of the top 10.
New Orleans finished the 2025/26 season with a 26-56 record, but the club’s own lottery pick – which landed at No. 8 overall – is controlled by Atlanta as a result of a deal the Pelicans made to move into last year’s lottery. After using the seventh overall pick in 2025 to select Jeremiah Fears, the front office sent last year’s No. 23 pick and this year’s lottery selection to the Hawks in order to move up to No. 13 to nab Derik Queen.
Without any 2026 picks to use as bargaining chips this time around, the Pelicans will face the challenge of trading into the first round rather than simply trading up. In other words, the price figures to be steep, especially given how highly regarded the ’26 draft class is.
According to Scotto, it’s unclear what sort of trade assets the Pelicans are making available as they seek a lottery pick, but outside of Fears and Queen, who almost certainly aren’t going anywhere, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones likely have the most trade value among the players on their roster. Zion Williamson and Yves Missi are potential trade chips with positive value too, but head of basketball operations Joe Dumars has dismissed the idea of moving Williamson and Missi’s stock likely dipped a little as he fell out of the starting lineup this past season.
The Pelicans also own the most favorable of their own or Milwaukee’s 2027 first-rounder and still control all of their own first-rounders beginning in 2028, so they have no shortage of future draft assets to put on the table. Dumars showed a year ago that he has no problem going that route, even while the team is in a retooling phase.
For what it’s worth, the Warriors – who control the No. 11 overall pick – have been frequently cited in the past year or two as a team with interest in Murphy. The Bucks (No. 10) would also probably have interest in win-now role players like Murphy and Jones if they decide to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo and try to build a contender around him; if they move Giannis, the Bucks would probably rather keep their pick.
The Hawks at No. 8 and the Mavericks at No. 9 are among the other potential trade partners the Pelicans could reach out to.
Kings, Hornets Have Discussed Domantas Sabonis
1:23 pm: Confirming Amick’s reporting, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says the Kings and Hornets explored a possible framework that would’ve sent Bridges, Green, and a first-round pick to Sacramento in exchange for Sabonis. However, as Amick noted, Charlotte has resisted including either of its 2026 first-rounders in a deal.
The Hornets are considering pursuing a starting-caliber center this summer, per Scotto, who adds that Kings general manager Scott Perry nearly drafted Bridges over Kevin Knox in 2018 when he was in the Knicks’ front office.
9:12 am: While a recent report stating that the Kings and Hornets discussed a possible Domantas Sabonis trade during the season was shot down, Sam Amick of The Athletic hears from league sources that the two teams have had recent talks about the big man.
Amick cautions that no deal is imminent and says it seems unlikely that will change prior to this month’s draft. However, his sources tell him that Charlotte does appear to have some level of interest in Sabonis.
As Amick explains, the Kings would ideally like to acquire one of Charlotte’s first-round picks (No. 14 or 18) in a Sabonis trade, but the Hornets want to keep those picks out of any deal and discuss the Sacramento big man later in the offseason, after the draft.
Sabonis, 30, has earned three All-Star nods since 2020. He also made the All-NBA third team in both 2023 and 2024 and led the league in rebounding for three straight seasons from 2023-25, but he was limited to just 19 total appearances in 2025/26 due to knee problems. In those 19 outings (15 starts), he averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 boards, and 4.1 assists in 29.7 minutes per game.
Sabonis tore his left meniscus tear back in November and originally opted for a non-surgical treatment plan, rehabbing the injury and returning to action a couple months later, in mid-January. Upon returning though, he appeared in just eight of Sacramento’s 15 games heading into the All-Star break and played a relatively limited role (24.9 MPG).
With the Kings well out of the playoff race and the big man seemingly not all the way back to 100%, he and the team decided to address his meniscus injury surgically and he underwent a season-ending procedure in February.
Sabonis was also involved in trade rumors prior to the 2026 trade deadline — the Raptors were the team that was most frequently linked to the big man at that time, but the Kings were said to have no interest in taking back Jakob Poeltl‘s long-term contract as part of a deal. While it’s unclear if Toronto will resume discussions about Sabonis this offseason, there’s an expectation among rival teams that the big man will be made available by a retooling Sacramento team seeking salary cap relief.
The Hornets got solid production at the five in 2025/26 from youngsters Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner, but neither Diabate nor Kalkbrenner is the kind of scorer or play-maker that Sabonis is. The Lithuanian center holds averages of 19.0 PPG, 13.1 RPG, and 6.9 APG since being traded to the Kings in 2022.
Sabonis’ 2025/26 cap hit is $42.3MM and he’ll make $45.5MM next season, so the Hornets would have to send out a significant amount of salary for matching purposes, along with possible draft compensation. Forward Miles Bridges, who will earn $22.8MM in 2026/27 on the final year of his contract, is one trade candidate to watch. Charlotte also has Josh Green ($14.7MM) and Grant Williams ($14.3MM) on expiring deals.