Nets Expected To Offer Max Deal To Austin Reaves
The Nets are expected to make a full max offer to Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves in free agency, multiple front office sources tell Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Woike also hears from league sources that the Pistons and Hawks are part of a group of interested teams with the ability to create cap space and get involved in the bidding for Reaves. He adds that other teams could emerge as free agency draws closer.
Based on the NBA’s latest salary cap estimate, a five-year, maximum-salary deal for Reaves with the Lakers would be worth a projected $239.3MM, while a four-year max deal with another team would be valued at $177.4MM.
Woike notes that the Lakers have an exclusive window to negotiate a new deal with Reaves, starting on the day after the NBA Finals conclude and running through the start of free agency on June 30. Reaves has a relatively small cap hold at $20.9MM, so Woike states that L.A. would like to reach an agreement with him during that time, then delay the formal contract signing until other offseason moves are complete.
Reaves turned out to be a major bargain on the four-year, $53.8MM deal he signed with the Lakers in 2023. That included a $14.9MM player option for next season, which Reaves is certain to decline by the June 29 deadline.
Although he was hampered by injuries, Reaves still managed to put together a productive season in 2025/26, averaging a career-high 23.3 points in 51 games, along with 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 34.5 minutes per night. He suffered a Grade 2 left oblique strain in early April that affected his availability for the playoffs, and he shot just 40.7% from the field and 25.7% from three-point range in six games once he returned.
Reaves prefers to remain with the Lakers, according to Woike. He has developed a strong relationship with Luka Doncic and LeBron James as well as coach JJ Redick and enjoys the lifestyle that he has in L.A. However, Woike states that money is likely to be a very strong factor in the final decision, as Reaves has been undervalued throughout his career.
From the Lakers’ standpoint, they don’t want to lose one of their most valuable assets as Reaves provides a secondary play-maker alongside Doncic while being capable of creating his own shots. A team source told Woike that defensive concerns about lineups with Doncic and Reaves are overstated, and that Reaves has emerged as a strong locker room leader.
Woike adds that the Lakers might be in position to be more frugal in their negotiations with Reaves if the market were different, but they understand there will be a strong demand around the league if he’s permitted to reach free agency.
Atlantic Notes: Gansey, Grimes, Raptors, Nets
The Sixers recently introduced their new president of basketball operations, Mike Gansey. Now it’s time for him to start answering some of the difficult questions Philadelphia’s roster situation presents, Tony Jones writes for The Athletic.
The two factors that will complicate Gansey’s ability to put his stamp on the roster are the futures of Paul George and Joel Embiid. Both veterans had moments of high-level play this season, but they also have extremely expensive contracts and lengthy injury histories. Since it’s unlikely the Sixers will be able to find palatable avenues to trade them, it’s imperative that they try to find ways to keep both veteran stars on the floor as much as possible.
The non-taxpayer mid-level exception could be an important tool in Philadelphia’s search for an impact player to help take the team from good to very good, Jones notes. The 76ers also have the 22nd pick in the draft, which Gansey is in a good position to be able to maximize the value of, given his time running the draft in Cleveland, according to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“At 22, you want to get a combination of best player available and fit with our roster,” Gansey said about his approach to the draft.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers will also have to figure out what to do with unrestricted free agent Quentin Grimes, who is coming off an unspectacular second season in Philadelphia. Even after trading away Jared McCain, there’s an argument to be made that Kelly Oubre Jr. should be the incumbent player the team looks to retain, Adam Aaronson writes for the Philly Voice, especially because Grimes could have a wider range of teams interested in him given his age and shooting. Aaronson speculates that the Bulls, Clippers, and Bucks could be suitors for the 26-year-old’s services.
- The Raptors have had to watch two players they traded away come through the East to reach the NBA Finals in consecutive years in OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. The team probably mishandled the Siakam trade in particular, but it seems unlikely that keeping him in Toronto would have worked in the long run anyway, Eric Koreen writes for The Athletic. When it comes to next steps, Koreen says it would behoove the Raptors not to sign any more long-term contracts as the team try to figure out how to improve the roster, which is surprisingly expensive given the lucrative deals that Brandon Ingram, Jakob Poeltl, and Immanuel Quickley received. Toronto shouldn’t be desperate to move Ingram or Quickley, but the front office does need to be careful with how it gives out money moving forward.
- The Nets are only three-and-a-half years removed from the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving experience, but their rebuild in recent years hasn’t quite gone according to plan, due in part to a lack of lottery luck. They will have to figure out how to start building a competitive roster this offseason, since the Rockets own their pick next summer, Yossi Gozlan writes in his offseason preview for The Third Apron (Substack link). They could look to renegotiate and extend Michael Porter Jr., who had a strong first season in Brooklyn. They could also use their stockpile of draft picks and young players to try to move up in the draft from No. 6. Additionally, they’re on the clock when it comes to reserve center Day’Ron Sharpe, who has been productive off the bench for several years.
Draft Notes: Acuff, Wagner, Kayil, Lewis
As the world watches the Knicks fight for their first championship since 1973, projected 2026 top-10 pick Darius Acuff is taking notes and hoping to show teams that he could have a similar impact to New York’s star point guard, Jalen Brunson, Myron Medcalf writes in an in-depth player profile for ESPN.
Acuff grew up watching small, tough guards like Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury, a list to which Brunson has definitively been added and which Acuff dreams of joining himself.
“We feel like we can go out there and play against anybody,” Acuff said of the similarities in mentality between himself and Brunson. “I feel like I can hopefully do the same thing one day and it’s definitely inspiring to see.”
While it’s difficult to overindex on the success of stars that break the conventional mold, such as Brunson, Acuff is not alone in the belief that he can capitalize on what could be a convincing argument that teams can, in fact, win with a small guard leading the way.
“I think Acuff can open some eyes in the NBA,” a Western Conference scout told Medcalf. “Brunson has kind of brought back the smaller, scoring, tough physical point guard that can lead a team. And Acuff has some of those traits. He might even have a little more.”
The 2026 draft lottery is loaded with position-locked point guards, so Acuff is not the only one hoping to buck the league’s recent trend of phasing out smaller guards.
We have more notes from the 2026 Draft:
- Keaton Wagler, a talented guard out of Illinois, will work out for the Kings next week, Kevin O’Connor reports for Yahoo Sports in his latest mock draft. The Clippers, who have been frequently linked to Wagler with the fifth overall pick, aren’t necessarily as enamored with the sweet-shooting 19-year-old as widely speculated, O’Connor adds, and he recently cancelled a workout with the Nets, though it’s unclear if that was due to scheduling conflicts or something more indicative of how Brooklyn is leaning with the sixth pick.
- German guard Jack Kayil is one of the few prospects in the draft still playing — he scored 10 points in a dominant win on Tuesday to help ALBA Berlin advance to the German Bundesliga Finals, where they will face off against Bayern Munich. Kayil, a 6’5″ combo guard, scored 12.3 points in 21.3 minutes per game this season and displayed some interesting shooting range, despite having an inefficient year. He’s currently 37th on Jeremy Woo’s big board for ESPN.
- Malique Lewis has been cleared to play in the NBA by the league’s fitness-to-play panel, Jonathan Givony reports for DraftExpress (via Twitter). This is a crucial development for the 6’8″ 21-year-old, who was unable to take part in the G League combine due to a preexisting heart condition, which had been known and documented for several years. Lewis was impressive at the adidas EuroCamp in early June, showing his passing, rebounding, and shooting ability, Givony notes. Lewis averaged 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 21.3 minutes a night for South East Melbourne this season while posting an impressive .455/.387/.800 shooting line. He’s 67th on Woo’s big board.
Fischer’s Latest: Bucks, Mavs, Hawks, Kings, Sabonis
In addition to creating the impression that they’ll have an additional first-round pick beyond their own 10th overall selection in the draft later this month, the Bucks have some rival front offices believing they want to trade up from No. 10, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Milwaukee has met with Mikel Brown and worked out Darius Acuff while also expressing interest in Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings, according to Fischer, noting that all four of those guards are considered likely to come off the board within the first nine picks.
One source who spoke to Fischer speculated that the Bucks are simply doing their due diligence in case one of those players slips to No. 10, pointing out that acquiring a pick in the 5-9 range won’t be easy. According to Fischer, rival teams believes the Clippers (No. 5), Kings (No. 7), and Hawks (No. 8) are all happy to stay where they are, while the Nets (No. 6) have also indicated they’re comfortable standing pat.
A team hoping to move into the top 10 might need to talk to the Mavericks (No. 9), who have let potential trade partners know that they’re very much open to the idea of moving in either direction, sources tell Fischer.
Here are a few more highlights from Fischer’s latest collection of NBA rumors:
- Although the Hawks haven’t shown any interest in moving off of the No. 8 pick, league sources tell The Stein Line that they’ve told teams they’re more than open to offers for their second first-rounder at No. 23. There’s a sense that Atlanta would prefer to make just a single first-round selection, says Fischer.
- Following up on Wednesday’s Domantas Sabonis rumors, Fischer classifies the Kings‘ talks with the Hornets as “preliminary,” reiterating that Sacramento would like to acquire either the No. 14 or 18 pick while Charlotte has resisted that idea. If the Kings move Sabonis, they’re hoping to take back as little multiyear salary as possible, Fischer adds, so a player like forward Miles Bridges, who will be entering the final year of his contract, would appeal to Sacramento.
- The Kings continue to insist they’d want first-round draft capital to part with Sabonis, a three-time All-Star, Fischer reports. They’ve shown interest in the Raptors‘ No. 19 overall pick, per Fischer, but it’s unclear whether Toronto will renew its pursuit of the Lithuanian big man after exploring a deal prior to February’s trade deadline.
- In case you missed it, we passed along Fischer’s latest reporting on Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier today.
Draft Workouts: Lendeborg, Warriors, Brown, Kings, Wolves
The Warriors will host six prospects on Thursday for a pre-draft workout, the team announced (via Twitter). According to Golden State, that group will feature Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg is coming off a memorable 2025/26 season in which he was named the Big Ten’s Player of the Year, was named a consensus first-time All-American, and won a national championship with the Wolverines. The 6’9″ forward, who will turn 24 in September, is considered a probable lottery pick and is viewed as perhaps the most NBA-ready player in the 2026 draft class, which could make him an intriguing fit for a Golden State team that holds the 11th overall pick and is looking to make the most of Stephen Curry‘s late 30s.
Besides Lendeborg, Thursday’s workout group will also include Tennessee center Felix Okpara, Utah State guard Drake Allen, Illinois guard Kylan Boswell, South Carolina guard Meechie Johnson, and Ole Miss big man Malik Dia, per the team. Okpara (No. 46 on ESPN’s big board) and Boswell (No. 55) are considered the highest-rated prospects among those five players.
Here are more updates on pre-draft workouts around the NBA:
- Louisville guard Mikel Brown, a projected top-10 pick, has recently met with the Nets and Bucks in Orlando and also has pre-draft visits lined up with the Hawks, Clippers, and Mavericks, according to James Barlowe of NBA Big Board (Twitter link). Each of those clubs holds a pick between No. 5 and No. 10 in this year’s draft.
- The Kings are hosting Marquette guard Chase Ross, San Diego State guard Reese Dixon-Waters, Providence guard Jaylin Sellers, Cal forward Chris Bell, Vanderbilt center Jalen Washington, and George Washington center Rafael Castro for a workout on Thursday, per James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link). While none of those players are top prospects, Castro (No. 73), Washington (No. 85), and Sellers (No. 99) show up on ESPN top 100.
- UConn forward Alex Karaban and St. John’s forward Bryce Hopkins were among the players who worked out for the Timberwolves on Sunday, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North. Karaban is viewed as a potential first-round pick, coming in at No. 30 on ESPN’s big board, while Hopkins ranks 48th. Minnesota holds the 28th and 59th overall picks in the 2026 draft.
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 trade 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.
Atlantic Rumors: Vucevic, Shamet, Nets, Murray-Boyles
Veteran center Nikola Vucevic is considered highly likely to switch teams this summer after finishing the season with the Celtics, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Vucevic, who was traded from Chicago to Boston in February in the final year of his contract, took on a significant role in Boston’s rotation, averaging 23.4 minutes per night in his first 11 outings with his new team. However, he sustained a fractured finger in his 12th game as a Celtic and wasn’t able to return until the final week of the regular season, resulting in less consistent minutes during the postseason.
Vucevic, 35, averaged just 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per game in 16 regular season appearances with the Celtics, shooting 43.9% from the floor and 34.0% on three-pointers. Those shooting numbers were well below his career rates, while his PPG and MPG represented his lowest averages since his rookie year in 2011/12. Vucevic will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Rival suitors are “already starting to circle” in anticipation of pursuing Knicks wing Landry Shamet in free agency, according to Stein. Shamet has received minimum-salary contracts in each of the past two seasons, but he should be in line for a raise this summer after making 39.2% of his three-pointers during the regular season and playing a key reserve role for New York during its run to the NBA Finals. Shamet was out of the rotation in the first round, but he has scored double-digit points in six of the team’s past nine games, dating back to the second round. The Knicks will hold Shamet’s Early Bird rights, giving them the ability to make a strong offer, though re-signing him would push them deeper into tax/apron territory.
- Mexican forward Karim Lopez, who spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers, told Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) that he and Tennessee forward Nate Ament are working out for the Nets on Tuesday. Although both Lopez and Ament are viewed as potential lottery picks, it would be a surprise if either player goes as high as No. 6, which is the pick Brooklyn controls.
- While the Raptors could be active on the trade market this offseason, don’t expect standout rookie Collin Murray-Boyles to go anywhere, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star, who suggests last year’s No. 9 overall pick is virtually untouchable. Smith’s advice for how to react to any trade rumors involving Murray-Boyles? “Stop reading, delete that source from every aspect of your reading/social media network, and take a cleansing shower.”
Draft Rumors: Wizards, Dybantsa, Ament, Burries, Johnson, More
While the Wizards continue to evaluate their options with the first overall pick and have not yet decided who they’ll select, sources around the NBA continue to think BYU wing AJ Dybantsa is their “most likely target,” according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic.
Regardless of where he ends up, Dybantsa believes his new team could make a quick rise up the standings, similar to what’s happened with the Spurs the past couple seasons, writes Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press.
“It won’t take that long, especially with my adaptability and my work ethic,” Dybantsa said Monday. “I think that will be, I’m not going to say easy, but pretty similar to what these guys do in terms of the forecast.”
Vecenie’s mock draft features several other bits of sourced intel and speculation. He writes that there’s a good deal of intrigue about what the Clippers (fifth) and Nets (sixth) will do right after the top four.
Both teams have been linked to the several guards projected to go in that range, Vecenie notes, and there have been rumors about both clubs exploring the possibility of moving down as well. Los Angeles and Brooklyn have also been connected to Michigan center Aday Mara, Vecenie adds, though it’s not clear if that would be in a trade-down scenario.
Here are a few more rumors ahead of the draft, which will take place June 23-24:
- Both Vecenie and Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints have heard rumblings about the Nets potentially being interested in Nate Ament. As Vecenie writes, last year’s draft showed that Brooklyn’s front office is less concerned with position and more interested in adding players it has highest on its board. With that in mind, Vecenie has the Nets selecting Darius Acuff, though Vecenie acknowledges that’s more based on him viewing the Arkansas star as the best available player at that spot rather than any inside knowledge of the way Brooklyn might be leaning.
- The Hawks (eighth) have explored trade-down scenarios, Vecenie writes, and while they could use a long-term replacement for Trae Young, Vecenie has them selecting Mara.
- Vecenie and Siegel both have the Mavericks taking Brayden Burries with the ninth pick. Siegel cites speculation that Burries’ agents at Klutch Sports are trying to angle their client to Dallas, while Vecenie says other lottery clubs are trying to figure out why the Arizona guard hasn’t worked out for many teams. Either way, Burries is expected to draw interest from teams trying to win next season, according to Vecenie, who hears the Mavericks are exploring a number of possibilities at No. 9.
- Vecenie has gotten the impression that Yaxel Lendeborg might fall out of the lottery, possibly because he’s the oldest player projected to go in that range. Siegel has heard similar speculation, writing that the Michigan forward’s floor appears to be either Oklahoma City (No. 17) or Charlotte (No. 18).
- On the other hand, both Vecenie and Siegel suggest Lendeborg’s teammate Morez Johnson is a player on the rise, with sources telling ClutchPoints some teams view the Wolverines forward/center as a lottery lock. Vecenie thinks Johnson is unlikely to fall past 15th, which is one spot outside of the lottery. For what it’s worth, both authors have the Hornets selecting Johnson 14th overall.
- Ament, Karim Lopez, Chris Cenac, Jayden Quaintance and Ebuka Okorie are among the prospects who appear to have a wide draft range, according to Vecenie. Lopez, for instance, could be in play anywhere from No. 11 to around No. 25.
Nets Two-Way Player E.J. Liddell Heading To Europe
Nets two-way player E.J. Liddell is apparently heading overseas to continue his career.
Greece’s Aris B.C. has reached a two-year deal with Liddell, with only the official announcement pending, according to Eurohoops’ Johnny Askounis. Liddell’s two-way deal, signed in September, covered just one season, so he was on track for free agency this summer.
Liddell appeared in 26 games, including five starts, with Brooklyn this season. He averaged 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting 48.6 percent from the field. He did most of his damage during five April contests, averaging 18.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game during that stretch.
The 6’6” forward also appeared in 26 G League games with the Long Island Nets, averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in 29.3 minutes per outing.
Liddell was the 41st overall pick in the 2022 draft but tore his ACL in the Summer League just a few weeks later, wiping out his rookie season. The 25-year-old appeared in just 20 NBA games for the Pelicans and Bulls before he joined the Nets.
Draft Notes: Dybantsa, Acuff, Ament, Alexis, Hoosiers
In a one-on-one interview with Ari Alexander of 7News Boston (Twitter video link), AJ Dybantsa praised both the Wizards and the Jazz and said he was confident he’ll end up being the No. 1 overall pick in a few weeks, as Jackson Payne of The Deseret News relays. Washington controls the first pick and Utah holds the second.
The former BYU star, who’s widely projected to be a top-two pick, pointed out that trades are always a possibility and said he’ll be content no matter where he ends up.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” Dybantsa told Alexander. “Anyone can trade up, anyone can trade down, but I’m going to be happy with anybody.”
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- Darius Acuff, a projected mid-lottery pick, was in Chicago on Friday for a workout with the Bulls, reports Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). The ex-Arkansas guard also worked out for the Nets on Wednesday and has upcoming sessions with the Jazz and Bucks, according to Wasserman. Acuff is coming off one of the most productive seasons for a freshman guard in NCAA history, though there are question marks about his defense. Chicago, which held a workout on Tuesday featuring four other possible lottery picks, controls the fourth and 15th selections in the first round, while Brooklyn holds the sixth pick and Milwaukee has the 10th.
- While there has been chatter about the Nets being high on Nate Ament, the projected lottery pick hasn’t worked out for Brooklyn to this point, sources tell Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). The 6’10” forward is another one-and-done prospect, having spent his freshman season at Tennessee.
- Indiana forward Sam Alexis said he’s in regular communication with former Hoosiers teammates Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson, who are also regulars in the pre-draft workout circuit, per Tony East of Forbes and Circle City Spin (Twitter video link). Alexis, a senior in 2025/26, worked out for the Pacers on Friday. He said the ex-Hoosiers are helping one another prepare by sending tips about what each team likes to do during the sessions. “It’s helpful,” Alexis said. “It’s a lot. (It helps) you mentally prepare for (the workout).” When asked by East if he wanted to be the first player to attend a team’s workout to help DeVries and Wilkerson, Alexis smirked. “Nah, I want to be the last one,” he said with a laugh.