2016 June | Hoops Rumors

Clippers To Pitch “Big Four” Scenario To Durant

June 30th, 2016 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers will be one of the first teams to sit down with Kevin Durant on his free agent tour, with KD on track to meet with the Clippers and Warriors on Friday. And according to Dan Woike of The Orange County Register and Ramona Shelburne and Arash Markazi of ESPN.com, the Clippers will attempt to sell Durant on a scenario that would see him playing alongside Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan in Los Angeles, creating a “big four.”

It has long been assumed that, if they were to land Durant, the Clippers would have to jettison one of their top three players for cap purposes. However, Los Angeles is exploring scenarios that would allow the team to keep Paul, Griffin, and Jordan, while adding Durant. Per ESPN’s report, all three players have been invited to the Clips’ meeting with Durant in The Hamptons, which will be led by owner Steve Ballmer and coach Doc Rivers.

Selling Durant on such a scenario may not be easy, and it won’t be simple to actually execute either. Even if the Clippers were able to trade J.J. Redick, Paul Pierce, C.J. Wilcox, and the rights to Brice Johnson without taking any salary back, and renounced all their pending free agents, the team wouldn’t have enough cap room to offer Durant a maximum-salary contract. By my count, Durant would have to start at around $23.5MM in that scenario, and the Clippers would be left with only the $2.898MM room exception – and minimum-salary deals – to fill out their roster around their “big four.” A max salary for Durant is expected to start at approximately $26.6MM.

As the Clippers prepare their pitch to Durant, the Thunder’s brass is meeting with the former MVP today. However, since teams aren’t permitted to discuss contract parameters prior to July 1st, Oklahoma City is seeking a second meeting with Durant in The Hamptons next week, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter links). Those contract discussions likely wouldn’t take long – there’s little doubt the Thunder would offer a full, five-year max – but a second meeting would allow the team to get the final word after Durant has heard pitches from all his other suitors.

Latest On DeMar DeRozan

June 30th, 2016 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

A report last weekend indicated that DeMar DeRozan doesn’t plan to take any meetings with teams besides the Raptors, and while that still may the case, there are other potential suitors looming. According to Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com (via Twitter), Toronto will get DeRozan’s first meeting on July 1st in Los Angeles, and it’s possible that sit-downs with the Heat, Mavericks, Sixers, and Lakers could follow.

The wording of Haynes’ report, which suggests that there’s no guarantee those rival suitors actually get meetings, doesn’t contradict what we heard over the weekend. That initial report, from Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com, indicated that DeRozan doesn’t intend to take meetings with other teams, and would only do so if talks don’t go smoothly with the Raptors.

In other words, it still looks like the Raptors will have the opportunity to wrap things up with DeRozan shortly after free agency gets underway. If the two sides don’t find common ground, the Heat, Mavs, Sixers, and Lakers could enter the picture.

DeRozan, who was due to make $10.35MM in the final year of his deal, opted out of his contract earlier this month and will be in line for a significant raise. The 26-year-old made his second All-Star game this season while averaging a career-high 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per contest. DeRozan even improved his long-distance shooting to a respectable 33.8% from beyond the arc, then averaged 20.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in the postseason as Toronto reached the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Cavaliers.

Al Horford To Meet With Rockets On July 1

June 30th, 2016 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have set up a meeting with free agent big man Al Horford for Friday, the first day of free agency, reports Michael Scotto of The Associated Press (via Twitter). It’s not clear whether Houston will be the first team to sit down with Horford, or whether he has other July 1st meetings on his schedule.

General manager Daryl Morey has talked about wanting to add a top-tier free agent to the Rockets’ roster to complement James Harden, and the team is reportedly considering a group of targets that includes Horford, Ryan Anderson, and Hassan Whiteside. Houston has also been linked to Mike Conley and a handful of other notable free agents.

While the Rockets will get the opportunity to make a pitch to Horford, they’ll have plenty of competition for the longtime Hawk. Atlanta hopes to re-sign Horford, and he’s also expected to receive some level of interest from the the Lakers, Rockets, Magic, Pistons, Wizards, Celtics, Heat, Nets, and even the Thunder, as we detailed this morning.

With so many teams in play for Horford, he’ll almost certainly land a maximum-salary contract, which would start in the neighborhood of $26.6MM.

Lakers Have Interest In Chandler Parsons

June 30th, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Add the Lakers to the list of teams interested in Chandler Parsons, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to MacMahon, Parsons is on Los Angeles’ list of free agent targets.

Parsons, 27, opted out of his contract with the Mavericks earlier this month, and while Dallas has interest in bringing him back, the team doesn’t intend to offer Parsons the maximum-salary deal he’s seeking. It remains to be seen whether the Lakers or Parsons’ other suitors will be willing to do a max contract.

One of those other teams in the mix will be the Grizzlies, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, who reported earlier today that Memphis might explore signing Parsons. Stein has since scratched the “might,” tweeting that Memphis is a “confirmed suitor” for the veteran forward. The Magic, meanwhile, haven’t formally set up a meeting with Parsons yet, but are expected to call him late tonight, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.

Parsons will reportedly be “all ears” when potential suitors come calling in free agency, and looks forward to exploring his options, as MacMahon recently reported. Despite undergoing multiple surgical procedures on his knee, Parsons has received clearance to resume basketball activities and multiple orthopedic specialists have expressed optimism that his knee trouble won’t derail or jeopardize his career.

Latest QO Decisions: Waiters, Motiejunas, Jones

June 30th, 2016 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have issued a qualifying offer to Dion Waiters, making him a restricted free agent, according to RealGM.com’s transactions log. While the move doesn’t come as a real surprise, the odds of Waiters returning to Oklahoma City appeared to take a hit when the club acquired Victor Oladipo last week, so it wasn’t a lock that Waiters would get a QO.

There’s little to no chance that Waiters will sign the one-year qualifying offer, worth about $6.778MM, since he should have no problem finding more lucrative multiyear offers on the open market. So from the Thunder’s perspective, there’s probably no harm in extending that QO. Even if OKC ultimately rescinds the offer or declines to match an offer sheet Waiters signs with another suitor, making him a restricted free agent gives the club some extra flexibility for now.

Meanwhile, the Rockets have extended a qualifying offer for one power forward, but not another, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, who reports (via Twitter) that Donatas Motiejunas got a QO, but Terrence Jones didn’t.

Houston’s decision means that Motiejunas will remain on the team’s books for now, with a qualifying offer worth $4.434MM, and the Rockets will have the right of first refusal, giving the team the ability to match any offer sheet for Motiejunas. Jones, on the other hand, will become an unrestricted free agent, free to sign anywhere he likes. Although he has struggled with consistency and has battled injuries over the past couple seasons, Jones will likely intrigue teams in the market for a power forward with some shooting range.

For a breakdown of which players eligible for restricted free agency have received qualifying offers, check out our full list of 2016 free agents.

Western Rumors: Durant, Duncan, Bass, Wolves

June 30th, 2016 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

Within a piece on Kevin Durant‘s free agency, Royce Young of ESPN.com passes along a handful of interesting tidbits, writing that Durant has privately “raved to friends” about newly-acquired Thunder guard Victor Oladipo. Young also suggests that, after finishing this past season with the NBA’s third-highest payroll, the Thunder still “have plenty of cash stashed away to keep on paying.”

According to Young, Durant built a strong connection with Billy Donovan during the coach’s first year in Oklahoma City, which is a positive sign for the Thunder. As Young explains, Durant is a big believer in the importance of coaching, and has wanted the sort of long-term relationship with a coach that Tim Duncan has with Gregg Popovich. Donovan – whom the Spurs previously considered as a possible eventual successor to Popovich, according to Young – is a candidate to become Durant’s Popovich, assuming KD remains with the Thunder.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Speaking of Duncan, his cap number will increase to about $6.4MM in 2016/17, since he cashed in on an incentive bonus worth $750K after the Spurs won 62+ games, per Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Duncan had previously been set to earn $5,643,750 on the player option he exercised this week, but the bonus should increase his salary to $6,393,750. The future Hall-of-Famer is still debating whether or not to continue his playing career.
As the Timberwolves survey the market for free agent bigs, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets that Brandon Bass is another potential target on the team’s radar.
The Trail Blazers have amended the language in Cliff Alexander‘s contract, moving his salary guarantee date from June 30th to July 25th, reports Jason Quick of CSNNW.com (via Twitter). The move will allow Portland to delay its decision on Alexander until after the free agent period — the team could cut him or guarantee his salary later, depending on how the summer plays out.

Free Agent Rumors: Lin, Bazemore, Gordon

June 30th, 2016 at 9:19am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets are more likely to lose than Jeremy Lin in free agency than they are to re-sign him, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link), who is hearing that the Nets may “hard-sell” Lin when the free agent period begins. Several teams are expected to pursue the veteran point guard, but he would be a good fit in Brooklyn, potentially reuniting with former Knicks assistant Kenny Atkinson.

Here are a few more free agency rumors from across the NBA:

In a Wednesday piece, Zach Lowe of ESPN.com identified the Bucks, Grizzlies, and Nets as probable suitors for Kent Bazemore. Michael Scotto of The Associated Press adds a few more teams to that list of suitors, tweeting that the Pelicans, Rockets, and Magic will also be eyeing Bazemore. The Hawks also want to re-sign the free agent wing, and we heard on Wednesday that the Knicks will also have strong interest in him too.
The Rockets, Grizzlies, Knicks, and Pelicans are interested in free agent guard Eric Gordon, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). A report earlier in the year suggested that New Orleans likely won’t go to great lengths to bring back Gordon, after he spent five injury-plagued seasons with the team.
Jamal Crawford has a July 1st meeting lined up with the Magic, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. We heard on Wednesday that Crawford has scheduled meetings with five teams in total, including Orlando and his current team, the Clippers.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe identifies several under-the-radar free agents who have the potential to be good values this summer, even with spending significantly on the rise.

Mavs Meeting With Conley, Whiteside On July 1

June 30th, 2016 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks have July 1st meetings lined up with their top two free agent targets, Mike Conley and Hassan Whiteside, according to reports. ESPN’s Chris Broussard writes that the Mavs will get a Friday meeting with Conley, while ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said in a radio interview that Dallas will be getting the first meeting with Whiteside (hat tip to HeatNation.com).

Within that same interview, MacMahon suggests that the Mavericks will “absolutely” put a maximum-salary offer on the table for Whiteside. The Heat have the space to make such an offer as well, but reports have indicated that not all members of Miami’s front office are sold on the idea of a max deal for Whiteside.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies believe they will hold off all challengers for Conley and re-sign their starting point guard, according to Marc Stein of ESPN (Twitter link). However, Broussard writes that it’s not a foregone conclusion that Conley will return to Memphis. If the Grizzlies are reluctant to go beyond four years in their offer, it could open the door for rival suitors, per Broussard.

In addition to the Mavericks, the teams expected to pursue Conley include the Rockets, Pelicans, Nets, and Lakers, but those teams have yet to formally set up meetings, sources tell Broussard. Assuming Conley does meet with some or all of those clubs, he will likely meet with the Grizzlies last, giving them the opportunity to make the final pitch before he makes his decision.

As the Mavericks pursue Memphis’ starting point guard, the Grizzlies have their eye on a pending free agent from Dallas, according to Stein, who tweets that Memphis may try to sign Chandler Parsons. Parsons is reportedly seeking a max contract as well, so the Grizzlies would have to accommodate huge deals for both Conley and Parsons if they intend to sign both players, but it seems to be an option they’re considering.

Thunder Considering Pursuit Of Al Horford

June 30th, 2016 at 7:35am CST by Luke Adams

If the Thunder re-sign Kevin Durant, adding him back to their current roster, the team won’t have any cap space to use for 2016/17. However, that isn’t stopping Oklahoma City from considering a run at another one of the top free agents on the market. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, the Thunder have been making calls around the NBA looking to clear cap room, and rival executives believe the club is intent on pursuing Al Horford to go along with Durant.

As Windhorst details, the Thunder have made calls exploring the possibility of sending players like Enes Kanter and Kyle Singler to teams with the cap room necessary to absorb their salaries. The team could also save nearly $11.8MM in 2016/17 salary by cutting Ersan Ilyasova and Anthony Morrow, whose salaries aren’t guaranteed yet. Of course, if the Thunder want to avoid guaranteeing Ilyasova’s salary, that will require a quick decision — his $8.4MM becomes guaranteed tomorrow.

Even if the Thunder kept Ilyasova, they could clear plenty of salary by dealing Kanter and Singler, and waiving Morrow — that would move nearly $25.5MM off the team’s books. Remove Dion Waiters‘ qualifying offer and that would leave Oklahoma City with only about $46.6MM in team salary. Both Durant and Horford are eligible to earn maximum salaries of about $26.6MM, so depending on where the salary cap lands, some additional maneuvering may be required to make a Horford signing a reality for the Thunder, unless he and/or Durant were willing to take less than the max.

Horford’s interest level in the Thunder isn’t entirely clear, but he has a connection to head coach Billy Donovan, having played for him as a Florida Gator, and the two men remain close, according to Windhorst.

Although adding Horford would require several steps, and may be a long shot for the Thunder, the fact that the team is exploring such a possibility could be a selling point for Durant. Oklahoma City is set to sit down with its superstar forward today, and while the two sides technically aren’t permitted to discuss contract terms until July, the Thunder could present the Horford plan to Durant as one of several avenues to improving the roster. Playing for a perennial championship contender is a top priority for Durant, so OKC’s pitch figures to center on how the team can remain in contention for a title for years to come.

As for Horford, he’ll have a ton of suitors outside of the Thunder. The Hawks will work hard to re-sign him, and the Lakers, Rockets, Magic, Pistons, Wizards, Celtics, Heat, and Nets are among the other teams expected to have some interest. A Wednesday report suggested that Atlanta is hesitant to offer Horford a five-year deal, and if the team maintains that stance, it could risk losing him.

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 30th, 2016 at 7:10am CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 7:10am: Stein fills in the rest Durant’s schedule, tweeting that he’ll meet with the Clippers on Friday and the Celtics on Saturday. So KD’s full lineup of meetings will look like this:

June 30th: Thunder
July 1st: Warriors and Clippers
July 2nd: Spurs and Celtics
July 3rd: Heat

WEDNESDAY, 11:17am: Durant’s meeting with the Heat will occur on Sunday, according to an ESPN.com report from Broussard and Stein.

11:00am: Kevin Durant‘s schedule for the next several days is beginning to take shape, with a handful of reporters filling in the details on the star forward’s free agent tour. According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard (via Twitter), Durant will have his first meeting with his current team, sitting down with the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Thursday.

Once free agency officially begins on Friday, Durant will head to the Hamptons in New York for the rest of his meetings, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Durant will meet with the Warriors on Friday afternoon in the Hamptons. Meanwhile, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the Spurs’ pitch to the former MVP is scheduled for Saturday.

In addition to meeting with the Thunder, Warriors, and Spurs, Durant also has sit-downs lined up with the Heat, Celtics, and Clippers, and those meetings will take place over the first few days of July, says Broussard (via Twitter). The ESPN reporter adds (via Twitter) that the Knicks are still receiving consideration for a meeting, while the Lakers won’t get one. There’s no mention of the Hawks, who are also trying to “wedge their way” into the Durant sweepstakes, but it doesn’t look like Atlanta will get an audience with KD.

Durant has said that his top priority for his next destination is competing for a championship, and being able to do so immediately. Wojnarowski recently reported that the 27-year-old has plans to go on a publicity tour starting on July 9th, so he’ll likely make a decision before that date.

While a two-year contract with an opt-out after the first year makes the most financial sense for Durant, who could land a much larger max contract in 2017, there have been increased rumblings that he’s not eager to go through the free agent process again in a year, so it’s possible he’ll sign a long-term contract with the team he chooses.

Month: May 2024