Mavericks To Sign Josh Reaves
JUNE 26: Reaves is expected to sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the Mavs rather than a two-way pact, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News hears (Twitter link).
Reaves’ contract could be converted into a two-way later in the offseason, and not signing him to a two-way deal right away would allow Dallas to retain and evaluate both Macon and Antetokounmpo for a little while longer.
JUNE 21: The Mavericks will sign Penn State’s Josh Reaves to a two-way contract, tweets Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Their interest was first reported by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link).
The 6’5″ shooting guard averaged 10.6 points and 5.0 rebounds during his senior season with the Nittany Lions. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 10.
Dallas ended the season with its two-way spots occupied by Daryl Macon and Kostas Antetokounmpo. Both players have two-year deals, so one would need to be waived to make room for Reaves.
Tyus Jones, Danuel House To Become RFAs
The Timberwolves have issued a qualifying offer to point guard Tyus Jones, ensuring that he’ll be a restricted free agent when the new league year begins on Sunday, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Jones’ qualifying offer is worth $3,573,205.
Jones, 23, played an increased role for the Wolves in 2018/19, averaging 6.9 PPG and 4.8 APG in 68 games (22.9 MPG). While his qualifying offer will make him a restricted free agent, it’s not clear whether he’s in Minnesota’s long-term plans under new head of basketball operations Gersson Rosas. The club’s point guard position is in flux this offseason, with Jeff Teague entering the final year of his contract and Jones and Derrick Rose both hitting the open market.
Meanwhile, Danuel House has yet to receive his own qualifying offer from the Rockets, but Houston will make that official in the coming days, making him an RFA, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. House’s QO is worth a projected $1,876,700.
House emerged as a reliable rotation piece for the Rockets last season, averaging 9.4 PPG and 3.6 RPG with a .468/.416/.789 shooting line in 39 games (25.1 MPG). After the 26-year-old initially joined the team on a two-way deal, Houston attempted to sign him to a longer-term deal, but he resisted, forcing a one-year agreement.
House and his camp didn’t want to be locked into a multiyear minimum-salary contract, preferring to try their luck in restricted free agency this summer. Now they’ll get that opportunity.
Bulls Receive Cap Relief For Omer Asik
The NBA has approved the Bulls‘ request to remove $3MM in dead money from Omer Asik‘s contract from their cap for the 2019/20 season, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Asik, who was acquired by the Bulls along with a first-round pick in their 2018 trade with the Pelicans in exchange for Nikola Mirotic, appeared in four games at the end of the 2017/18 season for Chicago. However, he was ruled out indefinitely due to inflammatory arthritis at the start of training camp last fall, and hasn’t played at all since then. Asik was also diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2017.
If a player is diagnosed with an ailment believed to be career-ending, his team is eligible to apply for cap relief one year after he last appeared in a game, which the Bulls did in April. An independent physician (or a Fitness to Play panel) subsequently ruled that it would be a medically unacceptable risk for Asik to return to action. The 32-year-old center will still receive his remaining salary, but it won’t count against Chicago’s cap.
As a result of the move, the Bulls project to have just below $23MM in cap room available this summer. According to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (via Twitter), the extra cap flexibility won’t change Chicago’s plans — the club wants to split its cap room on a couple free agents and then use its room exception on a third player.
Besides Asik, Chris Bosh, Nikola Pekovic, and Mirza Teletovic are some of the other players who have suffered career-ending injuries or illnesses and had their salaries removed from their teams’ caps in recent years.
2019 NBA Offseason Trades
As we did with last year’s offseason trades and the in-season swaps from 2018/19, Hoops Rumors will be keeping track of all of the trades made this offseason, right up until the start of the 2019/20 season, updating this post with each transaction.
Trades are listed here in reverse chronological order, with the latest on top. So, if a player has been traded multiple times, the first team listed as having acquired him is the one that ended up with him.
If a trade has been agreed upon, but not yet been formally finalized, it will be listed below in italics.
For our full story on each trade, click on the date above it. For more information on the specific conditions dictating if and when draft picks involved in these deals will actually change hands, be sure to check out RealGM.com’s breakdown of the details on traded picks.
Here’s the full list of the NBA’s 2019 offseason trades:
2019/20 League Year
- Rockets acquire Russell Westbrook.
- Thunder acquire Chris Paul, the Rockets’ 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected), the Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected), the right to swap 2021 first-round picks (top-four protected), the right to swap 2025 first-round picks (top-10 protected), and conditional cash ($1MM).
- Note: The Rockets would only owe the Thunder $1MM (and a 2026 second-round pick) if the 2026 first-round pick falls in the top four.
- Clippers acquire Paul George.
- Thunder acquire Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Heat’s 2021 first-round pick (unprotected), the Clippers’ 2022 first-round pick (unprotected), the Heat’s 2023 first round pick (top-14 protected), the Clippers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), the Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick (unprotected), and the right to swap first-round picks with the Clippers in both 2023 and 2025.
- Timberwolves acquire Treveon Graham, Shabazz Napier, and cash ($3.6MM).
- Warriors acquire the draft rights to Lior Eliyahu.
- Agreed upon on June 30.
- Mavericks acquire Delon Wright (sign-and-trade).
- Grizzlies acquire the draft rights to Satnam Singh, the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick, and either the Mavericks’ or Heat’s 2023 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).
- Nuggets acquire Jerami Grant.
- Thunder acquire the Nuggets’ 2020 first-round pick (top-10 protected).
- Timberwolves acquire Jake Layman (sign-and-trade).
- Trail Blazers acquire the draft rights to Bojan Dubljevic.
- Hawks acquire Damian Jones and the Warriors’ 2026 second-round pick.
- Warriors acquire Omari Spellman.
- Nets acquire Kevin Durant (sign-and-trade) and the Warriors’ 2020 first-round pick (top-20 protected).
- Warriors acquire D’Angelo Russell (sign-and-trade), Treveon Graham, and Shabazz Napier.
- Agreed upon on June 30.
- Pelicans acquire Derrick Favors.
- Jazz acquire the Warriors’ 2021 second-round pick and the Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick.
- Agreed upon on June 30.
- Bulls acquire Tomas Satoransky (sign-and-trade).
- Wizards acquire either the Bulls’ or Grizzlies’ 2020 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), the right to swap the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick for either the Bulls’ or Pistons’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), and the Bulls’ 2023 second-round pick with protections removed.
- Note: The Wizards had acquired the Bulls’ 2023 second-round pick with 31-36 protection in a previous trade.
- Hawks acquire Chandler Parsons.
- Grizzlies acquire Miles Plumlee and Solomon Hill.
- Grizzlies acquire Josh Jackson, De’Anthony Melton, the Suns’ 2020 second-round pick, and the Suns’ 2021 second-round pick (protected 36-60).
- Suns acquire Kyle Korver and Jevon Carter.
- Grizzlies acquire Andre Iguodala, the Warriors’ 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected), and cash ($2MM).
- Warriors acquire Julian Washburn (two-way).
- Agreed upon on June 30.
- Pistons acquire the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick).
- Sixers acquire the Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected) and cash ($2MM).
- Agreed upon on June 20.
- Hawks acquire the draft rights to Bruno Fernando (No. 34 pick).
- Sixers acquire the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick), the Hawks’ 2020 second-round pick (56-60 protected), and either the Hawks’, Hornets’, or Nets’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable).
- Agreed upon on June 20.
- Hawks acquire Solomon Hill, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick), the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick), and the Pelicans’ 2023 second-round pick (31-45 protected).
- Pelicans acquire the draft rights to Jaxson Hayes (No. 8 pick), the draft rights to Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17 pick), the draft rights to Marcos Louzada Silva (No. 35 pick), and the Cavaliers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-10 protected).
- Note: The Cavaliers’ protected 2020 first-rounder will become two second-round picks (2021 and 2022) if it’s not conveyed in 2020.
- Agreed upon on June 20.
- Grizzlies acquire the draft rights to Brandon Clarke (No. 21 pick).
- Thunder acquire the draft rights to Darius Bazley (No. 23 pick) and the Grizzlies’ 2024 second-round pick.
- Agreed upon on June 20.
- Lakers acquire Anthony Davis.
- Pelicans acquire Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick), the Lakers’ 2021 first-round pick (8-30 protected; unprotected in 2022), the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), the right to swap 2023 first-round picks with the Lakers, and cash ($1.1MM from Wizards; $1MM from Lakers).
- Note: The Pelicans will have the option to defer the 2024 first-round pick to 2025.
- Wizards acquire Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones, and the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick.
- Agreed upon on June 15.
- Celtics acquire Kemba Walker (sign-and-trade) and either the Nets’ or Knicks’ 2020 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).
- Hornets acquire Terry Rozier (sign-and-trade) and the Celtics’ 2020 second-round pick (top-53 protected).
- Agreed upon on June 30.
- Pacers acquire Malcolm Brogdon (sign-and-trade).
- Bucks acquire the Pacers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected), the Pacers’ 2021 second-round pick, and the Pacers’ 2025 second-round pick.
- Note: The Pacers’ 2021 second-round pick will convey one year after the Pacers’ 2020 second-round pick (45-60 protected through 2022; unprotected in 2023) conveys.
- Agreed upon on June 30.
- Spurs acquire DeMarre Carroll (sign-and-trade).
- Wizards acquire Davis Bertans.
- Nets acquire the draft rights to Aaron White and the draft rights to Nemanja Dangubic.
- Grizzlies acquire Dwight Howard.
- Wizards acquire C.J. Miles.
- Heat acquire Jimmy Butler (sign-and-trade), Meyers Leonard, and cash ($110K; from Clippers).
- Sixers acquire Josh Richardson.
- Clippers acquire Maurice Harkless, the Heat’s 2023 first-round pick (top-14 protected), and the draft rights to Mathias Lessort.
- Trail Blazers acquire Hassan Whiteside.
- Suns acquire Aron Baynes and the draft rights to Ty Jerome (No. 24 pick).
- Celtics acquire the Bucks’ 2020 first-round pick (top-7 protected).
- Agreed upon on June 20.
- Timberwolves acquire the draft rights to Jarrett Culver (No. 6 pick).
- Suns acquire Dario Saric and the draft rights to Cameron Johnson (No. 11 pick).
- Agreed upon on June 20.
- Jazz acquire Mike Conley.
- Grizzlies acquire Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen, the draft rights to Darius Bazley (No. 23 pick), and the Jazz’s 2020 first-round pick (1-7 and 15-30 protected).
- Agreed upon on June 19.
- Hawks acquire Allen Crabbe, the draft rights to Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17 pick), and the Nets’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
- Nets acquire Taurean Prince and the Hawks’ 2021 second-round pick.
- Agreed upon on June 6.
- Heat acquire the draft rights to KZ Okpala (No. 32 pick).
- Pacers acquire T.J. Warren, the Heat’s 2022 second-round pick, the Heat’s 2025 second-round pick, and the Heat’s 2026 second-round pick.
- Suns acquire cash ($1.1MM; from Pacers).
- Agreed upon on June 20.
2018/19 League Year
- Pistons acquire the draft rights to Deividas Sirvydis (No. 37 pick).
- Mavericks acquire the draft rights to Isaiah Roby (No. 45 pick), the Jazz’s 2020 second-round pick, and the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick.
- Cavaliers acquire the draft rights to Kevin Porter Jr. (No. 30 pick).
- Pistons acquire the Jazz’s 2020 second-round pick, the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick, the Trail Blazers’ 2023 second-round pick, the Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected), and cash ($5MM).
- Trail Blazers acquire Kent Bazemore.
- Hawks acquire Evan Turner.
- Wizards acquire Jonathon Simmons and the draft rights to Admiral Schofield (No. 42 pick).
- Sixers acquire cash ($2MM).
- Jazz acquire the draft rights to Miye Oni (No. 58 pick).
- Warriors acquire cash ($2MM).
- Knicks acquire the draft rights to Ignas Brazdeikis (No. 47 pick).
- Kings acquire the draft rights to Kyle Guy (No. 55 pick) and cash ($1MM).
- Jazz acquire the draft rights to Jarrell Brantley (No. 50 pick).
- Pacers acquire the Jazz’s 2021 second-round pick and cash ($1MM).
- Clippers acquire the draft rights to Mfiondu Kabengele (No. 27 pick).
- Nets acquire the Sixers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected) and the draft rights to Jaylen Hands (No. 56 pick).
- Sixers acquire the draft rights to Matisse Thybulle (No. 20 pick).
- Celtics acquire the draft rights to Ty Jerome (No. 24 pick) and Carsen Edwards (No. 33 pick).
- Nuggets acquire the draft rights to Bol Bol (No. 44 pick).
- Heat acquire either the Nuggets’ or Sixers’ second-round pick (whichever is least favorable) and cash ($1.2MM).
- Lakers acquire the draft rights to Talen Horton-Tucker (No. 46 pick).
- Magic acquire the Lakers’ 2020 second-round pick and cash ($2,226,778).
- Warriors acquire the draft rights to Alen Smailagic (No. 39 pick).
- Pelicans acquire the Warriors’ 2021 second-round pick, the Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick, and cash ($1MM).
- Pistons acquire Tony Snell and the draft rights to Kevin Porter Jr. (No. 30 pick).
- Bucks acquire Jon Leuer.
- Warriors acquire No. 41 pick in 2019 draft (used to select Eric Paschall).
- Hawks acquire the Warriors’ 2024 second-round pick and cash ($1.3MM).
- Heat acquire No. 44 pick in 2019 draft (used to select Bol Bol).
- Hawks acquire Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (protected 31-50 and 56-60) and cash ($1.88MM).
Kevin Durant Declining 2019/20 Player Option
Warriors forward Kevin Durant will decline his team option for the 2019/20 season and will become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The option would have paid Durant a salary worth $31.5MM, per Basketball Insiders.
[RELATED: NBA Player Option Decisions For 2019/20]
While there was some speculation after Durant suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the NBA Finals that picking up his option could become a more viable path, he was always expected to turn it down. Even in the wake of his Achilles tear, which is expected to sideline him for all of the 2019/20 season, KD figures to field multiple long-term, maximum-salary offers on the open market.
Currently, Durant and business manager Rich Kleiman are in New York evaluating their options for free agency, per Wojnarowski. Woj writes that Durant’s camp is keeping the process private, while Anthony Slater of The Athletic hears from sources that KD has yet to make a final decision on where he wants to continue his NBA career.
The Warriors can – and likely will – offer Durant a five-year contract worth a projected $221MM+. Although there have been some rumblings that the circumstances surrounding Durant’s calf and Achilles injuries resulted in a breakdown in trust between him and the Warriors, that doesn’t appear to be the case, according to Wojnarowski. Woj said on ESPN’s free agency special on Tuesday night that the Warriors and KD’s camp have continued to communicate since the injury (Twitter link via Sagar Trika).
Other contenders for Durant will be limited to four-year offers worth up to about $164MM. The Nets and Knicks are viewed as the most likely outside suitors for the two-time Finals MVP, and Chris Mannix of SI.com writes that both teams are expected to offer max deals. The Mavericks will try to get into the mix, per Mannix, though that’s a longer shot. The Clippers are also said to have interest in Durant.
There has been talk for much of the year about the possibility of good friends Durant and Kyrie Irving teaming up for one of the New York teams. Irving is widely believed to be leaning toward signing with the Nets, but it’s not clear if Durant is willing to join him in Brooklyn. The Knicks have been linked more frequently to the All-NBA forward, and they’d still be interested in signing him as a “solo act,” a league source tells Mannix.
Despite some speculation that the Warriors might consider a “delayed sign-and-trade” agreement with Durant in order to get him his full five-year max without necessarily locking him into a long-term stay in the Bay Area, that’s not a concept being seriously explored by Golden State, says Slater. As Slater points out, it would be difficult and awkward and may be viewed as circumvention of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Durant will be able to start talking to teams to schedule meetings as of 6:00pm eastern time on June 29, and could begin taken those meetings – or could reach an agreement with a team – as soon as 6:00pm ET on June 30.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Southeast Notes: Fultz, Magic, Haslem, McDaniels
It has been nearly five months since the Magic acquired Markelle Fultz in a deadline deal with the 76ers, but Orlando still isn’t sure when the former No. 1 pick will suit up for the team. As GM John Hammond recently explained during an appearance on 96.9 The Game (hat tip to Dan Feldman of NBC Sports), it won’t happen in next month’s Summer League.
“He will not play in Summer League with us,” Hammond said. “We didn’t think there was any way that he was going to do that. We didn’t plan on him doing that. So, probably not the place for him right now. But overall, I can just say that he’s doing well.”
Hammond went on to say that Fultz – who was diagnosed last season with thoracic outlet syndrome – has been working “extremely hard” and is in “great shape,” with the Magic hoping he makes his debut for the team sooner rather than later.
“We want to have patience with him and get him ready and put him on the court when he can be most productive,” Hammond added.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- The Magic will face difficult decisions on their top two free agents, Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who points out that bringing back both players could limit both the team’s long-term flexibility and its ceiling. In a separate story, Robbins examines the Magic’s cap situation for this summer, observing that the team won’t have any cap room if it brings back either one of Vucevic or Ross.
- As he considers whether or not to retire, longtime Heat big man Udonis Haslem posted an Instagram message asking for support from fans rather than criticism from those who feel as if he shouldn’t occupy one of the club’s 15 roster spots.
- Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer believes the Hornets made a mistake by drafting Jalen McDaniels with the No. 52 pick last Thursday night. McDaniels has been sued by two former female high school classmates who claim that he recorded them without their consent while they were performing sexual acts. At the very least, the club needs to explain to its fans why it was willing to overlook that, Fowler argues.
Rockets Eyeing Danny Green, Jeremy Lamb, Others
While Jimmy Butler is the Rockets‘ “dream addition,” the team has its eye on a number of other potential targets in free agency, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.
[RELATED: Rockets to pursue sign-and-trade for Jimmy Butler]
A source with knowledge of the Rockets’ plans tells Amick that Danny Green, Jeremy Lamb, Al-Farouq Aminu, DeAndre Jordan, Brook Lopez, and Kevon Looney are among the veteran free agents that have piqued the club’s interest.
General manager Daryl Morey has indicated that the Rockets would like to add a third star to complement James Harden and Chris Paul, whose supposedly “unsalvageable” relationship was referred to as “fake news” by P.J. Tucker within Amick’s story. Multiple reports have identified Butler as the team’s most likely target.
However, there are a number of roadblocks standing in the way of acquiring Butler — the Sixers would have to agree to a sign-and-trade, a third team would likely have to be involved due to Base Year Compensation rules, and Houston’s ability to fill out a roster around Harden, Paul, and Butler would be extremely limited due to a hard cap. And, of course, Butler would have to want to go to Houston badly enough to try to make it all work.
If the Rockets strike out on Butler, they’re more likely to simply operate as an over-the-cap team and make use of the mid-level exception to add another rotation player to their core. Depending on the club’s proximity to the tax apron, that mid-level could either be worth about $9.25MM (full) or $5.71MM (taxpayer).
That’s where the free agents listed above would come in to play, though even some of those guys – including Green, Lamb, and Lopez – may be out of reach with the mid-level (especially the taxpayer MLE) unless they’re willing to take a bit of a discount. All the players named by Amick will be unrestricted free agents this summer.
Five Key Offseason Questions: Boston Celtics
No NBA team besides the defending-champion Warriors had higher expectations entering the 2018/19 season than the Celtics. After all, they’d come within one game of reaching the NBA Finals during the spring of 2018 without having Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward in their lineup. With those two stars back and LeBron James leaving the conference, what could go wrong?
As it turns out, a whole lot. The Celtics were disappointing and dysfunctional all season long, with Irving’s and Hayward’s returns resulting in an overcrowded rotation that led to chemistry issues. In an Eastern Conference that only really had three legit contenders, Boston earned the No. 4 seed and won a first-round series, but the team didn’t come close to winning the conference and may be headed for a major overhaul this offseason.
Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:
1. Are Kyrie Irving and Al Horford really goners?
Last fall, Irving announced to Celtics fans at a preseason event that he intended to re-sign with the team when he became eligible for free agency in 2019. Players always talk in platitudes about wanting to stick with their current teams, but Irving’s declaration seemed different — it was more definitive, and it was unprompted, rather than a response to a reporter’s question.
Still, that apparent commitment to the Celtics came nine months before Irving would hit the open market, and as we noted at the time, he was always free to change his mind depending on how the Celtics’ season went. Sure enough, halfway through a year in which he repeatedly – and publicly – expressed frustrations with his team and teammates, Irving changed course, telling reporters in February to ask him “on July 1” about his intentions for free agency.
Now, a return to Boston looks like an extreme long shot. The Celtics and their fans appear to be moving on from the Irving era, with several reports indicating that the Nets are the frontrunners for the star point guard. It looks like Kyrie is a goner.
The same is true of Horford, which is even more unexpected. The veteran big man had fit in well with the Celtics since signing a four-year, maximum-salary deal with the team in the summer of 2016. He had a player option for 2019/20, but always seemed pretty likely to either pick up that option or to turn it down to negotiate a new contract with the C’s.
Instead, he’ll decline it to reach the open market, and the Celtics are now preparing to lose Horford as well, as rumors swirl about the possibility of a four-year, $100MM+ offer waiting for him in free agency. It’s hard to blame the C’s for being reluctant to match such an offer for a 33-year-old, and it’s hard to blame Horford for leaving Boston for a shot at one last monster payday.
It doesn’t appear there’s any animosity between Horford and the Celtics. It simply comes down to a difference in opinion on his value. That difference in opinion will leave Boston with a big hole in its frontcourt.
Atlantic Notes: Irving, Carter, ‘Melo, Nets, Raptors
Kyrie Irving is reportedly leaning toward the Nets in free agency and Brooklyn’s infrastructure is a major part of the reason why, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on the network’s free agency special.
General manager Sean Marks has assembled a deep roster filled with young talent and role players on team-friendly deals. The coaching staff is well regarded and management has made several shrewd moves to get the team to the point where two stars could come in and immediately contend for the Eastern Conference crown. The situation appears favorable compared to that of the Knicks, a team that would have to do additional work to build out the roster.
Kevin Durant and Irving have long been rumored to potentially team up in New York. Woj adds that the Knicks may have to start parsing the market for a second star to pair with Durant if they are going to sell the former MVP on a duo in the Garden.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks could bring in Vince Carter as a mentor to the team’s younger players, Ian Begley of SNY.tv reports. Carter has previously spoken highly on coach David Fizdale and the former All-Star gave consideration to joining New York last offseason.
- Carmelo Anthony would have interest in signing with the Knicks and finishing his career in New York, Begley adds in the same piece. While Anthony would be a strong mentor for the Knicks’ young core, given how well he handled the spotlight in NYC, Begley notes that it’s far more likely that Melo signs with the Lakers this summer.
- The Nets have added Amida Brimah to their Summer League roster, a source tells Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Nicola Lupo of Sportando (Twitter link), former Suns point guard Josh Gray will also play for Brooklyn’s Summer League team.
- Blake Murphy of The Athletic examines the Raptors‘ cap constraints in an extensive piece. Regardless of whether Kawhi Leonard leaves in free agency, Toronto will likely be operating as an above-the-cap team.
Sixers Notes: Horford, Brogdon, Butler
It’s not a given that the Sixers bring back their five starters this offseason.
Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris will each have rival teams looking to offer them a max deal. J.J. Redick will likely see heavy interest on the market as well, with Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer hearing that shooting guard will yield offers in the range of $12MM annually.
“They have tough decisions to make and so do we,” GM Elton Brand said.
Bringing back those three players will put the Sixers over the salary cap and out of contention for a number of free agents. Should the team decide to make major changes, there’s a wide range of talent on the market.
“We definitely need hard-nose players, shooting,” Brand said. “We want to add shooting. If you watch the playoffs, these are playoff-tested players … I don’t want to say names … but [the Sixers want] veteran-tested players, playoff-tested players that can take us over the edge with our talent.”
Al Horford, Malcolm Brogdon, and Danny Green are players the team could have interest in Pompey adds.
Here’s more on Philadelphia and the team’s pending free agents:
- Don’t be surprised if the Clippers make a play to sign Harris, Pompey notes. The combo forward, who came to the Sixers via a midseason trade with the club, will be taking meetings on June 30 and July 1.
- The Sixers may have to offer a five-year deal in order to keep Jimmy Butler, Pompey writes. Butler and his camp are meeting this week to go over free agent objectives.
- Marcus Morris, Ed Davis, Ish Smith, Cory Joseph, and Patrick Beverley are among the free agents whom the Sixers could pursue, Pompey adds in the same piece. The team has confidence in its ability to lure one or two impactful free agents should it lose one of its max free agents.
- Derek Bodner of the Athletic details how the Sixers are devaluing second-round picks. The team will have three more second-rounders next year after wheeling and dealing picks last week, as I recently detailed.
- Furkan Korkmaz may join Turkish team Fenerbahce next season, according to Sportando. The former No. 26 overall pick is all but certain not to be back in Philadelphia next year.