Free Agency Rumors: Mavs, Rockets, Bulls, Wolves, C’s
It was a quiet first day of free agency for the Mavericks, but the team still has some irons in the fire and plenty of cap flexibility to work with.
Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News tweets that he believes the Mavericks are “in the driver’s seat” with Danny Green, though he cautions that could change if Kawhi Leonard decides to stay in Toronto — Green could join him in that scenario.
Besides Green, Townsend identifies Kevon Looney, DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein, Seth Curry, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as some potential free agent targets to watch for the Mavericks.
Let’s round up a few more notes and rumors related to free agency…
- The Rockets will be among the teams with interest in Andre Iguodala if the Grizzlies elect to buy out the veteran swingman, sources tell Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Iguodala is being sent to Memphis from Golden State in a cap-clearing move.
- Having used their cap room to land Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky, the Bulls will be in the market for a shooter or another big man with some or all of their room exception ($4.8MM), tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
- The Timberwolves missed out on top free agent target D’Angelo Russell, but did speak to their own RFA point guard Tyus Jones on Sunday, sources tell Jon Krawcznyski of The Athletic, who speculates that a Jones reunion may be more likely with D-Lo off the table.
- In the wake of their sign-and-trade agreement for Kemba Walker, the Celtics are still working to determine which mid-level exception they’ll have at their disposal, tweets Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald.
Wizards Sign Ish Smith To Two-Year Deal
JULY 9: The Wizards have officially signed Smith, per NBA.com’s transactions log.
JULY 1: The Wizards have agreed to terms on a two-year deal with free agent point guard Ish Smith, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the deal will be worth $12MM.
[RELATED: Wizards to re-sign Thomas Bryant]
Smith, who will turn 31 on Friday, will join the 11th team of his NBA career. He spent the last three seasons in Detroit, having averaged 8.9 PPG and 3.6 APG on .419/.326/.758 shooting in 2018/19 for the Pistons.
With Detroit turning to Derrick Rose early in free agency to fill its point guard hole, Smith was destined for a new NBA home, and the Wizards had long been interested, tweets David Aldridge of The Athletic.
With John Wall expected to miss most of the 2019/20 season due to his torn Achilles and Tomas Satoransky facing restricted free agency, the Wizards needed to address the point guard position this summer.
Satoransky will be headed to Chicago in a sign-and-trade deal, so the Wizards will likely need to add at least one more point guard to join Smith while Wall recovers.
According to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (via Twitter), Smith will receive a fully guaranteed deal and will be signed using the Wizards’ mid-level exception. Assuming the team plans on staying out tax territory and retaining its full, non-taxpayer’s MLE, it should still have more than $3MM available on that exception.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA 2019 Free Agency: Day 1 Recap
One of the wildest days in NBA history – or at least in the history of NBA offseasons – has come to a close.
As expected, a number of free agents decided not to waste any time reaching contract agreements when the free agent period officially got underway on Sunday night (or even a little earlier). The result was an action-packed day that saw more than half of our top 50 free agents of 2019 come off the board.
These deals aren’t yet official, so the reported terms could change — or agreements could fall through altogether. Generally speaking though, teams and players are on track to finalize these contract agreements sometime after the July moratorium ends on Friday.
Here are today’s free agent agreements:
- Klay Thompson, Warriors agree to five-year, maximum-salary contract ($189.9MM).
- Tobias Harris, Sixers agree to five-year, $180MM contract.
- Khris Middleton, Bucks agree to five-year, $178MM contract.
- Kevin Durant, Nets agree to four-year contract worth slightly less than the max (sign-and-trade).
- Kristaps Porzingis, Mavericks agree to five-year, maximum-salary contract ($158.3MM).
- Jimmy Butler, Heat agree to four-year, maximum-salary contract ($140.8MM; sign-and-trade).
- Kemba Walker, Celtics agree to four-year, maximum-salary contract ($140.8MM; sign-and-trade).
- Kyrie Irving, Nets agree to four-year contract worth slightly less than the max.
- D’Angelo Russell, Warriors agree to four-year, maximum-salary contract ($117.3MM; sign-and-trade)
- Nikola Vucevic, Magic agree to four-year, $100MM contract.
- Al Horford, Sixers agree to four-year, $97MM contract (plus incentives).
- Harrison Barnes, Kings agree to four-year, $85MM contract.
- Malcolm Brogdon, Pacers agree to four-year, $85MM contract (sign-and-trade).
- Bojan Bogdanovic, Jazz agree to four-year, $73MM contract.
- Julius Randle, Knicks agree to three-year, $63MM contract.
- Terry Rozier, Hornets agree to three-year, $58MM contract (sign-and-trade).
- Terrence Ross, Magic agree to four-year, $54MM contract.
- Brook Lopez, Bucks agree to four-year, $52MM contract.
- Ricky Rubio, Suns agree to three-year, $51MM contract.
- Jonas Valanciunas, Grizzlies agree to three-year, $45MM contract.
- Dewayne Dedmon, Kings agree to three-year, $41MM contract.
- Thaddeus Young, Bulls agree to three-year, $41MM contract.
- DeAndre Jordan, Nets agree to four-year, $40MM contract.
- Patrick Beverley, Clippers agree to three-year, $40MM contract.
- Cory Joseph, Kings agree to three-year, $37MM contract.
- Rudy Gay, Spurs agree to two-year, $32MM contract.
- Jeremy Lamb, Pacers agree to three-year, $31.5MM contract.
- Bobby Portis, Knicks agree to two-year, $31MM contract.
- Al-Farouq Aminu, Magic agree to three-year, $29MM contract.
- George Hill, Bucks agree to three-year, $29MM contract.
- J.J. Redick, Pelicans agree to two-year, $26.5MM contract.
- Thomas Bryant, Wizards agree to three-year, $25MM contract.
- Trevor Ariza, Kings agree to two-year, $25MM contract.
- Reggie Bullock, Knicks agree to two-year, $21MM contract.
- Taj Gibson, Knicks agree to two-year, $20MM contract.
- Derrick Rose, Pistons agree to two-year, $15MM contract.
- DeMarre Carroll, Spurs agree to two-year, $13MM contract.
- Rodney Hood, Trail Blazers agree to two-year, $11.7MM contract.
- Danuel House, Rockets agree to three-year, $11.1MM contract.
- Mike Scott, Sixers agree to two-year, $9.8MM contract.
- Ed Davis, Jazz agree to two-year, $9.8MM contract.
- Robin Lopez, Bucks agree to two-year, $9.8MM contract.
- Garrett Temple, Nets agree to two-year, $9.8MM contract.
- Nicolo Melli, Pelicans agree to two-year, $4MM contract.
- Mario Hezonja, Trail Blazers agree to two-year, minimum-salary contract.
- Gerald Green, Rockets agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
- Mike Muscala, Thunder agree to contract (terms unknown).
Here are the trades (or trade structures) tentatively agreed upon today:
Warriors, Nets to swap Kevin Durant, D’Angelo Russell in double sign-and-trade. Warriors would also receive Shabazz Napier, Treveon Graham.- Celtics, Hornets to swap Kemba Walker, Terry Rozier in double sign-and-trade.
- Heat, Sixers to swap Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson in sign-and-trade deal; third team still required.
- Pacers to acquire Malcolm Brogdon in sign-and-trade from Bucks for draft picks.
- Grizzlies to acquire Andre Iguodala, 2024 first-round pick from Warriors.
- Pelicans nearing deal to acquire Derrick Favors from Jazz for draft pick(s).
Here are the contract extensions agreed upon today:
- Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers agree to four-year, super-max extension (starts in 2021/22; projected value of $196MM).
- Jamal Murray, Nuggets agree to five-year, maximum-salary extension (starts in 2020/21; projected value of $169.7MM).
- Dwight Powell, Mavericks agree to three-year, $33MM extension (starts in 2020/21).
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hoops Rumors’ 2019 NBA Free Agent Tracker
With free agency officially underway and news of contract agreements breaking left and right, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this July. To this end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a feature we’ve had each year since our inception in 2012. Using our tracker, you can quickly look up deals, sorting by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.
A few notes on the tracker:
- During the July moratorium (July 1-6), most of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect tentative agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
- Similarly, contract years and dollars will be based on what’s been reported to date, so in many cases those amounts will be approximations rather than official figures. Salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
- A restricted free agent who signs an offer sheet won’t be included in the tracker right away. We’ll wait to hear whether the player’s original team will match or pass on that offer sheet before we update our tracker in order to avoid confusion.
- If you’re viewing the tracker on our mobile site, be sure to turn your phone sideways to see more details.
Our 2019 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. On our mobile site, it can be found in our menu under “Free Agent Lists.”
The tracker will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.
Our lists of free agents by position/type and by team break down the players who have yet to reach contract agreements.
Kings Sign Cory Joseph
JULY 6: The signing of Joseph is official, tweets James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link).
JULY 1: The Kings have reached an agreement to sign Cory Joseph, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). According to Haynes, the free agent point guard will receive a three-year, $37MM commitment from Sacramento. Sam Amick of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the third year is partially guaranteed.
The agreement caps a busy day for the Kings, who filled a series of holes on their roster, adding quality depth via the free agent market. In addition to striking a deal with Joseph, the Kings agreed to re-sign Harrison Barnes and will add outside free agents Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon.
Joseph, who is entering his age-28 season, backed up Darren Collison at the point last season for Indiana, averaging 6.5 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 3.4 RPG in 82 games (25.2 MPG). He struggled a little with his shot, as his .412 FG% was the lowest mark he had posted since his rookie season.
In Sacramento, Joseph figures to back up – and perhaps play alongside – promising young point guard De’Aaron Fox.
The Kings will have to renounce restricted free agent Willie Cauley-Stein in order to accommodate all of today’s contract agreements. Amick confirms that the team has rescinded his qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks indicated after the earlier moves that Sacramento would have about $13MM in space remaining if Cauley-Stein’s cap hold was removed from the books, so Joseph’s deal will use just about all of that space. The Kings still have the room exception available.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bucks To Keep Pat Connaughton, Sterling Brown Past Guarantee Date
The Bucks plan on keeping Pat Connaughton and Sterling Brown on the roster through July 1 when each players’ contracts will become guaranteed, Matt Velazquez of the Journal Sentinel reports (Twitter link).
Connaughton will make slightly over $1.72MM while Brown will receive just under $1.62MM next season. Neither player’s contract runs past this upcoming season.
Milwaukee could have waived either player today and given themselves some minor cap relief. However, the franchise had no need for the additional cap room after re-signing both Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez earlier today.
Connaughton and Brown project to be low-cost rotation players next season before they reach the open market in 2020. Connaughton will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, while Brown can be restricted.
Knicks, Reggie Bullock Agree To Two-Year Deal
The Knicks have reached a deal to sign free agent wing Reggie Bullock to a two-year, $21MM contract, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).
While New York missed out on its top free agent targets, the team has had a busy day, reaching eight-figure, multiyear deals with Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, and now Bullock.
A first-round pick in the 2013 draft, Bullock began his career with the Clippers and then the Suns, but didn’t hit his stride until a stint with Detroit that began in 2015.
Bullock averaged 11.3 PPG and shot 44.5% on three-pointers for the Pistons in 2017/18. Last season, the veteran split his time between the Pistons and Lakers as a result of a deadline trade, recording 12.1 PPG with a .377 3PT% in 63 total games.
Like Portis and Gibson, Bullock will receive a two-year deal from the Knicks, while Randle’s third year features a partial guarantee. In other words, it appears New York will move forward with an eye toward regaining its cap flexibility during the summer of 2021. The team still projects to have about $18-20MM in cap room left this year after its reported agreements.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sixers, Heat Search For New Team To Join Jimmy Butler Sign-And-Trade
The Heat are still working on options to complete the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade with the Sixers, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The two sides will search for a third team to take on additional salary from Miami, as Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets.
[RELATED: Heat Finalizing Sign-And-Trade For Jimmy Butler]
The Mavericks appeared to be the team willing to take on salary in order to help both teams complete the trade. It was reported that Goran Dragic would be sent to Dallas as part of a three-team deal, but the Mavs then felt that Dragic’s salary would eat into their cap space and hinder their other plans.
Kelly Olynyk and Derrick Jones were believed to be taking Dragic’s place in the trade, but then it was revealed that the Heat did not want to part with Jones in the deal. The Olynyk/Jones combo wouldn’t have been quite enough from a salary-matching perspective anyway.
The Heat will look for a trade partner for Dragic out of respect for the veteran. The team and his representatives are working to find a deal by July 6. per Shelburne. However, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) hears from Dragic’s camp that there is no joint effort yet to find him a suitor.
Dragic will make approximately $19.2MM next season. After a day of contract agreements, The Mavericks, Clippers, and Lakers are the only teams with the clear ability to absorb Dragic’s deal without sending salary back, though other teams could potentially create the necessary space.
It’s possible the Mavericks will change its stance again on Dragic once they have a clearer picture of who they can sign with their cap space, though that’s simply my speculation.
Assuming the two sides find a third team to make the sign-and-trade work, Josh Richardson will go to Philadelphia and Butler will begin the Miami chapter of his career on a four-year max deal.
Free Agent Rumors: Dudley, Beverley, McGee, Green
The new-look Nets may be close to bringing back one of their locker room leaders, tweets Michael Scotto of The Athletic. Jared Dudley is interested in signing up for another season in Brooklyn, a source tells Scotto.
Dudley, who will turn 34 next month, also contributed on the court in his first season with the Nets, averaging 4.9 PPG in 59 games and shooting 35% from 3-point range. Dudley is also drawing interest from the Pistons and met with Detroit officials today, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).
There’s more free agent news to pass along:
- The Mavericks’ planned discussion with Patrick Beverley didn’t happen tonight, relays Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), who speculates that it was because of the team’s involvement in a three-way trade with the Heat and Sixers. Townsend adds that the Mavs’ chances of landing Beverley seem less likely than they were earlier.
- Dallas is optimistic about reaching a deal with restricted free agent Maxi Kleber, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. He cites “productive discussions” between the Mavericks and the power forward/center.
- JaVale McGee has a meeting set with the Pistons tomorrow, relays Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The free agent center talked to the Rockets today.
- Danny Green spoke on his Instagram account about meeting with the Mavericks, Lakers and Clippers and Raptors, tweets Blake Murphy of The Athletic. “Being patient, man,” he said of the process. “Being patient.”
- The Wizards would still like to re-sign Tomas Satoransky, but are looking into other options at point guard, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Hughes states that they are interested in Quinn Cook and notes that Shams Charania of The Athletic has reported an inquiry about Cory Joseph.