Free Agency Rumors: Whiteside, Favors, Clarkson, Bertans
The Kings have interest in free agent center Hassan Whiteside, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said today on The Jump (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). James Ham of NBC Sports California confirms (via Twitter) that he has heard similar whispers, though he cautions he’s not sure how serious that interest is.
Here are more free agency rumors:
- Free agent center Derrick Favors is expected to have contact with his current team – the Pelicans – and his old team – the Jazz – as free agency opens, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Other teams will also kick the tires on Favors, Jones adds.
- The Jazz are making re-sigining Jordan Clarkson their top priority in free agency, tweets Tony Jones.
- The Wizards are meeting with Davis Bertans as free agency opens, according to Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Re-signing the stretch four has long been considered Washington’s top priority this offseason.
Latest On Gordon Hayward
4:57pm: Hayward has told the Celtics he wants to go to the Pacers, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe tweets. The Pacers offered Myles Turner and Doug McDermott to Boston in a sign-and-trade scenario but the Celtics want Turner and either Warren or Victor Oladipo.
4:45pm: The Hornets are expected to pursue Gordon Hayward in free agency but will likely need to work out a sign-and-trade agreement with the Celtics to make it happen, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports.
Hayward declined his whopping $34.2MM option in order to become an unrestricted free agent. In 52 games last season, he averaged 17.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 4.1 APG on .500/.383/.855 shooting but missed a good chunk of the playoffs with an ankle injury.
Charlotte has approximately $19.4MM in cap space, so it’s unlikely Hayward would sign a multi-year deal unless there’s a sign-and-trade scenario with Boston and perhaps a third team as a facilitator.
The Hornets could dangle the expiring contracts of Cody Zeller and Nicolas Batum as part of the package, Scotto notes.
Hayward has some history with the Hornets franchise. He signed an offer sheet with Charlotte in 2014 when he was a restricted free agent but the Jazz matched it.
The Pacers are also interested in Hayward via a sign-and-trade but are reluctant to part with T.J. Warren and Aaron Holiday, two players that Boston would have some interest in acquiring, according to Ian Begley of SNY TV. However, Hayward may try to force the Celtics’ hands. The former Butler University star is “fully focused” on returning to Indiana and playing for the Pacers, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (hat tip to RealGM).
The Knicks are also expected to be in the mix for Hayward after freeing nearly $40MM in cap space.
Some with the organization have interest in signing Hayward as a free agent. However, the Knicks are unlikely to offer Hayward a four-year deal, Begley adds.
Heat’s Gabe Vincent Signs Two-Way Qualifying Offer
Heat two-way player Gabe Vincent has signed his qualifying offer, according to the team (Twitter link).
The qualifying offer is a one-year, two-way contract with a $50K guarantee. So Vincent has secured that modest guarantee and currently occupies one of Miami’s two-way slots, though it wouldn’t be expensive for the team to eventually replace him with another two-way player if it so chooses.
Vincent was the G League’s Most Improved Player in 2019/20, averaging 20.9 PPG and making 40.3% of an impressive 10.3 three-point attempts per game in 31 contests for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He saw limited action for the Heat in nine games at the NBA level.
Free Agency Rumors: Lakers, Hornets, Pelicans, Baynes, Bazemore
The Lakers anticipate being “first in line” to talk to two of their veteran free agents, Dwight Howard and Avery Bradley, when free agency opens, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Howard and Bradley are expected to draw interest from multiple other clubs, including perhaps the Warriors, but it sounds like L.A. has interest in bringing back both of them. The Lakers and veteran forward Jared Dudley also have mutual interest in a new deal, Scotto adds.
Here’s more from Scotto on free agency:
- The Hornets are expected to be in the market for a free agent center, according to Scotto, who notes that the team will likely lose Bismack Biyombo and Willy Hernangomez in free agency.
- Scotto echoes a rumor we heard earlier in the week, writing that the Pelicans are expected to show interest in free agent center Aron Baynes.
- The Kings and Kent Bazemore are expected to have mutual interest in reaching a new deal, according to Scotto, who notes that the free agent swingman will likely speak with a number of teams once free agency begins.
Hawks Confident About Chances In Free Agency
Former Hawks forward Vince Carter said on ESPN’s The Jump that he has heard Atlanta is confident it will be able to land two free agents from a group that includes Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, Joe Harris, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic echoes that sentiment (via Twitter).
While Harris and Bogdanovic may still be in play for the Hawks, it sounds as if Gallinari and Rondo are the more likely candidates to end up in Atlanta.
Reports earlier in the week suggested that the Hawks are viewed as the frontrunners for both veteran free agents, with Gallinari perhaps in line for a three-year deal and Rondo expected to receive a two-year offer.
Atlanta is the only team set to enter free agency with more than $40MM in cap room available, so even if the team lands Gallinari and Rondo, it still should have money left over to spend.
Hornets To Sign Keandre Cook
The Hornets have reached an agreement with guard Keandre Cook, Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype tweets. Cook, who played college ball at Missouri State, will receive an Exhibit 10 contract.
He’ll look to make an impression in training camp with the likelihood of spending next season in the G League. Cook played two seasons for the Bears and averaged 14.9 PPG and 4.6 RPG while draining 42.3% of his 3-point attempts. He scored 26 points against Valparaiso in the MVC Tournament in his last college outing.
The 6’5” Cook spent two seasons at a junior college prior to signing with Missouri State.
Fred VanVleet Likely To Re-Sign With Raptors?
Free agent point guard Fred VanVleet appears “very likely” to re-sign with the Raptors, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said in an appearance on The Jump this afternoon (video link via Knicks Film School).
Wojnarowski suggests that the lack of teams with cap room around the NBA may limit VanVleet’s ability to attract big offers that could put extra pressure on the Raptors. An earlier report indicated Toronto may be hoping to get VanVleet back on a deal similar to the one Malcolm Brogdon signed with Indiana last year — $85MM over four years.
The Raptors’ ability to go much higher for VanVleet is complicated by the fact that the team wants to maintain enough 2021 cap room to contend for a maximum-salary player (ideally Giannis Antetokounmpo, if he’s available). The bigger VanVleet’s deal is, the less space the team will have a year from now, but something in the range of $20-22MM per year should fit into the team’s budget.
While the Raptors are the frontrunners for VanVleet, that doesn’t necessarily mean the two sides will come to terms immediately when free agency opens in an hour. Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) has heard that the Raptors and other suitors for VanVleet will likely meet with the 26-year-old in the Chicago area on Saturday. The Knicks and Pistons have been cited as a couple of the other possible contenders for the Raptors guard.
VanVleet ranks third on our list of 2020’s top 50 free agents.
Timberwolves Acquire Leandro Bolmaro From Knicks
NOVEMBER 20: The deal is official, according to the Timberwolves. Because Minnesota structured its draft-night trades slightly differently than expected, the trade technically sends Bolmaro’s rights to the Wolves in exchange for Quickley (No. 25), the Pistons’ 2023 second-round pick, and the draft rights to Mathias Lessort.
All of this offseason’s trades to date can be found right here.
NOVEMBER 18: The Knicks selected Argentinian guard Leandro Bolmaro with the No. 23 pick, which they previously acquired from the Jazz, but he’s not going to New York. The Timberwolves are acquiring Bolmaro for the No. 25 and No. 33 selections in the draft, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Bolmaro, 20, is a 6’7” combo guard who played for FC Barcelona last season, though he only averaged 11.6 MPG in 16 games.
The Knicks had originally acquired the 23rd pick from Utah for the No. 27 and 38 selections, so they essentially parlayed those original picks and moved up a few slots in both the first and second rounds. They used the No. 25 pick on Kentucky point guard Immanuel Quickley, the SEC Player of the Year.
With the Timberwolves selecting shooting guard Anthony Edwards with the first pick and acquiring veteran guard Ricky Rubio, they have reshaped their backcourt overnight. Bolmaro would appear to be a developmental selection or possibly a draft-and-stash prospect.
Timberwolves Trade For Ricky Rubio
NOVEMBER 20: The trade is now official, according to the Timberwolves, who announced it in a press release. As expected, Johnson was sent to the Thunder along with the rights to Pokusevski in exchange for Rubio, the No. 25 pick, and the No. 28 pick. Oklahoma City also received the Timberwolves’ 2024 second-round pick in the deal.
Minnesota subsequently flipped the No. 25 pick (Immanuel Quickley) to New York in a deal for Leandro Bolmaro (No. 23). The Wolves have also confirmed that trade.
NOVEMBER 19: Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link) confirms that Johnson will be a part of this deal for salary-matching purposes. The veteran forward will still need to pick up his option before he can officially be traded.
NOVEMBER 18: The Timberwolves will acquire point guard Ricky Rubio from the Thunder, along with the 25th and 28th picks in this year’s draft, in exchange for the 17th selection, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Oklahoma City will receive Serbian 7-footer Aleksej Pokusevski, whom Minnesota selected at No. 17. The Thunder had expressed interest in Pokusevski throughout the past two weeks.
Although it hasn’t been reported yet, James Johnson will likely have to be included in the deal to match salaries. Rubio will earn $17MM during the upcoming season, while Johnson has a $16MM player option that he is virtually certain to pick up.
The deal represents a homecoming for Rubio, who spent six seasons with the Wolves at the start of his career. He began looking for a trade after being sent to OKC in the Chris Paul deal and was receptive to the idea of returning to Minnesota. Rubio wants to help the Wolves get back to the playoffs, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Rubio will share ball-handling duties in the Minnesota backcourt with D’Angelo Russell, who was acquired at the trade deadline, and will reunite with former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns.
In addition to the 25th and 28th picks, the Wolves also own the 33rd pick in tonight’s second round. The Thunder, who have been stockpiling picks, will select again at 34 and 53.
Eastern Notes: Pistons, Ariza, Raptors, Hornets, Magic
When the Pistons eventually officially acquire forward Trevor Ariza, who is being dealt from Portland to Houston to Detroit, the expectation is that he’ll have his full $12.8MM salary guaranteed, tweets Keith Smith of RealGM.
Ariza’s salary was initially only partially guaranteed for $1.8MM, but as cap expert Albert Nahmad explains (via Twitter), his salary guarantee deadline will come and go before the Pistons are able to officially acquire him. As a result, the Rockets will create a $12.8MM traded player exception in the transaction.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Nashville was in the mix for the Raptors as a temporary home late into the decision process, but the team opted for Florida for a few reasons, including the lack of a state income tax, per Blake Murphy and Eric Koreen of The Athletic. There’s also a brand-new hotel next to Amalie Arena in Tampa with ballrooms that could be used as makeshift practice spaces, according to The Athletic’s duo.
- Undrafted Kentucky forward Kahlil Whitney is considering signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Hornets, according to Adam Zagoria of Forbes (Twitter link). Whitney declared for the draft this year after a single season of college ball.
- Amid rumors that point guard D.J. Augustin is drawing interest from Phoenix and Milwaukee, Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel says (via Twitter) that a return to the Magic is very unlikely for Augustin, given the team’s cap constraints and Wednesday’s Cole Anthony pick.