Fischer’s Latest: Kyrie, Collins, Barnes, Knicks, Magic
Monday’s report stating that Kyrie Irving is at an impasse in contract discussions with the Nets and could consider other destinations is widely viewed as an attempt by Irving’s camp to create leverage in those negotiations, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated during an appearance on Get Up on Tuesday (video link).
Still, even if that’s the case, the Nets and Irving have some work to do to bridge the gap in their contract talks, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says the team prefers a shorter-term deal that includes incentives, while Irving naturally wants a longer-term commitment.
Despite the report of an “impasse,” talks between Irving and the Nets are expected to remain fluid as his option decision deadline and the start of free agency near, says Fischer. There still appears to be mutual interest in figuring something out, and Brooklyn team officials have been operating as if Irving, Kevin Durant, and Ben Simmons will all be back in 2022/23, Fischer adds.
According to Fischer, word has circulated among league personnel since May’s draft combine that Irving has interest in the Lakers and Knicks, but most team executives haven’t given much credence to that chatter, given how challenging it would be for either team to acquire him.
Here’s more from Fischer’s newest round-up of NBA rumors:
- Fischer is the latest reporter to reiterate that John Collins is viewed as one of the NBA’s most likely offseason trade candidates, writing that Collins and the Hawks seem to have mutual interest in finding him a new home. Fischer also confirms a previous report which stated that the Collins talks between the Hawks and Kings haven’t included the No. 4 overall pick, though he notes that Sacramento forward Harrison Barnes is believed to be available.
- The Knicks are considered likely to trade Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel, according to Fischer, who says the team is exploring ways to create $25MM in cap room, possibly to pursue free agent point guard Jalen Brunson. However, Fischer cautions that league personnel still widely expect Brunson to re-sign with the Mavericks.
- Teams looking to shed a contract or two will likely be in touch with the Magic. Fischer hears from sources that Orlando – one of the only teams projected to have cap room – has emerged as a possible landing spot for unwanted salary. Any team looking to dump a contract on the Magic would have to be willing to give up an asset or two to make it happen.
Pistons’ Cory Joseph Opting In For 2022/23
Pistons point guard Cory Joseph will pick up his player option for 2022/23, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The decision will lock in Joseph’s $5,155,500 salary for next season.
An 11-year veteran who has appeared in over 700 regular season games, Joseph had a productive 2021/22 season in Detroit, averaging 8.0 PPG, 3.6 APG, and 2.7 RPG with a .445/.414/.885 shooting line in 65 games (24.6 MPG). He started a career-high 39 contests, with most of those starts coming alongside Cade Cunningham as the two point guards exhibited an ability to play alongside one another.
While it’s possible Joseph could have matched his option salary or gotten a multiyear deal as a free agent, the fact that he opted for the guaranteed money suggests that his market may not have been especially hot.
Given Joseph’s solid production in a rotation role in 2021/22, Detroit could simply bring the 30-year-old back for next season. However, he doesn’t really fit the young team’s timeline, and the Pistons have been linked to free agents such as Jalen Brunson and Dennis Schröder in recent weeks, which suggests they may not envision as significant a role for Joseph going forward.
As such, it wouldn’t be surprise if Joseph emerges as a trade candidate once he officially opts in — playoff teams in need of a reliable backup point guard would likely have interest.
Joseph had been the No. 41 player on our list of this year’s top 50 free agents. Since he’s opting in, he’ll be removed from that list, but he remains a part of our free agent prediction contest. If you’re entering that contest, be sure to list Joseph’s destination as Detroit to earn a free point, even if he’s traded later in the offseason.
All of this year’s player option decisions can be found right here.
Hornets Rumors: D’Antoni, Atkinson, Bridges, Trade Candidates
Mike D’Antoni is scheduled to meet with Hornets owner Michael Jordan on Tuesday to discuss the team’s head coaching position, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson had agreed earlier this month to become Charlotte’s new head coach, but backed out of his agreement with the team over the weekend.
D’Antoni, who was also a finalist before the Hornets chose Atkinson, had reportedly been scheduled to meet with Jordan a couple weeks ago, but it’s unclear if that sit-down ever took place — Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report wrote today that Atkinson was the only candidate to meet with the Hornets’ owner.
Besides D’Antoni, Terry Stotts was the other candidate believed to be a finalist for the Hornets before they reached a deal with Atkinson. It’s unclear if the team has any plans to meet with Stotts again now that its head coaching search is back on.
Here’s more on the Hornets:
- The Hornets want to retain “a large portion” of James Borrego‘s coaching staff, since many of them have one guaranteed year remaining on their current contracts, according to Fischer. Atkinson had wanted to bring in some of his own assistants, but he and the Hornets weren’t able to come to financial agreements for them, sources tell Fischer, who notes that Charlotte’s assistant coaches are known to be among the NBA’s bottom five in terms of salary.
- Fischer adds that Atkinson’s decision not to join the Hornets doesn’t appear to have anything to do with a succession plan in Golden State, since there’s no indication Warriors head coach Steve Kerr plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
- The Pistons and Pacers are believed to have interest in pursuing restricted free agents this summer and have been the only teams mentioned as potential threats to pursue Hornets RFA Miles Bridges, reports Fischer. Shams Charania of The Athletic wrote on Monday that Charlotte may be reluctant to match a maximum-salary offer for Bridges.
- The Hornets are expected to gauge the trade market for Terry Rozier, P.J. Washington, Kelly Oubre, and Mason Plumlee “in advance of Bridges’ free agency,” writes Fischer. The fact that Fischer links those potential trade talks to Bridges’ contract situation suggests that Charlotte may be trying to save some money that could be put toward Bridges’ new contract.
Caleb Swanigan Passes Away At Age 25
Former NBA forward Caleb Swanigan died on Monday night, according to an announcement from his alma mater of Purdue (Twitter link). Swanigan was 25 years old.
Swanigan spent two seasons with the Boilermakers from 2015-17, enjoying a breakout season as a sophomore. He averaged 18.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 35 games in 2016/17, earning consensus first-team All-American honors and the Big Ten Player of the Year award.
The 26th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Swanigan spent his rookie year the Trail Blazers, then was traded to Sacramento midway through his second NBA season. He was sent back to Portland about a year later. In total, he appeared in 75 NBA games across three seasons, averaging 2.3 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 8.7 minutes per contest for the Blazers and Kings.
Swanigan battled obesity and spent time in homeless shelters during his childhood before becoming a star at Purdue, as Myron Medcalf of ESPN detailed in a 2017 profile.
Our condolences go out to Swanigan’s friends and family.
Draft Rumors: Banchero, Magic, Smith, Kings, Murray, Pelicans, More
As Matt Moore of Action Network details, several oddsmakers have significantly moved their betting lines on Paolo Banchero in recent days, signaling that he’s no longer considered as much of a long shot to be this year’s No. 1 overall pick. However, executives around the NBA still widely expect Jabari Smith to be the first player off the board, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
According to Fischer, Banchero was scheduled to meet with the Magic on Monday, but sources close to the Duke forward remain skeptical that he’s receiving serious consideration at No. 1. Fischer suggests that Smith and his representatives have been the most enthusiastic about landing in Orlando, while Chet Holmgren and his reps are thought to prefer the Thunder, since they believe there’s a stronger infrastructure in Oklahoma City to support the big man’s development.
As for Banchero, sources tell Fischer that he’d be happy to end up with the Rockets. The Seattle native has connections with general manager Rafael Stone, who is also from Seattle, and likes the idea of forming a dynamic offensive duo with Jalen Green.
At No. 4, the Kings remain a wild card, according to Fischer, who adds the Spurs to the list of teams interested in moving up in the lottery. The Spurs and Pacers are believed to be eyeing Keegan Murray, while the Wizards and Knicks are targeting Jaden Ivey, Fischer notes.
The Pistons were previously identified as a team exploring a trade up to No. 4, but Fischer suggests Detroit has “projected a strong confidence” that Ivey will be available at No. 5 if Sacramento keeps its pick, since teams drafting behind the Kings are preparing for them to select Murray.
Here’s more on the 2022 NBA draft, which is now just two days away:
- Teams drafting behind the Pelicans (No. 8) believe they’re a candidate to trade down, according to Fischer, who identifies the Thunder (No. 12) as a potential trade partner for New Orleans. Fischer says rivals suspect the Pelicans like Dyson Daniels and Bennedict Mathurin, so if at least one of them is still on the board at No. 8, they may be more inclined to hang onto the pick.
- There’s a “strong possibility” the Rockets will look to further expand their Christian Wood trade with the Mavericks, which isn’t yet official. Dallas’ side of the deal would presumably remain unchanged, but Houston could tweak the structure of the trade by including another team and additional pieces. Fischer suggests a move related to the No. 17 pick could be folded into the transaction.
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has heard from agents that many teams drafting in the second round – even in the 30s – are calling to see if certain prospects will agree to two-way contracts. That could result in some players who project as second-rounders ultimately going undrafted if they don’t want to accept a two-way offer.
- Vecenie adds that many of the picks in the 30s are candidates to be traded, since teams without picks are pursuing those selections. The Lakers are among the clubs said to be very much in the market for a second-rounder.
Clippers’ Batum To Decline Option, Become Free Agent
Clippers forward Nicolas Batum won’t pick up his player option for the 2022/23 season, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Batum will become an unrestricted free agent, though he and the Clippers are expected to have mutual interest in negotiating a new deal next week, according to Wojnarowski.
Batum’s option would have paid him $3,328,530 next season if he had exercised it. Based on his strong play in Los Angeles over the last two seasons, the 33-year-old has earned a raise on that figure.
Across two seasons and 126 games with the Clippers, Batum has averaged 8.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG with a .402 3PT% in 26.2 minutes per contest while playing solid, versatile defense. We ranked him 23rd overall last week in our list of 2022’s top 50 free agents.
Although Batum won’t come anywhere close to matching the five-year, $120MM contract he signed with the Hornets back in 2016, he seems like a good bet to receive interest as a mid-level target. The full mid-level exception for 2022/23 projects to be worth $10.35MM, while the taxpayer MLE would come in at $6.39MM, based on a $122MM cap.
The Clippers will be well above the luxury tax line next season, but will hold Batum’s Early Bird rights, giving them the opportunity to make a competitive offer without using their mid-level exception. Los Angeles should be able to offer a starting salary up to approximately $11MM using the Early Bird exception. An Early Bird offer would have to be for at least two years, with no player or team option on that second year (though the second year doesn’t need to be fully guaranteed).
Batum spoke enthusiastically in May about the impact head coach Tyronn Lue has had on him and his desire to remain with the Clippers.
Batum is the only Clipper holding a player option for the 2022/23 season, but L.A. has a team option decision to make on Ivica Zubac before free agency begins. Zubac’s $7.5MM option salary is relatively team-friendly, so I’d expect it to be exercised.
The full list of player option decisions can be found right here. We’re also tracking team option decisions here, though none have been officially made yet.
Dion Waiters, Tyreke Evans Among FAs Attending Mavs’ Mini-Camp
The Mavericks are hosting a free agent mini-camp this week that will have over 30 players in attendance, our JD Shaw reports (via Twitter).
The list of participants includes a handful with extensive NBA experience, including veteran guards Dion Waiters, Tyreke Evans, and Langston Galloway.
Jalen Lecque, Chris Clemons, Emanuel Terry, Grant Riller, Jay Huff, and Tyler Hall are among the other mini-camp invitees who have played in at least one regular season NBA game. A.J. Lawson, Andrew Andrews, Isaiah Brown, Justin Gorham, and Sekou Wiggs are some of the participants without NBA experience (Twitter links).
Teams are permitted to carry up to 20 players during the offseason, giving them some flexibility to take fliers on veterans or youngsters who could come to training camp on non-guaranteed contracts and compete for a 15-man roster spot.
It’s possible one or more of the players at Dallas’ mini-camp this week will make a strong enough impression to earn a camp invite. As Shaw notes, some of the mini-camp participants could also be invited to join the Mavericks’ Summer League team next month.
It’s worth noting that even after agreeing to trade four players for Christian Wood, the Mavs don’t project to have a ton of open 15-man roster spots for 2022/23. Dallas will have nine players on guaranteed salaries, plus Maxi Kleber and Frank Ntilikina on non-guaranteed contracts. Jalen Brunson and Theo Pinson are free agents, but the team reportedly wants to bring back both. If all of those players return, it would leave just two openings on the Mavs’ standard regular season roster.
Pacers Notes: Warren, Taylor, Sharpe, Keels
T.J. Warren has only appeared in four games over the past two seasons but he could still bring value to the Pacers, even if he’s not on the team next season, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Warren will be an unrestricted free agent this summer but Indiana could sign-and-trade him to a team coveting his services. Warren has averaged 15.5 PPG in his career.
We have more on the Pacers:
- Pacers assistant Bryce Taylor has been named an assistant coach for EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Germany, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files reports. Taylor, 35, played in Germany and Italy before retiring prior to this past season.
- Projected lottery pick Shaedon Sharpe worked out for the Pacers on Monday and feels he could be a difference-maker if they use the No. 6 selection on him, James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star tweets. “I know that (the Pacers are) a great organization, love to develop their players,” he said. “I feel like I could come in and be that go-to guy.”
- Duke’s Trevor Keels will work out for the team on Tuesday, Boyd adds in another tweet. Keels is a candidate for the Pacers’ second-round selection at No. 31. That’s exactly where the Blue Devils’ wing is rated on ESPN’s Best Available list. As previously reported, center Kai Sotto is also visiting on Tuesday.
Pacific Notes: Murray, Lakers Workout, Kuminga, Moody, Warriors’ Pick
Jaden Ivey, the top rated point guard in the draft, hasn’t worked out for the Kings, who hold the fourth overall pick. It may be a moot point, as Sacramento’s brass is high on Iowa forward Keegan Murray, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The Kings arranged for the prospect to have dinner with the team stars, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, during his visit. Murray was one of top scorers in Division I last season at 23.5 PPG along with 8.7 RPG.
If he’s selected fourth overall, Murray could slot into the Kings’ frontcourt alongside Sabonis and Harrison Barnes.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers continued to do their homework despite not owning a draft pick, as they worked out six prospects on Monday, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. That group included Javante McCoy (Boston University), Keve Aluma (Virginia Tech), Khalifa Diop (Gran Canaria), Jeenathan Williams (Buffalo), Malik Osborne (Florida State) and Danko Brankovic (Cibona).
- Lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody got the rare experience of playing on a championship team in their first year. Though they didn’t play large roles in the postseason, the Warriors rookies got invaluable experience as their playing time grows in future seasons, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes. “I never really worry about whether we’re playing, not playing,” Kuminga said. “As long as I’m still here, learning, getting better every day. When my moments get called, I know I’ll be ready. … Everybody here [is] just helping me, way more than dudes [other rookies around the league] are, wherever they are right now.”
- The Warriors hold the No. 28 pick but they might not add an rookie, according to Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. The Warriors are looking to trade the pick, in part because of their huge payroll and also because they’ve already got a trio of young players — James Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody — fighting for rotation minutes next season.
Southeast Notes: Yurtseven, Heat Draft, Beal, Fields
Omer Yurtseven will play in the summer league, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. There was some question about the center’s availability because of his obligations with the Turkish national team but the Heat confirmed to the media on Monday that Yurtseven will play next month. Miami has until June 29 to guarantee Yurtseven’s $1,752,638 salary for next season and this would suggest the team plans to do so.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- The Heat hold the No. 27 pick in the draft and the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman takes a look at some of the prospects Miami might consider at that spot, including Tennessee guard Kennedy Chandler, Arizona guard Dalen Terry and G League Ignite guard Jaden Hardy.
- Wizards star Bradley Beal is flattered when draft prospects praise him and say they try to emulate him, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. “It’s surreal. It’s really surreal because I was those kids looking up to pro players and looking up to guys that I watched play,” he said. “I never would have imagined that kids would say I’m their favorite player or that they would model their game after me.”
- New Hawks general manager Landry Fields is prioritizing defense, according to The Associated Press’ Charles Odum.“The identity defensively has been, well that’s something we’re going to have to build into,” Landry said. “That’s been part of the reason why we haven’t taken that (next) step.” Fields acknowledges the front office is looking at trade options to make that happen, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic writes. “Trade is absolutely, in looking at the finances, something that is going to be important for us,” he said.