Suns To Meet With Paul Millsap
JUNE 30th, 10:43pm: Phoenix has a meeting set with Millsap for this Sunday, tweets Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. With Blake Griffin agreeing to re-sign with the Clippers, this may intensify the Suns’ pursuit of the forward, TNT’s David Aldridge relays (via Twitter).
JUNE 29th, 4:45pm: In addition to their scheduled meeting with Blake Griffin, the Suns will meet with Paul Millsap, John Gambadoro of 98.7 Arizona Sports reports.
The 31-year-old forward is expected to have numerous suitors although most tend to be more established contenders. As Gambadoro notes in his article, Millsap would join a small group of players considerably older than the Phoenix’s young core.
As we discussed yesterday, new Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk is not expected to offer Millsap a full max contract, that puts the ball in the court of teams looking to lure the 12-year veteran away.
Just last week, Millsap was briefly linked to the Suns by Brian Windhorst of ESPN and Gambadoro then offered up Tyson Chandler as a possible player who could be involved in a sign-and-trade between the two franchises.
In a fourth consecutive All-Star season last year, Millsap averaged a career high 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Hawks Receive $75K For Kelly
- The Rockets will pay the Hawks $75K for Ryan Kelly.
Hawks Waive Mike Dunleavy Jr.
4:10pm: The Hawks have formally waived Dunleavy Jr., Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.
12:56pm: Mike Dunleavy Jr. appears likely to hit the free agent market in the coming days, reports Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). According to Vivlamore, indications are that the Hawks will waive Dunleavy before his 2017/18 salary becomes fully guaranteed.
Dunleavy is heading into the final year of his current contract, but his $5,175,000 salary is only partially guaranteed for $1,662,500, per Basketball Insiders. Atlanta would avoid being on the hook for the remaining $3.5MM+ by cutting Dunleavy before it becomes guaranteed on July 1.
Acquired by the Cavaliers in a trade last July, Dunleavy was subsequently flipped to the Hawks in a mid-season deal for Kyle Korver. In 30 games with Atlanta, the veteran swingman continued to show off his sharpshooting ability, making 42.9% of his three-point attempts, though his role with the club was limited.
Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News reported earlier today that Dunleavy is on the Timberwolves’ radar as a possible free agent addition. When a Twitter follower pointed out that the 36-year-old is still under contract, Wolfson replied, “Let’s just say he’s available.”
Kaba Will Decide On Future After Summer League
- Coming off a season in which he averaged career highs, Hawks center Mike Muscala is experiencing unrestricted free agency for the first time. He spoke with Jerry Zgoda of the Star-Tribune about the process. “It’s crazy how basketball can change from high school to college to the NBA and what you work on, what you’re compensated for,” he said, referring to his coveted skill set as a three-point shooting big man. “I’ve found if you do things the right way — if you play the right way, if you work on your game, if you’re a good teammate — you’ll be rewarded for it.”
- Second-round draft pick Alpha Kaba will play with the Hawks‘ summer league team before deciding where to play next season, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.
Hawks Don't Expect To Make Splash Right When Free Agency Opens
- Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link) identifies Mike Dunleavy Jr. as a potential free agent that will be on the Timberwolves‘ radar, noting that Minnesota needs shooting and Dunleavy has played for Tom Thibodeau before. Dunleavy technically remains under contract with the Hawks, but his 2017/18 salary features only a small partial guarantee, so it’s possible he’ll be waived soon.
- The Hawks have many players eligible for free agency this weekend, and may explore the market for outside targets, but new general manager Travis Schlenk doesn’t expect the team to rush to get anything done at 12:01am on July 1, as Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution details.
Free Agent Notes: Caldwell-Pope, Korver, Millsap, Hill
Coach/executive Stan Van Gundy says keeping restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be the Pistons‘ priority in free agency, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. The Pistons submitted a $4.96MM qualifying offer to Caldwell-Pope earlier this week, giving them the right to match any offer he receives. Van Gundy adds that the team will be searching for a third center at the veterans minimum and would like to find a veteran point guard to back up Reggie Jackson and Ish Smith (Twitter link). “Our main focus in [free agency] is guards,” Van Gundy said, “whether it’s our own guys or whatever we can spend on the MLE.”
There’s more as the free agency countdown continues:
- Luxury tax issues could force Kyle Korver out of Cleveland, even though he and the team would like to extend their relationship, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The Cavaliers may have to part with Korver, who shot a league-best .485 from 3-point range this season, if a large offer comes from another organization. Cleveland topped the $113MM tax threshold by $15MM this year and is facing a luxury tax bill of about $24.8MM, which includes a repeater penalty for exceeding the threshold every year since LeBron James returned. The Cavs currently have 10 players under contract for 2017/18 with a total salary of $128MM. With a projected tax line of $119MM, the team is looking at $29.75MM in taxes without filling up the roster.
- Six to eight teams are expected to pursue Hawks forward Paul Millsap, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The Nuggets, Spurs and Rockets are teams that have expressed interest in Millsap, although Houston’s plans may be altered by the package it gave the Clippers today in exchange for Chris Paul. New Hawks GM Travis Schlenk has said the Hawks don’t expect to make a full max offer to Millsap.
- Gordon Hayward is hoping the Jazz will re-sign point guard George Hill, relays Jody Genessy of The Deseret News (Twitter link). Utah is hoping for an early meeting with Hill, who averaged 16.9 points in 49 games after coming to the team in an offseason trade. Hayward remains the top priority in free agency, and the Jazz will meet with him Monday after he hears presentations from the Heat and Celtics.
Hawks Trade Ryan Kelly To Rockets
The Rockets have made yet another trade, acquiring Ryan Kelly from the Hawks for cash considerations, Atlanta announced today in a press release. Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported (via Twitter) that a deal was close.
Kelly, 26, appeared in just 16 games for the Hawks in 2016/17, spending part of the season with the team. The former Laker averaged 1.6 PPG and 1.1 RPG in limited minutes.
The trade looks like another precursor to the Rockets completing their acquisition of Chris Paul. Kelly will likely be included in that deal for salary-matching purposes.
Free Agent Rumors: Lowry, Paul, Teodosic, Pachulia, Heat
Michael Grange of Sportsnet spoke to NBA team sources, as well as longtime player agents, to delve into Kyle Lowry‘s free agency. Grange writes that “it is becoming increasingly evident that Lowry will take the opportunity to test the market.” He also adds that the Raptors are the only team that can guarantee a fifth year in a contract offer to Lowry and can pay more over four years than any other suitor. Grange finds a consensus among his sources that Lowry will not be receiving a max deal out in the market and that “his ceiling will top out at $30 million annually, although that would most likely be on a shorter deal.”
Here are some other relevant free agent rumors:
- According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (link via Twitter), Chris Paul and his agents met with the Clippers on Tuesday and discussed the player’s future. Paul’s camp and Clippers officials will speak again soon.
- Milos Teodosic announced that he will likely leave his Russian team and wishes to play in the NBA, via Novosti by way of Sportando: “I will not stay with CSKA Moscow almost for sure. But I don’t know yet where I will continue my career,” Teodosic said. “Going to the NBA is my wish but when I will know where, I will say that.”
- Zaza Pachulia back with the Hawks? The reunion is an interesting idea that Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution floats, as the team has just one center at present (Miles Plumlee) and Pachulia is an unrestricted free agent and likely to move on from the Warriors. Furthermore, Vivlamore points out that Atlanta’s new GM Travis Schlenk knows Pachulia from his time with the Dubs.
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald asks and answers key questions about the Heat‘s free agency. If Miami were to land Gordon Hayward or Blake Griffin, could they still keep James Johnson or Dion Waiters? Jackson says it would be difficult but not impossible. Click through for his detailed answer.
Tim Hardaway Jr. Receives Qualifying Offer
The Hawks have extended a qualifying offer to shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., making him a restricted free agent, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The qualifying offer is for $3,335,707 but Hardaway Jr. is likely to receive a lucrative offer sheet during free agency. He averaged 14.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG and 2.3 APG in 79 games last season. His playing time increased after Kyle Korver was dealt to the Cavaliers.
He declared after the season that he would prefer to stay in Atlanta.
Southeast Notes: Howard, Billups, Frazier, Wade
Dwight Howard, recently traded to the Hornets from the Hawks, discussed his excitement to be in Charlotte, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Howard spoke glowingly about his new owner, Michael Jordan:
“I’d just done a 2 ½-hour workout. After I was done talking to him, I wanted to jump back into the gym. That’s how he motivated me. You’re talking about the greatest basketball player to ever play. For him to call you on the phone and say, ‘I believe in you!’ ”
Howard also discussed his reunion with head coach Steve Clifford, his disappointment of lasting just one season with him hometown team, and how he will make a difference in the Charlotte community.
Here’s more from the Southeast division:
- Hawks GM Travis Schlenk says that three or four teams were interested in trading for Dwight Howard, but the Hornets made the best offer, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal- Constitution.
- While the Cavaliers await a decision from Chauncey Billups, another team covets the former NBA Finals MVP’s wisdom in the front office: the Hawks, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Billups recently interviewed for a front-office position with Atlanta.
- Hornets GM Rich Cho says the team will be looking for a backup point guard and more overall depth in free agency, tweets Jordan Greer of The Sporting News.
- The Magic‘s new president of basketball operations, Jeff Weltman, explains why the team traded two picks in a deep draft, reports Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Weltman explained: “We felt that at a certain point that the draft flattened out, and once we got past that point, we had three more picks, and we didn’t want to bring four rookies in. So what we did is we tried to identify kids that we thought could possibly be there later that we liked as much [as a] higher [pick]. And could we defer those assets [and] move them along to maybe turn them into future pieces and still come up with something that we liked?”
- The Wizards believe that Tim Frazier can contribute right away, reports Chase Hughnes of CSN Mid-Atlantic, in an interesting piece full of great quotes from Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld and head coach Scott Brooks.
- Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that Dwyane Wade, who has come up often as a Heat target this offseason, is not necessarily leaving Chicago so soon despite the Bulls’ obvious entrance into rebuilding mode after dealing Jimmy Butler on draft day.