Heat To Sign Keshad Johnson, Zyon Pullin, Bryson Warren
Fresh off the end of the 2024 draft, the Heat have agreed to sign a trio of undrafted free agents to new contracts.
Miami has reached agreements with Arizona forward Keshad Johnson and Florida guard Zyon Pullin on two-way contracts, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links).
A 6’7″ swingman, Johnson played for San Diego State across his first four seasons of NCAA eligibility before using his bonus senior season to transfer to the Wildcats. In 2023/24, he posted averages of 11.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks per game, with a shooting line of .530/.387/.710.
Pullin, an All-SEC honoree this past season, similarly enjoyed a five-year collegiate career. He played for UC Riverside from 2019-23, then transferred to Florida this past season. With the Gators, the 6’4″ guard averaged 15.5 points on .444/.449/.847 shooting, along with 4.9 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per contest. He started in 27 of 33 games in 2023/24.
Meanwhile, sources have informed Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter) that Miami has also agreed to sign Bryson Warren – who played on the Heat’s NBAGL affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, before declaring for the draft – to an Exhibit 10 deal.
Warren, a 6’3″ combo guard, averaged 7.8 points, 1.9 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 17 regular season games with Sioux Falls, posting a shooting line of .381/.306/.778.
Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted into two-way deals or can set up a player to earn a bonus if he’s waived and then joins his team’s NBAGL affiliate.
PJ Hall Signs Two-Way Deal With Nuggets
July 10: Hall’s two-way contract with Denver is now official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.
June 27: The Nuggets are signing center PJ Hall to a two-way contract, sources tell Harrison Wind of DNR Sports (Twitter link).
Hall had been considered a first round-level talent by the Nuggets, per Wind, but he ended up going undrafted.
During a four-season collegiate stint, Hall showed massive improvements from his freshman to senior seasons. In 2023/24, he averaged 18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.8 steals per night across 36 games, with a .488/.315/.779 shooting line. The scoring, rebounding, and blocks represented his NCAA career highs.
The 6’10” big man was twice named an All-ACC honoree while with the Tigers.
Denver finished with a 57-25 record and the No. 3 seed in 2023/24, but failed to defend its 2023 championship when it fell to the jumbo-sized, defense-first Timberwolves in a seven-game semifinal series. Taking a flier on size with an undrafted free agent is an intriguing tactical move.
Lakers Select Bronny James With No. 55 Pick
The Lakers have drafted All-NBA Los Angeles forward LeBron James‘ son, Bronny James, with the No. 55 pick out of USC.
Bronny James served as a backup combo guard on a middling Trojans team in 2023/24. USC finished with a 15-18 record and missed the NCAA Tournament, with former head coach Andy Enfield departing for SMU in the offseason.
Across his 25 healthy contests last season, the 6’4″ guard averaged just 4.8 points on .366/.267/.676 shooting splits, along with 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 steals a game. His season got off to a late start because he needed to be cleared after suffering cardiac arrest last July.
Isaiah Collier, who started ahead of James and had been considered a possible lottery prospect heading into 2023/24, fell to the Jazz with the No. 29 pick on Wednesday night.
James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, was apparently contacting rival clubs during the draft to dissuade them from selecting Bronny prior to the Lakers’ pick. According to Bob Myers of ESPN (Twitter video link), Paul informed other teams that, if drafted ahead of Los Angeles’ pick, Bronny would explore pro opportunities with the NBL in Australia.
Now, Bronny James join a revamped Lakers team – coached by former NBA-sharpshooter-turned-analyst-and-podcaster J.J. Redick – that is angling for an extended playoff run in the West. How many minutes the younger James will earn as likely a deep-bench reserve remains to be seen. LeBron has been vocal in the past about hoping to play alongside his son, and the second they step foot on the floor together, it will be the first time in league history that a father-son duo has achieved that feat.
LeBron James has a $51.4MM player option to return to L.A. next season. With his former podcast co-host coaching the team and his son now joining the team’s roster, it seems like to help the Lakers’ cause.
Thunder Acquire No. 26 Pick Dillon Jones From Knicks
JUNE 27: The trade is now official, the Knicks confirmed (via Twitter).
JUNE 26: The Thunder have agreed to acquire the No. 26 pick from the Knicks and are using it to draft Weber State’s Dillon Jones, according to reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).
Oklahoma City will trade five second-round picks to New York in exchange for Jones’ rights at No. 26, per Charania (Twitter link). The five second-rounders are as follows, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links):
- Either the Celtics’ or Grizzlies’ 2025 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable).
- The Warriors’ 2026 second-round pick.
- The Timberwolves’ 2027 second-round pick.
- Either the Thunder’s, Rockets’, Heat’s, or Pacers’ 2027 second-round pick (whichever is second-most favorable).
- Either the Thunder’s, Rockets’, Heat’s, or Pacers’ 2027 second-round pick (whichever is third-most favorable).
Adding Jones at No. 26 is a surprise move from Thunder team president Sam Presti. As The Oklahoman’s Joel Lorenzi tweets, Jones – who was not invited to the green room – was ranked 50th on ESPN’s big board and 65th by The Athletic.
However, the three-time All-Big Sky honoree had a big senior season in his final year with the Wildcats in 2023/24, averaging 20.8 points, 9.8 boards, 5.2 dimes, and 2.0 steals per game across 31 starts (37.0 MPG), with a shooting line of .489/.324/.857.
The move will allow the Knicks to replenish their future draft assets to some extent after the Nets ransacked their stash in the Mikal Bridges trade. It should also save New York some money and create additional flexibility below the tax aprons, since the cap hold for the No. 26 would have been about $2.63MM. The Knicks could instead use that roster spot on a minimum-salary player.
Luke Adams contributed to this report.
Community Shootaround: 2024 First Round Draft Results
The first round of the 2024 draft is now in the books. The full results of the day can be viewed right here.
Three French players were selected with the first six picks of the draft. The Hawks selected forward Zaccharie Risacher with the top pick, the Wizards drafted power forward/center Alexandre Sarr with the No. 2 selection, and the Hornets added forward Tidjane Salaun at No. 6.
All told, four French players were selected in the first round. Swingman Pacome Dadiet was drafted with the No. 25 pick by the Knicks.
Two players apiece were selected from Kentucky, UConn and Colorado in the first round.
It proved to be a fairly active night from a trade perspective. The Wizards and Trail Blazers kicked off the festivities with a pre-draft trade agreement that sent Washington the No. 14 pick, its second lottery selection. Portland was able to get out of tax territory by moving off the expiring contract of veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon, while acquiring 23-year-old small forward Deni Avdija. The Wizards would go on to select Pittsburgh guard Carlton Carrington.
Washington made a second trade later in the first round, moving up in a deal with the Knicks to select Miami guard Kyshawn George using the No. 24 pick. New York, meanwhile, later shipped the No. 26 selection to the Thunder in exchange for five future second-rounders.
The Spurs flipped the No. 8 pick to the Timberwolves in exchange for Minnesota’s unprotected 2031 first-rounder and a top-one protected 2030 pick swap. The Timberwolves used the pick on Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham. Fresh off a run to the Western Conference Finals, Minnesota is able to add a blue-chip young lottery talent under team control.
The 2023 champion Nuggets offloaded three second-round picks and the No. 28 selection this year to acquire Dayton forward DaRon Holmes.
When it comes to potential draft steals beyond the lottery, the Lakers nabbed a potential keeper in sharpshooter Dalton Knecht out of Tennessee, who had been projected as a lottery selection before slipping on draft night.
The Trail Blazers’ selection of UConn big man Donovan Clingan at No. 7 was one of the night’s most interest selections, since it raises questions about Portland’s plans going forward for centers Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams. The Grizzlies were another team to use a top-10 pick on a center, adding some size to their frontcourt by nabbing Zach Edey at No. 9.
The draft continues on Thursday afternoon, with pick Nos. 31-58.
We want to hear from you. Who was the steal of the first round? Which team made the most questionable move? Who won the day?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in!
Nuggets Acquire No. 22 Pick DaRon Holmes
11:05pm: The trade is official, the Suns announced in a press release, confirming the terms outlined below. Phoenix used the No. 28 pick to select Virginia’s Ryan Dunn.
Speaking on Wednesday night to reporters, Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth said the team views Holmes as a four (rather than a five) going forward, adding that the team didn’t necessarily make a promise to draft him but certainly targeted him (Twitter links via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette and Bennett Durando of The Denver Post).
“Once we got into the 20s and there was a chance to get him, we wanted to go get our guy, essentially,” Booth said.
The Knicks (initially at 24 and 25) and the Timberwolves (at 27) were considered teams that might be eyeing Holmes, compelling Denver to move up, according to Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports and Durando (Twitter links).
9:28pm: The Nuggets and Suns have agreed to a trade that will allow Denver to move up from No. 28 to No. 22 to select Dayton forward DaRon Holmes, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).
According to Charania, in addition to the 28th pick, Phoenix is receiving the No. 56 pick in this draft and two future second-round picks from Denver. Those future second-rounders are the Nuggets’ own picks in 2026 and 2031, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
The 6’10” forward was a three-time All-A10 honoree and a consensus All-American selection during his tenure with Dayton. During his final collegiate season in 2023/24, he averaged 20.4 points on .544/.386/.713 shooting splits, plus 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.1 blocks and 0.9 steals per night.
Last week, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony indicated that teams had been operating as if Denver had promised to select Holmes in the draft. Some recent reports denied that any promise had been made, but it certainly appears now that the 2023 champions had their eye on Holmes.
With the deal, the Suns are able to replenish their war chest of second-round picks after having traded so many away in deals over the last few seasons. As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), Phoenix has increased its tally of future second-round selections from just two to five, including the No. 56 pick this year.
The Nuggets, weighed down by a pricey starting five, are clearly looking to add win-now young role player talent to their bench. Last season, they lost sixth man extraordinaire Bruce Brown in free agency. This year, the team is at risk of losing starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who has a $15.4MM player option for the 2024/25 season and could likely fetch a raise in free agency.
Luke Adams contributed to this report.
Jimmy Butler To Stay With Heat, Won’t Sign Offseason Extension
Star Heat swingman Jimmy Butler is set to remain with Miami for the 2024/25 season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA honoree, who has a player option for 2025/26, will not complete a contract extension with the Heat or agitate for a trade prior to the 2025 offseason, sources inform Charania, who says Butler “has an affinity” for Miami and wants to remain with the organization.
While Miami could still unilaterally decide to trade Butler, there’s no indication they want to do so, Charania adds, especially since he’s reportedly unwilling to sign an extension with any team, which would limit his value on the trade market.
There had been speculation this spring that Butler may seek a change of scenery due to the fact that he was reportedly seeking a two-year, maximum-salary extension and Heat president Pat Riley publicly expressed reluctance to put that deal on the table for the 34-year-old, who has battled injuries in recent years.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (YouTube video link) stated earlier today during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show that Butler had informed rival clubs of his preference to stick with the Heat, even without a new deal in place.
“Even if there’s no extension, he’s going to focus on next season. He’s got a player option in the summer of 2025 next year that he can use,” Windhorst reported on The Pat McAfee Show. “I think Jimmy Butler wants to be in Miami. There’s teams that have definitely said ‘Hey, are you looking to get out?’ And I think he said, ‘I’m solid in Miami.’ I think that’s been communicated with the Heat. We’ll see what happens next summer.”
The 6’7″ swingman submitted another impressive season when he was available. Across 60 healthy contests, Butler averaged 20.8 points (on .499/.414/.858 shooting), 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game for the 46-36 Heat in 2023/24. However, he was unavailable for the team’s first-round series loss to Boston due to an MCL sprain.
Since joining Miami in a sign-and-trade during the summer of 2019, the Marquette alum has led the team to two Finals appearances, plus three Eastern Conference Finals berths.
According to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link), Butler and the Heat could revisit extension talks at some point in the 2024/25 season.
Wizards Use No. 2 Pick On Alexandre Sarr
The Wizards have selected power forward/center Alexandre Sarr with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft.
In a rarity for the draft, top-two picks Sarr and newly-drafted Hawks small forward Zaccharie Risacher are both Frenchmen.
Sarr’s athleticism and dominant defensive presence make him one of the top prospects in this year’s class. The seven-footer played this season with the Perth Wildcats of Australia’s National Basketball League. He averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Sarr has drawn comparisons with Memphis center Jaren Jackson Jr. for his defensive instincts and rim protection. He may be a bit small to thrive as an NBA center right away, so it’s possible he’ll see more time at power forward early in his career. If Sarr can improve his outside shooting, he has the physical skills to develop into an All-Star big man.
In 2023/24, the Wizards posted a 15-67 record, their worst in history. The team has enjoyed an active offseason already, having agreed to acquire the No. 14 pick in this draft’s lottery, a 2029 first, two second rounders and the contract of Malcolm Brogdon, from the Trail Blazers in exchange for swingman Deni Avdija.
Sarr is the younger brother of Thunder reserve center Olivier Sarr.
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Stein’s Latest: Caldwell-Pope, Sixers, Westbrook, Paul, Clippers, Lakers
Current Nuggets shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be among the top potential free agents this summer if he declines his $15.4MM player option for 2024/25. A three-and-D swingman still in his prime at age 31, Caldwell-Pope has been a starter on a pair of title teams this decade, with the 2020 Lakers and the 2023 Nuggets.
A pair of Eastern Conference contenders with major projected cap space have interest in the 6’5″ wing, according to Marc Stein (Substack link), who hears from sources that the Magic and Sixers are considering pursuing Caldwell-Pope.
Across 76 contests last season, the former Georgia standout averaged 10.1 points on .460/.406/.894 shooting splits, along with 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks a night.
Here’s more from Stein’s most recent NBA intel:
- Should the Sixers be unable to add a top potential free agent like Paul George, OG Anunoby or Caldwell-Pope, Stein notes that Philadelphia could opt to trade for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram or Heat wing Jimmy Butler, the latter a former Sixer. Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, who could reach free agency should he not agree to an extension by June 30, is also an option, Stein adds.
- Former MVP Russell Westbrook, now a bench guard for the Clippers, has a $4MM player option for 2024/25, but that may not stop L.A. from considering an upgrade at the position. The team has been linked to veterans Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry, both of whom are significantly better shooters and also more comfortable playing off the ball.
- Stein hears that Paul would also draw interest from the Lakers if he reaches free agency, though the team’s interest in him may not be unanimous within the organization.
- As far as the league’s two head coaching vacancies go, Stein reports that the Cavaliers are expected to make a decision soon, while the Pistons may wait until at least July to select their Monty Williams replacement. That would take Detroit through the draft this week and the start of free agency next weekend without a head coach.
New York Notes: Nets, Thomas, Claxton, Knicks, Luxury Tax
The Nets find themselves in a bit of a pickle when it comes to deciding how to handle guard Cam Thomas‘ future with the club, says Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Thomas enjoyed a breakout season for the 32-50 Nets in 2023/24. His scoring improved markedly, from 10.6 points per game in 2022/23 to 22.5 PPG in ’23/24. The 6’4″ guard is owed $4MM on an expiring deal in 2024/25, but Brooklyn could ink him to a rookie scale extension this summer. Brooklyn could also take a wait-and-see approach to Thomas, allow him to hit restricted free agency next summer and then make a determination on how much he’s worth to them.
Lewis notes that Thomas also improved significantly as a facilitator, especially out of the pick-and-roll, though his pick-and-roll defense on the other end is somewhat troubling. He averaged 3.6 assists a game to close out the year after Kevin Ollie took over for Jacque Vaughn as interim head coach. He had averaged just 1.4 APG in his first two pro seasons.
“Just knowing that I could be doubled a lot more, coming off screens and stuff, or even in one-on-one situations, reading where the double will come from, seeing where teams double me, and the way teams double me,” Thomas said. “It’ll be reading, watching film and seeing where I can make quicker reads.”
There’s more out of the Big Apple:
- The Nets want to re-sign free agent center Nic Claxton, but are hoping to not overpay him. In a separate piece, Lewis unpacks what is coloring Brooklyn’s thinking with regards to the big man’s next contract. Given that Claxton is probably the best center on the free agent market, bidding could get costly in a hurry.
- Following a solid 50-32 finish in 2023/24 and another second-round appearance in the playoffs, the Knicks seem to be on the verge of finally returning to fringe contender status. Fred Katz of The Athletic unpacks some intriguing hypothetical trades, submitted by readers, that could possibly help New York reach the next level.
- To truly contend, the Knicks will need to be open to paying the luxury tax going forward, argues Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. With Leon Rose at the helm of their front office over the past four seasons, the Knicks have yet to pay the tax. This summer, retaining 3-and-D forward OG Anunoby and starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, plus bringing back sharpshooting stretch four Bojan Bogdanovic, could move the team close to the NBA’s second luxury tax apron.