Wizards Acquire Dillon Jones From Thunder
The Thunder are sending Dillon Jones and a future second-round pick to the Wizards, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Oklahoma City confirmed the deal in a press release, announcing that it received shooting guard Colby Jones in return. Jones’ $2.22MM contract for next season is non-guaranteed, and he was waived immediately.
The second-rounder headed to Washington in the deal is for 2029 and originally belonged to Houston, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Dillon Jones, a 23-year-old swingman, was originally selected by Washington with the 26th pick last year, but he was traded to New York and then to Oklahoma City on draft night. He appeared in 54 games as a rookie for OKC, averaging 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 10.2 minutes per night.
Jones will be part of a youth movement for the Wizards, who had two first-round picks in this year’s draft, along with three last year. Jones is the second member of the 2024 draft class that Washington has added in a trade, joining AJ Johnson, who was acquired from Milwaukee in February.
The deal unloads salary and opens a roster spot for the Thunder, who had been set to have 15 players return from this year’s championship team. The move creates an opening for rookie center Thomas Sorber, who was selected with the 15th pick on Wednesday.
Dillon Jones will make a guaranteed $2.75MM in 2025/26, with team options worth $2.88MM and $5.2MM, respectively, for the following two seasons. The Wizards will have to make a decision on that ’26/27 option (worth $2.88MM) by October 31 of this year.
Colby Jones, 23, appeared in 15 games with Washington after being acquired in a three-team deal at the trade deadline. He averaged 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists with the Wizards.
Because Colby’s salary was fully non-guaranteed and Dillon is earning more than the minimum, the Wizards had to use a traded player exception to complete the deal. They used the one generated in February’s trade of Patrick Baldwin, the smallest of the three TPEs they controlled.
The Thunder will create a new TPE worth the difference between the two players’ 2024/25 salaries, approximately $502K. However, that exception is almost certainly too small to ever be used.
Garrett Temple Re-Signs With Raptors
July 1: Temple has officially re-signed with the Raptors, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
June 28: Swingman Garrett Temple will return to the Raptors on a one-year, $3.6MM contract, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). It’s a minimum-salary deal for Temple in his 16th NBA season.
Temple, who turned 39 last month, has been a veteran leader with a limited on-court role since signing with Toronto in 2023. He has appeared in 27 and 28 games the past two years and averaged 1.9 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 8.1 minutes per night in 2024/25.
The Raptors are the 12th NBA team for Temple, whose career began when he signed with Houston after going undrafted in 2009.
Temple will be the 12th guaranteed contract for the Raptors, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link). In addition, Jamison Battle has a $977,689 guarantee on his $1,955,377 salary for the upcoming season, which will become fully guaranteed on July 1. He’s due to make $2.3MM in 2026/27, but none of that is guaranteed if he gets released.
Toronto also has to determine whether to give a roster spot to Alijah Martin, who was the 39th pick in this week’s draft.
Nicolas Batum To Decline $4.9MM Player Option
Clippers forward Nicolas Batum has decided to turn down his $4.9MM player option for next season, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Charania adds that there’s “mutual interest” in a new deal with the team.
L.A. holds Non-Bird rights on Batum, so his next contract can start at $5.6MM, which is 120% of his $4.7MM salary for this season, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). If they want to offer more, the Clippers could use a portion of their $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
A report in May suggested that Batum plans to retire after one more season, but it’s possible the Clippers could change his mind with a multiyear offer.
Batum was a reliable presence off the bench this season and is still an effective three-and-D player at age 36. He appeared in 78 games, averaging 4.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 17.5 minutes per night with .437/.433/.810 shooting splits. His usage expanded in the playoffs, as he logged 24.6 minutes per game during the first-round series against Denver.
Batum returned to the Clippers as a free agent last summer after being sent to Philadelphia in November 2023 as part of the James Harden trade. He has also played for Portland and Charlotte during his 17-year NBA career.
L.A. is also awaiting a decision from James Harden, who will become a free agent if he turns down his $36.3MM player option by Sunday. In addition, Amir Coffey, Patty Mills and Ben Simmons will all be unrestricted when free agency begins Monday.
Nuggets Agree To Deal With Reece Beekman, Won’t Retain PJ Hall
5:12pm: Denver will create a two-way opening by not re-signing Hall, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 23-year-old center out of Clemson spent one year with the team and averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 19 games.
Meanwhile, Durando has removed his report on Beekman agreeing to an Exhibit 10 contract with Denver and now says (via Twitter) that the guard has a Summer League agreement in place with the Nuggets.
Two-way free agents who won’t be retained by their previous team are typically permitted to seek out new Summer League opportunities before the new league year begins, but full-fledged contract agreements with new teams can’t technically be negotiated until 5:00 pm Central time on June 30. I’d still expect Beekman to eventually sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Denver.
4:34pm: The Nuggets will sign Reece Beekman to an Exhibit 10 contract, sources tell Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link).
The 23-year-old point guard finished the season as a two-way player with the Nets, and the reported agreement is a strong sign that he won’t receive a qualifying offer from Brooklyn for another two-way contract.
Beekman signed a two-way deal with Golden State last July after going undrafted out of Virginia. He made just two brief appearances for the Warriors before being sent to the Nets in mid-December as part of the Dennis Schröder trade.
Beekman got a larger NBA opportunity after arriving in Brooklyn, appearing in 34 games and averaging 2.7 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 13.7 minutes per night.
Trey Alexander, PJ Hall and Spencer Jones were Denver’s two-way players when the season ended, but they’re all headed for free agency and aren’t guaranteed to return to the team, so there could be an opportunity for Beekman.
An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal prior to the start of the regular season. Beekman will be eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate.
Luke Adams contributed to this story.
Quentin Grimes Gets Qualifying Offer From Sixers
The Sixers have tendered an $8.7MM qualifying offer to Quentin Grimes, a league source tells Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
While the move was never in doubt, it’s significant because it officially makes Grimes restricted heading into the start of free agency on Monday. He and the team are continuing to negotiate a new deal that could keep him off the open market, Iko adds.
Grimes made $4.3MM this season in the final year of his rookie contract and positioned himself for a large raise with a scoring explosion after being traded to Philadelphia in February. The 25-year-old shooting guard averaged a career-best 21.9 PPG in 28 games with the Sixers with .469/.373/.752 shooting numbers.
Grimes was the team’s number one scoring option late in the season, but he’ll be dealing with a more crowded backcourt situation if he remains in Philadelphia. Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain will both be returning from injuries, and the Sixers added rookie guard VJ Edgecombe with the third pick in this week’s draft.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported last weekend that Grimes is expected to get offers that exceed the $14.1MM non-taxpayer midlevel exception if he becomes a free agent.
Re-signing Grimes might force the Sixers to part with free agent big man Guerschon Yabusele, although the team won’t have a clear picture of its financial situation until Kelly Oubre and Eric Gordon make decisions on their player options. Backup center Andre Drummond exercised his $5MM option on Friday.
Wizards To Sign Keshon Gilbert To Exhibit 10 Contract
Iowa State point guard Keshon Gilbert will sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Wizards, according to Sean Cunningham of KCRA in Sacramento (Twitter link).
Gilbert, 21, transferred in 2023 after playing his first two collegiate seasons at UNLV. He was a second team All-Big 12 selection in 2024 and a third-team choice this year, averaging 13.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 29 games as a senior.
Gilbert suffered a late-season groin injury that forced him to miss the Cyclones’ final seven games and the NCAA Tournament. He recovered in time to participate in May’s G League Elite Camp and the rest of the pre-draft process.
He was ranked 84th by Sam Vecenie of The Athletic on his list of this year’s top 100 draft prospects.
Gilbert is the second undrafted player to agree to terms with Washington since the draft ended, joining St. John’s guard Kadary Richmond.
With an Exhibit 10 deal, Gilbert can earn a bonus worth up to $85K if he’s waived before the season starts and spends at least 60 days with the Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals.
Cavaliers, Norchad Omier Agree To Exhibit 10 Deal
Baylor forward Norchad Omier has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Cavaliers, sources tell Sean Cunningham of KCRA in Sacramento (Twitter link).
Omier, 23, played for the Bears this season after spending two years at Miami (Florida) and two at Arkansas State. He averaged 15.7 points and 10.8 rebounds in 35 games and was a first-team All-Big 12 selection, as well as a member of the conference’s All-Newcomer Team.
Omier collected various honors during his five years of college basketball, including being named Sun Belt Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. He was the first native of Nicaragua to earn a Division I basketball scholarship when he signed with Arkansas State in 2020. He’s also a member of the Nicaraguan national team.
The Exhibit 10 language means Omier could earn a bonus worth up to $85K if he’s waived before the season starts and spends at least 60 days with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ G League affiliate. Exhibit 10s can also be converted into two-way deals if Omier makes a strong impression in training camp.
Knicks To Sign Dink Pate
G League guard Dink Pate has reached an agreement with the Knicks, sources tell Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). No details are provided, but it appears likely to be an Exhibit 10 deal.
Pate, 19, played this season with the Mexico City Capitanes, averaging 10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 34 games. He was selected to participate in this year’s Next Up event at All-Star Weekend.
Pate was the fourth-best player remaining among undrafted free agents, according to ESPN’s big board. He was listed as the 71st-best draft prospect by Sam Vecenie of The Athletic.
A five-star player coming out of high school, Pate opted to sign a two-year deal with G League Ignite rather than play college basketball. When the Ignite shut down after last season, he tried to enter to the 2024 NBA draft but was denied a waiver due to his age.
Pate will join the Knicks next month for the Las Vegas Summer League, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Las Vegas Summer League Schedule Set
The NBA has announced the schedule for the annual Las Vegas Summer League, which will run from July 10-20. All 76 games will be televised either on one of ESPN’s platforms or on NBA TV, the league stated in a press release.
New Orleans and Minnesota will tip things off with a game starting at 2:30 p.m. CT July 10. The Pelicans have a pair of lottery picks in point guard Jeremiah Fears and big man Derik Queen, while the Timberwolves will feature French center Joan Beringer.
The main attraction in Las Vegas will be No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, who will make his debut when the Mavericks face the Lakers at 7 p.m. CT July 10. According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link), Flagg is expected to play in Dallas’ first two games, which will include a matchup with No. 2 selection Dylan Harper and the Spurs at 3 p.m. CT July 12.
“I want to put him at point guard,” coach Jason Kidd said. “… I’m excited to give him the ball against the Lakers and see what happens.”
All 30 teams will participate in the Las Vegas tournament, which has become the NBA’s premier summer showcase, both for on-court action and off-court meetings. Established players, agents and team executives gather in the city, and deals often get done during the event.
After each team plays four times, the top four will advance to the playoffs, while the others will be given one more game. ESPN will televise the semifinal doubleheader at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. CT July 19, along with the championship game at 9 p.m. CT July 20.
Knicks Notes: Free Agency, Diawara, Borrego, Coaching Search
Memphis shooting guard Luke Kennard and Detroit point guard Dennis Schröder are among the targets the Knicks could pursue in free agency, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Those are probably the best-case scenarios for New York given its limited resources, and there should be league-wide demand for both players, so the team may have to consider other options.
As Edwards explains, assuming they pick up Ariel Hukporti‘s $1.96MM option and decline a $3.5MM option on P.J. Tucker, the Knicks will have 10 players under contract with a total payroll of $196.3MM, which is already above the first apron and a little more than $10MM away from the second apron.
That leaves New York with the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception and minimum-salary contracts to fill out the roster, possibly along with second-round pick Mohamed Diawara.
Other free agents Edwards mentions as MLE possibilities are Cleveland guard Ty Jerome, Phoenix guard Tyus Jones and former Orlando guard Gary Harris. He adds that Knicks free agents Landry Shamet and Delon Wright could return on minimum salaries and points to Charlotte guard Seth Curry and Indiana center Thomas Bryant as other potential minimum-salary additions.
There’s more from New York:
- The Knicks haven’t decided if Diawara, a 20-year-old French power forward, will be with the team next season or if he’ll be stashed overseas, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. A league source tells Bondy that the Frenchman is expected to play in the Las Vegas Summer League next month. Diawara didn’t put up great numbers in France this season, but Bondy notes that the Knicks are intrigued by his athleticism and his 7’4″ wingspan. Bondy also hears that New York attempted to trade up for the top pick in the second round to grab St. Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming, who went to Phoenix instead.
- Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego‘s interview for the Knicks’ coaching vacancy will take place this weekend, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). He’ll be the fourth candidate to interview, joining Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown and Micah Nori.
- Andy Miller, an NBA agent who represents several members of the Mavericks‘ coaching staff, recently criticized the Knicks for their unusual approach to their coaching search, which included asking permission to interview five head coaches who are already under contract, per Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. “I don’t really know where Jason Kidd is in his process with the Knicks,” Miller said on Sirius XM Radio, “because I don’t really know what the process is with the Knicks. … I don’t even know if the Knicks know what their process is.”