Clippers Sign Brook Lopez To Two-Year Deal
July 6: Lopez is officially a Clipper, according to a press release from the team.
“Brook is an elite rim protector and range shooter who will bring a different dimension to our frontcourt,” president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “He is also a former champion and a genuine pro who will be a great addition to our group.”
The second year of Lopez’s contract is a team option, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.
June 30: After spending seven seasons in Milwaukee, center Brook Lopez is headed back to Los Angeles, having agreed to sign a two-year, $18MM contract with the Clippers, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
The Clippers were known to be in the market for a reliable veteran big man to back up Most Improved Player runner-up Ivica Zubac. Based on the terms, it looks like they’ll be using a majority of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to add Lopez.
Using the non-taxpayer mid-level will trigger a first-apron hard cap for the Clippers, who are about $8MM below that threshold, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). The club should also still have more than $5MM of its mid-level remaining, notes cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link).
Lopez had one of his better shooting seasons for the Bucks this year, hitting 37.3% of his 4.7 three-point attempts per night. However, his overall production was slightly down in terms of rebounding and rim protection as the Bucks dealt with a litany of injuries and chemistry issues.
The 37-year-old big man will slot in next to newly retained Nicolas Batum to form a heady, skilled defensive bench pairing. The center duo of Zubac and Lopez should provide the Clippers with a solid defensive anchor at all times, while Lopez will give the club a different look offensively than Zubac, who has made one three-pointer since entering the NBA in 2016.
The Bucks agreed to re-sign Bobby Portis yesterday and reached a new deal with Kevin Porter Jr. earlier today, but the loss of Lopez raises more questions about the direction of a team that will already be without its second star in Damian Lillard, who will miss most or all of 2025/26 with an Achilles tear.
Spurs Sign Luke Kornet To Four-Year Deal
July 7: The signing is official, per the transaction log at NBA.com.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link), Kornet’s deal is only fully guaranteed for two seasons, with a small partial guarantee ($2.55MM) on year three and a fourth-year team option. The contract has a descending structure, with a first-year cap hit of $11MM, Katz adds.
June 30: Free agent center Luke Kornet will head from Boston to San Antonio, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Spurs and Kornet are in agreement on a four-year contract worth $41MM.
The fourth year of Kornet’s new deal, which figures to be completed using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, will be a team option, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Kornet has played the last three-and-a-half seasons with the Celtics, carving out a role for himself as a valuable third-string center and averaging 10.2 minutes per game over the course of Boston’s title run in 2024.
Kornet averaged a career-high 18.6 minutes per game in 2024/25 due in part to Kristaps Porzingis‘ health issues. Boston had a +14.9 net rating during Kornet’s 1,361 minutes of action — no Celtics player had an individual net rating higher than that.
Despite coming into the league as a stretch five, the 7’2″ center has almost completely removed the three-point shot from his game, and instead has become more paint-focused while staying an imposing rim protector on defense.
Kornet has averaged one block per game in each of the last two seasons despite playing fewer than 20 minutes per night, and his defense was a notable contribution during the Celtics’ playoff series with the Knicks.
While the Celtics had hoped to retain the 29-year-old’s services, the Spurs quickly emerged as a prime target to make Kornet their backup center behind cornerstone Victor Wembanyama.
The Clippers were also said to have interest in Kornet, but ended up agreeing to terms with Brook Lopez.
Blazers Buy Out Deandre Ayton
JUNE 30: The Trail Blazers put out a press release officially confirming that Ayton has been bought out and placed on waivers. He’s on track to become a free agent on Wednesday evening.
According to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Twitter link), the big man gave up enough money in the buyout that Portland should be able to use the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) without going into luxury tax territory.
Meanwhile, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (via Twitter) that the Blazers had trade talks about Ayton with a number of teams, but they didn’t want to take back multiyear salary in any deal, which made it difficult to find a match that made sense for both sides.
JUNE 29: The Trail Blazers have reached an agreement on a contract buyout with veteran center Deandre Ayton, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter).
Ayton had been about to enter the final season of a four-year, maximum-salary contract, which was set to pay him $35.5MM in 2025/26. The amount he’s giving up in the buyout has not yet been reported.
The Blazers have drafted centers in the first round of both 2024 (Donovan Clingan) and 2025 (Hansen Yang) and will use this opportunity to clear rotation minutes for their young big men. Portland also still has Robert Williams and Duop Reath under contract, though Williams has only played 61 games over the last three seasons due to health issues.
Ayton averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds, both of which were below his career rates, in 30.2 minutes per night this past season. He only made 40 appearances while dealing with a calf strain that kept him out of the lineup for much of the second half of the season.
Once he clears waivers, Ayton will become an unrestricted free agent and will have the ability to sign with any NBA team. The Collective Bargaining Agreement includes a rule prohibiting teams operating above either tax apron from signing a waived player who had been earning more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, but that restriction only applies during the regular season.
Ayton joins a free agent center group headlined by Myles Turner, Brook Lopez, Clint Capela, and Al Horford. The Lakers are the team most consistently linked to free agent centers and will likely become a top team to monitor for Ayton.
One team that will not be pursuing a partnership with Ayton is Phoenix, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Bourguet reports, via Twitter, that the Suns have no interest in a reunion with their 2018 first overall pick, who helped them reach the 2021 NBA Finals.
Northwest Notes: Clarkson, Collins, Randle, Thunder
The Jazz are looking to trade Jordan Clarkson, but are having difficulty finding takers, says Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake City Tribune (via Twitter).
Larsen says that there is “next to no interest” in Clarkson on the trade market after a couple up-and-down seasons following his best years in Utah. Clarkson played a career-low 37 games this season after having his year cut short due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Prior to that, he was averaging 16.2 points and 3.7 assists in 26.0 minutes per night, primarily off the bench.
Larsen adds that the Jazz extended Clarkson in 2023 with the hopes that they could move him later, but the market they expected to be there for him appears to have moved on.
After trading the productive Collin Sexton to the Hornets for Jusuf Nurkic, the Jazz appear to be focusing on opening up rotation minutes for their young players while positioning themselves for the 2026 draft.
We have more from the Northwest division:
- Larsen also confirms (via Twitter) that the Jazz are actively attempting to move combo forward/center John Collins this summer, saying he considers it unlikely that either Collins or Clarkson are on the roster going into next season. Collins averaged 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season while shooting 39.9% from three, but his presence may impede great roles for youngsters like Taylor Hendricks and Kyle Filipowski.
- Julius Randle is expected to remain trade-eligible after agreeing to a three-year, $100MM deal with the Timberwolves, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski (Twitter links). That suggests his contract will be completed as an extension – not a free agent deal – and that the annual raises won’t exceed 5%. Krawczynski adds that the Wolves aren’t planning on moving Randle, but this deal should allow them the flexibility to do so if the right opportunity presents itself.
- The Thunder didn’t change their draft strategy or identity after winning the championship, writes Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated. “Every draft that we have is an opportunity to reflect back on the others and figure out what we can do better,” head of basketball operations Sam Presti said. “But the one thing we’ve never really strayed from, and I don’t think we will, is the focus on drafting people and not players. I think the characteristics of winning players, they multiply at a greater level than just talented players. They scale up better.” After selecting Thomas Sorber and Brooks Barnhizer in the 2025 draft, the Thunder took care of a pair of their previous draftees, signing Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell to three-year extensions.
Celtics Rumors: White, Horford, Kornet, Gonzalez
The Celtics have had one of the busiest offseasons of any team ahead of the start of free agency, having already agreed to trade Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks, and they might not be done.
With Boston still working to move off salary and create extra cap flexibility in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear, Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang, and Sam Hauser have all been mentioned as trade candidates. There has also been speculation about whether Jaylen Brown or Derrick White could be moved, though Celtics vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren made it clear in recent days that the team has not come close to trading either player.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), one rival team was told the Celtics would have insisted on a “Mikal Bridges-type” package to trade White.
The Knicks’ deal for Bridges last season included five first-round picks (four unprotected), a pick swap, and a second-round pick. The Magic’s recent trade for Desmond Bane required a similar package, with Orlando sending out four unprotected picks and one pick swap along with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony for salary-matching purposes.
White averaged a career-high 16.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this past season for the Celtics, along with 4.8 assists and 1.1 blocks. He also shot 38.4% from three on a career-best 9.1 attempts per contest. The 30-year-old guard is in the first year of a four-year, $118MM contract that includes a player option in the 2028/29 season.
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- Free agent center Al Horford is weighing his options and is unlikely to come to a decision right away when free agency opens tomorrow, reports Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The Celtics have been looking into flipping newly-acquired Simons and Niang in the hopes of retaining one or both of Horford or Luke Kornet, though Horford is expected to have several suitors, including, potentially, the Knicks.
- Speaking of Kornet, the veteran center proved himself a valuable rotation big man this season, averaging 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 block in just 18.6 minutes per game this season. Brian Robb of MassLive broke down the teams who might be in the mix for Kornet this summer. His list includes the Spurs and Clippers, who are expected to consider pursuing the big man, as well as the Warriors, Bucks, and Hornets, the latter of whom are in dire need of frontcourt depth after trading Jusuf Nurkic for Collin Sexton. Robb adds that there is a mutual fondness between Kornet and the team, which holds his Bird rights, but re-signing him without any additional cost-cutting moves would push the Celtics back into the second apron, which they are hoping to avoid.
- In case you missed it, the Celtics reportedly sought prospects who might be willing to accept 80% of the rookie scale contract at No. 28 in the 2025 draft. The player they selected, Hugo Gonzalez, didn’t agree ahead of time to those terms, however.
Rockets Sign Jabari Smith Jr. To Five-Year Extension
July 6: Smith’s deal is now official, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.
June 29: The Rockets intend to sign Jabari Smith Jr. to a five-year rookie scale extension worth $122MM, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter).
Smith was in and out of the Rockets’ starting lineup this season, but is presumed to be in line to take the starting power forward role following the Rockets’ trade for Kevin Durant.
The No. 3 pick in the 2022 draft, Smith posted a career-low in points per game as his role fluctuated and he dealt with injuries, but the appeal of his skill set in the modern game is clear. Smith has averaged 13.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks while shooting 35.9% on 4.9 three-point attempts per game over the previous two seasons.
A tough-minded defender with a capable jump shot and some untapped potential as a shot creator, Smith will slot into a primarily off-ball role offensively next to Fred VanVleet, Alperen Sengun, and Durant, while helping create a defensive infrastructure as a skilled weak-side rim protector next to Sengun and Amen Thompson.
This contract will lock up the talented young power forward through the 2030/31 season. The Athletic’s Kelly Iko confirms (via Twitter) that the deal is fully guaranteed and contains no team or player options.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks expressed some surprise at how early the deal got done, as typically the first week of free agency remains the providence of players receiving max contracts, which Smith did not.
The Rockets still have Tari Eason‘s extension eligibility to consider, so whether the Smith deal impacts Eason’s candidacy remains to be seen. Yossi Gozlan of the Third Apron writes (via Twitter) that with the Smith extension, the Rockets are still $80MM below the 2026/27 luxury tax line, giving them room to extend both Durant and Eason.
There has been speculation that Houston might extend one Smith or Eason and wait until next year’s restricted free agency to decide on the other’s future, but outside of Durant, the Rockets have clearly prioritized continuity with the team that won 52 games last season, retaining VanVleet and Steven Adams while reportedly planning on bringing back Aaron Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, and Jeff Green.
Timberwolves Decline Team Options On Garza, Minott
The Timberwolves have decided not to pick up their team options on Luka Garza and Josh Minott, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
Garza’s option was for $2.35MM, while Minott’s was worth $2.19MM. Both players will now become unrestricted free agents.
Garza, a 6’10” center, played 39 games for the Timberwolves this season, averaging 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in just 5.6 minutes per night. This was the 26-year-old’s third season in Minnesota after starting his career with the Pistons.
With Minnesota selecting two centers in the 2025 draft in Joan Beringer and Rocco Zikarsky, as well as retaining Naz Reid and Julius Randle, the frontcourt has quickly become crowded, though Chris Hine of the Star Tribune reports (via Twitter) that there’s a chance Garza returns to the Wolves.
Minott, a versatile and athletic forward at 6’8″, played 46 games and averaged 2.6 points and 1.0 rebound in 6.0 minutes per night. The 22-year-old was the 45th pick in the 2022 draft.
These were the last two 2025/26 team option decisions we were waiting on — you can check out all of those decisions right here.
Grizzlies Extend Qualifying Offer To Santi Aldama
The Grizzlies have issued a qualifying offer to impending free agent forward Santi Aldama, making him a restricted free agent, reports Michael Scotto for HoopsHype (via Twitter).
Aldama has become a crucial part of the Grizzlies’ big-man rotation, starting 71 games over the last three years for Memphis. In 2024/25, he averaged 12.5 points, 6.4 points, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 36.8% from three, all career-high numbers. He also averaged 13.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG while shooting 41.7% from three in the Grizzlies’ four playoff games this spring.
His size at 6’11” and versatile skill set have allowed Aldama to play with equal comfort alongside star big man Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey, or Brandon Clarke, and even occasionally play in three-big lineups as the small forward.
It has been reported that Aldama may have his share of suitors willing to offer the full mid-level of $14.1MM annually, with the Pistons being a team that has been heavily linked to the Spanish big man. By extending the qualifying offer, the Grizzlies have ensured that they can match any offer another team makes.
The Grizzlies also tendered a two-way qualifying offer to Cam Spencer, making him a restricted free agent, tweets Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian. The 25-year-old averaged 4.2 PPG, 1.4 APG, and 1.2 RPG in 25 games (10.1 MPG) for Memphis as a rookie after being drafted 53rd overall a year ago.
Cavaliers Decline Team Option On Chuma Okeke
The Cavaliers are declining their team option on forward Chuma Okeke, reports Michael Scotto for HoopsHype (via Twitter). Okeke will now become an unrestricted free agent.
The 6’6″ forward, who spent the first four years of his career with the Magic, spent a majority of last season with the Knicks’ G League affiliate team, where he averaged 17.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 35.9% from three.
He then played seven games for the Sixers, averaging 24.4 minutes per game for the much-injured Philadelphia team, before being picked up by the Cavaliers.
Okeke appeared in two regular season games and three playoff contest for the Cavaliers, but only saw 38 total minutes of action. The 26-year-old will now explore his options in unrestricted free agency.
Rockets To Pursue Dorian Finney-Smith
The Rockets may be a prime candidate to secure the services of unrestricted free agent Dorian Finney-Smith, according to Mark Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (via Twitter), who say that Houston has emerged as a “viable landing spot” for the veteran forward.
Finney-Smith declined his $15.4MM player option on Sunday. Reporting at that time indicated that while there was still the possibility of returning to the Lakers, multiple other teams would be interested in the three-and-D specialist. It appears that the Rockets will be one of those teams.
Finney-Smith split time between the Nets and Lakers last season, averaging 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and nearly a steal per game while shooting 41.1% from three. His numbers dropped somewhat when he arrived in Los Angeles, though his on/off-court numbers were strong and he was reportedly a positive influence in the locker room.
The Rockets, who retained Steven Adams earlier in the summer, recently unlocked access to their $14.1 MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception by re-signing Fred VanVleet on a cheaper deal for more years, which they could use on Finney-Smith as they continue attempting to build out a championship-caliber roster following the acquisition of Kevin Durant.