Celtics Rumors: G. Williams, Brogdon, Brown, Banton, Lillard
When the Celtics struck a deal to acquire Kristaps Porzingis last month, Grant Williams recognized that there might not be as significant a role for him in Boston’s frontcourt if he were to re-sign with the team as a restricted free agent. However, he liked the trade for the Celtics, as he told Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
“With the (Porzingis) news, I was excited about it ’cause even if they did end up matching me, I would probably be playing less but my whole thing is about winning,” he said.
Still, Williams recognized that the addition of Porzingis’ salary made it less likely that the Celtics would be willing to spend to keep him when he reached restricted free agency. According to Weiss, the forward had a more competitive market when free agency opened last week, but the Celtics were asking for a first-round pick in sign-and-trade talks, which caused some potential suitors to move on.
“I had an understanding of that most of the way. I know how the numbers work out and yeah, they could have afforded to keep me,” Williams said of the Celtics. “But it’s one of those things where you’re really committing and after the prior year, I didn’t think it was realistic. Hey, Boston was trying to maintain their leverage. It’s one of those where you can’t be mad at them for it because it just shows they want you to be there in a way.”
With Williams’ market drying up, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe heard from a source as late as Wednesday afternoon that a return to the Celtics was still a possibility, but the Mavericks increased their push for the forward and Brad Stevens was amenable to sending the 24-year-old somewhere he’d get to play more. That led to a three-team sign-and-trade agreement that will send Williams to Dallas.
Here’s more on what’s next for the Celtics:
- A league source tells Himmelsbach that the Celtics remain intent on bringing back Malcolm Brogdon after discussing him in trade talks earlier in the offseason. Himmelsbach’s source adds that Jaylen Brown‘s super-max extension should be finalized “in the coming days.”
- Dalano Banton, who agreed to sign a two-year contract with Boston, is expected to join the team’s Las Vegas Summer League roster, tweets Himmelsbach.
- Echoing an earlier report from Chris Haynes that said the Celtics were among the teams to reach out to the Trail Blazers to inquire about the price for Damian Lillard, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne stated on NBA Today (YouTube link) that Boston has “expressed some interest” in the star guard. Shelburne and ESPN colleague Zach Lowe stressed that the Celtics are not on Lillard’s wish list, but point out that a package of Brogdon, Robert Williams, and several first-round picks and swaps could be compelling. The C’s have given San Antonio first-round swap rights in 2028, but their future first-rounders are otherwise unencumbered.
- A Celtics star forward would be in favor of a deal for Lillard, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears said during a TV appearance over the weekend. “I’m hearing Jayson Tatum is knocking on that door now too to figure out a way to get (Lillard) to come to Boston,” Spears said, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.com.
Trail Blazers Re-Sign John Butler To Two-Way Contract
The Trail Blazers have re-signed big man John Butler to a two-way contract, according to the official transaction log at NBA.com.
Butler, 20, initially signed with the Blazers on a two-way deal last October after going undrafted out of Florida State. He appeared in 19 NBA games as a rookie, averaging 2.4 points and 0.9 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per night.
Because Portland didn’t have a G League affiliate last season, Butler didn’t get much of a chance to develop at the NBAGL level, appearing in just six games for the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s affiliate.
However, the Blazers liked what they saw from Butler enough to issue him a two-way qualifying offer in June. Now that he’s back on a second two-way deal, he should have an opportunity to get regular playing time this fall for Portland’s new G League team, the Rip City Remix.
Butler and Ibou Badji are currently on two-way deals with the Blazers, leaving one open slot.
Mavs To Sign Thybulle To Offer Sheet; Blazers Will Have Right To Match
8:30pm: Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report believes there’s a “strong chance” the Blazers will match the offer sheet (Twitter link).
8:20pm: Thybulle will sign the offer sheet on Thursday, Haynes reports (via Twitter). Sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic that it will be a three-year, $33MM deal (Twitter link). Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports was first to report that the Mavs would likely pay the 26-year-old slightly below the full mid-level exception.
With the Mavs poised to land Grant Williams in a sign-and-trade deal involving Reggie Bullock, team salary projects to be above the $172.3MM hard cap based on the salary figures reported for Thybulle and Williams, notes Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Either some of Dallas’ signings will come in lower than reported or the team would have to shed some salary if it lands Thybulle.
11:18am: Restricted free agent forward Matisse Thybulle intends to sign an offer sheet with the Mavericks, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link). The Trail Blazers will have the right the match the offer to retain Thybulle.
One of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders, Thybulle has earned two All-Defensive nods during his first four years in the league. However, he has struggled to make an impact on the other side of the ball.
In 245 games with the Sixers during his first three-and-a-half seasons in the league, Thybulle averaged just 4.4 points per game on .448/.325/.667 shooting. He bumped those numbers to 7.4 PPG on .438/.388/.625 shooting in 22 contests with the Blazers following a February trade that sent him to Portland.
The Mavericks don’t have any cap room available, but they haven’t used any of their $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, so their offer sheet for Thybulle will presumably come out of that figure. While the terms of the offer aren’t yet known, it will have to cover at least two seasons.
Marc Stein, who previously reported Dallas’ interest in Thybulle, said at the time that Portland has sent “behind-the-scenes signals” that it will match any reasonable offer sheet on the restricted free agent wing. It appears the Mavs are prepared to test the Blazers’ commitment to the 26-year-old, perhaps hoping that the uncertainty surrounding Damian Lillard‘s future will cause the team to waver on locking in Thybulle.
The two teams could theoretically still negotiate a sign-and-trade agreement, but that won’t be possible once Thybulle officially signs his offer sheet. At that time, the Blazers would simply have to decide whether to match it or whether to let him go to Dallas.
If Thybulle formally signs an offer sheet and Portland receives it before the July moratorium ends on Thursday at 12:00 pm Eastern time, the Blazers will have until 11:59 pm on Friday to make their decision. Players can sign offer sheets during the moratorium, but the clock on the matching team doesn’t start ticking until the moratorium is over.
Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams have one full day to match an offer sheet received before noon and two full days to match an offer sheet that comes in after noon. For example, if the Blazers were to receive Thybulle’s signed offer sheet at 3:00 pm ET on Thursday, they’d have until 11:59 pm on Saturday to make their decision.
The Mavericks were also said to have interest in restricted free agent forward Grant Williams.
Nuggets To Sign Jalen Pickett To Four-Year Contract
The Nuggets have reached an agreement with second-round pick Jalen Pickett on a four-year contract that will be worth $8.4MM and will be guaranteed for the first three seasons, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
A 6’4″ guard, Pickett played three college seasons at Siena, then transferred to Penn State for two years. As a “super-senior” in 2022/23, he filled up the box score with 17.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game with a .508/.381/.763 shooting line in 37 contests (36.6 MPG). He was a consensus second-team All-American and made the All-Big Ten first team.
Denver put itself in position to draft Pickett by reaching a deal with the Pacers to acquire the No. 29 and No. 32 picks in the draft in exchange for No. 40 and a 2024 first-rounder. The Nuggets used the 32nd overall pick on Pickett, whose extensive college experience should put him in position to compete for a spot in the second unit as a rookie.
The Nuggets are using their taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Reggie Jackson, but are able to sign Pickett to a deal worth more than the minimum – and covering four seasons – thanks to the NBA’s new second-round pick exception. The final year on his contract will be a team option.
Warriors Sign Trayce Jackson-Davis To Four-Year Deal
JULY 6: The Warriors have officially signed Jackson-Davis, the team announced today (via Twitter).
JULY 5: The Warriors are signing second-round pick Trayce Jackson-Davis to a four-year contract, agents James Dunleavy and Max Lipsett tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The first two years will be guaranteed, according to Wojnarowski.
The 57th overall pick in last month’s draft, Jackson-Davis is coming off an impressive four-year college career at Indiana. As a senior in 2022/23, the 6’9″ forward averaged a double-double (20.9 PPG, 10.8 RPG) with 4.0 APG and 2.9 BPG in 32 contests (34.5 MPG).
Jackson-Davis was a consensus first team All-American and an All-Big Ten player in 2023, earning the Karl Malone award as college basketball’s top power forward.
Golden State acquired Jackson-Davis’ draft rights from the Wizards in exchange for cash considerations.
The Warriors have no cap room and no mid-level exception available this offseason, so they would’ve been limited to offering Jackson-Davis a two-year, minimum-salary contract if not for the NBA’s new second-round pick exception, which allows them to go up to four years. The final year of the deal will be a team option.
Trade Rumors: Harden, Lillard, Knicks, George
Appearing on SportsCenter on Tuesday (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggested that the Sixers may take the same approach to James Harden‘s trade request that they did to Ben Simmons‘ in 2021. In other words, the team will exercise patience waiting for the right deal to materialize, hoping in the meantime that its star guard will eventually have a change of heart about his desire to leave Philadelphia.
“If it was up to the Sixers, they would get James Harden enthusiastic about playing next season with the Sixers,” Wojnarowski said. “… The Sixers have been talking to teams about trades for James Harden (but) their asking price is really high.”
As Wojarowski points out, Harden has a better relationship with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey than Simmons did with the team leaders in Philadelphia. However, the 76ers’ apparent unwillingness to put a lucrative, long-term contract offer on the table for Harden has created some discontent.
“There’s a lot of work that’s gotta be done with Harden before he’s really enthusiastic about a return there,” Wojnarowski said.
Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- Unlike the 76ers with Harden, the Trail Blazers are under no illusions that they’ll be able to convince Damian Lillard to continue his career in Portland, Wojnarowski said during an NBA Today appearance on Wednesday (YouTube link). “I think both sides realize that this is over,” Wojnarowski said. “This is not a situation necessarily where the Blazers are trying to talk Damian Lillard back in.”
- ESPN’s Tim Bontemps said on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday that he’s not expecting the Lillard situation to be resolved in the short-term future, noting that the Trail Blazers will want to take plenty of time to sort through all their options and get the best possible return. “I think we’re in for a bit of a wait,” Bontemps said (YouTube link). “That’s because we are on Portland Trail Blazers time.”
- The Knicks‘ offseason feels somewhat incomplete, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who suggests the team could still have a move to make on the trade market. League sources tell Katz that the Knicks have contacted multiple teams this summer in search of a veteran in his prime who would fit the current roster.
- While the Knicks may still have a trade up their sleeves, it doesn’t sound like it will be for Clippers forward Paul George. New York was linked to George earlier in the offseason, but Alan Hahn of ESPN Radio and MSG Network said on the Bart & Hahn podcast (Twitter audio link) that the Knicks deemed it too “expensive” to both acquire George and give him the extension he’s believed to be seeking.
Stein’s Latest: RFAs, Washington, Mavs, Bol, JVG, Bojan
There has been more buzz in recent days about restricted free agents Grant Williams and Matisse Thybulle – who reportedly intends to sign an offer sheet with Dallas – than Hornets RFA P.J. Washington, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article. As Stein explains, there are a couple reasons for that.
For one, the Hornets are in a better position to a match a rival offer sheet than Boston or Portland. The Celtics project to be well over the luxury tax line, while the Trail Blazers still aren’t certain what their books will look like after they finalize a Damian Lillard trade.
Additionally, while the Celtics and Trail Blazers would both have to weigh whether or not to match offer sheets signed using the mid-level exception, such a deal would presumably be an automatic match for the Hornets with Washington. According to Stein, Washington is believed to be seeking a deal in the range of $18MM per year.
Here’s more from Stein:
- Following up on a report that the Magic and Mavericks discussed a trade involving Bol Bol around the time of the draft, Stein explains that Dallas pitched the idea of taking on Bol as a salary dump along with Orlando’s No. 36 overall pick. The Magic turned down that proposal and ended up moving No. 36 for a 2030 second-round pick and cash.
- Jeff Van Gundy, who was recently let go by ESPN, told the Mavericks he wasn’t interested in a job as an assistant on Jason Kidd‘s coaching staff, according to Stein, who says that it’s not yet known whether Van Gundy will attempt to return to coaching in some form or seek another broadcasting opportunity.
- While teams around the league remain interested in acquiring forward Bojan Bogdanovic, the Pistons have held firm on their stance that they plan to keep the sharpshooting veteran, says Stein. There seems to be little concern about the Achilles issue that sidelined Bogdanovic for Detroit’s final 18 games, Stein adds, noting that the general sense is that the Pistons were just being “extra cautious,” with little to play for.
Pistons Sign Marcus Sasser To Rookie Contract
The Pistons have signed No. 25 overall pick Marcus Sasser to his rookie scale contract, according to the official transaction log at NBA.com.
A four-year college player at Houston, Sasser was a two-time All-AAC selection and a consensus 2023 first team All-American. In 2022/23, the 22-year-old averaged 16.8 points, 3.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game and shot .438/.384/.848 across 36 contests (30.8 MPG), earning AAC Player of the Year honors.
The Grizzlies initially held the No. 25 pick, but sent it to the Celtics as part of the Marcus Smart trade. Boston subsequently flipped it to the Pistons, who packaged two future second-round picks along with this year’s No. 31 in order to move up six spots for Sasser.
Sasser will join a talented young Pistons backcourt that includes two recent lottery picks, Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
Assuming he receives the maximum allowable 120% of the rookie scale amount, which virtually every first-rounder does, Sasser will earn approximately $2.6MM as a rookie and nearly $13.5MM if he plays out his full four-year rookie contract. The first two years are guaranteed, while the third and fourth are team options.
Raptors Rumors: Siakam, Anunoby, VanVleet, Ujiri
Although he reportedly doesn’t want to play anywhere but Toronto, Pascal Siakam and the Raptors have yet to formally meet to discuss a possible contract extension, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who says that trade speculation about the two-time All-NBA forward continues to percolate.
As Grange previously reported, the Hawks, who have been repeatedly linked to Siakam throughout the offseason, attempted to re-engage the Raptors in trade talks this past weekend, while other teams are also believed to have checked in. One possible trade scenario that Grange has heard about would involve both the Hawks and Rockets, though he’s not sure about the specifics.
Despite the rumors and speculation, it remains unclear whether the Raptors are seriously thinking about moving the 29-year-old. According to Grange, sources around the league who had questions about Toronto’s direction entering this offseason still haven’t been able to get a clear read on the front office’s plans.
“They’re not the easiest team to deal with, I’ll just say that,” one source said to Grange.
Siakam isn’t the only Raptors forward who should still be considered a possible trade candidate. OG Anunoby is entering a contract year and isn’t necessarily assured of a long-term future in Toronto. Grange says Anunoby “remains on the watch list for several teams” and singles out the Knicks as one club with considerable interest.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- According to Grange, the Raptors’ veterans – particularly Siakam and Fred VanVleet – were frustrated last season by some of the team’s younger players. VanVleet “let them know about it, something the younger set didn’t appreciate at all,” Grange writes.
- In the same story, Grange says that Raptors president Masai Ujiri spoke to players multiple times last season to express his displeasure with “selfish play and poor body language.” According to Grange, former head coach Nick Nurse may have been planning his exit from the franchise during the season, recognizing that he would likely be let go at season’s end.
- The best offer the Raptors were prepared to make to VanVleet in free agency was a four-year deal that included a partially guaranteed final year, with $100MM in total guaranteed money, Grange reports. VanVleet opted for the Rockets’ three-year, $128MM+ deal, even though it will reportedly only include two guaranteed seasons.
- Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca checks in on a number of Raptors-related topics, including where the team’s 2023/24 cap stands and why the club decided to guarantee Thaddeus Young‘s $8MM salary for the coming season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Underwent Clean-Up Procedure On Knee
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo underwent a clean-up procedure on his knee two weeks ago, casting doubt on his availability for Greece in this year’s World Cup, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
A report out of Greece previously indicated that Antetokounmpo was less than 50/50 to play for Greece this summer due to a leg injury, as BasketNews.com relayed.
It’s unclear whether the procedure reported by Charania was on Antetokounmpo’s left or right knee. He missed some time during the first half of the 2022/23 season due to left knee soreness, but was affected in the second half by soreness in his right knee.
Either way, given that Giannis still hasn’t been entirely ruled out for the World Cup, which begins in late August, it sounds like there’s no concern at this point that his recovery process will extend into the start of the NBA regular season in October.
Antetokounmpo is entering the third season of his five-year, super-max contract with the Bucks and has the ability to opt out of that contract in 2025. He’ll become extension-eligible before the 2023/24 season begins.