Draft Rumors: Suns, Centers, Pelicans, Nuggets, Kings
The Suns are believed to be “highly intrigued” by the possibility of adding a center who can space the floor as they continue to look for a starting-caliber big man, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
In addition to their rumored NBA targets, the Suns are also eyeing stretch fives in next week’s draft, according to Fischer, who reports that Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner and Stanford’s Maxime Raynaud are “very much in consideration” with the 29th overall pick, which the team controls. Kalkbrenner recently worked out for Phoenix, Fischer adds.
Raynaud is ranked No. 24 on ESPN’s big board, while Kalkbrenner is No. 33.
Here are a few more rumors and notes on the 2025 NBA draft:
- The Pelicans, who control the seventh pick, hosted Duke’s Kon Knueppel and Washington State’s Cedric Coward for workouts last week, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. As Scotto notes, Knuppel is projected to go No. 7 overall in HoopsHype’s latest aggregate mock draft, with Coward landing at No. 15 (Oklahoma City). The two wings are ranked No. 8 and No. 29, respectively, on ESPN’s board.
- According to Ohm Younmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link), the Nuggets recently brought in Arizona guard Caleb Love, Kansas center Hunter Dickinson, Bradley forward Darius Hannah and Indiana center Oumar Ballo for a pre-draft workout. Of the four prospects, only Love (No. 75) appears on ESPN’s board.
- The Kings hosted a pre-draft workout on Monday featuring two point guards, two wing and two centers, the team announced (Twitter link via Sean Cunningham of KCRA News). The six players are Mark Sears (Alabama), Javon Small (West Virginia), Kobe Johnson (UCLA), Dink Pate (G League), Oumar Ballo (Indiana) and Bogoljub Markovic (Mega Basket). Markovic (No. 38) is the top-rated player of the group on ESPN’s board, followed by Small (No. 49) and Pate (No. 56).
Clippers To Hire Monte McNair As Advisor
The Clippers plan to hire Monte McNair as an advisor, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
McNair mutually agreed to part ways with the Kings in April, shortly after the team was eliminated from the play-in tournament. He was Sacramento’s general manager for the past five years prior to being replaced by Scott Perry.
The 41-year-old executive is from Oak Park, California, which is approximately 30 miles north of Los Angeles, notes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (via Twitter).
A longtime member of Houston’s front office before he became Sacramento’s top basketball decision-maker, McNair won the NBA’s Executive of the Year award in 2023 after the Kings snapped their 16-year playoff drought. While they won at least 40 games in each of the past two seasons, they were eliminated in the play-in tournament in both instances.
Overall, the Kings had a 195-205 record (.488 winning percentage) during McNair’s tenure.
McNair reportedly interviewed with the Hawks to become their new president of basketball operations. Atlanta has not yet filled that position, but did hire a couple of senior executives to work alongside Onsi Saleh, who was promoted to GM after Landry Fields was fired in April.
Lawrence Frank is the Clippers’ president of basketball operations and has led the team’s front office since 2017.
Coaching Rumors: Dudley, Bryant, Cavs, Sweeney, Ivey, More
Memphis and Phoenix have already been linked to Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley this offseason. The Cavaliers have also expressed interest in hiring Dudley, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype observes, Cleveland has multiple coaching openings after assistants Jordan Ott, DeMarre Caroll and Bryan Tibaldi got new jobs. The organization’s G League coach, Chris Darnell, also landed a new position in Sacramento.
In addition to confirming Cleveland’s interest in Dudley, Scotto adds former Cavaliers forward Jawad Williams as another name to monitor. Williams has been an assistant coach and director of player development with the Kings since 2023.
Cleveland’s top assistant, Johnnie Bryant, was a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job alongside Ott. Bryant is expected to stay with the Cavs next season, according to Scotto.
Here are a few more coaching rumors from around the NBA:
- The Spurs remain in pursuit of Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, league sources tell Stein. Sweeney is Jason Kidd‘s top assistant in Dallas and would have a similar role on Mitch Johnson‘s staff in San Antonio if he’s hired away, Stein reports. Sweeney has interviewed for multiple head coaching jobs in recent years, including Phoenix’s vacancy, which ultimately went to Ott.
- According to Stein, “multiple teams” — including the Spurs — have expressed interest in Rockets assistant Royal Ivey this offseason, but the former NBA guard is expected to remain in Houston. Ivey, who interviewed for Phoenix’s top job and coached South Sudan’s national team during the 2024 Olympics, has also drawn interest from the Grizzlies, Scotto reports. In addition to the previously reported names, Heat assistant Wayne Ellington is another candidate to join the Grizzlies’ staff, Scotto adds.
- The Pelicans are believed to be looking for an assistant coach who specializes in player development after Dan Geriot left New Orleans to take the head coaching job at Iona, according to Scotto.
Steven Adams Signs Three-Year Extension With Rockets
10:00 pm: The extension is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.
1:35 pm: The Rockets and Steven Adams have agreed to a contract extension, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports that the veteran center will receive a three-year, $39MM deal.
Adams’ extension is fully guaranteed, sources tell Charania, and does not feature a player or team option, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). The big man from New Zealand earned $12.6MM this past season.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link), Adams was extension-eligible until June 30, the last day of the current league year.
Adams, who turns 32 years old next month, missed about half of the 2022/23 season with a knee injury. That same injury, which eventually required surgery, kept him on the shelf for the entire ’23/24 campaign. After a 21-month absence, he returned to action in late October.
The Rockets brought Adams along slowly to open ’24/25, frequently giving him extra rest days and limiting his playing time. He wound up making 58 regular season appearances and averaging a career-low 13.7 minutes per game.
While his production looked fairly modest on the surface — he averaged 3.9 points and 5.6 rebounds — Adams quietly posted the best offensive rebounding percentage of his career. His +9.4 net rating during the regular season and +14.1 mark in the postseason were both team highs, making him a key reserve for Houston.
GM Rafael Stone said retaining Adams would be a high priority this offseason, and subsequent reporting confirmed as much. Instead of becoming an unrestricted free agent, he opted to remain with the Rockets.
While there has been no indication that Houston is interested in trading Adams, it’s worth noting that, depending on the structure of the deal, he may remain trade-eligible after signing his new extension (assuming his annual raises don’t exceed 5%). Had he re-signed with the team as a free agent, he would not have been trade-eligible until December 15.
Latest On Kevin Durant
Although the Suns cannot aggregate salaries in trades, they have been exploring ways to move below the second tax apron to ease some of the restrictions they’re currently facing. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), as part of the Kevin Durant trade talks, Phoenix’s front office has larger constructs involving Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in an effort to reduce the team’s payroll.
Dropping below the second apron is believed to be one of Phoenix’s “primary objectives” in a Durant deal, Fischer writes. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Suns are trying to cut costs for financial reasons, they just recognize how difficult it is to operate over that threshold in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Fischer explains.
Sources tell Fischer that Phoenix hopes to acquire “starting-level talent” in exchange for Durant, with “quality draft capital” another desired part of the return package. Fischer hears the Suns have been evaluating first-round prospects “in the belief they will obtain at least one meaningful selection” in the 2025 draft.
While Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the Rockets are one of the teams most seriously engaged with the Suns for Durant, Fischer says Houston is “exceedingly reluctant” to meet Phoenix’s asking price. According to Fischer, the Suns view the Rockets as their ideal trade partner due to their combination of young talent and draft picks — Houston controls Phoenix’s first-rounders in 2025 (No. 10), 2027 and 2029.
Fischer adds that the Rockets’ front office recognizes this advantage and is “believed to be willing to go only so far” in its offer to Phoenix, indicating that the Suns might get more assets elsewhere.
League sources tell Fischer that the Timberwolves and Heat are the teams most frequently talked about as potential destinations for Durant. Fischer adds that the Spurs and Rockets have been cited by league executives as having interest in acquiring Durant, along with the Clippers and Raptors “to a lesser extent.”
Fischer also speculates that Durant would enjoy the idea of returning to Texas — where he played collegiately — either with San Antonio or Houston. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 previously stated that the Texas teams may be atop Durant’s wish list.
That could be an important consideration because Durant holds a $54.7MM expiring contract. Fischer says that front offices are considering whether it’s worth the gamble to trade for Durant with no assurances that he will re-sign after next season.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets that there have been discussions between Minnesota and Phoenix regarding Durant, but “nothing is close” right now. Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported on Wednesday that the Heat are interested in dealing for Durant, but “only at the right price.”
Ian Begley of SNY.tv considers it a “long shot” that the Knicks will get involved (Twitter link), echoing other reports from this week. Begley also points out that finding a starting center is among the Suns’ offseason priorities, and trading Durant may be their best opportunity to make that happen.
Fischer considers Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert the best center likely to be available in a Durant deal, but states that it’s difficult to create a workable trade scenario between the Wolves and Suns, who are both operating above the second apron for now. He points out that Minnesota will fall below the second apron if Naz Reid and Julius Randle both decline their player options, and Reid seems almost certain to do so. Otherwise, a trade between the two clubs would likely have to be agreed upon this month but not become official until after the moratorium is lifted in July.
Miami may be more realistic, according to Fischer, who notes that the city was on Durant’s list when he first asked the Nets for a trade. Fischer suggests that Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson are among the players the Heat can send to Phoenix to help match salaries, and they have three first-rounders that can be moved: No. 20 this year, along with their picks in 2030 and 2032.
Sources tell Fischer that Miami was unwilling to part with Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez at the trade deadline, and he speculates that its willingness to include Ware could be a “true swing factor” in a Phoenix deal.
The Spurs and other teams have been reluctant to surrender significant draft capital for Durant, according to Fischer, who reports that the Suns have limited interest in the players San Antonio has offered so far. Fischer states that it’s believed the Spurs are keeping Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft off limits and are only offering players such as Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes.
Arthur Hill contributed to this report.
Igor Kokoskov To Be Named Head Coach Of Anadolu Efes
Former NBA head coach Igor Kokoskov, who has been an assistant on Quin Snyder‘s staff with the Hawks the past two seasons, will be returning to Europe to be the new coach of Turkish club Anadolu Efes, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.
Basketball Sphere first reported that Efes was interested in hiring Kokoskov, with Meridian Sport later reporting that a deal between the two sides was being finalized.
A native of Serbia, Kokoskov was the first person born and raised outside of North America to become an NBA head coach, having spent one season (2018/19) at the helm in Phoenix. He was also the first non-American coach on a championship team, Barkas notes, earning the distinction as an assistant with Detroit in 2004.
In addition to his long career as an NBA assistant, the 53-year-old also been the head coach of the national teams of Georgia, Serbia and Slovenia, helping the latter claim a EuroBasket gold in 2017.
Since 2000, Kokoskov has been an assistant with the Clippers, Pistons, Suns, Cavaliers, Jazz, Kings, Mavericks, Nets and Hawks.
Koskokov will replace Luca Bianchi as head coach of Anadolu Efes, which competes in both the EuroLeague and Turkey’s Basketball Super League (BSL).
International Notes: Cousins, Grant, Days, Wright-Foreman
Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins offered a brief apology on Instagram for his role in a brawl with fans in Puerto Rico on Monday, as Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com relays (via Twitter).
“I want to apologize to the fans of Puerto Rico for my actions,” Cousins wrote. “I have so much love and respect for the island (blue heart emoji).”
Cousins, 34, was suspended for the remainder of the season and had his contract terminated by Mets de Guaynabo as a result of the incident (YouTube link). He was also fined. The four-time All-Star’s last NBA stop came with Denver during the 2021/22 season.
Here are a few more international notes:
- Veteran guard Jerian Grant, who played parts of five NBA seasons from 2015-20, has officially signed a contract extension that will keep him with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos through the 2027/28 season (story via BasketNews.com). The 32-year-old averaged 8.7 points and 3.3 assists on .505/.414/.862 shooting in 34 EuroLeague games this past season (26.4 MPG).
- Fresh off an NBL championship with the Illawara Hawks, ex-Rocket Darius Days will be heading to Japan for the ’25/26 campaign, having reached an agreement with San-En NeoPhoenix of the B.League, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. The 25-year-old forward spent the ’22/23 season on a two-way deal with Houston.
- Former Hofstra point guard Justin Wright-Foreman, who spent several months on a two-way deal with Utah after being selected 53rd overall in 2019, has officially signed a one-year deal with Greece’s Iraklis BC, the team announced in a press release. Wright-Foreman, who has suited up for Team USA on multiple occasions during AmeriCup Qualifiers, most recently played in Qatar.
2025 NBA Offseason Preview: Milwaukee Bucks
After winning their first championship in 50 years in 2021, the Bucks had a strong showing in the 2022 playoffs, but their attempt at a title defense was foiled in the second round against Boston. Khris Middleton was sidelined for that entire series due to an injury, which turned out to be a harbinger of the team's postseason health issues to come.
Milwaukee went 58-24 and claimed the top seed in the Eastern Conference ahead of the 2023 playoffs. In the team's first-round matchup with No. 8 Miami, superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a back injury early in Game 1, causing him miss the rest of that contest as well as the following two games. Antetokounmpo returned for Games 4 and 5, but he looked uncomfortable and was clearly not fully healthy. The Bucks were eliminated in five games, while the Heat made a surprising run to the NBA Finals.
To that point, Milwaukee’s front office had largely stuck with the same core roster and coaching staff that won the title two years prior. But the disappointing early exit, which saw the Bucks blow multiple leads late in games, led to major changes in the 2023 offseason, including firing head coach Mike Budenholzer and trading away their starting backcourt (Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen) and multiple draft assets to acquire Damian Lillard, Portland's all-time leading scorer.
Lillard's first season in Milwaukee was rocky, both in terms of his individual performance and the goings-on of the team. The Bucks fired their new coach -- Adrian Griffin -- despite a 30-13 start, then went 2-1 under interim coach Joe Prunty, but only had a 17-19 record with Doc Rivers -- Griffin's replacement -- at the helm.
Entering the 2024 playoffs, the Bucks had homecourt advantage in their first-round series vs. Indiana, but Antetokounmpo didn't play at all due to a calf injury, and Lillard missed a couple games as well due to a sore Achilles. They wound up being eliminated in six games by the upstart Pacers.
Milwaukee got off to a rough start in '24/25, going 2-8 in its first 10 games. But the Bucks steadied the ship to an extent over the course of the season, and finished with a nearly identical record as the season prior (48-34 vs. 49-33), setting up a first-round rematch with Indiana.
Unfortunately, Lillard was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf in late March. He made a very quick recovery, suiting up for Games 2 and 3 and playing surprisingly extended minutes considering the lengthy layoff. He didn't look anything close to his usual self though, and disaster struck in Game 4, when the seven-time All-NBA guard suffered a torn left Achilles tendon.
Despite a stellar showing from Antetokounmpo, the Bucks were eliminated in the first round for the third straight time, this time in five games.
Lillard is on a maximum-salary contract which is projected to pay him about $54.1MM in '25/26, with a $59.5MM player option for '26/27. He turns 35 years old next month and will likely miss all of next season.
The severity of Lillard's injury and Milwaukee's third consecutive first-round exit have led to rampant speculation about Antetokounmpo's future. While there has been no indication to this point that he'll end up requesting a trade, it also can't be ruled out in the coming months.
The Bucks' Offseason Plan
The Bucks are in a difficult bind this offseason. They have one of the greatest players in NBA history in the middle of his prime, a franchise icon who has finished no worse than fourth in MVP voting in each of the past seven seasons and doesn't turn 31 until December. Even without Lillard, Milwaukee should still be a playoff team in '25/26 as long as Antetokounmpo is healthy.
Draft Workouts: Jazz, Wolves, Kings, Broome
The Jazz are hosting a pre-draft workout on Friday featuring Colorado State wing Nique Clifford, North Carolina wing Drake Powell, Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner and Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, multiple league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Clifford is the top-ranked prospect of the group, according to ESPN’s big board, coming in at No. 22. Powell (No. 31), Kalkbrenner (No. 33) and Lanier (No. 37) are also viewed as strong bets to be drafted, either late in the first round or early in the second.
Utah currently controls four picks — Nos. 5, 21, 43 and 53 — in June’s draft.
Here are a few more notes regarding pre-draft workouts:
- The Timberwolves, who control the 17th and 31st picks, are holding a workout Thursday that includes Asa Newell (Georgia), Jamir Watkins (Florida State), Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State) and Steven Crowl (Wisconsin), reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North (via Twitter). Newell, who was invited to the green room, is ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s board, while Watkins is No. 39. The other two players are unranked.
- The Kings will be hosting six players for a workout on Friday, the team announced (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). The six are Ryan Nembhard of Gonzaga, Curtis Jones of Iowa State, Koby Brea of Kentucky, Kadary Richmond of, Norchad Omier of Baylor, and Vladislav Goldin of Michigan. All six prospects appear on ESPN’s board, ranging from No. 47 (Brea) to No. 95 (Omier). Sacramento currently only controls the 42nd pick, but is rumored to be interested in moving into the first round.
- Big man Johni Broome, the 40th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s list, had a workout with the Warriors today, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The former Auburn star said he has previously worked out for the Clippers, Pistons, Hawks, Nets, Raptors and Celtics, and has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Thunder, Timberwolves and Suns, according to Rankin. Golden State controls the 41st pick.
Latest On Kevin Durant
Appearing on NBA Today on Thursday (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania gave an update on his report that the Suns and Kevin Durant‘s business partner, Rich Kleiman, have been evaluating trade options ahead of this month’s draft.
“There is traction on Kevin Durant trade scenarios,” Charania said. “And there are some teams that are motivated to get a deal done sooner rather than later, and so we’ll see. Will something happen before the NBA Draft? Does this linger into June 25, June 26, closer to that draft period?
“But those are the five teams (Houston, Minnesota, New York, Miami and San Antonio) where the Suns are most focused at. There are some wild-card suitors as well. But what this could end up coming down to is, he’s on expiring deal. … Is this all going to be contingent on him accepting a long-term (extension)? (Or) will there be a team that simply swings for him?”
While his ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst said earlier on Thursday that he thinks Durant “definitely” has interest in joining the Knicks, multiple local reporters have stated the team doesn’t plan to pursue the two-time Finals MVP, perhaps ruling New York out as a potential suitor.
Although the “situation remains fluid,” there’s growing skepticism that the Spurs will acquire Durant, with “no clear traction” on a deal, league sources tell Grant Afseth of RG.org.
According to Afseth, league insiders have doubts about the fit of Durant, who turns in 37 years old in September, joining a young, up-and-coming team in San Antonio. Afseth suggests the Spurs may be reluctant to meet the Suns’ asking price for Durant.
Following up on a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Afseth cites league sources who say the Sixers‘ discussions with the Spurs about moving up from No. 3 to No. 2 are believed to have been exploratory rather than serious.
“For now, it’s more due diligence than anything,” one source told RG.
As of now, the Spurs are still expected to keep the second pick and select Dylan Harper, Afseth reports.
While the Knicks or Spurs may not land Durant, the Heat are legitimately interested in the superstar forward, confirms Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. The big question, Winderman writes, is whether that interest is mutual.
As Winderman observes, the Heat and Suns discussed a trade involving Durant and Jimmy Butler prior to the February deadline. Butler ended up in Golden State, which first nearly acquired Durant before he essentially nixed the deal. Heat stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are not expected to be available in any Durant trade talks, according to Winderman.