Lakers, Bulls, Nets Among Potential Offseason Suitors For Peyton Watson
The Lakers, Bulls, and Nets are viewed as potential suitors who will have the spending flexibility to make a competitive play for Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson this offseason, league sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
While Fischer’s reporting makes it sound as if Brooklyn may be included in that group is a result of informed speculation rather than confirmed interest, he says the Lakers and Bulls both expressed trade interest in Watson prior to February’s deadline.
All three teams could have have significant cap room available this summer, and Watson figures to be a popular target after enjoying a breakout season in which he averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 29.6 minutes per game on .491/.411/.730 shooting.
It’s safe to assume the Lakers will be in the market for an impact two-way wing this offseason, and the Nets are expected to try to be more competitive after losing 62 games in 2025/26, since they don’t control their own first-round pick in 2027. The Bulls’ intentions are less clear, especially since they’re currently in the midst of overhauling their front office, but no club has more projected cap space than Chicago.
Conversely, the Nuggets already have more than $203MM in guaranteed money on their 2026/27 books for just eight players, so re-signing Watson to a market-value contract would likely push their team salary well into second-apron territory unless they cut costs elsewhere.
Still, Watson won’t be unrestricted, and it has become increasingly rare in recent years for top restricted free agents to sign offer sheets or change teams. The Nuggets should have the upper hand in negotiations, with no cap rules preventing them from matching any offer from a rival team as long as they’re willing to pay the associated tax penalties.
Although the hamstring issues that have limited Watson to just five total appearances since February 4 shouldn’t have a real impact on his value in free agency, they’ve certainly been discouraging for the Nuggets, who could use the 23-year-old in their rotation as they attempt to complete a comeback from down 3-1 in the first round vs. Minnesota. Denver hasn’t offered any formal updates on Watson’s status for the rest of the series, but Fischer hears from sources that he has always been considered likely to miss the entire first round.
Scotto’s Latest: Giannis, Magic, Mavs, Connelly, Bulls, Nori, More
The Magic expressed interest in Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of this year’s trade deadline, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, confirming remarks that Kirk Goldsberry made on The Bill Simmons podcast last month. Goldsberry stated during that podcast appearance that Orlando had been “very active” in pursuing Antetokounmpo.
While Scotto doesn’t specify just how serious the Magic’s interest was, he notes that Antetokounmpo was originally drafted in Milwaukee by then-GM John Hammond, who currently serves as a senior advisor in Orlando. Hammond and Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman have long prioritized length and size when considering roster moves, Scotto adds.
It remains to be seen whether the Magic will revisit a potential Antetokounmpo trade this summer — the team’s approach to the offseason figures to hinge in part on how their playoff run ends. For what it’s worth, Scotto hears from league sources that Antetokounmpo and new Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins are believed to have a good relationship.
Here are a few more highlights from Scotto’s latest round-up of NBA intel:
- Scotto is the latest to confirm there’s a strong belief in league circles that the Mavericks are eyeing Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly as a top candidate to run their front office. The Wolves have registered interest in locking up Connelly to a contract extension that keeps him in Minnesota for the foreseeable future, Scotto reports.
- If the Bulls end up hiring Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd to run their front office, watch out for Wolves assistant Micah Nori to emerge as a strong candidate for Chicago’s head coaching job, Scotto advises. Lloyd is rumored to be a finalist and a frontrunner to become the Bulls’ new head of basketball operations.
- The Wizards intend to promote their G League head coach, Cody Toppert, to an assistant role on Brian Keefe‘s staff for the 2026/27 season, according to Scotto. Toppert has some prior experience as an NBA assistant coach in Phoenix under Igor Kokoskov.
- As the Lakers make front office changes under new team owner Mark Walter, they’re looking to add at least one assistant general manager and possibly another high-ranking executive, per Scotto. Those execs would presumably work under president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, who is expected to remain in his current role.
- The Pacers intend to promote director of college scouting Mike Born to help fill the void in the front office created by the departure of senior vice president of player personnel Ryan Carr earlier this year, league sources tell Scotto.
Central Notes: Bulls, Lewin, Donovan, Pacers, Mobley
After previously identifying Matt Lloyd, Bryson Graham, and Dennis Lindsey as finalists for the Bulls‘ head of basketball operations job, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line adds another name to that list, reporting (via Twitter) that Celtics assistant general manager Dave Lewin met with Chicago and is advancing to the round of in-person interviews.
A Massachusetts native and a longtime member of Boston’s front office, Lewin joined the Celtics as a scouting coordinator in 2012. He later held the titles of director of scouting, G League general manager, and director of player personnel before being promoted to assistant GM in 2022.
According to Fischer (Twitter link), the Bulls seem “very much on pace” to have a new top basketball executive installed in advance of the start of the draft combine, which officially begins on May 10.
We have more from around the Central:
- Within their latest NBA rumor round-up, Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) provided some additional context on Billy Donovan‘s decision to split with the Bulls just a year after signing a contract extension. According to Fischer and Stein, that new deal that Donovan signed in 2025 included a 2026/27 option clause that allowed Donovan to “walk away at his discretion.” Donovan and several Bulls staffers shared the view that a rebuild is likely in the team’s best interest, sources confirm to The Stein Line, which was a major factor in the veteran coach’s decision to step down.
- Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) considers six questions the Pacers may have to answer this offseason, including who to draft if they keep their top-four protected pick, whether or not to extend Jarace Walker and/or Ben Sheppard, and whether to hang onto reserves like Quenton Jackson and Kam Jones.
- Evan Mobley made just 8-of-24 shots in Games 3 and 4 in Toronto and the Cavaliers were outscored by 33 points when he was on the court. Still, head coach Kenny Atkinson gave the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year a vote of confidence following Sunday’s loss, as Joe Vardon of The Athletic relays. “Evan has been one of our best players in this series,” Atkinson said. “Maybe (Sunday), you could argue he wasn’t, but he has been one of our better players throughout the series.” No Cavalier is under contract for longer than Mobley, who has four years and $222.7MM left on his deal after this season.
Northwest Notes: Dosunmu, Jokic, Blazers, Jazz
When the Timberwolves traded for Ayo Dosunmu, his upcoming free agency was a lingering question, given how expensive Minnesota’s roster already is. Dosunmu’s playoff performance so far, highlighted by his 43-point outing in the team’s Game 4 victory on Saturday, is only making that conversation more interesting, Joe Cowley writes for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Dosunmu said he recently spoke with recently dismissed Bulls executive Arturas Karnisovas and gained closure regarding the trade that sent him to Minnesota. With the Wolves facing a cap crunch, Cowley wonders whether Dosunmu might be interested in a reunion with Chicago. While the guard didn’t close the door on that possibility, he indicated that he’s appreciating the opportunity to compete in the playoffs with his new team and will prioritize Minnesota in free agency.
“Everything is on the table when you’re a free agent,” Dosunmu said. “That’s the main thing about being a free agent — you listen. You have conversations with whoever is interested. I’ll sit down with my family, and you have those conversations about where the next duration of my career will be, but Minnesota has shown me love here. I love the love I’ve been getting from the coaching staff, the fans, the players. So of course Minnesota will have the first dibs to do right and make me feel at home where I won’t even have to go out and entertain (other offers).”
While Saturday’s victory was marred by the emotions of the Wolves losing both Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles tear) and Anthony Edwards (knee hyperextension), Dosunmu’s heroics gave the team the lift it needed to take a commanding series lead, Marcus Thompson II writes for The Athletic.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets know they’ve dug themselves into a hole by going down 3-1 to Minnesota, but star Nikola Jokic is counting on the team’s extensive playoff experience to help them right the ship, Vinny Benedetto writes for the Denver Gazette. “We’ve been in this situation before. The most important one is the next one,” Jokic said. “We’re going to go home and (then) try to get the series back here.” The Nuggets have come back from a 3-1 deficit multiple times during Jokic’s time with the franchise, the first being against Rudy Gobert‘s Jazz back in the bubble in 2020.
- The Trail Blazers have worked hard to return to playoff relevance, and injured star Damian Lillard says the team is closer to taking the next step than people may think, Bill Oram writes for Oregon Live. “It’s all there,” Lillard said. “From the talent to the depth, to having it on both sides of the ball. It’s all there.” While speculation abounds as to whether the three-point champion could return during this postseason run, the front office is also reportedly setting its sights high this offseason, as it is prepared to put a compelling trade offer together for Giannis Antetokounmpo if the two-time MVP indicates he’d be willing to sign an extension in Portland, Oram reports. That is a large “if,” though, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports says, calling the idea of Antetokounmpo making such a promise highly unlikely, if only for the gauntlet he would have to face in the Western Conference playoffs for years to come.
- While the 2026 playoffs rage on, the Jazz are more focused on the draft lottery coming up on May 10. However, there are still reasons for them to pay attention to the postseason, one of which is the draft compensation the Cavaliers still owe them due to the Donovan Mitchell trade, The Deseret News’ Sarah Todd writes. The Cavs are currently tied 2-2 with the Raptors in the first round, with Mitchell eligible for an extension this offseason. While the star guard recently reiterated his desire to stay in Cleveland, a disappointing playoff exit could have ripple effects that impact the Jazz’s future draft assets.
Lloyd, Graham, Lindsey Finalists In Bulls’ Front Office Search
Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd, Hawks senior vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham, and Pistons senior VP of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey are viewed as the finalists in the Bulls‘ search for a new head of basketball operations, league sources tell Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Monday that Chicago was granted permission to interview Lloyd, Graham, Lindsey, Cavs GM Mike Gansey and Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep. According to Fischer and Stein, the initial interviews were conducted virtually, with in-person conversations for the next round of interviews expected to occur next week.
Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune reported earlier this week that Lloyd was the “obvious frontrunner” for the job, and Fischer and Stein refer to the veteran executive as a “prime target” in Chicago’s search. Bulls advisor John Paxson, the team’s former head of basketball operations, is believed to be a “strong Lloyd advocate,” per the Stein Line’s duo.
Lloyd began his career with the Bulls in 1999 as a media coordinator and worked his way up to the scouting staff and then senior manager of basketball operations. He became assistant GM in Orlando in 2012 before joining Minnesota in 2022 as senior VP of basketball operations. He was promoted to GM two years ago.
Lindsey’s NBA career began in 1996, and he spent time with Utah, San Antonio and Dallas before joining the Pistons in 2024. He has been part of a remarkable rebuilding project that saw Detroit go from the league’s worst record to the East’s top seed in two years.
Graham spent 15 years with New Orleans, including one season as general manager, before moving to Atlanta last summer. He earned a reputation in the Pelicans’ front office for identifying young talent in the draft.
The Bulls are expected to embark on a rebuild, with two first-round picks in the upcoming draft and a surplus of cap room to spend this summer. They also have young players like Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey and Noa Essengue on their current roster.
CAA’s Austin Brown Won’t Pursue Bulls’ Front Office Job
Austin Brown, the co-head of CAA’s basketball division, was repeatedly cited as a possible target for the Bulls after they dismissed front office executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley earlier this month, with Shams Charania of ESPN confirming on Monday that Chicago hoped to meet with Brown about the team’s vacancy at the top of its basketball operations department.
However, according to Charania (Twitter link), the Bulls have been informed that Brown won’t be pursuing the job.
Brown has one of the most impressive client rosters of any NBA agent, with RealGM listing Donovan Mitchell, Cooper Flagg, Jaren Jackson Jr., Trae Young, Myles Turner, Andrew Wiggins, OG Anunoby, Nic Claxton, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker among the players he represents.
It’s not unprecedented for an agent to transition to a front office role. Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers and current top executives Rob Pelinka (Lakers) and Leon Rose (Knicks) are a few of the most notable executives who have made that transition. It’s unclear whether Brown isn’t looking to take that route at this time or if he’s just not interested in the Bulls’ job specifically.
Either way, the Bulls have no shortage of alternatives as they search for a new lead basketball executive. Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd has been identified as a frontrunner, but the team has also been linked to Dennis Lindsey, Bryson Graham, Mike Gansey, and Dave Telep, among others.
According to Charania, Bulls officials began their first round of meetings with potential candidates on Monday.
Eastern Notes: Bulls, Lloyd, Mazzulla, Tatum, More
Among the known candidates for the Bulls‘ open head of basketball operations job, Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd is the “obvious frontrunner,” reports Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required).
Lloyd has been a “top target” for the Bulls since they began their front office search, according to Poe, who writes that the veteran executive “cares deeply about the process of evaluating, acquiring and developing talent.” That should make him an obvious fit for a Chicago team that seems to be embarking on a rebuild, Poe adds.
Outside of his strengths as a front office executive, Lloyd – who grew up in the Chicago suburbs – is a match for the Bulls due to his existing connection to the franchise and the city. He worked for the organization beginning in 1994 as a game-day and special projects employee in the team’s video room and was later hired to work in the media relations department. Eventually, he made the move to the Bulls’ front office, where he was eventually promoted to the role of director of college scouting before leaving for a job in Orlando in 2012.
While the Reinsdorfs have vowed to cast a wider net in their search for a top basketball executive this time around, they have a history of not straying too far from what they know, Poe observes.
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- A Coach of the Year finalist, Joe Mazzulla has made it clear he believes it’s a “stupid award,” but the Celtics‘ head coach wouldn’t oppose an alternative that honors more than one person on a team’s staff. “I would like to see that changed to staff or organization, for sure. I think those things are important,” Mazzulla said, per Jay King of The Athletic. “If it was Staff of the Year, it’s different, (or) if it’s Organization of the Year. But at the end of the day, I haven’t made one basket all year. Our staff hasn’t made a basket. We haven’t got a block. We haven’t ran back on defense. We didn’t play a back-to-back. We didn’t have to play hurt. We haven’t really done s–t. So if you don’t have the guys you know to be able to put you in position, it doesn’t really matter.”
- Celtics forward Jayson Tatum scored 25 points in the team’s Game 1 blowout of Philadelphia on Sunday, but he admitted after that win that he’s “still rehabbing” from the Achilles tear that sidelined him until March 6. Tuesday’s Game 2 loss provided a reminder of that, writes Steve Buckley of The Athletic. Although Tatum nearly had a triple-double (19 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists), he made just 8-of-19 shots from the field and has now hit only 3-of-15 three-pointers in the series.
- Signing head coach Jordi Fernandez to a contract extension increasing the pressure on general manager Sean Marks in Brooklyn, according to C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). As Holmes outlines, the extension suggests that Marks believes the Nets have the right coaching staff in place, which means he now needs to get Fernandez the right players to lead the team back to the playoffs.
- With Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes squaring off in the first round of the playoffs, Eric Koreen of The Athletic takes a look at how both players have progressed since being drafted back-to-back in 2021, noting that Mobley and Barnes have shown they’re capable of being foundational players on good teams, though it remains to be seen whether either one is headed for superstardom.
Bulls’ Dillingham Undergoes Wrist Procedure
Bulls guard Rob Dillingham has undergone a minor surgery to remove a ganglion cyst from his right wrist, the team announced on Wednesday in a press release.
According to the Mayo Clinic, ganglion cysts are lumps filled with a “jellylike” fluid that most frequently show up on hands or wrists. They’re non-cancerous and are generally harmless, but can affect joint movement and can cause pain if they press on a nerve.
It’s unclear whether Dillingham’s play was meaningfully impacted by his cyst during the 2025/26 season, but the fact that it needed to be addressed surgically suggests it may have been bothering him.
The eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, Dillingham was unable to carve out a consistent role in the Timberwolves’ backcourt. After spending a season-and-a-half in Minnesota, the 21-year-old was traded to Chicago at this season’s deadline as part of the Wolves’ package for Ayo Dosunmu.
Dillingham appeared in 30 games off the bench for the Bulls after that trade, averaging 9.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 21.5 minutes per contest and shooting 42.8% from the floor, including just 30.0% on three-pointers.
Entering the third year of his rookie scale contract this July, Dillingham will earn a guaranteed salary of roughly $6.89MM in 2026/27. The Bulls will have until October 31 to decide whether or not to exercise his $8.76MM team option for ’27/28. If that option is picked up, he’d be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2027 offseason and, potentially, restricted free agency in 2028.
Central Notes: Duren, Rivers, Donovan, Bulls
Jalen Duren has carefully studied the replay of the Pistons’ Game 1 loss to No. 8 seed Orlando. Duren has taken heavy criticism for only contributing eight points on four shot attempts and seven rebounds in the 112-101 defeat.
“For me, just being more aggressive, finding my spots and attacking more; I think I could have done a better job of that,” Duren said after Tuesday’s practice, per Coty Davis of the Detroit News. “I just spent time watching the film over, and, over, and over again, seeing where I wasn’t most effective at and just trying to capitalize on that next game.”
The All-Star center acknowledged that the Magic had an effective strategy to neutralize him. The Pistons will have to develop some counters for Game 2 on Wednesday.
“They just had a good game plan, packing the paint. Anytime I had catches deep, they collapsed on me,” Duren said. “They were coming from everywhere. I did not get as many shot attempts (four) as I should have. There were times when I did catch myself one-on-one, and I’ve seen those moments before, and I want to get more of those opportunities. But for the most part, they were collapsing from anywhere.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Doc Rivers’ stint with the Bucks is over and he insists it was “100%” his decision and not management’s edict. “It wasn’t a hard decision. It’s probably on your mind your last couple years,” Rivers said to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears. “It had nothing to do with the season or anything like that. There’s times where you feel like you’ve had your run. I still love it. I still love coaching. But I don’t ever want my job to become work. I guess that is the best way of saying that. It’s more of a labor of love. So, I just felt like it was time. It was not like some lightning strike or something like that. I told ownership that a while ago.” Rivers will still receive his full salary for 2026/27, Spears notes.
- The Bulls are also seeking a new coach after parting ways with Billy Donovan on Tuesday. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania (video link), Donovan was offered the opportunity to not only remain as Chicago’s coach but also a front office job as an alternative. He chose instead to walk away. “They offered him any amount of years that he wanted to stay as coach, any type of extension he wanted, even a high-ranking managerial role,” Charania said. “But Billy Donovan wanted to keep coaching and he actually had an option in his contract for next season and he decided to decline it and step down as head coach.”
- The Bulls currently hold the ninth and 15th overall picks in this year’s draft with hope of moving up from No. 9 during the draft lottery. The way it shakes out and the choices that they make will have a cascading effect on the roster, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Players such as Anfernee Simons, Leonard Miller, Zach Collins and Nick Richards could be impacted by which rookies the Bulls select this June.
Billy Donovan Won’t Return As Bulls’ Head Coach
Billy Donovan is parting ways with the Bulls after spending the past six seasons as their head coach, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. The team has put out a press release officially confirming the split.
It’s the second major organizational change of the spring for the Bulls, who fired executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley earlier this month. Following that front office shake-up, president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf expressed in strong terms that the team wanted to retain Donovan, but the veteran coach had an option on his contract and has decided to go in another direction.
As Charania details, Donovan discussed the situation at length with team ownership during the past week but ultimately determined that a “clean break” was the right outcome for both sides. Donovan confirmed as much in a formal statement relayed by the Bulls.
“After a series of thoughtful and extensive discussions with ownership regarding the future of the organization, I have decided to step away as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls to allow the search process to unfold,” Donovan said. “I believe it is in the best interest of the Bulls to allow the new leader to build out the staff as they see fit.”
Reinsdorf and his father, Bulls controlling owner Jerry Reinsdorf, issued statements of their own within the team’s press release, expressing gratitude to Donovan for the work he has done with the franchise over the past six years.
The Bulls only made the playoffs once in those six seasons and didn’t advance beyond the first round during that brief postseason run. In total, Donovan compiled a 226-256 (.469) regular season record across six years, winning either 39 or 40 games and appearing in the play-in tournament for three straight seasons from 2022-25.
Chicago’s 31-51 record this season was the worst mark the team posted during Donovan’s tenure, and the team’s mini-fire sale at the deadline created the impression that the organization is more seriously committed to retooling its roster after spending several seasons mired in mediocrity. There had been doubt about whether Donovan, a Hall-of-Famer who will turn 61 next month, would want to stick it out with the Bulls through a rebuild.
While Donovan won’t be back on Chicago’s bench next season, he’s not prepared to retire. Sources tell Charania that Donovan intends to continue his coaching career and will be a “viable target” for NBA teams in the market for a new coach. Donovan drew interest from both NBA teams – including the Knicks a year ago – and college programs – most recently, UNC – while he was under contract with the Bulls.
The Bulls are one of three teams now looking to hire a new permanent head coach, joining the Bucks and the Pelicans. They’re also one of two clubs seeking a new head of basketball operations, along with the Mavericks.
In all likelihood, the Bulls will focus on completing their front office search first, since that would allow their new top basketball operations executive to have a hand in picking Donovan’s replacement.