Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: Free Agency, Diawara, Borrego, Coaching Search

June 27th, 2025 at 11:51am CST by Arthur Hill

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.”

Mavericks, Moussa Cisse Agree To Exhibit 10 Deal

June 26th, 2025 at 11:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent center Moussa Cisse has agreed to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Mavericks, according to Jon Chepkevich of Draft Express (Twitter link).

The Guinean big man had a well-traveled college career, starting out in Memphis, spending two years at Oklahoma State, one at Ole Miss, and returning to Memphis for his “super senior” season in 2024/25.

Cisse was a part-time starter for the Tigers this past season, averaging 5.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 35 appearances (18.2 minutes per contest). He went undrafted tonight, making him an unrestricted free agent.

While Cisse has an impressive physical profile, he wasn’t much of an offensive threat in college, never averaging more than 7.2 PPG in a season and converting 56.1% of his career field goal attempts and 43.8% of his free throws.

Exhibit 10 contracts are non-guaranteed and players who sign the deals can receive a bonus of up to $85K if they’re waived and spend at least 60 days with their team’s G league affiliate — in Cisse’s case, that would be the Dallas Legends. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals and Chepkevich says Cisse will be competing for a two-way spot.

Ryan Nembhard Agrees To Two-Way Contract With Mavs

June 26th, 2025 at 10:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ryan Nembhard, who led Division I in assists last season, has agreed to a two-way contract with the Mavericks, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Nembhard, the younger brother of the Pacers’ Andrew Nembhard, logged 134 starts in college. He played two seasons with Creighton before transferring to Gonzaga, where he played two more years.

Nembhard averaged 10.5 points on 44.6 shooting, including 40.4 percent from long range, as a senior but he mainly concentrated on being a distributor. He averaged 9.8 assists and was also a factor on the defensive end with 1.7 steals. The 6-foot Nembhard reached double digits in assists 19 times last season, including 11 in his final college game — a loss to Houston in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Nembhard is one of two undrafted rookies to reach an agreement on a two-way deal in the immediate wake of the draft, joining Auburn’s Miles Kelly.

Mavericks, Miles Kelly Agree To Two-Way Contract

June 26th, 2025 at 10:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent guard Miles Kelly has agreed to a two-way contract with the Mavericks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).

Kelly, who spent his first three college seasons at Georgia Tech prior to transferring to Auburn in 2024/25, went undrafted tonight, making him an unrestricted free agent. He was ranked No. 80 on ESPN’s big board entering the draft and is considered the outlet’s 24th-best prospect among players who weren’t selected.

The 22-year-old shooting guard averaged 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 38 appearances for a Tigers team that advanced to the Final Four this past season (28.6 minutes per contest). He also converted 37.8% of his three-point looks on high volume (6.1 attempts).

Dallas is reportedly adding former Gonzaga point guard Ryan Nembhard on a two-way contract as well. The agreements can’t be finalized until July.

Mavs Notes: Frontcourt, Washington, Flagg, Free Agency, Sweeney, Lottery Luck

June 26th, 2025 at 6:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks frontcourt might seem a little crowded with Dereck Lively, Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford — who just agreed to an extension — joined by top pick Cooper Flagg.

However, general manager Nico Harrison indicated he’s planning to have all of them sharing minutes, rather than moving one of the veterans. He also envisions Washington, the incumbent starting small forward, playing together with Flagg at times. Harrison even brought up the subject with Washington.

“I said, ‘Hey, P.J., you think you guys can play together?’ ” Harrison recalled, per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “He’s like, ‘Oh yeah, we can play together.’ So I don’t see any jealousy. I think guys are excited to play with him and as he’s ready, he’s gonna get more and more opportunities.”

By winning the draft lottery, Harrison believes the team will be contenders for years to come.

“I think it’s win now. It’s also win in the future,” Harrison said. “Eventually it’s going to be Cooper’s team. We don’t know when that transition will happen. So I think it’s win now and then set yourself up to win in the future as well.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Harrison envisions Flagg as making an impact in a variety of ways, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal relays. “He’s a basketball player. He can handle the ball, he can shoot, he can make plays for people. He’s a good passer,” Harrison said. “He’s going to be on the floor. The big thing is: who can he defend? And he’s a great defender.”
Harrison said the Mavs will look in free agency to fill the temporary void left by Kyrie Irving‘s ACL injury but it won’t necessarily be a traditional point guard. “I’m not really worried about someone to run the offense. I think we’ve got enough guys that can handle the ball and play multiple positions — just someone to get us organized,” Harrison said, per Afseth, adding, “A lot of players want to come play in Dallas.”
Harrison became extremely unpopular with fans after trading Luka Doncic but the franchise’s lottery luck seems to have to toned down the vitriol, he notes. “I’ve seen the fans react since we got the No. 1 pick. It feels like they’re feeling really good and optimistic about the future,” he said, according to Afseth. “I’m hoping so. I’m assuming so — a little bit maybe.”
Harrison emphasized during his press conference that Jason Kidd was staying put as head coach, dousing speculation that Kidd could wind up with the Knicks. Sean Sweeney‘s agent, Andy Miller, told Townsend (Twitter link) that Dallas did want to keep Sweeney but that the Spurs offered the highly regarded assistant a “bigger role.” “Sean’s contract was expiring,” Miller said. “Dallas made a yeoman’s effort to obviously retain him. They wanted to keep him. I think for Sean this is an opportunity to have a bigger role, a bigger say, more input, with an upward trajectory…”
A team source told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes that the organization was stunned when it drew the top combination in the lottery last month. “We never even considered that the impossible could happen on May 12,” the source said. “I’m not sure there has ever been a more abrupt reversal of fortune.”

Harrison Confirms Jason Kidd Will Coach Mavs Next Season

June 25th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Eli Cohen

It appears that Jason Kidd will be staying with the Mavericks. Despite reports suggesting Kidd and the Knicks had “mutual intrigue,” Mavs president Nico Harrison confirmed in a post-draft press conference that he does not intend to let that happen.

“Is that still out there about J. Kidd? I thought I shut that down,” he said, as relayed by Dallas Morning News writer Brad Townsend (Twitter link).

“He will be the coach next year,” Harrison continued.

Although the Mavericks denied the Knicks’ request to speak to Kidd, the lack of a forthcoming extension for the head coach had led to speculation that the issue may not be quite as open-and-shut as it appeared to be.

After drafting their forward of the future in Cooper Flagg, Harrison made the news official: the Knicks will have to look elsewhere to find their coach.

In addition to speaking to Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins, New York recently interviewed Timberwolves head coach Micah Nori and were granted permission to interview Pelicans assistant James Borrego.

Mavericks Select Cooper Flagg With No. 1 Overall Pick

June 25th, 2025 at 7:11pm CST by Rory Maher

As expected, the Mavericks have selected Duke forward Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NBA draft.

The consensus top prospect is coming off a wildly successful freshman season with the Blue Devils, having won numerous major awards, including ACC Player of the Year and AP Player of the Year, among several others.

Flagg was the driving force behind Duke’s 35-4 record and helped the team reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Houston, another No. 1 seed.

The 18-year-old combo forward stuffed the stat sheet all season, leading the stacked Blue Devils in points (19.2), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.4) per game, with a strong shooting line of .481/.385/.840. Flagg made 37 appearances in 2024/25, averaging 30.7 minutes per contest.

Dallas had just a 1.8% chance of claiming this year’s top pick, jumping up from No. 11 to No. 1 when the team won the draft lottery last month. It was the first time in 17 lottery appearances that the Mavericks ended up with a better pick than their odds dictated.

In addition to being viewed as the best prospect in his class, Flagg is also (at least) a year younger than many of his peers, having reclassified from 2026 — he won’t turn 19 until December 21.

The former Blue Devil star will join a Mavericks roster headlined by 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving, who reached an agreement earlier this week on a new three-year contract to remain in Dallas.

Mavericks Reportedly Among Leaders For D’Angelo Russell

June 25th, 2025 at 1:58pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Mavericks have emerged as a leading potential free agent destination for veteran guard D’Angelo Russell, sources inform Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

The Mavericks would likely only be able to offer Russell the NBA’s taxpayer mid-level exception, worth an estimated $5.7MM in 2025/26, given their current cap situation. Still, Dallas could give the Ohio State alum the opportunity to start at point guard until nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving returns from his ACL tear.

While much could change this offseason, the Mavericks’ roster doesn’t project to be heavy on play-makers or backcourt depth even once Irving returns, so Russell would likely still be in line for significant run on a fully healthy Dallas team.

Splitting his 2024/25 season between the Lakers and Nets, the 29-year-old averaged 12.6 PPG, 5.1 APG and 2.8 RPG across 58 healthy games. His 39.0% mark on shots from the floor and 31.4% rate on three-point attempts were well below his stronger career shooting line of .427/.365/.796.

Dallas will be able to offer Russell or another free agent point guard more than the veteran’s minimum largely due to the fact that Irving’s new three-year, $119MM contract will feature a more team-friendly cap hit in 2025/26 than his now-declined $43MM player option, Stein observes.

Russell is one of several free agent point guards who has been linked to the Mavericks this week, along with fellow former All-Star Chris Paul, plus Dennis Schröder and Malcolm Brogdon. The Kings are rumored to be a leading suitor for Schröder.

Kings Viewed As A Leading Suitor For Dennis Schröder

June 25th, 2025 at 7:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are viewed as a leading suitor for free agent point guard Dennis Schröder, according to league sources who have spoken to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Sacramento is in the market for a point guard after having traded De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio earlier this year and has been considering potential targets on the trade market and in free agency. Schröder, according to Stein and Fischer, is expected to command a contract that starts in the neighborhood of the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which projects to be worth $14.1MM. The Kings, who have plenty of breathing room below the luxury tax line, should be in position to offer most or all of that exception.

It was an up-and-down 2024/25 season for Schröder, who thrived in Brooklyn, struggled in Golden State, then helped fill a Jaden Ivey-shaped hole in Detroit down the stretch. On the season, he averaged 13.1 points and 5.4 assists in 28.1 minutes per game across 75 outings for those three teams, posting a shooting line of .406/.342/.838.

The Kings won’t be Schröder’s only suitor. The Pistons have expressed interest in re-signing him, and he’s also expected to be an option for a Mavericks team in need of a point guard while Kyrie Irving recovers from his ACL tear. Sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN that Schröder, D’Angelo Russell, Chris Paul, and Malcolm Brogdon are among Dallas’ point guard targets.

However, the Pistons have other free agents – Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. – to try to re-sign, so it’s possible Schröder won’t be a top priority with Ivey on his way back from his broken leg. As for the Mavs, they’ll likely only be able to offer the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception.

We have more on the Kings:

Sacramento’s front office has signaled that it’s open to a wide range of trade inquiries, per Stein and Fischer, with previous reporting from The Sacramento Bee indicating the team was gauging the market for Malik Monk and Devin Carter. According to The Stein Line duo, it’s worth noting that the Jazz previously expressed interest in Carter when the Kings inquired about Lauri Markkanen last summer before he ultimately signed an extension with Utah.
The Kings are viewed by agents and rival executives as a strong candidate to trade into the back half of the first round on Wednesday, Stein and Fischer report. They point to Utah’s pick at No. 21 as one possible target for the Kings, but notes that some teams believe Sacramento is working on a deal for the Thunder‘s second first-rounder at No. 24.

Kyrie Irving To Decline Option, Re-Sign With Mavs On Three-Year Deal

June 24th, 2025 at 8:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving is declining his $43MM player option and intends to sign a three-year, $119MM contract with the team as a free agent in July, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link). The deal, which is nearly identical to the one he signed in 2023, will include a player option for the 2027/28 season.

The nine-time All-Star is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, which he injured in early March.

Irving was enjoying a typically strong season prior to the injury. He averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 50 starts. Most of the outings came with Luka Doncic alongside him in the backcourt, so his assist totals could spike when he returns as the team’s primary ball-handler.

The deadline for Irving to opt in was today and it wasn’t surprising that the option was declined for more long-term security. As far back as April, it was reported that Dallas preferred to re-sign the 33-year-old to a three-year deal.

Irving’s first-year salary on his new contract will be lower than the option he declined, reducing the Mavs’ team salary and moving them below the second tax apron. That will enable Dallas to use the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception to pursue a lead guard in free agency to run the team while Irving recovers, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).

The Mavericks are optimistic that Irving can return to action sometime in the middle of next season. The Mavericks were hopeful that the combination of Irving and Anthony Davis would produce a championship in the short run. The unexpected addition of Cooper Flagg via winning the lottery will make them even more dangerous in the coming years.

Irving was the No. 2 free agent on our top-50 rankings and becomes the first player on that list to reach a contract agreement with his current team.