Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agent Rumors: Kings, Schröder, Horford, More

June 30th, 2025 at 8:52pm CST by Eli Cohen

Finding a point guard was a top priority for the Kings when free agency opened on Monday. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), the team arranged meetings via Zoom with both Dennis Schröder and Russell Westbrook.

Sacramento was also planning to meet with Malcolm Brogdon, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), who notes that the Wizards would be willing to accommodate a sign-and-trade deal involving Brogdon.

The Kings may end up adding more than one point guard, with Schröder looking like a lock to be one of them. Reports leading up to free agency indicated the two sides would likely agree to a two-year deal worth the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, and Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link) has since reported that Schröder will reach an agreement to sign with Sacramento.

Here are a few more free agent rumors from around the NBA:

Al Horford is commanding a lot of attention, reports HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (via Twitter). Scotto says that the Warriors, Knicks, Nuggets, Lakers, and Cavaliers have all expressed interest in luring Horford away from the Celtics since free agency opened, but Boston is also interested in retaining him, especially after losing Luke Kornet earlier in the day to the Spurs.
After agreeing to sign Tyus Jones to be the team’s backup point guard, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press hears that reserve big man Moritz Wagner is expected to return to the Magic (Twitter link). Orlando declined its team option on Wagner over the weekend, but retained his Bird rights. Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel echoes Reynolds’ report (via Twitter), saying that expects Wagner to re-sign with the Magic.
The Warriors feel good about their chances of re-signing restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, according to ESPN’s Marc Spears (Twitter video link). Spears says the money Kuminga and his representatives are looking for does not seem to be on the market this summer, which could result in him remaining in Golden State.

Nuggets, Bruce Brown Agree To One-Year Deal

June 30th, 2025 at 6:34pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Nuggets have agreed to a deal to bring Bruce Brown back to Denver on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).

Sam Amick of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the deal will be worth the veteran’s minimum.

Since leaving the Nuggets as a free agent in 2023, Brown has spent time with the Pacers, Raptors, and Pelicans. He averaged 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in 2024/25 over 41 games split between Toronto and New Orleans before being held out of action down the stretch with a right knee injury.

The versatile 6’4″ wing spent time with the Pistons and Nets before his first stint in Denver, which culminated in him playing a key role off the bench for the championship team in 2022/23. After averaging 12 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game in the playoffs that year, Brown left the team for a two-year, $45MM offer from the Pacers that Denver didn’t have the ability to match.

Brown now returns to a Denver team that is making aggressive moves to position itself for another title run, including trading longtime starter Michael Por ter Jr. and a first-round pick for Cameron Johnson.

Nuggets Trading Michael Porter, First-Round Pick To Nets For Cam Johnson

June 30th, 2025 at 6:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets and Nets have agreed to a trade that will send Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Nets in exchange for Cameron Johnson, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The move will create significant cap flexibility for Denver. Porter is owed a little over $79MM across the next two seasons, while Johnson’s contract has a base value of $44MM over those same two years (he also has some unlikely incentives that count toward the tax aprons).

It also looks like a potential on-court upgrade for the Nuggets. While Porter is an extremely talented scorer and shooter who averaged 18.2 points per game on a .504/.395/.768 shooting line in 77 games for Denver in 2024/25, Johnson is considred a strong defender and is a pretty good scorer and shooter in his own right.

Johnson scored a career-high 18.8 points per game on .475/.390/.893 shooting in 57 outings for the Nets this past season. He also set a new career high with 3.4 assists per contest.

The trade will move the Nuggets’ team salary more than $13MM below the first apron, potentially opening up the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to use in free agency, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). That could be a valuable tool for a Denver team looking to add quality depth to support a strong starting lineup.

The Nets, meanwhile, will use a chunk of their cap room to accommodate Porter’s incoming salary — if they had been operating over the cap, they wouldn’t be able to swap Johnson straight up for MPJ and his $38.3MM cap hit.

The move will reduce their cap room to about $17MM, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks, though that number is fluid, depending on how the team handles its non-guaranteed contracts and whether either of the reported deals for Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams go into the room exception.

The unprotected 2032 first-round pick is clearly the prize of the deal for Brooklyn. Nikola Jokic will be 37 years old in 2032, and there’s no guarantee he’ll still be a Nugget anyway, so that pick has a good deal of variability and could turn into a very valuable asset.

Still, the Nets don’t view Porter as a mere salary dump. They’re excited about the former lottery pick – who celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday – and intend to keep him, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

Knicks Among Teams With Interest In Russell Westbrook

June 30th, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks are a possible suitor for Russell Westbrook with free agency drawing near, report Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

The Kings are also rumored to be interested in the three-time scoring champion, the authors note, and a potential reunion with the Nuggets remains in play.

Westbrook, who played a significant role with Denver this past season, is currently recovering from a procedure to repair multiple ligament tears in his right hand. The 36-year-old opted out of his $3.47MM player option earlier this month, making him an unrestricted free agent.

New York is expected to kick the tires on Tyus Jones as well, The Stein Line duo confirm. Ian Begley of SNY.tv reported earlier today that Jones could be a target for the Knicks.

Generally speaking, the Knicks, Pelicans and Timberwolves are among an “ever-growing list” of teams looking to acquire veteran backcourt help, according to Stein and Fischer.

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Jerome, Kennard, Capela, Lakers, Bulls, More

June 30th, 2025 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

In their latest round-up of scuttlebutt ahead of the start of free agency on Monday, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) reiterate or confirm a few of the rumors that have been percolating in recent days, writing that Dennis Schröder appears to be on track to join the Kings on a two-year deal worth the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, while D’Angelo Russell is widely expected to join the Mavericks on a two-year deal that utilizes the taxpayer mid-level.

Stein and Fischer also stress that the Grizzlies are increasingly regarded as the favorites to land free agent guard Ty Jerome, with rival teams expecting him to sign for a deal in the neighborhood of $9-10MM annually (Twitter link).

Additionally, Stein and Fischer confirm that the Rockets are now eyeing Luke Kennard in addition to Dorian Finney-Smith. Besides Houston, the Hawks and Nuggets are considered potential suitors for Kennard, one of the league’s best outside shooters, according to The Stein Line duo.

Here are a few more fresh pieces of intel from Stein and Fischer:

The Clippers are viewed as a viable candidate to land free agent center Clint Capela. Los Angeles is known to be in the market for an Ivica Zubac backup, with Drew Eubanks not expected to return.
If the Lakers end up losing Finney-Smith in free agency, they’re expected to express interest in another talented perimeter defender, De’Anthony Melton, Stein and Fischer report. Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link) has also heard that there’s mutual interest between Melton and the Lakers. The veteran guard signed for the full non-taxpayer mid-level a year ago, but seems unlikely to land another deal in that range after missing nearly the entire season with a torn ACL.
There’s a “strong expectation” that free agent point guard Tre Jones will remain with the Bulls, Stein and Fischer say. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network previously reported that the odds of a reunion between the two sides were rising following the team’s Lonzo Ball trade.
The Bucks are working on potential Pat Connaughton trade scenarios and have a couple possible pathways to a deal, per Stein and Fischer. Milwaukee would likely have to attach a sweetener to move Connaughton, but perhaps could acquire a player in return who would upgrade the rotation.
The Wizards have been gauging the trade market for a pair of veterans on expiring contracts, guard Marcus Smart and big man Kelly Olynyk, Stein and Fischer write. Olynyk technically isn’t even a Wizard yet, as the deal sending him from New Orleans to Washington will become official after the July moratorium — it sounds like there’s a chance he’s flipped to another team.
DeMarre Carroll and former Wizards assistant Brian Randle are expected to have two of the front-of-bench spots on Jordan Ott‘s coaching staff, but the new Suns coach is still seeking a lead assistant who has previous head coaching experience, according to Stein and Fischer.

Cam Whitmore Has Drawn Trade Interest From Bulls, Nuggets

June 30th, 2025 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls and Nuggets are among the teams that have registered some level of interest in Rockets forward Cam Whitmore, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported last week that Houston had been engaged in trade discussions involving Whitmore. He’ll earn $3.54MM in 2025/26 with a team option for ’26/27 worth $5.46MM.

Whitmore, who will turn 21 next Tuesday, has seen limited playing time during his first two NBA seasons and has been unable to establish himself as a regular part of the Rockets’ crowded rotation. The former No. 20 overall pick appeared in 51 games this past season, averaging 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 16.2 minutes per night with .444/.355/.750 shooting numbers. He was out of the rotation completely in the playoffs, making just three brief appearances.

According to Scotto, Whitmore was nearly sent from Houston to Phoenix in the Kevin Durant trade, but the Suns opted for additional second-round draft compensation instead.

The Bulls appear to be keeping an eye out for a forward who can score, having been also linked to Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga earlier this offseason. While Isaac Okoro – who is more of a defensive specialist – doesn’t really fit that bill, it’s worth noting that Scotto says the Bulls’ interest in Whitmore predated their deal to acquire Okoro, so it’s unclear whether Chicago’s interest in a forward – and Whitmore specifically – persists.

The Nuggets, meanwhile, are looking to supplement a talented starting lineup with reliable depth options. While their pathways to upgrades via trades or free agency are limited, Whitmore’s salary is modest enough that he would be a realistic target.

Stein’s Latest: NAW, Schröder, Jerome, Grimes, Kornet, Nuggets

June 29th, 2025 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons and the Hawks have been described as the two best bets to sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker away from the Timberwolves when free agency gets underway, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Both Detroit and Atlanta have previously been reported as potential suitors for Alexander-Walker, along with teams like the Clippers and Magic. The expectation is that he’ll command offers in the range of the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will start at a projected $14.1MM. He might even end up getting more than that, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

While Minnesota has expressed a desire to retain Alexander-Walker, the club has already committed to Naz Reid on a lucrative new five-year deal and is expected to retain Julius Randle as well. Re-signing Alexander-Walker to a market-value contract would likely send the Wolves’ team salary soaring beyond the second tax apron.

As for the Pistons, there has been consistent reporting this week indicating that their free agent guard Dennis Schröder may end up signing with the Kings. While Schröder didn’t exactly confirm that this weekend during a Twitch stream, he suggested he’s unlikely to return to Detroit.

“I want to stay in Detroit for sure, but Detroit ain’t waiting for me, I can tell you that much,” Schröder said (Twitter video link). “Detroit ain’t waiting for me.”

Here’s more from Stein:

The Hornets and Grizzlies have been consistently mentioned as teams expected to pursue free agent guard Ty Jerome, according to Stein. Reporting earlier today indicated that Utah also may be in the mix for the Sixth Man of the Year finalist, who is now considered a “lock” to leave the Cavaliers, per Stein.
Sixers restricted free agent Quentin Grimes is expected to land a starting salary of at least $16MM, Stein reports. Assuming he gets that offer from Philadelphia, it would be enough to outbid any rival suitors that might be willing to give him the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
The Clippers, who are in the market for a center to back up Ivica Zubac, are considered a team to watch for free agent big man Luke Kornet, writes Stein.
The Nuggets, who are eyeing potential assistant coaches for David Adelman‘s staff, have been granted permission to interview Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley and have also exhibited “strong” interest in former NBA guard J.J. Barea, per Stein (Twitter links). Barea had been coaching the Guaynabo Mets in his native Puerto Rico over the past couple years before being let go last month.

Suns’ Gillepsie, Lakers’ Koloko Among Two-Way Players Receiving QOs

June 29th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

A series of players who finished the 2024/25 season on two-way contracts have received qualifying offers from their respective teams, making them free agents, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac. Those players are as follows (all links go to Twitter):

Isaiah Crawford, Kings (link)
Collin Gillespie, Suns link)
Harrison Ingram, Spurs (link)
Daniss Jenkins, Pistons (link)
Spencer Jones, Nuggets (link)
Christian Koloko, Lakers (link)
Riley Minix, Spurs (link)
Jacob Toppin, Hawks (link)
Luke Travers, Cavaliers (link)
Tristan Vukcevic, Wizards (link)
Keaton Wallace, Hawks (link)

In each case, the player’s qualifying offer is equivalent to another one-year, two-way deal, with a small portion (approximately $85K) guaranteed.

While a rival team could technically sign any of these players to an offer sheet during free agency, we essentially never see that happen with two-way free agents. Most of them end up either accepting their two-way QOs or agreeing to new standard contracts with their current teams.

Gillespie, who turned 26 on Wednesday, is among the players who made a strong case for a promotion to a standard contract this past season. He averaged 5.9 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 14.0 minutes per game for Phoenix across 33 appearances (nine starts) and made 43.3% of his three-point tries.

Koloko (2.4 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 37 games), Vukcevic (9.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and .496/.373/.776 shooting in 35 games), and Wallace (5.4 PPG and 2.6 APG in 31 games) also played rotation minutes for their respective clubs in 2024/25.

Sunday is the deadline for teams to make qualifying offers to players who are eligible for restricted free agency.

Nuggets Agree To Deal With Reece Beekman, Won’t Retain PJ Hall

June 28th, 2025 at 5:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

5:12pm: Denver will create a two-way opening by not re-signing Hall, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 23-year-old center out of Clemson spent one year with the team and averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 19 games.

Meanwhile, Durando has removed his report on Beekman agreeing to an Exhibit 10 contract with Denver and now says (via Twitter) that the guard has a Summer League agreement in place with the Nuggets.

Two-way free agents who won’t be retained by their previous team are typically permitted to seek out new Summer League opportunities before the new league year begins, but full-fledged contract agreements with new teams can’t technically be negotiated until 5:00 pm Central time on June 30. I’d still expect Beekman to eventually sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Denver.

4:34pm: The Nuggets will sign Reece Beekman to an Exhibit 10 contract, sources tell Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link).

The 23-year-old point guard finished the season as a two-way player with the Nets, and the reported agreement is a strong sign that he won’t receive a qualifying offer from Brooklyn for another two-way contract.

Beekman signed a two-way deal with Golden State last July after going undrafted out of Virginia. He made just two brief appearances for the Warriors before being sent to the Nets in mid-December as part of the Dennis Schröder trade.

Beekman got a larger NBA opportunity after arriving in Brooklyn, appearing in 34 games and averaging 2.7 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 13.7 minutes per night.

Trey Alexander, PJ Hall and Spencer Jones were Denver’s two-way players when the season ended, but they’re all headed for free agency and aren’t guaranteed to return to the team, so there could be an opportunity for Beekman.

An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal prior to the start of the regular season. Beekman will be eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Stein’s Latest: Mavs, D-Lo, Paul, Exum, Sixers, Hawks

June 27th, 2025 at 10:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Within his latest NBA rumor round-up for The Stein Line (Substack link), Marc Stein reiterates a report he published on Twitter earlier this week, writing that the Mavericks are “increasingly regarded as the favorites” to sign point guard D’Angelo Russell.

Dallas will likely be limited to offering free agents the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception, and Stein suggests Chris Paul will be another Mavs target using that MLE. However, there’s a growing belief that Paul would want to play somewhere closer to his home in Los Angeles if he continues his career, Stein explains.

Meanwhile, while the Mavericks still have interest in re-signing him, there’s a chance that a roster crunch could spell the end of Dante Exum‘s time in Dallas. Assuming Brandon Williams – who is on a non-guaranteed contract – is retained, the Mavs will have 14 players on standard contracts even before adding a free agent point guard.

According to Stein, a handful of EuroLeague teams – including Anadolu Efes, Fenerbahce, and Partizan Belgrade – are interested in trying to lure Exum back overseas. But the former No. 5 overall pick is still focused on trying to stick in the NBA even if there’s no pathway back to the Mavs for him, Stein writes.

Here’s more from Stein:

Providing updates on a couple of popular Mavericks assistant coaches, Stein says the Nuggets are now among the teams with interest in hiring Jared Dudley away from Dallas, joining Memphis and Cleveland, while the Magic continue to put on a “full-court press” in the hopes of poaching God Shammgod from Jason Kidd‘s staff.
Despite rumors and speculation in recent weeks suggesting that the Sixers explored the prospect of moving off Paul George‘s contract and trading down from No. 3 in the draft, a league source familiar with the team’s thinking called that “nonsense,” according to Stein. Jake Fischer reported several weeks ago that Philadelphia wasn’t trying to get rid of George using that lottery pick.
Although they had interest in Masai Ujiri earlier in their front office search, the Hawks aren’t expected to circle back now that the longtime Toronto executive is out of work, Stein says. One source close to the process tells Stein that Atlanta is operating under the assumption that general manager Onsi Saleh will be the team’s head of basketball operations for the foreseeable future.