And-Ones: Yessoufou, Free Agents, Blakeney, Automatic Calls
Viewed as a potential first-round pick after one season at Baylor, Tounde Yessoufou withdrew from the draft earlier this week and will transfer to St. John’s for his sophomore campaign. The 20-year-old wing secured a lucrative NIL payday from the Red Storm, according to basketball insider Adam Zagoria, who reports (via Twitter) that Yessoufou’s deal was worth “close to” $6MM.
A native of Benin, Yessoufou averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.6 assists per game in 34 appearances for the Bears in 2025/26. His shooting slash line was .465/.293/.746.
For what it’s worth, $6MM would be roughly the same first-year salary as the 11th overall pick in the 2026 draft, but rookie scale contracts are guaranteed for the first two years, with team options in years three and four.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has updated his ranked list of potential free agents, with Heat wing Norman Powell (No. 10), Sixers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (No. 20) and Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (No. 30) among the 70 players listed.
- Marves Fairley, who claims he paid Terry Rozier as part of an illegal gambling scheme, also said he paid a Chinese Basketball Association player so he could win bets on a pair of CBA games in March 2023, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Fairley made the admission in a Brooklyn federal court on Thursday when he pleaded guilty to seven felony charges stemming from two separate cases. While Fairley didn’t name that player, prosecutors said Fairley paid Antonio Blakeney, a former NBA guard who was charged with wire fraud in January.
- Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link via ESPN), commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA plans to implement an automated AI system to quickly review out-of-bounds calls in the future, rather than leaving it up to the officials. Silver suggested all “so-called objective calls” would eventually fall under that review system.
Sixers To Hire Mike Gansey As President Of Basketball Operations
Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey has reached an agreement to become the Sixers‘ new president of basketball operations, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Gansey will replace Daryl Morey, who was fired after Philadelphia was swept by New York in the second round of the playoffs.
A former college basketball player at St. Bonaventure and West Virginia, Gansey was viewed as a potential NBA draft pick in 2006 but he contracted MRSA during the pre-draft process, ultimately signing a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Heat. He was waived after being hospitalized for two weeks and losing 30 pounds as a result of the infection, per ESPN, then contracted MRSA again in his ankle, which required surgery.
“I mean people have lost lives from this, have lost body parts,” Gansey said in 2007. “It’s something you don’t want to mess around with, and if you see any little thing that looks suspicious, get it checked out. You never know what it could be.”
Gansey played in a couple of summer leagues, but never suited up in the NBA, having spent time in the G League (then called the D-League) on top of playing professionally in Italy, Germany and China. He transitioned to a front office role with the Cavaliers in 2011/12.
The 43-year-old steadily worked his way up the ranks with his hometown team. Gansey was named the G League’s Executive of the Year in April 2017, then was promoted to assistant GM of the Cavs a few months later. He was elevated again to GM in 2022 and has been in that role with Cleveland for the past four years.
This will be Gansey’s first opportunity to run a team of his own, as he has spent the past several years working under Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman. Bob Myers, who led the search process, is expected to collaborate with Gansey during key times of the league year, including the draft, free agency and trade deadline.
The Cavs have won 51, 48, 64 and 52 regular season games over the past four years with Gansey as general manager, making the playoffs on each occasion. Cleveland was eliminated from the postseason last week when the team was swept by New York in the Eastern Conference finals.
Gansey and Sixers assistant GM Jameer Nelson were reportedly the frontrunners for the top front office job in Philadelphia, with Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd viewed as the other finalists. Multiple reports have indicated that Nelson, a former NBA point guard, is likely to be promoted.
Fischer/Stein’s Latest: Sweeney, Sixers, Snyder, Harden, Bulls
A league source tells Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) that the Magic are “very interested” in hiring Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney to fill their head coaching vacancy. Orlando officials were planning a trip to San Antonio this week to interview Sweeney during the Western Conference finals, according to the authors.
Sweeney, who’s in his first season with the Spurs, is considered the architect of the team’s aggressive defense that has helped to fuel this year’s playoff run. The Magic were perennially among the league’s best defensive teams under Jamahl Mosley, so the infrastructure is already in place for Sweeney to succeed.
Former Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and current Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy are the only candidates reported to have interviewed for the Magic opening since Mosley was fired May 4. Sweeney has also been linked to the head coaching vacancies in Chicago and Dallas.
Fischer and Stein share more inside information from around the league:
- Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey and Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren recently had interviews in Philadelphia to become the Sixers‘ head of basketball operations. Sources tell Fischer and Stein that Gansey and Sixers assistant GM Jameer Nelson are considered the leading candidates for the position.
- An extension for Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has been considered “inevitable” since the team’s playoff run ended, according to Fischer and Stein. They cite regular season rumors that Snyder could have been a potential candidate to replace Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland, but sources tell them that Atkinson was always expected to remain with the Cavaliers for a third season.
- Fischer and Stein’s sources also say the Cavaliers are optimistic about re-signing James Harden to a multiyear deal with a lower annual salary than the $39.4MM he made this season. “Rough early estimates” are in the range of $30MM per year, which could help the team escape the second apron.
- The Bulls are closer than the Mavericks to completing their head coaching search, but they’re still talking to several prospects, according to Fischer and Stein. Known candidates so far include Minnesota’s Micah Nori, Miami’s Chris Quinn, Cleveland’s Johnnie Bryant, Oklahoma City’s Dave Bliss and former New Orleans interim coach James Borrego. Nori is also a finalist for the Trail Blazers‘ opening, along with Van Gundy, Boston’s Tyler Lashbrook, Utah’s Mike Williams and acting head coach Tiago Splitter.
Cavs’ Altman Hopes To Reach Extension With Donovan Mitchell
Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman confirmed at Friday’s end-of-season press conference that reaching an extension with Donovan Mitchell will be a priority, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only piece.
“Donovan is our guy,” Altman told reporters during the 32-minute exchange. “He’s elevated everything about this franchise and this organization, so when he professes his love for being here, we’re fortunate to have him and we’ll work out those details when it comes time.”
The 29-year-old guard has one guaranteed year left on his current contract at $50.1MM, along with a $53.8MM player option for 2027/28. He will become extension-eligible July 7 when the Cavs can offer a new four-year deal worth up to $272MM, but Fedor notes that it may be in Mitchell’s best interest to wait.
Mitchell will be a 10-year veteran next summer, which allows him to sign a five-year supermax deal in the neighborhood of $350MM. He will also become eligible for certain contract perks, including a no-trade clause.
Altman didn’t directly answer a question about whether he plans to submit an extension offer to Mitchell on July 7, Fedor adds.
“All I can tell you is Donovan has been steadfast in how much he loves it here and so there hasn’t been any question of will he be here and does he want to be here,” Altman said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, right? That’s the best thing, right? When we have a superstar of his caliber that wants to be in Cleveland, that’s our best ambassador, that’s our best recruiter … I think the bigger question is the one that’s been answered is, does he want to be here and does he want to be here long term? I think he’s answered that. He’s still playing the best basketball of his career, and he finally broke through to get to a conference finals and he wants more. We’re getting him at his peak right now and we hope that that continues.”
Mitchell indicated a desire to remain in Cleveland after the team’s playoff run came to an end on Monday, saying “I love it here” at the post-game press conference. He also expressed confidence that the organization can continue to compete for a championship.
The Cavaliers have focused on building a title contender around Mitchell ever since he was acquired from Utah in the summer of 2022. He’s coming off his seventh straight All-Star season and earned Second-Team All-NBA honors after averaging 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 70 games.
“Eight long years to get back here,” Altman said of the conference finals appearance, which was the team’s first since 2018. “The four years without him, no playoffs. Four years with him, playoffs.”
Cavaliers Considered Unlikely To Pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Cavaliers‘ concerns about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo would sign an extension in Cleveland will likely keep them out of the trade sweepstakes for the Bucks star, according to Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (subscription required).
There has been some speculation that the Cavs might be willing to part with Evan Mobley to acquire Antetokounmpo and maximize their title chances by teaming him with Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. However, sources tell Fischer and Stein that Cleveland “should be regarded as unlikely to factor into the trade chase” for Antetokounmpo.
The authors note that Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman seemed to verify that sentiment as his end-of-season press conference Friday morning when he stated that Mobley is “part of our future.” Altman sidestepped a specific question about Antetokounmpo, telling reporters, “We’re not going to speculate on any player outside these walls.”
The report from Fischer and Stein gels with a weekend story from Joe Vardon of the Athletic claiming that Cleveland hasn’t expressed any interest in a Mobley-Antetokounmpo swap.
Antetokounmpo will earn $58.5MM next season and holds a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28. The ability to opt out and become an unrestricted free agent next summer gives him a degree of control in choosing his next team. It also makes potential suitors reluctant to part with valuable assets such as Mobley without an assurance that Antetokounmpo plans to stay long-term.
Fischer reported earlier this month that the Cavaliers might be viewed as a reasonable destination for Antetokounmpo if they encountered playoff disappointment again. The team wound up reaching the Eastern Conference finals, but mostly wasn’t competitive during a four-game sweep by New York.
Fischer and Stein also state that the Cavs are reluctant to part with Mobley because he’s only 24 and can provide “a legitimate bridge to a successful post-Mitchell future.” They add that team officials haven’t forgotten how difficult it was to rebuild after LeBron James left Cleveland in 2010 and 2018 and they’re hesitant to part with Mobley unless it’s a “sure-thing trade.”
Central Notes: Harden, Pacers, Giddey, Pistons
Speaking to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Cavaliers guard James Harden admitted he’s “starting to think about” life after basketball but believes he’s still a little ways away from retirement, noting that he “definitely” wants to play 20 seasons. The former MVP will be entering his 18th year in the NBA in 2026/27.
Harden, who said in his post-game media session after the Cavaliers’ season came to an end on Monday that he wants to stay in Cleveland, expressed the same sentiment to Spears. The veteran guard is confident that the Cavs can be even better next season after he has a full offseason and training camp with the club.
“I told the guys I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” Harden said to Spears. “So, if I got to play off the ball, less shots, I’m willing to do it. I have no problem with that. You can come talk to me about anything and I’m willing to do it. That was the mindset. … I think having a full year will definitely help coming off this push. … Coming into my 18th year, I don’t have no pride. I just want to win.”
We have more from around the Central:
- The Pacers are holding a pair of pre-draft workouts this week, with Nimari Burnett (Michigan), Tucker DeVries (Indiana), Sam Hoiberg (Nebraska), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), Peter Suder (Miami), and Seth Trimble (UNC) visiting the team on Thursday and MJ Collins (Utah State), Barry Dunning (Pitt), Nate Johnson (Kansas State), Jaxon Kohler (Michigan State), Kowacie Reeves (Georgia Tech), and Ernest Udeh (Miami) participating in Friday’s session, the team announced in a press release. Indiana doesn’t currently own a 2026 draft pick, but the team is doing its due diligence since it could trade back into the draft and will likely add a few undrafted free agents to its training camp roster.
- Josh Giddey signed a four-year, $100MM contract with the Bulls last summer and is owed more long-term guaranteed money than anyone else on the roster. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the 23-year-old is viewed as a franchise cornerstone, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who suggests we need more time to get a better sense of how highly new head of basketball operations Bryson Graham values Chicago’s point guard.
- Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) evaluates the Pistons‘ upcoming offseason, considering whether or not it would make sense for the team to operate under the cap to try to pursue an impact free agent, given the trade-offs that would accompany that approach. Gozlan also explores how the team could add more offensive help with two non-shooters – Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson – about to get more expensive.
Bulls Get Permission To Interview Cavs’ Johnnie Bryant
The Bulls have been granted permission to interview Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant for their head coaching job, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link).
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported that Bryant was a potential candidate for the head coaching vacancy in Chicago.
Bryant was hired by the Jazz as a player development coach in 2012 and was promoted to an assistant role two years later. After working under Quin Snyder from 2014-20, Bryant left for New York, where he was the Knicks’ associate head coach until 2024. He reunited two years ago with Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland, having been hired by the Cavaliers as Kenny Atkinson‘s associate head coach.
Bryant has received consideration for multiple head coaching positions in recent years. He interviewed with the Cavs before they hired Atkinson and was a finalist last June for the Suns’ job that ultimately went to Jordan Ott.
The Bulls and new head of basketball operations Bryson Graham are casting a wide net as they seek Billy Donovan‘s successor this spring. In addition to Bryant, the candidates linked to the job in recent weeks include Sean Sweeney, James Borrego, Micah Nori, Dave Bliss, Wes Unseld Jr., Lamar Skeeter, Ryan Schmidt, Jerry Stackhouse, and Chris Quinn.
While Borrego and Unseld have previous experience, the other candidates connected to the Bulls would be first-time NBA head coaches.
Cavaliers To Retain Head Coach Kenny Atkinson
Kenny Atkinson will remain in his role as the Cavaliers‘ head coach entering the 2026/27 season, reports Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
After the Cavs were outscored by 77 points over the course of a four-game sweep at the hands of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, there had been speculation that the team might consider a head coaching change. But that won’t be the case, according to Vardon, who hears from sources that no major changes involving either the coaching staff or the front office are expected in Cleveland this offseason.
Atkinson, hired in 2024 to replace J.B. Bickerstaff, has led the Cavs to an outstanding 116-48 (.707) regular season record over the past two seasons and earned Coach of the Year honors for the 2024/25 season.
However, the team hasn’t had the sort of playoff success it hoped for during that time. Cleveland was eliminated in the second round as the East’s No. 1 seed last spring and narrowly eked by the Raptors and Pistons with Game 7 victories this spring before being dominated by New York.
Atkinson faced some criticism during the Knicks series for his game management during a fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1, when he declined to use his timeouts or change his defensive game plan as Jalen Brunson repeatedly beat James Harden on defense and the Knicks erased a 22-point deficit. He also raised eyebrows between Games 3 and 4 by claiming that his team had “analytically” earned two of three expected wins to that point in the series.
Still, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has maintained his support of Atkinson, who has three years left on his contract, Vardon reported earlier today. ESPN’s Shams Charania and Jamal Collier convey a similar sentiment, indicating that Atkinson remains highly regarded by key officials within the organization.
Star guards Donovan Mitchell and Harden also voiced their support for Atkinson in the wake of Monday’s Game 4 loss. All indications are that the veteran coach has strong relationships with both players.
Gilbert put out a statement on Monday night praising the Cavs for taking a step forward this season but adding that they’re “nowhere near where we need to be.” Those remarks suggest that major changes could be coming this offseason — since those changes apparently won’t impact the front office and coaching staff, it’s safe to assume this roster won’t look the same in October as it did in the conference finals.
“I have confidence — confidence in myself, first of all, confidence in the group,” Atkinson said on Monday when he was asked about his job security. “The roster talk, that’s for down the line. Our front office has done a phenomenal job giving us a great roster. Obviously, there’ll be decisions to be made like every summer, but I think we’re doing pretty well with those decisions since I’ve been here. Just keep trusting. Trusting our process. Trust our collaboration.”
Cavs Notes: Atkinson, Altman, Offseason, LeBron
Being on the receiving end of a four-game beat-down by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals was bad enough, but Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson opened himself up to additional criticism before Game 4 by telling reporters that his team had “analytically” earned two of three expected wins to that point in the series (story via ESPN).
Atkinson still has three years left on his contract, but a handful of questionable postseason game management and lineup decisions, a disastrous fourth-quarter collapse to open the Knicks series, and that aforementioned sound bite are among the factors that have made him a candidate to become the “fall guy” for a disappointing finish to the season, suggests Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Still, Atkinson was team owner Dan Gilbert‘s preferred candidate for the job when the team hired him two years ago, according to Vardon, who suggests Gilbert’s support for the veteran coach doesn’t appear to have wavered as of late. Vardon adds that Atkinson is believed to have strong working relationships with both Mitchell and Harden, who reaffirmed their commitment to the team after the Game 4 loss and also spoke highly of their head coach.
“I love Kenny,” Mitchell said (Twitter link via Marc J. Spears of Andscape). “We love Kenny. I ride with Kenny.”
“He understands his team,” Harden said of Atkinson, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “Of course, somebody’s going to have to take criticism, whether it’s myself or Kenny or whoever, the entire team. They’re going to put it on somebody. But I think for Kenny, he did an unbelievable job of getting me acclimated as fast as possible to understanding what I’m supposed to be doing out there. It’s just an unfortunate situation. Any team coming off of a tough two series against two defensive monsters (Toronto and Detroit), it would have been challenging.”
Here’s more on the Cavs:
- If Gilbert wants to blame someone besides Atkinson, Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman could end up on the hot seat, Vardon writes. However, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link) says the “early talk” is that Altman is expected to remain in his current role.
- Atkinson spoke during his post-game presser on Monday about the Cavs having taken a step forward this season (Twitter video link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype), and team owner Dan Gilbert echoed that sentiment in a statement on social media — with an important caveat. “We took a step ahead this spring, but we are nowhere near where we need to be,” Gilbert wrote (on Twitter). “I can’t thank the fans enough for the support this year. We will dig in all summer and do everything we possibly can to take the next step. We will grind until we get there.”
- Within his Cavaliers offseason preview, ESPN’s Bobby Marks examines the free agency decisions the team will have to make on Harden and defensive stopper Dean Wade and provides details on what an extension for Mitchell would look like based on the NBA’s latest cap projections.
- Is LeBron James the missing piece the Cavaliers need to get over the hump and into the NBA Finals? Chris Mannix of SI.com makes the case for why the team needs to try to lure the four-time MVP back to Cleveland this summer.
Mitchell, Harden Express Desire To Remain With Cavs
The Cavaliers‘ season ended in disappointing fashion on Monday night, as the team couldn’t muster enough resistance to prevent the Knicks from completing a dominant four-game sweep. However, in the wake of that Game 4 loss, star guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden didn’t sound like players who would be seeking a changed of scenery this summer.
“I love it here,” Mitchell told reporters (Twitter video link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). “I don’t know how else to say it.”
Mitchell, who advanced to the conference finals for the first time in his nine-year NBA career this spring, won’t be able to reach free agency this offseason, but he’ll be entering the final guaranteed year of his current contract and could sign an extension for up to four years. That deal would begin in 2027/28, replacing his player option for that season.
Although he didn’t outright commit to signing a new contract with the Cavaliers, Mitchell expressed confidence that the team remains capable of contending for a championship.
“I have no doubt that this group can get there,” Mitchell said, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “I’ve said that all year. The biggest thing is you just use it as a learning lesson. It’s a tough learning lesson, but now we know. This team that we just faced had to go through this. Maybe not this way, but they’ve been together, they’ve been a core group and had to go through this tough experience. So, this is our turn.
“… I’m sorry for the city of Cleveland, for it to be like this in a sweep,” Mitchell added, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “That’s ass. But I told y’all last year and I would say again, we’ll be back and we’ll be ready and we’ll be hungry and we’ll be locked in. The city deserves a ring and we’ve just got to keep going.”
As for Harden, the Cavaliers’ major mid-season acquisition holds a $42.3MM player option for 2026/27 that would become partially guaranteed for $13.3MM if he exercises it. Reporting earlier this month indicated that he’s more likely to decline that option and work out a new multiyear deal with the team.
It remains to be seen whether that’s still the plan after a disappointing Eastern Conference finals in which Harden averaged 16.0 points per game on .389/.179/.810 shooting and had more turnovers (17) than assists (12). However, he said on Monday that he “100%” wants and expects to return to Cleveland for next season.
“Definitely want to be here,” Harden said (Twitter video link via Scotto). “I think we found something. It’s tough. It’s not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something.”
While Harden struggled against New York, Mitchell was among the members of the Cavs who were quick to point out that the team made a deeper postseason run this spring with the former MVP on the roster than it had during any of the past few seasons. Cleveland was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2023 and in the second round in 2024 and 2025.
“I hope he is back,” Mitchell said of Harden (Twitter link via Fedor). “He helped myself and this group get somewhere we have never been.”
The Cavaliers will hold Harden’s Bird rights, so they’ll face no cap or CBA restrictions if they want to negotiate a new contract with him. Still, the team will likely be wary of the cost of that deal. Cleveland had the highest payroll in the NBA this past season and was the only team to operate over the second tax apron. Outside of Harden, the team’s other six highest-paid players are all on guaranteed contracts for next season, so the cost of the roster will remain high, barring major changes.