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Free Agent Rumors: Guards, Kuminga, Pacers, Hayes

July 7th, 2025 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

An expectation that Bradley Beal will soon become an unrestricted free agent is affecting the markets for free agent guards Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Malcolm Brogdon, who are drawing interest from many of the same teams, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

According to Fischer, the Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, and Timberwolves are among the teams expected to have interest in signing Beal if and when he finalizes a buyout agreement with the Suns, which seems increasingly likely. A previous report also identified the Warriors as a possible suitor for Beal, with the Heat viewed as less likely after their trade for Norman Powell.

The Clippers and Bucks are known to have interest in Paul, Fischer points out, so if Beal ends up with one of those teams, it would likely rule that club out for CP3, perhaps increasing the odds of the 40-year-old reuniting with the Suns.

As for Brogdon, he has the Clippers, Suns, Lakers, Warriors, Timberwolves, and Bucks are also among the teams that have registered some level of interest in him, along with the Pelicans and Kings, Fischer reports.

Free agents like De’Anthony Melton and Ben Simmons may also find themselves involved in this game of backcourt musical chairs, according to Fischer, who suggests that their potential landing spots should become more clearer once one or two of those top guards – starting with Beal – finds a new home.

Here are a few more notes on free agents from around the NBA:

There was no traction on the Jonathan Kuminga front over the weekend, sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Slater, the Kings have been the most aggressive suitor for the Warriors restricted free agent so far, but nothing has come close. In fact, the market for all of the top restricted free agents remains “ice cold,” Slater adds.
The Pacers are expected to reunite with a pair of familiar faces to fill out their frontcourt. Speaking to reporters today, president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said the club is planning to re-sign James Wiseman and that things are trending in the right direction with restricted free agent Isaiah Jackson (Twitter links via Tony East).
Veteran center Jaxson Hayes gave up his right to veto a trade this season when he re-signed with the Lakers, reports Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link). By default, a player re-signing with his previous team on a one-year contract gets a de facto no-trade clause, but a team can ask a player to waive that right as part of his new deal.

International Notes: Doncic, Maledon, Musa, Gabriel, K. Antetokounmpo, Okafor

July 7th, 2025 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers star Luka Doncic highlights Slovenia’s preliminary EuroBasket roster, which was released this morning, according to Johnny Askounis of EuroHoops. Vlatko Cancar, who recently left Denver to sign with Olimpia Milano, and former NBA guard Zoran Dragic are among the other players on the 19-man roster, which will eventually be cut to 12.

Doncic has made frequent appearances on the international stage, beginning with EuroBasket in 2017, where he helped Slovenia capture the gold medal. He has also represented his country in the Summer Olympics and in the FIBA World Cup.

Slovenia is in Group D for the preliminary round and will face Poland, France, Belgium, Iceland and Israel from August 28 through September 4. The top four seeds will advance to Riga for the knockout stage, which takes place from September 6-14.

There’s more international news to pass along:

Ex-NBA guard Theo Maledon has reached a two-year agreement with Real Madrid, Askounis adds in a separate story. He played for Oklahoma City, Charlotte and Phoenix from 2020-24 and spent last season with ASVEL in France.
Former Nets swingman Dzanan Musa is leaving Real Madrid to sign a three-year contract with Dubai, according to BasketNews. Musa, 26, said he received some NBA interest last offseason, but he opted to remain in Europe. “Joining Dubai Basketball is an incredible opportunity,” he said. “I’m ready to write a new chapter, support this growing basketball culture, and help build something truly historic.” Musa was a first-round pick in 2018 and spent two seasons with Brooklyn. Dubai, which is preparing for its first EuroLeague season, has confirmed the signing (Twitter link).
As expected, Wenyen Gabriel has signed with Bayern Munich in Germany after playing for Panathinaikos last season, BasketNews adds in a separate story. Since leaving the NBA in 2024, Gabriel has also spent time with Maccabi Tel Aviv and was among the stars of South Sudan’s Olympic team. “I want to bring my passion, energy, and hustle to (Bayern Munich),” Gabriel said. “My goals are clear: make the playoffs and reach the Final Four.”
Olimpiacos is nearing an agreement with Kostas Antetokounmpo, reports Sport24 in Greece. The younger brother of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had brief stays with the Mavericks and Lakers, but has mostly played overseas.
Jahlil Okafor has signed with Levanga Hokkaido in Japan for next season, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link). The No. 3 pick in the 2015 draft spent most of last season in the G League, but appeared in one game with the Pacers on a 10-day contract.

Lakers Sign Adou Thiero To Three-Year Contract

July 6th, 2025 at 10:44pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Lakers have signed Adou Thiero to a standard contract, the team confirmed today. in a press release.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), it’s a three-year, $5.95MM deal for Thiero, which means he received the rookie minimum. The deal, signed using the second-round pick exception, is fully guaranteed for two seasons, with a third-year team option.

Thiero was the 36th pick in the 2025 draft and was selected by the Lakers after they traded the 45th pick and cash to the Timberwolves to move up. That agreement was incorporated into the massive seven-team trade that sent Kevin Durant from the Suns to the Rockets.

Thiero spent one year with Arkansas after playing his first two seasons with Kentucky. He averaged 15.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game with the Razorbacks while proving himself to be a high-level, versatile wing defender and an elite athlete. The perimeter jumper is a work in progress, as Thiero holds a career three-point percentage of 28.4%, but he provides the Lakers with some needed defensive depth on the wing in the wake of Dorian Finney-Smith‘s exit.

Thiero will not play with the Lakers during Summer League as he continues his recovery from a knee injury he suffered during the college season, according to Khobi Price of the Orange County Register.

Seven-Team Kevin Durant Trade Officially Finalized

July 6th, 2025 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The seven-team trade that sends star forward Kevin Durant and free agent big man Clint Capela (via sign-and-trade) to Houston is now official, according to press releases from several teams, including the Rockets.

“Having played against Kevin and coached him before, I know he’s the type of competitor who fits with what we’ve been building here in Houston,” head coach Ime Udoka said in a statement. “His skill level, love of basketball, and dedication to his craft have made him one of the most respected players of his generation, and my staff and I are excited to work with him.”

The move sets a new NBA record for most teams involved in a single trade. The terms of the deal are as follows:

Rockets acquire:
- Kevin Durant (from Suns)
- Clint Capela (sign-and-trade; from Hawks)
Suns acquire:
- Jalen Green (from Rockets)
- Dillon Brooks (from Rockets)
- Daeqwon Plowden (from Hawks)
- The draft rights to Khaman Maluach (No. 10 pick; from Rockets)
- The draft rights to Rasheer Fleming (No. 31 pick; from Timberwolves)
- The draft rights to Koby Brea (No. 41 pick; from Warriors)
- Either the Thunder’s, Mavericks’, or Sixers’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is second-most favorable; from Rockets)
Lakers acquire:
- The draft rights to Adou Thiero (No. 36 pick; from Nets)
Warriors acquire:
- The draft rights to Alex Toohey (No. 52 pick; from Suns) and the draft rights to Jahmai Mashack (No. 59 pick; from Rockets)
  - Note: Mashack’s rights will be sent to the Grizzlies in a subsequent trade.
Timberwolves acquire:
- The draft rights to Rocco Zikarsky (No. 45 pick; from Lakers)
- Either the Warriors’ or Nuggets’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable; from Suns)
- Either the Suns’ or Rockets’ 2032 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable; from Suns/Rockets)
  - Note: The Suns, not the Rockets, retain the least favorable of the two picks.
- Cash (from Lakers).
  - Note: $3.25MM, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
Nets acquire:
- Either the Clippers’ 2026 second-round pick or the most favorable of the Celtics’, Pacers’, and Heat’s 2026 second-round picks (whichever is least favorable; from Rockets)
- The Celtics’ 2030 second-round pick (from Rockets)
Hawks acquire:
- David Roddy (from Rockets)
- The right to swap their own 2031 second-round pick for the Rockets’ 2031 second-round pick (56-60 protected; from Rockets)
- Cash (from Rockets)
  - Note: $85,300, per Marks (Twitter link).

Word first broke on Wednesday that the Durant trade was being expanded to be completed as a seven-team deal. For the most part, it was just a matter of folding separate draft-night trade agreements into a single transaction.

In addition to the original Durant blockbuster (story), this transaction incorporates trade agreements between the Suns and Nets (story), Suns and Warriors (story), Suns and Timberwolves (story), and Lakers and Timberwolves (story), as well as the sign-and-trade deal sending Capela from the Hawks to the Rockets (story).

The only two new additions to this deal are Plowden and Roddy, who are both entering the second year of two-way contracts. The addition of Plowden ensures that the Hawks are “touching” a second team besides Houston in the deal. He’s being waived by the Suns, reports Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).

In exchange for sending out Plowden, the Hawks are filling that newly opened two-way slot with Roddy, a former first-round pick who spent more than half of the 2024/25 season in Atlanta on a standard contract.

Attaching the Capela sign-and-trade deal into this transaction has cap-related benefits for the Rockets, who would otherwise have had to send out a separate matching salary in order to sign Capela to his reported three-year, $21MM deal.

However, for the most part, amalgamating all those draft-night deals is just about streamlining the process for several teams, allowing them to take part in (or wait out) fewer trade calls and get their newly acquired rookies under contract sooner.

Lakers Notes: Ayton, Brooks, Robinson, Summer League

July 6th, 2025 at 10:38am CST by Rory Maher

Former Lakers big man and longtime radio analyst Mychal Thompson thinks fellow Bahamian Deandre Ayton will be the “perfect center” for Los Angeles, he tells Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.

Still, Thompson readily acknowledges that Ayton has “underachieved” to this point in his career and says it’s up to the 26-year-old to show he can consistently play at a high level.

“They’re not wrong to say, ‘Show me.’” Thompson said of skeptical fans. “I don’t blame them for saying that because (Ayton has) shown glimpses of how good he can be. He’s an All-Star talent, but he has to do it over an 82-game schedule and do it consistently. So I don’t blame people for being a little skeptical about him. But I have faith in him. I know he’s going to prove to everybody how good he is.”

Here are a few more notes on the Lakers:

In addition to star guard Luka Doncic, assistant coach Scott Brooks is believed to have advocated for the Lakers to sign Ayton, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). Brooks coached Ayton for one season in Portland. Stein also hears that Ayton requested the buyout he agreed to with the Trail Blazers.
The Lakers are hiring Justin Robinson as a player development coach, Duke’s men’s basketball program announced (via Twitter). Robinson spent five seasons at Duke as a player, finishing out his career in 2019/20. The 28-year-old played three professional seasons in Montenegro and Israel before returning to Duke as a coach — his title was director of player development — in November 2023. Lakers head coach JJ Redick is a former Blue Devil, so he’s undoubtedly familiar with Robinson, who is the son of Hall of Famer David Robinson.
Former Laker Cole Swider and ex-Bulls guard DJ Steward were standout performers in the Lakers’ first summer league game on Saturday, a loss to Golden State at the California Classic. Micheel Alharazy of The Los Angeles Times has the story and the quotes.

Western Notes: Nuggets, Lakers, Coward, Queen, Jazz

July 4th, 2025 at 3:15pm CST by Luke Adams

After former Nuggets head coach Michael Malone spent years asking for more veteran depth, Denver’s new top decision-makers – led by general manager Ben Tenzer – have made the sort of moves this offseason that he would’ve appreciated, as Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst write for ESPN.com.

Even with Jonas Valanciunas‘ NBA future up in the air, the Nuggets did well to bring back Bruce Brown and add Tim Hardaway Jr. on minimum-salary deals. Executives around the league also took notice of their decision to part with their lone tradable future first-round pick (2032) and forward Michael Porter Jr. in a deal that netted them Cameron Johnson and took them out of the tax.

“That was a prized asset they gave up,” one general manager told ESPN, referencing the unprotected 2032 pick. “Teams have been eyeing that one to see if they’d actually use it.”

“I know Cam Johnson has some past health issues, but Porter’s back issues and knee issues make this move make sense to me,” another executive said to ESPN. “I think Cam and (Nikola) Jokic will connect on the floor well. They both think the game the same way.”

That last point could be an important one, according to one rival GM: “There is only one person who needs to be impressed with their offseason. That’s Jokic. Sometimes the best trades you make are the ones that engage your superstar. If Jokic is energized by those moves, then it was a great summer.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Within that same ESPN.com story, Bontemps and Windhorst check in on the Lakers, noting that the club has received a handful of inquiries from “eyebrow-raised” teams following Rich Paul‘s cryptic statement accompanying LeBron James‘ opt-in. There’s nothing happening on that front for now, but teams will certainly monitor the situation, according to ESPN’s duo, who add that there was a “small bidding war” early in free agency for forward Jake LaRavia. He ultimately agreed to join the Lakers.
No. 11 overall pick Cedric Coward, whom the Grizzlies traded up to draft, is doubtful to play in Summer League this month, a team spokesperson told Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Coward is still making his way back from a shoulder injury that limited him to just six games at Washington State last season. While the 21-year-old said last week that he feels ready to play, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman told reporters at the time that the rookie wing had only done 1-on-0 work and would need to take part in 5-on-5 drills to be fully cleared.
When the Pelicans faced criticism in the wake of last week’s draft, it was more about giving up a valuable unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up 10 spots from No. 23 to No. 13 than about the player they chose to pick at that spot. But big man Derik Queen is still taking that criticism personally and using it as motivation, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “I don’t think anybody in that class ever is going to be better than me,” Queen said. “I block all the noise out. (Pelicans head of basketball operations) Joe (Dumars) has got a lot of faith in me. Most of these guys (in the draft), I beat in high school. It doesn’t really matter. I know the NBA is a whole different level. Don’t get too big-headed. Don’t get too low. And just beat on them next year when they come in, and make Joe look like a genius.”
Chuck Terrell, who had been working for the Jazz as their vice president of basketball intelligence, has left that position to become the general manager of Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball program, agent Andy Miller tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Scotto’s Latest: Rollins, Hornets, Bucks, Ayton, Valanciunas

July 4th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

After having his qualifying offer withdrawn by the Bucks earlier this week, free agent guard Ryan Rollins is drawing interest from a handful of teams around the NBA, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says the Suns, Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Lakers are among the clubs with Rollins on their radar.

A reunion with Milwaukee also hasn’t been ruled out either, Scotto reports. Even after rescinding his qualifying offer and making him an unrestricted free agent, the Bucks are in position to hang onto Rollins’ Early Bird rights, which would allow them to go over the cap to re-sign him after they use up all their room.

Portland still has its $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception available, while San Antonio and Los Angeles have the $5.1MM bi-annual exception on hand, Scotto writes. However, the Suns could only offer more than a minimum-salary deal if they shed salary — perhaps via a Bradley Beal buyout agreement.

Rollins had a modest breakout year this past season, registering averages of 6.2 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game, along with a shooting line of .487/.408/.800. He had only made 25 appearances across two NBA seasons prior to 2024/25.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Examining the Hornets‘ roster crunch, Scotto identifies Josh Okogie and DaQuan Jeffries – who are on non-guaranteed contracts – as candidates to be waived if no trade opportunities involving them arise. Executives who spoke to HoopsHype also view former first-round pick Nick Smith Jr. as a player who could be traded. That applies to veterans on expiring contracts like Pat Connaughton and Collin Sexton as well.
Before he agreed to re-sign with the Hornets, point guard Tre Mann received interest from the Bucks, Scotto reports. Milwaukee is in the market for additional point guard depth after losing Damian Lillard to an Achilles tear and subsequently planning to waive him.
Echoing reporting from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Scotto says that teams who reached out to Trail Blazers officials for feedback on Deandre Ayton got positive reviews on the big man, who was a “community staple in Portland and hosted many team bonding events.” Reporting from The Athletic had suggested that Ayton’s attitude and bad habits played a part in the decision to part ways with him.
Addressing the Jonas Valanciunas situation, Scotto notes that the Nuggets have tried to acquire the veteran center for the past couple years and have envisioned him playing a significant role if he reports to Denver, giving superstar Nikola Jokic more opportunities to rest. Amid rumors that Valanciunas is traveling to Greece and hopes to sign with the EuroLeague club Panathinaikos, Scotto hears that the 33-year-old is expected to address the situation soon.

Cap Observations: KD Trade, Valanciunas, Kings, H. Gonzalez

July 4th, 2025 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

As we catch our breath on the Fourth of July and await updates on the top remaining free agents - including an intriguing group of restricted free agents and veteran unrestricted free agents like Al Horford, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook - we're taking a look back at a few of the intriguing stories from the past few days.

In the space below, we're exploring what the seven-team Kevin Durant figures to look like, why the Nuggets and Kings are still moving forward with their Jonas Valanciunas/Dario Saric swap amid rumors about Valanciunas wanting to play in Greece, what the rumors about Sacramento's interest in Jonathan Kuminga suggest, and more.

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Pacific Notes: Horford, Warriors, Reaves, Luka, Ayton, Huntley

July 3rd, 2025 at 10:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams around the NBA widely believe that free agent big man Al Horford will end up on the Warriors, Jake Fischer said during on a Bleacher Report stream on Thursday (YouTube link).

Appearing on SportsCenter, ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed that the Warriors are “hopeful” about where they stand in the Horford sweepstakes, but cautioned that a decision may not be imminent and that there’s no guarantee the 39-year-old will continue his playing career.

“I’m told he is reviewing multiple options, including the Warriors, the Lakers, but also retirement,” Charania said, per RealGM. “He is 39 years old. He just finished season 18. I’m told it would be a surprise if he makes a final decision by this weekend. He certainly has earned the right to make a decision at his own time.”

Charania made his comments before the Lakers agreed to bring back free agent center Jaxson Hayes, so it’s unclear whether or not they’re still in play for Horford.

If they do want to add more frontcourt depth, the Lakers could open up a 15-man roster spot by moving off Shake Milton‘s non-guaranteed contract and would have $5.1MM in bi-annual exception money to offer Horford, though there has been chatter linking De’Anthony Melton to that roster spot, as Dan Woike of The Athletic tweets.

Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:

The Warriors are in the market for a veteran big man in large part because long-tenured center Kevon Looney is headed to New Orleans. Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic takes a look back at what Looney meant to Golden State, referring to him as the team’s “backbone.”
Austin Reaves‘ agent, Aaron Reilly, denied a report from John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter video link), who claimed that Reaves and LeBron James don’t like playing with newest Lakers star Luka Doncic. “Austin has nothing but the utmost respect for Luka and truly enjoys playing alongside him,” Reilly said, per Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation (Twitter link). “Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false. He’s excited to be on the court with Luka—both now and in the future.
While Deandre Ayton is getting a second-year player option on his new deal with the Lakers, neither side wants him to exercise it, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, who explains that both Ayton and the Lakers are hoping he far outperforms that the value of that option (in the $8.4MM range) and can command a significant raise in free agency next summer. Team sources are confident the Lakers have the right coaching staff to make it happen, Woike writes, noting that JJ Redick has a reputation for relating to players and assistant Scott Brooks previously worked with Ayton in Portland.
The Suns‘ two-way contract with undrafted rookie forward CJ Huntley will cover two seasons, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Lillard Open To Signing This Offseason, Won’t Rush Decision

July 3rd, 2025 at 8:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Star point guard Damian Lillard is open to signing with a team during the 2025 offseason if the terms and conditions are right, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Lillard has received “ample” interest from teams since word broke that he was being waived by the Bucks for cap reasons while he recovers from a torn Achilles, but he isn’t in a rush to make his decision, Haynes adds.

Technically, Lillard is still a Buck, as the team hasn’t yet placed him on waivers. There has been no rush to do it right away, since most signings and trades can’t be completed until 11:00 am Central time on Sunday, once the July moratorium ends. However, I’d expect the move to happen in the coming days so that Milwaukee has the cap room necessary to complete their deal with Myles Turner sooner rather than later.

Agent Aaron Goodwin put out a statement on Tuesday referring to being waived as an “incredible opportunity” for Lillard, who will continue to be paid the $112.6MM owed to him by the Bucks as he rehabs his Achilles tear and weighs his next move. One report on Tuesday evening indicated that at least 10 teams had already touched base with the nine-time All-Star, with the Celtics, Warriors, and Lakers said to be among them.

While Marc J. Spears of Andscape said during an ESPN appearance that there’s “speculation” about Lillard returning around the 2026 All-Star break, that feels like an aggressive timeline, given that the veteran’s Achilles tear occurred in late April. He’ll turn 35 later this month and it wouldn’t be in his best interest to rush his return from an injury that often costs players a full calendar year.

Spears also stated that Lillard wants to rehab his injury in Portland in order to be close to his family, so even if he were to sign with a new team this offseason, it’s unclear how much time he’d actually spend around that club this fall.

Still, it’s no surprise that a number of teams would be willing to use one of their 15-man roster spots on Lillard in 2025/26 — even if he’s not able to return before the end of the season, that would give the club the opportunity to build a relationship with him ahead of his return to full strength next year.