New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agency Notes: Turner, Lillard, Kuminga, Clarkson, Beasley

July 1st, 2025 at 9:03pm CST by Luke Adams

According to Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required), the Pacers offered up to $95MM over four years for Myles Turner before he agreed to sign with the Bucks. Earlier reporting suggested Indiana didn’t go above roughly $60MM over three years.

Doyel shares that tidbit within a column defending the Pacers and castigating Turner’s camp for referring to Indiana’s “aversion to the tax” in leaks to ESPN, portraying the four-year, $95MM bid as a strong offer. Given the slant of the piece, it’s worth taking the report with a grain of salt.

Even if the Pacers did get up to $95MM, that offer would have come in quite a bit below the $107MM deal Turner is getting in Milwaukee and would also fall well short of the going rate for quality starting centers in recent years — Jarrett Allen and Jakob Poeltl have gotten $30MM and $28MM annually on their most recent extensions, for example. Even Naz Reid, who has been a reserve in recent years, received $25MM per year over the weekend.

Here are a few more notes and rumors related to free agency:

During a TV appearance on ESPN (Twitter video link), Marc J. Spears of Andscape says star point guard Damian Lillard intends to rehab his Achilles tear in Portland to be close to his family, whether or not he signs with a team in the near future. Spears also says that at least 10 clubs – including the Warriors (Twitter link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN) – have touched base with Lillard since word of his release broke, and adds that there’s “speculation” the 34-year-old could be back around the All-Star break. Given that Lillard just sustained the injury in late April, that timeline feels a little aggressive to me, but it sounds like he might aim to make it back before the end of the 2025/26 season.
There’s very little money available on the open market for this summer’s top restricted free agents, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated during a TV appearance (Twitter video link). Windhorst went on to say that it might be in the Warriors‘ and Jonathan Kuminga‘s best interests to work out a deal and possibly revisit the trade market down the road. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter video link) says he hasn’t heard “any traction” about a sign-and-trade deal to the Bulls, who have been rumored as a potential suitor for Kuminga.
As first reported by Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), veteran guard Jordan Clarkson gave up the exact amount of his minimum salary (roughly $3.6MM) when he agreed to a buyout with the Jazz, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. That will reduce his cap hit on Utah’s books from about $14.3MM to roughly $10.7MM, and he’ll make up the difference when he signs his new contract with the Knicks.
In another troubling report on free agent sharpshooter Malik Beasley, who is under federal investigation for gambling allegations, Robert Snell of The Detroit News takes a deep dive into court records that paint a picture of Beasley’s financial issues in recent years. According to Snell, Beasley owed debts to his landlord, barber, and dentist, and pledged his current and future NBA contracts as collateral last August when he signed a deal with a Florida firm for a bridge loan.

Mike Brown Considered Frontrunner For Knicks Job

July 1st, 2025 at 6:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former Cavaliers, Lakers and Kings head coach Mike Brown is considered the favorite to become the Knicks‘ head coach, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

The New York Post reported on Monday that Brown would be the first candidate to receive a second interview. Brown has been in New York for the past two days, according to The Stein Line. They also report that the Knicks have been telling free agents since the market opened on Monday that their lengthy search to replace Tom Thibodeau is nearing an end.

However, Brown still needs a solid endorsement from Knicks owner James Dolan before he’ll get the job.

Taylor Jenkins, Micah Nori and James Borrego are also known to have interviewed for the head coaching position. Jenkins was let go by the Grizzlies late in the regular season. Nori is one of the Timberwolves top assistants, while Borrego is New Orleans’ associate head coach after a stint as the Hornets head coach.

One scenario that the Knicks are considering is hiring Brown as their new head coach and adding Borrego as Brown’s top assistant.

The Stein Line has also hears that Rick Brunson, father of Knicks star Jalen Brunson, is expected to remain part of the Knicks’ coaching staff, as well as some of Thibodeau’s other assistants.

Latest On Knicks’ Head Coaching Search

July 1st, 2025 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

2:29 pm: The Knicks have been telling potential free agent targets that they’re nearing a resolution in their coaching search, per Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

8:54 am: Mike Brown‘s second interview for the Knicks‘ head coaching vacancy will take place on Tuesday, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who reports (via Twitter) that team owner James Dolan will be part of that meeting.

As Begley observes, it’s common for a team’s owner to sit in on interviews during the late stages of a head coaching search, so Dolan’s involvement may suggest the Knicks are getting close to making a decision.

NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link) confirms that the Knicks’ interest in hiring Brown has “intensified,” though Begley cautions that it remains possible that other candidates could come in for second interviews. In particular, the club is considering bringing back Pelicans assistant James Borrego and Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori for second meetings, reports James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

One scenario that has emerged as a possibility, according to Stein, is Borrego joining the Knicks as Brown’s top assistant if the former Kings head coach gets the job. As Begley notes (via Twitter), there would be some hurdles to clear in that scenario, since Borrego is already under contract as the associate head coach in New Orleans.

Outside of Brown, Borrego, and Nori, the only other candidate confirmed to have interviewed for the job was former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. The Knicks haven’t ruled out the possibility of interviewing him a second time, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.

Interestingly, Jeremiah Donati, the athletic director at the University of South Carolina, confirmed that the Knicks reached out to the Gamecocks’ women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley to touch base about their head coaching position, per Talia Goodman of On3 Sports (Twitter link). That development was first reported by Knicks Fan TV (Substack link).

It’s unclear if Staley had a formal interview for the job, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. According to Edwards, she isn’t considered a finalist for the Knicks’ position, even though she “impressed” in their conversation.

Knicks, Guerschon Yabusele Agree To Two-Year Deal

July 1st, 2025 at 10:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks are in agreement on a two-year, $12MM deal with free agent forward/center Guerschon Yabusele, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that the new contract will include a second-year player option.

Based on their cap situation, the Knicks appear set to use their full taxpayer mid-level exception on Yabusele. That would work out to approximately $11.7MM over two seasons.

So far, Yabusele’s second stint in the NBA has gone much better than his first one. The Frenchman struggled to carve out rotation minutes when he became a Celtic at age 22 in 2017 after being drafted 16th overall a year earlier.

However, he was a revelation on a minimum-salary contract with the Sixers in 2024/25, averaging 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per game, with a .501/.380/.725 shooting line.

Yabusele has the size to match up with big men in the post and the athleticism to switch onto perimeter players, making him a valuable member of any frontcourt rotation. He’ll give the Knicks another option up front to supplement Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, likely sliding into the spot previously held by Precious Achiuwa, who is currently a free agent.

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), the Nuggets were New York’s top competition for Yabusele, with San Antonio and Milwaukee among the other clubs who expressed interest. The 29-year-old was the No. 22 free agent on our top-50 list.

Now that they’ve committed their taxpayer mid-level exception to Yabusele, the Knicks will be limited to minimum-salary signings (or trades) to fill out their roster.

Free Agency Rumors: Monk, Pistons, Westbrook, Yabusele, Clippers

June 30th, 2025 at 10:24pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Pistons may be pursuing a trade for Kings guard Malik Monk, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (via Twitter). Dennis Schröder is expected to sign with Sacramento and could get there via a sign-and-trade deal that sends Monk to Detroit.

With Schröder expected to join the Kings and Malik Beasley‘s NBA future up in the air due to a gambling-related investigation, the Pistons have been scouring the trade and free agency markets for ball-handling, scoring, and shooting. The club already agreed to sign Caris LeVert and also has interest in free agent sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, as Fischer confirms (Twitter link).

Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal reports (via Twitter) that the Kings have been shopping Monk in the hopes of finding point guard help, and previously had an offer to the Hawks for Kobe Bufkin and Georges Niang, which Atlanta declined.

We have more free agent rumors from around the league:

The Knicks are unlikely to pursue Russell Westbrook with one of their remaining guard spots, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post (via Twitter). It had previously been reported that there was mutual interest between the two sides, but with Jordan Clarkson set to sign with New York after clearing waivers, the pathway to playing time for Westbrook would be limited.
Sixers big man Guerschon Yabusele appears increasingly unlikely to remain in Philadelphia, reports Tony Jones of the Athletic (via Twitter). The skilled French forward had a strong season in his return to the NBA after six years in the EuroLeague. He is expected to be pursued by the Spurs, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link), while Jones adds (via Twitter) that the Nuggets are another team to keep an eye on.
Jones also reports (via Twitter) that the Sixers have been trying to trade center Andre Drummond and his $5MM expiring salary, though it’s unclear whether that would change the team’s outlook for Yabusele.
Neither Amir Coffey nor Ben Simmons seems likely to return to the Clippers, according to Law Murray of The Athletic, who suggests they could probably get better offers elsewhere. Simmons is seeking a deal worth more than the veteran’s minimum, Murray notes.

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.

Jordan Clarkson To Sign With Knicks

June 30th, 2025 at 8:51pm CST by Eli Cohen

Jordan Clarkson will sign with the Knicks after he clears waivers, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (via Twitter).

The Knicks had been expected to target Clarkson since news broke that he would be waived by the Jazz, writes Steve Popper of Newsday Sports (Twitter link). The veteran guard agreed to a buyout with Utah and was officially waived earlier today.

Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link) confirms Popper’s report, saying that Clarkson had been considered a priority signing for the Knicks. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported (via Twitter) that the deal would likely be for the veteran’s minimum, around $3.6MM.

Clarkson averaged 16.2 points and 3.7 assists per game for the Jazz last season while shooting 36.2% from three. He played a career-low 37 games, with his season impacted both by injuries and by Utah’s tanking efforts.

The 2021 Sixth Man of the Year has been in Utah for over five years, with his best statistical season occurring in 2022/23, when he averaged 20.8 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per contest. While he holds a career average of 2.9 assists per game, he became a better play-maker with the Jazz, whose point guard rotation was up-and-down during his tenure. He has averaged 4.5 assists to 2.7 turnovers over his last three seasons.

Clarkson brings a much-needed dose of ball-handling off the bench to the Knicks, whose reliance on star point guard Jalen Brunson at times left the team vulnerable to intense ball-pressure. A capable shot-creator, Clarkson will pair with fifth-year guard Miles McBride to firm up the Knicks’ depth as they look to build on last year’s Eastern Conference Finals run.

Pre-FA Rumors: LeBron, Ayton, Knicks, Kennard, Rozier

June 30th, 2025 at 4:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite the fact that Rich Paul‘s statement accompanying LeBron James‘ opt-in on Sunday raised eyebrows around the NBA, that doesn’t mean that there are any active trade talks involving the Lakers star, NBA insider Chris Haynes said during an appearance on NBA TV (Twitter video link).

“(Paul) told me there have been no trade discussions, there have been no trade talks with the Lakers,” Haynes said. “People have been speculating on certain teams that he might be interested in. I’m told all that talk is false. There has been no trade talks.

“… He clearly opted in and he wants to win. He believes the Lakers have what it takes to maximize Luka (Doncic)‘s timeline, but also maximize and prioritize his timeline.”

While trade speculation has run rampant since Paul asserted that James will be closely monitoring the Lakers’ offseason moves, it hasn’t been uncommon over the years for LeBron to publicly or privately put pressure on his teams to upgrade their respective rosters — he never requested a trade in any of those instances. This may simply be a case of him making sure Los Angeles does all it can to build a roster capable of contending in what could be James’ final NBA season.

With free agency set to officially open at the top of the hour, here are a few rumors – about free agents and other topics – from around the NBA:

During his NBA TV spot (Twitter video link), Haynes also said that there’s a “strong possibility” of Deandre Ayton joining the Lakers in free agency. The former No. 1 overall pick gave up $10MM in his buyout agreement with the Trail Blazers, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
After previous reports indicated that Russell Westbrook and Jordan Clarkson are expected to be among the guards on the Knicks‘ radar in free agency, Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) says the team’s interest in Westbrook is mutual, while Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link) says the same of Clarkson.
In addition to confirming several previously reported teams who have interest in sharpshooter Luke Kennard – including Denver, Atlanta, Houston, and New York – Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) adds the Clippers, Trail Blazers, and Pistons to the list of suitors for the 29-year-old. Scotto also reiterates, as he reported earlier, that Kennard isn’t expected to return to Memphis.
During a discussion on The Pat McAfee Show about the federal probe into Malik Beasley for gambling allegations, ESPN’s Shams Charania suggested that Heat guard Terry Rozier may be out of the woods in regard to a similar investigation into him. “Terry Rozier, as of right now, has been cleared,” Charania said. “… There’s really nothing active, as of right now, with him.” Since Charania mentioned this in passing rather than explicitly reporting it, I’m not sure it should be considered concrete news, but it sounds like a promising development for Rozier.

Mike Brown Getting Second Interview For Knicks Head Coaching Job

June 30th, 2025 at 4:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks, who are still looking to fill their head coaching position, are bringing back Mike Brown for a second interview, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reports. He’s the first candidate to get a follow-up interview but there could be more, Bondy adds.

He’s considered a “strong candidate” to get the job, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), who confirms that Brown is receiving a second interview.

Taylor Jenkins, Micah Nori and James Borrego are also known to have interviewed for the head coaching position. Jenkins was let go by the Grizzlies late in the regular season. Nori is one of the Timberwolves top assistants, while Borrego is New Orleans’ associate head coach after a stint as the Hornets head coach.

Brown, who was fired by the Kings this past season, has been a head coach as far back as 2005, when Cleveland hired him. He had two head coaching stints with the Cavaliers, sandwiching a season with the Lakers. Brown was one of Steve Kerr’s top assistants with Golden State from 2016-22 before Sacramento hired him as its head coach.

The Kings had a 13-18 record when Brown was dismissed but the move didn’t produce the desired result, as Sacramento finished with a 40-42 mark.

The Knicks were rebuffed by numerous teams to interview their current coaches after they fired Tom Thibodeau despite reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.

Brown reportedly has a close relationship with Knicks executive William Wesley, Bondy notes.

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.