Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Steven Adams To Sign Three-Year Extension With Rockets

June 14th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Rory Maher

The Rockets and Steven Adams have agreed to a contract extension, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports that the veteran center will receive a three-year, $39MM deal.

Adams’ extension is fully guaranteed, sources tell Charania, and does not feature a player or team option, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). The big man from New Zealand earned $12.6MM this past season.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link), Adams was extension-eligible until June 30, the last day of the current league year.

Adams, who turns 32 years old next month, missed about half of the 2022/23 season with a knee injury. That same injury, which eventually required surgery, kept him on the shelf for the entire ’23/24 campaign. After a 21-month absence, he returned to action in late October.

The Rockets brought Adams along slowly to open ’24/25, frequently giving him extra rest days and limiting his playing time. He wound up making 58 regular season appearances and averaging a career-low 13.7 minutes per game.

While his production looked fairly modest on the surface — he averaged 3.9 points and 5.6 rebounds — Adams quietly posted the best offensive rebounding percentage of his career. His +9.4 net rating during the regular season and +14.1 mark in the postseason were both team highs, making him a key reserve for Houston.

GM Rafael Stone said retaining Adams would be a high priority this offseason, and subsequent reporting confirmed as much. Instead of becoming an unrestricted free agent, he opted to remain with the Rockets.

While there has been no indication that Houston is interested in trading Adams, it’s worth noting that, depending on the structure of the deal, he may remain trade-eligible after signing his new extension (assuming his annual raises don’t exceed 5%). Had he re-signed with the team as a free agent, he would not have been trade-eligible until December 15.

Suns Engaged In KD Trade Talks With Rockets, Heat, Wolves

June 13th, 2025 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

With trade negotiations heating up ahead of the June 25 draft, the Rockets, Heat, and Timberwolves have been the teams most seriously engaged with the Suns in recent days about a potential deal for Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Shams Charania said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday (Twitter video link).

“(The Suns have) had about six to eight teams reach out,” Charania said. “There’s been interest, there’s been some offers, there’s been some negotiations. But really in the last 24 to 48 hours, I’m told, the focus of the Suns’ conversations has been on a few of the teams: the Houston Rockets, the Miami Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. I’m told those are the three teams right now where a lot of the focus for Durant lies.”

When Charania reported earlier this week that the Suns, Durant, and KD’s business partner and manager Rich Kleiman were sifting through potential trade scenarios, he mentioned those three clubs, along with the Knicks and Spurs, as possibilities for the superstar forward.

Since then, multiple reports from beat writers covering the Knicks have indicated New York isn’t pursuing Durant, while a report on Thursday suggested there’s growing skepticism about San Antonio acquiring the former MVP.

That doesn’t mean that Houston, Miami, and Minnesota are the only suitors still in the mix, however.

When John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (YouTube link) discussed the situation during a radio appearance on Thursday, he said he’s also keeping an eye on the Spurs, Raptors, and Clippers in addition to the Rockets, Heat, and Timberwolves, adding that there may be a couple other wild-card teams in play too. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst also mentioned the Clippers today as a possible Durant suitor.

Gambadoro also mentioned that he believes Durant prefers to end up with one of the Texas teams – San Antonio and Houston – though that sounds more like informed speculation than hard reporting.

Interestingly, both Charania and Gambadoro believe a trade could be consummated well in advance of the draft. Gambadoro said during Thursday’s Burns & Gambo show that he’s predicting a deal will occur at some point next week. Asked on Friday on McAfee’s show about that report, Charania concurred.

“You said a week. I think it could be even sooner than that,” Charania said. “I think there’s some motivation with some teams. Potentially even sooner than seven days. Maybe in the next few days we could get some Kevin Durant trade action.”

As Kurt Helin of NBC Sports points out, commissioner Adam Silver and the league office have typically discouraged teams from making (or at least leaking) mid-June blockbuster trades that would upstage the NBA Finals, so even though there appears to be traction on the Durant front, that’s a factor to consider when projecting a timeline for an agreement.

The NBA Finals could end on Monday at the earliest, with a potential Game 6 scheduled for Thursday (June 19) and Game 7 to be played next Sunday (June 22), if necessary.

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook To Opt Out Of Contract

June 13th, 2025 at 8:38am CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets point guard Russell Westbrook won’t exercise his $3.47MM player option for the 2025/26 season, league sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

Declining that option will put Westbrook on track to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He would have the opportunity at that time to either re-sign with Denver or join a new team.

Westbrook, 36, played a significant role for the Nuggets after signing with the team as a free agent during the 2024 offseason. He averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 27.9 minutes per game across 75 appearances (36 starts) during the regular season, with a .449/.323/.661 shooting line. He also contributed 11.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, and 3.7 RPG in 13 playoff contests (24.1 MPG).

A former MVP and a nine-time All-Star, Westbrook is a polarizing player for a future Hall of Famer. He was lauded by coaches and teammates in Denver this past season for his energy, competitiveness, and leadership, and remains an excellent play-maker and an elite rebounder at his position. However, he’s also an inefficient scorer whose high-energy style often results in out-of-control plays and a high turnover rate.

Despite his flaws, Westbrook has been a great value on minimum-salary contracts in recent years after earning the maximum for much of his playing career. Since being bought out by the Jazz in 2023, he has opted for situations with the Clippers and Nuggets where he can play a major role on a team with championship aspirations. If money were more of a priority, Westbrook could likely have done better than the veteran’s minimum on the open market over the last couple seasons.

His decision to decline his option doesn’t come as a major surprise, since his $3,468,960 option was based on a 5% raise on this past season’s minimum salary. With the salary cap expected to rise by 10%, Westbrook’s new minimum projects to be $3,634,153, so even if he wants to remain with the Nuggets, opting out to sign a new contract makes sense.

It’s also worth noting that if Westbrook signs a one-year minimum-salary deal with Denver or another team, his cap hit for 2025/26 would be just $2,296,274. If he signs another one-plus-one contract that includes a second-year option, his cap charge would be equivalent to his actual salary, whether or not he earns the minimum.

Westbrook is currently recovering from a procedure to repair multiple ligament tears in his right hand.

Dorian Finney-Smith Undergoes Left Ankle Surgery

June 12th, 2025 at 2:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who holds a $15.4MM player option for next season, recently underwent surgery to deal with a “lingering” left ankle injury and is expected to be ready for training camp in the fall, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

According to McMenamin, Finney-Smith has been bothered by his left ankle for “several seasons,” but the 32-year-old was determined to play through the injury. The procedure will give him the ability to play without pain.

As McMenamin writes, Finney-Smith missed a total of 20 games last season related to issues with the ankle, including eight after being traded from Brooklyn to Los Angeles at the end of December.

While his counting stats — including 7.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 28.8 minutes per game — with the Lakers were fairly modest, Finney-Smith shot 39.8% from long distance and provided the sort of versatile defense and toughness the team had long been seeking.

As our Luke Adams mentioned in his Offseason Preview, the Lakers were far better when the three-and-D forward was on the court, and went 29-14 in games he played during the regular season, McMenamin notes.

Kings Rumored To Have Interest In Holiday, Smart, Brogdon

June 12th, 2025 at 1:30pm CST by Rory Maher

As the Kings continue to explore pathways to improve their backcourt, Jrue Holiday of the Celtics, Marcus Smart of the Wizards, and impending free agent Malcolm Brogdon are among the players Sacramento is believed to be interested in, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

The Kings have consistently come up as a suitor for point guards, having previously been linked to Tyus Jones and Cavaliers All-Star Darius Garland. Jones is another impending free agent, while Garland is on a maximum-salary contract with Cleveland for three more years.

Although Holiday, Smart and Brogdon are all capable of bringing the ball up the court and initiating an offense, they profile more as combo guards than traditional table-setters. Holiday has three years and $104.4MM left on his contract, while Smart is entering the final year of his deal, which will pay him $21.6MM in 2025/26.

According to Fischer, the Kings have also been looking at moving into the first round of the draft, and have “expressed confidence to various agents” that they could acquire a selection “as high as the early 20s.” Sacramento currently only controls one pick, a second-rounder at No. 42 overall.

For what it’s worth, any Kings offer for Holiday would likely have to include either DeMar DeRozan or Malik Monk for salary-matching purposes as the Celtics look to reduce their payroll and luxury tax bill in ’25/26.

Sixers Have Talked To Spurs About No. 2 Pick

June 12th, 2025 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers have engaged in discussions with the Spurs about the possibility of moving up in the draft from No. 3 to No. 2, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

With Cooper Flagg viewed as a lock to be the first player drafted on June 25, Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper is widely considered the second-best prospect in this year’s class, making him the heavy favorite to be the No. 2 pick. However, it’s unclear how enthusiastic San Antonio is about the idea of adding Harper to a backcourt that already features former All-Star De’Aaron Fox and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle.

The Sixers have no shortage of talent at guard either, with Tyrese Maxey locked up to a long-term deal and Jared McCain making a strong first impression last season before a knee injury prematurely ended his rookie year. But Maxey and McCain are more reliable outside shooters than Fox and Castle, which should make them better suited to operate alongside another ball-handler.

If the Sixers do end up staying at No. 3, they’re zeroing in on four potential candidates for that pick, according to Scotto. A Wednesday report indicated that guard V.J. Edgecombe has made a strong case for consideration at No. 3, while forward Ace Bailey is also scheduled to make a pre-draft visit to Philadelphia for a private workout, so it seems safe to assume those are two of the four prospects in the mix.

A trade down has also been rumored as an option for the 76ers, though the team reportedly wants to add young talent to its roster and therefore isn’t looking to trade out of the first round entirely.

In addition to the No. 3 overall pick, Philadelphia holds the No. 35 selection in 2025. The club has traded away its own 2026 and 2028 first-rounders, but holds other future draft assets it could dangle in an effort to move up to No. 2, including the Clippers’ 2028 first-round pick, swap rights with the Clippers in 2029, their own first-rounders in 2030 and 2032, and an excess of second-rounders.

Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown Reportedly Among Knicks’ Coaching Candidates

June 12th, 2025 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have reportedly been denied permission to speak to five head coaches currently employed by NBA teams, but their search for Tom Thibodeau‘s replacement isn’t entirely focused on candidates who already have head coaching jobs. Former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and former Kings coach Mike Brown are also said to be on New York’s radar.

Sam Amick of The Athletic cited league sources who say there’s an “increased Knicks focus” on Jenkins and Brown, while Stefan Bondy of The New York Post‘s list of potential candidates (subscription required), based on intel he has gathered, includes a “top contenders” tier that consists solely of Jenkins and Brown.

Jenkins, who was the head coach in Memphis from 2019-25, compiled a 250-214 (.539) record during that time and led the club to three playoff appearances — ’24/25 would have been a fourth, but he was fired with nine games left in the regular season.

Although Jenkins’ career postseason record of 9-14 is underwhelming and the Grizzlies were disappointed by his results this season, it’s worth noting that his ouster didn’t exactly jump-start this year’s team. The Grizzlies finished the regular season by going 4-5 under Tuomas Iisalo, then were swept out of the first round by Oklahoma City.

Brown, meanwhile, was dismissed by the Kings midway through the 2024/25 season after guiding the team to a 107-88 (.549) mark across two-and-a-half seasons, with one playoff appearance and one play-in exit. Brown, who also previously coached the Cavaliers and Lakers, earned Coach of the Year honors in 2009 and 2023.

As Amick observes, Brown interviewed for the Knicks’ head coaching position in 2020 before Thibodeau was hired, and league sources tell The Athletic he left a “very strong impression” on the club.

Here’s more on the Knicks and their head coaching vacancy:

After originally reporting that Michael Malone isn’t a candidate for the Knicks’ job, Bondy says it’s now not out of the question that the former Nuggets coach could get an interview. However, Malone remains a “long-shot” option, according to Bondy.
Although the Mavericks declined the Knicks’ request to speak to Jason Kidd, Bondy agrees with Newsday’s Steve Popper, who said on Wednesday that Dallas’ denial doesn’t necessarily spell the end of New York’s pursuit of Kidd. As Bondy explains, Kidd is believed to be seeking a contract extension from the Mavs — if he doesn’t get that new deal and New York is willing to offer him a long-term contract, Kidd could make things uncomfortable for his current team. Still, Bondy acknowledges there’s probably only a “small” chance of the situation playing out that way. One league source he spoke to was adamant that the Mavs won’t let Kidd go.
In a separate column for the Post, Bondy suggests Thibodeau’s dismissal was more about relationships than results and questions the statement put out by Leon Rose in which the Knicks’ president of basketball operations said the change was necessary because the team is “singularly focused on winning a championship.” No one in the organization, Bondy argues, was more “singularly focused on winning” than Thibodeau.

Brandin Podziemski Undergoes Core Muscle Surgery

June 12th, 2025 at 7:28am CST by Luke Adams

Brandin Podziemski underwent a second offseason procedure this week, according to the Warriors, who announced in a press release that the guard had surgery on Tuesday to repair a core muscle injury.

Podziemski had undergone left wrist debridement surgery two weeks earlier. Golden State indicated at the time that he was expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of training camp. The team repeated that message in the wake of his latest procedure.

Podziemski averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 26.8 minutes per game across 64 regular season outings during his second NBA season in 2024/25.

Although the 22-year-old posted a solid shooting line of .445/.372/.758 in the regular season, he struggled with his shot in the playoffs, making only 36.4% of his attempts from the floor, including 32.8% of his three-point tries.

Podziemski’s wrist and core issues may have played a part in that postseason drop-off, though it sounds like he was probably dealing with the latter for much of the season. He missed 12 consecutive games in December and January due to what the team referred to at the time as a right abdominal injury.

The Warriors guard will earn a salary of roughly $3.7MM next season, with a decision due on his 2026/27 team option (worth $5.7MM) by the end of October. Assuming that option is exercised, which looks like a lock, he’ll become eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2026 offseason.

P.J. Tucker Announces He’s Not Retiring

June 11th, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

P.J. Tucker barely played after joining the Knicks in March, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready for retirement. The 40-year-old forward announced in an Instagram story on Wednesday that he plans to continue his career (Twitter link from New York Basketball).

Tucker blasted “uncredited sources” who apparently have been reporting that he’s about to retire and stated that he had to interrupt his vacation to “set the record straight.”

“Never have (I) mentioned retirement or even given any indication that may be a thing,” Tucker wrote. “I’m 40 years young 100% healthy, able, and will continue playing the game I’ve dedicated my life to… HOOPIN!!!!!!”

Tucker began this season with the Clippers after picking up an $11.54MM player option, but he reached an agreement to stay away from the team while his agent and team officials worked to find a trade.

Nothing happened until February 1 when he was sent to Utah as part of a four-player deal. He was moved to Toronto five days later in the five-team Jimmy Butler trade and remained inactive with the Raptors until they waived him at the end of February.

Tucker signed a 10-day contract with New York on March 10 and another one on March 20. Even though he only made one brief game appearance during that time, he was signed to a standard contract because Knicks officials liked the influence he had in the locker room.

Tucker wound up getting into three games during the regular season, averaging 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per night. He made one four-minute appearance during the playoffs.

The Knicks hold a $3.5MM team option on Tucker for next season that must be exercised by June 29. Even if they pick it up, Tucker’s contract won’t become guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date of January 10, 2026.

V.J. Edgecombe Making Strong Case For No. 3 Pick

June 11th, 2025 at 8:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

With the first night of the draft two weeks away, V.J. Edgecombe appears to be in good position to be selected with the third pick, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

Sources tell Fischer that the Baylor guard impressed Sixers officials with his “work ethic, personality and interviews” during a visit to Philadelphia last week. He went to dinner with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and other team executives, and star guard Tyrese Maxey flew in to meet with Edgecombe.

Fischer states that the Sixers view Edgecombe as a strong defensive complement to Maxey in their backcourt. He also brings obvious offensive skills after scoring 15.0 points per game and shooting 34% from three-point range during his freshman season with the Bears.

Sources tell Fischer that the Philadelphia workout is believed to be the only one Edgecombe has conducted so far. He adds that some teams believe it will be Edgecombe’s only pre-draft visit, although he could change his mind as the draft gets closer.

Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, who has been linked to the Sixers in several mock drafts, is also scheduling a private workout in Philadelphia, Fischer tweets.

If Edgecombe isn’t taken at No. 3, rival teams believe the Hornets will grab him with the fourth pick or offer the selection to teams looking to move up in the draft, sources tell Fischer.

Fischer identifies the Wizards as a team to watch in a trade-up scenario for Edgecombe, noting that with picks No. 6 and 18, Washington has the assets to swing a deal with either Philadelphia or Charlotte.