Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Magic Declining Options On Gary Harris, Cory Joseph

June 16th, 2025 at 9:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Magic are declining their options on the contracts of guards Gary Harris and Cory Joseph for next season, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Harris’ team option is worth $7.5MM, while Joseph’s is equivalent to his minimum salary ($3.47MM).

Neither move comes as a surprise. Harris, 30, had a limited role this season and once again battled injuries. He saw action in just 48 games this season, averaging just 3.0 points in 14.8 minutes.

In previous seasons, Harris was at least a part-time starter. He recently expressed a desire to stay in Orlando, but if he does, it’ll come at a reduced salary.

“I love Orlando,” Harris said earlier in the spring. “My kids love it here. It’s been great to be a part of what we’ve been building here in this city, but you know how the league is. There’s a lot uncertain. You never know what’s going to happen. So all I can do is control what I can, continue to put the work in [and] stay ready for whatever the future may hold. But I definitely love my time here in Orlando, so we’ll see if it continues.”

Joseph, 33, received some unexpected playing time due to injuries. He averaged 3.5 points and 1.4 assists in 12.2 minutes per game, appearing in 50 contests (16 starts).

These moves are a byproduct of the Desmond Bane blockbuster trade with the Grizzlies. Orlando will presumably be looking to stay below the luxury tax line and avoid operating in apron territory — declining these options will assist that cause. Bane has a $36.7MM salary for next season.

Shams: KD Has ‘No Desire’ To Be Traded To Timberwolves

June 16th, 2025 at 5:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Appearing on SportsCenter (YouTube link), ESPN’s Shams Charania said Suns star Kevin Durant has no interest in joining the team that is rumored to be the most aggressive in pursuit of him.

“I’m told Durant has no desire to be in Minnesota with the Timberwolves,” Charania said. “So how does that shape how the Minnesota Timberwolves and other teams that could have interest, that are outside of his preferred list, decide how to move forward with these Durant discussions?”

In an NBA Today appearance that included Charania, Brian Windhorst and Marc J. Spears (YouTube link), Charania indicated the Suns have some interest in Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. Windhorst anticipated that the Timberwolves’ trade offer for Durant could drop if they’re unsure about their ability to sign him to an extension. According to Spears, Durant had the Knicks at the top of his wish list but the Knicks weren’t interested in pursuing him, so the Rockets, Heat and Spurs became his fallback options.

The Suns obviously don’t need Durant’s permission to trade him to the Timberwolves, but mutual respect between Phoenix’s front office and the longtime All-Star could play a role in where he winds up. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) speculates that Durant and his rep may need to strongly discourage a team such as Minnesota from trading for him in order for him to land at a preferred destination.

Windhorst also previously identified the Raptors and Clippers as teams that are “lurking” in the Durant trade saga.

As for the Spurs, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype names Jeremy Sochan, as well as Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson, as players who could be obtained on the trade market. Sochan, who averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists this season, is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. Throwing a 22-year-old player into the mix could sweeten the offer for Durant from San Antonio’s perspective.

Clippers To Hire Monte McNair As Advisor

June 16th, 2025 at 2:42pm CST by Rory Maher

The Clippers plan to hire Monte McNair as an advisor, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

McNair mutually agreed to part ways with the Kings in April, shortly after the team was eliminated from the play-in tournament. He was Sacramento’s general manager for the past five years prior to being replaced by Scott Perry.

The 41-year-old executive is from Oak Park, California, which is approximately 30 miles north of Los Angeles, notes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (via Twitter).

A longtime member of Houston’s front office before he became Sacramento’s top basketball decision-maker, McNair won the NBA’s Executive of the Year award in 2023 after the Kings snapped their 16-year playoff drought. While they won at least 40 games in each of the past two seasons, they were eliminated in the play-in tournament in both instances.

Overall, the Kings had a 195-205 record (.488 winning percentage) during McNair’s tenure.

McNair reportedly interviewed with the Hawks to become their new president of basketball operations. Atlanta has not yet filled that position, but did hire a couple of senior executives to work alongside Onsi Saleh, who was promoted to GM after Landry Fields was fired in April.

Lawrence Frank is the Clippers’ president of basketball operations and has led the team’s front office since 2017.

Windhorst: Timberwolves Most Aggressive In Pursuit Of Kevin Durant

June 16th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have been the team most aggressively pursuing Kevin Durant in trade talks so far, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this morning during an appearance on Get Up (Twitter video link). Windhorst notes that Minnesota made a strong push to acquire Durant from the Suns before the February trade deadline to team him with Anthony Edwards, and that effort has been renewed this offseason.

Windhorst identifies the Raptors and Clippers as teams that are “lurking” in the Durant trade saga, with Toronto offering the ninth pick in this year’s draft along with combinations of players in “multiple different scenarios.”

A list of Durant’s preferred destinations leaked over the weekend, with the Spurs, Rockets and Heat said to be the only teams he would considering signing an extension with. However, Windhorst hears that those three teams “have not made offers that have gotten Phoenix excited.” A report on Sunday indicated that the Suns are more focused on maximizing their return in a Durant trade than sending him someplace he wants to go.

Sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that the Raptors are willing to give up either RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley to upgrade their roster, and several league figures have said they would consider including Jakob Poeltl as well if it means getting Durant in return. Phoenix is reportedly seeking a starting-level center for next season, and the Durant deal might be the best opportunity to acquire one.

Fischer reports that Toronto’s No. 9 selection is being viewed around the league as “perhaps the most likely top-10 pick in the draft to be traded.” He adds that the Raptors would prefer not to move out of the first round completely, so the Suns’ choice at No. 29 could be part of the deal.

Phoenix would love to get Ivica Zubac, Fischer adds, but the Clippers consider him off limits. However, he notes that L.A. has two future first-round picks and some swap rights that it could offer along with Norman Powell, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones.

Fischer doesn’t expect the Grizzlies to get involved in the Durant chase, even though they have a fresh collection of draft assets from Sunday’s Desmond Bane trade. He notes that Memphis was reluctant to pursue Jimmy Butler before the deadline because of fears that he wouldn’t sign an extension, and Durant is probably viewed the same way.

Addressing the Suns’ desire for a center, Fischer states that the team has done background work on Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis in case he’s made available. Fischer also hears that Phoenix would be interested in free agent Myles Turner if he doesn’t re-sign with the Pacers.

Bulls, Heat Linked To Jonathan Kuminga Sign-And-Trades

June 16th, 2025 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls and Heat both have interest in potential sign-and-trade deals for Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Kuminga, who’s eligible for restricted free agency in two weeks, is looking for an “expanded and consistent role” after watching his playing time with Golden State fluctuate throughout the season and the playoffs, Scotto adds.

Scotto notes that the Warriors engaged in trade talks with Chicago regarding center Nikola Vucevic prior to February’s deadline. He now has a $21.48MM expiring contract, and he would provide Golden State with the scoring big man it has been lacking.

Vucevic will turn 35 in October, but he has remained durable and productive, appearing in 73 games this season and averaging 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 31.2 minutes per night. Vucevic also shot 40.2% from three-point range and would appear to be a comfortable fit in Steve Kerr‘s offense.

Scotto states that the 22-year-old Kuminga would be a much better fit than Vucevic for a Bulls team that wants to get younger. He fills an obvious need as an athletic power forward, and he would have a chance to put up big numbers in Billy Donovan‘s up-tempo system.

Scotto describes Kuminga as a “fallback option” for Miami, which is placing a greater priority on Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available while working to acquire Kevin Durant from the Suns. If those pursuits fall through, the Heat could turn their attention to Kuminga as they search for more talent to combine with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.

Kuminga wasn’t able to reach an extension agreement with the Warriors last summer, but he looked ready to be a long-term fixture with the team before suffering a severe right ankle sprain in early January that sidelined him for more than two months. By the time he returned, Golden State had traded for Jimmy Butler, which changed the dynamic of the organization.

Kuminga didn’t play at all in the Warriors’ final game, which they needed to win to avoid the play-in tournament, and he was barely used in the first round of the playoffs, except for a brief stretch when Butler was injured.

Regular playing time has been an ongoing issue for Kuminga, who met with Kerr during the middle of the 2023/24 season to express his frustrations. Scotto notes that Kuminga was involved in trade talks when Golden State had hopes of landing Durant in February, and there’s a sense that he might benefit from a change of teams.

Magic Acquire Desmond Bane From Grizzlies In Three-Player Deal

June 15th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

4:02 pm: The trade is now official, per a Magic press release (Twitter link).

10:14 am: The Grizzlies will trade Desmond Bane to the Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Memphis will receive the 16th selection in this year’s draft, along with a “most favorable” 2026 first-round pick that will likely be Phoenix’s and unprotected first-rounders from Orlando in 2028 and 2030, Charania adds, noting that there’s light protection on the pick swap in 2029 (Twitter link).

Bane provides a potent offensive weapon for a Magic team that often struggled to score. He averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 69 games this season with a .484/.392/.894 shooting line. He’ll be another scoring threat to team with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and should be a good complement to defensive specialist Jalen Suggs in the backcourt as Orlando looks to become a contender in what should be a weakened Eastern Conference.

The 27-year-old guard just completed the first season of a five-year, $197.2MM extension, so Orlando will be getting the security of a long-term contract. Bane will make $36.7MM next season, with that number rising to $44.9MM in the final year of his deal in 2028/29.

Caldwell-Pope wasn’t able to provide the Magic with consistent backcourt scoring after being signed away from Denver last offseason, but Charania notes that he’s a strong defensive wing who’ll bring championship experience to Memphis. Caldwell-Pope, 32, appeared in 77 games this season, averaging 8.7 PPG, his lowest scoring average since his rookie season. He shot 43.9% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range, significantly below the numbers he posted during his two years in Denver.

Caldwell-Pope has two years left on the deal he signed last summer and will earn $21,621,500 in each of the next two seasons.

Anthony has been a productive scorer during his five years in Orlando, but his playing time (18.4 minutes per game) and scoring average (9.4 PPG) both hit career lows this season. The 25-year-old guard will provide Memphis with instant offense off the bench and will make $13.1MM next season with a $13.1 team option for 2026/27.

Cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets that the trade can be processed right away rather than waiting for the moratorium to be lifted on July 6. He adds that the Magic are required to do a 100% salary match because they project to be above the $195.9MM first apron next season. As a result of aggregating salaries, they will be hard-capped at the $207.8MM second apron in 2025/26, but can escape the luxury tax by declining team options on Moritz Wagner ($11MM) and Gary Harris ($7.5MM).

Gozlan also states that Orlando’s combined salary and tax bill could top $350MM in 2026/27 once Banchero’s expected max extension kicks in (Twitter link).

In addition, Gozlan notes that the deal will impact a possible renegotiation and extension for Jaren Jackson Jr. by decreasing the Grizzlies’ available cap space from $6.9MM to $4.5MM. Additional trades may be necessary to free up more money for Jackson.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (via Twitter) that Bane has a 15% trade bonus in his contract, but it will be voided because it would push his salary over the maximum.

Steven Adams Signs Three-Year Extension With Rockets

June 14th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Rory Maher

10:00 pm: The extension is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

1:35 pm: 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.

Spurs, Rockets, Heat On Kevin Durant’s Wish List

June 14th, 2025 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs and Rockets are Kevin Durant‘s preferred trade destinations, league sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic, who provides an overview of the status of trade talks along with Athletic writers Kelly Iko and Jon Krawczynski. Amick cautions that Durant’s desire to play in San Antonio or Houston doesn’t mean he’ll wind up in one of those cities, as there are “complicating factors” with both teams that make deals difficult.

Shams Charania of ESPN shares a similar report, but says Durant is interested in joining the Heat as well as the two Texas teams. He states that “people across the NBA” have been told that those are the three teams Durant would consider signing an extension with. He has one year left on his contract at $54.7MM.

Charania notes that once the trade is complete, Durant will become eligible on July 6 for a two-year contract extension worth up to $122MM. If he waits until six months after the trade becomes official, the extension rises to a potential $124MM over two years.

Sources tell Charania that Durant is being pursued by six to eight “seriously interested teams.” The Suns have informed those teams that they plan to make the best deal for themselves, even if Durant winds up somewhere he doesn’t want to go.

Within the Athletic’s report, Iko notes that the Spurs have a base of young talent, no current cap worries and a wealth of draft assets (13 first-round picks through 2032), putting them in position for a “timeline-altering move” to speed up the building process around Victor Wembanyama. League sources tell Iko that San Antonio remains unwilling to part with the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, which is expected to bring Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, but the Spurs would make the 14th pick available.

Echoing a report earlier today by Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Iko states that Phoenix has been underwhelmed by offers constructed around Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes. Durant’s desire to join the Spurs will factor into the equation, but Iko sounds skeptical that a deal will happen unless their offers improve.

The Rockets are in a similar situation, Iko adds, as a young team that has to decide how badly it wants to disrupt its current timeline to add an aging and expensive player, even one as productive as Durant. He notes that Houston and Phoenix have been engaged in talks regarding Durant for more than a year, but the Suns’ decision to restructure their front office, with Brian Gregory taking over as general manager, have affected those negotiations.

Sources tell Iko that originally Phoenix was determined to regain control of its first-round picks that Houston owns in 2025, 2027 and 2029, and later switched to asking for multiple young players such as Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green. Team and league sources tell Iko that Jabari Smith Jr. has recently become the focus of the Suns’ pursuit. Iko hears that Green wants to stay in Houston and atone for his poor playoff performance and that the Rockets’ front office hasn’t shown much interest in breaking up its young core in pursuit of Durant.

Krawczynski discusses the challenge of bringing Durant’s contract to Minnesota, which is currently above the second apron, just like Phoenix. Wolves sources tell him that the team won’t part with Jaden McDaniels in a Durant trade, which means Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert would have to be included to help match salaries if Minnesota can regain the ability to aggregate by dropping below the second apron. Randle has a $30.9MM player option for next season that he would have to agree to pick up before being included in a deal, while Gobert is under contract for $35MM. Krawczynski notes that either player would be a solid addition alongside Devin Booker and could help the Suns get back into the playoff race.

He adds that another salary, such as Donte DiVincenzo’s $12MM, would have to be included, and Phoenix would probably want one of Minnesota’s young players thrown in, such as Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon or Jaylen Clark.

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 14th, 2025 at 5:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Suns cannot aggregate salaries in trades, they have been exploring ways to move below the second tax apron to ease some of the restrictions they’re currently facing. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), as part of the Kevin Durant trade talks, Phoenix’s front office has larger constructs involving Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in an effort to reduce the team’s payroll.

Dropping below the second apron is believed to be one of Phoenix’s “primary objectives” in a Durant deal, Fischer writes. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Suns are trying to cut costs for financial reasons, they just recognize how difficult it is to operate over that threshold in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Fischer explains.

Sources tell Fischer that Phoenix hopes to acquire “starting-level talent” in exchange for Durant, with “quality draft capital” another desired part of the return package. Fischer hears the Suns have been evaluating first-round prospects “in the belief they will obtain at least one meaningful selection” in the 2025 draft.

While Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the Rockets are one of the teams most seriously engaged with the Suns for Durant, Fischer says Houston is “exceedingly reluctant” to meet Phoenix’s asking price. According to Fischer, the Suns view the Rockets as their ideal trade partner due to their combination of young talent and draft picks — Houston controls Phoenix’s first-rounders in 2025 (No. 10), 2027 and 2029.

Fischer adds that the Rockets’ front office recognizes this advantage and is “believed to be willing to go only so far” in its offer to Phoenix, indicating that the Suns might get more assets elsewhere.

League sources tell Fischer that the Timberwolves and Heat are the teams most frequently talked about as potential destinations for Durant. Fischer adds that the Spurs and Rockets have been cited by league executives as having interest in acquiring Durant, along with the Clippers and Raptors “to a lesser extent.”

Fischer also speculates that Durant would enjoy the idea of returning to Texas — where he played collegiately — either with San Antonio or Houston. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 previously stated that the Texas teams may be atop Durant’s wish list.

That could be an important consideration because Durant holds a $54.7MM expiring contract. Fischer says that front offices are considering whether it’s worth the gamble to trade for Durant with no assurances that he will re-sign after next season.

Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets that there have been discussions between Minnesota and Phoenix regarding Durant, but “nothing is close” right now. Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported on Wednesday that the Heat are interested in dealing for Durant, but “only at the right price.”

Ian Begley of SNY.tv considers it a “long shot” that the Knicks will get involved (Twitter link), echoing other reports from this week. Begley also points out that finding a starting center is among the Suns’ offseason priorities, and trading Durant may be their best opportunity to make that happen.

Fischer considers Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert the best center likely to be available in a Durant deal, but states that it’s difficult to create a workable trade scenario between the Wolves and Suns, who are both operating above the second apron for now. He points out that Minnesota will fall below the second apron if Naz Reid and Julius Randle both decline their player options, and Reid seems almost certain to do so. Otherwise, a trade between the two clubs would likely have to be agreed upon this month but not become official until after the moratorium is lifted in July.

Miami may be more realistic, according to Fischer, who notes that the city was on Durant’s list when he first asked the Nets for a trade. Fischer suggests that Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson are among the players the Heat can send to Phoenix to help match salaries, and they have three first-rounders that can be moved: No. 20 this year, along with their picks in 2030 and 2032.

Sources tell Fischer that Miami was unwilling to part with Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez at the trade deadline, and he speculates that its willingness to include Ware could be a “true swing factor” in a Phoenix deal.

The Spurs and other teams have been reluctant to surrender significant draft capital for Durant, according to Fischer, who reports that the Suns have limited interest in the players San Antonio has offered so far. Fischer states that it’s believed the Spurs are keeping Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft off limits and are only offering players such as Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes.

Arthur Hill contributed to this report.

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.