Western FA Rumors: D-Lo, Lakers, H. Jones, Suns, Warriors
There are “strong” indications that the Lakers are trending toward a new two-year deal with free agent point guard D’Angelo Russell, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. According to Fischer, that two-year contract could be worth in the neighborhood of $40MM in total, though the second season may be a team option or non-guaranteed.
While the Lakers have interest in re-signing both Dennis Schröder and Lonnie Walker, it’s unclear which one the club is prioritizing, Fischer writes. Schröder will likely require a raise that exceeds the Non-Bird exception, so if Los Angeles uses its mid-level exception on an outside free agent, the team may have to allot its bi-annual exception to him, Fischer explains. In that scenario, it’s unclear whether the team would have enough room to re-sign Walker to a market-value deal as well while remaining below a hard cap.
Another potential path would see L.A. splits its mid-level between Schröder and a frontcourt player such as Mason Plumlee, sources tell Yahoo Sports. If Schröder doesn’t end up back with the Lakers, a reunion with Bulls coach Billy Donovan in Chicago is possible, Fischer writes. Donovan previously coached the point guard in Oklahoma City.
Finally, Fischer is one of a handful of reporters who have linked free agent forward Cam Reddish to Los Angeles. The Lakers were said to have some trade interest in Reddish – a Klutch Sports client – during each of the past two seasons. He’d be a minimum-salary target, Fischer notes.
Here are a few more free agency rumors from around the Western Conference:
- Two forwards who had their team options declined by the Pelicans on Thursday figure to take very different paths this summer. According to Fischer, Herbert Jones will likely end up back in New Orleans on a four-year deal worth a little more than $50MM, which would presumably be his Early Bird maximum. Willy Hernangomez, on the other hand, is considered a good bet to accept a lucrative offer from a EuroLeague team rather than seeking another minimum-salary NBA deal, Fischer reports.
- The Suns intend to bring back several of their own free agents, including Torrey Craig, Damion Lee, Jock Landale, and Josh Okogie, according to Fischer, who says agent big man Drew Eubanks is another strong candidate to end up in Phoenix. Fischer is also the latest reporter to link Yuta Watanabe and Mike James to the Suns.
- The Lakers and Warriors are among the teams eyeing free agent guard Shake Milton, per Fischer. Free agent forward Dario Saric has also received “strong” interest from Golden State, sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Coby White Likely To Re-Sign With Bulls
Restricted free agent Coby White is considered likely to re-sign with the Bulls on a three-year deal, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports. The contract is expected to be worth more than $30MM, according to Fischer.
Chicago made White a restricted free agent by extending him a $7,744,600 qualifying offer on Wednesday.
White is entering his fifth season in the NBA after being drafted by the Bulls with the No. 7 overall pick in 2019. While he hasn’t lived up to his draft status, White has been a regular part of the Bulls’ rotation in his four pro seasons.
White saw action in a career-high 74 games (two starts) last season. He averaged a career-low 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 23.4 minutes per game. Overall, he’s appeared in 269 career regular-season games, averaging 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
The combo guard figures to retain at least a second-unit spot, given Lonzo Ball‘s ongoing knee issues. The Bulls are interested in re-signing unrestricted free agent Patrick Beverley, who jumped into the starting lineup after being signed on the buyout market last season.
However, Beverley has another potential suitor in the Celtics, according to Fischer. Boston traded away Marcus Smart to Memphis in the Kristaps Porzingis three-team blockbuster and the Clippers have reportedly shown renewed interest in Malcolm Brogdon.
Beverley joined the Bulls last season after he was bought out by Orlando and started 22 games. He was dealt by the Lakers in a four-team swap at the trade deadline.
Trade Rumors: Harden, Bulls, Zubac, Brogdon, Osman, Morris
There’s no urgency for the Sixers to complete a James Harden trade, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Friday in an appearance on “Get Up” (video link). Even though Harden has asked to be dealt and seems to prefer the Clippers, Wojnarowski notes that the track record of president of basketball operations Daryl Morey suggests he’ll explore all available possibilities before committing to a deal.
“You may let free agency settle,” Wojnarowski said, “see where players land, see where needs arise for different teams that might not be interested today but could be in a few days. I don’t anticipate necessarily that this is going to be quick because it doesn’t have to.”
Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times also hears that a Harden trade may not happen right away. He cites league sources who said they’ll be watching how patient the Sixers decide to be and what they’ll be seeking in return. Greif names Terance Mann as a player the Clippers might be reluctant to include in a Harden deal.
There are more trade rumors to pass along:
- The Bulls may be an option for Harden, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Chicago has already explored trade scenarios regarding Zach LaVine and might be willing to part with DeMar DeRozan to acquire Harden. Fischer also cautions that Morey has a lot of options to consider before deciding how to handle Harden’s trade request.
- The Clippers, who would like to re-sign Mason Plumlee have let teams know that Ivica Zubac is available in a trade, Fischer adds. L.A. may also have interest in acquiring P.J. Tucker in a Harden deal, as Fischer notes that the Clippers previously reached out to him when he was a free agent.
- The Clippers pulled out of an original version of the three-team Kristaps Porzingis trade because of medical concerns regarding Malcolm Brogdon, but they recently contacted the Celtics about Brogdon again, according to Fischer. L.A. was also willing to offer Norman Powell to the Wizards for Chris Paul before the Warriors landed him in exchange for Jordan Poole, Fischer states.
- Fischer hears that the Cavaliers are engaged in trade talks regarding Cedi Osman and offered him to the Nets in a deal for Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O’Neale.
- Numerous teams have reached out to the Wizards about point guard Monte Morris, Fischer adds. The Timberwolves, Bulls, Pelicans, Jazz and Nets are all considered possibilities for Morris, and Fischer believes the Heat could be added to the list if they lose Gabe Vincent in free agency.
Jazz In Extension Talks With Jordan Clarkson
Jordan Clarkson is discussing a three-year extension with the Jazz, sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link). The new deal could pay him close to $18MM per year, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
On Thursday, Clarkson chose to bypass free agency by picking up his $14.26MM player option for next season. That made him immediately eligible for an extension, which will be worth more once the new CBA takes effect on Saturday and allows veterans to receive 140% of their current salary in the first year of an extension rather than the current 120%.
Utah could also use some of its projected cap room to give Clarkson a higher base salary in the first year of the deal.
The 31-year-old guard set career highs in several categories this season, averaging 20.8 points, 4.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 61 games. He has been with the Jazz since being acquired from Cleveland in 2019.
Magic Guarantee 2023/24 Salaries For Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris
The Magic have decided to retain point guard Markelle Fultz and veteran wing Gary Harris through their respective salary guarantee dates, reports Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required).
Fultz’s $17MM salary for 2023/24 had only been partially guaranteed for $2MM, while Harris’ $13MM cap hit was non-guaranteed. The Magic had to waive the two players today to avoid fully guaranteeing their ’23/24 salaries, but have apparently opted not to do so.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Fultz started all 60 games he played for the Magic in 2022/23 after being limited to just 26 total appearances across the two prior seasons due to an ACL tear. Fultz enjoyed his best NBA season this past year, establishing new career highs in points (14.0), assists (5.7), and rebounds (3.9) per game while also shooting a career-best 51.4% from the field, including 31.0% on threes.
Harris, meanwhile, appeared in 48 games for Orlando last season, starting 42 of them and averaging 24.7 minutes per night. The 28-year-old made a career-high 43.1% of his three-point attempts, providing some much-needed floor spacing for a Magic team that ranked 25th in the NBA in three-pointers.
With Fultz and Harris on the books for next season, Orlando’s cap flexibility will be reduced. However, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Magic isn’t planning to be a major player on the free agent market anyway.
It sounds like the team will focus on lower-cost free agents rather than trying to make a significant splash. Fischer hears from sources that veteran forward Joe Ingles is one candidate to sign with the Magic on a contract worth more than the minimum.
Pacers May Offer Bruce Brown More Than $20MM Per Year
The Pacers may be prepared to offer Nuggets free agent Bruce Brown a contract worth more than $20MM per season, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Brown has become one of the hottest names on the free agent market, and several teams are hoping to land him with the $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Brown has reportedly scheduled meetings with five teams — the Knicks, Rockets, Mavericks and Lakers as well as Indiana. The Cavaliers and Timberwolves also consider Brown their top target, according to Fischer.
The Pacers have roughly $30MM in cap room, so signing Brown would account for most of that and would take them out of the running for other free agents, such as Heat shooting guard Max Strus.
Returning to Denver is also in play for Brown, according to Fischer, although the Nuggets can only pay him $7.8MM next season. Brown would be eligible to earn more than $50MM over four years from Denver next summer, which is still well short of the Pacers’ reported offer.
2023 NBA Free Agency Primer
The NBA’s 2023 free agency period officially begins on Friday at 5:00 pm central time. At that point, we can expect news of contract agreements to start pouring in, continuing well into the night.
By our count, 38 free agents agreed to deals on day one of free agency in 2022, with seven more players reaching agreements on extensions — we’ll see if that number is matched or exceeded later today.
Here are a few links to prepare you for one of the most exciting days on the NBA calendar:
- Top 50 Free Agents Of 2023
Kyrie Irving, Fred VanVleet, Jerami Grant, and Khris Middleton lead the way on our list of the summer’s best available players. - 2023 Free Agents By Position/Type
2023 Free Agents By Team
Want the full breakdown of players available this summer? Take your pick from these two lists. - Key Offseason Dates/Deadlines
A breakdown of the important dates to watch beyond today. - Maximum Salary Projections For 2023/24
Minimum Salary Projections For 2023/24
Mid-Level, Bi-Annual Exception Projections For 2023/24
Our projections are based on a salary cap of $136,021,000. We should find out in a matter of hours what the exact cap for 2023/24 will look like. - Player Option Decisions For 2023/24
Team Option Decisions For 2023/24
The deadline for these decisions was on Thursday, so they’re all in now. - 2023 Qualifying Offer Recap
We have the full list of which players are becoming restricted free agents. - 2023 Offseason Trades
Eleven trades have been officially completed so far this offseason, with four more agreed upon and many more to come. - Outstanding Trade Exceptions
A number of teams have traded player exceptions available to take on salary without sending any salary back. - 2023 Offseason Preview Series
We took a closer look at all 30 teams’ cap situations and key offseason decisions. - Hoops Rumors Glossary
Notable Changes In New Collective Bargaining Agreement
Need a refresher on how sign-and-trades work, what it means to have “Early Bird rights” on a player, or how a team becomes hard-capped? We explain all in our glossary. Unfortunately, we haven’t had a chance yet to update all those glossary entries to account for the rule changes in the new CBA, but we have a separate breakdown of many of the most notable updates.
Rockets Rumors: Free Agents, Martin, Clarkson, Capela
Rockets officials hope to meet with several of their top targets in Los Angeles when free agency begins in a few hours, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Sources tell Iko that Houston has already set up meetings with Dillon Brooks and Brook Lopez and will try to arrange sessions with Fred VanVleet, Kyrie Irving, Bruce Brown, Dwight Powell, Jakob Poeltl and possibly Kyle Kuzma.
Brown is of particular interest because the Rockets would be willing to go above the $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign him, according to Iko’s sources. Head coach Ime Udoka was an assistant in Brooklyn when Brown played there and they have maintained a good relationship, Iko adds.
With more than $60MM in cap space, Houston officials are confident about signing their main targets, according to Iko, although some may prefer teams with more recent success. He confirms that the Rockets are hoping to avoid long-term contracts and will compensate by offering players more money up front than they’re likely to get elsewhere. Shooting, defense and rim protection will be the main focus, Iko states.
There’s more on the Rockets, all courtesy of Iko:
- Houston is hoping to land a veteran point guard in free agency, but there’s a back-up plan if they can’t sign VanVleet, Irving or someone of that stature. Sources tell Iko that the Rockets would pursue someone like Brown, a strong perimeter defender who can handle the ball, and give Jalen Green and first-round pick Amen Thompson a greater share of the playmaking duties.
- Iko hears that a Kenyon Martin Jr. trade is increasingly likely, as talks with other teams have increased throughout the week. Martin may not have a place on the revamped roster, and the team could add cap room by unloading his $1.93MM contract for next season.
- Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson and Hawks center Clint Capela are two names to watch if the Rockets opt to use their cap space through trades rather than free agency. Iko notes that Utah executive Danny Ainge is reported to have interest in acquiring Martin and suggests that Houston might be willing to include second-year point guard TyTy Washington and maybe a second-round pick in a potential deal. Iko points out that Clarkson is eligible for an extension after picking up his $14.26MM option for next season and says the Rockets may offer something along the lines of $32MM over two years. Iko adds that Capela could be available straight up for Martin as Atlanta tries to shed salary.
Trail Blazers Waiving Trendon Watford
The Trail Blazers are waiving forward Trendon Watford, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Watford’s non-guaranteed minimum salary ($1,836,096) for 2023/24 would have become fully guaranteed if he had remained under contract beyond Friday. By cutting him, Portland won’t be on the hook for that money and will create a little extra roster flexibility entering free agency.
[RELATED: Early NBA Salary Guarantee Dates For 2023/24]
It’s a somewhat surprising move, given that Watford is just 22 years old and is coming off a pretty good season in Portland. He averaged 7.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists with a shooting line of .560/.391/.720 in 62 appearances (19.1 MPG) in 2022/23.
Watford will become an unrestricted free agent if he passes through waivers, but given his age, his modest salary, and his solid track record, he’s a candidate to be claimed.
Although he’s on a minimum-salary contract, Watford’s deal initially covered four years, which means it can’t be claimed using the minimum salary exception. A team with interest in claiming the former LSU standout would need to have the cap room or a trade exception necessary to cover his $1.84MM salary.
If Watford is claimed, his 2023/24 salary would become guaranteed and his new club would hold a minimum-salary team option for ’24/25.
Latest On Gabe Vincent, Max Strus
Free agent guard Gabe Vincent isn’t satisfied with the Heat‘s contract offer and will likely leave the team unless it improves, sources tell Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Jackson and Chiang report that Miami proposed a deal worth slightly more than the three-year, $20.6MM contract Caleb Martin signed last summer. Vincent was reportedly expecting a lot more after taking over as the Heat’s starting point guard and helping them reach the NBA Finals. Team president Pat Riley traveled to Los Angeles this week to meet with Vincent and urge him to re-sign, according to the authors.
Backcourt partner Max Strus seems certain to get a better deal that what the Heat can offer, according to Jackson and Chiang, who report that a three-team sign-and-trade swap has been discussed that would send Strus to the Cavaliers. They don’t identify who else would be involved, but Miami would receive a trade exception and a second-round pick in return. The Pacers, Pistons and Magic have also been identified as potential destinations for Strus.
Re-signing Vincent or Strus would be expensive for the Heat, who already have $179.3MM committed for next season, which is above the projected $165MM luxury tax line. The authors note that giving either player a new deal starting at $12MM would add more than $30MM to the team’s tax bill.
Marc Stein confirms in his latest Substack column that Cleveland is a legitimate threat to add Strus. Stein, who reported this week that Indiana was considering a three-year, $48MM offer for the 27-year-old shooting guard, has since been told that there are multiple suitors for Strus and that Indiana may not be his most likely destination. Cleveland is working to upgrade its outside shooting, Stein adds.
The Raptors could be an option for Vincent if Fred VanVleet signs with the Rockets, suggests Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). Sources tell Grange that Vincent isn’t expected to return to the Heat and that an offer worth the full $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception should be enough to land him.