Warriors Rumors: Kuminga, Horford, Free Agency
Although there have been a few conversations between the two sides, the Warriors and restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga ahead of the official start of free agency on Monday evening, there’s no real traction toward an agreement, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) have published a similar report, writing that Kuminga’s free agency may be a “slow-moving process,” with no immediate resolution expected in the coming hours.
Although the Warriors will have the right of first refusal on Kuminga, giving them the ability to match any offer sheet he signs with another team, the 22-year-old will explore his options in free agency, with the Heat and Bulls still looking like the most likely suitors, league sources tell Slater.
Fischer and Stein also mention Miami and Chicago while also identifying the Kings and Pelicans as two possible teams to watch for Kuminga in sign-and-trade scenarios. While the Warriors are willing to help facilitate a sign-and-trade deal that sends Kuminga elsewhere, that scenario would have to “outweigh the benefits” of simply re-signing Kuminga themselves in order for them to move forward with it, per Fischer and Stein.
Here’s more out of Golden State:
- Veteran Celtics center Al Horford is expected to be a top target for the Warriors, league sources tell Fischer and Stein. Slater has heard similar rumblings, writing that “many in the league continue to link” Horford to Golden State. The team’s spending flexibility will hinge in large part on how the Kuminga situation resolves, but the Warriors should have some form of mid-level exception available.
- Generally speaking, a stretch center is a top priority for the Warriors, team sources tell Slater. The club will be “on the recruiting trail” when free agency opens on Monday, Slater adds.
Jazz, Jordan Clarkson Agree To Contract Buyout
6:30 pm: Clarkson has officially been bought out and waived, according to a press release from the Jazz.
1:52 pm: Veteran guard Jordan Clarkson is finalizing a buyout agreement with the Jazz, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Charania, Clarkson plans to prioritize contenders when he becomes a free agent, which will occur two days after he’s officially released by Utah. “Multiple playoff teams” are expected to be interested in the 33-year-old, Charania adds.
Clarkson was on an expiring contract that will pay him approximately $14.3MM in 2025/26. It remains to be seen how much of that he’ll be giving back, but the Jazz could have about $30MM in breathing room beneath the luxury tax line to make further moves, notes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (via Twitter).
The Knicks are a team to monitor for Clarkson, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link), who says New York has expressed a level of interest in the former Sixth Man of the Year winner in prior trade talks.
Multiple recent reports indicated that Utah was looking to find a trade partner to take on Clarkson’s contract, but the team was unable to find a deal to its liking.
A former second-round pick (46th overall in 2014), Clarkson has spent the past five-and-a-half years with the Jazz after previous stops with the Lakers and Cavaliers. He’s known for providing instant offense off the bench, but appeared in a career-low 37 games last season due to a left foot injury (Utah was also trying to improve its lottery standing).
Overall, Clarkson averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds in his 37 appearances (26.0 minutes per contest). His shooting slash line was .408/.362/.797.
The Jazz clearly plan to give major backcourt minutes to their recent draft picks for the upcoming season, having traded Collin Sexton to Charlotte for Jusuf Nurkic. They’re also waiving Johnny Juzang and, once the buyout is complete, Clarkson.
Jesse Edwards, Emanuel Miller Sign Two-Way Qualifying Offers
Timberwolves big man Jesse Edwards has accepted his two-qualifying offer and so has Bulls forward Emanuel Miller, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter links). The signings are official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.
Both players were restricted free agents after their respective teams issued them qualifying offers. By accepting the QOs, Edwards and Miller will each receive a small partial guarantee of $85K, but their two-way contracts are otherwise non-guaranteed and don’t count against the salary cap, so they could still be released at any point in the coming weeks or months.
Edwards, 25, only appeared in two NBA games for Minnesota, having spent the majority of his rookie campaign with the team’s G League affiliate in Iowa. The Dutch center went undrafted last year out of West Virginia after spending his first four college seasons with Syracuse.
Miller, 25, inked a two-way deal with Chicago in December after going undrafted out of TCU. He played in six games for the Bulls but was a mainstay in the NBAGL, first with the Dallas Legends and then the Windy City Bulls.
Hornets Trade Mark Williams To Suns For McNeeley, 2029 First-Rounder
June 30: The trade is official, according to press releases issued by both the Suns and Hornets.
Williams is headed to Phoenix, while Micic, this year’s No. 29 pick (Liam McNeeley), and a 2029 first-round pick (least favorable of Utah, Cleveland and Minnesota) are going to Charlotte.
Rather than the swap of second-rounders (outlined below), the Hornets sent the Suns their own 2029 second-round pick in order to complete the trade.
June 25: Right around the same time they drafted Khaman Maluach, the Suns agreed to acquire another Duke center, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Hornets are sending Mark Williams to Phoenix in exchange for 2025’s No. 29 overall pick and a 2029 first-rounder.
Sources tell Charania that the 2029 first-round pick will be the least favorable of the selections controlled by Utah, Cleveland and Minnesota (Twitter link). The Wolves’ pick is top-five protected, so it would have to fall outside of that range to be in play.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), Vasilije Micic is also involved in the trade, as he’ll be sent back to Charlotte, which just traded him to Phoenix in February. Micic’s $8.1MM team option for next season will have to be exercised for that to occur.
The full trade is as follows, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
Hornets receive:
- Micic.
- 2025 No. 29 pick.
- 2029 first-round pick with the least favorable language listed above.
- 2026 second-rounder (least favorable of Golden State and Denver).
Suns receive:
- Williams.
- 2026 second-round pick (most favorable of Golden State and Denver).
Williams, 23, was nearly traded to the Lakers at the February deadline, but Los Angeles wound up rescinding that deal due to concerns about his physical.
A 7’0″ big man with an enormous 7’7″ wingspan, Williams was productive when healthy this past season for Charlotte, averaging 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 44 appearances (26.6 minutes per game). He shot 60.4% from the field and a career-best 80.4% from the foul line.
However, health has been a huge issue for Williams through three NBA seasons, having played a total of just 106 games. He also has been a negative defender, particularly when trying to switch onto smaller players on the perimeter.
It’s telling that Charlotte was so determined to move Williams despite his very real upside as a scorer and rebounder. The Hornets only won 19 games last season, but they were substantially worse when Williams was on the court (-12.7 net rating) compared to when he was off it (-7.7).
Obviously, Phoenix is betting that Williams and Maluach will be long-term answers in the middle. After trading away Deandre Ayton two years ago, the Suns have been lacking reliable play up front.
Interestingly, the Suns sent Josh Okogie and multiple second-round picks to Charlotte in January in order to acquire Nick Richards, whose $5MM salary for 2025/26 is non-guaranteed. Adding Maluach and Williams might signal that Phoenix will opt to waive Richards — yet another center — instead of retaining him.
Free Agency Notes: Rockets, Ty. Jones, Heat, Raptors, More
The Rockets are diligently working secure meetings with Dorian Finney-Smith, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard when free agency gets underway at 5:00 pm CT, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Houston is viewed as the frontrunner to land Finney-Smith after the veteran forward declined his $15.4MM player option and didn’t immediately work out a new deal with the Lakers. Marc Stein has reported multiple times that the Rockets are prepared to offer the 32-year-old a four-year deal worth most of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Alexander-Walker, meanwhile, is expected to leave Minnesota after the Timberwolves agreed to lucrative new contracts with Naz Reid and Julius Randle. The Hawks have been rumored as the favorite to acquire the versatile guard, but several teams are said to be interested in his services.
Atlanta is also rumored to have interest in Kennard, who is the third-most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history at 43.8%. He has spent the past two-plus seasons in Memphis, but is expected to leave the Grizzlies in free agency.
Here are a few more free agency-related notes and rumors:
- The Knicks could be a suitor for point guard Tyus Jones, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link). “Tyus Jones is a name that I’m keeping an eye on,” Begley said. “Last summer, there was mutual interest…Jones was even willing to take a pay cut to come to New York. He ended up choosing Phoenix thinking it would be a very good situation for him — didn’t work out, so he’s back on the market.” New York can likely only offer the taxpayer mid-level exception or the veteran’s minimum, Begley notes.
- The Magic also expressed prior interest in Tyus Jones and he could be a good fit with Orlando depending on how much money he’s seeking in free agency, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. If it’s not Jones, the Magic will likely look to add a different veteran point guard to improve their shooting and offense, Robbins writes.
- Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald released a guide for some of the options the Heat could explore in free agency. According to Chiang, guard Dru Smith is expected to return to Miami on a two-way deal after he was issued a two-way qualifying offer, but he has yet to accept that QO. Smith was on the verge of being promoted to a standard contract last season before suffering a torn Achilles tendon in late December.
- As of now, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca expects the Raptors to be “fairly quiet” in free agency (Twitter link). Toronto will likely fill out the end of its roster with minimum-salary deals. A veteran extension for starting center Jakob Poeltl remains a possibility as well, Grange adds.
- Zach Kram of ESPN.com lists seven “underrated players” who are about to hit the open market, including Chris Boucher, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Trent Jr.
Clippers Re-Sign Nicolas Batum
July 6: Batum is officially back under contract with the Clippers, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
June 30: The Clippers and veteran forward Nicolas Batum have agreed to terms on a new two-year deal after he opted out of his previous contract on Sunday, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Charania, the deal will be worth $11.5MM and will feature a second-year team option as well as a trade kicker.
Batum, 36, doesn’t score much anymore, having averaged just 4.0 points in 17.5 minutes per game across 78 appearances for the Clippers in 2024/25. However, the 6’8″ forward contributes in many other ways. He’s a versatile defender who can knock down three-pointers (43.3% this past season) and is a trusted locker-room leader in Los Angeles, where he has spent most of the past five seasons.
Batum said during an interview in May that next season will likely be he last, but this contract leaves the door open to the possibility of him extending his career an additional year beyond 2025/26.
The Clippers will be using their Non-Bird rights to re-sign Batum, which allows for a 20% raise above last season’s salary. Assuming the club goes all the way up to the Non-Bird max, that would result in a $5,601,600 salary for 2025/26 and a $5,881,680 team option for ’26/27.
The Clippers now have a projected team salary of $179MM for next season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). That means they’ll have the ability to use most or all of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) while staying below the first tax apron ($195.9MM).
2025 NBA Free Agency Primer
While teams have been permitted to negotiate with their own free agents since the day after the end of the NBA Finals, the league’s 2025 free agency period officially begins on Monday at 5:00 pm Central time. Several contract agreements have been reported during the last week or two, but that number will significantly increase beginning on Monday evening.
Here are several links to prepare you for one of the most eventful days on the NBA’s offseason calendar:
- Top 50 Free Agents Of 2025
Our list has been updated to account for the latest option decisions and other roster moves, which means LeBron James – who opted in for 2025/26 and won’t be a free agent – is no longer our No. 1. - 2025 Free Agents By Position/Type
2025 Free Agents By Team
Want the full breakdown of players available this summer? Take your pick from these two lists. - 2025 Free Agent Tracker
We’re keeping tabs on all the reported free agent agreements here.
Note: Our more mobile-friendly tracker isn’t ready yet, so you’ll have to turn your phone sideways to see all the details here. - Key Offseason Dates/Deadlines
A breakdown of the important dates to watch beyond today. - Maximum Salary Projections For 2025/26
Minimum Salary Projections For 2025/26
Mid-Level, Bi-Annual Exception Projections For 2025/26
Our projections are based on a salary cap of $154,647,000 (ie. a 10% increase). We should find out in a matter of hours what the exact cap for 2025/26 will be. - Player Option Decisions For 2025/26
Team Option Decisions For 2025/26
The deadline for these decisions was on Sunday, so they’re all in now. - 2025 Qualifying Offer Recap
We have the full list of which players are becoming restricted free agents. - 2025 Offseason Trades
Ten trades have already been officially completed so far this offseason, with 13 others 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. - Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2025
Several of these players will receive big paydays this offseason, keeping them off the 2026 free agent market. - Early Salary Guarantee Dates For 2025
Teams will have to decide whether to guarantee these salaries or waive these players before their respective deadlines. - 2025 Offseason Preview Series
We took a closer look at all 30 teams’ cap situations and key offseason decisions. - Hoops Rumors Glossary
Need a refresher on how sign-and-trades work, what it means to have “Early Bird rights” on a player, how a team becomes hard-capped, or what exactly it means to operate over a tax apron? We explain all in our glossary.
Suns Placing Cody Martin On Waivers
The Suns are waiving Cody Martin, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link).
Martin’s $8.6MM salary for 2025/26 would have become guaranteed had he remained on Phoenix’s roster through June 30. Instead the Suns will cut him loose, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency in a couple days if he clears waivers, which seems likely.
Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported earlier this month that Martin had drawn interest from “several” teams as part of the wider trade talks involving Kevin Durant; the following day, Phoenix agreed to send Durant to Houston. Only one club was specifically mentioned as a possible Martin suitor at that time: the Heat.
Martin was acquired by Phoenix in February ahead of the trade deadline. He spent his first five-and-a-half seasons in Charlotte, the team that selected him 36th overall in 2019.
While the 29-year-old is a strong, versatile defender and solid play-maker, he hasn’t been much of a scoring threat in the NBA, holding career averages of 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steal on .436/.308/.661 shooting in 21.9 minutes per game across 259 appearances.
Martin has also been plagued by injuries the past few seasons, including a sports hernia ailment in 2024/25 which delayed his Suns debut. Still, he could hold appeal as a bench option for teams looking for defensive help.
Joe Ingles Re-Signs With Timberwolves
July 7: Ingles’ new deal with the Bucks is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
June 30: Joe Ingles will return to the Timberwolves on a one-year, $3.6MM contract, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The deal was confirmed by agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports.
It will be the 12th NBA season for Ingles, who saw limited playing time during his first year in Minnesota but was an inspirational figure in the locker room. The contract will be a veteran’s minimum deal and is projected to count for roughly $2.3MM against the cap.
Ingles, who’ll turn 38 in October, came to Minnesota as a free agent last summer. He only appeared in 19 games, averaging 0.8 points and 0.6 rebounds in 6.0 minutes per night. His lone start of the season was a heartwarming story, as coach Chris Finch inserted him into the starting lineup for a game in March because Ingles’ eight-year-old autistic son was able to attend.
Ingles, who has also been a member of the Australian national team since 2008, made his NBA debut with Utah in 2014 after nearly a decade of playing overseas. He spent eight seasons with the Jazz before moving on to Milwaukee in 2022 and Orlando in 2023.
Nets To Re-Sign Day’Ron Sharpe To Two-Year Contract
The Nets and free agent center Day’Ron Sharpe are in agreement on a two-year contract worth $12MM, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The second year of the deal will be a team option.
Sharpe has played a relatively modest rotation role and has battled some health issues since being selected 29th overall in the 2021 draft. In total, he has appeared in 191 games (14 starts) for the Nets across his four professional seasons.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a career year in 2024/25, averaging 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per night. Sharpe had one of the NBA’s best offensive rebounding rates and had very strong on/off-court numbers. A Nets team that finished the season with a 26-56 record and a -7.3 net rating outscored its opponents by 2.1 points per 100 possessions when Sharpe was playing, which was – by far – the best mark of any rotation player who finished the season on Brooklyn’s roster.
Based on Sharpe’s promising numbers and his age, I had speculated that an eight-figure annual salary might be within reach for the big man, so the Nets did well to bring him back for a total of $12MM over two years. Another Nets free agent, Ziaire Williams, agreed to identical terms earlier today.
Although Sharpe had been eligible for restricted free agency, the Nets opted not to give him a qualifying offer over the weekend, so he’ll enter the new league year as an unrestricted FA. That was mostly a procedural move in order to maximize Brooklyn’s cap flexibility, since the team still had interest in retaining him, as this new agreement confirms.
Accounting for Williams’ and Sharpe’s tentative deals and Cam Thomas‘ cap hold, the Nets project to have roughly $37MM in cap room available, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That number could increase if the team uses its $8.8MM room exception to re-sign either Williams or Sharpe.