Pelicans Trading McCollum, Olynyk To Wizards For Poole, Bey
The Pelicans and Wizards have agreed to a four-player trade, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that guard CJ McCollum, forward/center Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round pick are headed to Washington in exchange for guard Jordan Poole, forward Saddiq Bey, and the No. 40 overall pick in this year’s draft.
Both McCollum ($30.7MM) and Olynyk ($13.4MM) will be on expiring contracts in 2025/26, so this move will significantly increase the Wizards’ projected 2026 cap room. They were already going to have a lot of money coming off their books next summer, with Khris Middleton ($33.3MM), Marcus Smart ($21.6MM), and potentially Richaun Holmes ($13.3MM; mostly non-guaranteed) also on expiring deals.
Corey Kispert‘s $14MM is now the only fully guaranteed salary on Washington’s cap for 2026/27, though a handful of players on rookie scale contracts will join him once the Wizards officially pick up their ’26/27 options later this year. The team currently projects to have more than $80MM in cap room next summer, per Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Twitter link), and possibly up to $100MM, according to Charania.
In addition to generating future cap flexibility, the Wizards will add a pair of respected veterans who are still playing pretty good basketball.
While McCollum is an undersized shooting guard who isn’t a great defender, he put up 21.1 points and 4.1 assists per game this past season on .444/.373/.717 shooting in 56 contests (all starts). Olynyk, who was traded from Toronto to New Orleans in February, battled injuries that limited him to 44 appearances, but posted respectable averages of 8.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 2.9 APG in 20.3 MPG and made 41.8% of his three-point tries.
Although neither player has substantial trade value, both should be movable later this offseason or during the season if the Wizards aren’t committed to keeping them for the entire 2025/26 campaign.
According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link), the second-round pick going to Washington in the deal is Chicago’s 2027 second-rounder. The Wizards were actually already going to receive that pick if it were to land in the top 50, but now they’ll get it no matter where it ends up, rather than the Pelicans receiving it if it’s between 51 and 60.
As for the Pelicans, they’re sacrificing some 2026 cap flexibility in the trade, but will move a little further below next season’s luxury tax line and get younger by acquiring Poole and Bey.
Poole, who turned 26 last Thursday, had a strong bounce-back year in D.C. in 2024/25 after a shaky first season with the Wizards. He averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .432/.378/.883.
Like McCollum, Poole isn’t exactly a lock-down defender, but the former Warrior been pretty effective with the ball in his hands and should help New Orleans replace some of the play-making the team lost when Dejounte Murray tore his Achilles midway through the ’24/25 season — Murray’s recovery process is expected to extend into next season.
Poole is owed roughly $65.9MM over the next two years, with $4.25MM in annual incentives ($8.5MM in total) that count toward the tax apron, but not the cap. Bey has two seasons and $12.6MM left on his contract, with $333K in unlikely incentives each year.
Acquiring the duo in exchange for McCollum and Olynyk will reduce New Orleans’ team salary by about $6MM for cap/tax purposes, giving the club some extra breathing room to make additional moves.
Bey showed some real promise as a three-and-D wing in Detroit and Atlanta earlier in his career, but struggled with his outside shot for the Hawks in 2023/24 and tore his ACL near the end of that season, which cost him the entire ’24/25 campaign. He’ll be looking to make his comeback to the court this fall at age 26.
The trade is the second one the Pelicans have made within the last week to add 2025 draft capital. The club previously acquired a first-round pick from the Pacers in exchange for a 2026 first-rounder and now has the seventh, 23rd, and 40th overall picks entering this week’s draft.
The deal won’t become official until July due to Washington’s position relative to the first tax apron, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). That means there’s still a possibility it could expand to include more teams and pieces before it’s finalized.
If it’s completed as currently constructed, the Wizards would be hard-capped at the first apron for the 2025/26 season as a result of taking back more salary than they send out.
Blazers’ Matisse Thybulle Opting In For 2025/26
Trail Blazers wing Matisse Thybulle is opting into the final year of his contract by exercising his player option for 2025/26, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
Thybulle signed a three-year, $33MM deal with Portland during the summer of 2023 that included a third-year player option worth $11.55MM. By picking up that option, the 28-year-old will guarantee his salary for ’25/26. His decision had been due by the end of the day on Tuesday, so this news was expected.
A defensive ace who earned a spot on the All-Defensive second team in both 2021 and 2022 as a member of the Sixers, Thybulle was dealt from Philadelphia to Portland at the 2023 trade deadline and has been a Blazer since then.
While his offensive production has always lagged well behind his contributions on defense, the former 20th overall pick has been a little more productive in Portland, bumping his three-point percentage to 36.8% after hitting just 32.5% of his attempts from beyond the arc with the 76ers. He has averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 23.6 minutes per game across 102 appearances in Portland.
Thybulle was limited to 15 outings in 2024/25 for health reasons. He underwent a procedure in October, just before the start of the regular season, to address inflammation in his right knee. Although it wasn’t supposed to sideline him for a significant period, he sustained a bad right ankle sprain in late November during his ramp-up process, which set back his recovery and meant he didn’t make his season debut until March 16.
Even after agreeing to trade Anfernee Simons to Boston in a deal for Jrue Holiday, the Blazers will have a significant amount of expiring money on their 2025/26 cap, with Thybulle joining Deandre Ayton ($35.6MM) and Robert Williams ($13.3MM). We’ll see if the front office attempts to turn any more of those expiring deals into a player with multiple years of team control, like it did with Simons.
Draft Notes: Spurs, Newell, Hawks, Essengue, More
The Spurs haven’t entirely shut down trade inquiries on the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, but they still seem likely to end up with Dylan Harper themselves, since no team is expected to meet their high asking price, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports writes in his latest mock draft.
“They want a ridiculous haul,” one front office executive told O’Connor. “Far more than I’d expect anyone to give up.”
Elsewhere in O’Connor’s mock draft, he cites league sources who say that Georgia forward Asa Newell, the No. 19 prospect on ESPN’s big board, could end up being a lottery pick — O’Connor has him going to Toronto at No. 9.
O’Connor also hears that the Hawks have been exploring a potential move up from No. 13, having even placed calls to teams picking in the top five. They’re targeting a center, O’Connor adds. Based on earlier reporting from Jake Fischer, it sounds like several teams in the back end of the lottery are in the same boat, as Fischer mentioned Phoenix (No. 10), Chicago (No. 12), and San Antonio (No. 14) as clubs eyeing big men.
Here are a few more draft-related notes from around the league:
- French forward Noa Essengue, a potential lottery pick who ranks ninth overall on ESPN’s board, will miss the conclusion of the German League finals in order to travel to New York for this week’s NBA draft, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. His team, Ratiopharm Ulm, holds a 2-1 lead over Bayern Munich in the best-of-five Basketball Bundesliga championship, though the 18-year-old has been playing a pretty limited role in the series. Essengue’s draft-eligible teammate Ben Saraf has had a bigger hand in Ulm’s two victories and is remaining with the team for Tuesday’s Game 4.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic has published his list of this year’s top 75 draft prospects. While there are no surprises at the very top, Hollinger is higher than the consensus on guys like Collin Murray-Boyles (No. 6), Essengue (No. 7), Thomas Sorber (No. 10), and Saraf (No. 15), with Tre Johnson (No. 11) and Ace Bailey (No. 12) ranked outside of his top 10.
- Law Murray of The Athletic identifies some players that might make sense as targets for the Clippers with their 30th and 51st overall picks this week, including point guards like Saraf and Kameron Jones and centers such as Ryan Kalkbrenner and Maxime Raynaud. Rod Walker of NOLA.com, meanwhile, performs a similar exercise with the Pelicans‘ seventh and 23rd overall picks, suggesting that coming away with a duo like center Khaman Maluach and guard Walter Clayton Jr. would make it a successful draft for the team.
- The Thunder recently worked out potential second-round pick Micah Peavy, according to Rylan Stiles of SI.com. The Georgetown wing ranks 54th on ESPN’s board.
Grant Hill Joins NBC As NBA Game Analyst
Hall of Famer Grant Hill is the latest former NBA star to join NBC as a broadcaster for the network’s coverage of the league for the upcoming 2025/26 season. According to a press release, Hill will be a game analyst for NBC and Peacock.
“I’m incredibly excited to join NBC Sports as part of their NBA coverage. The NBA has been such a meaningful part of my life, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue sharing the game I love with fans across the country,” Hill said in a statement. “To be part of NBC’s return to the NBA — a network with such a rich basketball legacy — and its debut on Peacock is truly an honor. I can’t wait to get started this fall.”
A seven-time All-Star as a player, Hill suited up for the Pistons, Magic, Suns, and Clippers from 1994-2013 and became a broadcaster following his retirement.
According to Sarah Jean Maher and Richard Deitsch of The Athletic, Hill will continue to work with TNT Sports as a college basketball analyst after signing with NBC. He’ll have plenty on his plate going forward — outside of his broadcasting work, he’s the managing director of the U.S. men’s basketball team and holds minority stakes in a handful of sports franchises, including the NBA’s Hawks.
Hill will join Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford as game analysts for NBC as the NBA returns to the network next season. Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle will be NBC’s top play-by-play men, with Carmelo Anthony and Vince Carter joining host Maria Taylor for the studio show. All-time great Michael Jordan has also been announced as a special contributor.
Fischer’s Latest: Porzingis, Spurs, Bulls, Suns, Thunder, Rockets
After agreeing on Monday night to trade Jrue Holiday to Portland, Boston continues to explore potential Kristaps Porzingis trades, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), who says the Celtics are determined to get positive value for Porzingis and get younger in the process, like they did with the Holiday deal.
In addition to reiterating that the Suns have done due diligence on Porzingis, Fischer identifies the Spurs as one of the teams with some level of interest in the Celtics big man. Fischer cautions that San Antonio may be a long shot to acquire Porzingis, but it certainly seems as if the club will be in the market for frontcourt help, having also been linked to Guerschon Yabusele this week.
According to Fischer, there has been some chatter about the Spurs potentially eyeing a big man with their second lottery pick (No. 14), or even trying to move up from that spot to add more size.
The Bulls, meanwhile, aren’t pursuing Porzingis, but there have been some rival teams wondering if they might do so, Fischer writes, explaining that Chicago is being “increasingly mentioned in connection with various big men.” The Bulls are another team considered a possible trade-up candidate from the late lottery (No. 12) in the hopes of adding a frontcourt player, Fischer adds.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- There’s an expectation that the Suns will be targeting a big man with their newly acquired No. 10 pick. Derik Queen and Danny Wolf are two of the potential targets Fischer has been told to keep an eye on at that spot.
- The Thunder, who control the 15th and 24th overall picks, are being “frequently described” as a team with interest in moving up in the draft, according to Fischer. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported something similar during a TV appearance (Twitter video link). Oklahoma City probably isn’t in position to add two first-round picks to its 15-man roster, so a deal involving one or both of those selections seems like a real possibility.
- Noting that that the Thunder talked a little to Houston about the No. 10 pick before the Rockets sent it to Phoenix, Fischer wonders if the Suns would have interest in swapping No. 10 for Nos. 15 and 24 in order to add multiple young prospects to their revamped roster.
- Fischer and Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) both report that the Rockets are exploring trade options to get back into the draft after sending their only 2025 picks (Nos. 10 and 59) to Phoenix. Sources tell Lerner that there are about five prospects, mostly projected first-round picks, that Houston is very high on, so the team could get more aggressive about trading back into the draft if one of those players starts to slide.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 6/24/2025
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included the Hawks' chances to move up in the draft to land Ace Bailey the Celtics' plans for Anfernee Simons, the Suns' return in the Kevin Durant trade, the Bulls' strategy with Coby White and more!
Warriors’ GM Addresses Kuminga, Draft, Trade Options, Injuries
Meeting with reporters on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said Jonathan Kuminga will be “a main priority” heading into free agency, but he didn’t offer any hints on what the team plans to do, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle.
Kuminga will be a restricted free agent after not reaching an extension prior to the start of the season. The 22-year-old forward has shown flashes of stardom during his four NBA seasons, but he has also been frustrated by inconsistent playing time, which became more pronounced after Golden State traded for Jimmy Butler in February.
Dunleavy told reporters that he would like to “figure something out sooner than later” with Kuminga, whether that turns out to be a new contract or a sign-and-trade. The Bulls and Heat have been mentioned as teams that might be potential trading partners.
Kuminga will be free to negotiate with anybody once free agency begins next Monday, but Brooklyn is currently the only team with enough cap space to make a competitive offer. If Kuminga were to get an offer sheet, the Warriors would have the option to match it, and Dunleavy pointed out that restricted free agency “can drag out a little bit.”
He added that management is comfortable “with who JK is as a player and what he can do for our organization” and said the Warriors will try to give him a more defined role if he remains with the team.
“I think those conversations (about a role) will need to happen — especially the way this season kind of unfolded last year,” Dunleavy added. “There were some moments where he wasn’t playing as much, and then the role is bigger. He’s injured. All this up-and-down. … (His role) will probably be necessary to clarify.”
Dunlevy addressed a few other topics during the press conference:
- The Warriors hold the 41st pick in Wednesday’s draft, and Dunleavy indicated that he’s more likely to trade down than to try to move up into the first round, Gordon adds. Dunleavy will be hoping to repeat his late-draft success after finding Trayce Jackson-Davis with the 57th pick in 2023 and Quinten Post at No. 52 last year. “You’d be lucky to draft a guy in the second round who can make it at all,” Dunleavy said. “I think we have to be realistic about what it is. … We’re going to analyze this (draft), look at it and try to find the best player we can find that’ll contribute to this franchise.”
- Dunleavy plans to be “opportunistic” in the trade market and hopes to improve the depth in the middle of the roster. With Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green combining to make $170.5MM next season, Dunleavy acknowledged that the team can’t add another big contract. “We’ll look at players that we really like. It’s just almost impossible for us to add players in the salary range of guys we were looking at last season since we’ve added Jimmy,” Dunleavy said. “That would be the only limiter. But in terms of finding talent and improving this team, we’re going to look under every rock to try to do that.”
- Dunleavy provided medical updates on Moses Moody (thumb surgery) and Brandin Podziemski (wrist and core muscle surgeries), saying they will “definitely be ready by training camp and even have a good portion of their summer for player development.”
Rick Carlisle: Re-Signing Myles Turner Is ‘No. 1 Priority’
During his weekly radio interview on 107.5 The Fan on Tuesday morning (YouTube link), Pacers coach Rick Carlisle dispelled any speculation that the team might be less inclined to re-sign Myles Turner after losing Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles, relays Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
There have been reports that owner Herb Simon would be willing to pay the luxury tax if it becomes necessary to reach a new deal with Turner. That was before Haliburton’s injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals that might sideline him for a full year, which figures to hamper Indiana’s chances to be competitive next season. However, Carlisle insists nothing has changed.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that the franchise, at this particular moment, that that is the No. 1 priority,” he said of Turner. “I don’t know anything about money or numbers or years, or any of that kind of stuff, but Myles is a very important part of what we’ve done here, what we’ve been doing. He’s a very important part of the history of the franchise, certainly over the last decade. I know that will be a big topic. I’m not privy to every little conversation going on there, but Myles is a very important part of what we’re doing. That will be a big thing.”
Turner is the longest-tenured current Pacer, spending the past decade with the organization after being selected with the 11th pick in the 2015 draft. He made close to $20MM this season in the final year of a two-year extension and could add $10MM+ to his annual salary in his next contract.
The Hawks and Pistons have been mentioned as teams that would have strong interest in Turner if he hits the open market.
Dopirak points out that the Pacers aren’t able to extend Turner’s contract again before free agency begins on Monday. However, they can begin negotiations on a new deal now that the NBA Finals have concluded.
Turner is coming off another productive season, averaging 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 72 games and finishing third in the league with 144 blocked shots. He also became a more reliable three-point shooter, connecting at a career best 39.6% from beyond the arc and sinking a career-high 156 three-pointers.
Dopirak adds that if the Pacers are able to re-sign Turner, all five of their playoff starters will be under contract through the 2026/27 season.
Stein’s Latest: Gafford, Irving, VanVleet, Collins, Thybulle
The terms of Daniel Gafford‘s three-year extension will keep him trade-eligible without a six-month waiting period, but that doesn’t mean the Mavericks are looking to deal the 26-year-old center, Marc Stein of The Stein Line writes in his latest column (Substack link). Stein confirms that Gafford’s new contract, which will start with the 2026/27 season and is projected to be worth about $54MM, contains no options for him or the team.
Stein states that Dallas’ front office expects “considerable” trade interest in Gafford, but is reluctant to part with him after injuries limited Dereck Lively to 36 games during his second NBA season. Stein notes that forward P.J. Washington is also eligible for an extension this summer and says the Mavericks plan to hold onto him as well.
This is an important day for the organization, Stein adds, as it’s the deadline for Kyrie Irving to pick up a $43MM player option. If Irving passes on the option, Stein views that as a sign that he has an agreement with the Mavericks on a new long-term deal that will likely be announced early in free agency. It’s also possible that Irving could pick up the option and negotiate an extension after the moratorium is lifted or he could decide to test free agency next summer. A source tells Stein that Irving remained undecided as of Monday night.
Stein shares more inside information from around the league:
- The Rockets may decline their $44.9MM option on Fred VanVleet, but Stein states there’s “no scenario” where he won’t be with the team next season. A source tells Stein that Houston and VanVleet would “do a new deal” if the option is turned down by Sunday’s deadline. Stein points out that the original deadline on the team option was five days after the Rockets’ season ended, but VanVleet and the team reached an agreement to push it back to late June. Stein also notes that Kevin Durant will be eligible for a two-year extension once he officially joins the team next month, suggesting it’s possible that VanVleet and Durant will both be signed to new deals that cover the next three seasons.
- Stein reports that Jazz center Walker Kessler has been “unavailable for some time” and speculates that could have led to recent rumors that the Lakers are interested in John Collins. Stein calls it a “mischaracterization” to suggest that L.A. is a trade suitor for Collins.
- The Trail Blazers expect swingman Matisse Thybulle to pick up his $11.5MM player option by today’s deadline, Stein adds.
Wolves Assistant Micah Nori Interviewing With Knicks
Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori is the latest high-profile candidate to interview for the Knicks‘ head coaching vacancy, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Nori, 51, has been an NBA assistant since 2009 and came to Minnesota as lead assistant prior to the 2021/2022 season. He is best known for replacing Chris Finch as the team’s sideline coach during last year’s playoffs after Finch was injured in a collision with a player.
Nori recently interviewed for the Suns’ head coaching job before Jordan Ott was hired, and he was among the list of nine finalists for the position. He also had interviews with the Pistons and Cavaliers last summer.
Nori, who started his NBA career in Toronto and also spent time with Sacramento, Denver and Detroit, has established himself as one of the NBA’s top assistant coaches and has been viewed as a likely future head coach for several years. In a recent interview, Minnesota president of basketball operations Tim Connelly predicted that Nori would land a head coaching job soon.
Nori is the third known candidate to conduct a formal interview for the Knicks’ opening, joining former Kings coach Mike Brown and former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins. Numerous reports indicate that New York is also monitoring Jason Kidd’s status in Dallas in case he doesn’t receive an extension this summer and tries to force his way out.
Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, who is headed to San Antonio to become associate head coach under Mitch Johnson, turned down an opportunity to interview with New York, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper suggests the Knicks’ pursuit of Sweeney is a sign that they recognize Kidd may be an unrealistic option.