Bontemps/Windhorst’s Latest: Durant, Clippers, Knicks, Jerome
Kevin Durant said in February that he was “blindsided” when he learned that the Suns were discussing potential trades involving him without his knowledge, and sources tell ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst that there was some disagreement within the organization about how those talks were handled.
According to ESPN’s duo, that situation is one reason why Suns owner Mat Ishbia and new general manager Brian Gregory have spoken repeatedly about a desire for all of the team’s leaders to be in “alignment” going forward. It’s also why Durant and his manager Rich Kleiman are being kept in the loop during this summer’s trade talks.
Still, while the Suns would ideally like to find a deal that Durant is happy with, finding “alignment” with the star forward on that front is ultimately less important for the franchise than maximizing its return in any KD trade, as Bontemps and Windhorst observe. League sources who have spoken to ESPN believe Phoenix may have a hard time finding a package the front office will be satisfied with, though there’s still a sense a deal could get done before or during the draft.
Bontemps and Windhorst identify the Clippers as one potential dark-horse suitor to watch in the Durant sweepstakes, echoing an earlier report from John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
Here are a few more highlights from that ESPN report:
- Due in part to a lack of high-end free agents and teams with cap room, one source who spoke to ESPN predicted the draft will be busier than normal in terms of trades and might even be the summer’s “high point of activity.”
- The Knicks were declined permission to speak to five head coaches currently under contract with rival teams, but there’s a belief that those initial denials may not be the end of the team’s pursuit of Mavericks coach Jason Kidd and/or Bulls coach Billy Donovan, per Bontemps and Windhorst. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link) has heard similar rumblings, but he says Donovan “isn’t going anywhere” and is “in Chicago to stay.” We wrote more on Thursday about why New York may not be ready to move on from Kidd right away.
- While there’s an expectation around the NBA that it may take the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) to sign free agent guard Ty Jerome this summer, the Cavaliers are hopeful that he’ll be willing to re-sign in Cleveland for a little less than that, sources tell ESPN. With starting point guard Darius Garland coming off toe surgery, the Cavs may feel some added pressure to bring back Jerome, but the cost would be high, since the club projects to operate above the second tax apron and will face a substantial luxury tax bill.
- In case you missed it, Bontemps and Windhorst also shared a handful of Bucks-related notes and rumors, which we rounded up in a separate story.
Bucks Rumors: Giannis, Tax, Lopez, Portis, Point Guards
After stating during multiple television appearances this week that a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade appears unlikely to happen in the short term, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reiterated that point on Friday in a an ESPN.com story co-authored by Tim Bontemps.
At the moment, Windhorst and Bontemps say, the expectation around the NBA is that Antetokounmpo will still be in Milwaukee by the time the 2025/26 season tips off.
However, the ESPN duo stresses that’s just where things stand as of today. It doesn’t necessarily mean the situation won’t change at some point this offseason, since there’s no indication Antetokounmpo has definitively told the Bucks that he’s staying. It remains possible he could request a change of scenery later in the summer if he decides he’s not thrilled with the team’s direction.
For now though, the Bucks aren’t listening to trade inquiries on Antetokounmpo and aren’t expected to make any deal involving the two-time MVP in the short term.
Here’s more on the Bucks from Windhorst and Bontemps:
- In meetings since the Bucks’ season ended, general manager Jon Horst and head coach Doc Rivers have presented plans to keep the core of the roster intact around Antetokounmpo, per ESPN. Milwaukee went 10-4 without Damian Lillard in March and April and is optimistic about its ability to contend for a top-six playoff spot until he’s ready to return, which the club hopes will happen before the end of the 2025/26 season, as Windhorst and Bontemps explain.
- Personnel around the NBA are curious about the Bucks’ appetite to be a taxpayer in ’25/26 after paying substantial penalties in recent years, according to Windhorst and Bontemps, who hear from sources that the team is indeed prepared to operate above the tax line again. It would be difficult for the Bucks to retain free agent big men Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis without surpassing that threshold, ESPN’s duo notes.
- While Milwaukee may be a taxpayer again next season, rival teams think the Bucks will look to operate below the first tax apron, giving them access to at least part of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The team may need that MLE to sign a free agent point guard to step in for Lillard. According to Windhorst and Bontemps, Dennis Schröder, Tyus Jones, and Malcolm Brogdon are a few names to watch.
Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook To Opt Out Of Contract
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.
Malachi Flynn Joining Turkish Team
Free agent guard Malachi Flynn, a former NBA first-round pick, has reached an agreement to join Bahçeşehir Koleji, the Turkish team announced today in a press release (hat tip to Sportando).
The No. 29 overall pick in 2020, Flynn spent his first three-and-a-half NBA seasons with the Raptors, appearing in 175 regular season games and averaging 5.4 points and 2.0 assists in 15.0 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .379/.338/.756.
The former Washington State standout was traded from Toronto to New York alongside OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa in December 2023, then was flipped to Detroit several weeks later in the deal that sent Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to the Knicks. His most memorable NBA outing came near the end of the 2023/24 season with the Pistons, when he went off for 50 points in an April game against the Hawks.
Despite that display of his scoring ability, Flynn had a hard time finding work at the NBA level during the 2024/25 season and spent much of the year with the Austin Spurs in the G League. He put up 22.6 PPG on .475/.391/.847 shooting in 36 games with San Antonio’s NBAGL affiliate, earning a 10-day contract with the Hornets in March. That was the 27-year-old’s most recent stint on an NBA roster.
Bahçeşehir Koleji, Flynn’s new team, doesn’t compete in the EuroLeague or EuroCup, but is coming off a strong year in Turkey’s Basketball Super League. The club went 18-12 in the regular season and made the semifinals in the playoffs before being eliminated by Fenerbahçe.
2025 NBA Offseason Preview: Detroit Pistons
The 2023/24 Pistons were one of the worst teams in NBA history. Detroit lost 28 games in a row in the first half and got off to a 4-39 start en route to a 14-68 overall record, which was the worst single-season mark in the franchise's 76-year existence.
The Pistons hadn't won more than 23 games in any of the four years prior to '23/24, but that 14-win showing in a season when they were supposed to take a step forward was an embarrassing low point that prompted an offseason overhaul during the summer of 2024.
Trajan Langdon replaced Troy Weaver as the head of basketball operations, while J.B. Bickerstaff took over as head coach just one year after Monty Williams received a six-year contract worth a reported $78.5MM. The Pistons' roster underwent some significant changes too, with Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley signing as free agents and Tim Hardaway Jr. acquired in a trade with Dallas, adding some veteran floor spacers to a team headlined by former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham.
It would be difficult to pinpoint which of those specific changes made the biggest difference in Detroit, given that they all worked out pretty much exactly as the club had hoped. Bickerstaff established a hard-nosed, defensive-minded culture, turning a roster that ranked 25th in defensive rating in 2023/24 into a top-10 unit in '24/25. He finished second in Coach of the Year voting.
The veteran acquisitions, led by Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Beasley, also helped turn things around for a Pistons team that had ranked 29th in the NBA in three-pointers made and 26th in three-point percentage in '23/24. Detroit still wasn't exactly raining down three-pointers like the Celtics, but the club improved its rankings in those categories to 20th and 17th, respectively.
Most importantly, with more space to operate on offense, Cunningham enjoyed a breakout year, establishing new career highs in points (26.1) and assists (9.1) per game, as well as field goal percentage (46.9%) and three-point percentage (35.6%). He earned his first All-Star nod, was named to the All-NBA third team, and was a finalist for Most Improved Player.
The Pistons' year-over-year improvement - from 14 wins to 44 - represented the sixth-biggest turnaround in NBA history and finally gave fans in Detroit a reason for optimism going forward. Even though they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, the two postseason wins the Pistons picked up against the Knicks were the most they'd gotten in a season since 2008, when they went to the Eastern Conference Finals.
This version of the Pistons is likely still a little ways off from another conference finals appearance, but it's extremely encouraging that the organization seems to have the right leaders - Langdon and Bickerstaff - in place and that a protracted rebuild is finally beginning to bear fruit. With several promising young contributors still on the rise and plenty of cap flexibility going forward, Detroit is well positioned to continue clawing its way up the Eastern Conference standings in the coming years.
The Pistons' Offseason Plan
Cunningham's breakout season represents a double-edged sword for the Pistons. As thrilled as they must have been to see the former top pick become one of the league's best guards at age 23, his spot on the All-NBA third team increased the value of his maximum-salary rookie scale extension by a projected $45MM. It will now start at 30% of the 2025/26 cap instead of 25%, adding nearly $8MM in extra salary to the team's cap for next season.
Suns Notes: Ott, Next Steps, Grill, Carroll
New Suns coach Jordan Ott had his introductory press conference on Tuesday, sharing how each coach in his journey helped him get to where he is, Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin writes. Rankin compiled comments from several coaches Ott worked with
“Jordan Ott is an outstanding hire,” former Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “His work ethic, demeanor, passion, and deep knowledge of the game will resonate with both young and veteran players. Jordan will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of finding solutions and will be committed to building a sustainable and successful brand of basketball.”
Ott coached with the Nets for six seasons as an assistant, which directly overlapped with Vaughn’s time there. Ott also served as a video coordinator and graduate assistant under Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo before making it to the league.
“He’s great, a really smart kid. Works his ass off,” Izzo said. “He’s a guy that has enjoyed the process. He’s really a thorough guy. He worked under some good people. I think [Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson] is one of the best coaches in the league. That will be a big plus with him.”
Ott also served as a video coordinator with the Hawks and most recently was an assistant under Atkinson in Cleveland. He worked under former Lakers coach Darvin Ham from 2022-24.
“He has a great feel, which is an intangible, I think, that is just as valuable,” Ham said. “You’ve got to know your Xs and Os, you’ve got to be well equipped with player development, programs and understanding both sides of the ball, but I just think the feel for people nowadays with so much going on. The world is moving so fast between social media and the ever-changing landscape of our league from playing styles to playing trends, he’s abreast to all of that. He stays on top of all of that.”
We have more from the Suns:
- After hiring Ott, a trade involving Kevin Durant seems like the next order of business, Rankin writes in another piece. Beyond that, Phoenix currently holds the Nos. 29 and 52 overall picks in the 2025 draft. They’ve previously hosted Michigan big man Danny Wolf and Alabama forward Grant Nelson on pre-draft workouts. Filling out Ott’s coaching staff is another top priority.
- In addition to Wolf and Nelson, the Suns hosted Missouri guard Caleb Grill on a pre-draft workout, per Rankin. Grill is ESPN’s 74th best-available player in the 2025 class. He averaged 13.7 points while shooting 39.6% from three on 6.8 attempts per game in his final collegiate season en route to winning SEC Sixth Man of the Year.
- The Suns finalized an agreement to add NBA veteran DeMarre Carroll to their coaching staff, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link). John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 previously reported the move was expected, though an official announcement may not come until later in the offseason, once Phoenix has finalized Ott’s staff.
Nets Notes: Sharpe, Cap Space, Giannis, Scott, Pierre
The Nets have seen steady improvement from center Day’Ron Sharpe since he was drafted in 2021. He’s set to be a restricted free agent this summer, and Brooklyn has a decision to make on him after re-signing starting center Nic Claxton to a four-year, $97MM contract last year.
In an interview with Swish Theory’s Charlie Cummings (hat tip to Net Income of NetsDaily), Sharpe identified what it will take for him to reach the next level in the league.
“Offensive rebounding — that’s always gonna be my thing, that’s my bread-and-butter,” Sharpe said. “Being the strongest is going to help me do that. I’m trying to get to a point where it don’t matter who’s on that court, I’m moving you and I’m gonna get that board.”
Sharpe averaged 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 18.1 minutes last season.
“I just want to do whatever we can to help the team,” Sharpe said. “If it’s talking to the next person, then I can do that. If it’s bringing energy, I can do that. If it’s ‘go and grab every offensive rebound,’ I can do that. If it’s ‘go and drop 20,’ I can do that.”
We have more from the Nets:
- The Nets will enter the 2025 offseason as the only team with significant cap space, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll use their spending flexibility on free agents. Instead, as Brian Lewis of the New York Post details in a subscriber-only story, Brooklyn can position itself to land unwanted contracts from other clubs that want to get in on the offseason action, especially star-level trades that require a third-team facilitator. The Nets also have five picks in next month’s draft and are said to be exploring a move up.
- With multiple reports suggesting that the odds of Giannis Antetokounmpo requesting a trade out of Milwaukee appear to be decreasing, the Nets’ “Plan A” this offseason may be off the table. However, that clarity could prove to be a good thing, Lewis writes in a separate piece (subscriber link). Instead of going all-in on a superstar, the team can focus on youth development as it heads into the second year of a rebuild.
- The Nets, who control five draft picks (Nos. 8, 19, 26, 27, and 36) held a pre-draft workout featuring St. John’s forward Aaron Scott and Belmont guard Jonathan Pierre, according to The Draft Stack (Twitter link). Scott averaged 8.4 points and 1.4 steals per game in his final collegiate season at St. John’s and Pierre averaged 13.8 PPG while shooting 36.9% from three last year.
Pacers Notes: Mathurin, Turner, McConnell, Haliburton
After tearing his labrum and missing the end of last season, Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin got a calendar to count the days until he could return to the floor, The Athletic’s Shakeia Taylor writes.
Fast-forward a year, and Mathurin delivered a historic performance for the Pacers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, notching 27 points in 22 minutes. His scoring output was the most for a reserve in the Finals since Jason Terry in 2011, Taylor notes.
“Every day he would come in and take one off, take one off,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He was counting the days down to being cleared sometime in August. Then be able to begin training camp, begin five-on-five with our guys in September and then be in training camp, really, with his eyes firmly set on an opportunity in the playoffs. He’s put in a lot of work to be ready for these moments, and tonight he was an absolute major factor.”
Mathurin attributed his eager and stay-ready mentality to watching and learning from his teammates and coaches during the playoffs last spring.
“I think as much as I was out last year, not being able to play, I learned a lot,” Mathurin said. “Just being on the bench and being next to the coaches who were able to run me through the game and stuff like that. It was an unfortunate situation, but I was fortunate enough to learn a lot and be ready for this year.”
We have more from the Pacers:
- Myles Turner played through an illness in Game 3, Joel A. Erickson of IndyStar writes. He battled cold-like symptoms during the game, but still wound up making the defensive play of the game when he blocked Chet Holmgren to maintain the team’s late lead. “Well, Myles is under the weather,” Carlisle said. “He may not even be with us tomorrow. He just hasn’t been feeling well the last couple of days. It was affecting his wind. He won’t bring it up, but I think it’s just appropriate to mention that he’s working through something.” According to IndyStar’s Dustin Dopirak, Turner is not on the injury report for Game 4, but Jarace Walker (right ankle sprain) has been ruled out for the fourth straight game.
- Alongside Mathurin, the Pacers got significant contributions off the bench from T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin in their Game 3 win, per The Athletic’s David Aldridge. McConnell recorded 10 points, five assists and five steals. “I think his energy is unbelievable,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “You guys know he’s definitely a crowd favorite. I joke with him, I call him the Great White Hope. He does a great job of bringing energy in this building. And I think people feed off that. And he had a couple of unbelievable steals.”
- Haliburton shut down outside noise and delivered a tremendous performance in Game 3, Dopirak writes. He recorded 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in the win. “I think the commentary is always going to be what it is, you know?” Haliburton said. “Most of the time, the talking heads on the major platforms, I couldn’t care less. Honestly, like what do they really know about basketball?“
Draft Workouts: Jazz, Wolves, Kings, Broome
The Jazz are hosting a pre-draft workout on Friday featuring Colorado State wing Nique Clifford, North Carolina wing Drake Powell, Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner and Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, multiple league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Clifford is the top-ranked prospect of the group, according to ESPN’s big board, coming in at No. 22. Powell (No. 31), Kalkbrenner (No. 33) and Lanier (No. 37) are also viewed as strong bets to be drafted, either late in the first round or early in the second.
Utah currently controls four picks — Nos. 5, 21, 43 and 53 — in June’s draft.
Here are a few more notes regarding pre-draft workouts:
- The Timberwolves, who control the 17th and 31st picks, are holding a workout Thursday that includes Asa Newell (Georgia), Jamir Watkins (Florida State), Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State) and Steven Crowl (Wisconsin), reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North (via Twitter). Newell, who was invited to the green room, is ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s board, while Watkins is No. 39. The other two players are unranked.
- The Kings will be hosting six players for a workout on Friday, the team announced (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). The six are Ryan Nembhard of Gonzaga, Curtis Jones of Iowa State, Koby Brea of Kentucky, Kadary Richmond of, Norchad Omier of Baylor, and Vladislav Goldin of Michigan. All six prospects appear on ESPN’s board, ranging from No. 47 (Brea) to No. 95 (Omier). Sacramento currently only controls the 42nd pick, but is rumored to be interested in moving into the first round.
- Big man Johni Broome, the 40th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s list, had a workout with the Warriors today, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The former Auburn star said he has previously worked out for the Clippers, Pistons, Hawks, Nets, Raptors and Celtics, and has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Thunder, Timberwolves and Suns, according to Rankin. Golden State controls the 41st pick.
Latest On Kevin Durant
Appearing on NBA Today on Thursday (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania gave an update on his report that the Suns and Kevin Durant‘s business partner, Rich Kleiman, have been evaluating trade options ahead of this month’s draft.
“There is traction on Kevin Durant trade scenarios,” Charania said. “And there are some teams that are motivated to get a deal done sooner rather than later, and so we’ll see. Will something happen before the NBA Draft? Does this linger into June 25, June 26, closer to that draft period?
“But those are the five teams (Houston, Minnesota, New York, Miami and San Antonio) where the Suns are most focused at. There are some wild-card suitors as well. But what this could end up coming down to is, he’s on expiring deal. … Is this all going to be contingent on him accepting a long-term (extension)? (Or) will there be a team that simply swings for him?”
While his ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst said earlier on Thursday that he thinks Durant “definitely” has interest in joining the Knicks, multiple local reporters have stated the team doesn’t plan to pursue the two-time Finals MVP, perhaps ruling New York out as a potential suitor.
Although the “situation remains fluid,” there’s growing skepticism that the Spurs will acquire Durant, with “no clear traction” on a deal, league sources tell Grant Afseth of RG.org.
According to Afseth, league insiders have doubts about the fit of Durant, who turns in 37 years old in September, joining a young, up-and-coming team in San Antonio. Afseth suggests the Spurs may be reluctant to meet the Suns’ asking price for Durant.
Following up on a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Afseth cites league sources who say the Sixers‘ discussions with the Spurs about moving up from No. 3 to No. 2 are believed to have been exploratory rather than serious.
“For now, it’s more due diligence than anything,” one source told RG.
As of now, the Spurs are still expected to keep the second pick and select Dylan Harper, Afseth reports.
While the Knicks or Spurs may not land Durant, the Heat are legitimately interested in the superstar forward, confirms Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. The big question, Winderman writes, is whether that interest is mutual.
As Winderman observes, the Heat and Suns discussed a trade involving Durant and Jimmy Butler prior to the February deadline. Butler ended up in Golden State, which first nearly acquired Durant before he essentially nixed the deal. Heat stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are not expected to be available in any Durant trade talks, according to Winderman.