Hawks Confident About Chances In Free Agency
Former Hawks forward Vince Carter said on ESPN’s The Jump that he has heard Atlanta is confident it will be able to land two free agents from a group that includes Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, Joe Harris, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic echoes that sentiment (via Twitter).
While Harris and Bogdanovic may still be in play for the Hawks, it sounds as if Gallinari and Rondo are the more likely candidates to end up in Atlanta.
Reports earlier in the week suggested that the Hawks are viewed as the frontrunners for both veteran free agents, with Gallinari perhaps in line for a three-year deal and Rondo expected to receive a two-year offer.
Atlanta is the only team set to enter free agency with more than $40MM in cap room available, so even if the team lands Gallinari and Rondo, it still should have money left over to spend.
Free Agent Roundup: Gallinari, Harris, Millsap
The Heat could be among the teams bidding for free agent forward Danilo Gallinari, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. If Giannis Antetokounmpo accepts a super-max offer from the Bucks, there will be less incentive for Miami to preserve cap room for next summer. If the two-time MVP is off the market, Scotto hears that the Heat will extend Bam Adebayo, try to re-sign Goran Dragic and look to add a forward, possibly Gallinari, in free agency.
Oklahoma City is expected to structure the trade for Al Horford so it can retain Gallinari’s cap hold, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).
There’s more free agent news to pass along:
- A rumor circulating earlier today that the Mavericks and Thunder were negotiating a sign-and-trade deal involving Gallinari is false, at least so far, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
- The Hawks and Hornets were both planning to pursue Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris, but it seems increasingly likely that he will remain in Brooklyn, Scotto notes in the same piece. Charlotte will look for more affordable guards who can give the team veteran leadership and shooting.
- Nuggets forward Paul Millsap could be in line for the Trail Blazers‘ full mid-level exception if he signs in Portland, Scotto adds. The Blazers are expected to make a strong push for the 35-year-old.
Hawks A Strong Contender For Danilo Gallinari
4:44pm: The Hawks remain in the lead for Gallinari and are apparently prepared to tender him a three-year contract, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando tweets.
4:00pm: There’s a growing belief among rival teams that the Hawks will be in “pole position” to land both Gallinari and Rajon Rondo when free agency opens later this week, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Atlanta is reportedly preparing an offer in the range of $15MM over two years for Rondo.
3:20pm: As one of the few teams entering the offseason with significant cap room, the Hawks have been linked to most of the top free agents on the market, and we can add another name to that list. During a live stream on Instagram today, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer suggested that Danilo Gallinari is a serious target for Atlanta in free agency (hat tip to Sportando).
“I’ve heard they’re going after Danilo Gallinari,” O’Connor said of the Hawks (at around the 16:08 mark). “I’ve heard they very well may be signing Gallinari as soon as free agency opens on Friday.”
Gallinari, 32, had a strong season in Oklahoma City in 2019/20, averaging 18.7 PPG and 5.2 RPG on .438/.405/.893 shooting in 62 games (29.6 MPG). If he were to join the Hawks, he’d become one of the team’s go-to scoring threats alongside Trae Young and John Collins, stretching the floor in the frontcourt.
The Hawks are believed to be targeting shooting in free agency, having also been linked to marksmen like Davis Bertans and Joe Harris.
Gallinari spoke last month about potentially prioritizing the chance to win a title over finding the most lucrative contract possible. While Atlanta is a team on the rise and hopes to make the postseason in 2021, joining the Hawks certainly wouldn’t represent the veteran forward’s best chance at a championship. Still, it’d be hard to fault him if he opts for a lucrative long-term deal, since this may be his last, best opportunity to secure a big multiyear payday.
Begley’s Latest: Gallinari, Green, Knicks, Wood, Portis
Some members within the Mavericks are interested in pursuing Danilo Gallinari once free agency opens on Nov. 20, according to Ian Begley of SNY. Dallas will likely join a significant number of suitors for Gallinari, with rival teams expecting that he’ll join a contender if the Thunder wind up trading Chris Paul.
Gallinari, 32, is one of the most intriguing forwards on the open market, averaging 18.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season with Oklahoma City. The Mavericks pursued Gallinari prior to last season’s trade deadline, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, but backed away upon learning that he wouldn’t sign an extension with the team. Some members of the Knicks have also labeled him as a potential target, Begley notes.
In addition to Gallinari, Begley touched on a number of other topics related to free agency, including how teams such as the Lakers and Knicks are thinking:
- The Lakers are willing to discuss trades involving Danny Green, Begley reports. Green, an 11-year NBA veteran, struggled with his shooting in the playoffs, connecting on 34% of his attempts from behind-the-arc. He’s a career 39% shooter from deep in the postseason.
- Should the Knicks acquire Paul or Russell Westbrook in a trade, multiple teams expect the club to pursue veterans in free agency with hopes of making a playoff push this season, Begley notes. New York last made the playoffs during the 2012/13 season.
- Rival teams interested in Christian Wood believe the Knicks have made him a No. 1 target for free agency, according to Begley. Wood averaged 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 21.4 minutes per game with the Pistons last season. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent.
- Opposing teams also expect the Knicks to decline the $15.75MM team option on forward Bobby Portis, which would allow the 25-year-old to enter free agency. The current plan for New York includes retaining Reggie Bullock ($4.2MM partially guaranteed salary) and exercising the $8MM team option on guard Elfrid Payton, though Begley cautions this could change.
Mavericks Plan To Be Active In Trade Talks
The Mavericks will be aggressive in the offseason trade market as they look for a third star to team with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
Multiple sources tell Townsend that Mavericks president and general manager Donnie Nelson has informed other GMs around the league that he’s looking to upgrade his roster, even if it means taking on unwanted contracts, and he’s willing to part with everyone other than Doncic and Porzingis.
Dallas is also hoping to trade up in the draft and acquire a lottery pick, Townsend adds, though sources didn’t say where in the lottery Nelson is aiming. The Mavs currently hold selections No. 18 and 31.
There have been reports that Dallas is among the franchises hoping to preserve cap room for a possible run at Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes a free agent in 2021. But Townsend states that the priority is to build a contending team around Doncic before his first shot at free agency two years from now. With Doncic appearing to be a perennial MVP candidate, several agents have quietly informed the Mavericks that their clients are interested in coming to Dallas.
Townsend expects the Mavs to seek players who can handle either forward position and identifies Thunder free agent Danilo Gallinari as a likely target. According to Townsend, Dallas had a deal in place for Gallinari at the trade deadline, but backed out because he refused to agree to an extension, preferring to test the free agent market. Gallinari remains a productive scorer at age 32, averaging 18.7 points per game this season and shooting 40.5% from three-point range.
Another option could be trading for Sixers forward Tobias Harris, who turned down an offer from the Mavericks last summer to remain in Philadelphia for $180MM over five years. The Sixers may be seeking salary relief, especially with a revamped front office taking over.
Northwest Notes: Gallinari, Nuggets, Timberwolves
As he prepares to enter free agency this offseason, Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that he believes the idea that he’s injury prone is unfair and that he hopes to have dispelled that notion by not missing any significant time during the last two seasons.
“I’ve had small injuries that everyone has. I only had two big injuries, which was the back my first year and the ACL back in 2013 when I was in Denver,” Gallinari said. “I honestly don’t understand why I have this injury-prone stigma on my shoulders, but it’s just not true. It’s not facts. The facts are different. I’m very healthy, and I’ve been playing seasons with no problems playing almost every game. Most of the games I didn’t play is because it was a team decision to rest and not being injured.”
Asked specifically about his free agency, Gallinari said he’d “love to run it back” and return to Oklahoma City in 2020/21, but he sounds open to exploring other options as well. The 32-year-old previously suggested he may prioritize an opportunity to win a title over securing the most lucrative possible contract, but he told Scotto that he’s not necessarily seeking out just one specific kind of situation.
“The part I love is that I have the chance to look at everything,” Gallinari said. “Honestly, I don’t have one direction or one thing that I’m looking at. In your career, you can’t be a free agent every year. When it happens, for me, it’s this summer, I want to take my time and look at everything.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- After being known as the Pepsi Center for over two decades, the Nuggets‘ home arena is getting a new name. As Mike Singer of The Denver Post details, the team’s building will now be known as the Ball Arena as a result of a partnership between Ball Corporation and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment.
- Likening Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer suggests the Timberwolves are in position to follow the roster-building blueprint established by the Nuggets. However, Tjarks acknowledges that the Wolves need to start adding more two-way players and would benefit tremendously from finding their own version of Paul Millsap.
- The Timberwolves‘ dilemma with the No. 1 pick is exacerbated by the fact that most of this year’s top prospects aren’t elite shooters or defenders, which are the two kinds of players Minnesota would most like to add. Passing along comments from president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, Chris Hine of The Star Tribune examines how the Wolves will assess which prospects are capable of improving their outside shooting.
Thunder Notes: Weaver, Gallinari, Coaching Search
The Thunder‘s head coaching search now includes former Sixers and Nets assistant Will Weaver, sources tell Mitch Lawrence of SiriusXM NBA Radio (Twitter link). Weaver, who coached the Long Island Nets in 2018/19, currently serves as the head coach of the Sydney Kings in Australia’s National Basketball League.
In an episode of his Hoop Collective podcast earlier this month, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst linked Weaver to the Pelicans‘ head coaching search, noting that the veteran coach has a working relationship with New Orleans’ general manager Trajan Langdon. As Windhorst explains, the Pelicans’ decision to send 2019 second-round pick Didi Louzada to Sydney was related to Weaver’s presence there.
Relaying Windhorst’s comments last week, Matt Logue of The Australian wrote that “it is understood” that Weaver will interview for the Thunder’s open head coaching job.
While we wait to see if anything more concrete materializes between Weaver and two of the teams still seeking head coaches, here are a few more Thunder-related items:
- An unrestricted free agent this fall, Danilo Gallinari published a tweet on Tuesday asking, “Where to next?” There’s still a chance Gallinari could return to the Thunder for the 2020/21 season, as Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman writes. However, Oklahoma City is believed to be mulling a rebuild and Gallinari’s Tuesday tweet suggests he’s preparing to play elsewhere next season.
- Elsewhere at The Oklahoman, Mussatto continues to profile coaches who he believes could become candidates for the Thunder’s head coaching vacancy. In recent days, he has taken a closer look at Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Sixers assistant Ime Udoka, and Dayton head coach Anthony Grant.
- In case you missed it last week, we previewed the Thunder’s major upcoming offseason decisions, including the possibility of a Chris Paul trade.
Bontemps’ Latest: Antetokounmpo, Oladipo, VanVleet, Hawks
Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s decision on a supermax extension will have a wide-ranging effect on this offseason and the summer of 2021, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Several teams that are saving cap space to make a run at the two-time MVP next year would be more likely to spend right away if he accepts an offer from the Bucks. The Raptors would be more willing to spend big to keep free agent guard Fred VanVleet, while the Heat and Mavericks might look to make significant moves right away.
Bontemps has heard from multiple sources that Milwaukee won’t panic if Antetokoumpo turns down the extension. Instead of trying to trade him before he reaches free agency, the Bucks will look for roster upgrades to give him a better chance to compete for a title before he hits the open market. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Milwaukee’s ownership won’t mind adding payroll to improve, so the team could be actively seeking trades before the start of next season.
There’s more on potential offseason moves, all courtesy of Bontemps:
- Victor Oladipo is also eligible for an extension, but it might be tricky for him and the Pacers to arrive at a mutually acceptable figure. The team can offer a new deal that starts at around $26MM — 120% of his salary for next season. However, Oladipo could potentially make much more as an unrestricted free agent in 2021 and may use the upcoming season to show that he’s fully recovered from a torn quadriceps tendon. As a small market team, Indiana might decide to seek a deal now involving Oladipo rather than risk losing him for no return, Bontemps notes. The Pacers already have Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis under long-term deals and may be wary of giving another one to Oladipo.
- VanVleet will be the top free agent this offseason, and the Raptors are hoping to keep him without compromising any chance they have at Antetokounmpo. ESPN’s Bobby Marks reports that Toronto would like to reach a new deal that doesn’t exceed four years at $80MM. The Pistons, Knicks, and Hawks all appear to be options to maximize his value if VanVleet doesn’t mind leaving a contender for a rebuilding team.
- Atlanta goes into free agency with the most money to spend ($42MM), giving general manager Travis Schlenk an advantage as he looks to add to his core of young talent. There aren’t any franchise players on this year’s market, but Bontemps mentions Davis Bertans, Danilo Gallinari and Joe Harris as possibilities, along with VanVleet.
- In the wake of playoff disappointments and coaching changes, the Clippers and Sixers could both be looking for roster shakeups. According to Bontemps, L.A. may try to move Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and Ivica Zubac or find sign-and trade deals involving Marcus Morris or Montrezl Harrell, while Philadelphia’s top priority is to unload Al Horford‘s contract.
Thunder Notes: Gallinari, Ferguson, Kalamian
Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari suggests he’s more interested in winning a championship than taking the best offer in free agency, Alessandro Maggi of Sportando relays. Gallinari made the comment during Italy’s “Festival dello Sport.”
“At this time, yes,” he said of prioritizing a title over the most lucrative contract he can find. “I’m not 20 anymore.”
Gallinari, 32, made $22.6MM this past season. He’ll be one of the most sought-after unrestricted free agents on the market.
We have more from the Thunder:
- In April, Oklahoma County prosecutors decided not to charge guard Terrance Ferguson after a rape accusation. However, he now has more legal issues that apparently involve the same case, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman reports. Ferguson has been sued by an Oklahoma City woman who alleges he and his brother raped her in September 2018. The woman, who previously had a consensual relationship with Ferguson, is seeking in excess of $500K.
- Clippers assistant Rex Kalamian has a strong connection to the Thunder organization, Mussatto writes in a separate story regarding the team’s coaching search. Kalamian was an assistant in Oklahoma City for six seasons, including three years in which he was Scott Brooks’ lead assistant. It’s uncertain whether Kalamian is a candidate for the Thunder’s opening.
- We noted earlier on Monday that the front office has been tight-lipped about the coaching search even though Billy Donovan was let go more than a month ago.
Doncic, Porzingis, SGA Among Players Out For Monday’s Games
Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis won’t play in Monday’s game against Utah, according to the league’s official injury report. Dallas will also be without starting forward Dorian Finney-Smith.
Doncic and Porzingis are both listed out due to “injury recovery” — right ankle for Doncic and left knee for Porzingis. Finney-Smith, meanwhile, is dealing with a left hip strain.
At 42-30, the No. 7 Mavericks are two games behind the sixth-seeded Jazz (43-27), so today’s game has seeding implications. If the Mavs lose, they’ll be locked into the No. 7 seed in the West. Utah, just a half-game behind the No. 5 Thunder, could still move up a spot or two in the standings, though the team may prefer to remain at No. 6 if it means avoiding the Rockets in the first round. Houston has eliminated the Jazz in the postseason in each of the last two years.
Donovan Mitchell has also been downgraded from questionable to out for today’s game due to a left lower leg peroneal strain, according to the Jazz (via Twitter).
Meanwhile, per the league’s injury report, the Thunder will be without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right calf contusion), Steven Adams (left lower leg contusion), Danilo Gallinari (left ankle injury maintenance), and Nerlens Noel (right ankle sprain), in addition to missing Dennis Schröder, who remains out for personal reasons after attending the birth of his child.
Those absences bode well for the Suns, who will need to remain undefeated in the bubble in order to keep pace in the race for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. As we detailed earlier today, Phoenix won’t technically be eliminated from postseason contention with a loss, but it would make the path to a play-in spot a whole lot more difficult.