Fischer’s Latest: Kyrie, Collins, Barnes, Knicks, Magic
Monday’s report stating that Kyrie Irving is at an impasse in contract discussions with the Nets and could consider other destinations is widely viewed as an attempt by Irving’s camp to create leverage in those negotiations, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated during an appearance on Get Up on Tuesday (video link).
Still, even if that’s the case, the Nets and Irving have some work to do to bridge the gap in their contract talks, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says the team prefers a shorter-term deal that includes incentives, while Irving naturally wants a longer-term commitment.
Despite the report of an “impasse,” talks between Irving and the Nets are expected to remain fluid as his option decision deadline and the start of free agency near, says Fischer. There still appears to be mutual interest in figuring something out, and Brooklyn team officials have been operating as if Irving, Kevin Durant, and Ben Simmons will all be back in 2022/23, Fischer adds.
According to Fischer, word has circulated among league personnel since May’s draft combine that Irving has interest in the Lakers and Knicks, but most team executives haven’t given much credence to that chatter, given how challenging it would be for either team to acquire him.
Here’s more from Fischer’s newest round-up of NBA rumors:
- Fischer is the latest reporter to reiterate that John Collins is viewed as one of the NBA’s most likely offseason trade candidates, writing that Collins and the Hawks seem to have mutual interest in finding him a new home. Fischer also confirms a previous report which stated that the Collins talks between the Hawks and Kings haven’t included the No. 4 overall pick, though he notes that Sacramento forward Harrison Barnes is believed to be available.
- The Knicks are considered likely to trade Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel, according to Fischer, who says the team is exploring ways to create $25MM in cap room, possibly to pursue free agent point guard Jalen Brunson. However, Fischer cautions that league personnel still widely expect Brunson to re-sign with the Mavericks.
- Teams looking to shed a contract or two will likely be in touch with the Magic. Fischer hears from sources that Orlando – one of the only teams projected to have cap room – has emerged as a possible landing spot for unwanted salary. Any team looking to dump a contract on the Magic would have to be willing to give up an asset or two to make it happen.
Knicks Notes: Ivey, Mitchell, Arms, Brunson
The Knicks would be better off pursuing a deal with Sacramento for the No. 4 pick and drafting Jaden Ivey, rather than trying to make a blockbuster deal for Donovan Mitchell, Bryan Fonseca of the Basketball News argues. They could dangle their lottery pick, offer an addition first rounder and add in young players if necessary to entice the Kings to make a deal. However, a report suggests the Kings are unlikely to make such a trade.
In contrast, the Knicks would have to give up much of their young talent and/or draft capital to grab the Jazz’s attention, Fonseca contends.
We have more on the Knicks:
- Adonis Arms was among the draft prospects who worked out for the Knicks on Thursday, Ian Begley of SNY.tv tweets. The Texas Tech guard averaged 8.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 2.8 APG last season.
- Keeping the Ivey theme going, Begley gets insights from a variety of sources on how the Purdue point guard would fit in with New York’s current roster.
- Kyle Neptune, a former assistant coach and now head coach at Villanova, gives a ringing endorsement for Jalen Brunson if the Mavs free agent lands in New York. “I always bet on Jalen Brunson, so whatever situation he’s put in, I’m going to bet on him,” Neptune told Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “He has the wherewithal, the intelligence, the work ethic, to figure out any situation, period. … He may not be the most flashy guy, but in terms of a guy who is going to get some things done and help your team win and keep your team together, he’s the highest level. He’s a guy that lives it every day.”
Fischer’s Latest: Brunson, LaVine, Beal, Anunoby, Ayton, Collins
Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, Bulls wing Zach LaVine, and Wizards guard Bradley Beal are all considered likely to remain with their respective teams in free agency this offseason, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said during an appearance on the Dunc’d On podcast this week.
Brunson has been linked to teams like the Knicks, Pistons, and Pacers over the last few months, but the Mavs have consistently stated both publicly and privately that they want to hang onto the point guard. According to Fischer, people around the league are writing in Brunson’s return to Dallas “in Sharpie” at this point. “Literally, everyone in the league is saying that,” Fischer said.
Fischer has been among the reporters to suggest that LaVine’s return to Chicago is no longer viewed as a sure thing, but he doesn’t believe the All-Star swingman will actually leave the Bulls.
“Even people around him have been saying all along, ‘Yeah, the door’s open, but we don’t think he’s going to leave,'” Fischer said.
Asked if there’s any smoke around the idea of Beal exiting Washington, Fischer said he hasn’t heard anything he’s “giving much weight to.” As Fischer observes, the Wizards guard could accept a lucrative contract offer to remain in D.C. this offseason, knowing that he could request a trade down the road if he eventually decides he wants out.
“The Zach LaVine thing, like I said, I don’t expect him to leave, but people there are at least saying, ‘Yeah, the door’s open for him to go,'” Fischer said. “No one’s even coming close to that type of verbiage when it comes to Brad.”
Here are a few more of the highlights from Fischer’s Dunc’d On appearance:
- Following up on his reporting on OG Anunoby, Fischer reiterated that he believes the Raptors wing wants a greater role on offense. “I do definitely think there’s definitive truth that he wants more opportunity,” Fischer said. “That’s the one thing that’s been repeated across the board from everyone I’ve talked to — from people within his representation, to coaches who’ve worked with him in the past, to general people in the league who would know, let’s say. And that’s the one word that everyone consistently agrees on, that he wants more opportunity, and it doesn’t seem like a clear path to having that in Toronto.”
- The Raptors aren’t going to “sell off” Anunoby, but appear open to the idea of including him in a trade for an impact player, according to Fischer, who once again identifies the Trail Blazers and Jazz as teams with interest. “Portland is definitely targeting OG. He’s definitely said to be someone that (Damian) Lillard wants to pair with,” Fischer said. “Utah has had conversations – I think they’ve even had conversations with Toronto, (though) I don’t want to say there’s been offers made. Right now most of these teams are in super-early conversations and the only team I hear about that’s ready to talk trade right now is (the Hawks).”
- Fischer believes Suns center Deandre Ayton could be the biggest name to change teams in free agency this summer, perhaps in a sign-and-trade. “He wants the max, he doesn’t want to come down from that,” Fischer said of Ayton. “… Detroit gets mentioned a lot. Portland, it seems like he’s another guy that Dame has interest in playing with. Toronto gets mentioned. San Antonio’s been mentioned.”
- Hawks big man John Collins is another player Fischer believes is drawing interest from the Trail Blazers. Fischer adds that the Spurs had serious interest in Collins a year or two ago, but admits he’s not sure whether that’s still the case. “There was someone I talked to today who had just spoken to Atlanta in recent days who said that John Collins is clearly the guy that they are most interested in moving,” Fischer said.
Knicks Notes: Brunson, Etienne, Harper, Draft
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who was hired in 2020, wanted Rick Brunson on his staff from the beginning, one source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. However, some members of upper management had concerns about the circumstances of Brunson’s departure from Minnesota, Berman’s source said. The former Timberwolves assistant resigned after being accused of improper conduct toward women, though he and his lawyer denied any wrongdoing.
Although Brunson is now set to join Thibodeau’s staff in New York, it doesn’t sound like he intends to put the full-court press on his son Jalen Brunson, an unrestricted free agent this summer, to join him. According to Berman, Rick recently told a confidant that he just wants his son to sign the best deal he can, one representative of his market value.
Marc Stein reported today on Substack that there’s “no grave concern bubbling” in Dallas about the Knicks’ hiring of Rick Brunson, and Berman essentially says the same thing in his story. According to Berman, a source who recently spoke to Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he’d be “shocked” if Dallas doesn’t re-sign Jalen Brunson.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- The Knicks have been busy conducting pre-draft workouts this week. According to Berman (Twitter links), Tyson Etienne (Wichita State), Orlando Robinson (Fresno State), and Jordan Goldwire (Oklahoma) were among the prospects at the team’s facility on Wednesday, while Jimmy Boeheim (Syracuse) and Andrew Jones (Texas) were among those who auditioned for the team on Thursday.
- Rutgers forward Ron Harper Jr., the No. 57 prospect on ESPN’s big board, will work out for the Knicks on Saturday, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com.
- Several people in touch with the Knicks last month believe the team has interest trading up from No. 11 in the draft, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
D’Angelo Russell May Be Option In Knicks’ Point Guard Search
If the Knicks can’t get their preferred choices at point guard, the Timberwolves‘ D’Angelo Russell could become an option this summer, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
New York has a strong connection to Russell in Gersson Rosas, who was recently named senior basketball advisor after spending time with the organization as a consultant. Fischer notes that when Rosas was president of basketball operations in Minnesota, he traded Andrew Wiggins and a lottery pick to the Warriors for Russell in 2020 after missing out on him in free agency.
Russell, who has a $31.4MM expiring contract next season, took some heat after a disappointing performance in the Wolves’ brief playoff run. The emergence of other backcourt options in Minnesota might make him expendable as the team looks to the future.
Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell remains the Knicks’ dream choice, but getting him appears unlikely even if Utah decides to shake up its roster, Fischer writes. He cites “healthy skepticism” around the league that New York can make the best offer for Mitchell, noting that Miami could potentially put together a deal centered around Tyler Herro and multiple first-round picks.
The Knicks have also been linked to Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, who is headed toward free agency, but Fischer hears there’s a “growing sense” around the league that Brunson will remain in Dallas. Fischer expects Brunson’s new contract to top $20MM per season and says John Collins‘ five-year, $125MM extension could be a good comparison.
New York can only offer four years to Brunson and would need to clear out significant cap space first. Sources tell Fischer that the Knicks unsuccessfully tried to move Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel ahead of the trade deadline to begin opening cap room. Fischer cites league executives who believe New York would have to include either the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft or Immanuel Quickley in any deal to unload salary.
Fischer adds that one factor working in the Knicks’ favor in their pursuit of Brunson is that they can offer him the chance to be the undisputed leader of the offense, which he won’t have in Dallas playing alongside Luka Doncic. Fischer notes that if Brunson signs with the Pistons, who are also reported to be interested, he would be in the same situation with Cade Cunningham.
Sources also tell Fischer that New York won’t be among the teams pursuing Cavaliers free agent guard Collin Sexton. Cleveland is interested in keeping him, but it could be difficult considering the team’s salary commitment to other players. Fischer hears that the Pacers, Pistons and Wizards will all be in the market for Sexton.
Western Notes: McGee, Doncic, Brunson, Mavs, Williamson
Veteran center and unrestricted free agent JaVale McGee said he’s interested in re-signing with the Suns this offseason, according to Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com.
“Definitely consider it, definitely consider an opportunity,” McGee said. “At this point in my career, I’m definitely focused on myself and what’s best for me and my situation and my family. I know what I bring to a team if it’s any organization that I go to. For me, that’s what it’s all about. Make sure I’m valuing myself as much as the team (is) valuing me.”
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Luka Doncic will be informed of potential roster moves via frequent contact with head coach Jason Kidd, owner Mark Cuban, GM Nico Harrison and assistant GM Michael Finley, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News reports. Doncic will not be taking it easy this summer. He’ll start practicing with the Slovenian National Team on June 15 ahead of World Cup qualifying matches against Croatia (June 30) and Sweden (July 3). He’ll re-join the national team in August to prepare for EuroBasket, which begins Sept. 1 in Cologne, Germany.
- Doncic wants free agent Jalen Brunson to remain his backcourt partner, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes. “The step – the huge leap – he took this year was unbelievable,” Doncic said. “And he’s going to deserve all the money he gets.” The Mavericks have made their desire to retain Brunson known but they also want to acquire a quality big man — a rebounder and rim-protector. “That’s no secret. We know we got beat up on the boards,” Harrison said after the conference finals.
- Zion Williamson no longer has any restrictions from his foot injury. So how will he fit in with a Pelicans team that showed vast improvement in the second half of the season? Will Guillory of The Athletic takes a closer look at that topic.
Mavs Notes: Gobert, LaVine, Brunson, Doncic
The Mavericks remain focused on acquiring another All-Star caliber player to complement Luka Doncic after tacitly acknowledging by trading Kristaps Porzingis in February that he wasn’t the right fit, sources tell veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein. The Mavs won’t have salary cap space to sign a player of that caliber outright anytime soon, so if they’re going to try to acquire a star this summer, it will probably have to be via trade.
Dallas has been linked to Jazz big man Rudy Gobert, but Stein’s sources say the Mavs’ interest in the three-time Defensive Player of the Year has been overstated. As Stein explains, the team knows it needs to improve its rim protection and rebounding, but had success with a five-out approach this postseason and will likely pursue a more “cost-efficient” option at center.
According to Stein, Bulls guard Zach LaVine is a potential target that intrigues the Mavericks, who apparently like the idea of adding another wing slasher and scorer, particularly after seeing how effective Spencer Dinwiddie was this season alongside Doncic.
However, LaVine is a free agent this summer and it would be a challenge for the Mavs to sign-and-trade for him and re-sign Jalen Brunson, since team salary would be well beyond the projected tax apron — any club that acquires a player via sign-and-trade becomes hard-capped at the apron for the rest of that league year. If acquiring LaVine isn’t realistic, Dallas will likely pivot to other options on the wing, Stein says.
Here’s more on the Mavs, whose season ended on Thursday in Golden State:
- President of basketball operations Nico Harrison downplayed the need to bring in another All-Star caliber player. “There’s teams … that have a bunch of All-Stars, and they were sitting at home watching us play,” Harrison said during his end-of-season presser on Friday (Twitter link via Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News). “Yeah, you need to keep upgrading the roster, but I don’t think it’s just about getting a bunch of All-Stars. It’s about getting people that fit.”
- Harrison said that re-signing Jalen Brunson will be the Mavericks’ “top priority” this offseason (Twitter link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). “We want to re-sign him. He knows it,” Harrison said. “We want him back. He’ll be a big part of our future.” Mavs owner Mark Cuban also spoke about the team’s desire to retain Brunson, as we outlined earlier today.
- As Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News relays, Cuban admitted that he didn’t know what to expect entering the 2021/22 season after the team underwent front office and coaching changes. He was pleased to see the Mavs establish an identity over the course of the year. “Hard-playing. Physical. Multi-talented, able to complement Luka,” Cuban said in describing the type of player that fits that identity. “Knowing how to play with Luka. That probably is number one. But yeah, you saw how we played it. Guys like Reggie Bullock. Spencer, when he came, got it. Davis Bertans. (Dorian Finney-Smith). Dwight (Powell). Everybody. There’s nobody that you can name that that wasn’t just playing as hard as they possibly can and knew their role.”
- An Eastern Conference executive who spoke to Tim MacMahon of ESPN believes the Mavericks are “one player away” from being a legitimate title contender. According to MacMahon, that opinion is shared by other rival coaches, executives, and scouts he has spoken to about Dallas’ outlook. For his part, Doncic said after Thursday’s loss that he thinks the Mavs are “on a great, great path.”
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) and Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype have published their offseason previews for the Mavericks, while Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report and SI.com’s Chris Mannix and Howard Beck also took a closer look at the team’s roster situation going forward.
Mark Cuban On Jalen Brunson: “I Think He Wants To Stay”
In the wake of their season-ending loss to Golden State on Thursday, the Mavericks will soon shift their attention to offseason roster moves, and no decision this summer will be bigger than the one they make on point guard Jalen Brunson.
Brunson will be an unrestricted free agent, so if he wants to leave, the Mavericks won’t necessarily get the opportunity to match an offer he gets from another team. But team owner Mark Cuban is confident in both the Mavs’ ability to make a strong offer and in Brunson’s desire to remain in Dallas.
“We can pay him more than anybody,” Cuban told Marc Stein on Bally Sports Southwest (video link), referring to the fact that Brunson’s Bird rights allow the Mavs to give him more years and more money than any other team. “And I think he wants to stay and that’s most important.”
Cuban went on to highlight the impact that Jason Kidd had on Brunson this past season, suggesting that the 2018 second-round pick “blossomed” under Dallas’ new head coach.
In 79 regular season games (31.9 MPG), Brunson established new career highs in PPG (16.3), APG (4.8), RPG (3.9), and a handful of other categories, while posting an impressive shooting line of .502/.373/.840. He had a strong postseason too, putting up 21.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.7 APG on .466/.347/.800 shooting in 18 games (34.9 MPG).
The Mavs’ team salary for 2022/23 is already approaching the tax line and will blow past that threshold if they re-sign Brunson to a deal in the range of $20-25MM per year, so there has been some speculation that he could pried away from Dallas. The Knicks, Pistons, and Pacers have frequently been cited as teams with interest in the 25-year-old.
However, dating back to before February’s trade deadline, the Mavs have been steadfast in their insistence that they want to bring back Brunson, and Cuban’s post-game comments on Thursday showed no sign that stance has changed. Now, it’s a matter of seeing how aggressive they’ll have to be to ward off his rival suitors.
Knicks Notes: Davis, Brunson, Brogdon, Barrett
If the Knicks decide to address their backcourt needs through the draft, Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis could be an attractive option with the 11th pick, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. New York had representatives at his Pro Day on Saturday and interviewed him at last week’s draft combine.
“It went really well,’’ Davis said. “It was nice to see familiar face [in coach Tom Thibodeau] and somebody who’s been part of the game for a while. It was amazing to talk to him after seeing what he’s done with a lot of teams. He’s a very recognized coach in the league. I heard from people he likes guys like [me]. So hopefully I can fit in with them and they’ll be invested in me enough to draft me.’’
Davis is a strong defender – which likely appeals to Thibodeau – and a reliable mid-range shooter, but he only connected at 30.6% from beyond the arc this season with the Badgers. Berman sees the Spurs, who hold the ninth pick, as the greatest threat to take Davis before the Knicks are on the clock.
There’s more from New York:
- The Knicks’ reported interest in Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson is legitimate, Fred Katz of The Athletic states in a mailbag column. Brunson could be the top point guard on the free agent market this summer, and his father, Rick, has strong connections with both Thibodeau and team president Leon Rose. However, Katz theorizes that the Mavs’ run to the Western Conference Finals could make them more eager to re-sign Brunson, who could command more than $20MM per year in a new contract.
- Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News sees the Knicks as one of at least eight teams with interest in Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon and examines the offers that each could make. For New York, he suggests a package of Alec Burks, Kemba Walker and a future protected first-round pick. Winfield would add Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish and another first-rounder if Indiana is also willing to part with center Myles Turner.
- RJ Barrett has reached an agreement to play for the Canadian National Team, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. It’s a three-year commitment that will run through the Summer Olympics in 2024, and it will begin with the next round of World Cup qualifiers in July.
New York Notes: Brunson, Stoudemire, Baldwin, Sotto
The Knicks’ top executive, Leon Rose, needs to go all out this summer to sign free agent Jalen Brunson, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines. The Knicks settled for Kemba Walker last summer instead of engaging in an all-out bidding war for Fred VanVleet. The same mistake can’t be made this time around, in Vaccaro’s view, so Rose must figure out a way to clear more cap space and give Brunson a competitive offer. Vaccaro also notes Brunson’s father, Rick Brunson, was Rose’s first ever client as a player agent.
We have more on the New York teams:
- Amar’e Stoudemire clarified comments he made on ESPN shows regarding Kyrie Irving and the Nets organization in an Instagram post (hat tip to Chris Milholen of NetsDaily.com). Stoudemire told coach Steve Nash he was leaving his post as a player development coach due to his religious obligations prior to his TV appearances and has no issue with Nash or GM Sean Marks. He also said he wasn’t trying to blast Irving when he said Irving “hurt us” due to his lack of availability during the season. “You’re not going to turn me against Kyrie. You’re not going to turn me against the Nets. You’re not going to turn me against anyone. So you can forget about it,” Stoudemire said.
- The Knicks have quietly added Vince Baldwin — a longtime Nike talent scout — as a “talent evaluator,” Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Baldwin has extensive contacts in the high school and college ranks and is close with Knicks senior executive William Wesley. The Knicks also hired Tim Hardaway Sr. as a scout without making an official announcement.
- Center prospect Kai Sotto will work out for the Knicks on Monday, Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com tweets. The 7’3” big man from the Philippines spent last season in Australia’s National Basketball League, averaging 7.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG for the Adelaide 36ers.