Kevin Durant Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Durant, Ibaka, Murray, Dunn

June 25th, 2016 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Oklahoma City remains the favorite in the Kevin Durant free agency sweepstakes, according to Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman. The Thunder have a significant advantage in the amount they can offer Durant, Slater notes, as he can make $229.5MM over the next six seasons if he opts out of a two-year deal next summer and signs a five-year max contract. OKC can also offer a guaranteed contender, as the Thunder just fell one game short of reaching the NBA Finals. Slater rates the Warriors, Spurs and Celtics as having the best chance to take Durant away, with the Heat and Clippers as long shots and the Wizards and Rockets as “delusional pipe-dreamers.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Durant gave at least his unspoken approval to the draft-day trade that sent Serge Ibaka to the Magic, writes Sam Amick of USA Today Sports. Given the uncertainty surrounding Durant, Amick says the Thunder never would have made such a major deal if they didn’t know he was on board with it.
New Nuggets guard Jamal Murray can expect to begin the season in a sixth-man role, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Denver GM Tim Connelly says veteran shooting guard Gary Harris will continue to start, with Murray used for instant offense off the bench. “It’s Gary’s job,” Connelly said. “Certainly I hope Jamal does everything he does to potentially take the job, but Gary’s our starting two guard. [Drafting Murray] was an addition to what we think is a very strong backcourt already. We like the flexibility he provides us.”
The Nuggets haven’t decided whether to bring over No. 15 pick Juan Hernangomez next season, Dempsey writes in the same piece. The 20-year-old power forward played for Real Madrid this season. “Both options are open,” Connelly said. “There are some pretty good international situations, if we want him to marinate a bit overseas. I think certainly he has the game to come over. If you’re productive at the ACB level, it usually translates. But it’s a conversation we’re going to have with his representatives and figure it out.”
No. 5 pick Kris Dunn likes the situation he is entering with the Timberwolves, relays Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. The Providence point guard will be surrounded by young talents such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine. “All those athletes … [who] like to play up and down, and that’s how my game is,” Dunn said. “I like to play at a fast pace, that up-tempo. We’re all young so I think it’s going to make the relationship even stronger because we’re all trying to learn together, we’re all trying to build together, and we’re going to try to compete every game.”

And-Ones: Olympics, Griffin, Messina, Vesely

June 25th, 2016 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving and Harrison Barnes will fill the last two spots on the U.S. Olympic basketball team, writes Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. The roster will be formally announced Monday in New York. Ten players committed earlier, but Mahoney reports that openings were left for Irving and LeBron James, who both asked for more time to decide after playing in the NBA Finals, which ended Sunday. James opted not to make the trip to Rio de Janeiro.

Barnes joins Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on the roster, along with Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler and DeAndre Jordan.

There’s more news tonight from around the basketball world:

The State of Florida has dropped first-degree attempted murder charges against former D-League All-Star Eric Griffin, according to D-League Digest. Griffin last played in the D-League in 2014/15, when he was a third-team all-league selection and a second-team all-defensive choice. He played in Dubai this season and may be ready for a shot at the NBA now that his legal case has been resolved.
Despite rumors, Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina won’t be leaving to take a job in Spain, tweets international journalist David Pick. “I have no contact with Barcelona,” Messina said. “I’m a happy Spur.”
Several NBA teams are interested in former lottery pick Jan Vesely, according to Sportando. The Mavericks, Nets and Pelicans are the teams listed as suitors for Vesely, who was selected sixth overall by the Wizards in the 2011 draft. Vesely played for Fenerbahce in Turkey this season and is a free agent. He is expected to get offers in the range of $30MM over three years.
Greek star Giannis Bourousis is ready to take a shot at the NBA, reports Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. “I would go to any NBA team,” said the 32-year-old seven-footer. “I just want to be there, after 14 years in Euroleague.”

Western Notes: Thunder, Ibaka, Grizzlies, Kings

June 24th, 2016 at 11:25am CST by Luke Adams

While some observers questioned whether Oklahoma City’s decision to trade Serge Ibaka would have a negative impact on Kevin Durant‘s free agent decision, GM Sam Presti and the Thunder believes it strengthens their position, showing KD that they didn’t want to assume moving forward with the status quo was satisfactory. Royce Young of ESPN.com outlines the Thunder’s thinking, explaining why it made sense for the club to move Ibaka, who perhaps wasn’t a perfect fit for the current roster in OKC.

Young and Ken Berger of CBSSports.com both suggest that Ibaka didn’t love his evolving role with the Thunder, which saw him essentially playing the part of a stretch four this past season. Although he hadn’t requested a trade, Ibaka was considered likely to leave Oklahoma City in free agency a year from now, according to Berger. The CBSSports.com scribe also agrees that the move doesn’t make Durant any more likely to leave the Thunder, pointing out that the team is smartly surrounding him with depth and controllable players, rather than trying to clear cap space and promising free agent pursuits that may or may not pan out.

Let’s check in on a few other Western Conference teams…

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said his team didn’t expect, in its “wildest dreams,” that Deyonta Davis would be available in the second round, writes Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal. Wallace viewed the Clippers’ 2019 first-rounder as a fair price to pay to acquire Davis at No. 31 and Serbian prospect Rade Zagorac at No. 35.
In his discussion of No. 13 overall pick Georgios Papagiannis on Thursday night, Kings GM Vlade Divac expressed optimism about bringing the Greek center to Sacramento for 2016/17, suggesting his buyout wouldn’t be a problem. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com confirms the buyout is worth a very manageable $500K, tweeting that the Kings should have no problem bringing Papagiannis to the NBA right away.
ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider-only link) has unveiled his draft grades for 2016, and only one team earned an A-plus. That club was the Spurs, who used their only pick of the draft to nab former Washington guard Dejounte Murray at No. 29. Murray has a chance to be an All-Star-caliber guard, in Ford’s view.

Western Rumors: Wolves, Hield, Rockets, Grizzlies

June 23rd, 2016 at 5:22pm CST by Luke Adams

With the No. 5 pick in hand, the Timberwolves know they won’t have a chance to draft Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, but it’s not clear yet which two other players will be off the board by the time they have to submit their selection. It sounds like Kris Dunn may be the team’s top target, but if the Providence point guard is unavailable, Tom Thibodeau has Oklahoma sharpshooter Buddy Hield next up on the club’s board, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link).

As we wait to see what Minnesota ends up doing with that fifth overall pick, let’s check in on a few other notes and rumors from across the Western Conference…

James Harden expects to assist the Rockets in their pursuit of free agents this summer, actively recruiting players when he can, per Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. According to Harden, Kevin Durant will be one of the players he attempts to recruit: “I’m going to try. He’s one of my really good friends. I’m going to try and talk to him. He has a big decision [to make], whatever he feels best for his career. … I obviously would love for him to play here in Houston, but ultimately he’s got to make the best decision for his career whatever that is.”
Don’t be surprised if the Grizzlies acquire another second-round pick in tonight’s draft, writes Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. As Tillery details, Memphis GM Chris Wallace is fond of picking up extra second-rounders to nab developmental players, especially if the price is only cash.
The Spurs hold the draft rights to 14 players currently playing overseas or elsewhere, and general manager R.C. Buford expects at least one of those players – and “maybe more” – to join the NBA club this offseason. Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News has the details.
The Jazz have accelerated their playoff timeline by trading the No. 12 overall pick in a deal for veteran guard George Hill, says Brad Rock of The Deseret News. In other Jazz news, Gordon Hayward issued a statement explaining why he has withdrawn his name from Team USA for the 2016 Olympics (Twitter link via Priority Sports).

Mavs Prioritizing Whiteside, Conley In Free Agency

June 23rd, 2016 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks are eyeing Heat center Hassan Whiteside and Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley, making those two players their top targets as free agency approaches, according to Tim MacMahon and Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Both players are expected to command maximum-salary contracts, and Dallas is willing to pay that price for either player, sources tell the ESPN duo.

Per ESPN’s report, the Mavericks expect to have the opportunity to meet with Whiteside during the opening hours of free agency in July. The Heat have been considered the frontrunner to re-sign their pending free agent, but Dallas will be among the teams given the chance to make a pitch to him once the recruiting period begins. MacMahon and Stein identify the Trail Blazers as another club expected to make a push for Whiteside.

As for Conley, he may be open to leaving Memphis if the Grizzlies are unwilling to offer him a fifth year. Because the Grizzlies hold the point guard’s Bird Rights, they’re the only club that can offer five years instead of four, and Conley wants them to do so if he ends up re-signing, according to MacMahon and Stein. A source tells the ESPN duo that San Antonio and Dallas are among the teams that would appeal to the 28-year-old if he leaves Memphis — his interest in the Mavericks is in large part due to his respect for head coach Rick Carlisle.

As the Mavs pursue Conley and Whiteside, it’s worth considering that Conley’s maximum salary over a four-year deal figures to be about $20MM more than Whiteside’s, since he has a few more years of NBA experience.

MacMahon also notes (on Twitter) that technically Kevin Durant remains the Mavericks’ top target in free agency, but suggests that the team is being realistic about its chances of luring KD to Dallas.

Eastern Notes: Rose, Knicks, Durant, Magic

June 23rd, 2016 at 3:10pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bulls missing the playoffs this season signaled to the front office that it was time to try a new approach, which led Chicago to trade Derrick Rose to the Knicks, Sam Smith of Bulls.com relays. “We had this window of opportunity,” GM Gar Forman said at a press conference Wednesday. “Obviously, injuries played a part where we couldn’t reach our ultimate goal to be a championship team. But we thought we had a window to compete at a high level. But through injuries and age… we felt that window was coming to a close.

“A year ago you could start to see signs it was coming to a close,” Forman added. “But we didn’t have a lot of [financial] flexibility and we wanted to give the group as it was another year to see where we could go. We also talked about putting together a plan moving forward. We feel we need to get younger, get more athletic; obviously, we need to find players who will fit the style of play [Bulls coach] Fred [Hoiberg] wants to play and fit the players we have on our team. In making this trade, we feel it’s the first step in that direction.”

Here’s more from the East:

Knicks team president Phil Jackson informed Rose that the team intends to go after unrestricted free agent Kevin Durant as soon as the free agent signing period opens in July, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News writes. Jackson hopes he can sell Durant on the idea of joining Rose, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis in New York, Isola adds.
Marc Berman of The New York Post breaks down the five most pressing issues facing the Knicks following the Rose trade.
One potential scenario that will be considered by the Magic this evening is packaging the No. 11 overall pick along with the non-guaranteed contract of Ersan Ilyasova in exchange for a veteran player from a team looking to shed salary, John Denton of NBA.com writes. “The positive thing is that we have players that the league values,’’ said GM Rob Hennigan, who noted he’s received several trade inquiries from other teams. “This time of year, especially, you’re always having conversations, always listening and always trying to explore ways to improve your team. We’ve had several conversations and we’ll continue to have those conversations [Wednesday] and [Thursday].’’
Hennigan did note that the Magic would prefer to retain the No. 11 pick and add a player who could join the rotation immediately, rather than deal it away, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel relays. “I think the preference would be someone who can contribute,” Hennigan said. “But with where we’re picking, we may have to lean more toward picking the best player on the board as we try to balance those two things. But the preference would be to find someone who can help us immediately.“

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 21st, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Kevin Durant released his new KD9 signature shoe on Monday, and with reporters in attendance, the conversation eventually turned to Durant’s looming free agency. As Royce Young of ESPN.com details, the former MVP said that his free agency will be a “basketball decision.” Asked to clarify that answer, Durant explained that it’s not necessarily about moving to a bigger market, or landing the biggest contract.

“Just who I’m going to be playing with and the people I’m going to be around every single day, that’s what it’s all about for me,” Durant told ESPN.com. “You tend to hear about the market and the opportunities you can get off the basketball court, but I’m blessed, man, to be making what I make as a basketball player.

“And I’m doing this in Oklahoma City,” Durant continued. “I don’t care about commercials, I don’t really care about this s—, I just want to hoop. But this comes with it and I got all this being in Oklahoma City. So all that stuff doesn’t really matter to me. It’s all about who I’m gonna play with, what type of people I’m going to be around every single day and I’ll go from there.”

While Durant hasn’t been looking ahead to July 1st to figure out his plan for free agency, a number of teams around the NBA are hoping to make face-to-face pitches to him at that point, and it sounds like at least a few will have that opportunity. A source tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Durant, who had considered holding meetings in New York, will likely meet with suitors in Los Angeles once the recruiting period begins.

That same source suggests to Isola that if Durant decides not to re-sign with the Thunder, the Warriors look like the biggest threat to land him. Isola also writes that OKC viewed the Knicks as a major threat for Durant at one point, but haven’t been as concerned about New York since Derek Fisher was ousted as the team’s head coach.

Wherever he lands in free agency, Durant plans on being a part of USA Basketball’s Olympic squad later in the summer, as we heard over the weekend.

Northwest Notes: Durant, Westbrook, Dixon

June 19th, 2016 at 9:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Free agency won’t be the only item on Kevin Durant‘s summer schedule, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The former MVP plans to be part of the U.S. Olympic team and may be the biggest name on a roster that has already lost Stephen Curry, James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Stein reports that Durant is considered a sure thing for the team, along with Klay Thompson and Paul George. They will join DeMarcus Cousins, whose participation was first reported by Marc Spears of The Undefeated. Kyrie Irving is considered almost certain to join the team, while officials are waiting to hear from LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. The full 12-man roster is expected to be announced soon.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Westbrook is making a smart decision to skip the Summer Games, contends Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman. With Rio de Janeiro beset by a financial crisis, reports of drug-resistant super bacteria on the beaches and possibly the Zika virus present, Tramel believes that presents too many risks for NBA players.
At age 38, Nazr Mohammed has probably played his last NBA game, according to Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman. Mohammed signed with the Thunder in March, but appeared in just five games and served mostly as a mentor to younger players, in particular giving defensive tips to Enes Kanter. Mohammed said he won’t try to play again next season and would like to someday become a GM. “That’s my five-year, 10-year plan,” he said. “To one day run my own organization.”
Mike Dixon Jr. has received a passport from the nation of Georgia and will participate in the Blazers‘ free agent camp Monday, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Dixon was a senior at Memphis in 2014 and played in the Czech Republic this season.
The Nuggets are facing an unpredictable draft with three picks in the first round, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Dempsey lists shooting, shot blocking and toughness as Denver’s top needs and speculates that a significant roster shakeup could happen by draft night.

Wizards Notes: Coaching Staff, Durant, Workouts

June 16th, 2016 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

New Wizards head coach Scott Brooks is in the process of putting together his first coaching staff in Washington, and ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link) has an update on some of Brooks’ targets. In addition to confirming the Wizards’ interest in Tony Brown, with whom the team is reportedly finalizing a deal, Stein reports that Brooks is targeting Chad Iske and Sidney Lowe for his bench.

Iske, a former Kings assistant who wasn’t retained when Dave Joerger took over in Sacramento last month, has also drawn interest from Memphis. As for Lowe, he most recently served as an assistant in Minnesota — before that, he was an assistant in Utah and a head coach at North Carolina State.

Here’s more out of D.C.:

Don’t count Jared Dudley among those who expect to see Kevin Durant return home and sign with the Wizards this summer. Dudley, a free-agent-to-be who spent the 2015/16 season in Washington, told Kevin Sheehan on ESPN 980 that he doesn’t envision Durant leaving the Thunder for the Wizards. “I realistically don’t,” Dudley said, per Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post. “I hope for the fans they do, because he’s from there, and he would bring such excitement. They’d be right behind Cleveland, right there with them to be able to contend. I don’t see it though.”
More from Dudley on why he doesn’t expect superstar free agents like Durant to land in Washington this offseason: “It’s the system the NBA built. In general, no star player’s leaving to go to another team. … The system’s built for these guys to stay. Guys like Kevin Durant, Al Horford — the Wizards most likely will be going after these players, as they should. Are they really going to leave that money on the table?”
The Wizards are bringing in prospects D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Georgetown), James Webb III (Boise State), Tyler Harris (Auburn), and James Robinson (Pittsburgh) in for a pre-draft workout today, league sources tell Michael Scott of Sheridan Hoops (Twitter link).
The Wizards are also keeping their eye on former Seton Hall and UConn guard Sterling Gibbs, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders, who tweets that Washington is looking at Gibbs for a second time on Monday.
We recently took a closer look at the Wizards’ salary cap situation for the coming offseason.

Southeast Notes: Winslow, Durant, Hornets

June 15th, 2016 at 8:13pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Heat swingman Justise Winslow just completed his rookie campaign and hopes to develop into a player who the franchise can build around, Ethan J. Skolnick of The Miami Herald relays. “Yeah, definitely. Growing up, that was something I always wanted,” Winslow responded when asked if he wants to be the face of the franchise. “And being part of an organization that over the past 10, 13 years has sort of been built around one guy, it’s just something to look forward to. I know there’s a lot of work to be done. I’m not sure what team it will be with, hopefully with Miami, but eventually I would want to be a franchise guy, a leader on a team and the guy that the organization kind of builds around.”

Here’s the latest from the Southeast Division:

The Heat held a free agent mini-camp this week and attendees included Rodney McGruder, Quinton Upshur, Brandan Kearney, Juwan Howard Jr., Jabril Trawick, Okaro White, Xavier Gibson, Kevin Tumba, Kenny Gabriel and Norvel Pelle, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald notes.
While the notion is certainly a long-shot, Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel makes the case for why Kevin Durant should sign with the Magic if he departs Oklahoma City as a free agent this offseason. The scribe cites the lack of media pressure, the presence of GM Rob Hennigan, who Durant is familiar with from their time together with the Thunder, new coach Frank Vogel and the team’s wealth of cap space as reasons the Slim Reaper should give serious consideration to joining Orlando.
The Hornets have workouts set for Thursday with Isaiah Cousins (Oklahoma), Anthony Gill (Virginia), A.J. Hammons (Purdue), Codi Miller-McIntyre (Wake Forest), Chinanu Onuaku (Louisville) and Kyle Wiltjer (Gonzaga), the team announced.