Nets Notes: Watson, Offseason Moves, Randle, Koch
In a subscriber-only article discussing the positive and negative aspects of Nets‘ offseason moves thus far, Brian Lewis of The New York Post says restricted free agent forward Peyton Watson is a player who has “been in their sights.”
Watson, who was vacationing in Europe with current Net and former teammate Michael Porter Jr. as of a few days ago, is one of the most prominent free agents left on the market. The main complicating factor is that he’s restricted after Denver tendered him a qualifying offer, giving the Nuggets the ability to match any potential offer sheet he might sign with a rival team.
The Nuggets are said to be open to sign-and-trade scenarios in the event that they’re unable to bridge the reported gap in valuation between the two sides. Watson is said to be seeking at least $25MM per year on his next contract, which would push Denver deep into second apron territory.
A potential pursuit of Watson and a possible extension for Porter fall under the “unfinished business” part of Brooklyn’s offseason, according to Lewis, who points out that the team remains primed to make moves down the line, with several extra future first-round picks.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- As Lewis writes in the same story, people around the league believe Day’Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott will provide positive value on the contracts they signed to remain with the Nets, and Keon Ellis made sense as a three-and-D option for a team that needed more players in that mold. Agreeing to trade for Julius Randle and moving up five spots in the draft while moving off Nic Claxton was also viewed as a favorable transaction for the Nets, per Lewis. “I actually really like it,” one agent with multiple All-Star clients told The Post. “(Randle’s) great and will be good with his own team.”
- On the negative end of the spectrum, the Nets already didn’t do a great job at protecting the rim, Lewis notes, and that weakness appears even more glaring with Sharpe set to take on a larger role and Moritz Wagner presumably on track to be his backup. Adding a defensive anchor seems like it’ll be a priority at some point.
- David Koch Jr., whose family controls a 15% stake in the Nets’ parent company, has been named a special assistant to general manager Sean Marks, as NetsDaily relays (via Twitter). Koch, who has been an entry-level basketball operations assistant the past two years, made the announcement on LinkedIn.
Windhorst’s Latest: Brown Trade, Centers, Salary Cap
The Celtics‘ surprising decision to trade Jaylen Brown to the division rival Sixers for a seemingly light return package has led to a renewed debate about whether the team has leaned too far into using analytics to predict future value, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
Boston has been considered one of the most analytically-driven teams in the league in recent years, Windhorst notes, and that approach resulted in a championship two years ago. But some sources Windhorst spoke to observed that you can make the case that the 76ers essentially got Brown for “free,” or at least close to it, since Paul George‘s contract is considered an albatross and presumably would have required significant draft capital to move on its own.
“The league is overrun with strategy,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “Honestly, I’m not sure how many people who work in the league are actually watching the games.”
“Yes, there are more graduate degrees in front offices now, but that’s only part of the picture,” a Western Conference general manager said. “The aprons force you to analyze all of your spending more and put more attention to detail on getting the most out of each salary slot. The owners put that into the rules, and the players accepted it. This is all a choice.”
Here’s more from Windhorst’s latest story for ESPN.com:
- Front offices around the NBA have noted the trend of several centers getting lucrative deals in free agency, such as Jock Landale‘s one-year, $14MM deal with the Hawks and Moritz Wagner‘s two-year, $19MM agreement with the Nets. The Lakers were the biggest spenders on that front, Windhorst writes, as they’re using nearly all of their remaining draft assets — two unprotected first-round picks, two first-round swaps and two second-rounders — to give Walker Kessler a four-year, $130MM contract via sign-and-trade. “There’s several teams who wanted Kessler for a few years, and if it had been a truly open market, other teams might’ve been willing to make a similar [trade] offer,” one NBA personnel director said. “But I’d be worried about doing a big deal with the Ainges [Jazz front office leaders Danny and Austin] just on principle.”
- One Eastern Conference executive told Windhorst he was a fan of the Thunder‘s three-year, $75MM deal to bring back starting center Isaiah Hartenstein. “I haven’t seen it talked about at all, but what the Thunder got Hartenstein for might be one of the deals of summer,” the executive said.
- The salary cap for 2026/27 came in slightly lower than anticipated largely because the Knicks were so dominant in the playoffs, which resulted in fewer games in the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals, sources tell ESPN. But the main reason the cap was “only” up 6.7% rather than the originally expected 10% is because local TV revenue tanked — the company that ran the regional broadcasts for 13 teams is insolvent — and that projects to continue for at least one more season, Windhorst writes. “It’s one of the most significant financial things going on in the league right now,” one team president said. “It’s played at least some role in moving forward with expansion.”
Moritz Wagner, Nets Agree To Two-Year Deal
Free agent big man Moritz Wagner is making the move from Orlando to Brooklyn, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that Wagner and the Nets have agreed to a two-year, $19MM contract.
Scotto adds that the second year will include a mutual option, similar to the one the Nets are also giving guard Keon Ellis on his two-year, $18MM deal. That has been described as an option that will trigger if either side picks it up, meaning both the player and team would need to decline it in order for Wagner to return to free agency in 2027.
Wagner has been on Orlando’s roster since the middle of the 2020/21 season. He has regularly served as a backup big but his career was sidetracked when he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in December 2024.
Wagner returned to play 36 games this past season, contributing 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game. He wasn’t part of the Magic’s rotation in the playoffs, receiving just 13 garbage-time minutes, but drew interest well above what a cap-strapped Orlando team could reasonably offer. The Magic pivoted to Nikola Vucevic in free agency.
Brooklyn’s center rotation is in flux with Nic Claxton heading to Chicago, Wagner will battle second-year big man Danny Wolf and Day’Ron Sharpe for playing time. Wagner could also see action at the power forward spot behind Julius Randle.
With the addition of Wagner, the Nets could have just under $25MM in cap space remaining if they complete one of their signings using the room mid-level exception, cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets. They are currently out of the mix to offer another free agent a max contract ($41.2MM).
Free Agent Rumors: LeBron, Cavs, Lakers, Grimes, Wagner, Kennard
After determining that he won’t return to the Lakers, LeBron James (and/or his representatives) will talk to multiple teams after the free agent period begins later today, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link), who hears from a source close to the process that there will be “no rush” for him to decide on his next team.
Like Draymond Green in Golden State, James Harden is expected to re-sign with the Cavaliers after turning down a 2026/27 player option, but it waiting to see if his team needs additional flexibility to make a move like signing James, reports Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Unless Harden takes a very steep discount, the Cavs – the NBA’s only second-apron team in 2025/26 – are expected to need to shed some additional salary in order to offer James more than a minimum-salary contract and to have a chance to re-sign any of their own key free agents, including Dean Wade and Keon Ellis. To that end, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com confirms that the club has explored the possibility of trading Max Strus, who has an expiring $16.66MM contract, and/or Dennis Schröder, who will earn $14.81MM in the second season of a three-year deal.
Here are a few more free agent rumors from around the NBA, with players prepared to begin negotiating with rival suitors as of 5:00 pm Central time:
- Multiple reporters, including Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), and Dan Woike of The Athletic, identify swingman Quentin Grimes as one of the Lakers‘ top targets. While Los Angeles will have upwards of $50MM of cap room available, it’s unclear how much of that space the team would be willing to commit to Grimes, given that adding an impact center is also a priority in L.A.
- Big man Moritz Wagner is among the Nets‘ potential targets in free agency, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. While Brooklyn reportedly wants to give Day’Ron Sharpe an expanded role after trading away Nic Claxton, the team remains in the market for frontcourt help, having been linked to multiple centers in recent days, including Mitchell Robinson.
- Sharpshooter Luke Kennard is very much on the Suns‘ radar entering free agency, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) and Afseth. Confirming Phoenix’s interest, Woike writes that the Lakers remain interested in re-signing Kennard as well.
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Kawhi, Raptors, Brown, Westbrook, More
The Raptors and Clippers continue to have serious discussions about a Kawhi Leonard trade and there’s “momentum” on a deal that would send the two-time Finals MVP back to Toronto, league sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Fischer first reported the Raptors’ interest in a reunion with Leonard, with multiple subsequent reports confirming the negotiations between the two teams.
Regardless of whether a deal comes to fruition, the Clippers haven’t pursued Celtics wing Jaylen Brown this offseason and don’t intend to make a run at the 2024 Finals MVP, Stein and Fischer report.
Here’s lots more from The Stein Line:
- The Wizards have a “level of interest” in free agent guard Russell Westbrook, according to Stein and Fischer. The former league MVP spent the 2020/21 season in Washington prior to being traded to the Lakers. Westbrook, 37, played for the Kings last season.
- Speaking of the Kings, they’re aiming to re-sign Precious Achiuwa and promote Daeqwon Plowden to a standard contract, per The Stein Line. Sacramento made Plowden, who finished last season on a two-way deal, a restricted free agent on Monday. Forward/center Achiuwa, meanwhile, is an unrestricted free agent.
- The Lakers are “strongly believed” to be one of three teams set to meet with Jazz restricted free agent center Walker Kessler on Tuesday, according to Stein and Fischer. The Lakers are also expected to meet with Pistons RFA Jalen Duren. Yet another restricted free agent, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, continues to be linked to the Clippers, Stein and Fischer add.
- The Spurs are looking to add a power forward with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, according to The Stein Line, with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Tobias Harris, Dean Wade, Rui Hachimura and John Collins said to be targets. The Lakers are another team with their eyes on Raptors forward/center Mamukelashvili, according to both Stein and Fischer and Dan Woike of The Athletic. Sources tell Stein and Fischer the Georgian big man is expected to receive multiple offers exceeding $10MM per year after declining his minimum-salary option to become a free agent.
- In other Raptors news, the team is expected to work out a new standard deal with 2025 second-rounder Alijah Martin, per Stein and Fischer. Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca reported the two sides were working on a multiyear standard contract after Martin was given a two-way qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent.
- After previously reporting that the Magic were bracing to lose Moritz Wagner in free agency, Stein and Fischer hear the Nets are a “real contender” to sign the German big man. The Magic, meanwhile, are expected to re-sign Jonathan Isaac after waiving him earlier this week, sources tell the Stein Line.
- If the Bulls end up signing Norman Powell, his new contract is expected to be a lucrative short-term deal, Stein and Fischer report. Chicago is also thinking about retaining Anfernee Simons, who’s expected to receive interest from the Warriors and Celtics, and is also interested in Jonathan Kuminga. The Cavaliers are another potential Kuminga suitor, though they don’t have much money to offer at the moment, Stein and Fischer add.
- The Cavaliers agreed to re-sign Thomas Bryant in part because they believed the Pacers were going to pursue him in free agency, according to Stein and Fischer, who hear Josh Okogie, Gary Trent Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. are potential free agent targets for Indiana.
- Bradley Beal, Gabe Vincent and Khris Middleton are among the veterans the Heat are considering pursuing in free agency, Stein and Fischer report.
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Kawhi, M. Wagner, Smart, Rockets, Kings, More
Following up on a series of Kawhi Leonard rumors that surfaced after they reported on trade talks between the Clippers and Raptors earlier in the day on Sunday, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) suggest that Dallas isn’t considered a viable landing spot for Leonard at this point, even though the Mavericks have expressed some level of interest in the star forward.
Toronto seems to be the team being linked to Leonard most frequently, in part because of his reported willingness to sign an extension with the Raptors. And while Clutch Points reported that the Clippers were lukewarm about the package the Raptors were prepared to offer, Stein and Fischer hear that forward Brandon Ingram may hold some appeal to L.A., since the team wants to remain competitive in the West even while potentially getting younger. Ingram was an All-Star last season.
Checking in on other Clippers-related fronts, Stein and Fischer say the possibility of operating as a cap-space team remains in play for L.A. and that the club also hasn’t ruled out re-signing big man John Collins, who will be an unrestricted free agent.
Interestingly, while the Clippers apparently registered some trade interest in Magic big man Goga Bitadze, The Stein Line duo reports that Orlando is expected to hang onto Bitadze because the team is bracing for the possibility of losing its other reserve center, Moritz Wagner. Wagner, the brother of Magic star Franz Wagner, is expected to command a portion of the mid-level exception from another team in free agency, Stein and Fischer explain.
Here are more highlights from the latest Stein Line missive:
- Stein and Fischer, who initially linked Marcus Smart to Houston on Friday night, say the Rockets‘ interest in the former Defensive Player of the Year is “only sounding more serious” 48 hours later. Dan Woike of The Athletic is also hearing plenty of chatter about Houston making a run at Smart, with Stein and Fischer suggesting the Rockets are preparing to put a three-year offer on the table on Tuesday after the Lakers guard declines his $5.4MM player option on Monday.
- While the Nets and Lakers are known to have interest in Mitchell Robinson, the Kings would also like to make a run at the free agent center if they can create the cap flexibility needed to make a competitive offer, Stein and Fischer write. Sacramento currently projects to be above the first tax apron, so some work would be necessary to make that happen.
- In addition to the Knicks, the Celtics are also expected to be a suitor for veteran center Kevon Looney, per The Stein Line’s duo. A potential reunion with Robert Williams is another option on Boston’s radar as the team seeks additional frontcourt depth, Stein and Fischer add.
- After having reported earlier in the day that the Nuggets would like to add former head coach to David Adelman‘s coaching staff, Stein and Fischer say Dave Joerger – who has also drawn interest from Paris Basketball overseas – has interviewed for that lead assistant position in Denver.
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Nuggets, Mamukelashvili, Hachimura, More
While the Nuggets have had internal discussions about whether they have the requisite assets to trade for Jaylen Brown, they’re not currently viewed as a “bona fide landing spot” for the Celtics‘ star wing, sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Stein and Fischer write, the Nuggets are attempting to thread a difficult needle of upgrading their roster around Nikola Jokic and re-signing restricted free agent Peyton Watson. While Denver is confident it will be able to keep Watson, there’s a growing sense that the team might have to trade “at least one” starter to do so.
Aaron Gordon has drawn the most trade interest of the non-Jokic starters to this point, per Stein and Fischer, but the Nuggets seem to want to keep Gordon and Jamal Murray, preferring instead to trade either Cameron Johnson or Christian Braun.
According to Stein and Fischer, Jonas Valanciunas is not expected to return next season and that may apply to Tim Hardaway Jr. as well.
Here’s more from Stein and Fischer’s latest round-up of NBA rumors:
- The Raptors are “bracing” for backup forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili to test the open market in free agency, sources tell The Stein Line. Toronto still hopes to re-sign Mamukelashvili before league-wide free agency opens on June 30, Stein and Fischer clarify, but the Georgian big man is expected to draw interest from multiple teams for a significant chunk of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which projects to be worth about $15MM next season.
- The Nets and Spurs are among the teams with interest in free agent forward Rui Hachimura, Stein and Fischer report. The 28-year-old averaged 11.5 points on .514/.443/.694 shooting splits in 68 games (28.3 minutes per contest) with the Lakers last season.
- Magic center Moritz Wagner is another player who could change teams, according to Stein and Fischer, who say the German big man has signaled a willingness to leave Orlando and is expected to have multiple suitors on the open market.
- The Hawks explored a trade for Mavericks center Daniel Gafford ahead of the February deadline, but were only willing to part with second-round picks to acquire him, sources tell Stein and Fischer. According to The Stein Line, the Mavs attempted to land a first-round pick in a trade involving Gafford prior to this week’s draft, but were unsuccessful in those efforts.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV could return to the NBA this summer, according to Stein, who reports (via Twitter) that the Walker is expected to have some NBA suitors this offseason. The 27-year-old has an NBA opt out until July 15, Stein adds. Walker’s last NBA stint came in 2024/25, when he spent the final two months of that season with the Sixers.
Southeast Notes: White, Powell, Wagner Bros., J. Carter
After initially agreeing to give up three second-round picks in their trade for Coby White, the Hornets amended the terms of the deal to remove one of those selections when the guard’s physical showed a left calf injury. However, that calf issue didn’t diminish the team’s enthusiasm for its acquisition of the North Carolina native, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
“As soon as I touched down, I felt wanted,” White told Boone. “I called my family, and I’m like, ‘Everybody here is just super-welcoming and super-nice. And they keep talking about long term, long term, long term.’ And just hearing that somewhere where you’re valued for a long term, especially being back home, it means a lot.”
White is on an expiring contract and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer, so there’s no guarantee the Hornets will be able to re-sign him. But president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson made it clear that’s the plan, as Boone relays.
“Just being able to acquire Coby and being able to acquire his Bird rights is very, very important for us in terms of how we’re operating and how we are building it out,” Peterson said. “So, as I said earlier, he fits everything that we want to be about and hope that he’s a Hornet for a very long time.”
Head coach Charles Lee is also excited about adding White to the roster, breaking into a smile when he was asked about the team’s newest guard on Saturday (Twitter video link via Boone).
“Spend a minute with him, you can already feel a sense of maturity, a sense of eagerness to want to play and build relationships, a competitiveness to him,” Lee said. “He’s super engaged in everything we do. A great human being. … I think he’s already trying to put his fingerprint – or put his stamp – on our environment and on our culture.”
We have more from around the Southeast:
- Heat swingman Norman Powell was initially listed as questionable for Sunday’s game in Washington due to a right hand sprain, then left the blowout victory in the third quarter due to lower back tightness. However, with a busy All-Star weekend on tap in a few days (in addition to being named a first-time All-Star, the 32-year-old will also take part in the three-point contest), Powell didn’t sound concerned about either health issue. “I think a lot to do with being stuck on the plane for a lot of hours,” Powell said of his back tightness, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “And then soft beds at the hotel. We tried to make an adjustment. But they didn’t have what we needed to have, a little firmer mattress there. I always get a little back flare-up when I’m sleeping on soft mattresses.”
- Magic forward Franz Wagner, who has missed nine consecutive games – and 25 of the past 27 – due to a left ankle injury, has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s game vs. Milwaukee and hopes to play before the All-Star break, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). If Wagner isn’t activated on Monday, his last pre-All-Star opportunity to return would be on Wednesday in a rematch against the Bucks.
- Franz’s brother Moritz Wagner has played in 11 of the Magic‘s 12 games since returning from an ACL tear last month, but he admitted this week that his recovery process hasn’t been “linear” and that he’s still trying to get back to feeling 100%. “My days are full, my recovery protocol is huge, (and) my confidence is still not at a point where it used to be,” Moritz said (Twitter video link via Beede). “This injury is heavy, man. It’s a really long process and it takes a long time, so I have a lot of respect for that.”
- After being waived by Chicago at the start of trade deadline week, Jevon Carter was informed that the Magic were “very interested” in signing him. That made it an easy decision for him to sign with Orlando, Beede writes for The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). “It was kind of a like a no-brainer for me,” Carter said. “They wanted me. I like to go where I’m wanted. Talking to (Magic president of basketball operations) Jeff (Weltman), he still remembered my pre-draft work out that I did here back in 2018. So, he was excited to have me, and I’m excited to be here.”
Injury Notes: Reid, Giddey, M. Wagner, Alvarado, H. Jones
Big man Naz Reid, who was starting in place of Rudy Gobert, was ruled out after playing just five minutes in Saturday’s loss at San Antonio due to soreness in his left shoulder, the Timberwolves announced (via Twitter).
It’s unclear if Reid, the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year, will miss additional time as a result of the shoulder injury.
The 26-year-old forward/center had been playing some of his best basketball of the season in the four games leading up to Saturday, averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block per night on .604/.577/.700 shooting during that brief stretch (29.8 minutes per contest).
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Bulls guard Josh Giddey has been assigned to the G League’s Windy City Bulls as he works his way back from a left hamstring strain, per the team (Twitter link). Assuming Sunday’s practice goes well, Giddey should be back in action either Tuesday against the Clippers or Thursday at Minnesota, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network.
- While there’s no indication that he experienced a setback, Magic center Moritz Wagner was ruled out of Sunday’s game vs. Memphis with what the team called left knee injury management (Twitter link). The German big man just made his season debut last Sunday after missing most of 2024/25 with a torn ACL in his left knee.
- A pair of trade candidates for the Pelicans continue to be sidelined with injuries. Guard Jose Alvarado will miss his seventh consecutive game Sunday at Houston due to a left oblique strain, while forward Herbert Jones remains out with a right ankle sprain (link to injury report). Jones, who made the All-Defensive First Team in 2023/24, will miss his 14th game as a result of the injury.
Franz Wagner Poised To Return For Berlin Game
Magic forward Franz Wagner isn’t on the injury report for the team’s game against the Grizzlies on Thursday in Berlin and will be available to make his return from a high ankle sprain, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.
Wagner injured his left ankle in a December 7 matchup with New York and has missed Orlando’s past 16 games as a result of the injury. In 23 full games prior to Dec. 7, he had averaged 23.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 34.5 minutes per night, with a .487/.354/.823 shooting line.
The timing of Wagner’s return is especially meaningful since he and his brother – and Magic teammate – Moritz Wagner were born in Berlin. Thursday’s game represents the first time the NBA has played a regular season game in Germany, and the Wagner brothers have appreciated getting the opportunity to show off their hometown to teammates this week, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Fans in Berlin will get the chance to see both Wagners in action on Thursday, as Moritz made his long-awaited return from an ACL tear on Sunday. Thursday’s game will be just his second outing since he suffered that injury in December of 2024.
“It felt awesome,” the big man said after Sunday’s contest, according to Beede. “When you work so hard behind the scenes and you get to see the fans, you get to see the game live but you’re really not participating, to be able to engage after such a long time, it’s really cool and very fulfilling.”
The Magic have dealt with a series of injuries affecting key players during the first half of the season, but have managed to hold onto a top-six spot in the Eastern Conference with a 22-18 record.
Even with the Wagner brothers both back on the court, Orlando isn’t quite at full strength. Guard Jalen Suggs will miss a sixth consecutive game on Thursday due to a right knee MCL contusion.