Nickeil Alexander-Walker Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Fischer’s Latest: Yabusele, Kornet, Lopez, Hornets, Wolves, D. Robinson

June 28th, 2025 at 9:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs weren’t successful in their attempt to trade for Kristaps Porzingis, who was ultimately sent from Boston to Atlanta, but they remain active in their pursuit of another big man, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Fischer echoes a recent report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that San Antonio is eyeing Guerschon Yabusele. “Multiple well-placed observers” tell Fischer that the Spurs are viewed as the biggest threat to sign Yabusele, but he hears that the Sixers haven’t given up hopes of keeping him. Fischer notes that San Antonio has a powerful recruiting tool in Victor Wembanyama, Yabusele’s teammate on the French Olympic team. Fischer mentions the Bucks as another team that could make a play for Yabusele.

Yabusele outperformed his contract after returning to the NBA on a one-year, minimum-salary deal following last year’s Summer Games. He became a reliable front court anchor during an injury-plagued season for Philadelphia.

Celtics backup center Luke Kornet could be another Spurs target, Fischer adds.

Fischer shares more inside information from around the league:

The Bucks could be losing their starting center, as Brook Lopez returns to free agency after getting strong interest from San Antonio and Houston two years ago. Sources tell Fischer that the Lakers are expected to pursue Lopez to fill their vacancy in the middle, and he adds that even if L.A. winds up with another option such as Clint Capela, there’s a belief that Lopez plans to leave Milwaukee.
Point guards are likely to draw interest on the market beyond teams such as the Kings, Mavericks and Clippers that have obvious needs. Fischer hears that the Hornets are searching for a veteran to back up LaMelo Ball, who has been plagued by injury issues for most of his career and appeared in just 47 games this season. Fischer adds that the Timberwolves are expected to explore trade and free agency options to improve their backcourt, as it appears Nickeil Alexander-Walker is likely to leave in free agency.
The Heat are awaiting Duncan Robinson‘s decision on his early termination option, which is due by Sunday. Robinson is set to make $19.888MM next season, but only $9.9MM of that is guaranteed. If he opts in, Miami will have 48 hours to waive him after the moratorium ends on July 6 to avoid paying the full amount. Fischer points out that Robinson’s name has been mentioned in several trade rumors over the years, including the Heat’s recent pursuit of Kevin Durant.

Pistons, Clippers Eyeing Nickeil Alexander-Walker?

June 28th, 2025 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After the Timberwolves reached a five-year, $125MM contract agreement with big man Naz Reid on Friday, there’s a “growing belief” that they’ll bring back power forward Julius Randle on a new multiyear deal as well, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

That might make Nickeil Alexander-Walker the odd man out in Minnesota, since re-signing the free agent guard to a market-value deal (perhaps in the range of the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception) would push the Wolves’ salary well above the second tax apron, unless Randle takes a substantial pay cut.

According to Fischer, with Alexander-Walker’s future in Minnesota seemingly uncertain, the Pistons and Clippers have been continually identified as possible suitors for the veteran free agent guard. The Magic, who were previously identified as a team with potential interest in Alexander-Walker, are still being mentioned too, Fischer says, though their cap situation could complicate their ability to make a viable bid.

As Fischer details, it appears increasingly likely that Sacramento will make an aggressive play in free agency for Pistons free agent guard Dennis Schröder, so Detroit could look elsewhere for backcourt help and Alexander-Walker would make for an appealing target.

The Pistons have a few balls in the air, however. Sources tell Fischer that the club was prepared to make the roster moves necessary to put a competitive offer on the table for Reid before he agreed to re-sign with the Wolves. Detroit remains in the market for a floor-stretching big man, prompting Fischer to wonder if the front office might turn its attention to Santi Aldama, though the Grizzlies‘ power forward will be a restricted free agent.

The Pistons are also expected to work out a new multiyear deal with sharpshooter Malik Beasley, Fischer writes, despite only holding his Non-Bird rights. Given the team’s limited ability to offer a raise with the Non-Bird exception, Detroit would likely have to re-sign Beasley using cap room or its mid-level exception, which would further cut into the team’s spending flexibility.

As for the Clippers, the expectation is that they’ll be in the market for guard depth this summer. In Kris Dunn, L.A. already has one talented defensive stopper in its backcourt, but Alexander-Walker is more of an offensive threat than Dunn, having knocked down 38.6% of his three-point attempts over the past two seasons.

Depending on where a new contract for James Harden comes in, the Clippers should have their full non-taxpayer mid-level exception available this summer.

Trade Rumors: Brown, White, Holiday, Hawks, NAW, Collins

June 25th, 2025 at 8:06am CST by Luke Adams

After having agreed to trades that send out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics have moved below the second tax apron. However, they may not be done dealing yet. Appearing on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Tuesday night (YouTube link), Shams Charania reported that Boston is fielding calls from teams with interest in Jaylen Brown and/or Derrick White.

According to Charania, the Celtics’ preference is still to hang onto Brown and White, and they’ve set “high price thresholds” for both players. But they’re also not entirely shutting down inquiries on those guys, so it remains possible that there will be a team willing to meet Boston’s high asking price.

“At minimum,” Charania says, the Celtics are still a strong candidate to make additional deals involving role players who are a little less valuable than Brown and White. Charania specifically identifies Sam Hauser and Anfernee Simons as players who might fit that bill.

Simons technically isn’t even a Celtic yet, so the agreed-upon deal involving him and Jrue Holiday could be expanded to include more pieces and send Simons to a third team before it’s officially finalized. Even if that trade is completed as currently constructed, Simons could be flipped to another team immediately — his salary simply couldn’t be aggregated with another player’s salary for two months after he’s traded.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

According to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian (Twitter link), he has heard from two sources who refuted the report claiming that Holiday is unhappy about being traded to the Trail Blazers. We passed along that rumor on Tuesday, but suggested taking it with a grain of salt.
As the Hawks continue to mull various scenarios for how they could use the $25MM+ traded player exception they generated in last summer’s Dejounte Murray deal, one possible target to watch is Nickeil Alexander-Walker, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). The Hawks are expected to show interest in Alexander-Walker, who will be a free agent this summer, and could potentially use that TPE to acquire him via sign-and-trade. The Timberwolves have expressed a desire to retain the three-and-D guard, but will also have Julius Randle‘s and Naz Reid‘s contract situations to resolve.
Although John Collins is considered a potential offseason trade candidate, his market is still taking shape, so a deal seems more likely to happen after the draft than before or during it, per Stein and Fischer. Collins also must exercise his $26.6MM player option before he officially becomes trade-eligible. His decision is due on Thursday.
Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, Raptors forward RJ Barrett and guard Immanuel Quickley, Jazz guards Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, Wizards guard Marcus Smart, and Bucks wing Pat Connaughton are among the other players viewed as candidates to be on the move this summer, according to Stein and Fischer.

Trade Rumors: Lakers, Bucks, Durant, Wolves

June 21st, 2025 at 8:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers‘ obvious need for a center is hurting their chances of finding one, according to Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints. Sources close to the team and around the league tell Irwin that the offseason pursuit of a big man has been frustrating so far because rival clubs are hoping to take advantage of L.A.’s predicament.

“The worst spot you can put yourself in is trying to negotiate while everyone knows about your desperation,” a former executive told Irwin. “The whole league knows that not only do the Lakers need a starting center and probably a backup, but they need to bring someone in who Luka (Doncic) is going to want to play with. They basically have to hope someone else reaches their current level of desperation so that the talks can be held on even footing.”

Jaxson Hayes, who’s headed toward free agency, took over as the starting center after Anthony Davis was traded to Dallas in February. He put up solid numbers during the regular season, but was ineffective in a first-round playoff loss to Minnesota and wasn’t used at all in the deciding Game 5.

Irwin hears from sources close to the team that the Lakers hope to trade for their starting center and use the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception to sign a backup. According to Irwin’s sources, L.A. has been involved in discussions with the Nets about Nic Claxton, the Trail Blazers about Robert Williams and the Jazz about Walker Kessler. He adds that potential free agent targets include Brook Lopez and Clint Capela.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

The Bucks remain confident about keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo and will focus on trades and free agent signings to complement the two-time MVP, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN. The Khris Middleton trade in February moved Milwaukee below the projected tax line for 2025/26, creating access to the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The Bucks also have the $5.1MM bi-annual exception, though ESPN’s story points out that it will be difficult financially to use both exceptions while re-signing Lopez and Bobby Portis.
The Suns are finding it hard to get value for Kevin Durant because there isn’t an “open market,” explains Brian Windhorst of ESPN (YouTube link). Durant has manipulated the market by insisting that he’ll only sign an extension with Houston, San Antonio or Miami, and Windhorst says that advantage has given those teams leverage to limit their offers. He also points out that Durant is Phoenix’s only major trade asset due to its insistence on keeping Devin Booker, so it’s important to maximize the return.
The Timberwolves seem more likely to keep the 31st pick in the draft than the 17th, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. The first-round pick, which was acquired from New York last fall, comes with a $4.2MM salary, which could hamper the effort to re-sign Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and possibly Julius Randle while staying below the second apron. Hine hears that the Wolves’ front office likes having the first pick in the second round and expects to get a lot of offers between the first and second days of the draft.

Southeast Notes: Magic, Jaquez, Battier, Hornets

June 9th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic may be in the market for a play-making guard this summer, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line suggests in a Substack column (subscription required). Fischer reports that Orlando had “real interest” in De’Aaron Fox before Sacramento agreed to trade him to San Antonio in February, although there were never substantial conversations about Fox between the Magic and Kings. Fischer also states that Orlando looked at Malik Monk before he re-signed with Sacramento last summer.

A report emerged over the weekend that the Cavaliers are listening to offers for Darius Garland. However, sources tell Fischer that Cleveland and Orlando haven’t seriously discussed Garland, and the Cavs would be reluctant to help an Eastern Conference rival. Fischer mentions Celtics guard Jrue Holiday as a possibility, along with Fred VanVleet, although he hears that the Rockets intend to keep him on their roster for next season.

Fischer also raises the possibility that the Magic could make smaller trades and decline whatever options are necessary to qualify for the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. That could be used to pursue Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, whom Orlando has been identified as a potential suitor for.

In addition, Fischer lists the Magic as a team that could try to move up in the draft for a late lottery selection. Orlando holds picks No. 16 and 25 and already has 15 players on standard contracts for next season, although that could change by declining team options on Moritz Wagner ($11MM) and Gary Harris ($7.5MM).

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Second-year Heat forward Jaime Jaquez got a taste of the NBA Finals on Sunday while working as a media member for the league’s digital and social media outlets under the Player Correspondent Program, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. “I’m thinking I want to be here, but not as a correspondent,” Jaquez said during a media event. “That’s what I’m thinking, as a player.”
Former Heat player and executive Shane Battier addressed the end of his playing career and a number of other topics in an appearance on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, relays Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Battier, 46, left the team in 2021 to pursue other interests. “My last year (as a player), when I was told without being told that our best chance of winning doesn’t include you Shane,” Battier recalled. “When (coach Erik Spoelstra) started to sit me in the fourth quarter, nothing was worse to me than sitting me in crunch time because that was my identity.”
Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer examines recent No. 4 picks to get an idea of what the Hornets can expect with that selection in this year’s draft.

Scotto’s Latest: Porzingis, Celtics, Reid, NAW, Magic, Kings

June 4th, 2025 at 8:12am CST by Luke Adams

Executives around the NBA generally view Kristaps Porzingis as the Celtics‘ top trade candidate this offseason as the team looks to reduce its salary, says Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Porzingis has played a limited role during Boston’s last two playoff runs due to health issues and will be on an expiring $30.7MM contract in 2025/26.

However, the general consensus is that the Celtics won’t be looking to trade just one highly paid player.

“Boston needs to get off two big salaries at least, or they’ll have massive tax implications,” one NBA executive told HoopsHype. “(Jayson) Tatum‘s injury lets them use next year as a gap year to audition other players or young guys.”

While Derrick White has drawn consistent interest from teams across the league, per Scotto, the Celtics have always rebuffed those inquiries in the past and would presumably be more inclined to shop Jrue Holiday if they move off one of their veteran guards.

Reserve wing Sam Hauser is also considered a trade candidate by rival NBA executives, according to Scotto, who notes that 2024 first-rounder Baylor Scheierman is viewed by talent evaluators as a player who could take on Hauser’s role sooner or later.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Re-signing Naz Reid is considered a top priority for the Timberwolves, but executives around the NBA believe Minnesota is unlikely to retain Reid, Julius Randle, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who are all eligible for free agency this offseason.
The Magic, who were recently identified as a possible suitor for Alexander-Walker, made a play for the Timberwolves guard at February’s trade deadline, according to Scotto, who says many executives are projecting the 26-year-old to receive the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception or something close to it.
Rival executives are monitoring the Kings‘ veteran trio of Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan, and believe the team will explore trading one or more of those players either this offseason or by the 2026 trade deadline, Scotto writes. It might take a trade request for Sacramento to seriously consider dealing Sabonis, and LaVine’s maximum-salary contract figures to be difficult to move. That leaves DeRozan and perhaps center Jonas Valanciunas, who will be on a pseudo-expiring $10.4MM contract, as the Kings’ top potential trade candidates.
In case you missed it, we also passed along reporting from Scotto on a potential point guard target for the Kings, along with a handful of Clippers-related rumors.

Wolves’ Tim Connelly On Minnesota: ‘It Feels Like Home’

June 2nd, 2025 at 2:44pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly reportedly has an opt-out clause in his contract this offseason, but it sounds like he intends to stay in Minnesota.

“It feels like home. … I think you guys are stuck with me,” Connelly told media members today, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The news doesn’t come as a surprise. Multiple reporters — including Brian Windhorst, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Michael Scotto, and Krawczynski — have indicated that signing Connelly to a new contract was a priority and the team was optimistic an agreement would be reached. Connelly is said to have a good working relationship with new majority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who are expected to be approved by the league’s Board of Governors later this month.

Connelly was rumored to be a top target of the Hawks in their search for a new head of basketball operations and was also linked to the Nuggets’ vacancy. Connelly ran Denver’s front office from 2013-22, putting its championship core together, though he technically missed out on that title by leaving a year early.

The 49-year-old has pulled off some blockbuster trades since he was hired by the Timberwolves in 2022, acquiring Rudy Gobert from Utah later that year and sending Karl-Anthony Towns to New York last October in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop (who was later waived) and a first-round pick.

The Wolves have made the playoffs each of the past three seasons with Connelly as the head of basketball operations, including — most recently — back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.

Here are a few more highlights from Connelly’s press conference:

Randle, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could all be free agents this summer — Randle and Reid hold players options for 2025/26, while Alexander-Walker is unrestricted. Connelly says the team is “cautiously optimistic” it will be able to bring back all three rotation players, as Krawczynski relays (via Twitter). “We’re very appreciative of what the market might look like,” Connelly said. “We’re pretty cautiously optimistic we’re in a good place with all of the guys. Most importantly, they want to be here.”
Connelly praised head coach Chris Finch for the “great” job he has done over the past couple years, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “It’s not easy what we’ve tasked him with the last couple of years (multiple major trades),” Connelly said. “… It’s a testament to his intelligence, his ability to be creative and to coach any group we put in front of him.”
Connelly was also complimentary of Finch’s coaching staff for its adaptability and player development skills, according to Krawczynski (Twitter link). “Someone is going to smartly hire (assistant) Micah Nori as a head coach soon.”
Connelly thinks Anthony Edwards will have a “challenging” offseason in front of him as the Wolves attempt to take the next step, but he’s confident in the star guard’s two-way ability (Twitter video link via Scotto) “The sky is the limit,” Connelly said of Edwards. “We think he’s going to be one of the best players of all time, and we think he’s on that track.”

Thunder Notes: Caruso, Daigneault, Alexander-Walker, Finals Odds

June 1st, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Alex Caruso is the only Thunder player who has been to the NBA Finals, but he didn’t get the full experience, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Although Caruso was a member of the title-winning Lakers team in 2020, the end of that season and the entire playoffs took place in a closed setting at Disney World in Orlando. That meant no fans, no travel and nothing to match the excitement that will be in the air when this year’s Finals get underway Thursday night in Oklahoma City.

“The Finals in the bubble still had the tangible feel of a Finals,” Caruso said. “You knew what was up for grabs. That adrenaline before the game, obviously, I don’t think it would probably be the same adrenaline level that you feel with fans, just being on the other side of it now. But understanding what’s at stake was still very apparent.”

Caruso was in his third NBA season during that COVID-interrupted campaign. Now 31, he’s the oldest player on an OKC team that’s the second-youngest to reach the Finals in the past 70 years. Considering the Thunder’s dominance throughout the season — 80-18 overall and 43-7 on their home court — Caruso doesn’t believe he’ll have to inspire his teammates for the challenge ahead.

“You don’t have to do anything special. You just have to be who we are,” he said. “That’s worked for us throughout this whole year. So, I’m just continuing to emphasize with the guys, just do what we’ve done all year. Compete at a high level, play together, play as a team. When we do that, we’re pretty good.”

There’s more from Oklahoma City:

The Thunder wrapped up the Western Conference title last Wednesday and will have been off for more than a full week by the time the NBA Finals start on Thursday, notes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. It’s the second extended break of the playoffs for OKC, and coach Mark Daigneault is working to keep his players in the right mindset. “You don’t want to be so wise that you’re overcautious,” he said. “You don’t want to be so confident that you’re overconfident. You kind of have to hold those two things, the confidence and the urgency or the wisdom. You have to hold those things in balance.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker could be a perfect offseason addition for the Thunder if they can work out a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves, contends Michael Stamps of Sports Illustrated. The free agent guard is the cousin of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and they play together on the Canadian national team.
The Thunder are heavy betting favorites heading into the NBA Finals, according to an ESPN story. Oklahoma City has -750 odds to be the next NBA champion, while Indiana is listed at +525.

Magic Viewed As Possible Suitor For Nickeil Alexander-Walker

May 31st, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

There are “rumbles in circulation” that the Magic are a team to watch as a suitor for free agent guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker this offseason, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Alexander-Walker, who was traded from Utah to Minnesota at the 2023 deadline as part of a bigger three-team deal, has emerged as a reliable rotation player for the Timberwolves over the past two seasons.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 26-year-old has averaged 8.7 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game, with a .438/.386/.787 shooting line. He has also served as one of Minnesota’s top point-of-attack defenders and has been extremely durable, having not missed a game in over two years.

While the Timberwolves would certainly like to have Alexander-Walker back on the roster next season, they may face a financial squeeze after operating above the second tax apron this year, which could open the door for rival suitors to make a run at him.

The six-year veteran is coming off a $4.3MM salary and has never earned more than $5MM in a season, but appears to be in line for a significant raise. Several teams with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) figure to have interest, and Jake Fischer reported in February that some executives believe Alexander-Walker could earn up to $20MM per year on his next contract.

Whether the Magic will be in position to make an aggressive offer to Alexander-Walker remains to be seen. They have roughly $175MM in guaranteed money committed to 11 players for next season and the luxury tax line projects to come in just under $188MM, so if they want to make a play for the Wolves guard while staying out of the tax, they’d probably have to shed some salary.

Orlando has long been viewed as a team likely to seek backcourt help this summer, though much of that speculation has centered around the Magic targeting more of an offensive-minded player to complement defensive ace Jalen Suggs. While Alexander-Walker doesn’t really fit that bill, he has been a more reliable three-point shooter than Suggs in recent years.

Wolves Rumors: Durant, Ownership, Connelly, FAs, Conley

May 30th, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves and Suns both operated above the second tax apron during the 2024/25 season, which means it would have been extremely difficult for the two teams to construct a trade that sent Kevin Durant to Minnesota at the February deadline. Still, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast that the Wolves made a real effort to land the star forward four months ago (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM).

“It became clear to me in talking to the parties involved just how serious the Wolves were about trying to trade for Kevin Durant at the trade deadline,” Windhorst said.

Windhorst goes on to acknowledge that the pre-deadline Wolves weren’t playing as well as they eventually performed down the stretch and in the first two rounds of the playoffs, so their level of interest in Durant may not be the same this offseason as it was at the time. And even with some money coming off their books this offseason, a deal for a player earning $54.7MM would be tricky to pull off.

Still, Windhorst notes that president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has a history of taking big swings on the trade market, making the Wolves a potential team to watch if Durant is on the trade block.

“I’m not arguing that Durant’s going to end up in Minnesota,” Windhorst said. “I’m just saying, if you look at Tim Connelly, he made the big (Rudy) Gobert trade. He made the big Julius Randle and (Donte) DiVincenzo trade. He’s shown the propensity to make big deals.”

The Timberwolves plan to be aggressive in building their roster around Anthony Edwards this offseason, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who writes that the new ownership group led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez has put together a “deep-pocketed group” of partners and would be comfortable continuing to pay luxury tax penalties going forward.

Here’s more on the Wolves:

The NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to vote to formally approve the Lore/Rodriguez ownership group sometime in late June, sources tell Krawczynski. The new owners plan to more aggressively invest in the business side of the franchise, Krawczynski continues, which includes making plans for a new arena.
Two team sources reiterated to The Athletic that there’s optimism about the Wolves’ ability to work out a new contract with Connelly, who has an opt-out clause in his current deal this offseason. According to Krawczynski, while Lore and Rodriguez are involved in major roster decisions, they trust Connelly to make the moves he believes are necessary. Connelly’s easy-going personality has “helped relax what could often be a nervous, downtrodden basketball operations department,” Krawczynski adds.
With Randle, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all potentially reaching free agency this summer (Randle and Reid hold player options), Krawczynski believes the likeliest outcome is that two of those three players will remain in Minnesota, with one of them departing.
Mike Conley spoke after the Wolves’ Game 5 loss on Wednesday as if he plans to return for his 19th season, but he’ll likely take on a reduced workload, so it’s crucial that the Wolves find another productive point guard, either in-house (ie. Rob Dillingham) or by bringing in a veteran, says Krawczynski. “I think my role is one that I’ve been willing to do anything,” Conley said. “Just play any amount of minutes, start, come off the bench. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do. Whatever is best for the team.”