Free Agent Notes: DeRozan, Harden, Warriors, Value Deals
Veteran forward DeMar DeRozan is on track to clear waivers and become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday, but his next destination remains an open question.
A Los Angeles native, DeRozan has long been linked to the NBA’s two L.A. teams, but according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link), the Lakers aren’t viewed as potential landing spot at this point. Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link) has suggested he doesn’t believe the Clippers will be a suitor for DeRozan either.
As of mid-Monday afternoon, the Heat hadn’t been in touch with DeRozan, though Miami would be among the teams of interest to the 36-year-old, a source tells Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The Heat and other teams still in in the mix for LeBron James may turn to DeRozan as a Plan B, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, who said during an appearance on SportsCenter (Twitter video link) that the Warriors are expected to “look into” the 17-year veteran, especially if they miss out on James.
Here are a few more notes and rumors related to free agency:
- Within a story about LeBron’s potential landing spots, Joe Vardon of The Athletic suggests that the Cavaliers and James Harden have essentially already agreed to a framework and dollar amount for a new contract and are waiting to see what happens with LeBron before determining whether Harden’s salary will be spread across two years or three.
- Although the Warriors were among the teams to express interest in free agents Rui Hachimura and Anfernee Simons, they weren’t prepared to meet the price point for either player, Slater writes for ESPN. Hachimura signed a two-year, $28MM deal with the Clippers, while Simons received a two-year, $12.3MM deal from the Sixers. The Warriors likely could’ve matched that Simons contract if they chose not to bring back De’Anthony Melton, Slater notes, but sources tell ESPN the front office preferred Melton due to a belief that he’s a better backcourt fit when the roster is fully healthy, based on his versatility and his perimeter defense.
- Fred Katz of The Athletic identifies some of the best value signings teams have made in free agency so far, singling out the Rockets with Tari Eason, the Knicks with Landry Shamet, and the Heat with Tim Hardaway Jr.
Clippers Add Rui Hachimura On Two-Year Deal
9:45 pm: The deal is now official, the Clippers announced.
10:32 am: Free agent forward Rui Hachimura will sign a two-year, $28MM contract with the Clippers, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Hachimura and agent Darren Matsubara reached an understanding with the Clippers early in free agency, per Charania (Twitter link), who states that they were hoping to work out a sign-and-trade, but the Lakers weren’t in position to cooperate, given their other offseason moves.
Hachimura’s new deal will include a team option for the second season, according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter links). Murray also reports that Hachimura was on Luka Doncic‘s list of players that he wanted to keep, but the Lakers weren’t able to match the Clippers’ offer after prioritizing Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Quentin Grimes.
Hachimura moves across town after spending the last three and a half seasons with the Lakers. He appeared in 68 games this season (41 starts), averaging 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per night and shooting 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from three-point range.
Staying in Los Angeles was a priority for Hachimura, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who tweets that the 28-year-old chose the Clippers after receiving interest from the Nets, Mavericks, Warriors, and Timberwolves. The Spurs and Trail Blazers also had interest, a source tells Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link).
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), the Clippers will use their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to add Hachimura, which means the team will operate over the cap rather than under it. However, that doesn’t rule out a potential sign-and-trade pursuit of Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson, Fischer adds.
As Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron tweets, the Clippers could make a competitive offer for Watson by looping him into the sign-and-trade that will send John Collins to Detroit. However, L.A. would need to incentivize Denver with assets of some sort in order to get the Nuggets to play ball.
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Kuminga, Lakers, Knicks, Diabate, Ayton, Temple
The Lakers are focusing on free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga as they search for another wing and one more big man to round out their roster, sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required).
However, the slow pace of LeBron James‘ free agent decision may be holding up the market on Kuminga. Stein and Fischer report that the Cavaliers are interested in Kuminga as well, and head coach Kenny Atkinson has experience with him from his time as a Golden State assistant. However, the Cavs don’t want to commit to anything with Kuminga before finding out if they’ll be landing James.
Stein and Fischer hear that the Hawks may still try to re-sign Kuminga after declining their $24.3MM team option on Monday, and they could be open to a sign-and-trade deal as well. The Bucks may also make a play for Kuminga, according to the authors, who add that L.A.’s pursuit of Kuminga could mean Rui Hachimura plays elsewhere. There’s a “growing expectation” Hachimura won’t be back with the Lakers, per Stein and Fischer.
After agreeing to trade Deandre Ayton to Washington on Friday, the Lakers lost a potential replacement later in the day when Andre Drummond committed to New York. Former New Orleans center Kevon Looney remains an option for L.A., according to Stein and Fischer, along with Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas, whose $10MM salary for next season only carries a $2MM guarantee through July 8.
Stein and Fischer share more inside information from around the league:
- The Knicks also had interest in Looney before reaching the deal with Drummond and were monitoring Hornets big man Moussa Diabate as well, sources tell Stein and Fischer. Diabate hasn’t been mentioned in trade rumors, but Charlotte has made changes to its front line recently by dealing for Naz Reid and drafting Hannes Steinbach. Diabate has an expiring $2.5MM contract that would have been a perfect fit for New York’s quest to remain below the second apron.
- The Wizards‘ acquisition of Ayton shouldn’t be viewed of a sign of an upcoming Anthony Davis trade, according to Stein and Fischer. Sources tell them that Washington plans to expand its use of double-big lineups that team Ayton with Davis as well as with Alex Sarr.
- Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri talked to Garrett Temple about a front office position before Dusty May convinced him to join the coaching staff, Stein and Fischer hear. They report that Josh Broghamer and Phil Handy are expected to be retained from former head coach Jason Kidd‘s staff.
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: LeBron, Hachimura, Kuminga, Donovan
People around the league are very curious about LeBron James‘ next team and there’s little consensus about what he might do in free agency, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Some NBA observers believe the Cavaliers could ultimately be James’ choice, since he started his career in Cleveland and is from nearby Akron. While they don’t have much financial flexibility and the on-court fit may not be perfect, the Cavs have a talented group of players and have long been searching for a forward who can bridge the gap between the backcourt and frontcourt.
Cleveland also seemingly has another advantage in that returning home would be a compelling storyline. As Stein and Fischer write, “well-placed observers” think the 22-time All-Star will turn his final NBA season into some type of “lucrative documentary product” that could eventually make up for any potential loss in salary on his next contract. Of course, we don’t know for sure that 2026/27 will be the 41-year-old’s final season, but Stein and Fischer point out that James has already been filmed since at least ’22/23.
The Warriors and Heat are viewed as the two other co-favorites for James, Stein and Fischer note, with Miami being another former team and Golden State known to covet the four-time MVP.
Fischer reported on Thursday for Bleacher Report that the Knicks are among the dozen or so teams to have registered “some interest” in signing James, joining Minnesota, Denver and Philadelphia in a what some consider to be a possible secondary tier of suitors. However, Ian Begley of SNY.tv hears that New York is happy with its championship-winning core and likely won’t be a legitimate destination for LeBron.
Here’s more from Stein and Fischer:
- The Spurs and Pistons reportedly had interest in free agent forward Rui Hachimura, but San Antonio is signing Tobias Harris and Detroit is adding John Collins in a sign-and-trade with the Clippers. Stein and Fischer say Hachimura was given real consideration by the Spurs before Harris decided to join them after declining an offer to re-sign with Detroit. While the Nets could still be an option for the Japanese forward, Stein and Fischer hear Hachimura’s agents have also received pitches from the Timberwolves and Warriors. According to the authors, the 28-year-old is believed to be atop Minnesota’s current wish list at power forward, though the team has little in the way of spending power.
- The Lakers made some major swings on Wednesday, particularly giving up control of four future first-round picks (two selections and two swaps) to acquire Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade deal with Utah. But Los Angeles also recognizes it “badly needs help” at forward, which is why the team expressed interest in Jonathan Kuminga. Stein and Fischer confirm the Cavaliers and Bucks have also shown interest in the 23-year-old and hear from sources that a reunion with the Hawks remains in play, echoing reporting from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
- Billy Donovan will reportedly replace Sean Sweeney as the Spurs‘ top assistant coach after Sweeney beat out Donovan for the Magic’s head coaching job. As Stein and Fischer observe, Donovan hasn’t been an assistant coach at any level since ’93/94 with Kentucky, but one rival coach wasn’t shocked the 61-year-old accepted the job in San Antonio. “Not surprised at all,” the anonymous told The Stein Line. “Being the No. 1 [assistant] in San Antonio is the best assistant job in the league. I think it pretty much guarantees Billy will be a head coach again in this league.”
Trade Rumors: DeRozan, Finney-Smith, Sasser, Lakers, Bucks
Kings forward DeMar DeRozan hopes to “accelerate his exit” from Sacramento, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. Reporting in June indicated that the team expects to either trade or waive DeRozan, and the 17-year veteran would like for that to happen sooner rather than later, Iko explains.
While a trade that clears DeRozan’s full $25.7MM from their books without any incoming salary coming back would presumably be the preferred route for the cap-strapped Kings, very few teams are in position to accommodate that kind of deal. The more likely outcome is that Sacramento will eventually opt to waive DeRozan and use the stretch provision to spread his partial guarantee of $10MM across three seasons ($3.33MM per year).
If the Kings were to waive and stretch him immediately, it would allow DeRozan to reach the open market while a number of playoff teams still have some spending flexibility, potentially resulting in a more favorable deal. However, it appears Sacramento’s front office wants to exhaust its trade options before resorting to that fall-back option. The deadline to waive a player and stretch his 2026/27 cap hit is August 29.
Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- Sources who spoke to Iko described the Rockets‘ trade talks involving forward Dorian Finney-Smith as “fluid,” noting that Houston has explored scenarios in which Finney-Smith would be sent out to create cap flexibility and others in which a player would come back in the deal. However, none of those options has been appealing enough to pull the trigger, and Iko notes that the team’s urgency to make a move has lessened due to how free agency has played out — Houston was able to secure commitments from Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic without using more than the taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception.
- After reporting earlier in the week that the Mavericks are a “leading suitor” to acquire guard Marcus Sasser from the Pistons, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link) is talking as if that deal is expected to happen. As Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron points out (via Twitter) there’s a plausible scenario in which the Grizzlies, Pistons, and Mavericks combine their trade agreements involving Isaiah Stewart and Santi Aldama into a single transaction and include Sasser — Detroit’s acquisitions of Isaiah Joe (from the Thunder) and John Collins (via sign-and-trade from the Clippers) would also likely be folded in to make it a five-team trade.
- A number of league sources are wondering if the Lakers are planning to make a trade – or a waive-and-stretch move – involving a player like Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton to open up a little more cap room to try to re-sign free agent forward Rui Hachimura, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. At this point, that sounds like speculation rather than anything concrete.
- The Bucks touched base with the Grizzlies about Ja Morant during the 2025/26 season and periodically circled back to discuss him all the way up until this Monday (well after agreeing to move Giannis Antetokounmpo) before ultimately deciding not to pursue a trade, reports Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Memphis agreed to send Morant to Portland instead.
Checking In On Top Remaining NBA Free Agents
The NBA’s free agent period officially opened less than 40 hours ago, but the list of this year’s top available players has already been pretty picked clean, with 38 of the players from our list of 2026’s top 50 free agents having either officially locked in a new deal or agreed to terms with a team.
Still, several of the free agents who still don’t have a contract agreement in place are ones who ranked at or near the top of our board. Here are the players from our list who remain available:
- Jalen Duren, C (Pistons RFA)
- LeBron James, F
- James Harden, G
- Peyton Watson, F (Nuggets RFA)
- Tari Eason, F (Rockets RFA)
- Draymond Green, F
- Rui Hachimura, F
- Jonathan Kuminga, F
- Anfernee Simons, G
- Bennedict Mathurin, G (Clippers RFA)
- Spencer Jones, F (Nuggets RFA)
- Brandon Williams, G
As we noted within our story on the Lakers’ sign-and-trade agreement for Walker Kessler, that deal is bad news for Duren, who can no longer use the threat of an offer sheet from Los Angeles as leverage in his negotiations with the Pistons. In fact, with Brooklyn and Chicago having also made multiple moves using their cap room, no team is currently in position to put pressure on Detroit with a maximum-salary or near-max offer sheet for Duren.
The Kings and Duren still reportedly have mutual interest, with Sacramento looking to make a sign-and-trade deal involving Domantas Sabonis, but the Pistons are said to have little enthusiasm for that concept — or for a sign-and-trade in general. They’ve indicated that they want to keep the All-NBA big man, and at this point, they appear to have the leverage to wait out the process and hope Duren decides to eventually accept their offer.
While the 22-year-old Duren is the best bet of the remaining free agents to get a lucrative, long-term deal, the 41-year-old James is perhaps the most intriguing name on this list. LeBron is a true free agent, having told the Lakers he won’t re-sign with them and inviting any team with interest to reach out.
The Warriors, Cavaliers, and Heat have long been viewed as the most logical non-Los Angeles landing spots for the 22-time All-Star, but teams like the Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Sixers have also registered their interest, and the word is that James will be prioritizing his “happiness” and an ability to contend for a championship over money.
In contrast to James, whose destination seems truly up in the air, Harden and Green are considered very likely to re-sign with the Cavaliers and Warriors, respectively. In fact, their eventual contract structures may hinge in large part on LeBron’s decision. If James chooses Cleveland or Golden State, Harden or Green may be prepared to negotiate their own contracts accordingly to help create enough room under a hard cap or an apron threshold.
Since Watson, Eason, Mathurin, and Jones are all restricted free agents, it’s possible the process will drag out for some of them. All indications are that the Nuggets want to re-sign Watson and have explored trading one of their higher-paid players to help create the spending flexibility to do it. The Rockets likewise have prioritized bringing back Eason and should have enough room under their second-apron hard cap to match any rival offer. We haven’t heard as much about Mathurin or Jones to this point, though the latter did briefly address his contract negotiations in a LinkedIn post.
A pair of potential frontrunners for Hachimura came off the board when San Antonio reached a deal with Tobias Harris to fill its hole at power forward and Detroit decided to add John Collins as its stretch four. The Nets are another team that has been cited as having interest in Hachimura, though it’s unclear how their agreement with Moritz Wagner, another floor-spacing frontcourt player, will impact their plans.
While there hasn’t been a ton of chatter about Simons or Williams since free agency officially began on Tuesday, Kuminga was the subject of an intriguing rumor late on Wednesday night, when a report from The Athletic indicated that he’s on the Lakers‘ radar. In order to offer the young forward more than the veteran’s minimum, Los Angeles would have to work out a sign-and-trade with Atlanta, his former team.
Khris Middleton, Russell Westbrook, Bruce Brown, Josh Okogie, Matisse Thybulle, Gary Trent Jr., Ziaire Williams, Kevon Looney, and Bradley Beal are among the other notable veteran free agents still on the board.
All of the free agent deals agreed upon so far can be found within our 2026 free agent tracker. The full list of free agents still available can be found right here (or here, if you prefer to sort by team rather than by position/type).
Free Agent Rumors: LeBron, Harris, Drummond, Wiseman, Warren
Until recently, LeBron James was strongly leaning toward returning to the Lakers in free agency, relays Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area. On the latest episode of the “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul states that James had been expecting to spend another season in Los Angeles.
“Well, where are you at in terms of returning right here where we’re at?” Paul said in reference to the first time he asked James this offseason about staying with the Lakers. “‘Hmm, 80 percent.’ … This was weeks ago. And then as the time went on and he thought about things more, it kind of went down and down and down.”
Faced with an understanding that L.A. was building around Luka Doncic, James began to consider other alternatives, even though the Lakers had the ability to make the best financial offer, Paul adds. As he studied the situation, James slowly began to believe he could find a better fit elsewhere.
“Once he got to a place where he said, ‘Listen, man, I understand where things are. And I get it, that’s where I could probably make the most money, but for me, where I’m at today, it’s probably not the best thing to do. I probably will just go away from that,” Paul recalled James saying. “So I said, ‘Are you 100 percent sure?’ And he said, ‘Yes, I’m 100 percent sure that’s not a place I would want to return.'”
On the same podcast, Paul revealed that he talked to “probably about 12 to 14 teams” on the first night of free agency, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Paul didn’t name any of the interested parties, but indicated that market size wouldn’t matter much to James “as long as there’s indoor and outdoor golf.” He also reiterated that “happiness” will factor into the decision, which he defines as “having the ability to compete for the possibility of winning a championship.”
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports reports that James has been engaged in discussions about filming the upcoming season for a documentary or episodic series. With that in mind, O’Connor ranks all 29 potential destinations for their entertainment value, putting Golden State at the top of the list.
There’s more free agent news to pass along:
- The Pistons weren’t willing to offer more than one guaranteed season to free agent forward Tobias Harris, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Fischer expects Harris to end up with another team unless he’s willing to return to Detroit “on a very reduced salary” (Twitter link) and wonders if he or Rui Hachimura might sign with the Spurs.
- After spending the past two years in Philadelphia, Andre Drummond is wary of accepting a low-cost deal just to stay in the NBA, as Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports relays (Twitter link). “I love playing in the Association. It’s a dream come true for me,” the free agent center said in a YouTube clip. “But I’m also not willing to play for less than my worth. I did that once and then I got labeled as one of those guys, and I think it really killed my value in the NBA, because I’m still moving like I’m in my mid-20s. I still have a lot left in the tank. I think by taking that pay cut … I feel like I’ve been climbing out of a hole for the last four to five years. It’s been hard.”
- James Wiseman, the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, has decided to play in Europe. Agent Misko Raznatovic (Twitter link), who is working with Wiseman’s representatives at Excel Basketball, relays a statement saying that the agency has “begun exploring overseas opportunities” for the big man.
- T.J. Warren is also drawing interest from the EuroLeague, per Donatas Urbonas of Basket News, who says several teams have expressed interest in the 32-year-old forward.
Fischer/Stein’s Latest: Spurs, Lakers, LeBron, Post, Rockets, Sasser
As the Spurs peruse the free agent market for help at forward, there’s a belief that they’re not willing to offer more than two years to potential targets using their $15MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, according to Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer and Stein observe, after Victor Wembanyama‘s next contract hits the Spurs’ books in 2027/28, Stephon Castle will be due for his own second deal in ’28/29, so it makes sense that the club would want to maintain a relatively clean cap sheet in anticipation for what figures to be a significant commitment to the rising star guard.
Rui Hachimura, Tobias Harris, and John Collins are among the veteran free agents San Antonio is considering, Fischer and Stein note, with Hachimura also said to be drawing interest from the Nets and Pistons.
Here’s more from the Stein Line duo:
- Following up on their earlier report stating that Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili are widely expected to sign with the Lakers, Fischer and Stein say those contracts could come in around $10MM per year. Assuming the room exception is used to add one of those two players, that would leave the team roughly $40MM in cap room to make a play for Jazz restricted free agent Walker Kessler. Kessler is considered to be Los Angeles’ top center target over Pistons RFA Jalen Duren, though L.A. has interest in both players, who will likely be difficult to pry away from their current clubs.
- The Warriors, Cavaliers, and Heat are the teams most frequently cited by rival front offices as probable LeBron James landing spots, and Fischer and Stein hear that Golden State may have already lined up a move or two in order to create additional cap flexibility in case LeBron wants to come to the Bay Area.
- One minor complication for the Warriors, Fischer and Stein report, is that restricted free agent big man Quinten Post is receiving interest from multiple teams. There’s a chance one of those clubs may be willing to sign Post to an offer sheet in order to put some pressure on a potentially cap-strapped Golden State team.
- In order to re-sign restricted free agent forward Tari Eason and free up the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to offer Marcus Smart a three-year deal in the range of $7MM annually, the Rockets are trying to move forward Dorian Finney-Smith, per The Stein Line. If those efforts are unsuccessful, Houston’s offer to Smart would have to be for just two years using the taxpayer mid-level exception (worth up to about $6.2MM per year).
- The Mavericks are a potential landing spot for Pistons guard Marcus Sasser, who is a candidate to be traded, Fischer and Stein report. Moving off Sasser’s $5.2MM expiring contract would create extra spending flexibility for Detroit in free agency.
Lakers Likely To Sign Mamukelashvili, Grimes; Still Pursuing Kessler
People around the league increasingly believe the Lakers will sign forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili and guard Quentin Grimes, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who reports (via Twitter) that Los Angeles continues to pursue Jazz center Walker Kessler, its “top summer target.”
Mamukelashvili and Grimes are unrestricted free agents and thus able to sign with any team. Kessler is restricted, however, so the Lakers would have to either work out a sign-and-trade with Utah or sign him to an offer sheet that the Jazz are unwilling to match in order to acquire him.
Georgian big man Mamukelashvili figures to cash in after having a strong season with the Raptors on a veteran’s minimum in 2025/26. He far outperformed that deal and is expected to command an eight-figure annual payday this summer after declining his $2.8MM player option for ’26/27 to hit free agency.
Stein, his colleague Jake Fischer, and Dan Woike of The Athletic all linked Mamukelashvili to the Lakers late Monday night. Those same reporters, plus Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, subsequently connected Grimes to L.A., referring to the former first-round pick as one of the team’s top targets.
Grimes, a 6’4″ shooting guard, has spent the past season-and-a-half with the Sixers. He signed his one-year qualifying last offseason as a restricted free agent and it sounds like the former first-round pick is on track to join his fifth different team ahead of his sixth year in the league.
The Lakers are operating with cap room this summer after LeBron James informed the team he plans to play elsewhere in ’26/27. While they may end up adding Mamukelashvili and Grimes, they’re losing sharpshooter Luke Kennard to the Suns and are expected to lose forward Rui Hachimura as well, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link).
As for Kessler, the 7’2″ big man has met with multiple suitors thus far as he looks to secure a massive contract. The 24-year-old was limited to just five appearances last season due to a shoulder injury, but he’s shown promise as a rebounder and rim protector and the Lakers have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring him in multiple times in the past.
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.