Knicks Notes: Free Agency, Diawara, Borrego, Coaching Search
Memphis shooting guard Luke Kennard and Detroit point guard Dennis Schröder are among the targets the Knicks could pursue in free agency, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Those are probably the best-case scenarios for New York given its limited resources, and there should be league-wide demand for both players, so the team may have to consider other options.
As Edwards explains, assuming they pick up Ariel Hukporti‘s $1.96MM option and decline a $3.5MM option on P.J. Tucker, the Knicks will have 10 players under contract with a total payroll of $196.3MM, which is already above the first apron and a little more than $10MM away from the second apron.
That leaves New York with the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception and minimum-salary contracts to fill out the roster, possibly along with second-round pick Mohamed Diawara.
Other free agents Edwards mentions as MLE possibilities are Cleveland guard Ty Jerome, Phoenix guard Tyus Jones and former Orlando guard Gary Harris. He adds that Knicks free agents Landry Shamet and Delon Wright could return on minimum salaries and points to Charlotte guard Seth Curry and Indiana center Thomas Bryant as other potential minimum-salary additions.
There’s more from New York:
- The Knicks haven’t decided if Diawara, a 20-year-old French power forward, will be with the team next season or if he’ll be stashed overseas, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. A league source tells Bondy that the Frenchman is expected to play in the Las Vegas Summer League next month. Diawara didn’t put up great numbers in France this season, but Bondy notes that the Knicks are intrigued by his athleticism and his 7’4″ wingspan. Bondy also hears that New York attempted to trade up for the top pick in the second round to grab St. Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming, who went to Phoenix instead.
- Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego‘s interview for the Knicks’ coaching vacancy will take place this weekend, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). He’ll be the fourth candidate to interview, joining Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown and Micah Nori.
- Andy Miller, an NBA agent who represents several members of the Mavericks‘ coaching staff, recently criticized the Knicks for their unusual approach to their coaching search, which included asking permission to interview five head coaches who are already under contract, per Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. “I don’t really know where Jason Kidd is in his process with the Knicks,” Miller said on Sirius XM Radio, “because I don’t really know what the process is with the Knicks. … I don’t even know if the Knicks know what their process is.”
Windhorst: Suns Asked For Darius Garland In Kevin Durant Trade Talks
The Suns contacted the Cavaliers about Darius Garland while trying to put together a Kevin Durant trade, NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported in a discussion with Chris Oldach of ESPN Cleveland (YouTube link).
Windhorst emphasizes that Phoenix initiated the trade talks, stating that Cleveland isn’t reaching out to teams in an effort to unload Garland. He adds that the Cavs’ response was to ask for Durant and “other assets” in a potential deal, which likely would have been “multiple first-round picks.” Presumably that would have included a 2029 first-rounder that originally belonged to Cleveland (though the Jazz now control swap rights on that first-rounder, so there’s no guarantee the Suns will end up with the Cavs’ pick).
Windhorst states that Phoenix “didn’t hang up the phone” when presented with that scenario. He also notes that the Cavaliers would have needed to offload salary before taking on Durant, stating that they contacted at least one team to see if there was interest.
Ultimately, the talks ended before getting serious because Durant didn’t want to play in Cleveland, according to Windhorst, who points out that the forward had a limited number of desired destinations, reportedly Houston, San Antonio and Miami.
Windhorst indicates that several teams in need of point guard help have made inquiries about Garland, who will make $39.5MM next season and is under contract through 2027/28. He also states that Garland “might have been on the verge of asking for a trade” last summer, but he’s now happy in Cleveland after putting together an All-Star season.
Windhorst expects the Cavs to make “an aggressive offer” to keep free agent guard Ty Jerome, which means Isaac Okoro or Dean Wade may have to be moved to clear up salary. He adds that the team won’t trade any of its stars to save money, but it will face difficult decisions while operating in second-apron territory.
Bontemps/Windhorst’s Latest: Durant, Clippers, Knicks, Jerome
Kevin Durant said in February that he was “blindsided” when he learned that the Suns were discussing potential trades involving him without his knowledge, and sources tell ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst that there was some disagreement within the organization about how those talks were handled.
According to ESPN’s duo, that situation is one reason why Suns owner Mat Ishbia and new general manager Brian Gregory have spoken repeatedly about a desire for all of the team’s leaders to be in “alignment” going forward. It’s also why Durant and his manager Rich Kleiman are being kept in the loop during this summer’s trade talks.
Still, while the Suns would ideally like to find a deal that Durant is happy with, finding “alignment” with the star forward on that front is ultimately less important for the franchise than maximizing its return in any KD trade, as Bontemps and Windhorst observe. League sources who have spoken to ESPN believe Phoenix may have a hard time finding a package the front office will be satisfied with, though there’s still a sense a deal could get done before or during the draft.
Bontemps and Windhorst identify the Clippers as one potential dark-horse suitor to watch in the Durant sweepstakes, echoing an earlier report from John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
Here are a few more highlights from that ESPN report:
- Due in part to a lack of high-end free agents and teams with cap room, one source who spoke to ESPN predicted the draft will be busier than normal in terms of trades and might even be the summer’s “high point of activity.”
- The Knicks were declined permission to speak to five head coaches currently under contract with rival teams, but there’s a belief that those initial denials may not be the end of the team’s pursuit of Mavericks coach Jason Kidd and/or Bulls coach Billy Donovan, per Bontemps and Windhorst. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link) has heard similar rumblings, but he says Donovan “isn’t going anywhere” and is “in Chicago to stay.” We wrote more on Thursday about why New York may not be ready to move on from Kidd right away.
- While there’s an expectation around the NBA that it may take the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) to sign free agent guard Ty Jerome this summer, the Cavaliers are hopeful that he’ll be willing to re-sign in Cleveland for a little less than that, sources tell ESPN. With starting point guard Darius Garland coming off toe surgery, the Cavs may feel some added pressure to bring back Jerome, but the cost would be high, since the club projects to operate above the second tax apron and will face a substantial luxury tax bill.
- In case you missed it, Bontemps and Windhorst also shared a handful of Bucks-related notes and rumors, which we rounded up in a separate story.
Garland’s Injury Could Place Pressure On Cavs To Re-Sign Jerome
Darius Garland‘s toe surgery could put more pressure on the Cavaliers to re-sign backup point guard Ty Jerome despite the high penalty they’d have to pay in luxury taxes, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Garland is likely to miss the preseason and some regular season games as he rehabs from the toe surgery he underwent on Monday.
Jerome, who served as Cleveland’s backup point guard this season, is one of the more intriguing free agents on a limited market. He is coming off a career year in which he was a finalist for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
Jerome played a huge role in the Cavaliers’ regular season success that buoyed them to the top seed in Eastern Conference playoffs. Jerome averaged 12.5 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 43.9 percent on his three-point attempts in 70 regular-season appearances. His playing time diminished during the second round against Indiana due to shooting woes, defensive issues and turnovers.
He is projected to get offers with a first-year salary at or near the projected non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $14.1MM.
Jerome, who made $2.6MM this season, is eligible for a four-year contract worth up to $63MM from Cleveland, which holds his Early Bird rights. However, the $14.3MM salary he would make on such a deal would cost the Cavs $80MM of luxury taxes since they’re projected to operate above the second tax apron next season, Vardon writes, citing an ESPN analysis.
Being above the second apron severely limits teams ability to sign quality free agents and make trades, which could give more incentive for Cleveland to retain Jerome.
The Spurs, Mavericks, Nuggets and Warriors are among the teams that have been mentioned as possible suitors for the 27-year old, who had previous stints with Phoenix, Oklahoma City and Golden State.
Central Notes: Cavs, Omoruyi, Pistons, Holland, Bucks
While it would be a no-brainer for the Cavaliers to re-sign Ty Jerome if their cap situation allowed for it, he may be a luxury the team can’t afford, according to Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link). Previewing Cleveland’s major offseason decisions, Gozlan notes that the club likely didn’t expect Jerome to break out to the extent he did in 2024/25 and probably can’t realistically pay him mid-level money while also carrying two other guards on maximum-salary contracts.
Elsewhere in his preview, Gozlan outlines why re-signing free agent sharpshooter Sam Merrill will also be difficult and suggests that Isaac Okoro looks like the Cavaliers’ most expendable player earning an eight-figure salary if the front office wants to shed some salary.
Here’s more from around the Central Division;
- The Cavaliers brought in Alabama big man Clifford Omoruyi for a pre-draft workout earlier this week, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Omoruyi, who ranks 80th on ESPN’s big board of 2025 draft prospects, could be a target for the Cavs at No. 49, at No. 58, or as an undrafted free agent.
- With Boston believed to be looking to shed salary this offseason, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) explores whether the Pistons might make a good trade partner for the Celtics. Sankofa’s proposals include a hypothetical deal for Derrick White, one for Jrue Holiday, and one that would swap the No. 37 overall pick for Sam Hauser.
- Pistons forward Ron Holland didn’t make an All-Rookie team in 2024/25, but few first-year players had more significant roles on playoff teams, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com, who looks back on Holland’s rookie year and considers what’s next for the No. 5 overall pick. As Langlois details, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff likes the defensive impact Holland and Ausar Thompson can make when they play together, but Holland may need to improve his three-point shot for that combination to work offensively.
- In his latest mailbag, Eric Nehm of The Athletic fields a series of Bucks-related questions on the team’s potential “gap year,” the disabled player exception that might be available due to Damian Lillard‘s Achilles injury, and Brook Lopez‘s upcoming free agency, among other topics.
Cavs More Willing To Discuss Garland, Allen Trades Than In Past?
After the Cavaliers squeaked past Orlando in the first round of the 2024 playoffs and were defeated soundly by Boston in round two, there was a good deal of offseason speculation about the idea of breaking up their “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. However, Cleveland’s front office stuck with that group and was rewarded for its faith with a 15-game winning streak to open the season and a 64-18 overall record.
Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, the major step forward they took during the regular season didn’t carry over to the playoffs. After sweeping Miami in round one, the Cavs were eliminated in five games by the Pacers in the conference semifinals earlier this month. Now, with Cleveland’s payroll set to soar past the second tax apron in 2025/26, the team is once again facing difficult roster decisions.
In the latest episode of the Wine and Gold podcast (YouTube link), Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said he believes the Cavs are still “committed to the core four” and would like to find a way to surround those four players with the “right pieces to compete for a championship.” But Fedor acknowledged that the Cavs’ cap situation and early playoff exit mean they’ll have to keep an open mind this offseason.
“They prefer to keep the core four together and see if they can build around them and find the right pieces around them, and see if there’s a viable way to do that, given the limitations that come with being a luxury-tax team and a second-apron team,” Fedor said. “In saying that, I think the two untouchables are Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.
“I have been getting the sense that the Cavs would be more willing to entertain and at least consider possibilities for Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland than they have in the past.
“Now, that all comes down to it’s got to be the right deal. It’s got to be the right pieces coming back that the Cavs believe would be a step forward, as opposed to just a lateral move or a step back. I don’t think they’re in a situation where they’re saying to themselves, ‘We’ve got to shed this salary. We need to find a dumping ground for Darius Garland’s contract or Jarrett Allen’s contract.'”
As Fedor points out, the conference rival Celtics decided to build around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and adjusted their core around those players in order to eventually win a title. In Cleveland, it sounds like Mitchell and Mobley are the two cornerstones, and while Garland and Allen could stick around too, their long-term future with the franchise is less certain.
Fedor added that he has been kicking around the idea of hypothetical trades involving Garland rather than Allen in his own work because he believes the market would be hotter for Garland and the Cavs could get more in a deal for him than they could for Allen.
“I’m not saying that the Cavs are going to go down this road,” Fedor continued. “But they’re going to get to a point where they’re going to have to balance out the roster a little bit more than what it is, and they’re going to have to balance the checkbook a little bit more than what it is.
“Nobody that you’re going to get back is going to be Darius in terms of pedigree, in terms of talent. He’s a two-time All-Star for a reason. He’s a max-contract player for a reason. He’s one of the best young point guards in the Eastern Conference for a reason. So are you going to get that back? No. But can you reconfigure your roster? Can you restructure your salary cap by using Darius and find multiple players?”
If the Cavaliers were to trade Garland, Fedor notes, it could mean a bigger ball-handling role for Mitchell and possibly running the offense through Mobley more often. If a deal sheds some salary and creates more spending flexibility to bring back Ty Jerome, he’s another player who could see his ball-handling responsibilities increase.
Fedor repeatedly acknowledges that a trade involving Garland or Allen this offseason is far from a given, but points out that the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn’t make it viable to operate over the second apron for long unless you’re winning titles.
“When you’re at a point that the Cavs are at with their roster, with the way the season ended earlier than anybody expected, and with their salary cap situation, you have to start considering some of these alternatives,” Fedor said. “And you have to start having very difficult conversations, conversations that are going to be painful. Maybe even subtractions for the roster that are going to be painful.”
Latest On Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill
Speaking to reporters on Monday at his end-of-season media session, Cavaliers head of basketball operations Koby Altman expressed a desire to re-sign free agents Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill this offseason. While Cleveland projects to operate above the second tax apron next season, the team will have the ability to sign both players using Jerome’s Early Bird rights and Merrill’s Bird rights.
However, the cost of retaining the two key reserves would be significant due to the accompanying luxury tax penalties. Although neither Jerome nor Merrill projects to get a massive payday, both players are due significant raises after earning just $2.6MM and $2.2MM, respectively, in 2024/25.
One Eastern Conference executive who spoke to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required) predicted that Jerome’s market in free agency will be in the neighborhood of $12-14MM annually, which would make him a target for teams with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available this summer. The full MLE is projected to be worth $14.1MM next season.
As Fedor writes, despite his breakout season this past year, Jerome is still viewed as a backup rather than a starter, especially since he was exploited on defense during the Cavaliers’ second-round series vs. Indiana. That perception figures to limit the 27-year-old’s earning potential to some extent in free agency, reducing the odds that he gets a deal exceeding the mid-level.
Fedor identifies the Spurs, Mavericks, and Warriors as a few of the teams to watch as possible suitors for Jerome and hears from sources that the Nuggets have interest too, though their cap situation could prevent them from getting involved. That may also be the case for the Mavs, barring cost-cutting moves in Dallas.
The Pistons could use backcourt help with Dennis Schröder and Malik Beasley entering free agency, but one source close to Jerome tells Cleveland.com that Detroit is probably a “long shot.” As Fedor writes, the Pistons are expected to focus on re-signing Beasley, while Jerome may not be an ideal fit for J.B. Bickerstaff‘s defense-first approach.
If Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is willing to pay a massive tax bill and Jerome doesn’t get offers that far exceed what the Cavs put on the table, Fedor wouldn’t be surprised to see a reunion, noting that the veteran guard recognizes he’s in a great situation in Cleveland.
As for Merrill, one source tells Fedor that his price point could be in the range of $6-8MM per year. The 29-year-old has never earned more than the veteran’s minimum, but he’s a 38.6% career three-point shooter and has improved as a defender.
Cavaliers’ Koby Altman On Roster: ‘I Love Our Foundation’
The Cavaliers had the second-best regular season in franchise history in 2024/25, winning 64 games en route to the No. 1 seed in the East. But injuries — including a toe sprain to Darius Garland — limited the team to some extent in the postseason, and Cleveland lost its second-round series against Indiana in five games.
At his end-of-season media session on Monday, president of basketball operations Koby Altman said that while the Cavaliers were frustrated by their playoff showing, there’s still an “internal belief” that the current roster — particularly the “core four” of Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen — has an opportunity to contend for championships going forward, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
“Obviously, we feel it. It’s raw for us. We’re disappointed how it ended. But it was a remarkable year on so many fronts and you guys were all invested in this. We’re not going to go anywhere. We’re going to keep fighting for that championship and this window is wide open, we believe.”
Here are a few more highlights from Altman’s presser, courtesy of Fedor.
On his confidence in the roster:
“I love our foundation. I love our core. Our starting lineup, the average age is 26.8. We have two All-Stars that are 25 (Garland) and 23 (Mobley), respectively, and they’re going through it, they’re going through these experiences, they’re going through these battles and we’re sustainable in a lot of ways, not just because guys are under contract, but our youth.
“Our belief in this group in a lot of ways, there’s a newness to this group as well in terms of our new head coach that’s been with us for one year. Us figuring out our offensive identity happened this year and so I’m really high on and optimistic about our future. That being said, it can’t just be 82 games. We have to figure out this next 16, we have to figure out how to get over the hump. But this group has shown they can play some of the best basketball in the world. It’s how do we do it on the highest stage and continue to keep pushing to get over that hump?”
On not overreacting to the playoff loss:
“If we were going to be reactionary, it would have been last year after everything that was written about that group, and all the rumors and all this and that and we stood pat and look what happened, right? I think the same thing now as you lean in even more to what we’re building, the culture that we have here, the internal growth, the youth, the sustainability of that.
“I think there’s a championship window that we have here that’s wide open and that’s one that we’re going to try to pursue next year and the year after and the year after and so forth. We’re not done by any stretch. But I would say if there was a time that we were going to crumble it potentially would’ve been last year, certainly not after what we’ve seen from this group this year is something where were we are going to break up a group that’s been together for three years and has accomplished what they’ve accomplished and is ready to take that next step. As disappointing as this ending was.”
On potentially re-signing backup guard Ty Jerome, who finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting:
“Love to keep him. I mean, listen, we’re hopeful. I would say that I got to be careful ‘cause he’s going to be an unrestricted free agent, and he is ours, so we can talk about Ty in that vein. Part of (head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s) system, which is, again, we’re always going to be rooted in player development, which is great. And so when guys find that confidence in this system, their value gets driven up. Same thing with Sam Merrill. You want to call these guys end-of-bench players before that have become real rotational players and valuable within the ecosystem, not just us.
“I think the good news is those guys are going to be, they’re going to do really well for themselves. And the good news also is that we know because of our program, we’re going to be able to continue to develop our end-of-bench guys to become rotational guys. That’s going to be part of our evolution and also how we navigate some stiff penalty taxes. We have to continue to develop from within. And those two stories are incredible success stories from the development programs and putting them in a position to be successful. And so, yes, we’d love to keep Ty, but we’ll see what the marketplace holds.”
Altman said owner Dan Gilbert has given the front office “no restrictions in terms of going into the tax.” He added that Cleveland was willing to be a taxpayer and will operate over the second apron “if we need to go there” — the Cavs project to be over the second apron in 2025/26.
Altman also discussed how the Cavaliers can improve their individual and collective mental toughness, Gilbert’s “support” and “positivity,” why they’re likely to “run it back,” and defended Allen from the criticism he has faced for his poor showing at the end of the Pacers series.
Cavaliers Notes: Early Exit, Mitchell, Allen, Jerome, Garland, Atkinson
Donovan Mitchell was in a state of disbelief after the Cavaliers’ second-round flameout.
“I love playing in that (bleeping) arena,” Mitchell said of Cleveland’s Rocket Arena after the team’s Game 5 elimination by the Pacers on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “That energy, that crowd. We were 0-3 at home, let the city down. This place is special. This place is really special and we didn’t get it done.”
Mitchell said the early exit will provide extra motivation heading into the offseason.
“We’ve had a lot of positives,” Mitchell said. “But we didn’t capitalize. Now we’ve got to use this motivation. Everybody’s going to write us off.”
The Cavs became the fourth team in NBA history to win at least 64 regular season contests and check out in the first or second round.
“I do feel like we got better,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “From the team aspect and then we had a lot of individuals make a step, so I just want to make that clear. But the truth of the matter is we didn’t get to the level we wanted to get to. So, I’m not pleased with that. And we’re not celebrating the season, if that all makes sense. But I do think we made strides. I think we took a jump. Now we got to figure out this last piece, how to get over this hump. And I was quite honestly expecting more, especially coming off the [first-round] Miami series.”
We have more on the Cavaliers:
- The Cavs’ lack of toughness was evident in the postseason, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic opines. They were pushed around physically, and overmatched and overwhelmed by what was supposed to be an inferior opponent. Jarrett Allen, in particular, has failed to provide a nasty streak in the interior during recent postseasons, Lloyd writes.
- Cleveland is deep into the luxury tax and projects to operate over both tax aprons next season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes. Re-signing second unit star Ty Jerome is a priority — they hold his Early Bird rights. However, Jerome’s salary would cost exponentially more due to luxury tax penalties. Adding a reserve big capable of playing rotational minutes and turning Jaylon Tyson into a rotational player are some other priorities, in Marks’ view.
- Trading Darius Garland, who has three years left on his deal and is eligible for a two-year extension this offseason, might be the Cavaliers’ best option in a summer filled with hard choices, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes. That could potentially reinvent the team, ease some of their financial burden and keep the Mitchell-Evan Mobley core in title contention.
- Atkinson won the 2024-25 Rudy Tomjanovich Award, which honors an NBA coach for his cooperation with the media and fans, as well as his excellence on the court, the Professional Basketball Writers Association announced in a press release. “Kenny has always brought great candor, humility and a sense of humor to the job, and to his regular sessions with the media,” PBWA president Howard Beck said. “He’s always eager to explain the nuances of the game and to discuss the bigger issues across the league.”
Mobley, Garland, Hunter Ruled Out For Game 2
Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter have all been ruled out for Game 2 of the Cavaliers’ second-round series against the Pacers, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets.
It’s a huge dilemma for the top seed in the Eastern Conference as they try to avoid going 0-2 in the series on Tuesday.
Mobley sustained a sprained left ankle in Game 1. Garland will miss his fourth straight game due to a sprained big toe on his left foot that has nagged him since the end of the regular season. Hunter suffered a dislocated right thumb in the series opener.
During his pregame press conference, coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t confirm that the trio was out, but stated that he and his staff made preparations for all scenarios.
“We’ve got to be ready for plan A, B, and C,” Atkinson said. “We’ve got a great group. We’ve got great leadership. We’ve always responded. Great maturity, great professionalism, and this is part of what we figure things out as a group. These experiences make you better, make you stronger as a group and we obviously have to respond on the floor, but liked our approach leading up.”
Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill, Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade are some of the players who will have to step up with a pair of Cavs starters and a top reserve unavailable.