Free Agency Rumors: LeBron, Cavs, Leonard
A league source told Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group that the Cavs “do not value” pending free agent J.R. Smith. LeBron James reportedly wants the Cavs to re-sign the guard, so one has to wonder if that could outweigh the team’s reservations about him. Vardon adds that it is not known if the Cavs will immediately submit offers to James, Kevin Love, and Tristan Thompson when the clock moves past midnight. Here’s more as we get set for the start of free agency..
- There’s a growing belief that Thompson’s postseason performance coupled with his ties to LeBron could earn him a max contract or something close to it, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal writes. Lloyd also writes that the Cavs were aware that Iman Shumpert would be seeking a ~$10MM per year deal this summer when the acquired him.
- Spurs star Kawhi Leonard is on track for five-year, ~$90MM max deal after San Antonio takes care of other free agency business, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News tweets. It was previously believed that Leonard was in line for a lucrative four-year deal rather than five.
- Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki will join the team’s recruiting contingent in Wednesday’s meetings with DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets.
- James Harden will join coach Kevin McHale, GM Daryl Morey and executive VP Gersson Rosas in the Rockets‘ meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge Tuesday night in Los Angeles, a source tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Knicks‘ selection of Kristaps Porzingis may scare free agents away, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “They took a Latvian guy who may or may not be good,’’ an individual connected to a free agent said. “It’s very strange. They should’ve taken more of a tried-and-true guy, even a Justise Winslow. Top free agents are looking at winning now. It’s fun to go the playoffs and have a chance to compete for the Finals. They’re not going to win this year.’’
Qualifying Offers: Tuesday
Here are the latest qualifying offer decisions to come in..
- The Spurs extended QOs to Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph, making them restricted free agents, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.
- Knicks forwards Travis Wear and Alexey Shved and Spurs big man Aron Baynes did not receive qualifying offers, according to Pincus (on Twitter).
- Pacers forwards Chris Copeland and Shayne Whittington, Sixers center Henry Sims, Nuggets center Ian Clark, Celtics center Gigi Datome, Wolves big man Arinze Onuaku, Mavs center Bernard James, Lakers guard Vander Blue, and Kings forward Derrick Williams did not receive qualifying offers, Pincus tweets.
- The Grizzlies have made Nick Calathes a restricted free agent by extending him a QO, according to Pincus (on Twitter).
- The Warriors have made Ognjen Kuzmic a restricted free agent, Pincus tweets.
Earlier Updates:
- The Sixers declined to offer guard Glenn Robinson III a qualifying offer, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. However, Philly has shown an inclination to revisit a longer-term deal for Robinson this summer, according to those same sources. In 35 games as a rookie, Robinson averaged 2.1 PPG.
- The Hornets will not make a qualifying offer to guard Jeffery Taylor, according to a source that spoke with Marc J. Spears of Yahoo (on Twitter). Taylor will now become an unrestricted free agent.
- Pero Antic, who was rumored to be going overseas, was given a qualifying offer by the Hawks, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter). If the Hawks need to maximize their cap space, Pincus adds (link), they can revoke the qualifying offer to Antic and renounce him.
- As expected, the Magic have extended qualifying offers to both Tobias Harris and Kyle O’Quinn, according to John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com (on Twitter).
- The Rockets made Patrick Beverley and K.J. McDaniels restricted free agents by extending QOs to them, Pincus tweets.
Free Agency Rumors: Boozer, Williams, Heat
The latest free agent news..
- The Nets, Mavs, Rockets, Lakers, Heat, and Spurs are in on veteran big man Carlos Boozer, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com tweets.
- In addition to the incumbent Kings (whose interest was previously reported), the Wizards, Rockets, Lakers, Heat, Suns, and Knicks are expected to show interest in forward Derrick Williams, Broussard tweets. Williams can become a restricted free agent this summer if the Kings tender him a qualifying offer worth $4,045,894. The former No. 2 overall pick averaged 8.3 PPG and 2.7 RPG in 74 games last season.
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The general sense among teams around the league is that Kyle O’Quinn will be able to draw $4-5MM salaries on his next deal and Shane Larkin $2-3MM on his, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes in his NBA AM piece. Sources tell Kyler that Gerald Green could be had for around $5MM a year, or slightly less on a deal that runs three or four years.
- The Mavs, Pacers, Grizzlies, Clippers, and incumbent Suns are the teams showing the most interest in high-flying big man Brandan Wright, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets.
- Jamario Moon is looking to make an NBA comeback and has signed with Hazan Sports Management, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Free Agent Rumors: Wade, Pierce, Aldridge
The latest free agent rumors..
- Dwyane Wade is seeking at least $16MM a year on a three or four-year deal, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported earlier that Wade was seeking a three-year deal and would welcome $20MM a year.
- League execs tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that there is not a robust market for Wade because of his age (33) and history of injury problems.
- The Wizards are growing more confident in their ability to re-sign Paul Pierce, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Clippers have appeared to be his primary suitor, with the Celtics also reportedly in the mix.
- In addition to their pursuit of LaMarcus Aldridge, the Spurs could have some interest in former Blazers forward Thomas Robinson, according to Jabari Young of CSNNW.com (on Twitter). Of course, Aldridge and Robinson have a history together. Robinson, a former No. 5 overall pick, has bounced around the league quite a bit since he was drafted in 2012.
- Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez is on the Knicks‘ radar, according to Al Iannazone of Newsday. Lopez has value to the Knicks as a big man with energy and solid defensive skills.
- The Thunder are among the teams expected to pursue Caron Butler when he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times writes. It was previously reported that the Bulls, Clippers, Spurs, Lakers, and Knicks are expected to be in the mix for the veteran, who says he expects to get waived by Milwaukee.
- Oleksiy Pecherov is eyeing an NBA comeback and is working out with the Nuggets today, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Pecherov has played 111 games in the NBA with the Wizards and Wolves averaging 3.9 PPG and 2.4 RPG.
Hornets, Warriors Interested In Marco Belinelli
10:59pm: Charlotte’s first call of free agency will be to Belinelli, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter).
3:47pm: The Hornets are expected to aggressively pursue soon-to-be free agent Marco Belinelli, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, and a source tells Yahoo! colleague Marc J. Spears that the Warriors are interested in signing him, too (Twitter links). The Excel Sports Management client has said that money will likely play a key role in his decision this summer, and that may well make it tough for Golden State, which will almost certainly be limited to the $3.376MM taxpayer’s mid-level exception for outside free agents. Charlotte is poised to have the $5.434MM non-taxpayer’s mid-level, Wojnarowski notes.
The Bulls are another possible suitor for Belinelli should they miss on re-signing Mike Dunleavy, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune wrote Monday. Still, they’re likely without means beyond the taxpayer’s mid-level, either. The Spurs can pay up to about $6MM next season to bring him back if they retain his Early Bird rights, though it seems a strong possibility they will renounce those rights to clear cap room for LaMarcus Aldridge or another star free agent.
Charlotte has a need for shooting, and the 29-year-old Belinelli, a career 39.2% three-point shooter, has proven he can fill it. Golden State already has nearly $82.6MM on the books for next season, about $1MM more than the projected tax line, and that’s without a new deal for Draymond Green. Even if the Warriors succeed in finding a taker for David Lee, they’ll have trouble avoiding tax penalties.
Aldridge To Meet With Lakers, Six Others
10:33pm: Aldridge is leaning toward signing with the Lakers, Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
9:33pm: The Lakers will indeed be the first team to meet with Aldridge, followed by the Rockets, Spurs, Suns, Mavericks, Raptors and Knicks in that order, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets. He does not need to meet with the Trail Blazers since he already knows their offer, Aldridge adds.
9:10pm: Coach Gregg Popovich and veteran stars Tim Duncan and Tony Parker will attend the Spurs’ meeting with Aldridge, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports tweets.
8:35pm: The Lakers’ meeting with Aldridge will occur immediately after the free agency period begins at 12:01 AM Eastern Time on Wednesday, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
2:57pm: Aldridge will meet with the Raptors, too, reports Shams Charania of RealGM, and he’ll think about a visit with the Rockets, Charania adds. Toronto has max-level cap room following its trade of Greivis Vasquez to Milwaukee, but Houston would have to clear salary.
1:54pm: LaMarcus Aldridge is almost certain to leave the Blazers and will meet with the Knicks, Spurs, Mavs and Lakers, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. ESPN colleague Tim MacMahon first reported that Dallas would sit down with the big man. The Knicks are a long shot for him, just as is the case with DeAndre Jordan, according to Broussard.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reported Friday that the Spurs and Lakers were in the lead for Aldridge, a client of Arn Tellem and Thad Foucher, shortly after Blazers GM Neil Olshey denied a report that Aldridge has already told the Blazers he’s leaving. Portland can offer Aldridge a five-year deal with 7.5% raises, somewhat better than the four years and 4.5% raises he can end up with elsewhere, though apparently that advantage may not be enough.
The Knicks, Lakers and Mavs should have plenty of cap room to chase Aldridge with a max offer that will likely start around $19MM a year. The Spurs are apparently confident they can find the same amount of room even if they re-sign Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.
New York will also meet with Aldridge teammate and close friend Wesley Matthews, Broussard reports. Carmelo Anthony has reached out to Aldridge and Jordan as well as Greg Monroe and fellow Blazer free agent Arron Afflalo, sources tell Broussard.
Free Agent Rumors: Wright, Belinelli, Barea
Dorell Wright is unlikely to return to the Trail Blazers, Jabari Young of CSNNW.com reports. Wright, who was born in Los Angeles, would like to return home and play for either the Clippers or Lakers, Young continues. The Lakers are the more likely suitor for the unrestricted free agent, who made $3.135MM last season, unless the Clippers fail to secure the services of Paul Pierce, Young adds. The Raptors could also make a run at Wright but Young believes the Heat, who were previously thought to be interested in Wright, probably won’t pursue him since Luol Deng exercised his player option.
In other free agent news around the league:
- Spurs swingman Marco Belinelli could be targeted by the Bulls if they fail to re-sign Mike Dunleavy, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets. The Bulls have made retaining Dunleavy a priority and he’s comfortable playing in Chicago, Johnson adds. Both players are unrestricted free agents.
- The Clippers are interested in C.J. Watson, Lavoy Allen, Darrell Arthur and Gerald Green, among others, according to Dan Woike of the Orange County Register (Twitter links). They’d like to find a true point guard to serve as a backup, a league source tells Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter).
- The Raptors could be a landing spot for Bismack Biyombo, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Biyombo will be an unrestricted free agent because the Hornets decided not to make him a qualifying offer.
- The Heat, Bulls, Lakers and Mavericks are among teams interested in signing J.J. Barea, a source told Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link). Barea is seeking a multi-year contract in the $3MM per year range, MacMahon adds.
- The only incumbent free agents the Pelicans don’t appear to have at least some interest in re-signing are Jimmer Fredette and Toney Douglas, as John Reid of The Times-Picayune details.
Spurs Rumors: Aldridge, Splitter, Leonard, Duncan
Sources who spoke with Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News didn’t produce a consensus on the chances the Spurs have of landing LaMarcus Aldridge, with some deeming San Antonio the front-runner while others weren’t so sure. The Spurs and Lakers were the co-favorites, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reported Friday, though the notoriously fickle power forward is tough to read. McDonald has a ton more on the weeks ahead for San Antonio, and while his entire piece is worth a read, especially for Spurs fans, we’ll round up the most relevant highlights here:
- The Spurs are making Tiago Splitter available for a trade, multiple league sources tell McDonald, but while McDonald posits that the most direct path to landing Aldridge would be via sign-and-trade in a deal that sends Splitter to Portland, the Blazers are uninterested, McDonald writes. The Spurs turned away teams with interest in trading for Splitter before the draft, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com wrote last week, but perhaps San Antonio’s position has changed.
- Kawhi Leonard‘s preferred deal is four years at the max, according to McDonald, not five. Either way, the Spurs are still expected to re-sign him, McDonald notes.
- Tim Duncan still hasn’t made up his mind about returning, a source familiar with his thinking told McDonald. The Spurs have reportedly been operating on the premise that he and Manu Ginobili will re-sign with them rather than retire.
Latest On Caron Butler
Caron Butler, who expects to be waived by the Bucks, is expected to field interest from the Bulls, Clippers and Spurs, reports Shams Charania of RealGM, who cites a league source.
The Lakers and Knicks, according to Charania, are also in the mix. The Bucks plan to waive Butler and Shawne Williams before their guarantee dates on Tuesday, Charania also reports.
Milwaukee reacquired Butler, who played for the team during the first half of the 2013/14 season, and acquired Williams in the Ersan Ilyasova trade earlier this month.
Southwest Notes: Chandler, Ginobili, Brewer, Gasol
Tyson Chandler isn’t bothered that the Mavericks are trying to lure free agent DeAndre Jordan to replace him at center, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. At 32, Chandler has been around the NBA long enough to not take the move personally. “And at the end of the day, I get it,” he said. “The franchise [has] to make the best decision for the franchise. Of course, I still feel like I can go, still have a lot to give. But at the end of the day, I feel like I’ll make the best decision for myself and my family and the Mavericks will make the best decision for the organization.” Chandler, who is also a free agent, has been traded seven times in his NBA career. He already left Dallas once — after the team’s championship in 2011 when owner Mark Cuban offered him just a one-year contract. MacMahon estimates Chandler will get a three-year deal in the neighborhood of $36MM wherever he ends up, and mentions Milwaukee as a possible suitor.
There’s more news from the Southwest Division:
- The Spurs‘ Manu Ginobili will announce his decision on retirement in an Argentinian newspaper, tweets Mike Monroe of The San Antonio News-Express. Ginobili, who writes a column for La Nacion, said he will make the announcement “when the time comes.”
- Unrestricted free agent Corey Brewer is open to re-signing with the Rockets, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo.com, but Brewer is looking for a long-term deal.
- Rockets GM Daryl Morey said the team is “probably likely” to operate above the cap and try to keep its own free agents, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. In addition to Brewer, Josh Smith and Jason Terry will be unrestricted free agents, while Patrick Beverley and K.J. McDaniels will be restricted. Houston has early Bird rights on Brewer and can offer him a deal starting at an estimated $8.2MM per year. The team has full Bird rights on Terry.
- There are many reasons for Marc Gasol to remain in Memphis, writes Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal. Calkins appeals to the unrestricted free agent to re-sign with the Grizzlies based on money, the chance to win, closeness to teammates and several other factors. Memphis can give Gasol an estimated $109MM over five years, while other teams are limited to about $80MM over four years.