Brooklyn Nets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Notes: Durant, Highsmith, Jovic, Summer League

July 2nd, 2022 at 9:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat could try to improve their bargaining power in a potential Kevin Durant trade by negotiating with the Thunder to remove protections on the 2025 first-round pick owed to OKC, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

If Oklahoma City agrees to accept the pick with no lottery protection, Miami will be free to offer Brooklyn first-rounders in 2023, 2027 and 2029 without violating the Stepien rule. Teams aren’t permitted to trade draft picks that are more than seven years away, but the Heat could also include pick swaps in 2024, 2026 and 2028.

Chiang says the Heat are in a “holding pattern” as they wait for the next step in the Durant drama. They haven’t made any moves since reaching agreements to re-sign Dewayne Dedmon and Victor Oladipo shortly after free agency began Thursday afternoon.

The Nets can’t acquire Bam Adebayo as long as Ben Simmons is on the roster and the Heat would prefer to keep Jimmy Butler, so any trade offer would have to be built around Tyler Herro. Chiang notes that Herro, Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry are sufficient to match salary, while inexpensive players such as Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Omer Yurtseven could be added to sweeten the offer. It’s unlikely that would be enough to interest the Nets, who reportedly have received interest in Durant from more than half the league.

League rules prevent Miami from trading Dedmon or Oladipo until December 15, while first-round pick Nikola Jovic, who signed his rookie contract today, can’t be included in a trade for 30 days.

There’s more from Miami:

Haywood Highsmith received a $50K guarantee on his 2022/23 salary by remaining on the roster past Friday’s deadline, Chiang adds. The second-year small forward joined the Heat in late December on the first of three 10-day contracts, then was given a standard deal in March.
Highsmith has an opportunity for a larger role next season after P.J. Tucker‘s departure to Philadelphia, Chiang notes in a separate story. Highsmith, who scored 11 points in today’s Summer League opener, is working to model himself after Tucker as a three-and-D player.
Jovic is still adjusting to the speed of the NBA game and that was evident in today’s debut, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. He made just 1 of 6 shots and grabbed three rebounds in 21 minutes of action. “I know he wanted to play better,” said Summer League coach Malik Allen. “I just think it was moving really fast. I told him just to keep his head up. He was frustrated. That learning curve is going to continue to be there for him.”

Knicks Rumors: Mitchell, L. Rose, Brunson, Durant, Irving

July 2nd, 2022 at 8:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even if the Jazz decide to trade Donovan Mitchell, the Knicks might not be first in line to acquire him, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. A New York City native, Mitchell has been rumored as a prime Knicks target for some time. The Jazz have indicated they plan to keep Mitchell and rework the roster around him, but sources tell Begley that several teams believe he would be available at the right price.

However, there’s no guarantee that New York’s front office will meet that price. Sources close to the Knicks indicated to Begley before the draft that the team was reluctant to part with the mix of players and draft picks that would be necessary to land a talent like Mitchell, fearing that the remaining roster would be too thin to compete. Since then, New York has reached an agreement with free agent guard Jalen Brunson, but Begley doesn’t believe that will change the team’s philosophy toward a potential Mitchell trade.

There’s more from New York:

The Knicks may have signed their top target this year by luring Brunson away from the Mavericks, but it’s still not clear that team president Leon Rose was the best choice to run the organization, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Rose and William Wesley were highly touted when they took over the Knicks because of their connections to the league’s top players. The results have been uninspiring, according to Bondy, as the team hasn’t landed a true star and has committed nearly $500MM in guaranteed money over the past two summers to an average roster.
Brunson’s father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, has been telling friends for months that Jalen wanted to come to New York, but there were concerns about whether the team could create enough cap space to make a competitive offer, tweets Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Brunson family has a strong connection to Rose, but Jalen wasn’t willing to sign for less than his market value.
The Knicks may have dodged a bullet when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving decided to sign with Brooklyn three years ago, suggests Steve Popper of Newsday. The Knicks pursued the two stars, but Popper believes they would have run into the same chaos the Nets are experiencing now.

Nets, Lakers Discussing Irving-Westbrook Deal

July 2nd, 2022 at 6:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:06pm: The Nets are characterizing trade talks with the Lakers as “preliminary,” Haynes tweets.

6:47pm: The Nets and Lakers are holding active discussions about a trade that would include Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

Haynes cites “palpable optimism” that a deal can be finalized, but sources tell him there are several details to be worked out.

The Nets want to include sharpshooting guard Joe Harris, who is owed $38.6MM over the next two years, according to Haynes. Harris is coming off left ankle surgery and was limited to 14 games this season.

The Lakers are reluctant to take on Harris’ contract and want the Nets to give up Seth Curry instead. Curry is also a proficient outside shooter and has an $8.5MM expiring contract.

Irving and Westbrook both picked up their player options this week, but the two sides have to figure out how to match salaries. Irving will make $36.5MM next season, while Westbrook is owed $47MM. The Nets are also seeking draft compensation in the deal.

Haynes notes that Brooklyn isn’t in a hurry to complete an Irving trade and is sifting through numerous offers for Kevin Durant at the same time.

Scotto’s Latest: Jazz, Raptors, Nets, DiVincenzo

July 2nd, 2022 at 3:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Before they reached an agreement to send Rudy Gobert to Minnesota on Friday, the Jazz asked the Raptors about the possibility of acquiring forward OG Anunoby and swingman Gary Trent Jr., league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Toronto was linked to Gobert repeatedly during the first half of the offseason. Still, as great as the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is, it was never clear how badly the Raptors wanted to break up their core to acquire a big man who didn’t fit the versatile, switchable, and positionless brand of basketball the team has adopted. Whether the Raptors balked at Utah’s asking price or the Jazz simply preferred Minnesota’s offer, Gobert is off the table for Toronto.

Here’s more from Scotto:

The Celtics, Bucks, Nets, and Bulls are among the teams that expressed interest in Chris Boucher before he agreed to re-sign with the Raptors, while forward Thaddeus Young – who is also returning to Toronto – drew interest from the Celtics and Pacers, according to Scotto.
The Nets made it a priority this offseason to land a wing defender capable of guarding multiple positions, which was why they agreed to trade for Royce O’Neale even as news of Kevin Durant‘s trade request was breaking. As Scotto explains, the Nets and Jazz previously explored a deal involving O’Neale and Joe Harris prior to the in-season trade deadline.
In addition to receiving interest from teams willing to give him the full taxpayer mid-level exception, Donte DiVincenzo also received an offer from a team with cap space that would’ve exceeded the two-year, $9.3MM contract he’s signing with the Warriors, says Scotto. The second-year player option Golden State gave him and DiVincenzo’s belief that the Warriors give him the best opportunity to play for a contender were factors in his decision to accept less money, Scotto adds.

Kevin Durant Rumors: Raptors, Pelicans, Suns, Heat

July 2nd, 2022 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

After ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggested on Friday that Toronto is “lurking” as a team to watch in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes today that the Raptors believe they can put together the best package for Durant that the Nets are likely to receive.

Grange describes the Raptors as “optimistic” rather than “confident,” noting that there’s a sense Durant is at least open to the idea of playing in Toronto, even if the team is not atop his wish list.

However, Grange cautions that the Nets may not agree with the Raptors’ assessment that they can offer the best package for Durant. Additionally, Grange’s story suggests Toronto has remained opposed to making reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes available so far.

While the Raptors have all their future draft picks and have several solid veterans on good contracts – including All-Stars Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam, as well as OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. – it’s unclear if they’d be able to make a deal for Durant without putting Barnes on the table.

“That’s the billion-dollar question,” one source said to Grange.

Here’s more on Durant:

In the latest episode of ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast (video link), Tim Bontemps said he believes “Toronto thinks it’s in the game” in the Durant sweepstakes, while Brian Windhorst said he still considers the Suns the favorites, since it’s rare for superstar players not to end up where they want to go.
Windhorst (video link) has heard that the Pelicans view head coach Willie Green – an assistant in Golden State during Durant’s Warriors years – as an asset in the chase for the former MVP. As Windhorst explains, the hope would be that if the Nets like what the Pelicans have to offer, Green would get the opportunity to sell Durant on New Orleans.
With New Orleans being mentioned as a possible Durant landing spot, Scott Kushner of NOLA.com wonders whether or not the Pelicans should seriously pursue the 34-year-old.
Within his latest look at the Durant situation, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms that the Nets would want more than Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges in a trade with the Suns and says that any Heat package built around Tyler Herro “wouldn’t scratch the surface of what the Nets want.”
Brooklyn is seeking teams’ best assets, Scotto writes, including All-Stars, rising young players, and “substantial” unprotected draft picks and swaps.

Nets Rescind Kessler Edwards’ QO, Making Him UFA

July 2nd, 2022 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have rescinded their qualifying offer to free agent wing Kessler Edwards, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The move makes Edwards an unrestricted free agent instead of a restricted FA.

The 44th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Edwards spent most of his rookie year on a two-way contract, then was signed to a standard deal right before the end of the regular season in order to make him playoff-eligible.

Edwards showed some promise in his first NBA season, averaging 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 48 appearances (20.6 MPG). The former Pepperdine standout posted a .412/.353/.842 shooting line and even made 23 starts when the team’s depth was impacted by injuries and COVID-19.

While the Nets will no longer have the ability to unilaterally match any offer Edwards receives, they still hold his Non-Bird rights and could re-sign him. The club previously declined his minimum-salary player option in order to make him a restricted free agent, signaling that there was interest in a longer-term deal.

Brooklyn’s motives for pulling Edwards’ QO now are unclear, but it’s possible that with Kevin Durant‘s and Kyrie Irving‘s situations still up in the air, the club wanted to maximize its roster flexibility and not risk Edwards accepting his $1,837,966 qualifying offer — doing so would have locked in his salary for 2022/23 and given him the ability to veto a trade through the 2023 deadline.

Players On Designated Rookie Extensions

July 2nd, 2022 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Since Nets star Kevin Durant made his trade request earlier this week, NBA fans have become a whole lot familiar with a specific term in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement: the designated rookie extension.

As we explain in a glossary entry on the subject, a designated rookie extension is a five-year extension given to a player who is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract. It must be worth the maximum salary, but it’s that fifth year in particular that makes a player a “designated rookie.” A player who signs a four-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension is not considered a designated rookie.

Here’s the full list of players currently on designated rookie extensions:

Bam Adebayo (Heat)
Devin Booker (Suns)
Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
Joel Embiid (Sixers)
De’Aaron Fox (Kings)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
Donovan Mitchell (Jazz)
Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
Michael Porter Jr. (Nuggets)
Ben Simmons (Nets)
Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves)
Andrew Wiggins (Warriors)
Trae Young (Hawks)

An NBA team is permitted to carry up to two players on designated rookie extensions, as the Nuggets are with Murray and Porter. However, a team cannot carry two designated rookies if both of those players were acquired via trade.

Because the Nets acquired Simmons from the Sixers in this year’s James Harden blockbuster, that means they’re not allowed to trade for a second player on a designated rookie extension unless they move Simmons beforehand (or in the same deal). The same rule would apply to the Warriors with Wiggins, but it’s obviously far more relevant these days for the Nets, who are said to be seeking at least one young star in a package for Durant.

Many of the players on the above list aren’t going anywhere — it’s not as if the Mavericks are going to consider trading Doncic. But with a player like Durant on the trade block, few NBA stars are untouchable, and teams will have to take the designated rookie rule into account when they consider offers for the former MVP.

For instance, the Suns and Heat, who have been mentioned as Durant’s preferred landing spots, wouldn’t be able to trade Booker or Adebayo for him (not that Phoenix would be willing to include Booker anyway).

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson are expected to be added to the above list soon. Morant agreed to a five-year, maximum-salary extension with Memphis, Garland did the same with Cleveland, and Williamson will sign one with New Orleans.

The designated rookie rule says that a team can’t carry two players acquired via trade if those players have signed designated rookie extensions that apply to a “current or future” cap year, so even though the extensions for Morant, Garland, and Williamson won’t take effect until 2023/24, the rule would apply to them as soon as they officially sign.

Only a player who signs a rookie scale extension can become a designated rookie. The rule doesn’t apply to players who reach free agency, even if they sign a five-year, maximum-salary contract at that time.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, for example, isn’t considered a designated rookie since he signed his five-year max contract after becoming a free agent. Deandre Ayton also can’t be a designated rookie now that he has reached free agency. Either player could hypothetically be sent to Brooklyn in a Durant trade.

Players who signed four-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extensions also aren’t considered designated rookies, as noted above. That means Raptors forward Pascal Siakam could also theoretically be traded to Brooklyn without Simmons having to move.

Again, teams can carry two designated rookies if just one was acquired via trade. For instance, the Heat wouldn’t be prohibited from making a deal for Mitchell, since their current designated rookie (Adebayo) has spent his entire career in Miami.

Finally, it’s worth clarifying that this rule only applies if a trade occurs after the player signed his designated rookie extension. In other words, the Thunder would be allowed to trade for a second designated rookie without moving Gilgeous-Alexander, since they acquired him from the Clippers before he signed his rookie scale extension.

Latest On Kevin Durant

July 1st, 2022 at 6:11pm CST by Luke Adams

After speaking to “a couple” NBA general managers, Marc J. Spears of ESPN (video link via Talkin NBA) outlined during an appearance on NBA Today what sort of return the Nets are seeking as they explore the trade market for Kevin Durant.

“A young or future All-Star,” Spears said, “lots of picks, the ability to swap picks, and another starter.”

Spears went on to say that Durant “might not have as much control of the situation as one would think,” not only because he has four years left on his contract but because there are so many teams involved in the bidding. According to Spears, about half the league’s clubs remain interested.

Here’s more on Durant:

Sam Amick of The Athletic explains that Phoenix is Durant’s preferred destination in part because of his close relationship with Monty Williams, who was an assistant for the Thunder in 2015/16. The bond between the two men grew deeper after Williams’ wife was killed in a car accident in February 2016, Amick writes.
While Phoenix may be atop Durant’s wish list, Amick has gotten the sense that the Nets would want something more – or something “different” – than a Suns package headlined by Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges. Cameron Johnson is a player who might help move the needle for the Nets, Amick adds. However, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) suggests that any deal between the Suns and Nets would likely see Phoenix giving up the maximum amount of first-round picks (four) and pick swaps (three).
The Heat are also on Durant’s wish list, but Amick says the former MVP would only want to play on a Miami team that features Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry. Amick is understandably skeptical that a package centered around Tyler Herro would gain any momentum.
The Nets have been “emboldened” by the returns in the Rudy Gobert and Dejounte Murray trades, which both included multiple unprotected first-round picks, Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on ESPN’s televised NBA Free Agency Special on Friday evening. Wojnarowski added that he doesn’t believe the Nets are in any rush to make a deal, since they want to fully assess all their options.
Wojnarowski also said during ESPN’s NBA Free Agency Special (video link) that he believes the Raptors are “lurking” as a possible suitor for Durant, given their combination of players and draft picks, as well as their track record for making this sort of deal (for Kawhi Leonard in 2018).

Eastern Notes: Cavs, Rubio, Tsai, Bucks, Papagiannis, Bridges

July 1st, 2022 at 2:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers‘ agreement with Ricky Rubio remains flexible and could eventually become a sign-and-trade with the Pacers, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Rubio, who suffered a torn left ACL last December, isn’t expected to be able to play for the first two or three months of the season, so the Cavs want to explore other point guard options.

If they do a sign-and-trade with Rubio, they’d be able to use their $10.4MM mid-level exception to address that area, and Fedor suggests that another signing could be reported sometime this weekend.

Bringing back Rubio was “Plan A” for the team, Fedor adds, after he helped fuel a surprising rise to contention last season. Serving as a veteran component in a young backcourt, Rubio averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 34 games before the injury. Cleveland was 20-14 with Rubio last season, but only 24-24 when he didn’t play.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Nets owner Joe Tsai is fed up with the drama surrounding the organization and won’t mind parting with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Vardon notes that Tsai has been willing to pay the luxury tax in the three seasons since Durant and Irving arrived, but he hasn’t gotten much in return, with just one playoff series win in that time. Other distractions, such as the coaching change involving Kenny Atkinson, the trades to acquire and then unload James Harden, the addition of Ben Simmons when he wasn’t ready to play, and Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated have all tested Tsai’s patience, Vardon adds.
The Bucks have some interest in former first-round pick Georgios Papagiannis, tweets Dionysis Aravantinos of HoopsHype. The Greek center fizzled out quickly after being selected at No. 13 in the 2016 draft — playing 38 games for the Kings and one for the Trail Blazers — but he has been a star in Europe, earning a spot on the All-EuroLeague Second Team this year. Papagiannis is still under contract to Panathinaikos, so Milwaukee would have to arrange a buyout, but Aravantinos doesn’t see that as an obstacle.
The wife of Hornets forward Miles Bridges has posted several photographs showing injuries that she says were caused when he attacked her this week, as Amy Woodyatt and Jacob Lev of CNN write. Bridges was arrested on Wednesday and charged with felony domestic violence. His next court date is scheduled for July 20, per CNN’s report.

Nets Are Seeking “Historic Haul” For Kevin Durant

July 1st, 2022 at 9:30am CST by Arthur Hill

There was a “ferocity” in the Nets‘ front office Thursday night as numerous teams called with trade offers for Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Sports Center (Twitter link).

The response around the league to Durant’s trade request was immediate and intense as more than half the league made inquiries. Wojnarowski said it created an unprecedented situation as some teams called Brooklyn with offers and then called back later to increase those offers without getting a counter from the Nets.

“There’s never quite been a player of Durant’s stature at this point in his career available for a trade, certainly in the modern era,” Wojnarowski said, adding that Brooklyn is aiming for a “historic haul” in return.

He reports that the Nets are basing their asking price on what the Clippers gave up to Oklahoma City for Paul George (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five first-round picks) and what the Lakers paid to New Orleans for Anthony Davis (Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks).

The Nets “want more than that,” Wojnarowski said.

There’s more on Durant:

Watching the Warriors win the championship played a role in Durant’s desire to leave Brooklyn, Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s “Get Up.” It contributed to the narrative that Durant can’t win on his own and that he’s trapped in a dysfunctional situation with the Nets. Durant reportedly asked for “a change of scenery” when he met with ownership on Thursday.
Appearing this morning on ESPN’s “KJM,” Brian Windhorst cited a “high-90 percent chance” that the Nets will honor Durant’s trade request and said any deal involving Kyrie Irving will probably have to wait until Durant is moved. Irving only wants to go to the Lakers, but that means the Nets would have to take Russell Westbrook, who makes about $11MM more than Irving, and working out other compensation for Brooklyn won’t be easy.
On “Get Up,” Windhorst projected that the Durant trade will involve at least three teams. He cites a potential Nets-Suns deal, saying the match isn’t perfect and both teams will likely make calls to expand the trade and see if they can get assets that they want. Windhorst adds that could “freeze business for a while” around the league as multiple teams consider getting involved. One advantage for Phoenix, Windhorst notes, is that it has control of all its future draft picks and can offer up to four draft choices and three pick swaps. That could encourage several teams to help facilitate a Durant deal. Phoenix is believed to be Durant’s preferred landing spot.