Charlotte Hornets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agent Rumors: Randle, Gibson, Bullock, Bulls

June 29th, 2019 at 4:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings will be among the teams in pursuit of Pelicans forward Julius Randle, tweets Jordan Schultz of ESPN. He cites the Nets, Knicks and Bulls as other expected suitors.

Randle, 24, had a career-best season after signing a one-year deal with New Orleans last summer. He averaged 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in 73 games while shooting 52% from the field. He also improved as a long-distance shooter, hitting 34% of his shots from 3-point range.

Here are more rumors as we move to within 24 hours of the start of free agency:

The Timberwolves will have plenty of competition for Taj Gibson, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News, who lists the Clippers, Nets, Bucks, Bulls, Warriors, Raptors, Trail Blazers, Hornets and Lakers as having interest in the veteran forward (Twitter link). Gibson has averaged 11.5 PPG and 6.9 RPG during his two years in Minnesota.
There’s mutual interest between the Knicks and shooting specialist Reggie Bullock, according to Ian Begley of SNY.TV. Bullock averaged 11.3 points per game while splitting last season between the Pistons and Lakers.
The Bulls are looking for a point guard, but want to limit the contract to two years, reports K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. That may take them out of the running for Malcolm Brogdon or Patrick Beverley, Johnson notes, but he cites other options such as Cory Joseph, Tyus Jones and George Hill who might be willing to accept a shorter contract. The Bulls are counting on first-round pick Coby White to take over the position within two years and want the free agent’s contract to expire in the summer of 2021 at the same time as Otto Porter‘s and Cristiano Felicio‘s.

Charania’s Latest: Nets, D-Lo, Durant, Livingston, More

June 29th, 2019 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Kyrie Irving remains “fully focused” on a potential deal with the Nets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says Brooklyn’s goal is to sign the trio of Irving, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan. If they can get Irving but Durant heads elsewhere, the Nets could shift their focus to players like Tobias Harris or Julius Randle, Charania writes.

As for D’Angelo Russell, league sources tell Charania that the expectation is the Nets will either renounce D-Lo’s rights or try to complete a sign-and-trade deal that sends him elsewhere. A sign-and-trade would be complicated, since Brooklyn may prefer to use its cap room on free agents rather than trade pieces in return for Russell.

Here’s more from Charania:

Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers is tentatively scheduled to travel to New York this weekend to meet with Kevin Durant and his inner circle, league sources tell Charania. Durant is also expected to talk to the Knicks, Nets, and Clippers, though no formal meetings have been set, says Charania, who adds that there’s a belief that KD has considered the possibility of teaming up with Kawhi Leonard.
Shaun Livingston, who originally had a guarantee date of June 30 on his contract, has agreed to push that date back to July 10, reports Charania. Livingston has a partial guarantee of $2MM on his $7.7MM salary, and the Warriors now have more time to decide whether to retain him at that price.
With Kemba Walker appearing likely to sign elsewhere, the Hornets are focusing on other point guards like Terry Rozier, sources tell Charania. It’s not clear if Charlotte believes the mid-level would be enough to land Rozier, or if the team would attempt a sign-and-trade.
The Sixers remain “fully focused” on trying to re-sign Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, according to Charania, who notes that rival teams interested in Butler believe the fifth year Philadelphia can offer will be a major factor for the swingman and agent Bernie Lee. If the 76ers don’t offer that fifth year, it’s possible the market for Butler will open up.
The Knicks have targeted free agent center Robin Lopez as a potential backup for Mitchell Robinson, league sources tell Charania.
The Celtics intend to pursue a big man using their $4.8MM room exception, with Enes Kanter and Kevon Looney among their targets, per Charania.

Lowe’s Latest: Walker, Brogdon, Mavs, Rubio, Butler

June 28th, 2019 at 8:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics might be the frontrunner for Kemba Walker‘s services but devoting most of their cap space to the All-Star point guard would leave them without any proven frontcourt players and limited ways to acquire them, ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes in an in-depth look at free agency. The addition of Walker would force coach Brad Stevens to use either Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum or Gordon Hayward at power forward, Lowe notes. Walker also ran more pick-and-rolls with the Hornets than Kyrie Irving did with the Celtics, yet Irving was sometimes accused of being a ball hog, Lowe adds.

Here are some other interesting tidbits from Lowe’s column:

Bucks restricted free agent Malcolm Brogdon will lose a suitor if the Celtics ink Walker. The Suns, Bulls, Mavericks and Pacers could potentially extend Brogdon an offer sheet but some teams are concerned about his foot issues.
The Mavericks are not looking to sign any high-level free agents.
The Pacers are looking to make a run at point guard Ricky Rubio. They are also likely to let power forward Thaddeus Young walk and go with a frontcourt of Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. Indiana rejected trade offers for Turner at the draft.
The Heat could get involved in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes via a sign-and-trade.
The Nets have no interest in doing a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves involving restricted free agent D’Angelo Russell if it means taking back Jeff Teague or Andrew Wiggins.

Frank Kaminsky, Tyler Dorsey To Become UFAs

June 27th, 2019 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets don’t plan to tender a qualifying offer to Frank Kaminsky, according to Rod Boone of The Athletic (Twitter link), and the Grizzlies won’t give a QO to Tyler Dorsey, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The decisions put Kaminsky and Dorsey on track to become unrestricted free agents on Sunday.

Kaminsky, the ninth overall pick in the 2015 draft, was the subject of trade and buyout speculation earlier this year as he fell out of the Hornets’ rotation for several weeks. The 26-year-old ultimately earned a more regular role in the second half, but had a down year in Charlotte, averaging 8.6 PPG and 3.5 RPG in 47 games (16.1 MPG).

The Hornets are wary of the cost of their roster if they re-sign Kemba Walker, and may not want to retain a veteran role player like Kaminsky if Walker leaves, so it makes some sense that they’d pass on a qualifying offer. Meanwhile, given his inconsistent role with the Hornets, Kaminsky will likely be seeking a new home as an unrestricted free agent. He should draw interest from teams seeking a big man who can shoot from outside and won’t break the bank.

As for Dorsey, the 23-year-old was sent from Atlanta to Memphis in a deadline deal and averaged 9.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 1.9 APG on .429/.366/.629 shooting for the Grizzlies in 21 games (21.3 MPG) down the stretch.

The Grizzlies are open to the idea of revisiting a new deal with Dorsey as a UFA, per Wojnarowski. However, as Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian notes (via Twitter), not making him a restricted free agent gives the team a little more roster flexibility in free agency.

Celtics Emerge As Frontrunner For Kemba Walker

June 27th, 2019 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

8:58am: The Celtics have made Walker their No. 1 priority and are expected to offer him a four-year, maximum-salary deal when free agency opens on Sunday, Wojnarowski writes in his full story at ESPN.com.

It appears increasingly likely that Kemba will accept that deal, according to Woj, who says that Hornets owner Michael Jordan is “no longer determined to extend far enough financially” to bring back the All-NBA point guard.

8:06am: There are “sizable gaps” in contract negotiations so far between Kemba Walker and the Hornets, resulting in a stalemate between the two sides, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

According to Charania, the lack of progress toward a deal with the Hornets so far has opened a pathway for teams like the Celtics, Mavericks, and Knicks to have a shot at Walker. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that Boston has emerged as the frontrunner to the 29-year-old, echoing a Wednesday report.

As we’ve detailed previously, Walker became eligible for a super-max contract by earning a spot on the All-NBA Third Team this spring. That means that the Hornets could offer him up to as much as $221MM over five years. Rival suitors can’t offer more than about $141MM for four years, creating a significant window for Charlotte to outbid their competition without technically maxing out the All-Star guard.

While Walker has said that the Hornets remain his first priority and has indicated he’s open to accepting less than the super-max to return to Charlotte, the club doesn’t have the same strong foundation that teams like the Celtics and Mavs do.

If they re-sign Walker, the Hornets would be up against the tax line and would have trouble adding complementary pieces around him. In Boston, he could team up with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Gordon Hayward, while Dallas would give him the chance to join Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. The Knicks are more of a blank slate, but have the cap flexibility to potentially add a second star to join Walker.

The Celtics can create enough salary for Walker’s maximum salary ($32.7MM) if they renounce Terry Rozier. The Mavs are at about $29MM in projected room and could get to a max slot by waiving and stretching Courtney Lee. The Knicks have enough space for two max deals.

Celtics Frontrunners For Kemba Walker?

June 26th, 2019 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

One league source who spoke to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) views the Celtics as the favorites for free agent point guard Kemba Walker, followed by the Hornets and Mavericks.

Fowler: Hornets Made Mistake In Drafting McDaniels

June 26th, 2019 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer believes the Hornets made a mistake by drafting Jalen McDaniels with the No. 52 pick last Thursday night. McDaniels has been sued by two former female high school classmates who claim that he recorded them without their consent while they were performing sexual acts. At the very least, the club needs to explain to its fans why it was willing to overlook that, Fowler argues.

Celtics Emerging As Kemba Walker Suitor

June 25th, 2019 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

2:53pm: Updating his earlier report, Stein indicates that Boston is no longer a “stealth” suitor for Walker, tweeting that the Celtics and Mavericks will be at the front of the line for Kemba when free agency begins.

12:03pm: With the Celtics‘ roster and cap situation in a state of flux, the team is emerging as a “stealth suitor” for All-NBA point guard Kemba Walker, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (via Twitter).

The Celtics’ situation is a fluid one, according to Stein (via Twitter), who acknowledges that the team will weigh a number of options to address both its backcourt and frontcourt. Kyrie Irving and Al Horford are expected to sign elsewhere and Aron Baynes is heading to Phoenix, while Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris are also free agents.

If the Celtics renounce all those players, they should have enough cap room to make a maximum-salary offer to a player like Walker, adding him to a core that features Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart. However, it sounds like that’s just one of the options that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge will consider.

The Mavericks and Lakers are among the teams believed to be eyeing Walker, who has also been frequently linked to the Knicks. For his part, Kemba has said that the Hornets remain his first priority and has indicated he’s open to accepting less than the super-max to return to Charlotte.

That super-max deal would be worth a projected $221MM+ over five years. A standard max with the Hornets projects to be worth just shy of $190MM over five seasons, while a rival suitor could offer Walker up to about $141MM for four years.

Jalen McDaniels Sued By Former Classmates

June 23rd, 2019 at 3:59pm CST by clarkcrum

In some negative news coming out of Charlotte, Brendan Marks and Michael Gordon of The Charlotte Observer are reporting that Hornets second-round draft pick Jalen McDaniels was sued by two female high school classmates around six months ago. Criminal charges were not pursued, but the duo claim in a civil suit that McDaniels recorded them performing sexual acts without their consent.

Hornets Adding Robert Franks On Two-Way Deal, Signing Josh Perkins

June 21st, 2019 at 12:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

Washington State’s Robert Franks will sign a two-way contract with the Hornets, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

A 6’9″ forward, Franks had an outstanding senior season with the Cougars, posting a 21.6/7.2/2.6 line and shooting .399 from 3-point range while taking seven per game. He earned first team All-Pac 12 honors.

Joe Chealey and J.P. Macura were Charlotte’s two-way players last season, but both are free agents.

The Hornets will also ink Gonzaga’s Josh Perkins to an Exhibit 10 deal, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link). A 6’3″ guard, Perkins averaged 11.0 points and 6.3 assists per game as a fifth-year senior.