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New York Notes: Durant, Sexton, Williams, Nash

July 28th, 2021 at 9:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant and the Nets’ other stars can pursue extensions this summer. Durant is taking a diplomatic approach to questions regarding that possibility, Chris Milholen of NetsDaily.com relays. “First of all, you enjoy playing the game. That’s the most important thing and I think we all three enjoy playing with each other … I’m sure when that time is right, we’ll all make the right decision for ourselves,” Durant said.

We have more tidbits regarding the New York City teams:

  • Trading for Cavaliers high scoring guard Collin Sexton could be a buyer-beware situation for the Knicks, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Sexton has a stubborn streak that can turn off his teammates, according to a Berman source, and he might ultimately be more suited to a sixth-man, Lou Williams-style role rather than a No. 1 option at the point.
  • The Knicks could pursue Stanford wing Ziaire Williams in the draft, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Williams worked out for the Knicks and felt very good about his experience. However, Williams may go much higher than the No. 19 pick, the Knicks’ highest selection. He’s even been rumored to go to the Magic in the top 10.
  • Steve Nash issued a statement, Marc Stein of Substack tweets, regarding Mike D’Antoni‘s decision to step down from his post as a Nets assistant which read in part, “I will be forever grateful of his guidance and will carry on a lifetime of lessons from the many years we’ve spent together.”
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Scotto’s Latest: Harrell, Cavaliers, Knicks, Trent Jr., Jones

July 27th, 2021 at 12:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers center Montrezl Harrell remains undecided on his player option as a Saturday deadline looms, sources tell Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Harrell is described as “50-50” on the option, which would pay him $9.7MM for next season.

Picking up the option would make the 27-year-old a trade chip for the Lakers, who are hoping to add another star to their roster. There was a report over the weekend that L.A. has discussed moving Kyle Kuzma and the 22nd pick to the Kings in exchange for Buddy Hield, and multiple sources tell Scotto that Harrell has been included in several variations of that hypothetical trade.

Sacramento may view Harrell as a replacement for Richaun Holmes, who is headed toward free agency. Scotto reiterates that the Mavericks, Hornets and Raptors are among the teams likely to enter the bidding for Holmes. He adds that the Lakers offered Kumza and the 22nd choice to the Pacers for pick No. 13 and salary filler, but Indiana turned it down.

There’s more from Scotto:

  • The Cavaliers have been contacted about the No. 3 pick by the Raptors, Thunder, Warriors and Knicks, but Oklahoma City didn’t talk to Cleveland about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was reportedly part of an offer the Thunder made to the Pistons for the top overall selection. Cleveland would like to acquire another top-10 pick, Scotto adds.
  • Before the Pelicans agreed to trade the 10th pick to the Grizzlies, the Knicks made an unsuccessful offer involving the 19th and 21st selections, according to league sources. New York is believed to be focused on Oregon’s Chris Duarte.
  • Several people around the league believe that Gary Trent Jr., who received a qualifying offer from the Raptors on Monday, could get an offer in the neighborhood of $18-$20MM per season.
  • The Grizzlies are making back-up point guard Tyus Jones available in trade talks, league sources tell Scotto. Jones will make $8.38MM next season in the final year of his contract.
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Draft Rumors: Thunder, Pistons, Rockets, Pelicans, Raptors, More

July 26th, 2021 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

Armed with the Nos. 6, 16, and 18 picks in the first round of this year’s draft and a huge stash of future first-rounders, the Thunder are expected to start “knocking on the door” to try to move into the top three of the 2021 draft, Adrian Wojnarowski said on Sunday’s Woj & Lowe special on ESPN (video link).

In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Insider link) confirms that the Thunder have been actively exploring the idea of trading up, with Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley among the prospects they’re said to be high on.

It would take a substantial package for the Thunder to move up into the top three from No. 6, and it remains to be seen whether they’re be willing to eat into their stockpile of draft assets to make such a move, especially if there’s a player they like outside of the top five. James Bouknight could be that player, according to Givony, who says Oklahoma City has “long been high” on the UConn guard, having inquired last year about the possibility of him entering the 2020 draft.

Here are several more draft-related rumors from ESPN’s reporters:

  • It’d be extremely surprising if the Pistons do anything with the No. 1 pick other than select Cade Cunningham, says Givony. Wojnarowski says that decision isn’t finalized yet, but the Pistons are “getting there” on Cunningham, and Woj expects the Oklahoma State guard to be the pick.
  • Jalen Green is increasingly likely to be the No. 2 pick, according to Givony, who writes that the Rockets have been “stonewalled” in their attempts to host Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs for workouts.
  • The Kings‘ (No. 9) and Pelicans‘ (No. 10) picks continue to be among the most available lottery selections, per Givony. New Orleans is attaching Eric Bledsoe to the No. 10 pick in most trade discussions involving that selection, says Wojnarowski (video link). Givony adds that Franz Wagner has gained traction as a possible target for Sacramento if the club stays in the lottery, despite his “mysterious” pre-draft process — Wagner skipped the combine and hasn’t worked out for many teams.
  • While the Raptors are still widely expected to draft Jalen Suggs, they’ve taken long looks at other top-10 prospects, including Jonathan Kuminga, Scottie Barnes, James Bouknight, and Franz Wagner, says Givony. Wojnarowski and ESPN’s Zach Lowe (video link) expect Toronto to have several more conversations about either moving up or down from No. 4, but also view Suggs as the club’s likeliest choice.
  • The Cavaliers continue to be active in trade talks and are rumored to be discussing the possibility of acquiring a second top-10 pick, according to Givony. Wojnarowski (video link) is skeptical that Cleveland is looking to add more draft assets though, suggesting he doesn’t “see a scenario” in which the club trades Collin Sexton or Darius Garland to get even younger.
  • People around the league have “locked into the idea” that Scottie Barnes is the favorite to be picked at No. 5 by the Magic, reports Givony.
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Raptors May Pursue RFA Jarrett Allen

July 25th, 2021 at 3:40pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, a restricted free agent this summer, could be a target for the Raptors, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says Toronto is expected to be one of Allen’s “strong” suitors. The Raptors are in clear need of an upgrade at the five spot.

Charania hears that the Cavaliers and Allen are both interested in a long-term agreement, so the Raptors may have to overpay if they hope to pry the 23-year-old Allen away from Cleveland. Charania notes that Toronto has tried to trade for Allen on prior occasions.

The Raptors could create upwards of $25MM in cap room this summer to make a run at Allen, but that would require the team to renounce Kyle Lowry and likely waive Chris Boucher.

After being dealt to Cleveland courtesy of the Nets early in the 2020/21 season as part of the trade that sent All-Star James Harden to Brooklyn, Allen thrived while with the underperforming Cavaliers. He averaged 13.2 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 1.4 BPG across 51 contests.

Having let veterans Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol depart for the two Los Angeles teams during the 2020 offseason, the Raptors pivoted by adding Aron Baynes and Alex Len to shore up the middle. Len was eventually waived. When Baynes proved overtaxed, the Raptors opted for small-ball lineups with Boucher frequently playing center.

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Fischer’s Latest: Simmons, Lillard, Warriors, Ingles, Draft Deals, More

July 25th, 2021 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

There has been little movement on the Ben Simmons situation, as none of the interested teams are offering an All-Star level player to the Sixers in return, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. He adds that many observers believe president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is waiting for Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard to return from the Olympics to see if he makes a trade request.

The Cavaliers, Pacers, Timberwolves, Kings and Raptors have all shown interest in trading for Simmons, sources tell Fischer. Executives from several of those teams said they view him as a play-making forward, rather than a point guard as he has been used in Philadelphia.

Simmons remains under contract for four more seasons, so there’s no urgency for the Sixers to make a move right away. Still, the “overwhelming expectation” across the league is that he will be traded during the offseason after struggling with his shot during the playoffs.

Fischer shares more inside information from around the NBA:

  • The Warriors would like to swap their two lottery picks for veteran help, but president of basketball operations Bob Myers isn’t finding many impact players available on the trade market. The Jazz could emerge as a possibility, Fischer adds, as Utah is hoping to shed some salary before re-signing point guard Mike Conley. Joe Ingles might be moved in such a deal, and Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O’Neale are also possibilities.
  • The Kings, who hold the No. 9 pick in Thursday’s draft, may be the highest option for teams hoping to trade into the lottery. Sacramento and the Pelicans, who have the 10th selection, have been active in trade talks involving those picks, sources tell Fischer, as both teams are looking for veterans who will give them a better chance to make the playoffs next season. New Orleans, which is hoping to unload Eric Bledsoe‘s salary, has talked to the Grizzlies about a deal that would send the veteran guard and the No. 10 pick to Memphis in exchange for the 17th choice.
  • The Hornets at No. 11 and the Pacers at No. 13 may also make their picks available. Fischer confirms that Indiana has talked to the Rockets about a deal involving Eric Gordon and the 23rd pick, and Myles Turner is believed to be on the trade market as well.
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Eastern Draft Notes: Hawks, Sixers, Cavaliers, Hornets

July 23rd, 2021 at 9:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tennessee guard Jaden Springer and Oregon guard Chris Duarte are expected to work out for the Hawks shortly before the draft, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic tweets. Duarte is ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s Best Available list, though he’s expected by some outlets to go higher, and Springer is rated No. 27. Atlanta holds the No. 20 pick.

We have more draft news involving Eastern Conference teams:

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New York Notes: Tucker, Thor, Duarte, Knicks Front Office, Martin

July 23rd, 2021 at 6:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

After winning a title with the Bucks this week, free agent forward P.J. Tucker seems unlikely to pursue another with the Nets, according to NetsDaily.com. The Athletic’s Alex Schiffer has indicated the Nets were interested in the veteran forward even before the James Harden trade and Tucker is also good friends with Harden and Kevin Durant. However, Brooklyn will likely be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception and Tucker is expected to command more in the open market. Milwaukee also holds Tucker’s Bird rights and wants to retain him despite luxury tax concerns.

We have more on the Nets and Knicks:

  • Count both New York clubs among the 11 teams that have brought in JT Thor for a workout, Mike Mazzeo tweets. The Auburn power forward is ranked No. 28 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list. Brooklyn owns the No. 27 pick and three second-rounders, the earliest at No. 44, while New York has picks No. 19, 21 and 32.
  • Chris Duarte worked out for the Knicks on Friday, Adam Zagoria of the New York Times tweets, and it was a solo workout, Ian Begley of SNY.TV tweets. The Oregon shooting guard is ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s list but others have Duarte going much higher, Begley points out. The Knicks are seeking to move up into the late lottery, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report said on the Knicks Film School podcast (Twitter link). Today’s workout could indicate Duarte is the target.
  • While the Knicks have agreed to a two-year extension with Scott Perry, multiple Western Conference teams have expressed interest in other members of the front office, according to Begley. The contracts of several of those executives expire at the end of the month, Begley adds.
  • Point guard Jeremiah Martin will join the Knicks’ summer league team in Las Vegas, Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw tweets. Martin played with the Cavaliers in the closing weeks of the season on a two-way deal.
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Cavs Make Jarrett Allen Restricted Free Agent

July 23rd, 2021 at 4:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

To no one’s surprise, the Cavaliers have extended a qualifying offer to center Jarrett Allen, making him a restricted free agent, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

The QO is worth just over $7.7MM with a cap hold of $11.73MM.

Cleveland acquired Allen in the multi-team James Harden blockbuster with the intention of locking him into a multi-year deal during the offseason. The addition of Allen led the Cavs to bench and eventually buy out Andre Drummond, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Allen will one of the more attractive names on the restricted free agent market, but a suitor will likely have to deliver a giant offer sheet to him to make the Cavs think twice about matching it.

The 23-year-old Allen averaged 13.2 PPG, 9.9 RPG and 1.4 BPG in 51 games after the trade. Cleveland is expected to retain Allen even if uses the No. 3 pick in next week’s draft on the top big man prospect, USC’s Evan Mobley.

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Cavs’ Hartenstein Declines Player Option, Will Be Free Agent

July 23rd, 2021 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers big man Isaiah Hartenstein has decided not to exercise his player option for the 2021/22 season and will become a free agent, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). The minimum-salary option would’ve paid Hartenstein about $1.76MM.

[RELATED: NBA Player Option Decisions For 2021/22]

Multiple reports in June indicated that Hartenstein was expected to opt out, so his decision doesn’t come as a surprise. Those reports also suggested that the 23-year-old was a good bet to work out a new deal with the Cavaliers rather than leaving Cleveland for a new team.

Hartenstein is eligible for restricted free agency, which will give the Cavs some control over the process and increases the likelihood that he sticks around. The team will have to issue a qualifying offer worth about $2.03MM to avoid having him become an unrestricted free agent.

Hartenstein began the 2020/21 season in Denver, but played limited minutes with the Nuggets and was sent to Cleveland as part of the JaVale McGee trade at the March deadline. In 16 games with the Cavs, Hartenstein recorded 8.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 1.2 BPG in 17.9 minutes per contest. All of those averages would’ve been career highs.

The Cavs’ frontcourt figures to undergo some changes this offseason, whether or not Hartenstein returns. Like Hartenstein, Jarrett Allen will be eligible for restricted free agency, though Cleveland is expected to bring him back. Kevin Love is considered very available in trade talks, and the club may end up adding big man Evan Mobley with the No. 3 pick in the draft.

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Veterans Needed To Balance Roster

July 22nd, 2021 at 7:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • The Cavaliers hold the No. 3 pick and already have some young talent on their roster. Their greatest need is to nurture that talent alongside some tested veterans, according to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. They require more capable rotation players to balance out the roster and provide a comfort level and stability.
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