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Free Agent Rumors: Celtics, Heat, Cavs, Wolves

July 5th, 2017 at 5:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Having landed Gordon Hayward, the Celtics have shifted their focus to adding a rim-protecting big man, and are showing interest in several free agents who fit that bill, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. Currently, the Celtics could only offer the $4.3MM room exception, but if they clear more than the minimum space necessary for Hayward’s deal, they could potentially make a bigger offer.

Speaking of Hayward, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News talked at length with agent Mark Bartelstein about how and why his client’s free agency announcement turned into such a mess on Tuesday. As Genessy details, via Bartelstein, Hayward went back and forth between the Jazz and Celtics before making his final decision.

Here are more free agency updates from around the NBA:

Having reached a deal with Dion Waiters, the Heat have interest in bringing back James Johnson and Luke Babbitt as well, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Bartelstein, who is also Johnson’s agent, will talk to Pat Riley tonight, according to Jackson.
While Richard Jefferson, who is under contract for 2017/18, plans to return to the Cavaliers, James Jones may not, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Agent Joel Bell says that neither the Cavs nor Jones have made any decisions, but a source tells Vardon that Jones – who is a free agent – won’t be back in Cleveland next season.
The Timberwolves have touched base with veteran free agent Vince Carter, but there’s nothing “concrete” happening with him for now, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.
The Mavericks are considering adding German power forward Maxi Kleber, per Sportando (Twitter link). Kleber expects to continue playing for Bayern Munich if he doesn’t make the jump to the NBA.

Warriors Considered Front-Runners For Jamal Crawford

July 4th, 2017 at 11:15am CST by Arthur Hill

11:15am: The Cavaliers and Spurs are also interested in Crawford if the buyout goes through, Haynes tweets, although Atlanta would prefer to trade him. Crawford has more than $17.2MM in guaranteed money over the next two seasons, and the Hawks would want him to give up a significant portion of that before agreeing to a buyout, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).

9:24am: Once Jamal Crawford gets bought out by the Hawks, there’s a good chance he will sign with the Warriors, according to Chris Haynes and Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com.

Crawford is part of a proposed three-team trade that would send Paul Millsap to the Nuggets and Danilo Gallinari to the Clippers. Crawford would be shipped to the Hawks, along with Diamond Stone, and will petition Atlanta for a buyout, sources told ESPN.

Once he hits the market, Golden State would be favored to sign him with its $5.2MM taxpayer mid-level exception.

Crawford, 37, played for the Warriors during the 2008/09 season and often talks about how much he enjoys the Bay Area, according to Haynes and Spears. The three-time Sixth Man of the Year appeared in all 82 games for the Clippers this season, averaging 12.3 points per night. He has said he will only consider playing for contenders once the buyout is complete.

The Warriors are also pursuing Nick Young, the authors add, with Draymond Green and Kevin Durant playing a part in the recruiting. The 10-year veteran is also in talks with the Pelicans, who can offer more playing time, but Golden State could give Young his first chance to win a title.

The Warriors probably don’t have the resources to add both Crawford and Young, but the ESPN story says there is a “strong possibility” they will land one of them.

Chauncey Billups Withdraws From Consideration For Cavs’ Job

July 3rd, 2017 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

11:53am: Billups met with Gilbert at least twice to discuss the Cavs’ position, but didn’t confer at all with LeBron James or LeBron’s agent Rich Paul, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. According to Vardon, Cleveland’s offer was believed to be in the range of $2-3MM annually, and Billups was seeking more.

11:24am: In his full report on Billups’ decision, Wojnarowski passes along a statement from his ESPN colleague.

“I have great respect for [owner] Dan Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and I greatly appreciate the discussions we had regarding their organization,” Billups said. “As I have conveyed before, ultimately I would like to lead a team’s basketball operation and be a part of a successful franchise. But presently, the timing just isn’t right to delve into that role in Cleveland. In the meantime, I will continue to focus on broadcasting and my other business endeavors.”

10:52am: Chauncey Billups, who was reportedly offered the top position in the Cavaliers’ front office, has withdrawn from consideration, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).

Cleveland extended an offer to Billups prior to last month’s draft in the hopes of making him the team’s new president of basketball operations, but the process has dragged since that point. The two sides reportedly went back and forth, with the former All-Star guard making a counter-offer to the club. But ultimately, it appears the Cavs and Billups couldn’t agree on an arrangement that would work for both sides.

Reports had indicated that Billups had some apprehensions about the job, since he likes his current role as an NBA analyst and didn’t necessarily want to uproot his family. He was also believed to have concerns about the fact that LeBron James could leave next summer, as well as the prospect of having to be objectively critical about head coach Tyronn Lue, who is a close friend.

ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reports (via Twitter) that concerns about staffing and money may also have been sticking points for Billups, who has received a raise from ESPN, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter links).

With Billups out of the mix, it’s not clear who the next man up on the Cavs’ wish list might be. In the wake of David Griffin‘s departure from the franchise last month, Cleveland quickly zeroed in on Billups, so no other candidates have really been linked to the job.

Since Griffin’s exit, assistant general manager Koby Altman has essentially been serving as the de facto GM for Cleveland, making him a potential candidate for the full-time job. The team has reached tentative deals with Kyle Korver and Jose Calderon since free agency opened on Saturday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Carmelo Anthony Open To Waiving No-Trade Clause For Cavs, Rockets

July 3rd, 2017 at 12:22am CST by Luke Adams

Carmelo Anthony is open to the idea of waiving his no-trade clause in order to facilitate a trade to the Cavaliers or Rockets, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Wojnarowski, there’s no traction yet on a deal.

The presence of Chris Paul and LeBron James in Houston and Cleveland, respectively, appeals to Anthony, as does with the Rockets’ and Cavs’ ability to contend. While Anthony controls the process due to his no-trade clause, his apparent willingness to accept a deal to the Rockets or Cavaliers is a good first step for the Knicks, who reportedly remain hopeful that a trade can be completed.

Still, there are several roadblocks to overcome for the Knicks, since Anthony’s trade value is diminished due to his exorbitant salary, a 15% trade kicker, and a belief that New York may eventually become receptive to a buyout. The fact that the franchise doesn’t currently have a permanent president of basketball operations in place is also somewhat problematic.

Per Wojnarowski, the Rockets have been “proactive” in pursuing a possible deal for Anthony since acquiring Paul from the Clippers last week. However, the Knicks have little interest in taking back Ryan Anderson, whose $19.5MM+ salary would likely be needed for salary-matching purposes. Anderson’s contract runs through the 2019/20 season.

As for the Cavaliers, they have been frequently mentioned as a possible destination for Anthony, but have shown no willingness to part with Kevin Love in a trade with New York. Cleveland would likely be more inclined to offer pieces like Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, and perhaps J.R. Smith in a package for Carmelo, which wouldn’t do much for the Knicks.

With the Knicks reportedly trying to avoid long-term salary commitments for older players, working out an Anthony deal with either the Rockets or Cavs could be challenging unless a third team gets involved.

Western FA Notes: Muhammad, Holiday, Young

July 2nd, 2017 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

A theme is developing in Minnesota as head coach Tom Thibodeau slowly molds the young Timberwolves into a modern day version of his old team. Consider Justin Holiday the latest former Bulls rotation piece that the T-Wolves have expressed an interest in, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders writes.

Holiday would join Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson with the Wolves, should the organization seek to sign the 28-year-old 3-and-D specialist.

The Bulls and Knicks, the team with whom Holiday averaged 7.7 points per game for in 2016/17, are both said to be interested in retaining the swingman’s services.

There’s more today as free agency rolls along:

The Timberwolves will likely have to renounce Shabazz Muhammad in the wake of today’s two-year, $28MM agreement with Taj Gibson, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. He adds that Muhammad’s representatives have been notifying teams that he is now an unrestricted free agent (Twitter link).
Nick Young has emerged as a candidate for the Warriors‘ $5.2MM exception, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Pelicans can offer more playing time and a larger role in the offense, notes David Aldridge of TNT (Twitter link), but Young may opt for the chance for a ring.
Gordon Hayward will meet with Jazz officials in San Diego, not Utah, on Monday, tweets Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. Coach Quin Snyder, GM Dennis Lindsey and team president Steve Starks will be among Utah’s delegation.
The Rockets‘ interest in Cleveland’s Iman Shumpert is “basically dead,” according to Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). The teams had trade discussions regarding Shumpert on Saturday before Houston signed Tucker.

Central Rumors: Shumpert, Korver, Bulls, Forman

July 2nd, 2017 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

While trade talks between the Cavaliers and Rockets involving Iman Shumpert appear to have lost momentum, Cleveland continues to try to find a landing spot for the swingman, indicating that there are other possible trade partners, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. According to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net, the Raptors, Timberwolves, Lakers, and Kings have expressed some level of interest in Shumpert, though it’s not clear how many of those clubs remain in pursuit.

As we wait to see if the Cavs can find a taker for Shumpert, let’s round up a few more Central notes and rumors…

The Cavaliers have made a contract offer to Kyle Korver, according to Vardon. The terms of that offer aren’t known.
After a Saturday report indicated that the Bulls have conveyed interest in Justin Holiday, Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link) hears from a source that Chicago is one of the teams that has made Holiday a contract offer. The Knicks haven’t formally put an offer on the table for Holiday, but the situation is fluid, says Berman.
The Bulls may end up re-shuffling their front office this offseason, a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. According to Cowley, GM Gar Forman could be the odd man out if the team restructures its management hierarchy, while John Paxson‘s brother Jim Paxson – the Bulls’ director of basketball operations – may take on more responsibilities.

Iman Shumpert Talks Between Rockets, Cavs Stalled

July 2nd, 2017 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 2, 8:40am: Shumpert talks between the Cavs and Rockets have “significantly stalled” for now, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical. Having reached an agreement with P.J. Tucker on Saturday night, Houston now has less of a need for a defensive-minded wing, reducing Cleveland’s leverage.

JULY 1, 3:40pm: The Rockets and Cavaliers are discussing a trade that would send Iman Shumpert to Houston, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN (via Twitter), the proposed deal would net the Cavs a draft pick and a trade exception. Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link) classifies the trade talks as “serious.”

Shumpert has been mentioned for weeks as a trade candidate for Cleveland, particularly with the team trying to reduce its potential repeater tax penalties. Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net reports (via Twitter) that the Cavs have spent much of the day discussing Shumpert deals with various teams.

Houston currently doesn’t have the cap room necessary to absorb Shumpert’s $10,337,079 salary, but the team stockpiled non-guaranteed contracts last week that could be used for salary-matching purposes.

A package of Tim Quarterman, Ryan Kelly, Isaiah Taylor, Shawn Long, and Chinanu Onuaku would theoretically be enough to acquire Shumpert from a cap perspective. Of those players, only Onuaku has a guaranteed salary for 2017/18, so the Cavs could waive the rest and clear approximately $9MM from their cap while creating a sizable trade exception.

According to Wojnarowski, one sticking point in Cleveland’s trade discussions involving Shumpert is his 2018/19 player option — the veteran has thus far been unwilling to waive that option.

Shumpert, 27, averaged 7.5 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 76 games (31 starts) for the Cavs last season, shooting 36.0% on three-point attempts.

Cavaliers Notes: James, Randolph, Osman, Billups

July 1st, 2017 at 11:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James doesn’t plan to do any recruiting for the Cavaliers this summer, reports Dave McMenamin 0f ESPN.com. The move may be a protest against the organization’s decision not to re-sign David Griffin, whom James supported. Regardless, it’s a change in behavior for the team’s most prominent player, who lobbied Kevin Love, Mike Miller and others to come to Cleveland in prior years.

The Cavaliers have been targeting two veterans to serve as backups: point guard Jose Calderon, who signed with the team today, and power forward Zach Randolph. Other teams chasing Randolph have more money to offer than Cleveland does, and McMenamin suggests that a call from James might tip the scales in the Cavs’ favor, but so far nothing has happened.

There’s more tonight out of Cleveland:

In the absence of a GM, assistant GM Koby Altman is handling free agency, McMenamin adds in the same story. The Cavaliers are still negotiating with Chauncey Billups to take over the front office, and he has been in touch with Altman and owner Dan Gilbert regarding the team’s strategy. However, Billups seems in no rush to accept the job and will make his BIG3 League debut on Sunday.
The Cavs are talking to draft-and-stash prospect Cedi Osman about joining the team next year, McMenamin relays in the same piece. The 6’8″ forward out of Macedonia was the 31st pick in the 2015 draft and was part of the deal that sent Tyus Jones to the Timberwolves.
Cleveland’s GM job has lost some of its appeal, according to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. Cap concerns, front office turmoil and the possibility that James might leave next summer have created a difficult situation for whomever steps into the position.
The signing of Calderon displays the dangers of the repeater tax, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.com. Adding the veteran guard only counts $1.5MM against the cap, but it raises the Cavs’ tax bill from $16.4MM to $20.4MM.

Latest On Paul George

July 1st, 2017 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

There’s a near-unanimous view around the league that Paul George will sign with the Lakers next summer despite Friday’s trade to the Thunder, writes Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. Lowe states that the chances of George heading to L.A. are about 75%, and the Celtics and Cavaliers had that in mind as they were working to obtain him.

The Lakers also subscribe to that view, which is why they weren’t willing to part with Brandon Ingram or Lonzo Ball to get George from the Pacers now. Lowe adds that Indiana didn’t have any interest in former Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell, who was subsequently dealt to the Nets.

The ESPN writer shares more information about Friday’s major deal:

The Celtics wanted to see if they could land Gordon Hayward in free agency before completing a trade for George. They were reluctant to deal two starters in exchange for George without knowing whether they were getting Hayward.
Boston’s last offer for George didn’t include Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, the 2018 Nets pick or the Lakers/Kings pick that Boston received from Philadelphia. There were reports that the Celtics offered Indiana three picks at some point, but Lowe believes those were a combination of Boston’s future selections and protected 2019 first-rounders from the Grizzlies and Clippers. All of those draft choices could have fallen into the 20s, Lowe notes, and the Pacers wanted something more likely to be in the top 10.
A three-way trade involving the Pacers, Cavaliers and Nuggets was discussed on Friday. The deal would have sent George to Cleveland, Kevin Love to Denver and Gary Harris, Trey Lyles and a protected first-rounder to Indiana. Lowe describes the Cavaliers, Nuggets and Celtics as “stunned” when news broke that George was headed to Oklahoma City.
The Trail Blazers tried to get George on draft night, offering a package that included several picks and at least one player, but the Pacers turned it down.

Central Notes: Shumpert, KCP, Holiday

July 1st, 2017 at 2:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The reported agreement between the Pistons and Langston Galloway has some speculating that the team may be willing to let Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leave as a restricted free agent, though, Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press notes that the signing won’t necessarily affect Detroit’s dealings with the shooting guard (Twitter links). The Pistons will likely make additional roster moves in order to retain Caldwell-Pope, Ellis opines. By using more than $5.192MM of their mid-level exception to ink Galloway, the Pistons will have a hard cap of $125.266MM for the 2017/18 league year, which could create problems if another team gives Caldwell-Pope a maximum salary offer sheet.

With free agency well underway, here’s more of the latest news and rumors from the Central Division:

The Cavaliers are reportedly seeking to move Iman Shumpert via trade and several teams have had discussions with Cleveland regarding the shooting guard, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype relays (via Twitter). The team reportedly wants to clear Shumpert’s salary of $10,337,079 off its books for the coming season.
The Bulls have expressed interest in signing unrestricted free agent Justin Holiday, Kennedy relays in a separate tweet. The Knicks, Mavs and Wolves are also among those interested in the swingman’s services.
The Bulls primary focus for this offseason and beyond is to land a top four pick in next June’s NBA Draft in order to have a shot at selecting Michael Porter Jr., Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun Times relays. “We’re not going to be throwing huge money at people right out of the gate,’’ VP of basketball operations John Paxson told reporters earlier this week. “We have to be disciplined and patient. You need the right veterans, guys who are good teammates and supportive of the young guys and can teach them how to be pros. If there was a young player who we thought fit our future, we would certainly look at that.’’