Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Stein’s Latest: RFAs, Washington, Mavs, Bol, JVG, Bojan

July 5th, 2023 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

There has been more buzz in recent days about restricted free agents Grant Williams and Matisse Thybulle – who reportedly intends to sign an offer sheet with Dallas – than Hornets RFA P.J. Washington, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article. As Stein explains, there are a couple reasons for that.

For one, the Hornets are in a better position to a match a rival offer sheet than Boston or Portland. The Celtics project to be well over the luxury tax line, while the Trail Blazers still aren’t certain what their books will look like after they finalize a Damian Lillard trade.

Additionally, while the Celtics and Trail Blazers would both have to weigh whether or not to match offer sheets signed using the mid-level exception, such a deal would presumably be an automatic match for the Hornets with Washington. According to Stein, Washington is believed to be seeking a deal in the range of $18MM per year.

Here’s more from Stein:

Following up on a report that the Magic and Mavericks discussed a trade involving Bol Bol around the time of the draft, Stein explains that Dallas pitched the idea of taking on Bol as a salary dump along with Orlando’s No. 36 overall pick. The Magic turned down that proposal and ended up moving No. 36 for a 2030 second-round pick and cash.
Jeff Van Gundy, who was recently let go by ESPN, told the Mavericks he wasn’t interested in a job as an assistant on Jason Kidd‘s coaching staff, according to Stein, who says that it’s not yet known whether Van Gundy will attempt to return to coaching in some form or seek another broadcasting opportunity.
While teams around the league remain interested in acquiring forward Bojan Bogdanovic, the Pistons have held firm on their stance that they plan to keep the sharpshooting veteran, says Stein. There seems to be little concern about the Achilles issue that sidelined Bogdanovic for Detroit’s final 18 games, Stein adds, noting that the general sense is that the Pistons were just being “extra cautious,” with little to play for.

Mavericks Make Three Additions To Coaching Staff

July 4th, 2023 at 8:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks have added three assistants to their staff.

Alex Jensen, who had been with the Jazz since 2013, is leaving Utah to join Jason Kidd’s staff, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Bryan Gates is also coming to Dallas as an assistant, Wojnarowski adds in another tweet. Josh Broghamer is another newcomer to Dallas, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).

Jensen played a major role in Rudy Gobert‘s development, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN, noting that rookie big man Dereck Lively should “benefit tremendously” from Jensen’s tutelage.

Prior to his stint in Utah, Jensen was the first coach for the G League Canton Charge.

Gates spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Suns under Monty Williams. He has also worked as an NBA assistant in Sacramento (2009-10 and 2016-19), New Orleans (2010-15) and Minnesota (2015-16 and 2019-21).

Broghamer comes over from the Cavaliers, where he served as the director of advance scouting and player development. He previously worked for the Bucks when Kidd was their head coach.

The Mavericks let go of three assistants after failing to make the playoffs, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News notes. Lead offensive assistant Greg St. Jean, shooting coach Peter Patton and Quinton Crawford were not retained. Patton has since joined the Bulls’ staff, while Crawford wound up with the Suns.

Rockets Rumors: Lucas, Powell, Landale, VanVleet

July 4th, 2023 at 5:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Longtime Rockets assistant John Lucas won’t be part of Ime Udoka’s staff but he’ll remain in the organization, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. He’ll move to a front office role, working as an assistant to GM Rafael Stone.

Lucas, a former Cavaliers, Spurs and Sixers head coach, joined Mike D’Antoni’s staff in Houston during the 2016/17 season and has been with the franchise since then.

We have more on the Rockets:

Houston’s first-year offer to Mavericks free agent Dwight Powell was higher than the $8MM Jock Landale will receive next season as part of his four-year, $32MM contract agreement with Houston, Marc Stein reports in a Substack post. Powell decided to take the Mavs’ three-year offer, even though it totaled only $12MM. Only the first year of Landale’s contract is guaranteed — it’s probably safe to assume the same was true of the offer for Powell.
Speaking of Landale, he knows he has to show the Rockets he’s worthy of getting the full value to his contract, he told ESPN’s Olgun Uluc. “I felt as though I’d worked my way to when I played and when I played heavy minutes, I always produced,” Landale said. “If I can get the trust of a coach who has the front office behind me, and they’re all supportive of the decision, absolutely I believe I can play to that contract. I also feel that, given it’s non-guaranteed, there’s no ability for me to take my foot off the gas, and I feel that’s really important and plays into my character a bit. I’ve still got to earn everything.”
While they paid an extremely high price financially, the Rockets finally have a much-needed stabilizing presence, leader and offensive connector in Fred VanVleet, Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes. Houston’s offense lacked cohesion and control in recent seasons and VanVleet’s presence should change that.

Magic Waive Bol Bol

July 4th, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have waived forward/center Bol Bol, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Bol had been on an expiring contract, with a non-guaranteed $2.2MM salary for 2023/24. That money was originally on track to become guaranteed if the big man remained on the roster through June 30, but he and the team agreed to push back the deadline.

The new guarantee date was Tuesday, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks, so Orlando decided to cut Bol before locking in his $2.2MM for the coming season.

Bol’s unique skill for his slender 7’2″ frame – including an ability to handle the ball – has long intrigued teams and fans, but he was limited to 53 games in Denver during his first three NBA seasons due to injuries. He enjoyed his best NBA season in 2022/23, staying on the floor for 70 games and averaging 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 21.5 minutes per night.

While Bol’s overall numbers were solid, it was a tale of two seasons for the former second-round pick. He put up 11.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 1.6 BPG with an impressive .584/.361/.740 shooting line in his first 41 appearances. In his final 29 games, he scored double-digit points just three times and had averages of 5.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 0.7 BPG on .447/.098/.806 shooting.

It sounds like the Magic determined after the season that Bol wasn’t part of their plans going forward. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), Orlando was exploring trading him around the time of the draft. The Suns and Mavericks were two teams mentioned as possible landing spots, though it’s not clear if either would still have interest, Fischer says.

A team would require $2.2MM in cap room or a trade exception that could cover that amount in order to place a waiver claim on Bol. If he’s not claimed, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent on Thursday.

The roster move gets Orlando down to 15 players on standard contracts for 2023/24.

Celtics Rumors: G. Williams, Brown, Porzingis, Brogdon

July 4th, 2023 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics still have at least two major pieces of business to deal with in the coming days, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who hears that team and league sources anticipate resolution on Grant Williams‘ restricted free agency before Jaylen Brown‘s contract extension.

The Hawks, Hornets, Mavericks, Knicks, and Wizards all remain contenders for Williams, says Weiss, noting that either a sign-and-trade deal or a mid-level offer has been considered the likeliest outcome for the RFA forward.

Multiple league sources tell Weiss they believe the Celtics would consider matching any offer worth up to the full non-taxpayer mid-level, but the team may not have the appetite to go much higher than that. If a rival suitor wants Williams badly enough, negotiating a sign-and-trade would ensure there would be no risk of Boston matching an offer sheet, but the Celtics have been seeking a first-round pick in sign-and-trade talks, Weiss reports.

Here’s more on the Celtics:

Weiss reiterates a point made by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, writing that even though Brown is eligible for a super-max contract extension, there are details to negotiate, including whether or not the deal will include incentives and whether it will feature a player option. While negotiations are expected to “pick up steam” soon, the sense is that once Williams’ situation is resolved, the Celtics will have a clearer picture of how they’ll build around Brown’s extension, Weiss explains.
Kristaps Porzingis, who will earn $36MM in 2023/24, is expected to earn approximately $28.8MM in ’24/25 and $31.2MM in ’25/26 on his new two-year, $60MM extension. As Weiss writes, that pay drop will help the Celtics manage their tax situation and potentially avoid the second tax apron in future seasons, depending on what happens with Brown and Williams.
While one weekend report indicated the Celtics aren’t trying to move Malcolm Brogdon, Weiss doesn’t believe the possibility of a Brogdon deal has been entirely ruled out. If Boston were to deal Brogdon or Williams (via sign-and-trade), the team would likely prioritize acquiring a ball-handler who could complement Derrick White in the backcourt, Weiss says.

Stein’s Latest: Mavs, Thybulle, J. Allen, Maxey, D. Powell

July 2nd, 2023 at 5:45pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to their previously reported interest in Grant Williams, the Mavericks have their eye on another restricted free agent, Matisse Thybulle of the Trail Blazers, league sources tell veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Substack story).

It’s unclear if Dallas has a real shot at either player — according to Stein, the Celtics and Blazers have been sending “behind-the-scenes signals” that they plan to match any offer sheet on their respective RFAs, and the over-the-cap Mavericks will be limited to the mid-level exception.

Besides pursuing another wing, the Mavericks would still like to upgrade their center spot. They explored trades for Clint Capela and Deandre Ayton and would have been interested in Naz Reid if he had reached free agency, Stein writes. For now, Dwight Powell and Richaun Holmes appears poised to vie for the starting job as lottery pick Dereck Lively adjusts to the NBA.

Here’s more from Stein’s latest look around the league:

There have been some “whispers” this week that Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen may be more available via trade than the team is letting on, says Stein. Allen was an All-Star in 2021/22 and had another solid season in ’22/23, but struggled to make an impact during Cleveland’s first-round playoff loss to New York.
Stein, like some other reporters, has heard that the Sixers have essentially made Tyrese Maxey untouchable in trade discussions. A team source tells Stein that Philadelphia views Maxey as an integral part of the club’s future and is adamant that he won’t be available in any trade.
According to Stein, Dwight Powell received “serious” interest from the Rockets before deciding to remain with the Mavericks. Houston pivoted to Jock Landale after Powell chose Dallas, Stein explains.

Checking In On NBA’s Top Remaining Free Agents

July 2nd, 2023 at 7:29am CST by Luke Adams

Technically, most of this year’s top free agents remain unsigned. Until the moratorium in place at the start of the 2023/24 league year lifts at 11:01 am Central time on July 6, most of them are ineligible to sign their new contracts.

However, within the last 40-ish hours, 36 of the players from our list of 2023’s top 50 free agents have taken themselves off the market by reaching contract agreements with teams around the league.

[RELATED: 2023 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

While those are just tentative agreements and could still fall apart, that usually doesn’t happen more than once or twice in a given offseason, so it’s safe to pencil those deals in for the time being and assume those free agents are off the board.

So who does that leave? As of early Sunday morning, here are the top free agents from our top-50 list who have yet to agree to new deals:

Miles Bridges, F, Hornets (RFA)
P.J. Washington, F, Hornets (RFA)
Grant Williams, F, Celtics (RFA)
Christian Wood, F/C
Kelly Oubre, F
Eric Gordon, G
Malik Beasley, G/F
Matisse Thybulle, F, Trail Blazers (RFA)
Lonnie Walker, G/F
Mason Plumlee, C
Ayo Dosunmu, G, Bulls (RFA)
Torrey Craig, F
Hamidou Diallo, G
Paul Reed, F/C, Sixers (RFA)

The Hornets are very much in the mix for all three of the remaining free agents in our top 20. As long as their qualifying offers to Washington and Bridges remain on the table, they control those players’ free agencies, with the ability to match any offer sheet they sign.

A report on Saturday indicated Charlotte is also mulling the possibility of an offer sheet for Williams. If the Hornets went ahead with a pursuit of the Celtics forward, it would presumably mean moving on from at least one of Bridges or Washington. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Washington has received interest from a few other teams and may be looking at a deal in the range of the one Rui Hachimura got from the Lakers (three years, $51MM).

Since being restricted can slow down the free agency process for players who don’t quickly negotiate a deal with their own teams, it’s possible there won’t be resolution right away for Thybulle, Dosunmu, and Reed. However, the rest of the players in this group are unrestricted and could move faster.

Scotto also has an update on Beasley, reporting today that the veteran shooter has drawn interest from the Sixers, Suns, Raptors, Mavericks, Bucks, and Warriors since reaching free agency. Some of those teams are limited to a minimum-salary offer.

The Kings and Pistons are among the teams that have displayed interest in Craig, according to Scotto, who notes that Detroit’s new head coach Monty Williams was a fan of the wing in Phoenix.

The following free agents were noted in the honorable mention section of our top-50 list and aren’t yet spoken for:

Mohamed Bamba, C
Dalano Banton, G
Terence Davis, G
Javonte Green, G
Derrick Jones, F
Cory Joseph, G
Romeo Langford, G/F
Jaylen Nowell, G
Kendrick Nunn, G
Dario Saric, F

Here are our full lists of free agents by position/type and by team.

Free Agency Rumors: G. Williams, Hornets, VanVleet, Blazers, Tavares

July 2nd, 2023 at 12:17am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets are mulling the possibility of an offer sheet for Celtics restricted free agent forward Grant Williams, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Williams has also drawn some interest from the Mavericks, according to Scotto.

The Hornets are currently operating as an over-the-cap team, which means they could offer up to the full $12.4MM mid-level exception in a deal for Williams. They have a potential path to creating cap room to make a stronger bid, but it would require renouncing the cap holds for multiple free agents, including their own RFA forwards P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges. The Hornets have also engaged in contract discussions with Washington, Scotto reports.

Here are a few more free agency notes and rumors from around the NBA:

The third and final season of Fred VanVleet‘s new three-year deal with the Rockets will be a team option, according to Jackson Gatlin of Locked on Rockets (Twitter link). A non-guaranteed third year makes the deal look considerably more team-friendly — and considerably more like the two-year offer the Rockets were originally said to be preparing for the veteran point guard.
Veteran center Edy Tavares, a second-round pick in 2014, has received a contract offer from the Trail Blazers, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. Tavares played just 13 games during his initial NBA stint, but is apparently earning another look after several strong seasons with Real Madrid, with whom he has won two EuroLeague titles and earned three All-EuroLeague First Team nods. However, Tavares’ contract includes a significant buyout, which may preclude a move stateside, Urbonas explains. His deal with Real Madrid will expire in 2024 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.
Donte DiVincenzo drew “strong” interest from three other teams during his free agency before he agreed to sign with New York, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). While DiVincenzo’s Villanova connection to Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart was a factor in his decision to join the Knicks, he also believes his new team can be a contender. “He wants to win and has a great opportunity to do so in New York,” a source said to Begley.

Free Agent Rumors: Lopez, Banton, T. Davis, Strus

June 30th, 2023 at 10:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Multiple NBA clubs are awaiting word on the future of unrestricted free agent center Brook Lopez, who has spent his past five seasons with the Bucks, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

Fischer reports that “increasing word” on Friday suggests the Rockets may bid in excess of the two-year, $40MM deal that has been floated as a possibility.

Lopez, 35, has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with Milwaukee. The seven-footer has been named to two All-Defensive Teams and won his first championship during his Bucks tenure, while totally transforming his game, from being a fringe All-Star post scorer while with the Nets to the gritty 3-and-D role player he is now.

In 78 regular season games for the 58-24 Bucks last season, the former Stanford big man posted averages of 15.9 PPG on .531/.374/.784 shooting splits, in addition to 6.7 RPG, 2.5 BPG and 1.3 APG. He was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Here are further free agent rumors:

Free agent point guard Dalano Banton met with the Celtics on Friday, according to Rafael Barlowe of NBA Big Board (via Twitter). The 6’9″ vet out of Nebraska had spent both of his NBA seasons to date with the Raptors. In 31 contests, last year, he averaged 4.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG and 1.2 APG.
The Celtics, Suns, Bucks, Mavericks and Raptors are among the teams with some level of interest in free agent former Kings shooting guard Terence Davis, according to Mark Jones of ESPN and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter links).
According to Fischer (Twitter link), the Spurs have emerged as a possible third team in a rumored sign-and-trade deal that would send Heat free agent shooting guard Max Strus to the Cavaliers. Sources tell Fischer that Cleveland has been looking to offload the contract of swingman Cedi Osman, whom Miami presumably has no interest in taking on. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports (via Twitter) that the Heat are aiming to create a trade exception and a future second-round draft selection in any sign-and-trade involving Strus.

Free Agent Rumors: Lopez, Rockets, DiVincenzo, Warriors, Saric, Mavs, Gordon, FVV, More

June 30th, 2023 at 3:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks center Brook Lopez is expected to be offered a two-year contract worth approximately $40MM from the Rockets, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports.

Houston, which has the most cap space this summer, has a meeting lined up with Lopez. The veteran center’s free agent decision is expected to come down to remaining in Milwaukee or joining the Rockets. The Rockets have a 20-year-old center in Alperen Sengun, a 2021 first-rounder, but Lopez could serve as a mentor to Houston’s youthful big men while stabilizing its defense and stretching the floor offensively.

We have more free agent news:

Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo has four meetings lined up on Friday and Saturday, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. DiVincenzo entered the market when he declined his $4.7MM option. The Knicks, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Pistons, Rockets, Magic, and Bulls have all been mentioned as potential pursuers for DiVincenzo, who could command the full $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The Warriors can only offer a four-year, $23.2MM deal due to cap restrictions since they only held his Non-Bird rights.
The Warriors are likely to land unrestricted free agent Dario Saric, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). Golden State is looking for a stretch four with a high basketball IQ and solid all-around skills. The 29-year-old Saric would also fit the team’s win-now approach. Saric, who tore his ACL during the 2021 playoffs, appeared in a total of 57 regular-season games with the Suns and Thunder this past season. The Warriors are generally seeking to sign swingmen and frontcourt players who shoot well on veteran’s minimum contracts, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears tweets.
Celtics restricted free agent Grant Williams will likely have to be patient to find an interested bidder, according to Fischer. Though the Celtics have acquired Kristaps Porzingis, it’s not out of the question Boston could match an offer sheet for Williams, who reportedly will have difficulty finding an offer above the non-taypayer mid-level exception.
The Mavericks has been linked to various wings and forwards, including Williams, Jae Crowder, Eric Gordon, and Malik Beasley, Fischer adds. League executives who have spoken to Yahoo Sports believe Gordon, who will enter the market after the Clippers decided not to guarantee his contract, could command the full mid-level or close to it.
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet is meeting with Toronto’s brass at the start of free agency and there’s optimism within the organization they can keep him in the fold, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca tweets. According to Grange, a four-year deal averaging $30MM might be enough to convince VanVleet, who declined a $22.8MM option in order to enter free agency, to re-sign.