Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Stein’s Latest: Barnes, Reaves, Rockets, Harden, Irving, More

June 29th, 2023 at 10:30am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers‘ interest in signing Max Strus may be an indication that free agent forward Harrison Barnes will remain with the Kings, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.

Stein reported recently that Indiana was interested in adding Barnes, who has huge supporters in Rick Carlisle, his former coach in Dallas, and Tyrese Haliburton, his ex-teammate in Sacramento. However, the Pacers only have $30MM in cap space, and Stein assumes Barnes is no longer in their plans if they’re preparing an offer for Strus in the $16MM range.

Sacramento radio host Carmichael Dave tweets that Barnes’ return to the Kings is “picking up major steam,” but the final details of a new contract still have to be worked out.

Stein offers inside information on a few more free agents:

Even though the Lakers are reported to have significant interest in Bruce Brown, Stein believes somebody will offer the Nuggets free agent more than the mid-level exception. L.A. appears certain to match any offer for restricted free agent Austin Reaves, who is eligible for nearly $102MM over four years from a rival team. A source told Stein that it should be considered an “automatic match.”
Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks are increasingly expected to commit to the Rockets shortly after the start of free agency, according to Stein, who says there would be “legitimate leaguewide surprise” if it doesn’t happen. Stein hears that Brooks will likely get a two-year contract with an annual salary in the $14-16MM range, while Houston is prepared to make a two-year, maximum-salary offer of $83.6MM for VanVleet. Stein states that the Rockets are confident new coach Ime Udoka can maximize Brooks’ game while limiting his excesses, while VanVleet is viewed as a leader and culture setter for a young roster.
The “prevailing expectation” is that Sixers guard James Harden and Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will re-sign with their current teams, according to Stein. He added that it remains difficult to project the length and dollar value of their new contracts as of Thursday morning.
According to Stein, multiple rival teams expect Andre Drummond to join the Mavericks, who added two new centers last week by drafting Dereck Lively II and trading for Richaun Holmes. Sources tell Stein that free agent Christian Wood and JaVale McGee are no longer in the team’s plans, though McGee has one more guaranteed year left on his contract, along with a $6MM player option for 2024/25.
Free agent guard Damion Lee is considered likely to sign a new deal with the Suns, Stein adds.

Reggie Bullock’s Salary To Be Fully Guaranteed

June 28th, 2023 at 11:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks are keeping Reggie Bullock on their roster past the June 28 deadline for his 2023/24 salary to become fully guaranteed, Marc Stein tweets.

Bullock will earn $10.49MM next season before becoming a free agent in 2024. Dallas could have saved nearly half that amount by releasing him before midnight on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old small forward came to the Mavericks as a free agent in 2021. He averaged 7.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 78 games last season while shooting 38% from three-point range.

Raptors Notes: VanVleet, Poeltl, Siakam, Anunoby, Wieskamp

June 28th, 2023 at 5:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

In a look at where the Raptors stand heading into free agency, Eric Koreen of The Athletic expects the team to re-sign both Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl, although it will be expensive to do so. Koreen projects a four-year, $130MM contract for VanVleet and a three-year, $63MM deal for Poeltl. That would give Toronto $164.8MM committed to 12 players for the upcoming season, leaving no way to fill out the roster without exceeding the projected luxury-tax threshold of $165MM.

The Rockets may be ready to offer VanVleet a maximum-salary contract, but they reportedly want to limit it to two years. Toronto’s willingness to commit to a longer deal could be enough to convince him to stay, although Koreen also explores sign-and-trade possibilities with the Bulls, Timberwolves and Nets.

The Thunder and Spurs appear to be the best options for Poeltl, Koreen states, although he’s not sure if either franchise will offer a big-money deal to a center with limited shooting range. Koreen also cites the Bucks, Bulls, Lakers and Mavericks as teams that might pursue a sign-and-trade.

There’s more on the Raptors:

Draft night was probably the best time to work out a trade involving Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby, Koreen adds. A recent report that Siakam may not be open to re-signing with any team that trades for him should cool off his market, but Koreen expects Toronto to still get offers for Anunoby. He also believes it’s likely that both players will start next season with the Raptors, but they probably won’t agree to extensions this summer.
Anunoby has selected CAA Basketball as his new representative, the agency announced (via Twitter). If Anunoby doesn’t sign an extension, he could become a free agent in 2024 by turning down a $19.9MM player option.
Joe Wieskamp and the Raptors have reached an agreement to extend the guarantee date for next season’s contract to July 18, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. The front office wants to see how he performs during Summer League before committing to another season, adds Murphy, who believes Wieskamp may get a small partial guarantee on the deal for agreeing to the change.

Southwest Notes: Irving, Wembanyama, Rockets, Morant, Hawkins

June 28th, 2023 at 4:33pm CST by Luke Adams

There will likely be an “extremely limited” market for Kyrie Irving outside of Dallas, Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Tuesday (YouTube link). According to Wojnarowski, that’s why the “full expectation” is that Irving will re-sign with the Mavericks.

“The question will be what kind of a deal does he goes back on,” Wojnarowski said. “How many years on a contract? I don’t think the money will be as much of an issue as how many fully guaranteed years are there for Kyrie Irving. I think that’s where the negotiation is going to be between he and the Mavericks.”

While there are no obvious non-Mavericks suitors for Irving at this point, it sounds like Kyrie intends to explore all his options. Appearing on NBA Today on Wednesday (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said Irving plans to take meetings when free agency opens on Friday. According to Shelburne, the mercurial guard hopes to end up somewhere that “feels like home” and where he can spend the rest of his playing career.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama won’t take part in the California Classic Summer League in early July, but will be joining the Spurs when they travel to the Las Vegas Summer League, the team announced today. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee has the story.
Under new Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, players will have to earn their minutes, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, who writes that winning will be prioritized over player development in “phase two” of the team’s rebuild. “A lot of the (playing) time and positions, those things have been given, so to speak, with the young guys,” Udoka said on Monday. “There’ll be changes now in phase two. We are adding some more young pieces but also adding some veterans. So I think this will kind of raise the level of competition. Nothing is handed out anymore.”
Lucas Finton of The Memphis Commercial Appeal has the details on Ja Morant‘s latest dealings with the legal system. According to Finton, the Grizzlies guard has filed a motion to dismiss an ongoing civil suit related to the punch Morant threw at a then-17-year-old during a pickup basketball game last summer.
The Pelicans believe they got the “best shooter in the draft” when they used the No. 14 overall pick on Jordan Hawkins, general manager Trajan Langdon told reporters, including Christian Clark of NOLA.com, on Tuesday.

Heat Rumors: Vincent, Strus, Lowry, Wood, Herro

June 28th, 2023 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have two rotation guards facing unrestricted free agency this week, and Gabe Vincent is considered a better bet to remain in Miami than Max Strus, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

There’s mutual interest in a new deal between the Heat and Vincent, whom the team values at a figure of about $10MM per year, sources tell Yahoo Sports.

As Fischer outlines, teams like the Suns, Pistons, Sixers, and Mavericks initially appeared to be among Vincent’s potential suitors. However, the Suns were probably only in play if they’d been forced to waive-and-stretch Chris Paul, while the Pistons may no longer be in the market for a free agent guard after making a trade for Marcus Sasser on draft night. Philadelphia and Dallas, meanwhile, would have interest in a guard like Vincent if they’re unable to re-sign James Harden and Kyrie Irving, respectively, but for now those stars appear likely to stick with their current teams.

Strus should be more popular on the open market, with cap-room teams like the Pistons, Pacers, and Magic among the possible suitors cited by league personnel, Fischer writes. Some clubs with the full mid-level exception will also have interest in Strus, according to Fischer — he mentions the Cavaliers as one, though he notes that Cleveland is also eyeing free agents like Kelly Oubre and Georges Niang.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his latest Lowe Post podcast that there’s a “ridiculous” amount of Strus buzz happening around the NBA right now. Lowe is confident that Strus will at least get a deal worth the full mid-level exception ($12.4MM) and says a team with cap room might top that figure, which is a point Fischer makes as well. People around the league aren’t expecting Strus to re-sign with the Heat, Fischer adds.

Here’s more on the Heat:

If Miami re-signs Vincent and doesn’t find a trade that requires Kyle Lowry‘s $29.7MM expiring contract, league personnel are preparing for the possibility that the Heat will waive Lowry, says Fischer. A report on Tuesday indicated that the team was considering the possibility of using the stretch provision on the veteran point guard. There’s already speculation about his possible free agent destinations, Fischer says, noting that a return to the Raptors would be a possible path for Lowry in that scenario.
Christian Wood has been continually identified by league personnel as a player who is on the Heat’s radar in free agency, Fischer reports. Wood isn’t expected to re-sign with Dallas.
If the Heat get the opportunity to make a play for Damian Lillard, there’s an expectation that Tyler Herro will be part of the package they offer the Trail Blazers. However, sources tell Chris Mannix of SI.com that Portland is “lukewarm” on Herro. It’s a moot point for now, since the Blazers remain focused on keeping Lillard. But if Dame does request a trade, it could become an important factor in trade talks.

Raptors Rumors: VanVleet, Poeltl, Siakam, Trent, Anunoby, Poole

June 28th, 2023 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors believe that they can be “a factor” in the East next season by bringing back the same core, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Although Toronto missed the playoffs in 2022/23, the team is apparently confident that a coaching change and a full offseason for this group will help make a difference in ’23/24.

Returning the same core would mean re-signing point guard Fred VanVleet and center Jakob Poeltl, two of the top free agents on the 2023 market. According to Grange, the Raptors are expected to meet with VanVleet in Los Angeles on Friday when free agency opens and are working out plans to link up with Poeltl as well.

Like other reporters, Grange has heard that Houston may be preparing a two-year contract offer in excess of $80MM for VanVleet, which would probably be more than Toronto is willing to pay on an annual basis. However, the Raptors – who might be open to a three- or four-year deal – believe the veteran guard wants to remain in Toronto and is still confident about their ability to bring him back.

As for Poeltl, there has been a belief that the big man will be back in the fold if the Raptors make a four-year offer in the neighborhood of $80MM, Grange says. However, multiple league sources tell Sportsnet.ca that the Spurs – keen on pairing Victor Wembanyama with a veteran center – have inquired about the possibility of reuniting with Poeltl. The Spurs will have the cap room necessary to make life difficult for Toronto if they choose to pursue the 27-year-old, who was dealt from San Antonio to Toronto in February.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Multiple teams have inquired about Pascal Siakam‘s availability, Grange reports. Besides the Hawks, Grange identifies the Hornets, Mavericks, Rockets, Pelicans, and Kings as clubs that have made calls about the two-time All-NBA forward. The Raptors have been open to listening, but not many of the conversations they’ve had about Siakam even qualify as “preliminary” trade discussions, according to Grange.
While Gary Trent Jr.‘s camp has conveyed interest in working out an extension after he picked up his 2023/24 player option, the Raptors are taking a wait-and-see approach and haven’t made plans to formally discuss a new deal with Trent in the near future, Grange writes.
Before agreeing to trade Jordan Poole to Washington, the Warriors reached out to the Raptors to see if they’d be interested in a deal centered around Poole and forward OG Anunoby, reports Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. Toronto didn’t have interest in exploring the idea further.

Trade Rumors: LaVine, Garland, Rockets, Clippers, Blazers, Bucks

June 28th, 2023 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have engaged with “several” teams about the possibility of a Zach LaVine trade this offseason, but haven’t gotten serious about moving the high-scoring guard, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

As Fischer explains, LaVine’s pricey long-term contract will make potential trade partners wary about giving up a substantial package of players and draft picks, but the Bulls would be seeking a return that far outweighs what Washington got for Bradley Beal last week.

Fischer names the Knicks and Mavericks as possible teams to watch for LaVine, but immediately throws cold water on the likelihood of either club emerging as a legitimate suitor in the near future. New York seems to be taking a more patient approach to building its roster, according to Fischer, who adds that Dallas was viewed as a more serious threat for LaVine before acquiring Kyrie Irving as a co-star for Luka Doncic.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

Despite some speculation to the contrary, the Cavaliers haven’t had any discussions about trading Darius Garland and have no intention to move the All-Star point guard, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). The Cavs appear focused on pursuing roster moves that don’t involve trading any of their four cornerstone players (Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen).
In addition to Kenyon Martin Jr., the Rockets have gauged potential trade interest in young players like Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher, sources tell Fischer.
Norman Powell and Marcus Morris have both been mentioned in recent days as trade candidates. According to Fischer, the Clippers have been canvassing the league to see what a package of both players might return.
No clear suitors have emerged for guard Anfernee Simons, who looks like the Trail Blazers‘ most obvious trade chip, says Fischer. According to Fischer, the Blazers and Cavaliers had some brief talks about Nassir Little prior to the draft, but didn’t gain any real traction toward a deal.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast that the Bucks had some “relatively serious” internal conversations about John Collins before he was dealt to Utah. “I do think Milwaukee is looking around for, like, ‘Can we get a little injection of randomness? (An) injection of, like, bounce and athleticism, and just change?'” Lowe said. “Maybe just change more than anything else. But I don’t think (the Collins interest) went anywhere serious.”

Suns, Mavs Had Advanced Ayton Trade Talks During Draft

June 27th, 2023 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns and Mavericks came close to making a deal on draft night that would have sent Deandre Ayton to Dallas, according to Marc Stein (Substack link).

Sources tell Stein that the proposed trade would have resulted in Tim Hardaway Jr., Richaun Holmes, and JaVale McGee heading to Phoenix. However, the Suns balked at the idea of taking back McGee as part of the package. It’s not yet known if the negotiations can or will be resuscitated, Stein writes.

The packaged described by Stein, which doesn’t include any draft compensation, seems pretty light for a former No. 1 overall pick. Sources tell Stein that the Suns were intrigued because they like Hardaway and Holmes and envisioned them as players who could immediately step into the rotation alongside stars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Their contracts would also be movable in subsequent trades.

While one of Stein’s sources wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Phoenix and Dallas resuming their trade discussions, separate reports on Friday and Sunday indicated that the Suns intend to hang onto Ayton, which makes it sound as if the team has pivoted away from any talks involving the big man that occurred prior to or during Thursday’s draft.

Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who reported on Saturday that the Suns had spoken to the Sixers about a deal involving Ayton and Tobias Harris, also followed up on Sunday by stating that Phoenix had ended its pursuit of Harris and planned to keep Ayton.

As Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype notes (via Twitter), if the two teams are willing to reopen their negotiations, it would make sense to fold any potential deal into a four-way trade with the Thunder and Kings that includes the previous Davis Bertans and Holmes agreements. In that scenario, they might be able to find a way to reroute McGee to Oklahoma City or Sacramento.

McGee is still owed approximately $12MM in guaranteed money over the next two seasons, including a player option for 2024/25. That 2022 signing looks like a clear mistake by the Mavericks, who also explored signing Bruce Brown using part of their mid-level exception a year ago, but decided that McGee was a “bigger prize,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said during the latest Hoop Collective podcast (Twitter audio link).

Harrison: "We Feel Like We Killed The Draft"

June 27th, 2023 at 9:21am CST by Luke Adams

Heading into last Thursday’s draft, there was speculation that the Mavericks would trade their No. 10 overall pick for a veteran. Instead, they ended up with a pair of first-rounders at No. 12 and No. 24, which they used on Dereck Lively and Olivier-Maxence Prosper. They also swapped out Davis Bertans for Richaun Holmes as part of their draft-night dealings. “We feel like we killed the draft,” GM Nico Harrison said, according to Tim Cato of The Athletic, who takes a closer look at how Thursday night’s moves set up the team for the rest of the offseason.

Stein’s Latest: Reid, Spurs, Pistons, Johnson, Rose, Porzingis, Jazz

June 26th, 2023 at 8:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs were among the teams who were interested in signing Timberwolves big man Naz Reid before he agreed to a three-year, $42MM extension, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.

San Antonio was seeking a veteran center to ease the burden on No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama during his rookie season. However, the Spurs may have only planned to offer Reid a one-year deal.

The Mavericks were among the teams with the full $12.4MM mid-level exception available who were known to have interest in Reid, Stein adds.

Here are some more tidbits from Stein:

The Pistons’ interest in Nets restricted free agent Cameron Johnson, which has previously been reported by Stein, is genuine, he reiterates. There’s rising belief around the league that he’s their No. 1 free agent target, even though the Nets have the right to match. Detroit is projected to have over $30MM in cap space.
The Suns, Bucks and Bulls have been mentioned as potential landing spots for Derrick Rose, according to Stein. The Knicks declined to pick up their $15.6MM option on Rose for next season. However, Rose’s time in New York isn’t necessarily over — the Knicks may re-sign him at a lower number if his other options don’t pan out, Stein says.
If Kristaps Porzingis had chosen to decline his player option, the Jazz were prepared to make offer for more money than the Celtics can give him via a two-year, $77MM extension, per Stein. They were also interested in being the third party to facilitate the trade between the Wizards and Celtics. Boston was Porzingis’ preferred destination, however.