Warriors Rumors

Latest On Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving

Trade talks involving Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving remain stagnant even with all the league’s general managers gathered together in Las Vegas, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The Nets are determined to be patient and won’t give up either player without getting what they want in return, Lewis adds.

Lewis describes any Durant discussions as being “just at the talking stage, and likely the not-too-serious kind.” He states that Brooklyn is focused on moving Durant first because the Lakers appear to be the only real market for Irving and the Nets would have to take back Russell Westbrook‘s $47MM salary, which could limit flexibility in a Durant deal.

Rumors involving the Warriors as a potential landing spot for Durant seem to have cooled, Lewis notes. Stephen Curry addressed the situation indirectly on Saturday, dismissing “the rumor mill” and adding, “I like where we’re at” in terms of the current roster.

Here are a few more notes related to Durant and Irving:

  • No matter what the return is, the Durant era will be remembered as a “catastrophic failure” for Nets management, Lewis adds in a separate piece. Although the process could drag out for weeks or even months, Lewis doesn’t believe speculation that Durant and Irving might eventually play for Brooklyn again or claims that the Raptors wouldn’t part with Scottie Barnes in a Durant deal.
  • The Nets and the teams that they’re talking to are all being cautious about putting a Durant trade together, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who adds that there’s no guarantee a deal will be reached before the end of Summer League. “If you’re the Nets, you can get a sense of how far some teams are going to go,” Wojnarowski said, “and if you’ve feel like they’ve gone as far as they’re going to go with you, is that good enough for Kevin Durant? Because in any scenario you’re probably not getting value for Kevin Durant. There’s no deal where you can say, ‘Hey, we’re better for this. It’s just the best you can get. And again with the four years left on his contract, you could wait it out.”
  • Durant is refusing to listen to recruiting pitches from other players around the league, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports said on a recent Posted Up podcast. Other than occasional posts on Twitter, Durant isn’t in contact with anyone outside of his inner circle, Haynes adds. “Numerous stars have been trying to get in touch with him to pick his brain to see if he would consider other avenues,” Haynes said. “Just want to get a sense of what he’s thinking. … KD has gone dark. He’s not talking to anybody. Not answering anybody’s phone calls, not responding to texts, KD has gone dark.”
  • The Lakers may be divided over whether to pursue Irving at all, Jovan Buha said on the The Athletic NBA Show podcast. Buha has heard that LeBron James wants to trade for Irving, but others in the organization would rather use their assets to try to get Buddy Hield and Myles Turner from the Pacers.

James Wiseman Cleared To Play In Summer League

After sitting out the entire 2021/22 season in the wake of meniscus surgery, Warriors center James Wiseman will return to the court Sunday for a Summer League contest against the Spurs, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Slater adds that Saturday’s practice was the final hurdle for Wiseman, who hasn’t participated in an NBA game since April of 2021. Wiseman played in three G League contests in March, but he was shut down again after experiencing swelling in his knee.

Wiseman is thrilled to be able to return, telling Madeline Kenney of The East Bay Times“I cannot wait to go out there and just play the game of basketball again.”

The Warriors have been preparing Wiseman for a Summer League comeback for several weeks, Kenney states. His practice routine has alternated between 5-on-5 games and lighter workouts over the past few days. The training staff has been closely watching how Wiseman has responded to drills designed to improve his conditioning.

“Part of his growth, he’s got to get his wind back. You have to almost just blow it out and get him super fatigued, it’s really the only way to push him to the next level,” said assistant Jama Mahlalela, who’s serving as the team’s head coach in Las Vegas.

Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, played just 39 games as a rookie before suffering the meniscus injury. He was projected to be ready for training camp last September, but suffered setbacks that prevented him from playing. He has gone through two more procedures since then, Kenney adds, including an orthobiologic injection.

And-Ones: Diop, Baynes, Onuaku, Free Agency, Macon, Dragic

Cavaliers draft-and-stash pick Khalifa Diop has extended his contract with Gran Canaria through 2025, according to Eurohoops.net. The Senegalese center’s previous deal with the club was set to expire in 2024. Diop. 20, was selected with the 39th overall pick with the goal of stashing him at least for next season. Presumably, Diop will have NBA opt-outs in his European contract for when Cleveland is ready to bring him aboard.

We have more news from around the basketball world:

  • Free agent center Aron Baynes worked out for NBA teams in Las Vegas on Friday and received generally positive reviews, Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com reports. Baynes is seeking an NBA comeback after suffering a serious spinal cord injury during the Tokyo Olympics. One scout told Bulpett that Baynes showed good stamina and a consistent 3-point stroke. Another executive said that Baynes could be a good fit for the Celtics.
  • Israeli League MVP Chinanu Onuaku will work out for NBA teams on Wednesday at the Las Vegas Summer League, Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net reports. The Raptors, Clippers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Mavericks and Lakers are among the teams expected to be in attendance. Additionally, Greece’s Panathinaikos is expected to soon present an official offer for a two-year contract. The 6’11” big man played six games with the Rockets from 2016-18.
  • Donte DiVincenzo‘s two-year contract with the Warriors and Bruce Brown‘s two-year deal with the Nuggets are the best value signings during free agency thus far, in the view of executives who spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.
  • Former NBA guard Daryl Macon has signed with Unics, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. Macon averaged 13.1 PPG and 3.6 APG last season in EuroLeague with Panathinaikos. Macon played four games with the Heat during the 2019/20 season.
  • Former NBA guard Zoran Dragic has re-signed with Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana for another season, according to Sportando. Dragic averaged 10.7 PPG and 5.5 RPG last season in EuroCup action.

Contract Details: DiVincenzo, Brown, Warren, Eubanks, Pinson

Donte DiVincenzo‘s new two-year contract with the Warriors includes a 15% trade kicker, Hoops Rumors has learned. Golden State signed DiVincenzo using a $4.5MM chunk of its taxpayer mid-level exception, leaving a leftover portion of $1,979,000 on that MLE. DiVincenzo’s second-year player option is worth $4,725,000.

Here are a few more details on recently signed contracts:

  • Bruce Brown‘s two-year deal with the Nuggets is worth the full taxpayer mid-level exception ($6,479,000), with the maximum allowable 5% raise for his second-year player option ($6,802,950), Hoops Rumors has learned.
  • T.J. Warren‘s one-year contract with the Nets is worth the veteran’s minimum, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Warren will earn a $2,628,597 salary while Brooklyn takes on a cap hit of $1,836,090 for the veteran forward.
  • As expected, the new one-year contracts Drew Eubanks (Trail Blazers) and Theo Pinson (Mavericks) are also worth the veteran’s minimum. Both deals are guaranteed.

Western Notes: Wolves, Morant, Preston, Mahlalela

When Rudy Gobert first heard about the proposed deal sending him to the Timberwolves, he told his agent Bouna Ndiaye that he needed a day or two to think about it, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. After some deliberation, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year got fully on board with the move.

“After one day, I told him it was probably the best, most exciting situation in terms of basketball for me,” Gobert told reporters on Wednesday.

As Michael Rand of The Star Tribune details, the deal will deplete the Timberwolves’ depth to some extent, but the trade-off should be worth it, as Minnesota will have one of the NBA’s best starting fives.

The deal has major boom-or-bust potential, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who notes that the Wolves are betting big on “big ball” by pairing Gobert with Karl-Anthony Towns. If the twin-towers approach works for Minnesota, it could “quickly spawn imitators,” says Hollinger. If it doesn’t, it’ll be a costly mistake that could set the franchise back for years to come.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

  • Ja Morant‘s new maximum-salary extension with the Grizzlies includes a 15% trade kicker, but it doesn’t feature a fifth-year player option, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means Morant will remain under team control through the 2027/28 season.
  • Jason Preston will be available for the Clippers‘ Summer League team after missing his entire rookie season due to right foot surgery. According to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times, about three weeks after the Clippers’ season ended, Preston was able to start participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages without restrictions.
  • The Warriors are promoting assistant coach Jama Mahlalela to the front of their bench for the 2022/23 season, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Mahlalela will fill the opening created by Mike Brown‘s departure to Sacramento, while Kenny Atkinson – who nearly departed for Charlotte himself – will replace Brown as Steve Kerr‘s lead assistant.

Patrick Baldwin Jr. Signs With Warriors

The Warriors have signed first-round pick Patrick Baldwin Jr., the team announced on Twitter.

Assuming Baldwin receives 120% of the rookie scale, which is standard, his salary will be $2.2MM for his first season and $11.4MM over the four-year contract.

Baldwin was a highly touted high school player whose draft stock tumbled after a disappointing season at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he played for his father. An ankle injury limited him to 11 games and he averaged 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per night while shooting 34.4% from the field and 26.6% from three-point range.

Golden State felt Baldwin was worth the gamble with the 28th overall pick, and the Warriors can afford to give the 19-year-old forward time to develop.

Warriors Preparing For James Wiseman To Play In Summer League

  • Warriors center James Wiseman isn’t expected to play in Friday’s game, but the team plans to use him at some point during Las Vegas Summer League, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Wiseman, who missed the entire season due to right knee issues, participated in a 5-on-5 scrimmage Tuesday. Jonathan Kuminga joined the team today and is also expected to see some game action (Twitter link).

Lester Quinones Signs Two-Way Deal With Warriors

JULY 5: Quinones’ two-way deal with the Warriors is now official, the team announced (via Twitter).


JUNE 23: The Warriors are adding Memphis guard Lester Quinones on a two-way contract, Shams Charania of Stadium tweets.

Quinones averaged 10 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.3 APG and 1.2 SPG during his junior season. He shot 44.9% from the field and 38.9% on 3-point attempts.

Golden State had guards Chris Chiozza and Quinndary Weatherspoon on two-way deals at the end of the season, but Chiozza is no longer eligible for a two-way contract and there’s no guarantee Weatherspoon will be back.

Western Notes: Wiseman, Lundberg, Dorsey, Brunson, Tampering

Warriors center James Wiseman remains on track to play in the Las Vegas Summer League, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Wiseman played 5-on-5 full contact on Sunday for the first time since he had a setback in his right knee rehab late in the regular season. The No. 2 pick of the 2020 draft missed all of last season.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • Gabriel Lundberg is not on the Suns’ summer league roster and he could be on the move, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. Lundberg, who signed a two-way contract with Phoenix in March and appeared in four regular season games, has a possible deal overseas, Rankin hears. Lundberg left CSKA Moscow after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
  • Tyler Dorsey had a private workout with the Mavericks on Sunday, Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports tweetsDorsey appeared in a combined 104 regular season games for Atlanta and Memphis from 2017-19. He played for Olympiacos (Greece) last season and was the team’s second-leading scorer.
  • Will the Knicks be penalized for tampering after securing a commitment from Mavericks free agent guard Jalen Brunson? Fred Katz and Tim Cato of The Athletic tackle that subject, with Katz hearing that there’s an expectation around the league that the Knicks will get charged with tampering, unless they work out a sign-and-trade with Dallas. Katz notes that New York started dumping salary on draft night and continued to do so amid reports prior to the start of free agency that Brunson was going to the Knicks.

13 Trade Exceptions Set To Expire In July

A total of 13 traded player exceptions created during the 2021 NBA offseason are set to expire this month if they go unused.

A trade exception is an NBA salary cap exception that can be generated when a team trades a player away. It allows that team to acquire a certain amount of salary without sending out any in return for one year after the exception was created. The club is permitted to trade for a player earning the amount of the exception, plus $100K.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Traded Player Exception]

For instance, the Trail Blazers are set to use their $20,864,198 trade exception, created in February’s CJ McCollum trade, to acquire Jerami Grant, who is earning $20,955,000 in 2022/23. Grant narrowly fits into that TPE after accounting for the $100K in wiggle room.

Most trade exceptions expire without being used, but teams can sometimes find a use for them — especially the bigger ones like Portland’s. So it’s worth keeping tabs on which ones are still available.

Here are the 13 exceptions set to expire this month:

  1. Boston Celtics: $17,142,857 (expires 7/18)
  2. Los Angeles Clippers: $8,250,000 (expires 7/18)
  3. Indiana Pacers: $7,333,333 (expires 7/7)
  4. New Orleans Pelicans: $6,382,262 (expires 7/7)
  5. Chicago Bulls: $5,000,000 (expires 7/7)
  6. Memphis Grizzlies: $4,054,695 (expires 7/7)
  7. Brooklyn Nets: $3,246,530 (expires 7/6)
  8. Toronto Raptors: $3,070,052 (expires 7/6)
  9. Atlanta Hawks: $1,782,621 (expires 7/7)
  10. Golden State Warriors: $1,782,621 (expires 7/7)
  11. Milwaukee Bucks: $1,517,981 (expires 7/7)
  12. Boston Celtics: $1,440,549 (expires 7/7)
  13. Brooklyn Nets: $118,342 (expires 7/6)

The Celtics’ $17MM exception, created in last year’s Evan Fournier sign-and-trade, is the most noteworthy one here, but it appears unlikely to be used. Boston reached a deal last week to acquire Malcolm Brogdon without having to use the exception, and now appears to be a long shot to strike another major trade agreement.

The third exception on this list, the Pacers’ $7.3MM TPE, will disappear if Indiana decides to operate under the cap. The team would have to renounce the exception in order to actually make use of its cap room.

While it’s possible some of the other exceptions on this list will be used before they expire, they won’t accommodate any of the deals that have been agreed upon to date.

The full list of outstanding trade exceptions can be found right here.