Golden State Warriors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agent Rumors: Kawhi, Bender, Cousins, Mejri

July 2nd, 2019 at 2:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Despite some buzz on social media that Kawhi Leonard is leaning toward the Lakers, the reigning Finals MVP hasn’t reached a decision, tweets Cris Carter of Fox Sports 1. Carter – who has been an unexpectedly plugged-in source on Leonard since the forward’s days in San Antonio – adds that anyone thinking the Lakers have an edge on the Clippers or Raptors would be “wrong.”

Leonard is the last big star available in free agency, and his decision will have a long-lasting impact on all three franchises. Whichever club lands him will be a contender for the NBA title, while the other two teams will be scrambling to fill out their rosters. Leonard still hasn’t given any indication of when he plans to announce his choice.

Here are some more notes on the third day of free agency:

Now that the Suns have added Frank Kaminsky, they will part ways with Dragan Bender, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Bender had a disappointing three years in Phoenix after being selected with the fourth pick in the 2016 draft. He is an unrestricted free agent because the Suns declined his fourth-year option before the start of the season.
The Warriors can’t make an offer similar to the $6.4MM MLE that landed DeMarcus Cousins last summer, notes Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Golden State is so close to the hard cap that it cannot go much above minimum deals to complete its roster.
Salah Mejri was working out today with the Mavericks‘ Summer League players and remains a possibility to re-sign, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
As cap space dries up, restricted free agents such as Kelly Oubre, Delon Wright and Tyus Jones may benefit by accepting their teams’ qualifying offers and becoming unrestricted next summer in a weaker free agent class, suggests Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

Latest On Kevin Durant’s Departure From Warriors

July 1st, 2019 at 3:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors owner Joe Lacob has issued a statement on Kevin Durant‘s impending departure from the franchise, thanking the two-time Finals MVP for his contributions on the court and in the community. After wishing Durant well in the “next chapter” of his career, Lacob concludes his statement with a strong declaration on KD’s place in Warriors history.

“As long as I am Co-Chairman of this team, no player will ever wear No. 35 for the Warriors again,” Lacob said.

[RELATED: Kevin Durant to sign with the Nets]

Lacob’s announcement is a major sign of respect for Durant, and comes just hours after Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated published a story which suggested that a perceived lack of respect in Oakland may have helped push the former MVP to Brooklyn.

According to Spears, Durant’s friend Kendrick Perkins believes that KD had “one foot out the door” this past season because the Warriors made him feel underappreciated. A source close to Durant also told Spears that there were several things that happened over the past year that contributed to the forward’s decision to leave.

Spears points to an early-season, on-court altercation with Draymond Green – in which Green reportedly “called [Durant] out with an expletive” and made it clear that the Warriors had won in the past without him – as one of a negative incidents that occurred during the last year. An awkward joke by GM Bob Myers about Durant’s contract situation during the team’s 2018 championship celebration was another, Spears notes.

“All [of those negative incidents] showed a lack of respect for one of the greatest players to put that uniform on and the fact that he took all that abuse and still put his career on the line to help them win,” a source close to Durant told Spears.

“It was time for him to leave Golden State,” Perkins said of Durant, per Spears. “They were taking him for granted.”

Warriors Agree To Acquire D’Angelo Russell Via Sign-And-Trade

July 1st, 2019 at 12:08pm CST by ChrisCrouse

JULY 1: The Warriors will send a future protected first-round pick to the Nets as part of the deal to help incentivize them to acquire Durant via sign-and-trade, tweets Wojnarowski.

JUNE 30: The Warriors are trading for D’Angelo Russell, Treveon Graham, and Shabazz Napier from the Nets, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (Twitter link). The move would be made via sign-and-trade in exchange for Kevin Durant.

Russell will receive a four-year, $117MM maximum salary contract, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).

It was reported earlier today that the Warriors may have an interest in turning Durant’s departure into a sign-and-trade with the Nets. If they hadn’t taken back any salary in the deal, the Dubs could have created a $30MM trade exception. Instead, they’ll land one of the top restricted free agents on the market.

Brooklyn replaced Russell with Kyrie Irving at the point guard position and the franchise was said to be open to helping Russell find a new home of his choosing, even if it meant committing to a sign-and-trade. The Nets wouldn’t look to take salary back in most scenarios, but since they are getting Durant from Golden State, sending Russell there wouldn’t hinder their ability to sign their new stars.

Russell was said to be eyeing a possible move to Minnesota to team up with his close friend Karl-Anthony Towns. Perhaps that was before a deal in Golden State seemed like a feasible option.

The Warriors must stay below the tax apron, which is set at approximately $138.9MM, to remain eligible to accept a sign-and-trade. Doing so with Russell and Klay Thompson receiving maximum-salary deals will be extremely difficult, so another move or two is likely coming for Golden State. As Wojnarowski tweets, Andre Iguodala may have to be moved. Shaun Livingston also appears unlikely to be back.

[UPDATE: Warriors trading Iguodala to Grizzlies]

With Thompson expected to miss most or all of the 2019/20 season with a torn ACL, Russell figures to share the backcourt with Stephen Curry next season in a revamped Warriors lineup. It will be fascinating to see if the club plans to move forward and build around all three guards long-term once Thompson is healthy.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Warriors To Eventually Explore Trading D’Angelo Russell?

July 1st, 2019 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors are expected to eventually explore trading All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell, whom the team agreed to acquire in a sign-and-trade with the Nets on Sunday, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times (as relayed by RealGM).

“D’Angelo Russell does not fit there whatsoever,” Stein said on the Dan Patrick Show (Twitter link via Andrew Perloff). “They just did not want to see Kevin Durant walk out the door with no compensation. … They will trade him. It’s just a matter of when.”

Golden State is reportedly on track to acquire Russell, guards Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham as part of the agreement that will land Durant with Brooklyn. The Warriors have agreed to sign Russell to a four-year, $117MM contract.

While it’s fair to question the long-term fit of a backcourt made up of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Russell, it seems premature to assume that D-Lo is destined to be flipped, especially since the deal to acquire him hasn’t even been completed. The move to acquire Russell will also indirectly cost the Warriors Andre Iguodala and a first-round pick, and will severely limit the team’s ability to fill out its bench.

I imagine the Warriors will be patient in evaluating the fit in 2019/20, particularly with Thompson expected to miss or all of the season due to his torn ACL. Russell won’t become trade-eligible until at least December 15 once the Warriors acquire him.

Among the teams who previously expressed interest in Russell were the Lakers, who remain in pursuit of free agent forward Kawhi Leonard, and the Timberwolves, who are still in the market for a point guard.

Free Agent Rumors: Dudley, Beverley, McGee, Green

July 1st, 2019 at 12:05am CST by Arthur Hill

The new-look Nets may be close to bringing back one of their locker room leaders, tweets Michael Scotto of The Athletic. Jared Dudley is interested in signing up for another season in Brooklyn, a source tells Scotto.

Dudley, who will turn 34 next month, also contributed on the court in his first season with the Nets, averaging 4.9 PPG in 59 games and shooting 35% from 3-point range. Dudley is also drawing interest from the Pistons and met with Detroit officials today, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).

There’s more free agent news to pass along:

The Mavericks’ planned discussion with Patrick Beverley didn’t happen tonight, relays Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), who speculates that it was because of the team’s involvement in a three-way trade with the Heat and Sixers. Townsend adds that the Mavs’ chances of landing Beverley seem less likely than they were earlier.
Dallas is optimistic about reaching a deal with restricted free agent Maxi Kleber, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. He cites “productive discussions” between the Mavericks and the power forward/center.
JaVale McGee has a meeting set with the Pistons tomorrow, relays Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The free agent center talked to the Rockets today.
Danny Green spoke on his Instagram account about meeting with the Mavericks, Lakers and Clippers and Raptors, tweets Blake Murphy of The Athletic. “Being patient, man,” he said of the process. “Being patient.”
The Wizards would still like to re-sign Tomas Satoransky, but are looking into other options at point guard, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Hughes states that they are interested in Quinn Cook and notes that Shams Charania of The Athletic has reported an inquiry about Cory Joseph.

Warriors To Meet With Kevon Looney

June 30th, 2019 at 7:49pm CST by JD Shaw

The Warriors are meeting with free agent Kevon Looney in Los Angeles with hopes of re-signing the forward, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. Golden State was able to come to terms with Klay Thompson once free agency opened Sunday, but the team later lost All-Star forward Kevin Durant to a four-year deal from Brooklyn.

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 30th, 2019 at 7:31pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Knicks were not prepared to present Kevin Durant will a full-max contract offer, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). Owner Jim Dolan had concerns about Durant’s Achilles injury.

New York now has Julius Randle locked in on a three-year deal. The Knicks were long rumored to be the favorite for Durant’s services, though rumblings began to surface during the postseason that the Nets were contenders. Durant will take his talents to the other side of the Williamsburg Bridge.

[RELATED: Kevin Durant To Sign With Nets]

Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman met with the Warriors GM Bob Myers today and delivered his decision to leave Golden State, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com relays via Twitter. The remainder of the contenders were informed later on in the day and Woj adds that the teams feel Durant handled the process well.

Durant’s deal with the Nets could end up being a sign-and-trade, Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link).

There’s no word on whether the Warriors would want a player back or simply to open up a $30MM trade exception (as CBA rules state the amount would be his previous salary). Golden State could then absorb a player in a trade without having to worry about matching salary. Such an arrangement would likely involve the Warriors including an asset, as the Nets could easily carve out the required cap room to sign Durant outright.

Kevin Durant To Sign With Nets

June 30th, 2019 at 5:08pm CST by Luke Adams

5:08pm: Durant has made it official by announcing via Instagram that he’ll sign with the Nets.

3:55pm: Free agent forward Kevin Durant plans to sign with the Nets, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Durant will make a formal announcement via Instagram once free agency officially opens at 6:00pm eastern time, tweets Wojnarowski.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter), Durant will sign a four-year, maximum-salary contract with Brooklyn. The deal will be worth $164,255,700.

[UPDATE: Durant will accept less than the max to accommodate a $40MM deal for DeAndre Jordan]

[UPDATE: Durant expected to be acquired via sign-and-trade involving D’Angelo Russell]

It’s a fascinating decision by Durant, who was long believed by league insiders to be eyeing a move to the Knicks if he opted not to return to the Warriors. However, as it became increasingly clear that KD’s good friend Kyrie Irving would sign with Brooklyn, there was increased speculation that the Nets could be in play for Durant too. He and Irving had reportedly discussed the idea of playing together, and now they’ll get that chance.

Of course, while the two stars will share a locker room in Brooklyn, they’ll have to wait a little longer to actually take the court together. Durant is expected to miss the full 2019/20 season as he recovers from the torn Achilles he suffered during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Additionally, the Nets will have to make at least one more roster move before they can technically sign both Irving and Durant. Because KD’s maximum salary is higher than Kyrie’s, Brooklyn is still about $1.2MM short of that second max slot, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

In addition to adding Durant and Irving, the Nets have reportedly lined up deals with DeAndre Jordan and Garrett Temple. They’ll join a core that features Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris, and Spencer Dinwiddie. All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell will be headed elsewhere with Irving arriving in Brooklyn.

As for the Warriors, losing Durant means they’re no longer facing a record-setting luxury tax bill, but they figure to be aggressive in seeking ways to upgrade their roster with their two-time Finals MVP no longer in the mix.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Kevin Durant To Nets A Done Deal?

June 30th, 2019 at 3:43pm CST by clarkcrum

Marc Stein of The New York Times is reporting that the Nets are emanating an “undeniable vibe of confidence” that Kevin Durant will join his friend Kyrie Irving and announce tonight that he plans to sign with the Nets.

Brian Lewis of the New York Post adds that there are individuals within the Brooklyn organization – both players and front office employees – that are “quietly confident” that Durant will choose Brooklyn over the Warriors, Knicks, and Clippers.

Finally, Chris Broussard of Fox Sports hears that a team who was in the hunt to sign Durant now thinks that Durant is heading to Brooklyn as well.

As we noted earlier, we won’t have to wait much longer to find out if Brooklyn’s confidence is well-placed, as Durant will announce his decision online when free agency opens this evening.

Durant To Make Decision Via Instagram

June 30th, 2019 at 2:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

JUNE 30, 2:37pm: Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (link), Durant will announce his free agent decision tonight on Instagram, via his “The Boardroom” platform.

JUNE 28, 8:50pm: Kevin Durant is planning to speak with the Nets, Clippers and Knicks as well as the Warriors when free agency begins on Sunday night, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Durant probably won’t make a quick commitment. His decision-making process is expected to extend well into next week, according to Wojnarowski.

There are no surprises on Durant’s list. Both New York teams have been clearing cap space for years in order to pursue high-level free agents. The Clippers have taken the same approach the past two seasons, though they’ve been more often linked to Kawhi Leonard.

The process could be somewhat more informal than the last time Durant shopped himself in free agency during the summer of 2016. Durant is in New York after undergoing surgery on his torn Achilles tendon and plans to talk to teams there, Wojnarowski continues. He’ll conduct some combination of face-to-face meetings and other forms of communication with assistance from business manager Rich Kleiman.

Durant formally declined his $31.5M player option this week to become an unrestricted free agent. The Warriors are planning to offer him a five-year, $221MM max contract, while other teams can offer a four-year, $164MM deal.

Durant is expected to miss all of next season as he recovers from the injury suffered during the Finals.