Thunder Rumors

Brook Lopez, Mitchell Robinson Among Centers On Trade Block

Bucks veteran Brook Lopez and Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson are among the prominent centers who are available for trade this offseason, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Fischer hears from sources who say Clint Capela (Hawks), Walker Kessler (Jazz) and Isaiah Stewart (Pistons) are other big men names to watch on the trade market.

According to Fischer, Milwaukee is open to roster changes and has been gauging Lopez’s market value. The 36-year-old will earn $23MM in 2024/25, which is the final season of his contract. League sources tell Fischer the Rockets warned Lopez when they pursued him last summer that returning to the Bucks could eventually lead to him being traded.

While the Alex Caruso trade wouldn’t preclude the Thunder from making a run at Isaiah Hartenstein, they seem far more focused on finding a “situational reserve” center instead of a signing a starting-caliber big man like Hartenstein, per Fischer. As of now, the Knicks seem to be in the driver’s seat to re-sign the 26-year-old, Fischer writes — that’s why New York has been discussing Robinson deals.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv has also heard Robinson has popped up in trade talks (Twitter link). Begley believes the Knicks aren’t “fully committed” to dealing Robinson, but they view his contract — he’ll make $27.3MM over the next two seasons — as a valuable trade chip.

As cap expert Yossi Gozlan observes (via Twitter), moving off Robinson’s salary would give New York more financial flexibility this offseason, perhaps to re-sign Precious Achiuwa and OG Anunoby. If the Knicks make no other cost-cutting moves, they would project to be well over the second tax apron if they bring back all their key free agents.

Capela, 30, is on a $22.3MM expiring contract. He has popped up in trade rumors for some time. While Fischer suggests the Hawks and Pistons been actively exploring deals for Capela and Stewart, respectively, his wording on Kessler is more speculative, writing that “rival teams believe” the Jazz are open to the possibility of moving the 22-year-old, who excelled as a rookie in ’22/23 but had an uneven second season.

Thunder Trade Josh Giddey To Bulls For Alex Caruso

The Thunder have officially traded Josh Giddey to the Bulls for Alex Caruso, the two teams confirmed in press releases. Our full trade breakdown from Thursday can be found here.

While Chicago’s statement doesn’t have any quotes from the front office, Thunder head of basketball operations Sam Presti was remarkably transparent, at least from his perspective, about how and why the trade transpired.

We want to thank Josh for his many contributions to our team and know he will capitalize on the opportunities before him in Chicago.

When we drafted Josh in 2021 he was an essential aspect of our vision for the next iteration of the Thunder. Since then, our team has evolved rapidly and dynamically in ways we could never have anticipated. Therefore, as we began our internal discussions this offseason, it was determined that bringing Josh off the bench next season was our best option to maximize his many talents and deploy our team more efficiently over 48 minutes.

As we laid out to Josh how he could lean into his strengths and ultimately optimize our current roster and talent, it was hard to for him to envision, and conversations turned to him inquiring about potential opportunities elsewhere. As always was the case, Josh demonstrated the utmost professionalism throughout the discussions. Josh has All-Star potential, but accessing that in the current construct of the Thunder would not be optimal for the collective. Based on these discussions we decided to move forward and prioritize what was best for the organization.

Alex Caruso is a player we have always highly valued and followed. He is the quintessential Thunder player; he is an exceptional competitor and teammate with a multi-dimensional skillset. His presence and game will help elevate the core of our team as we continue to strive to build a sustainably elite program in Oklahoma City. Alex is a player that began his professional career with the Thunder/Blue and the opportunity to add him was something we felt would truly enhance our team and culture. We could not be more excited to see Alex in Thunder blue (again).”

A former sixth overall pick who is still only 21 years old, Giddey was brought off the bench for the first time in his career during the Thunder’s second-round series vs. Dallas due to shooting and defensive struggles. The Australian guard/forward, who is a very talented rebounder and passer, will be a restricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign a rookie scale extension with Chicago this offseason.

Caruso, meanwhile, has become one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders, earning All-Defensive team nods each of the past two seasons. He’s also a more accomplished shooter than Giddey, with superior accuracy (38.0% vs. 31.0%) from three-point range during his career. The 30-year-old is headed for unrestricted free agency in 2025 if he doesn’t sign an extension before the 2024/25 campaign ends.

2024 NBA Offseason Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder

After going 22-50 in 2020/21 and 24-58 in ’21/22, the Thunder took a major step forward in their rebuild in ’22/23, finishing 40-42, good for the No. 10 seed in the West. Oklahoma City won its first play-in game that season over New Orleans, but the team was eliminated from postseason contention by Minnesota, which advanced as last season’s No. 8 seed.

A year-over-year increase of 16 wins is pretty rare in the NBA. Yet in 2023/24, the Thunder actually surpassed that total, winning an additional 17 games and finishing 57-25 (they had the same record as Denver but claimed the West’s top seed due to a head-to-head tiebreaker). Oklahoma City finished the regular season third in offensive rating and fourth in defense, for an overall net rating of +7.3, which only trailed the Celtics (+11.7).

In their first playoff run with their young core, the Thunder quickly dispatched the Pelicans in a first-round sweep before falling to the Mavericks in a six-game second-round series. While the outcome was obviously disappointing, it was a competitive series — the two teams scored the exact same number of points. Dallas went on to make the NBA Finals, losing to Boston in five games.

Oklahoma City’s ascent from a rising young team to a legitimate contender was very rapid, spearheaded by the emergence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a MVP candidate — he finished third in the 2024 balloting. Second-year wing Jalen Williams and center Chet Holmgren, who just finished his rookie campaign but has technically been under contract for two years, round out the Thunder’s formidable (and very young) big three.

With Gilgeous-Alexander as the team’s primary ball-handler and Williams a frequent secondary creator, Josh Giddey became expendable. The Mavs dared Giddey to shoot in their second-round series and he struggled defensively as well, later admitting his confidence took a hit. Reigning Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault ultimately moved the former sixth overall pick to the bench, but even before the playoffs, Giddey’s fit going forward was a major question mark.

The Thunder are trading Giddey to the Bulls in a one-for-one swap for defensive stalwart Alex Caruso, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. OKC had its sights set on the 30-year-old for a while and the team reportedly views him as a long-term fit. Caruso is on an expiring contract but will be extension-eligible during the season, whereas Giddey will be restricted next year if he doesn’t sign a rookie scale extension with Chicago this offseason.

It’s worth noting that Caruso has ties to the Thunder, having played for Daigneault while the two were with the Blue — OKC’s NBA G League affiliate — several years ago. Caruso also publicly praised Daigneault back in November.

The move made a lot of sense, as Caruso doesn’t need the ball to be effective and is in a different league as a defender compared to Giddey. He’s also a much better shooter, having made 40.8% of his 4.7 three-point attempts in 2023/24, versus 33.7% (a career-high) on 3.0 attempts for Giddey.

President of basketball operations Sam Presti has been hoarding draft picks for years, so Oklahoma City has plenty of non-player assets to dangle in additional trade talks. The Thunder also project to have $33MM+ in cap room this summer, putting the team in a unique position as a contender who can be a major player in free agency.


The Thunder’s Offseason Plan

The Thunder have Gilgeous-Alexander, three-and-D wing Luguentz Dort, and last year’s 10th pick, Cason Wallace, under team control for at least the next three seasons. The same is true of Kenrich Williams, though his future with OKC seems a little uncertain after his role was reduced this past season. Still, Williams’ contract is relatively team-friendly and he would likely appeal to rival teams if he were made available.

The 2026 offseason is an important one to keep in mind for OKC, as that’s when Holmgren and Jalen Williams will have completed the fourth and final seasons of their rookie scale contracts and will be up for new deals. Based on how they played this past season and factoring in projected growth, it wouldn’t at all be surprising if they both received maximum-salary contracts in the future, whether that comes via extensions in the 2025 offseason or as restricted free agents in 2026.

That means the Thunder have a two-year window to take advantage of their financial flexibility, since it may be the last period in which they’ll have a significant amount of room available for quite some time. The Thunder don’t have to commit long-term money this summer if they don’t want to though — they could preserve flexibility for 2025 by “overpaying” a player or two on short-term deals, similar to what happened with Indiana and Bruce Brown last offseason.

The Pacers gave Brown a two-year, $45MM contract which only features one fully guaranteed season (the second is a team option). They later used him as salary-matching ballast in the trade to acquire Pascal Siakam from the Raptors (Toronto is expected to exercise its $23MM option on Brown and will reportedly look to trade him).

That type of contract structure could be appealing to the Thunder if they want to hedge their bets. The players they sign could be used as salary-matching pieces if the right opportunities present themselves while also (hopefully) being positive contributors for OKC.

Isaiah Hartenstein has been mentioned as a possible free agent target, and he only has Early Bird rights, which means the Knicks are limited to offering him a four-year, $72.5MM deal. One rumor suggested the Thunder might be willing to offer Hartenstein a short-term deal — perhaps two years — with a high salary. Would that appeal to Hartenstein?

Fred Katz of The Athletic recently reported the 26-year-old big man is looking for “long-term security, not high-risk, high-reward instability,” so a deal with just one or two guaranteed years may be a tough sell. If they wanted to, the Thunder could easily offer Hartenstein a three-year deal that matches or exceeds New York’s total, allowing him to hit free agency a year earlier while joining a great team.

Hartenstein would bring a different dynamic to the Thunder as a more “traditional” big man. While I place a high value on the 26-year-old’s game, I don’t necessarily love his fit with Oklahoma City. The main reason for that is the Thunder run a “five-out” offense predicated on everyone being able to handle the ball, pass and shoot. That spacing creates driving lanes for Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and is part of what makes Holmgren so effective as a center. Hartenstein makes good on-ball decisions and is a plus passer for a big man, but he’s essentially a non-shooter.

Of course, that’s just a cursory glance at his potential fit. Hartenstein is also an excellent screener and an unselfish ball mover — a fairly atypical combination for a big man. When they’re at their best, the Thunder are frequently moving, setting screens and back-cutting toward the basket on the weak side. That would seemingly pair well with Hartenstein.

Hartenstein had an excellent all-around season by traditional measures and by advanced statistics. For instance, when he was on the court during the regular season, the Knicks had the equivalent of the NBA’s third-best offense and second-best defense (they were slightly negative when he didn’t play). He ranked seventh in the league in defensive FG% at the rim, ahead of Victor Wembanyama, Brook Lopez and Anthony Davis. He would also improve the Thunder’s rebounding at both ends of the court.

The Thunder’s biggest weakness during the 2023/24 season was on the boards, ranking just 27th in the league in rebounds per game and 28th in rebounding percentage. That weakness was exploited by Dallas in the postseason, particularly on the offensive glass, where the Thunder struggled to limit second-chance opportunities.

The main issue with potentially signing Hartenstein is that I think Holmgren is clearly a center, not a power forward. How many minutes would Hartenstein realistically play? I suppose OKC could attempt to pair them at times, since they can both pass and Holmgren can space the floor, but the fit might be awkward.

Holmgren is a fearsome paint protector in his own right, ranking just ahead of Hartenstein in DFG% at the rim. He’s also a more dynamic offensive player due to his three-level scoring.

I’m just not sold on paying Hartenstein a high salary to be a backup, and that’s what he’d be on the Thunder. I’m also not sure his trade value would be positive if he were making $20MM+ annually and didn’t have a starting role.

I do like the idea of the Thunder going after a big man like Wendell Carter, who has shot 36.4% from three-point range on 3.5 attempts per game over the past two seasons. He would provide more bulk off the bench while preserving the team’s ability to space the floor. The Magic center, who is still just 25, makes $22.8MM over the next two seasons.

Before they traded for Caruso, the Thunder were also linked to his Bulls teammate, Patrick Williams. When healthy and playing his best, Williams fits the mold of a three-and-D player with athletic tools and some on-ball upside. However, he’s a restricted free agent — Chicago can theoretically match any offer sheet he receives — and he has also missed significant time due to injuries in two of the past three seasons.

At the very least, the Thunder have to hit the salary floor. They will have to use their cap room in some fashion. If it’s not Hartenstein or Williams, it will need to be someone else.

If preserving flexibility is the top priority, I don’t hate the idea of the Thunder signing someone like Tobias Harris to a short-term deal. Klay Thompson is another name to keep an eye on for a front-loaded contract, though I don’t love his fit at this point in his career due to his defensive limitations.

A high-IQ veteran like Nicolas Batum would make sense as forward with some size and versatility. Ditto for Kyle Anderson, though he’s a very methodical and inconsistent shooter.

A floor-spacing big man like Jalen Smith could be attainable for some of the room exception. Goga Bitadze or Andre Drummond would likely be cheaper options at backup center, but neither is a threat to shoot from behind the arc.

As for the No. 12 pick, the Thunder have typically taken a “best player available” approach. With their draft arsenal, they could move up, down, or out of the draft; none of those scenarios would be surprising.

Technically, the Thunder could create enough cap room to sign certain players to a maximum-salary contract if they trade Kenrich Williams and Ousmane Dieng or the No. 12 pick. OG Anunoby, for example, would work in that scenario — I think he’d be a great fit, but it would be a high-risk, high-reward move given his lengthy injury history.

While Oklahoma City doesn’t have any major free agents this summer, the team does have three role players with non-guaranteed team options in Lindy Waters, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. There’s no reason to believe Joe and Wiggins won’t be back, either on their inexpensive team options or on new contracts that give them a raise. But Waters’ position is more tenuous after he bounced between two-way and standard deals for the past two years. Backup big man Jaylin Williams also has a non-guaranteed contract for 2024/25 — I expect him to return as well.

The Thunder could be a major player for any star that becomes available in the future. They have the draft assets to top just about any team’s offers. While it’s true they have a two-season window to take advantage of their cap flexibility, they also need to pick their supporting cast wisely, and there’s nothing wrong with waiting until the trade deadline — or even until next season — if further opportunities to improve the rotation don’t materialize this summer.


Salary Cap Situation

Guaranteed Salary

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Alex Caruso ($6,890,000)
    • Partial guarantee. Rest of salary noted above. Caruso’s salary will become guaranteed if he remains under contract through June 30.
  • Jaylin Williams ($2,019,699)
  • Adam Flagler (two-way)
  • Total: $8,909,699

Dead/Retained Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Two-Way Free Agents

Note: Because he has finished each of the past two seasons on a two-way contract with the Thunder, Sarr’s qualifying offer would be worth his minimum salary (projected to be $2,168,944). It would include a small partial guarantee.

Draft Picks

  • No. 12 overall pick ($4,950,480 cap hold)
  • Total (cap holds): $4,950,480

Extension-Eligible Players

  • Alex Caruso (veteran)
    • Years and dollars will be limited until six months after the trade.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (veteran)
  • Gordon Hayward (veteran)
    • Extension-eligible until June 30.
  • Isaiah Joe (veteran)
    • Team option must be exercised; extension-eligible as of October 16.
  • Aaron Wiggins (veteran)
    • Extension-eligible until June 30 (or beyond, if team option is exercised).
  • Jaylin Williams (veteran)

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, these players are eligible for extensions beginning in July.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Cap Exceptions Available

Note: The Thunder project to operate under the cap.

  • Room exception: $8,006,000

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Bulls, Thunder To Swap Alex Caruso, Josh Giddey

The Bulls and Thunder have reached an agreement on a trade that will send guard Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City, with guard Josh Giddey heading to Chicago, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The deal isn’t official yet, but it sounds like it will be a straight-up, one-for-one swap. It won’t include any draft compensation, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman and Marc Stein (Twitter links)

Caruso, one of the NBA’s best point-of-attack defenders, has earned All-Defensive nods and Defensive Player of the Year votes in each of the last two seasons. The 30-year-old has also developed into a reliable three-point shooter, making 40.8% of his 4.7 attempts per game in 2023/24 to push his career rate to 38.0%.

In 71 total games for the Bulls last season, Caruso averaged a career-high 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 steals in 28.7 minutes per contest, with a .468/.408/.760 shooting line. He’ll add even more defensive firepower to a Thunder team that ranked fourth in defensive rating (111.0) in ’23/24 and also features lockdown defenders like Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace.

The Bulls had resisted trade offers for Caruso in recent years, but decided to part with him as he enters the final year of his current contract. He’ll earn $9.89MM in 2024/25 and will be extension-eligible beginning in July, though he won’t become eligible for his maximum extension (four years, $78MM+) until six months after the trade.

If he doesn’t sign a new contract with Oklahoma City at some point during the coming league year, Caruso will reach unrestricted free agency next summer. However, Wojnarowski (Twitter links) reports that the Thunder had pursued the veteran guard for a while and are making the deal with an eye toward keeping him long-term.

As Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer points out (via Twitter), it will be a reunion for Oklahoma City and Caruso, who played for the OKC Blue in the G League under Mark Daigneault in 2016/17.

Giddey, the sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft, started all 210 regular season games he played for the Thunder over the past three seasons and showed intriguing upside as a play-maker during that time. His best season came in 2022/23, when he averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on .482/.325/.731 shooting.

However, Giddey took a step back in ’23/24, averaging a career-low 12.3 PPG and 4.8 APG as his playing time dipped from 31.1 MPG to 25.1 MPG. While he improved his three-point percentage to 33.7%, he remained inconsistent from beyond the arc, resulting in opposing defenses sagging off of him. That led to the Thunder eventually moving him to the second unit for the first time in his career during the team’s second-round playoff series vs. Dallas.

Giddey was also the subject of investigations by the NBA and local police due to allegations that he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a minor, but both the league and police closed their investigations into that matter due to a lack of corroborating evidence.

According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), the Bulls had been “determined” to find a play-maker capable of replacing Lonzo Ball, who has been sidelined due to knee problems since January of 2022 and is entering the final year of his contract. There’s optimism in Chicago that Giddey, still just 21 years old, will have a clearer path to realizing his full potential in a situation where he has the ball in his hands more often — he often ceded ball-handling duties to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City.

The deal will save the Bulls a little money in 2024/25, with Giddey set to earn $8.35MM in the final year of his rookie contract. The difference between that figure and Caruso’s isn’t massive, but could end up being significant, given that Chicago’s team salary could approach or surpass the luxury tax line this offseason.

Like Caruso, Giddey will be extension-eligible with his new team. The Bulls will have until the day before the start of the regular season to negotiate a rookie scale extension with their new lead guard. If they don’t come to terms by that point, he would be on track for restricted free agency in 2025.

As cap expert Yossi Gozlan observes (via Twitter), this will be the first time the Bulls have made a trade involving a player since August 2021. It sounds like it probably won’t be the last deal the team makes this summer, with Zach LaVine and Ball said to be among the other trade candidates to watch.

Bulls Have Discussed LaVine With Kings, Jazz, Magic, Sixers

The Bulls have been active in trade discussions heading into the 2024 NBA draft and free agency, reports K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to exploring moving up and down from the 11th pick, Chicago has also discussed players already on the roster as well.

Sources tell Johnson that head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has “floated as many as 15” trade proposals involving Zach LaVine. The Kings, Jazz, Magic and Sixers are among the teams Chicago has called about LaVine, according to Johnson.

As Johnson observes, the Bulls will almost certainly need to trim salary to avoid the luxury tax in 2024/25 if they intend to re-sign DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams. DeRozan, who is extension-eligible through June 30, will be an unrestricted free agent, while Williams is restricted.

Johnson reported earlier this month that Chicago’s asking price for LaVine has significantly dropped compared to last year, when they were seeking real assets in return for the 29-year-old. It seems the Bulls are now more focused on finding a way to shed LaVine’s pricey salary — he’s owed $138MM over the next three seasons, including a $49MM player option in 2026/27.

A two-time All-Star, LaVine was limited to just 25 games this past season due to a nagging foot injury, which eventually required season-ending surgery.

To this point, the Bulls have been focused on offering DeRozan short-term deals, Johnson writes. While there’s been “widespread speculation” that the Thunder, Pistons and Hornets may put out offer sheets for Williams, Johnson hears the Bulls are comfortable with their position since they have the right to match any contract the former No. 4 overall pick might receive.

Johnson also mentions Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso as names to watch on the trade market. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski just reported that Caruso is being sent to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey.

As for the lottery pick, Johnson cites Providence’s Devin Carter, Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, G League Ignite’s Ron Holland and Duke’s Kyle Filipowski as potential targets, though the Bulls have gotten a close look at a “wide range of prospects.”

Gilgeous-Alexander, Murray Headline Canada’s Preliminary Olympic Roster

Canada Basketball has formally announced its preliminary roster for the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris. The 20-man group will have to be trimmed to 12 players for Paris.

Here are the 20 players vying for spots on Team Canada’s Olympic roster, which will be coached by new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez:

All 12 players who helped Canada clinch an Olympic berth and claim a bronze medal at the 2023 World Cup are included in the preliminary roster, along with several notable newcomers, including Murray, Wiggins, Lyles, and Nembhard.

Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe and Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, whose seasons ended earlier due to injuries, will also attend training camp with Team Canada, but won’t be in the mix for roster spots this summer, according to today’s announcement.

Even without Sharpe or Mathurin in the mix, the Canadians can put together a formidable NBA-heavy squad that should be in contention for a medal in Paris. Gilgeous-Alexander, Barrett, Brooks, Dort, Powell, Olynyk, and Alexander-Walker were the top seven players on last year’s squad and look like relatively safe bets to represent Canada again. If Murray, Wiggins, Lyles, and Nembhard were to join them, that would leave just one open spot for the remaining nine invitees.

One notable omission from the 20-man preliminary roster is veteran guard Cory Joseph, who spoke to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca earlier this week to express his disappointment about being left off the list. Joseph was unable to compete for a spot on the World Cup team last year due to a back injury, but was among the 14 players who made a commitment in 2022 to be part of Canada’s “summer core” for the current Olympic cycle.

“I took the honor of playing for your country very seriously and did it many times over the years,” Joseph told Grange. “This is not me complaining, I’m not a complainer. But there were times when I put FIBA basketball and playing for my country over my NBA situation at the time, whether I was in a contract year and I had no contract at the time and I went to go play for my country, whether I had little bumps and tweaks, I was there. Whether guys came or not, I always thought we still had a chance. For me it’s a little disheartening to be like, ‘Wow, I wasn’t even given an opportunity to compete for whatever position?’

“… I had planned to go to camp, and when you’re talking about the (last three or four spots) on the roster, there’s a pool of talented guys you could put on the roster, (but) I don’t see, in that situation, where I wouldn’t at least be invited to camp to be one of those guys (to compete for a spot), so that’s where my disappointment is with the organization. … I don’t want to take away from the fact that Canada Basketball is in a great place. This is not that. I love all those guys. I want them to do well. Quote that. I just think I should have been invited to camp at the very least, 100 per cent.”

Team Canada will hold its training camp in Toronto from June 28 to July 7 before heading to Las Vegas for an exhibition game vs. Team USA on July 10. The Canadians will also play exhibition matches with France on July 19 and the winner of the Puerto Rico Olympic qualifying tournament on July 21.

Canada will be in Group A at the Olympics, along with Australia. The group will be filled out by the winners of the qualifying tournaments in Spain and Greece.

Draft Rumors: Hawks, Risacher, Sarr, Knecht, C. Williams, Dillingham, More

The Hawks don’t appear to have made any final decisions yet, but intel from teams around the league suggests forward Zaccharie Risacher still looks like the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick, Jonathan Givony writes in ESPN’s latest mock draft (Insider link). Risacher is working out for Atlanta on Wednesday.

While Alexandre Sarr is widely considered to be another contender for that No. 1 pick, Givony says the Hawks have been unable to get the French big man in for a workout so far, and suggests that UConn center Donovan Clingan might be Risacher’s top competition for the top spot in the draft. Clingan impressed Atlanta during his workout with his passing ability and his performance in film study and interviews, according to Givony.

The Hawks have brought in several lottery prospects for workouts, including Reed Sheppard, Matas Buzelis, Cody Williams, and Ron Holland, Givony notes, which suggests they’re preparing for potential trade-down scenarios as well. One possibility that has been “widely discussed” by rival teams, per Givony, is a deal with the Spurs that would see the Hawks move down to No. 4 and get back one of their draft assets controlled by San Antonio, such as Atlanta’s 2025 first-rounder. A move along those lines would put the Hawks in a better position to rebuild, as Givony observes.

If Atlanta doesn’t select Sarr with the No. 1 pick, teams and agents believe he’ll come off the board at No. 2 to the Wizards, per Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Both Wasserman and ESPN have Sarr second overall in their latest mock drafts.

Here are several more draft-related tidbits from ESPN and Bleacher Report:

  • Dalton Knecht‘s draft range seems increasingly small, according to Givony, who says that every team between No. 4 and No. 9 (with the exception of the Pistons at No. 5) has shown interest in the Tennessee forward.
  • Rival teams are predicting that Colorado’s Cody Williams will be picked higher than expected, possibly by the Spurs or Pistons, says Wasserman, who has Williams at No. 7 in his mock. Givony adds that Williams has worked out or will work out for nearly every team in the top 10 (except for the Rockets) and that teams with lower picks haven’t been able to bring him in, signaling that his camp is confident about his draft range.
  • Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham hasn’t been able to work out for teams for most of the pre-draft process due to an ankle injury, prompting speculation that he could slide on draft night, according to both ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Wasserman. ESPN has Dillingham coming off the board at No. 8 to the Spurs, but Wassmeran’s sources believe San Antonio is an unlikely landing spot based on what the team is signaling to agents. Wasserman has the former Wildcats guard at No. 11 in his mock.
  • Ja’Kobe Walter, one of the first 12 players who received a green room invite, worked out for teams like the Pistons, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, and Kings, per Givony, which bodes well for his odds of being a lottery pick.
  • French forward Tidjane Salaun worked out for the Thunder, Kings, and Trail Blazers, then sprained his ankle at a workout with the Spurs this past weekend, Givony reports. Salaun had also lined up workouts with the Pistons and Hornets, but his ankle injury might prevent those sessions from happening.
  • Serbian point guard Nikola Topic has had a handful of meetings scheduled with lottery teams, including the Trail Blazers, Spurs, Grizzlies, and Jazz, Givony writes. However, Givony cautions that a team interested in picking Topic will have to prepare for the possibility of a redshirt rookie year due to the guard’s partially torn ACL.
  • Teams were “buzzing” about Indiana center Kel’el Ware after a strong shooting display at his pro day, according to Wasserman, who says the big man is receiving consideration as high as the late lottery. Givony agrees that Ware seems to be building momentum in the pre-draft process, but notes that he hasn’t received a green room invite yet — that could change later this week when the final invites are sent out. According to Givony, Ware has worked out for over a dozen teams, ranging from late-lottery clubs to those near the end of the first round. The Bucks are one of those teams, and ESPN’s mock has Ware going to Milwaukee at No. 23.

Knicks Rumors: Anunoby, Hartenstein, Thibodeau, Brunson, Bojan, More

The expectation around the NBA is that OG Anunoby‘s floor as a free agent this offseason is $35MM per year, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype said during the latest HoopsHype podcast. Anunoby’s ceiling is a maximum-salary contract, though two general managers who spoke to Scotto said a max deal for the three-and-D star would be difficult to swallow, given his injury history.

While Scotto, Ian Begley of SNY.tv, and Stefan Bondy of The New York Post all view the Knicks as the strong favorites to sign Anunoby, they point out that the team could face some competition if Paul George returns to the Clippers, since he’s considered the top target for cap-room teams like the Sixers, who could shift their focus to Anunoby if they miss out on George. Begley and Bondy each suggests that if the Knicks re-sign Anunoby, the deal might include some protections or incentives related to games played.

As for the Knicks’ other top free agent, a pair of GMs told Scotto that they expect New York to have to offer the full Early Bird amount (four years, $72.5MM) for Isaiah Hartenstein, since the team can’t afford to lose him, though those GMs acknowledged that a contract of that size might not be very movable down the road.

Scotto hears that the Thunder, who have been cited as a possible rival suitor for Hartenstein, are likely to be focused on shorter-term deals for any top free agent targets, which could give the Knicks an advantage if they’re willing to go up to four years. According to Bondy, there’s some speculation that Oklahoma City could offer “something in the realm” of $50MM over two years for Hartenstein, perhaps with a second-year opt-out, like the deal Bruce Brown got from Indiana last summer. However, it’s possible the veteran center would prefer longer-term security.

Here’s more on the Knicks from the HoopsHype podcast:

  • A contract extension for head coach Tom Thibodeau appears to be a matter of “when rather than if,” according to Scotto. Discussing potential terms, Bondy predicts a three-year, $33MM deal, while Begley speculates that Thibodeau may just get two new guaranteed seasons, with a third-year team option.
  • Both Bondy and Begley view Jalen Brunson as more likely than Julius Randle to sign an extension this offseason, even though Brunson could potentially sign a much more lucrative deal if he waits one more year. As Bondy observes, one factor to consider is that signing an extension this summer would put Brunson on track to reach free agency in 2028, when he would have 10 years of NBA service under his belt and would be eligible for a starting salary worth up to 35% of the cap (instead of 30%). “That doesn’t mean he’s going to do it,” Bondy cautioned. “I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of debate with (agent) Aaron Mintz, the Knicks, and Rick and Jalen Brunson about what’s the best way to go. I think he’s going to consider it.”
  • The expectation is that the Knicks will likely guarantee Bojan Bogdanovic‘s $19MM salary for 2024/25, per Scotto. It’s currently only partially guaranteed for $2MM. The team wouldn’t generate any cap room by cutting him and would lose a big expiring contract for a possible trade, Begley adds.
  • Precious Achiuwa‘s future in New York is uncertain, especially if Hartenstein returns, since new deals for Hartenstein and Anunoby would likely push the Knicks’ team salary into tax territory. Achiuwa is eligible for restricted free agency this offseason. “I think you give him the ($6.3MM) qualifying offer and see what his market is,” Begley said. “If you need to rescind the qualifying offer for financial reasons, you can. That’s probably how it’ll go. Hartenstein’s deal is going to happen before Achiuwa, so you’ll have a chance to know whether he’ll be back before making a final decision on Achiuwa.”
  • The Knicks hold a pair of first-round picks at No. 24 and 25, but neither Bondy nor Begley expects them to use both to draft players. Assuming they use at least one of those selections, talented Virginia defender Ryan Dunn could be a target — people around the league have frequently linked him to the Knicks, per Scotto, though he could come off the board even earlier than No. 24.

Thunder Notes: Hartenstein, Claxton, Collins, Joe, Wiggins, Giddey, Williams

Following a breakthrough year in which they earned the top seed in the West, the Thunder are in position to address their most glaring need by adding another big man in free agency, writes Keith Smith of Spotrac. Oklahoma City can clear roughly $35MM in cap space, mostly by renouncing the rights to free agent forward Gordon Hayward.

Smith points to Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein and Nets center Nic Claxton as two ideal targets. Hartenstein can contribute on both ends of the court, and he may be easier to obtain because New York is limited in what it can offer. With Early Bird rights on Hartenstein, the Knicks can give him roughly $72.5MM over four years, a figure that OKC can easily top. Claxton would add a shot-blocking element to the team’s already-strong defense, but he’s limited offensively and Brooklyn may be willing to pay whatever it takes to keep him.

Smith lists a few other options if the Thunder decide to pursue a forward rather than a center, such as Pascal Siakam, Patrick Williams, OG Anunoby and Paul George.

If general manager Sam Presti prefers a trade, Smith suggests Jazz big man John Collins, who will make $26.6MM in each of the next two seasons and can be acquired via cap space with about $8.5MM left over. Smith notes that Collins’ contract will expire before OKC has to start handing out extensions to its young players.

There’s more from Oklahoma City:

  • The Thunder will likely pick up their $2.2MM option on Isaiah Joe for next season with an eye toward a possible extension, Smith adds in the same piece. Smith also expects the team to keep Aaron Wiggins, either by exercising its $2MM team option and trying to sign him to an extension or turning down the option and hoping to reach a new deal with him as a restricted free agent. Smith sees Lindy Waters III on the “roster bubble,” while the team’s other free agents likely won’t return.
  • There’s a growing perception that Josh Giddey will be traded this summer, but Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman contends the Australian swingman’s struggles were exaggerated. Even though Giddey was benched in the playoffs and saw his minutes reduced during the regular season, Mussatto notes that he has improved his three-point shooting, having gone from 26.3% as a rookie to 33.7% this season. Mussatto also cautions that it might be too early to make a long-term decision on Giddey, who has another year left on his rookie contract and won’t turn 22 until October.
  • Chet Holmgren‘s return from injury cut into Jaylin Williams‘ playing time, but Williams still showed he can be an effective big man in the Thunder’s system, Mussatto adds in a separate story.

Draft Notes: Fit Vs. Value, International Prospects, Top PGs, More

In their latest mock draft for ESPN.com (Insider link), Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo provide two paths — Givony makes each pick based on the team’s biggest need, while Woo chooses the player who would be the best value at that spot.

For example, at No. 1, Givony has the Hawks taking Donovan Clingan, arguing that one of the league’s worst defenses would benefit from adding the draft’s best rim protector, while Woo views Zaccharie Risacher as the choice for Atlanta, since both he and Givony have the French forward ranked as the best prospect in this year’s draft class.

There are several spots where the best fit and best value overlap, including at No. 2 (Alexandre Sarr to the Wizards), No. 4 (Reed Sheppard to the Spurs), No. 5 (Matas Buzelis to the Pistons), No. 6 (Stephon Castle to the Hornets), and No. 12 (Nikola Topic to the Thunder).

Here’s more on the 2024 NBA draft:

  • In another Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Givony and Woo highlight 20 draft prospects who excel in specific areas. For instance, while Givony and Woo consider Kentucky’s Sheppard to be the best spot-up shooter in the 2024 draft class, ESPN’s duo names UConn’s Cam Spencer as the best pull-up shooter and Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht as the best movement shooter. On the other side of the ball, Virginia’s Ryan Dunn is viewed as the best defensive play-maker, UConn’s Castle is recognized as the best on-ball defender, and Risacher is identified as the best off-ball defender.
  • While top prospects Risacher and Sarr and potential lottery picks Tidjane Salaun and Topic have gotten plenty of attention leading up to the draft, there are several other international prospects worth getting familiar with, according to Givony, who provides a primer on a handful of others who could hear their names called on June 26 or 27, including French wing Pacome Dadiet, Spanish point guard Juan Nunez, and Serbian forward Nikola Djurisic.
  • In an interview with Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype, Djurisic said he has been told his game is similar to that of seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson and likened himself to a “less athletic, taller Anthony Edwards.”
  • Referring to UConn’s Castle as one of the biggest risers in the pre-draft process, Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports ranks the reigning national champion No. 1 among point guards in this year’s draft class, followed by Topic at No. 2. Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, Providence’s Devin Carter, and Pitt’s Carlton Carrington round out Peek’s top five point guard prospects.