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Western Notes: Bronny, Suns, Lakers, Wolves, Mavs, Spurs

June 18th, 2024 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns will bring in Bronny James for a second workout this week but the Lakers are likely to draft him in the second round, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (hat tip to the Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin). The Lakers have a second-rounder at No. 55, while the Suns would need to acquire one. Both teams have first-rounders.

“The sense among teams is that his agent, Rich Paul, does not want him on a two-way contract, and the range he’s going to be picked, that 40 to 58 range, that’s where two-way contracts are handed out,” Givony said on ESPN’s NBA Today. “So it’s looking right now like Bronny is going to slide there to 55. I don’t think any NBA team wants to pick him and deal with the repercussions of that. So that’s the way it’s trending as of today.”

We have more Western Conference news:

The Timberwolves hosted a pre-draft workout on Tuesday that included Fardaws Aimaq (California). Jermaine Couisnard (Oregon), Ajay Mitchell (UCSB), Tyler Thomas (Hofstra), Drew Pember (UNC Asheville) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois), the team’s PR department tweets. Shannon, a high-scoring guard from Illinois, is the highest-rated prospect among that group at No. 26 on ESPN‘s Best Available list.
A play-making guard who can also create opportunities for others, as well as another big man who can space the floor with perimeter shooting, are the type of players the Mavericks need to target this offseason, Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News writes. Their best hope of acquiring at least one of those players is via a trade, with Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s expiring contract facilitating the deal.
Colorado shooting guard Cody Williams could be a dark-horse candidate for the Spurs with the No. 4 pick, according to LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.com. Williams has a chance to develop into a multi-purpose wing with size, which would make him an intriguing choice as the Spurs build around star big man Victor Wembanyama.

Southeast Notes: Mills, Spoelstra, Gueye, Bufkin, Windler, Wagners

June 18th, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Patty Mills only appeared in 32 games with the Hawks and Heat this season but the 35-year-old guard isn’t ready to retire. Mills will head into free agency looking for a new deal, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

“I take really good care of myself and my body and the plan is to continue to play until the wheels fall off is how I see it,” he said. Mills, who added he’d prefer to stay with the Heat, will play for Australia in the Paris Olympics.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The Heat‘s early postseason exit has allowed coach Erik Spoelstra to spend more time evaluating draft prospects, though he’s offering opinions rather than getting too involved in the process. “I figured I had three days to get up to speed on the draft last year,” he told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “The eight weeks leading up to [this year’s draft], I think I’ll just be probably overconfused by overanalysis. I’ll stay out of the way. Now that I have more time, I’m probably dangerous. I’ll stay out of the way of our scouting department. They do an exceptional job — Adam Simon and his staff — preparing for that draft.”
Mouhamed Gueye, Kobe Bufkin and Dylan Windler are expected to play on the Hawks’ Summer League squad next month, Brad Rowland of the LockedOnHawks podcast tweets. General manager Landry Fields made that revelation during his press conference on Monday. Gueye and Bufkin were on Atlanta’s 15-man roster to finish the season, while Windler was a two-way player.
Germany won the FIBA World Cup last summer, defeating Team USA along the way. The Magic‘s Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner will now try to lead their home country to a gold medal at the Olympics. “It’s a dream come true for me as a player,” Franz told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. The Magic hold an $8MM option on Moritz’s contract for next season, so he could wind up as a free agent next month.

Central Notes: Bulls Workout, Pistons, Vinson, Djurisic

June 18th, 2024 at 8:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls held a pre-draft workout on Monday that included Ron Holland, Terrence Shannon Jr, Ryan Dunn, Kyle Filipowski, Adem Bona and Justin Moore, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic tweets.

The Bulls hold the No. 11 pick in the first round with Holland ranking as a potential selection with that lottery pick, Mayberry notes. Holland, who played for the G League Ignite, is rated No. 11 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

Shannon, a high-scoring guard out of Illinois, was recently found not guilty on felony charges of first-degree rape and sexual aggravated battery in Kansas. He’s moved up to No. 26 on ESPN’s list and could continue to climb, making him another possible option for the Bulls.

We have more from the Central Division:

Could the No. 5 overall pick help the Pistons acquire Kyle Kuzma, Jerami Grant or a future first-rounder? Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press explores three potential trade scenarios that could produce one of those outcomes.
The addition of Fred Vinson, a renowned shooting coach, to the Pistons’ staff could signal what new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon plans to do this summer, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic. It’s logical that Vinson was brought in to help the young core with its shooting, rather than moving some of those players for veteran help. Edwards believes Detroit will use its ample cap space to bring in a few proven players via free agency to raise the team’s floor, while allowing young players like Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and its lottery pick to be rotation pieces.
Shooting guard Nikola Djurisic worked out for the Pacers on Tuesday but that wasn’t the first time he visited their practice facility, Zion Brown of the Indianapolis Star notes. Djurisic also worked out for Indiana last year before withdrawing from the draft. He’s currently ranked No. 48 by ESPN and could be a consideration with one of the Pacers’ three second-round picks. “Last year, I wasn’t mature,” Djurisic said. “This year, I’m still a kid in my head. I think I grew as a person and as a basketball player.”

Atlantic Notes: Celtics FAs, White, Hauser, Raptors, Missi, Porter

June 18th, 2024 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics have all of their rotation players signed through next season and they could have even more continuity, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. Reserve centers Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman Sr. and Neemias Queta are headed to free agency but the Celtics are open to bringing any or all of them back if the price is reasonable.

The Celtics are also willing to do more extensions beyond a potential super-max deal for Jayson Tatum. They’re interested in locking up Derrick White and Sam Hauser and both are extension-eligible this offseason. White is eligible for a four-year, $127MM extension — including incentives — and the front office will likely need to go that high to get White’s signature.

The team holds a $2MM option on Hauser’s contract for next season. The Celtics could offer a creative deal with the second tax apron in mind. In that scenario, they’d decline the option, then re-sign him for a lower annual salary and more years than an extension that started in 2025/26.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors hold the No. 19 and 31 picks in this year’s draft. The Athletic’s Eric Koreen takes a look at some of the guard prospects they might consider at those spots, including USC’s Isaiah Collier, Duke’s Jared McCain and Houston’s Jamal Shead.
Baylor center Yves Missi participated in a pre-draft workout for the Sixers on Tuesday at their practice facility, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The Sixers have picks 16 and 41 in the draft. Missi is ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Canadian authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the Jontay Porter betting scandal, ESPN’s David Purdum reports. They will try to determine if a criminal investigation is warranted after evaluating information related to “online betting irregularities from the Jan. 26 and March 20 Raptors games.” Porter was a two-way player for Toronto before he received a lifetime ban from the league.

Begley’s Latest: Lakers, Pistons, Carrington, Scheierman

June 18th, 2024 at 5:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Look for the Lakers to target at least one big man this offseason. They’re mulling their options to give Anthony Davis more opportunities to play his natural power forward position, according to SNY TV’s Ian Begley.

The Lakers have the No. 17 pick in the draft and could grab a center at that spot. Purdue’s Zach Edey, Baylor’s Yves Missi and Indiana’s Kel’el Ware are considered the top center options after UConn’s Donovan Clingan, who is expected to go in the top five. The Lakers could also look to free agent centers to fill that need. A list of all free agent centers can be found here.

Here’s more from Begley:

The Pistons, who are expected to have approximately $60MM in cap space, have made it known to teams looking to dump salaries they’re open for business. They would look to get draft capital and/or young talent in those deals. The punitive tax aprons confronting some organizations could lead to numerous trades on that scale this offseason.
The Magic are intrigued by Pittsburgh point guard Carlton Carrington. He’s rated No. 19 on ESPN’s Best Available list and Orlando holds the No. 18 pick. Carrington worked out for Orlando last week and has improved his stock during the pre-draft process, so it’s possible the Magic may have to move up to take him.
The Knicks haven’t announced who’ve they’ve worked out during the pre-draft process but Creighton wing Baylor Scheierman recently visited as part of a group workout. Scheierman (No. 27 on ESPN’s list) is considered a late first-round prospect and the Knicks have back-to-back picks at Nos. 24 and 25.

Jeff Van Gundy Joins Clippers As Lead Assistant

June 18th, 2024 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

4:58pm: Van Gundy has officially joined Lue’s staff, according to an announcement from the team’s PR department.

6:24am: Jeff Van Gundy and the Clippers have agreed to a deal that will make him the lead assistant on head coach Tyronn Lue‘s staff, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Van Gundy’s last role as an assistant coach came from 1989-96 with the Knicks. He was promoted to the head coaching position in 1996 and led the team to a 248-172 (.590) regular season record over five full seasons and parts of two more, winning eight playoff series during that time and making the NBA Finals in 1999.

He later spent four years coaching the Rockets from 2003-07, compiling a 182-146 (.555) regular season record and earning three playoff berths, though Houston didn’t win a postseason series under Van Gundy.

A longtime broadcaster for ESPN following his coaching career, Van Gundy was let go by the network in 2023 and joined the Celtics as a senior consultant. He recently lauded the franchise for throwing him “a lifeline” following a tumultuous period in his personal life and enjoyed a memorable year in Boston, capped by the franchise’s 18th championship.

There was some speculation that Van Gundy could move to the sidelines for the Celtics next season as a member of Joe Mazzulla‘s staff, but a more recent report cited a role with the Clippers as a growing possibility. Head of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has reportedly long been an admirer of Van Gundy, and the team had a hole to fill on Lue’s staff after veteran assistant Dan Craig departed for a job with the Bulls.

Van Gundy’s relationship with Lue was also a factor in Los Angeles’ ability to hire him, Wojnarowski notes. The two coaches have worked together with Team USA.

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Jones, Roster, Cuban

June 18th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the Mavericks‘ disastrous finish to the 2022/23 season, there was plenty of speculation a year ago about Luka Doncic‘s future in Dallas, with some media members suggesting the team would have to make real strides within the next year or two in order to secure the star guard’s long-term commitment.

Following an NBA Finals run this spring, that no longer seems like a concern, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who says all indications are that Doncic will be willing to sign a super-max extension in July 2025 once he has the necessary seven years of NBA service. The 25-year-old said after Monday’s season-ending loss that he feels “great” about the Mavs’ future.

“We did some great (personnel) moves,” Doncic said. “I would say we’ve been together for five months. I’m proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches, all the people behind (the scenes). Obviously, we didn’t win Finals, but we did have a hell of a season.”

Doncic’s enthusiasm about the franchise’s direction is shared by his backcourt partner Kyrie Irving, who is under contract in Dallas for at least the next two seasons.

“I just feel like the sky’s the limit,” Irving said, per MacMahon. “I have an opportunity to be on a special team that can be one of the teams that dominates in this era. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out the past few years, of how to be on a great team, be in an organization where I’m trusted, and also we’re able to succeed and fail together, and doing it in a way where we still have each other’s backs, and no one is giving up on the dream or the goal. Our goal is still to win a championship.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Based on their current salary projections, Dallas won’t be able to offer more than the taxpayer mid-level exception (about $5.2MM) to free agent forward Derrick Jones, though the team could potentially open up some or all of the non-taxpayer MLE ($12.9MM) with some tweaks to the roster, MacMahon writes. Mavs general manager Nico Harrison wants to find a way to bring back Jones. “He’s a part of our core going forward, so hopefully we can figure that out,” Harrison told ESPN.
Regarding the rest of the roster, Harrison said he likes where it stands but acknowledged that there’s always room for improvements. “I think we have a really good core and really good complementary pieces,” Harrison told MacMahon. “Having said that, I mean, I’ve been here for two years and so I think my reputation is starting to (form). If there’s an opportunity to make it better, I’m going to do that for sure.”
Former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban no longer has control of the team’s basketball operations, MacMahon confirms. Still, as Howard Beck of The Ringer writes, Cuban – now a minority stakeholder – can take credit for three risky moves that set up the club for this year’s success: hiring Harrison as GM; hiring Jason Kidd as head coach; and trading for Irving. Harrison had worked at Nike rather than for an NBA team, Kidd had been fired from two previous head coaching jobs, and Irving’s value had fallen due to injury issues and off-court controversies. “For sure, they were risks,” Cuban told Beck. “I mean, there were a lot of people who just like rolled their eyes at me. But each of them brought a unique set of skills to the table that I didn’t have, that the organization hadn’t had, and I thought were valuable and important.”
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) previews the offseason in Dallas, writing that the Mavericks have some trade assets available – including its 2025 and 2031 first-round picks and Tim Hardaway‘s expiring contract – and suggesting they could use another play-making guard, perimeter depth, and a floor-spacing big man.

Free Agency Notes: Anunoby, Negotiations, Sixers, Sirvydis

June 18th, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Monday (YouTube link), Brian Windhorst said that while there’s a widespread expectation that veteran forward OG Anunoby will ultimately end up back with the Knicks, it’s a situation worth keeping an eye on now that teams are permitted to negotiate with their own free agents.

“Most people believe that Anunoby will stay with New York, but there have been indications that he may want to test the market because he’s not thrilled with what the Knicks (may offer),” Windhorst said.

As Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports points out (via Twitter), Anunoby is a CAA Sports client, so it’s worth noting that ESPN’s Jay Williams – who is also represented by CAA – responded to Windhorst’s comment by stating, “I’ve heard that internally as well.”

A report on Monday suggested that the floor for Anunoby’s next contract is $35MM per year, meaning his non-Knicks suitors would be limited to teams that could create significant cap room or who are in position to pull off a sign-and-trade. That list isn’t extensive, but the Sixers are among the cap-room clubs that could have interest, especially if they miss out on top target Paul George.

Here’s more on free agency:

John Hollinger of The Athletic considers which high-profile free agents might end up with agreements in place before the league-wide free agent period begins on June 30, naming Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, and a handful of others as candidates to strike deals early. Since Hollinger’s story was published, a report came out indicating that Siakam and the Pacers are nearing a long-term agreement.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks shares the contract offers he’d make to the top free agents of 2024, including three-year, $90MM deals for James Harden and DeMar DeRozan and a two-year, $50MM contract to try to lure Isaiah Hartenstein away from the Knicks.
The Sixers recently held a free agent workout that featured a handful of former NBA players, including Sam Dekker, Stanley Johnson, Jarrett Culver, and Tony Bradley, according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). The 76ers will have significant cap room this offseason, but if they use that room to sign just two or three players, they’ll have plenty of minimum-salary roster slots to fill.
Former Pistons wing Deividas Sirvydis, who appeared in 23 games across two seasons from 2020-22, has signed a new deal with Zalgiris Kaunas that includes two guaranteed years and a third-year option, the Lithuanian club announced in a press release. According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link), the contract will feature an NBA opt-out clause, leaving the door open for the 24-year-old to potentially return stateside before the term expires.

Official Early Entrants List For 2024 NBA Draft

June 18th, 2024 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

After announcing 93 withdrawals from the draft last month, the NBA has officially confirmed (via Twitter) that 31 additional early entrant prospects withdrew from the draft before Monday’s deadline, leaving a total of 77 early entrants eligible to be selected in this year’s draft in addition to 2024’s automatically draft-eligible players.

Of those 77 draft-eligible early entrants, 53 are players from colleges (20 seniors with eligibility remaining and 33 underclassmen), 18 had been playing in international leagues, and six are from non-NBA domestic leagues (the G League or Overtime Elite).

This year’s 77 early entrants represents the lowest total in quite some time, falling well short of the record set in 2021 (217). That’s likely a reflection of the new NIL opportunities available to college players, who now have less motivation to go pro early in order to get paid. Of course, there are still more early entrants than there are slots available in next week’s draft. With two teams’ second-round picks forfeited due to past free agency violations, there will be just 58 players drafted on June 26 and 27.

[RELATED: Full 2024 NBA Draft Order]

A total of 201 prospects initially declared as early entrants, with 93 of those players removing their names from consideration prior to the NCAA’s May 29 withdrawal deadline to retain their college eligibility.

Here’s the complete list of early entrant prospects eligible for the 2024 NBA draft:

College seniors:

Reece Beekman, G, Virginia
Jesse Bingham II, G/F, Indianapolis
Jack Brestel, F, Roanoke College
Jalen Bridges, F, Baylor
Jalen Cook, G, LSU
Isaiah Crawford, G/F, Louisiana Tech
Tristan Da Silva, F, Colorado
Zach Edey, C, Purdue
Eric Gaines, G, UAB
PJ Hall, C, Clemson
Oso Ighodaro, F, Marquette
David Jones, F, Memphis
Dillon Jones, F, Weber State
Tyler Kolek, G, Marquette
Pelle Larsson, G, Arizona
Jonathan Mogbo, F/C, San Francisco
Tiras Morton, G/F, Lubbock Christian
Jamal Shead, G, Houston
Jason Spurgin, C, Bowling Green State
Jaykwon Walton, G/F, Memphis

College underclassmen:

Trey Alexander, G, Creighton (junior)
Mark Armstrong, G, Villanova (sophomore)
Adem Bona, F/C, UCLA (sophomore)
Carlton Carrington, G, Pitt (freshman)
Devin Carter, G, Providence (junior)
Stephon Castle, G, UConn (freshman)
Cam Christie, G, Minnesota (freshman)
Donovan Clingan, C, UConn (sophomore)
Isaiah Collier, G, USC (freshman)
Mohamed Diarra, F, North Carolina State (junior)
Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky (freshman)
Ryan Dunn, F, Virginia (sophomore)
Justin Edwards, G/F, Kentucky (freshman)
Kyle Filipowski, F/C, Duke (sophomore)
Johnny Furphy, G/F, Kansas (freshman)
Kyshawn George, G/F, Miami (FL) (freshman)
DaRon Holmes II, F, Dayton (junior)
Harrison Ingram, F, UNC (junior)
Bronny James, G, USC (freshman)
Jared McCain, G, Duke (freshman)
Judah Mintz, G, Syracuse (sophomore)
Yves Missi, C, Baylor (freshman)
Ajay Mitchell, G, UC Santa Barbara (junior)
Carlos Nichols, G, Southern Crescent Tech (GA) (freshman)
Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky (freshman)
KJ Simpson, G, Colorado (junior)
Jaylon Tyson, G, California (junior)
Ja’Kobe Walter, G, Baylor (freshman)
Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana (sophomore)
Deshawndre Washington, G/F, New Mexico State (junior)
Jaylen Wells, F, Washington State (junior)
Cody Williams, F, Colorado (freshman)
JZ Zaher, G, Bowling Green State (sophomore)

International players:

Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.

Melvin Ajinca, G/F, France (born 2004)
Ulrich Chomche, C, NBA Academy Africa (born 2005)
Yongxi Cui, G/F, China (born 2003)
Pacome Dadiet, G/F, Germany (born 2005)
Nikola Djurisic, G/F, Serbia (born 2004)
Lucas Dufeal, F, France (born 2003)
Quinn Ellis, G, Italy (born 2003)
Trentyn Flowers, G/F, Australia (born 2005)
A.J. Johnson, G, Australia (born 2004)
Bobi Klintman, F, Australia (born 2003)
Gustav Knudsen, G/F, Denmark (born 2003)
Juan Nunez, G, Germany (born 2004)
Zaccharie Risacher, F, France (born 2005)
Tidjane Salaun, F, France (born 2005)
Alexandre Sarr, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
Nikola Topic, G, Serbia (born 2005)
Armel Traore, F, France (born 2003)
Cezar Unitu, G, Romania (born 2005)

Other players

Remaining in draft:

Matas Buzelis, F, G League Ignite (born 2004)
Ron Holland, F, G League Ignite (born 2005)
Jalen Lewis, F/C, Overtime Elite (born 2005)
Babacar Sane, F, G League Ignite (born 2003)
Tyler Smith, F, G League Ignite (born 2004)
Bryson Warren, G, Sioux Falls Skyforce (born 2004)

For the full list of the players who declared for the draft and then withdrew, click here.

Warriors Top List Of NBA’s 2023/24 Taxpayers

June 18th, 2024 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

While the official numbers from the NBA aren’t yet in, Bobby Marks of ESPN estimates (via Twitter) that the Warriors led all teams in 2023/24 with a luxury tax bill in the neighborhood of $176.9MM.

Golden State was subject once again to the “repeater” tax penalties this season, meaning that every dollar spent above the luxury tax line cost them more than a first-time taxpayer. The Warriors paid roughly $206MM in player salaries, meaning their roster as a whole cost more than $380MM. They didn’t make the playoffs, having been eliminated in the first play-in game by Sacramento.

The Warriors weren’t alone among teams that are on the hook for tax payments without a playoff series win to show for it. Of the eight taxpayers, only two (the Celtics and Nuggets) made it beyond the first round of the postseason, with only one Boston advancing past the second round. Unlike Golden State, the Clippers, Suns, Bucks, Heat, and Lakers all made the playoffs, but they were each eliminated in the conference quarterfinals.

Here are the estimated tax penalties for 2023/24, according to Marks:

Golden State Warriors: $176.9MM
Los Angeles Clippers: $142.4MM
Phoenix Suns: $68.2MM
Milwaukee Bucks: $52.5MM
Boston Celtics: $43.8MM
Denver Nuggets: $20.2MM
Miami Heat: $15.7MM
Los Angeles Lakers: $6.9MM

Half of those tax payments get distributed among non-taxpaying teams, so those 22 clubs should each receive a little less than $12MM, Marks observes.

That payout for non-taxpayers serves to highlight why some teams who were hovering around the luxury tax line earlier in the season made a concerted effort to duck below – or stay below – that threshold. For instance, the Pelicans finished the season below the tax line by less than $400K after initially moving out of tax territory by salary-dumping Kira Lewis‘ expiring contract back in January. That cost-cutting move didn’t just save Pels ownership a tax payment — it also ensured that the team will receive that extra $12MM.

The tax line for 2024/25 is projected to be just north of $171MM, and while many of the teams listed above project to once again be taxpayers next spring, at least a couple of them could be in position to avoid the tax next season, including the Warriors.