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Scotto’s Latest: Hartenstein, Knicks, Kuminga, Holmes, Missi, Lakers, More

June 24th, 2024 at 6:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Because they only hold his Early Bird rights, the Knicks are limited to a four-year offer worth approximately $72.5MM for Isaiah Hartenstein, and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hears from league sources that New York is expected to put that full offer on the table for the free agent center.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv previously reported that the Knicks are considering other options at center, including Goga Bitadze, in the event that they’re unable to retain Hartenstein. Scotto confirms as much, writing that free agent big man Jonas Valanciunas and potential trade target Nick Richards of the Hornets are among the other fives on New York’s radar. There’s also an “outside chance,” sources tell Scotto, that the Knicks would consider pursuing Andre Drummond if they can’t bring back Hartenstein.

Here are several more highlights from Scotto’s aggregate mock draft at HoopsHype, which features many other items of interest that we passed along earlier in the day:

Jonathan Kuminga, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, is expected to remain with the Warriors for the foreseeable future unless the team has an opportunity to acquire an All-NBA caliber player, writes Scotto.
While there have been rumors that Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II received a draft promise from the Nuggets, Scotto hears that there’s no truth to that chatter, adding that multiple executives believe Holmes will be drafted before Denver picks at No. 28.
Baylor center Yves Missi is among the prospects who have worked out for the Lakers and is someone to keep an eye on at No. 17, Scotto writes.
Scotto’s aggregate mock draft has KJ Simpson coming off the board at No. 49, but he says the Colorado guard is a potential target to watch for the Timberwolves earlier in the draft. Minnesota currently holds the 27th and 37th overall picks.
Kyshawn George has some fans within the Cavaliers‘ organization, according to Scotto, who suggests that the Miami guard could be “an upside pick for the future” at No. 20.
Brendan Sabean, who most recently served as the assistant general manager of the Austin Spurs, is expected to be hired as the GM of Phoenix’s new G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, league sources tell Scotto.

Timberwolves Coach Chris Finch Signs Four-Year Extension

June 24th, 2024 at 5:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Timberwolves may be in the midst of an ownership dispute but they’re giving head coach Chris Finch some job security, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Finch has agreed on a four-year contract extension through the 2027/28 season. The team confirms in a press release that Finch has signed the extension.

Minnesota has qualified for the postseason in each of the last three seasons under Finch and had its most successful playoff run in two decades this spring, reaching the Western Conference finals.

“I’m proud of the way we’ve been able to establish a great culture here with the Timberwolves and I look forward to continuing to lead this organization and make our fans proud,” Finch said in a statement.

Terms were not reported but it’s safe to assume Finch received a hefty boost in salary, considering the recent explosion in coaching salaries.

“Chris is a wonderful coach, and an even better person,” team president Tim Connelly said in a statement. “We are thrilled that he is being rewarded with a well-earned extension. Under his guidance the team has improved every year, he’s the perfect leader for our organization.”

Finch was hired away from the Raptors in February 2021 after the Timberwolves dismissed Ryan Saunders in February 2021. He has a 160-127 regular-season record with the Timberwolves. They went 56-26 this past season, then swept the Suns and knocked out the defending champion Nuggets in a seven-game battle before succumbing to the Mavericks.

Finch underwent surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon in his right knee during the postseason after Mike Conley collided with him.

OG Anunoby To Decline Option, Become Free Agent

June 24th, 2024 at 5:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

OG Anunoby is declining his $19.9MM player option and will become an unrestricted free agent, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets.

It’s long been anticipated that Anunoby would test the free agent waters. He’ll be one of the most coveted players on the market, coming in at No. 5 among our top 50 free agents this summer. However, it’s unlikely any team would be willing to max him out due to his lack of durability. As noted in our free agent rankings, injuries have cost him 29, 34, 15, and 32 games in the past four seasons.

When Anunoby suits up though, he’s a difference-maker. After the Knicks acquired him from the Raptors in December, New York’s net rating in his 802 regular season minutes was an eye-popping +21.7. Both the Knicks’ offensive rating (122.6) and defensive rating (100.9) during those minutes would’ve ranked first in the NBA.

Anunoby, 26, is in the prime of his career that began during the 2017/18 season. In 50 regular-season games in ’23/24, he averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals. He earned All-Defensive honors in 2022/23 but didn’t qualify this past season due to the 65-game minimum rule in the new CBA.

A recent report suggested that the floor for Anunoby’s next contract is $35MM per year, meaning the non-Knicks suitors will be limited to teams who can create significant cap room or 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. He’d be a fallback option for them if they couldn’t land Paul George in free agency.

Still, the Knicks, who possess Anunoby’s full Bird rights, have the inside track on re-signing him. Discussing the forward’s impending free agency earlier today, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirmed a recent report from Brian Windhorst of ESPN, who hinted that New York’s initial offer wasn’t up to par, but added that New York “remains committed” to re-signing Anunoby and is viewed as the favorite by rival executives.

Kings Rumors: No. 13 Pick, Caruso, Fox, Siakam, Kuzma, LaVine

June 24th, 2024 at 4:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings‘ No. 13 overall pick is “very available” in trade talks, according to Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic, who report that Sacramento included that lottery selection in an offer for Alex Caruso before the Bulls decided to send the veteran guard to Oklahoma City instead.

As Slater and Amick detail, the Kings have brought in several late-lottery prospects for pre-draft workouts, including Purdue center Zach Edey. Former Duke standout Jared McCain also recently visited Sacramento for a workout, reports Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. However, there’s “more of an appetite” within the organization to add a veteran who could help the team win right away instead of a rookie, according to The Athletic’s report.

The ideal outcome for Sacramento, Slater and Amick write, would be acquiring a “mid-prime” player who can grow with the core of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk. The Kings believe they have a three-to-six year window to contend with those players and would be willing to attach extra draft assets to this year’s No. 13 pick for the right trade target.

Here’s more on the Kings from The Athletic:

Fox will be extension-eligible starting in July, but he has decided he won’t sign a new contract this offseason, sources tell Slater and Amick. The star guard has two guaranteed years left on his current deal, so there’s no urgency to get anything done yet. Fox wants to see how the roster takes shape and could also still qualify for a super-max extension if he makes an All-NBA team in 2024/25.
The Kings came close to acquiring Pascal Siakam from Toronto before he was sent to Indiana, having backed off in large part because they weren’t confident about their chances of re-signing him. League sources tell The Athletic that there’s some level of regret within the organization about not pulling the trigger and trying to convince the star forward to sign long-term.
Ever since nearly trading for Kyle Kuzma in 2021, Kings general manager Monte McNair has maintained some level of interest in the Wizards forward, who is expected to be on Sacramento’s radar again this summer. League sources also confirm to Slater and Amick that Bulls guard Zach LaVine is a possible target for the Kings, though they’d likely have to be incentivized to take on his maximum-salary contract, which still has three years remaining.
After coming off the bench for the past two seasons, Monk has expressed a desire to start, but he agreed to re-sign with the Kings without having received any assurances about his role going forward, per Slater and Amick.

Southeast Rumors: Shamet, T. Jones, Adebayo, Martin, Hawks, Buzelis

June 24th, 2024 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Wizards wing Landry Shamet has been the subject of exploratory trade interest from a number of teams around the NBA, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who identifies the Clippers, Lakers, Mavericks, Jazz, Raptors, and Magic as possible suitors.

Shamet has historically been a reliable three-point threat, having entered last season with a career 38.8% rate from beyond the arc. However, he made just 33.8% of his tries last season while averaging a career-low 15.8 minutes per game. Still, Scotto says that if Shamet remains in D.C., the club is leaning toward guaranteeing his $11MM salary for 2024/25. That figure is fully non-guaranteed for now, as is his $11.75MM salary for ’25/26.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

While the Wizards‘ decision to hang onto point guard Tyus Jones through the 2024 trade deadline suggested they’d like to re-sign him as a free agent this summer, rival executives are monitoring the situation to see if he’ll be a sign-and-trade candidate, sources tell Scotto.
Confirming a pair of items that don’t come as any surprise, Scotto says the Heat are expected to have contract extension discussions with star big man Bam Adebayo this offseason and that forward Caleb Martin is expected to decline his $7.1MM player option in search of a more lucrative payday as a free agent, either in Miami or elsewhere.
The Hawks brought in projected top-10 pick Matas Buzelis on Sunday for a pre-draft workout, a source tells Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who confirms the news of Buzelis’ workout, says it signals that Atlanta continues to evaluate all its options in the lottery, including trading down from No. 1. Buzelis has been most frequently linked to Detroit at No. 5.
After he spent the 2023/24 season coaching the College Park Skyhawks – Atlanta’s G League affiliate – Ryan Schmidt is expected to move to the Hawks‘ bench for the 2024/25 season, Scotto reports, adding that Hawks assistant Steven Klei is a candidate to become the Skyhawks’ head coach.

Warriors Guaranteeing Kevon Looney’s Salary For 2024/25

June 24th, 2024 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have decided to guarantee Kevon Looney‘s salary for the 2024/25 season, sources tell Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).

Golden State would have had to waive Looney on Monday in order to avoid having his full $8MM salary for next season become guaranteed. Up until today, only $3MM of that total had been guaranteed, so the team could’ve saved $5MM by cutting him.

However, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported over the weekend that Looney was unlikely to be waived, pointing out that cutting him and then signing a replacement wouldn’t create significant cap or tax savings, and cutting him to try to re-sign him to a minimum-salary deal was considered too risky, since he’d have other suitors. According to Slater, the veteran center is still one of head coach Steve Kerr‘s favorite players and his voice is valued in the locker room.

Looney, 28, has been with the Warriors since 2015, winning three titles during that time and starting 256 of his 523 regular season games with the franchise. His defensive versatility, toughness, and rebounding have made him an important part of Golden State’s frontcourt over the years, but he had a down season in 2023/24, as his averages dipped to 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 16.1 minutes per game.

While Looney will now be assured of receiving $8MM in 2024/25, that doesn’t mean he’ll spend the entire season with the Warriors. As Slater wrote on Saturday, the big man could emerge as a trade candidate if his expiring contract comes in handy as part of Golden State’s efforts to upgrade its roster.

The Warriors’ next major salary guarantee decision will come later this week — Chris Paul‘s $30MM contract for ’24/25 will become guaranteed if he remains on the roster through Friday. However, there’s virtually no chance Golden State will guarantee that full amount unless it’s necessary to accommodate a trade. It’s also possible that Paul will agree to push his salary guarantee date back into July to give the team more time to sift through its trade options.

Lakers Hire J.J. Redick As Head Coach

June 24th, 2024 at 2:52pm CST by Rory Maher

JUNE 24: The Lakers have issued a press release officially confirming that they’ve hired Redick as their head coach.

“J.J. is a fierce competitor and has an extraordinary basketball IQ and understanding of the modern game that will energize players and excite fans,” Pelinka said as part of a larger statement. “His rigorous analysis will immediately unlock new opportunities for our roster while setting a foundation for player development over the long term. He brings an intense dedication to innovation, advancing the game, and staying at the forefront of an ever-evolving league.

“Beyond his basketball acumen, J.J. has a care for people and genuine empathy that are critical for connecting with players today. This is an exciting time for Lakers basketball.””

JUNE 20: The Lakers are hiring J.J. Redick to be their new head coach, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that Redick will receive a four-year deal.

According to Woj, head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka believes in Redick’s “basketball IQ” and his “ability to connect with players.” Pelinka also thinks surrounding Redick with an experienced staff “will help to shorten the learning curve” for the first-time head coach. Redick has already begun to assemble a staff, Woj adds.

Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times confirms that Redick has made a verbal commitment to the Lakers (Twitter link). Redick will receive about $8MM per season on his four-year contract, sources tell Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Multiple league sources tell Brian Robb of MassLive.com that Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell is a name to watch for an assistant job on Redick’s staff, which echoes a previous report from Marc Stein. Cassell was among the candidates who interviewed for the Lakers’ job.

A former NBA sharpshooter who played 15 seasons in the league from 2006-2021, Redick has connections to the Los Angeles area, having played four seasons for the Clippers. The ESPN analyst also co-hosts a podcast with LeBron James. While James reportedly took a hands-off approach in the search, Redick’s preexisting relationship with the superstar forward surely didn’t hurt his candidacy.

Redick, who turns 40 years old next week, was long viewed as the frontrunner for the Lakers’ head coaching job after they fired Darvin Ham last month following a first-round playoff exit. However, Redick didn’t formally interview for the position until last weekend and wasn’t offered the job until this morning, per Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski previously reported that the Lakers offered a six-year, $70MM contract to UConn’s Dan Hurley, who has won back-to-back NCAA titles with the Huskies. Hurley ultimately declined the offer and is reportedly nearing a long-term deal to stay in Storrs.

Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego was viewed as the other main candidate in the Lakers’ search. Borrego is reportedly a finalist in the Cavs’ coaching search, with recent reports pegging him as the frontrunner for the job.

As our tracker shows, several other names emerged in the Lakers’ search, but it’s unclear how seriously some of them were considered.

Now that the team’s coaching search is over, the Lakers will turn to the draft, trade market and free agency to improve their roster entering 2024/25. Their most noteworthy potential free agent is James, who holds a $51.4MM player option for next season.

Reggie Jackson Exercising 2024/25 Player Option

June 24th, 2024 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets point guard Reggie Jackson is picking up his player option for 2024/25, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The decision will ensure that Jackson receives a guaranteed salary of $5.25MM next season before reaching unrestricted free agency in 2025.

Jackson originally signed with Denver on the buyout market in February 2023 after he was traded from the Clippers to the Hornets and was waived by Charlotte. He struggled down the stretch during the Nuggets’ championship season, making just 38.3% of his field goal attempts (27.9% of his three-pointers) in 16 regular season games before falling out of the rotation for the playoffs.

However, the Nuggets opted not only to retain him for the 2023/24 season but to give him a raise, signing him to a two-year, $10.25MM contract using their taxpayer mid-level exception. The 34-year-old responded with a strong bounce-back season, averaging 10.2 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .431/.359/.806.

Jackson was one of just two Nuggets players to appear in all 82 games this past season. He also made 23 starts when Jamal Murray was forced to the sidelines for health reasons.

While Jackson’s option decision will guarantee his 2024/25 salary, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee that he’ll spend next season in Denver. It’s possible the Nuggets will end up using his expiring contract as a trade chip, though if he returns, Jackson should see once again see rotation minutes as Murray’s backup

With Jackson’s $5.25MM salary on the books, the Nuggets are now up over $172MM in guaranteed salaries for 11 players. That figure doesn’t include the cap hold for Denver’s first-round pick ($2.5MM) or a new contract for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who has a decision of his own to make on a $15.4MM player option. If KCP exercises that option or signs an even more lucrative contract with the Nuggets, their salary will exceed the second tax apron ($189.5MM), limiting the team’s ability to make additional roster moves.

Blazers Hire Nate Bjorkgren, Chris Fleming As Assistant Coaches

June 24th, 2024 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers have added a pair of assistant coaches to Chauncey Billups‘ staff, confirming today in a press release that they’ve hired Nate Bjorkgren and Chris Fleming. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) first reported that Bjorkgren and Fleming were joining the Blazers.

Bjorkgren, who was the Pacers’ head coach for one season in 2020/21 and also has previous head coaching experience in the G League, was a Raptors assistant from 2018-20 and again from 2021-23 before the club parted ways with Nick Nurse a year ago. Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report noted earlier this month that Bjorkgren was attending some of the Blazers’ pre-draft workouts and speculated that he might join Billups’ staff.

Fleming, meanwhile, became a coaching free agent after the Bulls decided not to retain him beyond the 2023/24 season. He had spent the last five years as an assistant on Chicago’s staff, with previous stints on coaching staffs in Denver and Brooklyn. Like Bjorkgren, Fleming has some previous head coaching experience, though his came exclusively outside of the NBA — he coached Brose Bamberg in Germany from 2008-14 and the German national team from 2014-17.

The Blazers had been on the lookout for experienced assistants after deciding not to renew the contracts of Scott Brooks or Rodney Billups. They also lost Steve Hetzel, who left Portland for a job on Jordi Fernandez‘s new staff in Brooklyn.

There had been some speculation early in the spring that Chauncey Billups might not return as the Blazers’ head coach for 2024/25. That speculation has since died down, but it looks like Billups will have a revamped coaching staff to work with in the fall.

Central Rumors: LaVine, Bulls, Pistons, Cade, Bucks, Cavs, More

June 24th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls continue to seek a deal involving Zach LaVine, but last week’s four-year, $78MM contract agreement between the Kings and Malik Monk may have removed a prime suitor from the picture, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says some rival executives believe retaining Monk will take Sacramento out of talks for LaVine. As Scotto has previously reported, Kings wing Kevin Huerter has fans within Chicago’s front office, so if the two teams did explore a trade involving LaVine, it seems safe to assume Huerter would be involved.

In other Bulls news, Chicago is interested in re-signing center Andre Drummond, league sources tell Scotto. The big man will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after spending the past two seasons backing up Nikola Vucevic.

Scotto also states that – prior to last week’s Alex Caruso/Josh Giddey swap – there was a belief around the league that the Bulls and Thunder would consider a possible sign-and-trade deal involving Patrick Williams. It’s unclear if that idea is off the table now or if the two clubs will look into making a second offseason trade.

Finally, Scotto reports that before they struck deals to add Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig to Billy Donovan‘s coaching staff, the Bulls also reached out and talked to former head coaches Nate McMillan and Dwane Casey.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the Central:

The Pistons – along with the Magic – were expected to be in the mix for Monk before he reached an agreement to return to Sacramento, according to Scotto, who says Detroit will continue to explore the trade and free agent markets for shooting help this offseason.
Elsewhere on the Pistons front, Scotto writes that a number of executives around the NBA believe Detroit will come to terms on a maximum-salary rookie scale extension for former No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham.
The Bucks, still very much in win-now mode, are open to the idea of trading the No. 23 pick in the draft, league sources tell Scotto. Executives with rival teams also get the sense that Milwaukee would be willing to move Bobby Portis and/or Pat Connaughton in order to upgrade the roster, though Scotto notes that both players have come up in trade talks in the past and nothing has come of it to this point.
James Borrego was considered the frontrunner for the Cavaliers‘ head coaching job last week before the front office met with team owner Dan Gilbert, per Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. After that meeting between management and Gilbert, Kenny Atkinson‘s candidacy “gained considerable momentum,” The Athletic’s trio adds. Assistant coaches Jordan Ott and Trevor Hendry, who worked with Atkinson in Brooklyn, are viewed as potential additions to his new staff in Cleveland, notes Scotto.