Philadelphia 76ers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agent Rumors: Middleton, Butler, Kanter, Temple

June 30th, 2019 at 3:27pm CST by clarkcrum

According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, the quietness surrounding the free agency destination of Bucks’ All-Star forward Khris Middleton is because interested front offices are universally presuming that Middleton is going back to Milwaukee on a “monster” five-year deal.

Middleton, 27, is eligible to sign a five-year, $189.904MM maximum-salary contract with the Bucks, while rival suitors can only (relatively speaking, of course) offer up to $140.791MM over four years.

Echoing Stein’s sentiment from rival front offices, Gery Woelfel of Woelfel’s Press Box reports that Middleton is expected to re-sign with Milwaukee, adding that Brook Lopez and George Hill are also considered good bets to return.

Per Marc J. Spears of ESPN, unrestricted free agent center Enes Kanter is expected to have a phone call with the Blazers and Celtics when free agency tips off tonight at 5:00pm CST.
Spears is also reporting that UFA guard Garrett Temple is getting interest from the Nets, Nuggets, Jazz, and Rockets.
During their meeting this evening, Jimmy Butler is expected to tell the Heat that he wishes to play in Miami, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. It’s unclear whether Butler actually wants to play for the Heat of if he’s simply using this as a negotiating tactic to entice the 76ers to offer him a 5-year maximum-salary contract.
Per Harrison D. Sanford of The Green Room with Danny Green, free agent guard Danny Green is expecting to hear from the Raptors, Lakers, Sixers, Bulls, Mavericks, Rockets, and Knicks.

Kings Plan To Make Offer To Al Horford

June 30th, 2019 at 12:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:18pm: Horford has “very real interest” in joining the Sixers if they can make it possible, Amick tweets. Philadelphia is reportedly willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade for Jimmy Butler, but has Tobias Harris and J.J. Redick to address as well. The Kings have a better chance at signing Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon, Amick adds, and are among the teams willing to take on Clint Capela if the Rockets trade for Butler (Twitter link). Houston has found multiple teams interested in Capela and will send him to the highest bidder.

11:58pm: The Kings are ready to pounce on Al Horford with a significant offer once free agency begins, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. Sacramento has the cap room to offer the rumored four-year deal in excess of $100MM, and a source tells Stein that the organization “definitely” has strong interest in Horford.

That report is confirmed by James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link), who adds that the Kings consider Horford a “major target.” However, a source tells Sam Amick of The Athletic that team officials expect him to sign with someone else (Twitter link).

Sacramento is looking for an upgrade at center over Willie Cauley-Stein, and Horford definitely qualifies. He has put up solid numbers for more than a decade in both Atlanta and Boston, earning five All-Star appearances, and is the mobile, floor-stretching style of big man that the Kings want to add.

Horford had been considered likely to stay with the Celtics, either by opting into a $30.1MM salary for next season or negotiating a longer deal with the team. However, he surprised the league two weeks ago by opting out and indicating that another team waiting with a massive contract.

Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Broekhoff, Bradley, G. Green

June 29th, 2019 at 10:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks’ first two moves when free agency begins tomorrow will involve Tobias Harris and Kristaps Porzingis, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. A source tells Townsend the Mavs will make an offer to Harris that’s below the maximum, and they expect the Sixers to top it with a full, five-year max deal. They plan to make their own max offer to Porzingis, a restricted free agent, paying him $158MM over five seasons. That signing won’t be finalized until all the other moves are in place, allowing the team to take advantage of its $30.3MM in cap room.

Thirteen of Dallas’ top 15 free agent targets remain on the board after a day that featured several reported deals, Townsend adds. The only ones crossed off the list are Kemba Walker, who will join the Celtics, and Nikola Mirotic, who has committed to play in Spain. Walker was the Mavericks’ primary target, according to Townsend, and Harris was secondary, while the rest are divided into various “two- and three-player contingencies.”

There’s more tonight from the Southwest Division:

Ryan Broekhoff‘s $1.4MM contract is fully guaranteed for next season after the Mavericks let today’s deadline pass without taking any action, Townsend tweets. The 28-year-old shooting guard signed with Dallas last summer and appeared in 42 games as a rookie.
Grizzlies guard Avery Bradley has agreed to extend the guarantee date on his contract from July 3 to July 8, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Athletic. The move gives Bradley greater flexibility after the moratorium lifts, notes Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian, who adds that there was no financial compensation for the change (Twitter link).
There’s a strong possibility that veteran forward Gerald Green will return to the Rockets for another season, according to Alykhan Bijani of The Athletic (Twitter link). A Houston native, Green signed with the organization midway through the 2017/18 season, then played this year on a veteran’s minimum contract.

Jimmy Butler To Meet With Heat, Rockets

June 29th, 2019 at 5:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jimmy Butler will meet with the Heat and Rockets as he ponders his free agent options, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Butler will sit down with Miami officials Sunday in South Florida, then will hear Houston’s presentation early next week in Los Angeles, Woj adds. He states that the Sixers haven’t ruled out sign-and-trade deals, which Butler would need to join either team.

Philadelphia still has the advantage of being able to offer Butler a five-year, $190MM deal if it decides to try to keep him, while other teams are limited to four years and about $141MM. However, the Sixers have other concerns with Tobias Harris and J.J. Redick both on the free agent market and Ben Simmons eligible for an extension this summer.

The Rockets have been the most visible organization trying to land Butler, leaking their intentions to pursue a sign-and-trade and reportedly lining up a contingent deal involving Clint Capela. Both Houston and Miami made strong efforts to acquire Butler in November when he demanded a trade out of Minnesota.

Charania’s Latest: Nets, D-Lo, Durant, Livingston, More

June 29th, 2019 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Kyrie Irving remains “fully focused” on a potential deal with the Nets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says Brooklyn’s goal is to sign the trio of Irving, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan. If they can get Irving but Durant heads elsewhere, the Nets could shift their focus to players like Tobias Harris or Julius Randle, Charania writes.

As for D’Angelo Russell, league sources tell Charania that the expectation is the Nets will either renounce D-Lo’s rights or try to complete a sign-and-trade deal that sends him elsewhere. A sign-and-trade would be complicated, since Brooklyn may prefer to use its cap room on free agents rather than trade pieces in return for Russell.

Here’s more from Charania:

Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers is tentatively scheduled to travel to New York this weekend to meet with Kevin Durant and his inner circle, league sources tell Charania. Durant is also expected to talk to the Knicks, Nets, and Clippers, though no formal meetings have been set, says Charania, who adds that there’s a belief that KD has considered the possibility of teaming up with Kawhi Leonard.
Shaun Livingston, who originally had a guarantee date of June 30 on his contract, has agreed to push that date back to July 10, reports Charania. Livingston has a partial guarantee of $2MM on his $7.7MM salary, and the Warriors now have more time to decide whether to retain him at that price.
With Kemba Walker appearing likely to sign elsewhere, the Hornets are focusing on other point guards like Terry Rozier, sources tell Charania. It’s not clear if Charlotte believes the mid-level would be enough to land Rozier, or if the team would attempt a sign-and-trade.
The Sixers remain “fully focused” on trying to re-sign Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, according to Charania, who notes that rival teams interested in Butler believe the fifth year Philadelphia can offer will be a major factor for the swingman and agent Bernie Lee. If the 76ers don’t offer that fifth year, it’s possible the market for Butler will open up.
The Knicks have targeted free agent center Robin Lopez as a potential backup for Mitchell Robinson, league sources tell Charania.
The Celtics intend to pursue a big man using their $4.8MM room exception, with Enes Kanter and Kevon Looney among their targets, per Charania.

Rockets Believe They Have Taker For Capela; Trade Would Hinge On Acquiring Butler

June 28th, 2019 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets believe they have a trade partner lined up for a potential deal involving Clint Capela, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (via Twitter).

However, as Stein explains, the Rockets don’t intend to move forward with a Capela trade unless they’re sure they can acquire Jimmy Butler in a sign-and-trade deal with the Sixers. Butler has been identified over the last couple weeks as Houston’s top offseason target.

As we detailed last night in our preview of the Rockets’ offseason, the obstacles in the way of the Rockets acquiring Butler in a sign-and-trade are numerous, but not technically insurmountable. As part of a sign-and-trade for Butler, Houston would likely need to move both Capela and Eric Gordon.

It’s possible that Gordon would appeal to Philadelphia, especially if the 76ers are unsure about their odds of re-signing J.J. Redick. But Capela would almost certainly have to be re-routed to a third team, both to satisfy base year compensation rules and because he’s not a fit for the Sixers. So if there’s a suitor out there for Capela, as Stein suggests, that team would likely be brought into a three-way trade involving Houston and Philadelphia.

Until we have a better sense of what Butler wants, this whole arrangement looks tenuous, but it’s worth noting that the Rockets are said to be very confident in their ability to acquire the standout wing. If they weren’t confident, it’s unlikely that they’d let these talks involving Capela become so public — if they can’t acquire Butler and want to bring back Capela, it would put the big man would be in a tough spot, since he’d be aware that his team was ready to trade him if another player had wanted to come to Houston.

Sixers, Kings Among Al Horford's Suitors

June 28th, 2019 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers and Kings are among the potential suitors for Al Horford, according to ESPN’s report. Sacramento, in particular, has a clear path to making Horford a big offer, but the club is believed to have other centers – including Brook Lopez and Nikola Vucevic – on its list of potential targets, per ESPN.

[SOURCE LINK]

Atlantic Notes: Pelle, Sixers, Thomas, Siakam

June 27th, 2019 at 9:14pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Hoops Rumors’ own JD Shaw hears that the Sixers will sign center Norvel Pelle to a two-way contract (Twitter links).

Pelle, who went undrafted in 2014, played for the Delaware Blue Coats last season. The big man was named to the NBAGL All-Defensive Team for his play in the G League.

Haywood Highsmith previously occupied one of the team’s two-way contracts before being waived earlier in the week. Shaw adds that Highsmith will join Philadelphia’s Summer League team in Las Vegas.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

David Heller, who had been a partial owner of the Sixers, is no longer part of the team, Yaron Weitzman of Bleacher Report relays (Twitter link). “We can confirm that David Heller has sold his interest in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE). David will always be a friend to this organization. We appreciate his time, effort, energy, and partnership…and wish him well in his future endeavors,” the Sixers said in a statement. The circumstances surrounding Heller’s departure are unclear, but sources close to the front office tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that he was forced out. The 76ers strongly denied that characterization, Pompey notes.
Isaiah Thomas is not in the Celtics‘ plan this offseason, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe writes. Boston appears likely to lose Kyrie Irving, though the organization is reportedly a leading contender for Kemba Walker.
Blake Murphy of The Athletic explores whether the Raptors should ink Pascal Siakam to an extension this summer. Siakam’s long-term future in Toronto isn’t in question; it’s just a matter of whether to sign him to an extension before the season or wait until next summer to handle his contract situation in restricted free agency.

Sixers Announce Hiring Of Two Assistants

June 27th, 2019 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers officially announced in a press release that they’ve hired Ime Udoka and Joseph Blair as assistant coaches. The hiring of Udoka, who comes over from San Antonio, was reported during the first week of June.

Rockets Rumors: Butler, Rivers, Faried, FA Targets

June 27th, 2019 at 9:55am CST by Luke Adams

While the odds appear to be stacked against them, the Rockets are “extremely confident” in their ability to acquire Jimmy Butler in a sign-and-trade deal, Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes in his preview of Houston’s free agency. According to Iko, team sources not only believe that the Rockets have a good shot at Butler, but also feel as if they’re in the lead for him.

In order for the Rockets to sign-and-trade for Butler, the Sixers would have to be on board, which is a big “if.” But Sam Amick of The Athletic hears from a source that Philadelphia would likely be open to cooperating if necessary, since the team has a “strong desire” to avoid losing Butler for nothing.

As ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Brian Windhorst pointed out on a recent podcast, in order for the Sixers to believe that losing Butler for nothing is a real possibility, the swingman would likely need to have a potential alternate landing spot besides Houston. That alternate landing spot could be Los Angeles, as Amick also reports that the possibility of Butler and Kawhi Leonard both joining the Clippers is a scenario that’s viewed by sources as “increasingly possible.”

The Clippers would have to move Danilo Gallinari‘s salary to clear space for a second max player, but there are strong indications that Leonard would welcome Butler as a running mate, according to Amick. That echoes a Wednesday report from Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

As we wait to see what Butler’s future holds, here are some more Rockets-related notes and rumors:

The Rockets are targeting mid-level players whom teams might not be able to pay, according to Iko. Houston also hopes that the opportunity to compete for a title might convince certain free agents to take a little less than they might be able to earn elsewhere. The team refers to these as “contender contracts” and points to P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute as past examples, says Iko.
Team sources tell Iko that the Rockets have a list of about 30-to-50 potential targets. GM Daryl Morey has spoken to James Harden and Chris Paul via FaceTime about many of those players, Iko adds.
It’s 50/50 that Austin Rivers will return to Houston, according to Iko, who says team sources are resigned to the fact that it will be difficult to bring back Rivers and Kenneth Faried.
Trevor Ariza, who previously played for the Rockets, and Houston native DeAndre Jordan are potential targets for the club, Iko writes. According to Iko, there’s still “love” for Ariza within the Rockets’ organization, and team sources believe Jordan would be interested in playing for his hometown team — especially if Clint Capela gets dealt.

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