Philadelphia 76ers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Sixers Consider Using Jonah Bolden As Trade Chip

July 2nd, 2018 at 12:09am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers are entertaining the idea of using draft-and-stash prospect Jonah Bolden as a trade asset, reports international basketball journalist David Pick (via Twitter).

Bolden, 22, was selected by the Sixers with the 36th overall pick in the 2017 draft. With no room on last season’s roster for the young forward, Philadelphia retained Bolden’s rights as he continued his career overseas.

Bolden spent the 2017/18 season with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel. He averaged 7.6 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 26 Israeli League contests, and also chipped in 6.9 PPG and 5.5 RPG in 29 EuroLeague games. Considered a candidate to come stateside for the 2018/19 campaign, Bolden has a standard buyout on his contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Pick notes.

According to Pick, Bolden has generated “lots of interest” from other NBA teams. If the Sixers do decide to dangle him in trade talks, it’s not clear if he’d be offered as part of a larger package for an impact player like Kawhi Leonard, or if the club would explore moving him in a smaller-scale deal.

Free Agent Rumors: Favors, Ellington, Tolliver

July 2nd, 2018 at 12:01am CST by Austin Kent

The Jazz have already met with free agent big man Derrick Favors, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune reports. Favors met with club general manager Dennis Lindsey and head coach Quin Snyder for three hours today to discuss his future.

Marc Spears of The Undefeated, also reporting on the meeting, tweets that the forward is expected to make a decision on Monday. Favors – like the Jazz in general – enjoyed a pleasant surprise of a 2017/18 season and meshed with center Rudy Gobert in ways that he hadn’t previously.

That successful year has breathed new life into Favors’ future with the franchise that he’s played for since 2011. Favors averaged 12.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season, a notable improvement from the 9.5 and 6.1 he posted in 2016/17.

Both the Timberwolves and Mavs were previously linked to the 26-year-old.

There’s more from around the league tonight:

With LeBron James suddenly a Laker, the Sixers can entertain other free agent possibilities. One option, on a notably smaller scale, is 3-and-D specialist Wayne Ellington, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweets. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets that the Timberwolves have also shown interest in the 39.2% three-point shooter.
There has been no shortage of players the Timberwolves are said to be interested in this summer but Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News adds Vince Carter to the list. The 41-year-old veteran played last season with the Kings.
The Clippers have sent their top brass to Dallas to meet with Pistons forward Anthony Tolliver at his home, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets. Tolliver drew praise in 2017/18, establishing himself as a reliable stretch four and a respected veteran presence.
While he’s still open to returning to play with the Warriors, forward Kevon Looney has been in touch with the Clippers. Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times tweets that no deal is imminent.
After carving a minor role for himself in the Hornets‘ rotation last season, undrafted guard Treveon Graham is drawing interest from the Wizards, Pistons and Timberwolves, Candace Buckner of The Washington Post tweets. Graham is a D.C. native.
Although he ended up signing a one-year deal with the Knicks, small forward Mario Hezonja turned down multiple multi-year offers, Michael Scotto of The Athletic tweets. Scotto cites head coach David Fizdale and the potential for Hezonja to grow his role with the franchise as reasons why the free agent forward chose New York.

Lakers Notes: James, Bosh, Noel

July 1st, 2018 at 9:42pm CST by Austin Kent

LeBron James‘ 2018 free agency was always a two-horse race between the Lakers and Cavaliers, Brian Windhorst of ESPN said on SportsCenter, noting that the meeting with the Sixers earlier today was a mere courtesy.

The decision to move to Los Angeles had been in the back of James’ mind for a while now, leaving the Lakers in the driver’s seat for the past three weeks with little left to do but not blow it.

In the television interview, Windhorst spoke of the exodus of the King’s staffers, who relocated from Miami to the west coast during James’ second stint with the Cavaliers, and the fact that his wife has been looking at Los Angeles schools for the past year.

With James already in hand, Magic Johnson simply had to close the deal and, as ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne adds, was actually at James’ residence when free agency officially began.

There’s more out of Los Angeles tonight:

One name to keep an eye on as a potential Lakers addition is free agent big man Chris Bosh, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. Bosh played alongside James for four years in Miami but has been out of the game since February, 2016 after being diagnosed with life-threatening blood clots. A comeback would require some additional paperwork but a successful return would not impact the Heat’s payroll.
There’s a chance that Brook Lopez ends up back in Los Angeles now that much of the team’s available cap space has been tied up in James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Keith Smith of RealGM tweets. Lopez was under contract for $22MM with the Lakers in 2017/18 and averaged 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
The Lakers are one of three teams that Nerlens Noel has narrowed his free agency decision down to, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets. Noel is represented by Rich Paul, the same agent that represents James and Caldwell-Pope. The Wizards and Thunder are the other two teams on Noel’s short list.

Sixers Believe They Can Win Kawhi Leonard Sweepstakes

July 1st, 2018 at 6:20pm CST by Luke Adams

6:20pm: According to Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports, the Spurs sought three first-round picks and two current players. Schultz later clarified that neither Joel Embiid nor Ben Simmons were requested.

1:37pm: Multiple people with the Sixers are confident that Leonard would strongly consider re-signing with Philadelphia in 2019 if the club can acquire him, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News confirms (via Twitter) that Leonard would entertain the possibility of sticking in Philadelphia if he’s traded to the Sixers rather than his preferred destination of L.A.

11:33am: The Sixers are set to meet with LeBron James‘ representatives in Los Angeles, and one of their top selling points will be a belief that they have a real chance to win the Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes and acquire the star forward from the Spurs, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

We heard earlier this week that the 76ers were weighing possible trade packages for Leonard, having run a few ideas by team ownership. Dario Saric, Robert Covington, and the Heat’s 2021 first-round pick were cited as potential trade chips for Philadelphia that would appeal to the Spurs.

Now that James is officially a free agent, it’s a little simpler for a team like the Sixers – or the Lakers – to know where they stand in regard to both Kawhi and LeBron. Teams pursuing Leonard were in the dark last week prior to James’ option deadline, but it would be easier now for a club to overpay to acquire the Spurs forward if that club could be confident that doing so would convince LeBron to sign, as Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.

There’s no guarantee that’s the case for the Sixers, but even without Leonard, the franchise could make a strong pitch to James’ reps today. The pitch will likely center on the culture that Brett Brown has built, the presence of elite defenders like Covington and Joel Embiid, and a style of play that could challenge the Warriors, tweets TNT’s David Aldridge.

Sixers, Jerryd Bayless Considering Buyout Agreement

July 1st, 2018 at 3:16pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Sixers and Jerryd Bayless are “strongly” considering a buyout agreement, according to Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The point guard is owed nearly $9MM this upcoming season.

Schultz adds that Bayless will garner interest from several teams if he hits the open market this summer. The 29-year-old played in 39 games this past season, scoring 7.9 points per game while shooting 37.0 from downtown.

Philadelphia is meeting with LeBron James‘ representatives today, though it doesn’t quite have the available salary cap space to offer him a full max, estimated at $35.6MM. Agreeing to a buyout with Bayless will help them to get closer to that figure. The stretch provision is an option for the team even if Bayless agrees to a lesser salary figure in a parting agreement, as the same rules apply for a player’s buyout salary it does for a traditional contract.

Free Agent Notes: Stephenson, Tolliver, McGee, O’Quinn

July 1st, 2018 at 11:50am CST by Arthur Hill

Plenty of teams will have interest in Lance Stephenson once the higher-profile free agents are signed, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. The Pacers remain open to bringing back the 27-year-old swingman after declining their team option on him this week. Wolfson lists the Timberwolves, Knicks, Sixers and Lakers as other interested teams, but says there are more.

Stephenson appeared in all 82 games for Indiana this season, averaging 9.2 points per night. He would have made $4.36MM in 2018/19 if the Pacers had picked up his option.

There’s more free agent news to pass along:

Timberwolves coach/executive Tom Thibodeau has talked to Pistons free agent Anthony Tolliver, according to Wolfson (Twitter link). Tolliver shot 44% from 3-point range this season, and Minnesota sees him as a possible replacement for Jamal Crawford. The Wolves also like his locker room presence, which could be valuable if Cole Aldrich doesn’t come back.
JaVale McGee has said he wants to return to the Warriors, but he is also getting interest from the Lakers, Pelicans and Thunder, tweets TNT’s David Aldridge. Because of luxury tax concerns, Golden State is unlikely to offer more than a veteran’s minimum contract, while the other teams have more financial flexibility. McGee averaged 4.8 PPG and 2.6RPG this season, but his numbers rose after he became a starter after the All-Star break. This is the third straight summer of free agency for McGee, who has spent the past two seasons with the Warriors.
The new contract for Luke Kornet is a sign that Kyle O’Quinn won’t return to the Knicks, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. He adds that the Sixers are showing “heavy interest” in O’Quinn, who spent the past three years in New York as a backup center.
The Knicks are hoping to re-sign Isaiah Hicks, who was on a two-way contract this season, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley. New York gave him a qualifying offer last week, making him a free agent and giving the team the right to match any offer. Hicks appeared in 18 NBA games, averaging 4.4 points per night.
A scheduled meeting between Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Clippers has been moved from today to Monday, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.

Sixers Notes: Ennis, Ilyasova, Bird, Milton

July 1st, 2018 at 10:50am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have their eyes on free agent forward James Ennis, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley, but landing him won’t be easy. Detroit owns Early Bird rights on Ennis and has made re-signing him a priority.

Ennis, 28, came to the Pistons at the trade deadline after beginning the season in Memphis. He was a part-time starter in Detroit and averaged 7.5 points per game. He earned a little more than $3MM this season.

The Rockets and Nets have also expressed interest in Ennis, according to Begley. The Pelicans would also like to sign him, but the growing interest may push him outside their price range, adds Scott Kushner of The Advocate (Twitter link). Ennis played nine games in New Orleans at the end of the 2015/16 season.

There’s more from Philadelphia on the first day of free agency:

The Sixers talked to veteran forward Ersan Ilyasova about a return before he signed a three-year, $21MM deal with the Bucks, according to Gery Woelful of The Racine Journal Times (Twitter link). The Lakers, Timberwolves and Raptors were other options for Ilyasova.
The Sixers are among the teams showing interest in Celtics shooting guard Jabari Bird, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, who adds that the Wolves are also considering an offer. Bird was a two-way player for Boston this season, appearing in 13 NBA games and averaging 3.0 points in 8.0 minutes per night. He was a big scorer for the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine, posting a 19.3/5.8/2.7 line in 20 games. Boston submitted a qualifying offer this week, making Bird a restricted free agent.
Second-round pick Shake Milton will be held out of summer league play because of a stress fracture in his back, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team plans to re-evaluate him in three weeks. His injury occurred during pre-draft workouts.
Justin Anderson had surgery on his left leg due to recurring tibial stress syndrome, the team announced on its website. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks, then again in six to eight weeks. Anderson has spent the past season and a half in Philadelphia and appeared in 38 games this year.

Sixers To Meet With LeBron James’ Representatives

July 1st, 2018 at 10:19am CST by Arthur Hill

Representatives for LeBron James will meet with the Sixers today in Los Angeles, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. James will not attend the session, which will be led by 76ers ownership and interim head of basketball operations Brett Brown.

Philadelphia has been floated as a possible destination for James for several months, although recent rumors have focused more on the Lakers and Cavaliers. The Sixers are close to having enough cap room to offer a maximum deal and already have two young stars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

James talked to the Cavaliers on the phone last night and is expected to meet with the Lakers soon. The Nuggets are also pushing for an interview with this summer’s top free agent.

Knicks Rumors: Hezonja, O’Quinn, Johnson, Tolliver

July 1st, 2018 at 1:39am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent forward Mario Hezonja is very much on the Knicks‘ radar, according to reports. After Michael Scotto of The Athletic indicated earlier in the evening (via Twitter) that New York had interest in Hezonja, Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweeted that the interest is mutual. In the early hours of free agency, the Knicks and Hezonja had a meeting, Scotto adds (via Twitter).

Hezonja is just one of a number of free agents linked already to the Knicks, who plan to offer only one-year deals this offseason. Let’s round up a few more notes and rumors…

The Knicks were among the teams to reach out to Amir Johnson after free agency opened, tweets Begley. Johnson is also said to be drawing interest from Minnesota and both Los Angeles clubs.
Kyle O’Quinn seems much more likely to sign with another team than to reeturn to the Knicks, sources tell Begley (Twitter link). According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the division-rival Sixers have expressed serious interest in O’Quinn.
The Knicks were one of at least five or six clubs to express interest in Anthony Tolliver when free agency opened, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who reports (via Twitter) that GM Scott Perry had a brief phone conversation with the veteran forward.
A two-way player last season, Luke Kornet received a qualifying offer from the Knicks. While New York would like to bring him back on another two-way deal, two teams have expressed “preliminary interest” in giving Kornet a standard NBA contract, sources tell Berman. The Knicks would have the right to match any offer sheet the young seven-footer signs.

Sixers Notes: Fultz, Redick, McConnell, Free Agents

June 30th, 2018 at 8:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers guard Markelle Fultz will skip summer league to keep working on the mechanics of his shot that were disrupted during his rookie year, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team wants Fultz to continue his work with shooting coach Drew Hanlen in Los Angeles.

Fultz was limited to 17 games during his rookie season because of a combination of injuries and shooting problems. He played the first four games before suffering a shoulder injury that stretched into a 68-game absence as he tried to recover the form he had in college. He returned for the final 10 games, then had a limited role in the playoffs.

Hanlen said Fultz is making progress with his shot, and coach Brett Brown believes he will benefit more from the drills than by playing summer league games.

“I think there’s a timeline of that where you are going to start doing some things skill-wise and handle and play,” Brown said. “But I think when you look at what’s most important, what thing needs the most work, it’s that. I don’t really want to pivot out of that if we think it’s going to hurt a very elementary way we are going about reclaiming his shot.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

If the Sixers are able to land an elite free agent, it will probably signal the end of J.J. Redick‘s time in Philadelphia, notes Derek Bodner of The Athletic. To sign LeBron James or Paul George to a maximum contract, the team would have to renounce its $27.6MM cap hold for Redick, along with a $13.2MM hold for Amir Johnson. The Sixers would still have the room mid-level exception to offer Redick, but that would be well below his market value. If they retain their cap space, the Sixers can re-sign Redick for 120% of last year’s salary, which amounts to roughly $27.6MM.
If Philadelphia strikes out with the top free agents, some of their money could be used to renegotiate and extend T.J. McConnell‘s contract, Bodner adds in the same story. The move would reduce his cap hit in future seasons, just as it did with Robert Covington, but it wouldn’t have the same impact because McConnell’s deal is much smaller.
Mike O’Connor of The Athletic examines some second-tier free agents who could help the Sixers if they miss out on their top targets. Along with Will Barton, who is now expected to re-sign in Denver, O’Connor names Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Avery Bradley, Rodney Hood, Wayne Ellington, Trevor Ariza and Tyreke Evans.

Sixers Rumors