Donovan Mitchell Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cavs’ Darius Garland: “I Don’t Want To Be Traded”

July 15th, 2024 at 7:19am CST by Luke Adams

A May report from The Athletic suggested that if Donovan Mitchell were to sign a contract extension this offseason, Darius Garland‘s agent Rich Paul was expected to have a conversation with the Cavaliers about possibly finding a new home for his client. However, even though Mitchell signed his extension, Garland is uninterested in initiating that conversation, as he told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link).

“I don’t want to be traded,” Garland said. “Those are just rumors.”

Sources tell Fedor that Paul and Cavaliers head of basketball operations Koby Altman have spoken this offseason, but there has been no indication that Garland’s camp is seeking a change of scenery, and the team has made it clear it has no interest in moving the former All-Star.

According to Fedor, Garland was thrilled for Mitchell when his backcourt mate signed a lucrative new deal with Cleveland and was excited about the team’s hiring of Kenny Atkinson as its new head coach.

Garland has been in Las Vegas participating in some on-court workouts and meeting with Atkinson — during a dinner on Friday, the two men discussed offensive schemes and sets, as well as the 24-year-old’s role, Fedor notes.

“It sounds really good,” Garland said. “A lot of spacing and a lot of room for me and Don and all of the other guys to be able to thrive.”

Atkinson, who has spoken about Garland in glowing terms since being hired in Cleveland, shares his point guard’s enthusiasm.

“I can’t wait to work with them,” Atkinson said of the Cavs’ star guards. “I was a point guard and that’s the quarterback. Those guys are running the show and it’s such a huge position in this league. I identity with them. Huge fan of Darius. Always been a fan. Underrated. Underrated passer. I don’t think he gets enough credit for the feel. Then, Donovan we all know, he’s the real deal. The great ones have a different type of work ethic. He’s wired a little bit differently.”

Garland had a down year in 2023/24, as his averages of 18.0 PPG and 6.5 APG and his .446/.371/.834 shooting line were all below his career rates. But that was less about sharing the ball with Mitchell and more about other a handful of other factors, including a fractured jaw and the weight loss that resulted from drinking out of a straw for over a month. Garland’s grandmother also passed away, according to Fedor, which led to him leaving the team on off days multiple times.

“It was a lot,” Garland told Fedor. “Sometimes you just have to go through it. Always bumps in the road. This was a big speed bump. It was really tough last year. It was definitely a learning experience for me. Just tried to stay mentally locked in and tried to keep my head up and keep a smile on my face. I just had to stay mentally strong while going through a tough time in my life and having to fight adversity.”

Cavs Sign Donovan Mitchell To Three-Year Extension

July 7th, 2024 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 7: The extension is official, according to a team press release.

“Signing Donovan Mitchell to an extension serves as a pivotal moment for our franchise and reinforces our vision and goals for sustainable success,” Cavs president Koby Altman said. “Donovan is one of the most dynamic All-NBA players in the league and we couldn’t be more excited that he chose Cleveland and this community to continue his basketball journey. We want to align ourselves with the best teams in the NBA and ultimately compete for championships, and we feel securing Donovan long-term provides us that opportunity.”

JULY 2: The Cavaliers and star guard Donovan Mitchell have agreed to terms on a three-year, maximum-salary contract extension projected to be worth more than $150MM, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The deal will include a third-year player option, Wojnarowski adds.

Mitchell, who spent his first five NBA seasons in Utah, was traded to Cleveland in 2022 for a significant package of assets that included Lauri Markkanen and three future unprotected first-round picks. Since joining the Cavs, Mitchell has led the team to consecutive top-four seeds in the East and has averaged 27.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.6 rebounds in 35.6 minutes per night across 123 regular season games, with a shooting line of .475/.378/.866.

There was plenty of speculation over the past two years that playing outside of a major NBA market and not experiencing significant postseason success may prompt Mitchell to forgo an extension in Cleveland in order to seek a change of scenery. The Cavs were eliminated in the first round in 2023 and eked out a first-round win in Game 7 over the lower-seeded Magic in 2024 before being knocked out in round two.

However, Cleveland has long projected confidence that Mitchell would make a commitment to the franchise, with head of basketball operations Koby Altman publicly reiterating that message on Monday. The coaching change the Cavs made this offseason signaled that management was in alignment with Mitchell, who reportedly didn’t have full confidence in J.B. Bickerstaff and endorsed the hiring of Kenny Atkinson.

Within his full story on the extension agreement, Wojnarowski writes that Mitchell and agent Austin Brown feel good about the partnership with the Cavs and have confidence in the front office’s ability to continue building the roster into a championship contender

Mitchell’s new contract – which will begin in 2025/26, replacing the player option in his current agreement – could have been for up to four years. However, a three-year extension with a player option will put him on track to potentially sign a new deal beginning in 2027, when he has 10 years of NBA experience and will qualify for a maximum salary worth 35% of the cap (instead of 30%). Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported last month that Mitchell would likely take this route.

Based on the NBA’s most recent cap projection for 2025/26, Mitchell’s new deal would start at $46,394,100, with a guaranteed $50,105,628 salary for ’26/27 and a $53,817,156 player option for ’27/28. The total would be $150,316,884.

Now that they know they’ll have Mitchell under contract for at least the next three seasons, the Cavaliers can move forward with plans to address the rest of the roster around him.

There were rumors in the spring that the team may consider trades to address the overlapping skill sets in the backcourt (Mitchell and Darius Garland) and frontcourt (Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen) and to better balance the roster. On top of that, one report indicated that a Mitchell extension might prompt Garland’s agent – Rich Paul – to talk to the team about the possibility of finding a new home for his client.

However, Altman indicated in May that he’s not inclined to trade any of the club’s core four players, and reports since then have confirmed that stance hasn’t changed. Additionally, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com recently pointed out (via Twitter), some of the teams that were considered likely suitors for Garland have already addressed their point guard spot in other ways (e.g. Dejounte Murray in New Orleans; Chris Paul in San Antonio).

Johnnie Bryant To Be Associate Head Coach In Cleveland

July 6th, 2024 at 4:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant will become Kenny Atkinson‘s associate head coach with the Cavaliers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Bryant, who has been on Tom Thibodeau’s staff for the past four years, was still under contract in New York, so he had to get approval from Knicks ownership before he could accept the new job, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link). Begley notes that Bryant interviewed for the head coaching job in Cleveland and has a strong relationship with Donovan Mitchell, whom he previously coached in Utah.

A college point guard at San Francisco and Utah, Bryant broke into the NBA as a player development assistant with the Jazz in 2012. He was promoted to assistant coach in 2014.

Bryant is the latest addition to a staff that is coming together quickly after Atkinson was hired in late June. Former NBA player DeMarre Carroll and ex-Lakers assistant Jordan Ott are also joining Atkinson’s staff as assistants.

Central Notes: Smith, LaVine, Mitchell, Rivers, Bucks’ Staff, Wright

July 2nd, 2024 at 10:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

On the surface, the Bulls’ three-year agreement with free agent Jalen Smith may not seem like a big deal. But The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry believes the former Pacers big man could be due for a breakout season.

Smith fits into the Bulls’ aim of getting younger and more athletic. He’s adept at rim-running and offensive rebounding and he’ll improve their interior defense, Mayberry writes, adding that Smith could even become the starter if Nikola Vucevic is dealt.

We have more from the Central Division:

An NBA insider tells The Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley that the relationship between Zach LaVine and the Bulls’ top brass is completely shattered and “filled with mistrust.” The Bulls are trying hard to move LaVine and his big contract. If they fail in those efforts before training camp, the front office and ownership would consider that the worst-case scenario.
With the Cavaliers getting Donovan Mitchell to agree to an extension, the gamble they made in agreeing to that blockbuster 2022 deal with Utah has paid off for the team and the city, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic opines. Mitchell’s presence in the Cleveland lineup will keep it in contention for the foreseeable future, he adds.
The Bucks have salary-cap issues and will have to rely more on their younger players to fill in the gaps. Coach Doc Rivers isn’t fazed by that prospect, he told Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We wanted young talent. We did,” Rivers said. “We think that skill development in our league is becoming more and more important. The more of the young talent you can get to bring up with the veteran talent, the better. And that’s what we’re going to do all summer. Free agency is here right now, and now we’re looking for other guys, more veterans, to add to the mix. I like the mix of guys I think we’re going to end up with and it’s exactly the ratio that we want right now.”
The Bucks have finalized their coaching staff, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. The Bucks have hired Darvin Ham, Greg Buckner, Jason Love and Spencer Rivers as additions to the staff this summer. Dave Joerger, Rex Kalamian, Pete Dominguez, Joe Prunty and Vin Baker will remain on Rivers’ staff.
The Bucks are adding veteran guard Delon Wright on a one-year deal and Nehm takes a closer look at what he could bring to the rotation.

Free Agency Rumors: Theis, Magic, Heat, Raptors, Rockets

July 2nd, 2024 at 9:19am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center Daniel Theis has received interest in free agency from several suitors, including the Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Bucks, reports Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Theis won the 2023 FIBA World Cup with Germany last year, then joined the Clippers in the fall after negotiating a buyout with the Pacers. He served as the backup center in Los Angeles while Mason Plumlee missed time due to an injury and averaged 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 17.1 minutes per game across 59 outings.

A second-apron team, Milwaukee is limited to offering minimum-salary contracts to outside free agents, while Memphis and New Orleans have financial constraints of their own to consider, so Theis is unlikely to secure a big payday from any of those suitors. Still, they could certainly offer him a path to playing time.

The Grizzlies traded away Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman last season, while New Orleans lost Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. this summer. Milwaukee has Brook Lopez manning the middle, but his name came up in trade rumors last month.

Here are a few more free agency notes from around the NBA:

Although the Magic still have a chunk of cap room left over, they don’t appear to be aggressively pursuing outside free agents using that room. Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required) hears that there continues to be mutual interest in new deals for free agents Moritz Wagner and Joe Ingles — if both players return, Orlando would have 15 players on standard contracts. A report on Monday suggested the team is also exploring using some cap room to renegotiate and extend Jonathan Isaac‘s contract.
Caleb Martin doesn’t have a deal in place with a new team yet, but Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link) still views him as “all but gone” from the Heat. Re-signing Haywood Highsmith remains a possibility for Miami, per Winderman, who says the team may also sign another veteran free agent for the minimum. Winderman names Dennis Smith Jr. as a possible Heat target.
Free agent wing Gary Trent Jr. appears likely to leave the Raptors, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. As Koreen details, Toronto’s agreement with Garrett Temple means there are already 15 players projected to be on guaranteed contracts if second-round picks Jonathan Mogbo and Jamal Shead are signed using the second-round exception, as expected. In other words, the team’s free agent business might be just about done.
Kelly Iko of The Athletic hears that Trent had some interest in reuniting with former teammate Fred VanVleet in Houston, but the Rockets are another team who likely won’t do much more free agent shopping. Following the additions of Reed Sheppard and AJ Griffin, along with a new deal with Aaron Holiday, Houston projects to have 15 players under contract. While the Rockets would certainly still be interested in acquiring a young star, the two players they’ve been monitoring most closely, per Iko – Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker – aren’t available, and the asking price for Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was considered too high.

Cavs President Believes Mitchell Will Sign Extension

July 1st, 2024 at 4:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman expressed optimism that the club will reach an extension agreement with star guard Donovan Mitchell this offseason, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Altman and new head coach Kenny Atkinson visited Mitchell this past weekend in Los Angeles when the guard hosted a summer camp.

“We feel good about Donovan,” Altman said. “He’s in a great space mentally. He’s healthy. He was out there with those young high school players, hooping in a really good space. Really enjoyed the fact that him and Kenny could sit down and talk about the future, talk about the team. He is still under contract right now, so I think we can talk about him as a Cavalier. He’s invested. He’s really invested in what we’re doing, and hopefully soon we’ll have more of a decisive answer on [a contract extension] for you. But he’s been great. He’s been super involved and super collaborative and very, very much pro-Cleveland.”

Mitchell is eligible to sign a four-year, $200MM+ extension as early as Saturday (July 6), when the league’s moratorium ends. A new deal would see the see the 27-year-old decline his $37.1MM player option for 2025/26. He’ll make $35.41MM in ’24/25.

Mitchell’s involvement with the franchise this offseason included his input during the Cavs’ coaching search. He had a conversation with Atkinson and at least one other candidate during the search, according to Fedor. Mitchell endorsed the hiring of the former Warriors assistant.

Atkinson said they connected on a personal level. That’s a key, since Mitchell reportedly was unhappy with former coach J.B. Bickerstaff last season over a number of issues.

“We had a great sitdown,” Atkinson said. “We also have a little bit of East Coast, similar backgrounds. We didn’t grow up far from each other really, if you think about it.”

If Mitchell decides not to sign an extension, Cleveland would look into potential trades, Fedor writes. However, he says all the momentum is headed in the other direction.

Trade Rumors: Wiggins, Warriors, Rockets, Ingram, Kings, Jazz

June 28th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

Andrew Wiggins is no longer in the mix for the Canadian national team this summer, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto (Twitter link), who says the Warriors are “playing hardball” with a player they are “looking to move.”

Wiggins was insured and medically cleared by Canada Basketball, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, but it sounds like the Warriors don’t want to risk his health during trade negotiations after he dealt with an ankle issue last season. While Grange says the veteran forward isn’t thrilled about the decision, Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link) refers to it as a mutual one.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Wiggins is one of several Warriors veterans who is considered a potential outgoing piece if Golden State makes a major deal. Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II fall into that category, as does Chris Paul, whose $30MM salary remains non-guaranteed for the time being. The Warriors’ decision on Paul’s non-guaranteed salary is due on Friday, but it’s possible the team will give him a partial guarantee in exchange for pushing back that deadline, says Fischer.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

While some trade rumors earlier this week linked Kevin Durant to Houston, the Rockets are more interested in pursuing younger trade targets whose timeline matches up better with their core, according to Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Amick and Slater name Suns guard Devin Booker, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson as some players who would fit that bill for Houston, acknowledging that there’s no indication any of those players will be available this summer.
Exploring potential trade partners for the Pelicans and forward Brandon Ingram, Fischer mentions the Kings, Sixers, Hawks, and Cavaliers as possibilities. However, he says that Atlanta and New Orleans haven’t had substantive discussions since talking about Dejounte Murray in February, while Cleveland remains reluctant to part with any of its four core players, including potential Pels target Jarrett Allen. It’s also unclear how high Ingram ranks on Philadelphia’s list of possible targets, Fischer adds. Sacramento, meanwhile, has been in the market for help on the wing this offseason, though Fischer doesn’t explicitly say the Kings have talked to New Orleans about Ingram.
Although rival teams are expected to continue calling to register interest in Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz‘s goal continues to be extending the veteran forward and acquiring another star to complement him, Fischer writes. Adrian Wojnarowski expressed a similar sentiment during ESPN’s draft broadcast this week. Utah talked to the Hawks about Murray in February and also expressed interest in Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn agreed to send him to New York, says Fischer.

Trade Rumors: Rockets, Smart, George, Warriors, Nets, More

June 25th, 2024 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are a team worth keeping a close eye on this week, according to Marc Stein, who writes in his latest Substack report that the possibility of a trade that sees the No. 3 overall pick sent to the Grizzlies in a package for the No. 9 pick and Marcus Smart has been “mentioned with increasing regularity by various league insiders.” Memphis has been identified as one of the teams that has interest in UConn center Donovan Clingan, and moving up to No. 3 would likely put the Grizzlies in position to draft him.

Of course, if possible, the Rockets would like to use that third overall pick in a deal for a bigger star, so Stein suggests that Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram, and Paul George are a few of the possible targets to watch.

Discussing George’s situation, Stein cites a “growing feeling” around the league that the Clippers forward may end up picking up his player option for 2024/25 and forcing a trade, since Los Angeles still seems unwilling to offer him a contract that’s longer or richer than the one Kawhi Leonard signed in January (three years, $152MM). The Knicks have been mentioned as a possible trade suitor for George, and Stein says it’s probably safe to add the Warriors to that list too.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors from around the NBA:

During a pre-draft press conference on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. expressed a reluctance to move any of the team’s young players – Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, or Trayce Jackson-Davis – in a trade, per Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “We really value those guys,” Dunleavy said. “We’ve drafted them. We’ve grown them. They have played really well. We are excited about them. A scenario to move them would take a lot. It’s important for us to be good now and then be good also in the future.” Of course, to acquire a star player like George, Golden State would almost certainly have to surrender at least one player from that group.
As Kendra Andrews of ESPN relays, Dunleavy also briefly addressed Chris Paul‘s situation on Monday, suggesting that the Warriors continue to consider a handful of options, including possibly trading the point guard or waiving him before his $30MM salary for 2024/25 becomes guaranteed on Friday. “We’re looking through everything,” Dunleavy said. “A lot of options are still on the table in terms of keeping Chris. Obviously there’s a scenario where he gets waived … but I’d say everything is open.”
The Nets have conveyed optimism as of late about their ability to trade into the 2024 NBA draft, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Brooklyn is currently the only team in the league without a pick in either round of this year’s draft, but has reportedly been exploring ways to acquire one.
Donovan Mitchell was long viewed as a possible trade candidate leading up to this offseason, but there’s still zero indication that he’ll be made available. According to Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link), there continues to be plenty of optimism within the Cavaliers‘ organization that Mitchell – who had input on the team’s head coaching search – will sign an extension this summer. Charania suggests such a deal could be worth nearly $209MM over four years, though if Mitchell wants to put himself in position to get the higher maximum salary (35% of the cap instead of 30%) as soon as he gains 10 years of NBA service, he may opt for a shorter-term extension.

Rockets Rumors: Clingan, Sheppard, No. 3 Pick, Smart, More

June 20th, 2024 at 1:43pm CST by Rory Maher

The Rockets have UConn center Donovan Clingan and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard at the top of their board heading into next week’s draft, league sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Houston controls the No. 3 overall pick.

According to Iko, Clingan seems to have the edge over Sheppard, but it’s not a sure thing the 7’2″ big man will be available with the third pick. ESPN recently reported that while Zaccharie Risacher remains the favorite to go No. 1 to the Hawks, Atlanta is also high on Clingan, who may be Risacher’s top competition. Ken Seguira of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has also heard the Hawks are high on Clingan.

The Rockets already have Alperen Sengun at center and he shares an agent with Clingan, Iko writes. Those factors — plus the trade deadline addition of Steven Adams — would seemingly work against Houston selecting Clingan, and the team has been unable to get him in for a private workout to this point. Sheppard, meanwhile, will visit the Rockets this week, sources tell Iko.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman recently suggested Houston might not have much leverage if they decide to trade the No. 3 selection due to a perception that there’s a minimal difference in value between that pick and those later in the lottery. However, Iko has heard differently, writing that there’s “rapidly growing interest” from rival teams in Clingan and Sheppard. Those teams may also be motivated to move up ahead of the Spurs, who control the Nos. 4 and 8 picks.

While several teams have shown interest in the third pick, team and league sources tell Iko the Hornets, Grizzlies and Trail Blazers have been “the most vocal” in their pursuit of the selection, with Memphis and Charlotte particularly “aggressive.”

Iko hears all three clubs are fans of both Clingan and Sheppard. The Hornets control the 6th and 42nd overall picks; the Grizzlies control Nos. 9, 39 and 57; and the Blazers control Nos. 7, 14, 34 and 40.

Here are some more Rockets rumors, all from Iko:

In an ideal situation, Houston would prefer to use the No. 3 pick as part of a package to acquire a star player like Donovan Mitchell, but there hasn’t been much league-wide “activity or movement” when it comes to stars this offseason, according to Iko. The Pelicans are rumored to have floated a proposal of Brandon Ingram for Sengun, but Houston has “no interest” in that deal, team sources tell Iko. Iko also hears New Orleans discussed Ingram with the Sixers.
If the Rockets can’t land a star and still decide to move the third pick, Iko wonders if a Grizzlies offer centered around Marcus Smart and the ninth pick could make sense for both sides. According to Iko’s sources, GM Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of Smart, who played under Udoka in Boston. In a move-back scenario, Houston might be interested in selecting Tennesee forward Dalton Knecht, says Iko.
Houston also controls a second-round pick (No. 44) in the upcoming draft. San Francisco’s Jonathan Mogbo, Minnesota’s Cam Christie, Illinois’ Terrence Shannon, Colorado’s KJ Simpson, UCLA’s Adem Bona and Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro are among the prospects who have been discussed at that spot, though Iko acknowledges some of those players might get drafted before then. Clemson forward/center PJ Hall, Texas forward Dylan Disu, St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins and Washington State forward Jaylen Wells are among the players who will work out for Houston this week, Iko reports.
For free agency, Iko hears the Rockets have placed a high priority on adding shooting, but the team is only interested in two-way contributors — Alec Burks, Gary Harris, Talen Horton-Tucker and Saddiq Bey are names to watch. Bey, however, will be a restricted free agent if he’s given a qualifying offer, which complicates matters (he’s also recovering from a torn ACL). A source close to Eric Gordon tells Iko that the veteran guard is “50-50” on exercising his player option to remain with the Suns, but the longtime former Rocket is also open to a reunion with Houston. The Rockets will have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to dangle in free agency, Iko notes.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks Offseason, New York Targets, Celtics, Marinkovic

June 19th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Knicks have a busy offseason ahead of them, but have a solid foundation of returning players, led by Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, Spotrac’s Keith Smith writes in his offseason preview. Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride are under contract, as is Bojan Bogdanovic, though his salary is only partially guaranteed for now and he may be used as a trade chip.

Still, New York has two key free agents to take care of: OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein. The Knicks may have an easier time signing Anunoby, who is expected to explore unrestricted free agency but whose full Bird rights are held by New York. A four-year, $160MM deal makes sense for Anunoby, Smith writes, given his production and what the team sent out to trade for him (Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and draft capital).

However, the Knicks are limited to offering Hartenstein an average annual salary of about $18.1MM, which could be topped by teams with ample cap space like the Thunder and Magic, each of whom may have interest. Nonetheless, it’s not impossible Hartenstein opts to return. The difference in what he might earn from another team and from New York might not be sizable enough for him to want to make a drastic scenery change, given his current role. Smith writes the Knicks could look to agree to a two-year deal with Hartenstein that allows him to hit free agency again before he turns 28 and gives the club full Bird rights, when the cap is expected to increase.

If the Knicks re-sign both Anunoby and Hartenstein, Smith points out they’ll almost certainly be a second apron team, which would limit their ability to trade for a star player, something they’ve seemed poised to do for some time. What New York decides to do with its two biggest free agents will also likely impact the team’s willingness to bring back free agents such as Precious Achiuwa, Alec Burks and Jericho Sims.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

In the second half of a two-part series, Fred Katz of The Athletic examines the names that might arise this offseason if the Knicks pursue a star, considering how realistic each player would be as a trade target. Devin Booker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Ingram, Joel Embiid and Zach LaVine are the names mentioned by Katz, but only a Markkanen deal feels like it might make sense for both sides.
The Celtics almost made a number of massive moves in the build-up to what led to their 2024 title team. They had trade talks over the years about Anthony Davis, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard, and had a godfather offer out to the Hornets with an eye toward moving up to No. 9 in the 2015 draft to select Justise Winslow. Any of those moves could have drastically altered Boston’s timeline. In a piece exploring Boston’s process to building a championship team, ESPN’s Zach Lowe (ESPN+ link) reports that the Celtics tried to acquire a second lottery pick in 2017 in order to select Donovan Mitchell, and again attempted to trade for him after Utah selected him.
Vanja Marinkovic will return to Partizan Mozzart Bet, with whom he has played 119 career games, after signing a two-year deal with them on Monday, the team announced. Marinkovic’s draft rights are held by the Nets after Brooklyn acquired them in the three-team deal that sent Royce O’Neale to the Suns. Marinkovic was the No. 60 overall pick in 2019.