Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Rumors

Southeast Notes: KCP, Black, Gibson, Hornets, Wizards

October 16th, 2024 at 9:42am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic haven’t been major players in free agency in recent years, having focused on building through the draft and re-signing their own players. However, they made a rare splurge over the summer, signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66MM contract.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley is pleased with the way Caldwell-Pope is fitting in with the team this fall, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). The two-time champion has immediately established himself as a leader who isn’t afraid to offer guidance to the Magic’s rookies and veterans alike.

“He does it in such subtle ways,” Mosley said. “We do drills every day with recognizing spacing on the floor, and he’s constantly talking to our wings about filling the corners. Why? Because it’s so important to keep that corner filled because it gives the other guys room to operate and play. He does it by example but then he’s going and having individual conversations with guys about the importance of the ‘why’ you do it.”

Besides providing veteran leadership and championship experience, Caldwell-Pope will provide much-needed floor spacing for an Orlando team that ranked second-last in the NBA in three-point attempts per game (31.3) last season.

“It just helps having more shooting out there,” Magic forward Franz Wagner said of his new teammate. “Having someone that has played a lot of important games, knows defenses, can talk the different coverages and give us pointers. … So we’re more organized out there.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Magic guard Anthony Black had a solid rookie season in 2023/24, establishing himself as a member of the rotation by making 33 starts and averaging 16.9 minutes per game in 69 outings. With Markelle Fultz no longer on the roster, Black is poised to take over more point guard duties in his second NBA season and his teammates believe he’s ready for that challenge, as Beede outlines for The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). “He looks a lot better,” forward Paolo Banchero said. “Just from year one to year two, you can tell he’s way more comfortable out there. He has a lot more command of himself and others on the court.”
New Hornets big man Taj Gibson is providing the kind of veteran presence the team has lacked in recent years, says Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte is carrying 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts, with Gibson on a partially guaranteed deal, but the expectation is that the club will find room for him on the 15-man regular season roster. Head coach Charles Lee said the Hornets are “so grateful” to have the 39-year-old around. “I can see why he’s such a popular guy,” Lee said. “He’s such a phenomenal person. I think he’s added a lot to our locker room. From a human standpoint, I think that his professionalism brings another level of structure and routine, and the guys have a ton of respect for him because of what he has accomplished as a player.”
In a separate story for The Charlotte Observer, Boone takes a look at the new, state-of-the-art practice facility the Hornets are building across the street from Spectrum Center. The city of Charlotte is providing $30MM for the project, with team ownership expected to cover the remaining costs.
Some minor preseason injuries have given Wizards head coach Brian Keefe the opportunity to experiment with new lineup combinations in the weeks leading up to the season, according to Varun Shankar of The Washington Post, who notes that Keefe has deployed a different starting five in each of the team’s past three games.

Southeast Notes: KCP, Coulibaly, Davis, Baldwin, Hornets

October 7th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

In an interview with David Aldridge of The Athletic, veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope explained why he chose to sign with the Magic in free agency.

“The young core,” Caldwell-Pope told Aldridge. “These are most of the guys that they had last year, just adding new pieces. But that core they have, they already believe in each other, trust each other. Just watching them, the way they played, it was not ‘me, I.’ Everybody took sacrifices. For a young team to be able to grow up that fast says a lot about them and their organization. That made my decision easy.

“They were one of the best defensive teams last year, and that’s what I like to do — defend. Natural fit. It was easy for me to just come in and fit right in and not try to step on anyone’s toes. When I talk to most of the young guys, it’s about defense, them helping me and what I see and they don’t see, and I’m telling them. Everybody is eager to learn, I would say.”

Caldwell-Pope, a key role player on two championship-winning teams in the past five years (the Lakers and Nuggets, respectively), was one of the top free agents to switch teams this summer, going from Denver to Orlando. He signed a three-year, $66MM deal with the Magic.

Here’s more from the Southeast:

Second-year wing Bilal Coulibaly and showcased his offseason improvement during the Wizards‘ preseason opener on Sunday, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. According to Robbins, Coulibaly appears “stronger, more confident and more skilled.” The 20-year-old grew an inch, added 10 pounds to his thin frame, won a silver medal with the French national team, and has also developed his ball-handling, particularly with his left hand, after his rookie campaign ended due to a fractured right wrist.
Wizards guard Johnny Davis is another player who looks improved as he enters his third season, Robbins adds. Davis struggled over his first two seasons, averaging just 4.0 PPG and 1.8 RPG on .394/.282/.549 shooting in 78 combined games (13.3 MPG). However, he reworked his shooting form over the summer with his personal trainer in Wisconsin. “The past two years,” Davis told The Athletic on Sunday night, “a development coach from each year has been tinkering with my shot, messing with it. So I came back into this year, and I said, ‘Nobody is touching my jump shot. I’m just going to leave it as it is, leave it comfortable.’ And they’ve left me alone about it. So, it feels really good right now. I’ve been working on it the whole summer, so I’m just glad to see it pay off.”
While it’s encouraging that Davis seems to have rediscovered some of what made him a former lottery pick (No. 10 overall in 2022), he’s still deep on the depth chart. Robbins wouldn’t be surprised if the Wizards decline their fourth-year options on Davis and Patrick Baldwin Jr., pointing out that neither player was drafted by the current front office. If that comes to fruition, both players would be unrestricted free agents in 2025.
The Hornets dealt with a plethora of injuries to key players last season. In their preseason opener, they had four players out: Mark Williams (left foot), Grant Williams (right hamstring), Cody Martin (right wrist, thumb) and Nick Smith (left groin strain). Head coach Charles Lee doesn’t seem worried about any of the injuries though, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “No concerns,” Lee said. “Everything seems like it’s minor injuries at the moment — some nicks, some bruises. Unfortunately, Grant is another guy that kind of tweaked his hamstring in the preseason, but he was a full participant in camp. There are no worries from my standpoint because a lot of these guys are following their return to play plans and it seems like they’re in a really good place.” Mark Williams is set to be reevaluated on Thursday, while Smith will be checked out in a week.

Southeast Notes: KCP, Barlow, Nance Jr., Davis, Poole

October 3rd, 2024 at 10:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was one of the biggest free acquisitions this summer, as the Magic signed him for three years and $66MM. Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley says KCP will have a major impact on both ends of the floor, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel tweets.

“It’s the fact that he just knows where to be on the floor,” Mosley said. “It goes back to the fact he’s played with some of the game’s best players, so he understands the spacing, the time to cut and the time to move to find the open window that they can pass him the basketball. Defensively, he’s always in the right position.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The Hawks added former Spurs forward Dominick Barlow on a two-way deal this summer. Barlow believes he can force his way into the rotation by doing the “little things,” Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. “Screening, hard, rolling hard, being able to hit that shot in the corner and then just guarding, I think will be my way to get on the court, for sure,” he said.
The Hawks acquired Larry Nance Jr. in the Dejounte Murray deal with the Pelicans. The veteran forward has quickly emerged as a vocal leader during the early days of training camp, Williams writes in a separate story. “He’s done a great job,” Barlow said. “He’s a new guy, but he’s been in a bunch of different situations throughout his career, so he kind of understands, how this works. And I think he’s kind of stepped in and taken that role.”
Wizards third-year guard Johnny Davis resents being called a bust at this stage of his career. Davis was the 10th pick of the 2022 draft but hasn’t performed like a lottery pick in his first two NBA seasons. “It’s a word that’s thrown around a lot, and I feel like it’s not fair to anybody,” Davis told Candace Buckner of the Washington Post. “I just want to show that I belong here. People can say what they want about Tommy Sheppard, the GM at the time when I got drafted here, but I don’t think people randomly get drafted top-10 for nothing.”
Jordan Poole expects his second season with the Wizards to go much smoother than his first year with the organization. He went from a perennial contender in Golden State to a rebuilding team. “I’m just a competitive person,” he said, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “It was new for me to go just through the losing process, honestly. Obviously, we’re in a rebuilding phase, but it was a transition year. There was a lot of movement, a lot of new things, a lot of new pieces on both sides. But now coming into Year 2, we have a little bit more clarity in what we want to do, a little bit more direction in what we want to do. So that not only helps me but it helps other guys know what they can focus on, where they can put their energy to. And that’s all you really need: a little bit of direction.”

Northwest Notes: Malone, Nuggets, Wiggins, Thunder

September 5th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Tristan Tucker

After a similar report surfaced in August from another outlet, Zach Lowe of ESPN said on his podcast this week (hat tip to RealGM) that there are “rumblings” that Michael Malone and the Nuggets front office aren’t seeing eye to eye “to a degree even unusual for the NBA.”

This offseason, the Nuggets lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency one year after losing key role players in Jeff Green and Bruce Brown. General manager Calvin Booth has targeted young players to develop to try and offset the losses of these veterans, but they haven’t been one-to-one replacements.

As noted by RealGM, Booth’s contract expires after the 2024/25 season while Malone’s runs through ’26/27. It’s not exactly clear to what degree Malone and the front office aren’t clicking, but Denver took a step back after winning the title in 2023 and doesn’t have a clear replacement for what Caldwell-Pope brought to the table as one of the premier 3-and-D role-players in the league.

For what it’s worth, Booth didn’t exactly put any rumors to rest with his comments in May.

“We’ve talked about this a lot upstairs,” Booth said in May. “The general manager, front office job oftentimes is to make sure the long-term view is something that we’re satisfied with. And Coach Malone’s down there in the trenches trying to win every night. And a lot of times, those things are aligned, but sometimes they ebb and flow away from each other.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

With Caldwell-Pope, Reggie Jackson and Justin Holiday gone, the Nuggets are losing more than 28% of their attempted three-pointers from last season, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post observes. Durando writes that Vlatko Cancar and Julian Strawther could be key contributors from beyond the arc to help offset Denver’s losses in that area.
The Thunder continued cementing themselves as top contenders in the NBA this offseason by adding outside talent like Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, but signing Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to team-friendly extensions might have been their most overlooked moves. As Ross Lovelace of Sports Illustrated writes, if Wiggins increases his three-point output this season, it could be one of the developments that helps push Oklahoma City to a title.
Adding Caruso and Hartenstein gives the Thunder versatility and defense and as a result, John Wilmes of RealGM writes Oklahoma City has figured out the modern NBA. Even as the Thunder get more expensive, they’ve maintained a young core and have flexibility going forward.

Nuggets Notes: Murray, Kroenke, Roster, Caldwell-Pope

August 22nd, 2024 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Maher

Injuries were a significant factor in Jamal Murray‘s struggles in the 2024 postseason and during the Olympics in Paris this summer, Nuggets president Josh Kroenke said on Wednesday, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.

“When you’re going against the best in the world, whether it’s in the NBA playoffs or in the Olympics, you’re gonna get (opponents’) best shot And if you’re not 100% and you know you want to be out there still, you’re gonna try to fight through it like Jamal is,” Kroenke said after participating in the Gardner Hendrick Pro-Am, part of the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club.

“But I know he wasn’t 100%. I know getting him back there is a big step toward seeing the Jamal who was throwing up triple-doubles in the NBA Finals.”

As Durando writes, the Canadian guard was visibly slowed by a left calf strain during Denver’s second-round playoff loss to Minnesota. Kroenke said Murray has also been battling an ankle issue in addition to other ailments, though he didn’t specify when that particular injury occurred.

A report in late June indicated that the Nuggets and Murray were nearing an agreement on a four-year, $208.45MM maximum extension, but a deal has yet to be finalized. While Kroenke declined to go into specifics on when a contract might come to fruition, he remains confident in Murray’s abilities, Durando adds.

“Jamal’s a great player, one of the best in the NBA,” Kroenke said, “and however he felt personally that the Olympics were for him, just reading some of his quotes, I know he was frustrated a little bit. So I have no doubt that he’ll use that the right way for motivation going into the season.”

Here’s more on the Nuggets, courtesy of Durando (Twitter links):

According to Kroenke, Denver’s roster is “pretty set” for the 2024/25 season, though he acknowledged things can change quickly in the NBA. “Our eyes and ears are always open,” he said. “The new (CBA) rules are interesting, and how some of those trades work once you’re over the tax.” The Nuggets’ roster, which is currently at the offseason limit of 21 players, includes 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, with all three of the team’s two-way slots filled.
The Nuggets’ president also touched on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s free agency, Durando notes. A key three-and-D player for Denver the past two seasons, Caldwell-Pope signed a three-year, $66MM deal with Orlando after declining his ’24/25 player option. Kroenke said that while the Nuggets made the veteran wing some offers, they were also leery of the second apron restrictions in the new CBA, emphasizing that maintaining the “flexibility to retain the guys we want to keep” in the future was a key factor in contract talks. Kroenke also expressed confidence in the team’s young players and their ability to take on expanded roles.
In case you missed it, the Nuggets are rumored to be interested in Hornets guard Vasilije Micic, one of Nikola Jokic‘s teammates on the Serbian national team. Serbia won the bronze medal at the Olympics.

Magic’s Banchero: ‘We’re Right There’ With East’s Top Clubs

August 16th, 2024 at 5:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Paolo Banchero believes the Magic should be in the conversation with the Eastern Conference’s top teams, he declared on ESPN’s First Take (hat tip to Dan Savage of NBA.com).

“We feel like we’re right there,” the Magic’s star forward said. “We’re right there with all those (elite teams in the East). I remember last year, we started the year off as a top-two, top-three seed and everybody thought it was a fluke. Everybody thought we were going to be a play-in team and drop out the top of the East. We finished strong and got the fifth seed and had a chance to really grab the two seed at the end of the season. We were right there last year.”

Orlando finished with a 47-35 regular-season mark and was eliminated by the Cavaliers in the opening round of the playoffs.

The best-of-seven series went the distance and Banchero showed why he’d been named an All-Star in February. He averaged 27.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game during the postseason.

Banchero viewed it as a learning experience.

“I learned how to kind of slow the game down in the playoffs,” he said. “The first two games of the series in Cleveland, I felt a little sped up. I turned the ball over a lot. From Games 1 and 2 to Game 3, I think that’s where I made that jump, that adjustment and started to really slow the game down. I started to be really intentional (and) pick my spots on the floor to score and play-make.

“I also learned that you have to be in elite shape – not only physically, but mentally (in order) to deal with a seven-game series. It’s fun to go against the same team over and over, but it’s also a huge challenge. I think that’s something I took and will definitely use for next year.”

The Magic should be a more dangerous playoff team with the addition of shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Orlando brought in the former Nuggets wing on a three-year, $66MM deal in one of the biggest free agent signings this summer.

“Getting KCP is going to help us a lot,” Banchero said. “That’s a guy that’s won two championships in the last five seasons. He’s been around some of the greatest (players) of all-time. So, he’s going to be able to come out and make a huge difference for us. (Also), we’re a really young team and getting that playoff experience (and) a top-five seed last year (gives us) a lot of momentum heading into next season.”

Banchero, who doesn’t turn 22 until November, has lived up to his billing as the top overall pick in 2022. Orlando surprised many people by picking Banchero at that spot after his one-and-done season with Duke.

He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer and it’s a lock that he’ll get a max offer from the Magic.

“Orlando took a chance on me when they drafted me, and I am forever grateful for that,” he said. “I give them my love and respect for that because nobody knew that I was going to go number one. I didn’t know I was going to go number one. So, they put the trust in me to take that chance and take me number one. After that, I felt like it was my job to help them reach heights that haven’t been reached in a long time … We’re trying to take (a huge) jump next year and keep taking it one level at a time.”

Banchero’s appearance on the ESPN show can be viewed here.

Southeast Notes: KCP, Fultz, Okeke, Ware, Highsmith, McGowens, Wizards

July 6th, 2024 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic‘s promising future played an important role in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s decision to join the team in free agency, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Caldwell-Pope won titles with the Nuggets in 2023 and the Lakers in 2020, and he likes his chances to pick up a third ring in Orlando.

“I’m always chasing the championship,” Caldwell-Pope said. “… Seeing their progress, they just made it to the playoffs, taking Cleveland to a Game 7. That was enough for me. They got a little bit of a taste of that pressure and what it takes to make it past the first round. I’m just excited to be a part of it.”

Caldwell-Pope will become a veteran leader on a team that has amassed an impressive collection of young talent over the last few drafts. He’s looking forward to playing alongside Paolo Banchero, who became an All-Star in his second NBA season.

“His knowledge of the game,” Caldwell-Pope responded when asked what stands out about Banchero. “Him being patient in certain situations, making plays for his teammates to get his teammates involved. Being so much of a little bit of a leader that I’ve seen from him.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Magic renounced their free agent rights to Markelle Fultz and Chuma Okeke to clear up cap room for other moves, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Both players are still eligible to sign new contracts with Orlando.
The Heat want rookie center Kel’el Ware to gain weight before the start of the season, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). The first-round pick weighed in at 230 pounds when he arrived at Summer League camp, and he said the team would prefer him to be between 240 and 245.
Free agent forward Haywood Highsmith still has interest in returning to the Heat, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The Sixers were considered a potential landing spot for Highsmith, Chiang adds, but that seems less likely after Philadelphia signed Caleb Martin.
Bryce McGowens, who was waived earlier today, will continue to be part of the Hornets‘ Summer League team, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
Brown University assistant coach T.J. Sorrentine was thrilled to get the chance to join Brian Keefe‘s staff with the Wizards, relays Bill Koch of The Providence Journal. “My family was happy. I was in a great spot,” Sorrentine said. “But going through a day with coach Keefe and meeting with people, I left here and I called my wife (Emily) and I was like, ‘Man, it’s going to be really hard to come back to college.’ This was a unique opportunity. That’s when I knew it was time to go. I was ready. I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity.” Adam Caporn, director of development with the Nets’ coaching staff, has also accepted a job with Washington, according to NetsDaily (Twitter link). Caporn’s hiring had been anticipated.

Magic Sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope To Three-Year Contract

July 6th, 2024 at 12:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 6: Caldwell-Pope has officially signed with the Magic, the team confirmed today in a press release (Twitter link).

“We are thrilled to add a player like Kentavious to our roster,” team president Jeff Weltman said in a statement. “He is not only an outstanding defender and an excellent shooter, he brings high character and a championship pedigree to our backcourt. We’re very excited to welcome Kentavious to the Orlando Magic family.”

JUNE 30: The Magic are set to sign free agent wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year contract, reports Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link). The deal will be worth $66MM, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), and it includes a player option for the final season, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Caldwell-Pope is one of the top prizes in the 2024 free agent class after playing an important role for the Nuggets over the past two years and helping to spark the team’s 2023 title run. His blend of defense and outside shooting makes him a perfect fit in Orlando.

Denver would have preferred to keep its starting lineup intact, but other financial commitments made it difficult to retain Caldwell-Pope. Bennett Durando of The Denver Post p0ints out (via Twitter) that the $22MM annual salary Caldwell-Pope received from Orlando would have pushed the Nuggets into the second apron if they had given him that much.

However, Tony Jones of The Athletic hears that Denver made a three-year offer at close to the amount that Caldwell-Pope received from the Magic (Twitter link).

Speaking to reporters after the first night of the draft on Wednesday, Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth seemed resigned to the fact that Caldwell-Pope was likely leaving.

“I think when you look at some of the teams that have been good in the past, they have to find a way to replace fourth, fifth starters, sixth men off the bench and still keep rolling,” Booth said. “… I think if (Christian Braun) has to step into the starting lineup, I think we’ll be OK, if KCP doesn’t return.”

Caldwell-Pope is joining a Magic team loaded with young talent that just made its first playoff appearance in four years. He will presumably start alongside Jalen Suggs in the backcourt and will provide a three-point shooting threat that the team has lacked. Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer notes (via Twitter) that Orlando ranked 29th in three-point attempts and 24th in three-point percentage this season. Caldwell-Pope is a career 36.9% shooter from long-distance and connected at 40.6% this year.

The Magic’s agreement with KCP ends the Sixers’ hopes of finding a way to add both Paul George and Caldwell-Pope to a vastly revamped roster.

Report: Growing Optimism Sixers Will Land Paul George

June 30th, 2024 at 3:11pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s “growing optimism” that the Sixers will be able to win the Paul George sweepstakes and land the star forward, reports Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).

George, who declined his 2024/25 player option with the Clippers on Saturday, is expected to meet with the 76ers, the Magic, and the Clips on Sunday night after the free agent period officially opens. Both Philadelphia and Orlando are said to be willing to offer a four-year, maximum-salary contract for George and have the cap room necessary to do so.

In addition to putting a four-year max deal on the table for him, the Sixers can offer George the opportunity to team up with 2023 MVP Joel Embiid and 2024 Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey, creating a formidable big three that would make Philadelphia a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.

Marc Stein reported this afternoon that the Sixers are exploring ways to maximize their cap room and land both George and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. As cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets, a maximum-salary contract for George would leave Philadelphia with only about $13MM in cap room, plus the $8MM room exception.

Acquiring either George or Caldwell-Pope via sign-and-trade could allow for a higher starting salary for KCP, but would require the cooperation of the player’s old team and would hard-cap the 76ers’ team salary at the first tax apron.

Teams aren’t permitted to negotiate or reach agreements with outside free agents until after the NBA’s free agent period officially opens at 5:00 pm Central time today.

FA Rumors: KCP, Harden, Kennard, Hartenstein, Jones, Highsmith, More

June 30th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

After Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported earlier today that the Nuggets are preparing to lose Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms there’s a growing belief around the league the veteran wing won’t remain in Denver.

The Magic have “significant” interest in Caldwell-Pope and there has been growing buzz about the possibility of Orlando aggressively pursuing him, Scotto says, adding that the Magic’s interest in Klay Thompson has cooled by comparison. Multiple executives who spoke to HoopsHype believe Caldwell-Pope will sign for $20-25MM per year.

The Sixers, who have also frequently been cited as a Caldwell-Pope suitor, have been exploring the feasibility of landing both KCP and Paul George using their cap room, tweets Marc Stein.

Here are several more rumors with the official start of free agency just a couple hours away:

While James Harden has been mentioned as a possible mid-level ($12.9MM) target for the Lakers, the expectation is that the Clippers will be willing to pay him approximately double that amount, Scotto writes, echoing a comment made by Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN (YouTube link).
Rival executives aren’t expecting Luke Kennard to be truly available as an unrestricted free agent, according to Fischer, who says Kennard and the Grizzlies seem to be interested in continuing their relationship after the team turned down its option the sharpshooter on Saturday.
New Pistons head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon is known to be a fan of center Isaiah Hartenstein, so Detroit is considered a candidate to make a play for the Knicks big man, Fischer reports. A return to the Knicks still hasn’t been entirely ruled out for Hartenstein, though the Thunder continue to be viewed as a probable suitor as well, Fischer notes.
With point guard Tyus Jones seeking starter-level money as a free agent this offseason and the Wizards still in the early stages of their rebuilding project, there’s a growing sense that Washington will be open to moving Jones via sign-and-trade, per Scotto.
Free agent wing Haywood Highsmith is expected to draw interest from a mix of cap-room teams such as the Pistons, Hornets, Jazz, Spurs, and Sixers, as well as over-the-cap clubs like the Pacers, Kings, and Warriors, league sources tell Scotto, who suggests the 27-year-old could end up with a deal in the range of the full mid-level.
The Lakers are expected to have interest in re-signing both Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie, with Dinwiddie also likely to draw interest from the Mavericks, Scotto writes. NBA executives who spoke to HoopsHype projected Prince to potentially land a contract in the range of $5MM+ annually over two years.