Kyrie Irving Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Russell Unlikely To Stay If Irving Signs With Nets

June 14th, 2019 at 10:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

D’Angelo Russell is highly unlikely to remain with the Nets if Kyrie Irving signs with Brooklyn, sources told Ian Begley of SNY TV.

The Nets are considered the favorites to land the Celtics’ point guard, though there’s no indication that other potential suitors have been ruled out, Begley continues.

The Nets can open up as much as $66MM of cap space to sign two major free agents if they renounce Russell’s rights. They can make him a restricted free agent by extending a $9.16MM qualifying offer but renouncing him would clear his $21MM cap hold.

The Pacers, who are shopping for a point guard, are keenly interested in Russell, Begley adds. The Magic, Timberwolves and Jazz are also expected to pursue him in free agency.

Begley’s story contradicts a previous report that suggested the Nets were willing to pair up Russell and Irving as their starting backcourt.

Atlantic Notes: Grousbeck, Leonard, Durant, Workouts

June 14th, 2019 at 1:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The feeling that the Celtics were done in by selfishness goes all the way to the top of the organization, writes Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. Co-owner Wyc Grousbeck admits to being “frustrated and disappointed” with this season, which began with Boston as a heavy favorite to reach the NBA Finals and ended with a loss in the conference semifinals.

“We had free agents who wanted minutes, and players who wanted to be All-Stars,” Grousbeck said. “I don’t know. There was a lot of ‘I want this, I want that,’ I guess. I’m not in the huddles or the locker room on a daily basis, but it’s frustrating.”

The most prominent name among those free agents is Kyrie Irving, who is rumored to be headed to Brooklyn when free agency kicks off at the end of the month. Grousbeck said management has discussed some “exotic scenarios” if the Celtics lose Irving and can’t trade for Anthony Davis. He adds that he hasn’t directly asked Irving to remain in Boston.

“I haven’t talked to Kyrie in those terms,” Grousbeck said. “Our two free agent negotiators are (coach) Brad (Stevens) and president of basketball operations Danny (Ainge). But Kyrie knows how we feel about him, that we feel very positive about him, and the discussions will go on over the next few weeks.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

No one should regret not making a strong play for Kawhi Leonard last summer more than the Celtics, argues Zach Lowe of ESPN. Boston had plenty of assets to offer when the Spurs put Leonard on the market, but wasn’t willing to part with Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown unless there were more assurances about Leonard’s health and willingness to re-sign with the organization. Lowe notes that the Celtics thought they already had a championship team in place and that adding another maximum-salary player to go with Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford wouldn’t have been sustainable for long.
A max deal for Kevin Durant would be too risky unless another star is joining him on the Knicks, contends Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The concerns lie beyond just missing all of next season, Bondy adds. With load management likely in effect, it’s hard to see how Durant plays more than 65 games in 2020/21 or beyond. He will be 32 when he returns and could plunge New York into a repeat of Kristaps Porzingis situation.
Miami center Dewan Hernandez is working out for the Knicks today, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Shaw guard Amir Hinton had a session for New York.
The Sixers are hosting six players for a workout today, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. On the schedule are Kyle Alexander (Tennessee), Daulton Holmes (Point Loma Nazarene), Mahir Johnson (Goldey-Beacom), Nick Mayo (Eastern Kentucky), Jordan Poole (Michigan) and Isaiah Roby (Nebraska).

Kyrie Irving Preparing To Sign With Nets?

June 13th, 2019 at 9:24pm CST by ChrisCrouse

It appears Kyrie Irving knows where he wants to play next season. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reports that Irving will look to join the Nets once free agency begins.

It was recently reported that Irving will change agencies, choosing to Roc Nation as his representation. It appears that move was calculated, as the agency is owned by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, a former part-owner of the Brooklyn franchise.

We are still nearly a month away from Irving’s opportunity to put pen to paper and Bulpett cautions that the point is capable of changing his mind.

There was chatter that Irving and Kevin Durant had discussed teaming up with a schism on which destination they would go to. Durant reportedly favored the Knicks, while Irving wants the Nets. There was speculation that Durant’s Achilles injury would make Irving reconsider leaving Boston, though that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Free Agent Rumors: Clippers, Nets, Knicks, Kyrie, KD, More

June 13th, 2019 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Clippers are generally grouped together with the rest of the Los Angeles and New York teams leading up to free agency as the big-market franchises looking to make a major splash on the free agent market, the Clips’ plans may look a little different than what those other clubs have in mind, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

As Buha explains, the Clippers are unlikely to pursue top point guards like Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker due to their “steadfast belief” in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been considered untouchable in trade talks.

Additionally, the Clippers likely won’t attempt to sign a second- or third-tier free agent like Khris Middleton or Tobias Harris unless it’s on a short-term deal, according to Buha, who points out that the team traded away Harris because it didn’t want to cap the roster’s ceiling at “good” instead of “great.”

Instead, the Clippers will focus on the top two free agents in this year’s free agent class – Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard – as well as top trade candidate Anthony Davis. If L.A. is unable to land one of those superstars, the organization figures to remain patient, avoiding a reactionary signing or trade and instead shifting its attention to re-signing its own free agents and making smaller moves, says Buha.

As we wait to see how that plan plays out, let’s round up a few more rumors and notes related to free agency:

Within his full report on Kyrie Irving‘s agent change, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski shares some intriguing tidbits on two of this summer’s top free agents. Sources tell Wojnarowski that Irving remains “intensely interested” in the Nets, with the Knicks expected to remain competitive for the star point guard. Both New York teams are still interested in signing Irving and Kevin Durant together, even after KD’s Achilles tear, according to Woj.
There’s a feeling in both NBA circles and in the Nets‘ front office that Brooklyn will land at least one star free agent this offseason, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Marc Berman of The New York Post explores some potential Plan Bs for the Knicks in the event that they miss out on Durant or back off their pursuit of the two-time Finals MVP at all following his Achilles injury.
The Jazz appear likely to lose veterans Ekpe Udoh and Thabo Sefolosha in free agency, according to Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune, who examines the impact the duo had on Utah’s locker room over the last couple seasons.

Celtics Notes: Irving, Davis, Rozier, Baynes

June 13th, 2019 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Despite all the rumors linking him to the NBA’s two New York franchises, Kyrie Irving still hasn’t removed the Celtics from consideration as he mulls his free agency decision, multiple league sources tell Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald.

As Bulpett points out, Anthony Davis‘ trade destination and Kevin Durant‘s Achilles injury could be wild cards as Irving considers his options. There has been no definitive word on whether a Celtics trade for Davis would make Irving more likely to return to Boston, or whether the star point guard might hesitate to head to the Nets or Knicks if he won’t be able to team up with a healthy Durant next season. But it’s reasonable to assume that Kyrie will seriously weigh those factors.

For their part, the Celtics remain intent on trying to land Davis in a deal with the Pelicans, no matter what else transpires, sources tell Bulpett. We passed along all the latest rumors on Davis yesterday, including a report that the C’s remain engaged in trade discussions with New Orleans.

Here’s more out of Boston:

Terry Rozier‘s comments after the Celtics’ season ended indicated that he wasn’t satisfied with his situation in Boston and may look to move on in free agency this summer. However, that stance could quickly change if Irving doesn’t return, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. A source tells Blakely that Rozier would be “more than open” to sticking with the Celtics if an Irving departure opens up a larger role.
While agent Rich Paul‘s warning to the Celtics about trading for Davis raised eyebrows on Wednesday, it’s nothing new, says Jay King Of The Athletic, who points out that Boston has been aware for months of where AD’s camp stands. Within his article, King examines whether the Celtics should be cautious or aggressive in their pursuit of Davis, given the risk that he’d be a one-year rental.
After word broke on Wednesday that Aron Baynes had exercised his player option to remain with the Celtics for 2019/20, Blakely explored the impact of that decision at NBC Sports Boston, noting that it provides some much-needed stability in what could be a tumultuous offseason for the club.

Kyrie Irving To Sign With ROC Nation Sports

June 12th, 2019 at 7:23pm CST by clarkcrum

Within a month of free agency, Kyrie Irving and his longtime agent Jeff Wechsler have parted ways, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Woj adds that Irving plans to sign with ROC Nation Sports, which will surely add fuel to the rumor that Irving plans to sign with the Nets this summer.

ROC Nation Sports, of course, was founded by rap mogul Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, who was a part-owner of the Nets before getting into the sports representation business. Born in Brooklyn, Carter was an influential figure in the Nets move from New Jersey to Brooklyn back in 2012. Irving is also from the New York metro area.

ROC Nation Sports represents Nets guard Caris LeVert and used to represent the other marquee free agent who has been rumored to potentially join Irving in Brooklyn this summer – Warriors’ superstar Kevin Durant. If Irving does indeed plan to sign with the Nets, it’ll be interesting to see whether Durant wants to join him, and just as importantly, whether the Nets are willing to offer a maximum-salary contract to Durant after his recent injury.

It has been a busy news day for Irving, as it was also reported earlier today that the 27-year-old point guard will decline his 2019/20 player option with the Celtics, officially opening the door to unrestricted free agency this summer.

Kyrie Irving To Decline 2019/20 Player Option

June 12th, 2019 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

As expected, Kyrie Irving won’t exercise his player option for the 2019/20 season, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). Opting in would have ensured that Irving was under contract with the Celtics next season for $21,329,752. Instead, he’ll reach the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

Irving reportedly had a June 13 deadline for picking up his player option. As Charania notes (via Twitter), the star point guard doesn’t technically have to submit any paperwork to turn down the option, so he’ll simply let that deadline pass without taking any action.

Irving, 27, put up excellent numbers in Boston this past season, averaging a team-high 23.8 PPG to go along with career-highs in APG (6.9) and RPG (5.0). He shot 48.7% from the field, including 40.1% from beyond the three-point line, earning a spot on the All-NBA Second Team.

Despite his impressive individual stats, it was a tumultuous year for Irving and the Celtics, who didn’t meet preseason expectations and faced frequent questions about team chemistry. After publicly vowing last fall to re-sign with the Celtics at season’s end, Irving wavered on that stance over the course of the year and called out teammates in comments to the media when the club struggled.

Following Boston’s second-round elimination at the hands of the Bucks, the idea of Irving re-signing with the Celtics increasingly appeared to be a long shot. He has been repeatedly linked to the Knicks throughout the season, with the Nets emerging as the favorite in recent weeks. Teams monitoring the situation currently view Brooklyn as Irving’s most likely destination, Ian Begley of SNY.tv reiterated today.

Still, while the Celtics appear to be preparing for life without Kyrie, they also haven’t entirely given up on the idea of re-signing him, according to a Tuesday report. It’s also not clear if – or how – Kevin Durant‘s Achilles injury may impact Irving’s plans. There were rumors throughout the year that the two friends may look to team up for the Knicks or another club.

The Celtics could offer Irving a five-year deal worth up to a projected $189.7MM, while a rival team could max out at $140.6MM.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Kyler’s Latest: Celtics, Capela, Kyrie, Sixers, More

June 11th, 2019 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After reporting earlier this week that the Celtics had “engaged pretty seriously” on Rockets center Clint Capela, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders has provided a few more details today. Sources tell Kyler that Boston has “expressed considerable interest” in Capela. However, he may be more of a Plan B or C for the Celtics, particularly if they’re still serious about pursuing Anthony Davis.

As Kyler details, league sources are skeptical that the Celtics will keep and use all three of their first-round picks (Nos. 14, 20, and 22). Meanwhile, Houston has been trying to get first-round prospects in for workouts despite not currently holding any draft picks — Kyler writes that the Rockets have been suggesting to agents that they have the ability to acquire a pick in the top 20.

It’s possible that the Celtics could trade one of their first-rounders to another team, and the Rockets are likely exploring deals with clubs outside of Boston. Still, it’s worth watching to see if those two teams end up getting something done on or before draft night.

Here’s more from Kyler:

Although Kyler, like others, has heard that the Celtics are operating as if Kyrie Irving probably won’t return, he writes that the club is prepared to offer Irving a maximum-salary deal to see if he’ll turn it down.
There’s a sense that Philadelphia will make full maximum-salary offers to Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, per Kyler. The Sixers are making sure that their players and other teams know they’re serious about keeping their core intact, according to Kyler, who adds that there’s a belief that Butler and Harris would re-sign if the team does put those offers on the table.
Kyler says that the Cavaliers, Suns, Hawks, Timberwolves, Magic, Hornets, Heat, and Celtics are all viewed as candidates to trade top-20 picks in the draft, either for veteran players or to move up or down in the draft.

Kevin Durant Notes: Reactions, Ripple Effect, More

June 11th, 2019 at 11:35am CST by Luke Adams

Even though he was cleared to play in Game 5, Warriors star Kevin Durant wasn’t “anywhere close” to 100%, sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. As family members, teammates, and confidants checked in on his status during his recovery from a calf injury, Durant said throughout the process that he was still experiencing discomfort pushing off his right foot, Haynes adds.

There was some resentment throughout Durant’s recovery about the way the Warriors handled updates on his progress, according to Haynes, who notes that KD’s possible return became a daily talking point once the club didn’t simply rule him out indefinitely.

Durant is now facing a possible worst-case scenario, as he suffered an Achilles injury during his brief return on Monday night. While an MRI has yet to confirm the diagnosis, the Warriors believe he suffered a torn right Achilles tendon. An injury of that magnitude would sideline him not only for the rest of the NBA Finals, but for most or all of the 2019/20 season.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that Durant is heading to New York, rather than Oakland, for medical evaluations on his injured Achilles. The Warriors don’t expect to have an update on the two-time Finals MVP until at least late tonight or tomorrow morning, tweets Mark Medina of The Bay Area News Group.

Here’s more on Durant’s injury:

Warriors guard Shaun Livingston pushed back against the idea that the team’s front office or training staff should be blamed for Durant’s injury, per Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. “I know for a fact that our team, [GM] Bob [Myers] and [head coach] Steve [Kerr], and the training staff, is not going to compromise their integrity [just to win a game],” Livingston told Beck. “They’re always going to put a player first because they look at guys as humans.”
Durant’s injury will have a significant ripple effect on the rest of the NBA Finals and the coming offseason, according to John Gonzalez of The Ringer. Gonzalez writes that teams like the Knicks and Clippers, who would have killed to sign a healthy KD, may have to re-evaluate their approach to free agency — assuming Durant even opts out of his Warriors contract, which is no longer a lock at all.
Marc Berman of The New York Post and Ian Begley of SNY.tv examine the impact of Durant’s injury on the Knicks, with both reporters suggesting that it may increase the likelihood of the franchise continuing a gradual rebuild rather than swinging for the fences this offseason.
While the Celtics were never considered a contender for Durant, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston wonders if the injury could affect the team anyway. As Forsberg observes, there has long been speculation that Durant and Kyrie Irving would consider teaming up this summer. If Durant is expected to miss all or most of the 2019/20 season – or if he opts in with the Warriors – that scenario may no longer be on the table, which could in turn increase the odds of Irving sticking with Boston for at least one more year.

Lakers, Knicks Top Anthony Davis’ Wish List

June 10th, 2019 at 5:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Anthony Davis is focused on joining either the Lakers or Knicks as his long-term destination, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Davis, who can become a free agent next summer, has not formally told Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin that he has narrowed his list. Davis submitted a four-team list to the Pelicans in February that also included the Clippers and Bucks.

Griffin met with Davis and his agent, Rich Paul, late last month in an effort to convince Davis to remain with the Pelicans. However, Davis’ desire to be dealt remained unchanged and Griffin has accelerated trade talks.

Several teams have expressed an interest in trading for Davis, according to Charania, including the Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Nets and Celtics. An ESPN report surfaced earlier on Monday that Griffin is willing to involve third parties in trade discussions in order to maximize the package New Orleans would receive.

Charania’s report suggests that Paul is attempting to steer those discussions toward the Lakers and Knicks. If those franchises know that Davis is willing to commit to them long-term, they obviously have more incentive to do everything they can to acquire the superstar big man.

Even so, other suitors — including the Celtics — are aggressively pursuing Davis despite not being one of his preferred teams. The Celtics are apparently willing to deal for Davis regardless of where Kyrie Irving ends up in free agency, Charania continues.

Griffin could hold onto Davis into next month with the hope of getting a desperate team that missed on its free agent targets to up the ante, Charania adds.