Week in Review

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

Vince Carter agreed to a new one-year contract with the Hawks. The deal ensures that Carter will become the first player in NBA history to play a 22nd season. It’s expected to be his last.

Kevin Durant said he only considered the Warriors and Nets in free agency. In his first in-depth interview since his free agent decision, Durant also said that he doesn’t blame the Warriors for the Achilles injury that will sideline him for most or all of the 2019/20 season.

The Heat have re-signed Udonis Haslem to a one-year contract. Haslem, who has been with the franchise since 2003, will be Miami’s 14th man. He’ll also likely be the last player the team can fit within its hard cap, barring additional cost-cutting moves.

Michael Beasley was suspended for five games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. Beasley is still a free agent, but would have to serve the suspension if he signs with an NBA team. He may end up returning to China instead though, as he reportedly has an offer worth about $5MM from a Chinese team.

The Mavericks signed second-round pick Isaiah Roby to a four-year contract. The deal will pay Roby $1.5MM in his rookie season, which is the highest ever first-year salary for a second-rounder entering the league out of college.

Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from the past week:

• Team USA announced 17 finalists for the FIBA World Cup tournament. The roster will have to be trimmed to 12 before competition begins at the end of August.
• Kyle Lowry, who is entering a contract year, said he’d love to sign an extension with the Raptors.
• The NCAA announced a series of new regulations for agents representing college prospects who test the draft waters. It was immediately dubbed the “Rich Paul Rule” by multiple players.
• Angel Delgado secured a lucrative one-year contract from a team in the Chinese Basketball Association. Wayne Selden and Jerian Grant are also reportedly expected to play in China.
• The Timberwolves signed second-round pick Jaylen Nowell to a four-year contract.
• Pistons second-round pick Deividas Sirvydis said he’ll remain in Lithuania for the 2019/20 season.
• The Sixers hired former NBA All-Star Roy Hibbert as a player development coach.
• The Grizzlies announced the assistant coaches who will make up new head coach Taylor Jenkins‘ staff.
• Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari underwent an emergency appendectomy, but still aims to play for Italy in the World Cup.
• The Hornets reportedly offered Kemba Walker just shy of $160MM over five years in free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Sixers and Ben Simmons have reached a deal on a five-year, maximum-salary contract extension through 2025. Based on the NBA’s current cap projections the contract will pay Simmons no less than $169.65MM. However, because the contract extension contains 5th year, 30% max criteria language, Simmons could earn up to $203.58MM in the event he earns an All-NBA First Team spot next season. The extension contains no options and includes a 15% trade kicker.

Chris Paul is likely to begin the 2018/19 season as a member of the Thunder after Oklahoma City failed to find any success in their attempts to trade the future hall-of-famer. One of the primary hiccups to a trade is the timing of the deal that brought Paul to OKC. Because it the trade happened so far into free agency, few contenders have the flexibility to take on Paul. As a result,  a trade will likely need to include recently-signed players for salary-matching purposes who aren’t eligible to be traded until December 15 or later.

The Pacers and free agent swingman Justin Holiday have reached an agreement on a one-year, $4.8MM contract. Likely to be signed with Indiana’s room exception, Holiday should get a chance to play plenty of minutes early on this season with All-Star guard Victor Oladipo not expected to be ready to play. Holiday, 30, appeared in 82 total games last season for the Bulls and Grizzlies, averaging 10.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 1.5 SPG in 31.8 minutes per contest. He’ll also join his younger brother, Aaron Holiday, with the siblings potentially sharing the Pacers’ backcourt on occasion.

The Wizards are promoting interim GM Tommy Sheppard to the position on a permanent basis. Washington, who fired longtime GM Ernie Grunfeld just before the end of the regular season, has had Sheppard in charge since April 2, but reportedly made a run at Raptors’ top executive Masai Ujiri. The Wizards also made an offer to Tim Connelly, but the executive chose to remain in Denver running the Nuggets.

Veteran shooting guard Kyle Korver is signing with the Bucks on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal. Korver was recently waived by the Suns after being traded by the Jazz and Grizzlies earlier this offseason. Korver averaged 8.6 PPG on .416/.397/.822 shooting in 70 games (19.1 MPG) last season for the Cavaliers and Jazz.

Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from the past week:

• Former Clippers guard Milos Teodosic, a six-time All-EuroLeague selection, has signed with the Italian club Virtus Bologna.
• Unsurprisingly, NBA executives are prepared to push the league for a shorter summer moratorium.
• Unable to find a favorable trade, the Cavaliers waived shooting guard J.R. Smith, who has since met with the Bucks as a free agent.
• The Knicks and free agent shooting guard Reggie Bullock were able to finalize a new contract agreement after the last deal fell through.
• Former first-round pick Cameron Payne has reached an agreement to sign a two-year contract with the Raptors.
• The Kings have signed former first-round pick, forward Tyler Lydon, to a two-year contract.
• After being waived by the Pelicans, big man Christian Wood was claimed off waivers by the Pistons.
• Forward Cheick Diallo has agreed to a two-year deal with a second-year team option with the Suns.
• The Timberwolves have promoted former two-way player Naz Reid to a 15-man roster spot and standard NBA contract.
• Veteran NBA center Kosta Koufos has reached a contract agreement with defending EuroLeague champions CSKA Moscow.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Pelicans have reached an agreement to trade superstar big man Anthony Davis to the Lakers in exchange for guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, forward Brandon Ingram and three first-round picks, including the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft. As indicated below, the Pelicans then flipped the No. 4 overall pick to the Hawks for three additional top-35 picks and the removal of Solomon Hill‘s expiring contract from their books. The remaining two first-rounders include a 9-30 protected first-rounder in 2021, which becomes unprotected in 2022, and an unprotected first-rounder in 2024. Additionally, New Orleans will have the right to swap unprotected first-rounders in 2023 and the option to defer the 2024 pick until 2025. While this is quite an awfully large haul for the Lakers to give up, they immediately become championship contenders with Davis joining forces with LeBron James. While waiting to consummate the trade until July 30 would best suit the Lakers’ free agent capability, it appears as though the trade will become official on July 6, immediately after the July moratorium.

The Grizzlies and Jazz reached an agreement on a trade that will send standout point guard Mike Conley to Utah in exchange for Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen, the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft (which Memphis used to move up and select Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke at No. 21), and the Jazz’ 2020 first-round pick. The 2020 first-rounder is protected for picks 1-7 and 15-30 in both 2020 and 2021, with lessened protections through 2024. The deal will be completed once the new league year begins in July, with Utah using cap room to absorb Conley’s $32.5MM salary. The Grizzlies are in position to create a massive $25MM traded player exception in the deal.

The relationship between Rockets guards James Harden and Chris Paul has been described by sources as “unsalvageable,” with neither future hall-of-famer interested in playing with the other any longer. General manager Daryl Morey has denied that Paul has requested a trade, but a plethora of reporting suggests that his may just be semantics, and that while Paul hasn’t technically requested a trade, he’s made it known he wants out. Apparently, the two stars not only dislike, but also have little respect for one another, which would seem to make it awfully difficult for the two to coexist moving forward.

As was widely expected, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and R.J. Barrett went 1-2-3 to the Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Knicks, respectively, in the 2019 NBA Draft. The big surprise of the night was Oregon’s Bol Bol, once reagrded as a top-5 prospect for his class, dropping all the way down to pick No. 44 in the second round.

As is customary on and around draft day every year, there were multiple trade agreements involving first round picks and/or current NBA players. Below are the most noteworthy of the bunch:

• The Pelicans have reached an agreement with the Hawks on a trade that will send the No. 4 overall pick (Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter), the 57th pick, a future second-round pick, and Solomon Hill‘s expiring contract to Atlanta in exchange for picks No. 8 (Texas’ Jaxson Hayes), No. 17 (Virginia Tech’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker), No. 35, and Cleveland’s heavily protected 2020 first-rounder
• The Timberwolves and Suns reached an agreement on a trade that will see the No. 6 overall selection (Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver) sent to Minnesota in exchange for the No. 11 pick (UNC’s Cameron Johnson) and forward Dario Saric.
• The Celtics have agreed to trade the No. 24 overall selection (Virginia’s Ty Jerome and big man Aron Baynes to the Suns in exchange for the Bucks’ 2020 first-round pick.
• In yet another move for the Suns, they traded forward T.J. Warren and the No. 32 overall pick to the Pacers in exchange for cash in what can only be considered a salary dump for Phoenix.
• In a cost-cutting move, the Bucks traded swingman Tony Snell and the No. 30 overall selection to the Pistons in exchange for forward Jon Leuer.
• The Sixers traded swingman Jonathon Simmons and the No. 42 overall pick to the Wizards for cash consideration.

Here are 12 more noteworthy headlines from the past week:

• Celtics center Al Horford will not pick up the 2019/20 player option on his contract, and Horford is likewise not expected to re-sign with the Celtics this summer.
• Pelicans forward Julius Randle will turn down his player option for next season and hit the free agent market.
• As expected, Bucks swingman Khris Middleton will opt out of his contract, declining his 2019/20 player option to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
• Kings forward Harrison Barnes has decided to turn down his player option for the 2019/20 season.
• Heat center Hassan Whiteside has opted in to the final season of his contract, where he will earn just under $27.1MM.
• Suns guard Tyler Johnson exercised his player option for the 2019/20 season. He will earn just over $19.2MM.
• Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has picked up his 2019/20 player option, which will see him earn $13MM next season.
• Mavericks big man Dwight Powell has officially exercised his player option for the 2019/20 season.
• The Nets will not make a qualifying offer to forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent.
• The Pelicans have picked up the 2020/21 team option for head coach Alvin Gentry.
• The Raptors and Clippers are still the frontrunners for the services of NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in free agency.
• The Pelicans exercised their team option on the $1.7MM contract of big man Jahlil Okafor.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Pelicans and new head of basketball operations David Griffin have begun to provide teams in pursuit of Anthony Davis with an idea of the package they’re seeking in return for the All-Star big man. As of now, it appears as though a three-team trade may be necessary for the Pelicans to obtain the package they seek – an All-Star, a young player with All-Star potential, and multiple first-round picks. Davis is reportedly interested in joining the Lakers or the Knicks, with agent Rich Paul even publicly proclaiming that should another team (like the Celtics) trade for AD, it would be for a one-year rental. Despite Paul’s remarks, the Celtics (and the Lakers) are currently engaged in trade talks with New Orleans, with L.A. thought to be the current leader for Davis’ services.

Warriors’ All-Stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson both suffered serious injuries during this year’s NBA Finals, with Durant suffering a ruptured right Achilles tendon and Thompson suffering a torn ACL in his left knee. However, neither injury is expected to deter the Warriors’ pursuit of their stars, with GM Bob Myers saying that the team will do everything in their power (i.e. offer max-contracts) to keep both Durant and Thompson in San Francisco. Durant’s injury will will likewise not deter other teams from pursuit of the all-time great, with reports indicating that the Knicks, Nets, Lakers, and Clippers would likely all still offer the forward a max-deal knowing he likely won’t play next season.

As expected, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving plans to decline his player option for the 2019/20 season. In what ended up being a busy week for Irving, it was also reported that he and his longtime agent Jeff Weschler parted ways, with Irving planning to sign with ROC Nation Sports. This decision, of course, fueled rumors that Irving plans to sign with the Nets this summer, and just one day after the ROC Nation report, it was reported that Irving does indeed plan to sign with Brooklyn this summer. Interestingly, this will likely signal the end of D’Angelo Russell‘s tenure with the Nets, as he is unlikely to remain in Brooklyn should Irving sign.

Jimmy Butler will likewise turn down his player option for the 2019/20 season and hit the free agent market. The Sixers remain adamant about retaining Butler long term, but the Lakers are reportedly interested in Butler also, and there have been rumors about a potential pairing on Butler and Irving in Brooklyn. Regardless, it’ll likely take a maximum-salary offer to sign Butler this offseason.

There are conflicting reports about whether the Wizards are preparing a massive contract offer to Raptors head of basketball operations Masai Ujiri. An initial report indicated that Washington was willing to pay upwards of $10MM per season over six years to poach Ujiri, with owner Ted Leonis planning to reach out to Raptors’ ownership for permission to speak with Ujiri. Then, one day later, the Wizards denied that there were any imminent plans to make an offer to Ujiri, with Raptors’ majority owner Larry Tanenbaum telling reporters there is no chance Ujiri will leave Toronto.

Eligible for a super-max contract with the Hornets this summer, All-NBA point guard Kemba Walker wants to stay in Charlotte long term. Walker’s first priority during free agency will be to sit down with Hornets brass and try to get a deal done. Walker even said he’d potentially be willing to take less money to stay. But, Walker will still meet with other teams, and teams like the Lakers, Mavericks, and Knicks are still interested in signing the point guard this offseason despite his interest in remaining with the Hornets.

Here are 12 more noteworthy headlines from the past week:

• Heat point guard Goran Dragic has picked up his $19.2MM player option for the 2019/20 season.
• In a somewhat surprising move, Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas has decided that he won’t opt into the final year of his contract. He’ll instead become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
• Hornets forward Marvin Williams has exercised his player option for the 2019/20 season, thereby locking in a salary of just over $15MM for next season.
• Celtics center Aron Baynes also exercised his player option for the 2019/20 season. The big man is contracted to make just under $5.5MM.
• The Knicks exercised rookie Allonzo Trier‘s team option for next season. The guard will make $3.5MM.
• Longtime NBA point guard and Spurs all-time great Tony Parker is retiring from basketball after 18 seasons.
• The Grizzlies have hired longtime Mike Budenholzer assistant Taylor Jenkins as their new head coach.
• Sixers forward Tobias Harris, a Long Island native, is interested in meeting with the Nets during free agency this summer.
• Top prospect Ja Morant planned to meet with the Knicks in New York City on Friday less than a week after meeting with the Grizzlies. The teams hold the No. 3 and No. 2 picks, respectively.
• Big man Deyonta Davis, armed with a non-guaranteed salary of just over $1.6MM for next season, was claimed by the Rockets after he was released by the Hawks.
• The NBA officially announced its complete list of early entrant prospects eligible for the 2019 NBA draft.
• Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina has agreed to a deal to become president of basketball operations and head coach for Italian club Olimpia Milano

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Nets and Hawks agreed to a trade which will occur after the new league year begins. The deal will send Allen Crabbe, the player picked at No. 17 in this month’s draft, and a lottery-protected 2020 first-round pick to Atlanta in exchange for Taurean Prince and a 2021 second-round pick. It allows the Nets to clear enough cap space to go after two maximum-salary free agents this offseason, assuming they renounce D’Angelo Russell‘s $21.1MM cap hold. As a result, Kyrie Irving is now being strongly linked to Brooklyn. The Hawks continue to acquire assets as a part of their rebuild, likely gaining two additional first-round picks in back-to-back years.

The Bucks signed general manager Jon Horst to a contract extension that will keep the executive in Milwaukee through the 2022/23 season. A frontrunner for this season’s executive of the year award, Horst has improved the Bucks from a middle-of-the-pack team to a legit championship contender. Financial details of the new deal aren’t yet known, but it should all but assuredly come with a significant raise, as Horst was the NBA’s lowest-paid general manager during his first two years on the job.

Mavericks’ big man Dwight Powell plans to pick up his player option for next season and sign a contract extension to stay in Dallas. An earlier report indicated that Powell would turn down his player option, but multiple outlets have since confirmed Powell’s plans to opt in and sign an extension. Exercising the option will earn Powell just short of $10.3MM next season, and the extension is reportedly planned for 2 or 3 additional seasons after next.

League executives largely expect the Sixers to make a maximum-salary offer to Jimmy Butler upon the opening of free agency on June 30. Butler is all but assured to turn down his player option for next season, making himself one of the more sought after players on the market. The Sixers can offer Butler a deal worth as much as $189.7MM over five years.

The Suns, long in pursuit of a higher caliber starting point guard to play alongside franchise cornerstone Devin Booker, are interested in free-agent point guards Cory Joseph, Patrick Beverley, Darren Collison, and T.J. McConnell. Phoenix is also reportedly open to trading the No. 6 overall pick in this month’s draft for the “right” veteran point guard. It’s unclear who that specific player or players may be, or if they even exist, but Mike Conley is a possibility if the Suns agree able to put together enough salary-matching pieces and other assets to interest the Grizzlies.

Veteran guard Vince Carter recently confirmed that he will be calling it quits after next season, his twenty-second in the NBA. A free-agent this summer, Carter found himself to be a production rotational piece for the Hawks this past season. For his illustrious career, Carter has averaged 17.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 3.2 APG with a .437/.374/.798 shooting line in 1,481 games.

Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from the past week:

• While he’s sure to have interest from other suitors, the Hornets remain the “first priority” for Kemba Walker during free agency this summer.
• Potential Grizzlies head-coaching target Sarunas Jasikevicius may elect to stay in Lithuania over accepting an NBA-coaching gig.
• Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio does not expect to be back in Utah next season, saying that the Jazz have not made him a priority among other free agent pursuits.
• Former NBA guard Nando De Colo is considering leaving CSKA Moscow to return to the NBA next season.
• It’s still not a foregone conclusion that Anthony Davis will be traded, but new Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin has begun listening to inquiries on the perennial All-Star.
• Veteran free agents Marcus Morris (Knicks, Lakers, Kings, Clippers, and Bulls) (link) and All-Star D’Angelo Russell (Jazz, Magic, Wolves, and Pacers) (link) already have a list of potential suitors this offseason.
• Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is interesting in discussing a contract extension this offseason.
• The Wizards delay in hiring a new head of basketball operations may be linked to the team’s reported interest in Raptors president Masai Ujiri.
• Warriors’ minority owner Mark Stevens has been banned from the NBA for one year and fined $500K for pushing and directing obscenities toward Raptors’ point guard Kyle Lowry in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
• The Sixers are hiring longtime Spurs assistant coach Ime Udoka as head coach Brett Brown‘s lead assistant in Philadelphia.