The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly planning for life after LeBron James and have idenfitifed their next superstar target — Luka Doncic.
The Slovenian superstar, alongside Kyrie Irving, led the Mavericks all the way to the NBA Finals last season, going down to a star-studded Celtics outfit 4-1.
As it stands, Doncic has a player option for the 2026-27 season, but he’s eligible for a supermax extension as soon as the next off-season. That contract could be worth over $340 million ($500m AUD).
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The Mavericks will be desperate to retain him, but according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, the LA powerhouse have their eyes on him.
“I’ve reported on this podcast and on The Ringer how they have their sights set for Luka [Dončić] in the future,” O’Connor said on The Mismatch podcast.
“We’ll see if that works out. Dallas just made a Finals, Dallas is looking better than ever with their supporting cast. That may not work out.
“But the Lakers by not trading their future picks clearly are still thinking long-term at this point. They’re not going all in like you might expect many teams to do with James.”
Bam Adebayo and LeBron James of Team United States attend the Women’s Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
James remains the face of the NBA but is in the final stage of an incredible career.
What’s more is his goal of playing with son Bronny James could be achieved in the upcoming season after the Lakers drafted him in the second round.
He signed a $99 million ($145m AUD) two-year contract this off-season, and that includes a player option for the second campaign.
Bulletts part ways with Aron Baynes | 00:50
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Should he achieve his dream of playing in the NBA alongside his son, it’s realistic to believe James could call it quits after the 2024-25 season.
Doncic, meanwhile, is enjoying his time in Dallas and now has a strong supporting cast around him.
Irving has been impressive, while the addition of Derrick Lively was a huge bonus for the Mavericks last season.
Throw in the mix Klay Thompson arriving this off-season and Dallas are only going to be stronger and are one of the leading contenders for the 24/25 title.
According to NBC Sports, Doncic is more than likely going to extend his time with the Mavericks, but the Lakers are reportedly waiting patiently to make their move.
The biggest names have been snapped up but there are still a host of stars across the NBA that could be on the move, with the Lakers hoping to land one of them.
Here is the latest free agency and trade news to know across the league!
WARRIORS LAND SHARPSHOOTER TO REPLACE KLAY
The Golden State Warriors may have lost Klay Thompson but they have found quite the replacement, landing sharpshooter Buddy Hield in free agency.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the news on Friday, with the Warriors acquiring Hield via sign-and-trade from the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that will involve five teams.
“The Warriors will send a 2031 second-round pick from Dallas, received in the Klay Thompson departure, back to Philadelphia in return, rerouting it as part of the five-team deal that also includes the Charlotte Hornets and Minnesota Timberwolves,” Charania wrote.
Hield has reportedly signed a four-year deal with two years and $18 million guaranteed, with a $3 million partial guarantee in the third year and a player option in the fourth year, which is not guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Charania, meanwhile, reported that Hield chose the Warriors “because of the opportunity to win”, overlooking interest from the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers.
Ingles signs one-year deal with Wolves | 00:39
LAKERS TURN ATTENTION TO ANOTHER TARGET
Speaking of the Lakers, with Hield off to Golden State and Thompson headed to the Mavericks, they have set their sights on another high-end scorer to help bolster their lineup for next season.
Los Angeles is now trying to land free agent DeMar DeRozan, according to a report by The Athletic.
The LA native and USC product is a six-time All-Star and averaged 24 points per game last season for the Bulls.
His time in the Windy City is all but over, but the Lakers aren’t the only team interested in trying to add DeRozan’s services.
Both the Miami Herald and The Athletic reported that the Heat have an interest in bringing in the forward as well, with Miami viewed as the slight favourite to land DeRozan.
DeRozan, 34, has met with the Heat and discussed what his potential fit would be, and it appeared that there was a mutual interest between the two sides, according to the Miami Herald.
There may be some complications for the Heat to land DeRozan, with Miami likely having to facilitate a trade of a player who makes decent money to a team with cap space and thus allowing the room for Miami to pull off a sign and trade with the Bulls for DeRozan.
‘He looks old’ – Patty shouldn’t start?! | 02:43
If the Heat wanted to go the non-trade route, they would be able to sign him at the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception rate.
The Lakers, though, have said that they plan on being aggressive to update the roster.
“I think we’re gonna always be aggressive to try to make roster upgrades and will be relentless to continue to look at what we can do,” general manager Rob Pelinka said, according to The Athletic.
“This is the season of being mindful of all the different things we can approach to improve the roster. So we’re in the midst of that as we speak.
“That will continue in the coming days, and it often spills into Vegas, where all the GMs meet and gather, and other deals get done. But we’ll stay aggressive.”
In other news, it still sounds like the New Orleans Pelicans are looking to trade Brandon Ingram.
The Pelicans made a big all-in swing by landing Dejounte Murray but NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Friday that attempts to trade Ingram have “intensified in recent days”, citing league sources.
“Sources tell The Stein Line that on Ingram’s side, with the reality that the contract extension terms his camp had hoped for are not forthcoming from the Pelicans, there has likewise been exploration of trade options,” Stein added.
He went on to report that re-signing Trey Murphy III and adding to the frontcourt in the wake of Jonas Valanciunas’ departure to Washington are two other priorities for New Orleans this offseason along with the Ingram trade.
As for which teams could be in the hunt for Ingram, Stein wrote that the Sacramento Kings are said to have “explored the feasibility and fit of an Ingram pursuit”.
The Kings look to be very active in trade talks though, with Stein adding Sacramento has had similar discussions on Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, Washington’s Kyle Kuzma and Chicago’s DeRozan.
Crucially, Stein wrote that Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes are the pieces the Kings would look to package in such a trade — not Keegan Murray.
Klay Thompson set to join Dallas Mavs | 00:33
SIXERS LOOKING TO SIGN PAUL GEORGE’S FORMER CLIPPERS TEAMMATE
Elsewhere, Paul George may have a familiar face join him in Philadelphia.
The 76ers are considering signing George’s former Clippers teammate and Philadelphia native Marcus Morris Sr. as part of their roster re-tool, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Morris reportedly has a host of suitors, including the Pistons, Spurs, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Heat, Mavericks and Hornets.
George is headlining the 76ers’ acquisitions after agreeing to a four-year, $212 million max contract early in free agency, and Philadelphia is now looking for ways to improve on the margins.
Morris played alongside George for four seasons with the Clippers from 2019-23, and having a familiar face could help George’s transition.
The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that the former Kansas star would help provide some toughness, which seemed to be lacking during the 76ers’ first-round playoff loss to the Knicks this spring.
The Knicks ultimately seemed like the tougher team than the 76ers, consistently making critical plays in crunch time and rising to the occasion.
Ironically, the 76ers could have had Morris’ toughness last postseason but they traded him to the Spurs in the three-team trade that brought sharpshooter Buddy Hield to the City of Brotherly Love.
Why Thybulle is out and Delly is in | 03:40
The Spurs promptly waived the veteran and he joined the Cavaliers for their playoff push, which ended with a second-round loss to the eventual champion Celtics.
Morris averaged 6.4 points and 2.7 rebounds last season spanning his time with the 76ers and Cavaliers.
“The 6-foot-8, 218-pounder’s high basketball IQ, selfless play, and Philly toughness were on full display here,” the paper reported.
“He made the Sixers better not only with his play but with his leadership on and off the court.”
The 76ers have been one of the busier teams in the NBA during free agency, while they try to keep pace in the arms race that has engulfed the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia also retained wing Kelly Oubre and added veteran guard Eric Gordon and rebounding whiz Andre Drummond, while notably losing Tobias Harris to the Pistons.
The 76ers’ flurry of activity pushed them past the Knicks in 2024-25 title odds, with Philadelphia owning the fourth-best odds at FanDuel and second in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics.
But that is exactly what has happened according to multiple reports on Friday, with Thybulle one of five players to be cut as attention now turns to what Australia’s starting line-up and rotation could look like moving forward.
Here, foxsports.com.au looks at some of the winners and losers from the squad cut along with some key questions that will be answered in the coming weeks before Paris.
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Aussies will struggle to medal in Paris? | 03:20
WHY NO THYBULLE?
Let’s start with the most controversial omission.
It was widely assumed Thybulle would be on the plane to Paris because why wouldn’t he be?
Sure, Thybulle was uncharacteristically quiet at the FIBA World Cup but you only have to look back to the Tokyo Games to see how lethal he can be on the defensive end, teaming up with Dante Exum to help lock down Luka Doncic in Australia’s bronze medal win.
There is an argument to be made that the Boomers already have athletic, defensive-minded wings in Josh Green and Dyson Daniels so to some extent there is too much of a crossover in skills, especially when you consider how important shooting is in contrast in FIBA games.
But Thybulle had improved as a 3-point shooter in his past season at Portland and given the Boomers seemingly want to play a fast-paced, up-tempo offence at Paris, you would think getting stops on the defensive end will be important to realising that goal.
A guy like Thybulle will do just that. Even if you account for the shooting concerns, Thybulle is also further along in that regard than Daniels.
Although given Daniels is considered a key part of the Boomers’ long-term plans, maybe it was a case of sacrificing some shooting to give the 21-year-old an opportunity to grow with an eye to future tournaments.
Boomers legend Andrew Bogut said on the first episode of NBL Media’s ‘The Gold Standard’ podcast this morning that leaving out Thybulle was an “interesting” call.
“He’s arguably the best defender on that squad and one of the best defenders in the NBA,” Bogut said.
“I think his shooting and the ups and downs of his shooting was a concern and how I think in the last campaign I wouldn’t say he disappeared but he struggled with that when his shot wasn’t falling.”
Matisse Thybulle was left out. Picture: Adam HeadSource: News Corp Australia
HOW ABOUT XAVIER COOKS?
It wasn’t as big a shock to see Cooks left out, although there was certainly an argument that could be made that he should have definitely been in the squad if you left Thybulle out.
Both Bogut and Brad Newley said on ‘The Gold Standard Podcast’ that they would have had Cooks in their 12-man squad irrespective of whether Thybulle was selected.
But without Thybulle, you would have thought the Boomers would have put more value in someone like Cooks with his athleticism, versatility and defence.
It definitely would have been a particularly tough call for Goorjian to leave him out given how much the Boomers coach praised Cooks at last year’s FIBA World Cup while he is also going to be Cooks’ coach at the Kings next year.
Again, maybe it was a case of Australia prioritising Kay’s shooting, although he was hunted defensively in switches at the World Cup, so the Boomers will need a plan to combat that.
Bogut said he thought Cooks had “outplayed” Kay “a little bit” during his time at Boomers camp.
“A lot of people will say this is Sydney Kings bias. I was at the camps. I like to think I’m not biased, I call it how I see it and I thought he outplayed Nick Kay a little bit,” he said.
“But Kay’s got the shooting arm over X. But then you’re taking Jack McVeigh so I thought that would nullify bringing in a Nick Kay and maybe going with an X because I think X did a great job at the five spot, grabbing the rebound, pushing it up… creating a lot of crossmatches.”
‘He looks old’ – Patty shouldn’t start?! | 02:43
HARD LUCK FOR GOULDING
Ultimately, it looks like this was a case of there only being space for one of Jack McVeigh and Chris Goulding, with the Tasmania JackJumper winning out.
There isn’t much more Goulding could have done, going 8-for-12 from deep during the warm-up games against China, making it easy to visualise how he could fit into this Boomers team, launching corner 3s.
McVeigh’s versatility likely won him the role in the end, although you could make an argument Australia needs all the shooting it can get and so there could have been space for both players.
“Chris is as good a shooter as anyone on the planet. He’s proven that throughout his career,” former teammate Newley said.
Chris Goulding did all he could. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
DELLY THE ‘BOLTER’ THAT JUST WON’T GO AWAY
One of the best stories to come out of this squad is Matthew Dellavedova forcing his way back into the picture after missing out on selection for the World Cup last year.
If there is one word to sum up Delly it is scrappy, fighting every inch — whether it is for a ball that seems destined to go out of bounds or, in this case, another shot in the green and gold.
You only have to look at what Dellavedova did in the lead-up to the World Cup last year when he found out he wasn’t even part of Goorjian’s 17-man squad.
Speaking on his Rogues Bogues podcast at the time, Bogut said he heard Goorjian told Dellavedova over the phone he would not be part of the pre-tournament Cairns camp.
“I heard that Delly was actually told not to come to Cairns camp,” Bogut said.
“… The conversation, with whoever called him to make that call, I think it was Brian Goorjian, and Delly was like ‘nah f*** that, I’m coming to the camp’.
“And they were like ‘no, you’re not in the squad’ and I guess there was a back and forth and Delly was just like ‘you’re going to have to look me in the face and cut me’. Basically, ‘I’m going to prove you wrong’.
“People will look at that like ‘what the hell’. I loved it. Obviously, there isn’t (sic) a lot of people with the currency to do that. If you’re a fringe guy that’s never made the national team, you can’t be doing that.
“But it was probably a tough thing for (Dellavedova). He’s been an integral part of the national team.”
Matthew Dellavedova forced his way back into the team. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Just one example of the never-say-die attitude that has Dellavedova back in Goorjian’s plans, capitalising on a standout season with the Melbourne United in the NBL to suit up for his fourth Olympics.
Newley described Dellavedova as the “bolter” in this year’s squad, adding that the competitive fire he brings on and off the court will bring the most out of his teammates.
“He’s made the team and that guy did everything he could to make it,” Newley said.
“He carried us to a Finals campaign last year. Just to see him back in the line-up… hats off to him, what a warrior.
“Delly is the surprise packet… he bleeds green and gold and they might have missed that in the last campaign. He’s definitely going to bring that to this one.”
Bogut, meanwhile, revealed that from what he saw and heard at Boomers camp, Dellavedova left Goorjian with no choice but to recall him.
Matthew Dellavedova is all effort. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“People will look at that and say how did Delly make it? How did he get back in? His squad didn’t lose a practice,” Bogut said.
“The team that he was on over the three or four days, even before I arrived, they said that his team was winning 90% of the drills and the five on fives and all the stuff that they were doing.
“… All reports were he was locked in from day one and that energy is infectious. He picks up full court, he’s talking, he’s vocal and he’s a guy that you don’t have to worry about as a coach that he’s gonna complain and mope that he’s not getting minutes two games into a campaign and perhaps not play that well or not be locked in.
“He’s gonna be locked in every minute of the game whether he’s getting a DNP or playing minutes. So I think it’s well deserved for Delly.”
Dellavedova will likely not see many minutes in Paris and, as Bogut alluded to, could even be a DNP for a few games but the great thing about the veteran guard is the fact he will always be ready if his name is called.
Boomers beat China in final home game | 02:18
ANOTHER BIG WIN FOR THE JACKJUMPERS
First, they defended the island and won their first NBL championship.
Now they have two Boomers after both Jack McVeigh and Will Magnay earned selection in Goorjian’s 12-man squad.
For McVeigh in particular it is reward for perseverance, having rebuilt his career after being benched in his third year of college basketball at The University of Nebraska, going to carve out a solid career in the NBL before really breaking out in his past season with the JackJumpers.
McVeigh averaged 16.4 points and 5.3 assists per game, going to another level in the Championship Series on the way to being named MVP and was later rewarded with a new contract that will keep him in Tasmania until the end of the 2027 season.
McVeigh, who put on a shooting clinic in the first warm-up game against China, sacrificed honeymoon plans in Bali in the hope of instead booking a ticket to Paris.
It was a sacrifice worth making in the end.
McVeigh will be a key spark plug off the bench while Magnay likely won’t see many minutes.
He will instead probably be a match-up specific big for Goorjian, who can help fill in if either Jock Landale or Duop Reath run into foul trouble while he is also an insurance policy of sorts after Australia’s lack of size was exposed at the World Cup last year without Landale.
Jack McVeigh shot the ball well. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
THE BIG ‘QUESTION’ HANGING OVER INGLES
It always seemed like Joe Ingles was going to feature for the Boomers in what will be his fifth Olympic Games, although things will still be different for the veteran this time around.
It is hard to see him in the starting line-up while minutes in general may be restricted to make the most of the 36-year-old’s strengths without stretching him too far to the extent that he becomes too much of a liability on the defensive end.
Ingles sent Goorjian a reminder of his value as a playmaker running the second unit in Thursday’s warm-up game against China and should be valuable in that connective role off the bench at Paris.
Obviously he is also a key locker room voice and leader who was part of Australia’s historic bronze medal triumph in Tokyo too, so Ingles will be an important member of the squad in that respect too.
But Bogut said on Friday that just how many minutes Ingles will get at Paris remains a mystery, especially when you consider the fast-paced style of offence the Boomers want to run.
What role will Ingles have? (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Are there minutes there for him? That’s my question,” he said.
“Are there mass minutes for Joe Ingles? I don’t know, with the style of play they’re trying to take. They’re trying to go up-tempo.
“I think where Joe was really good and has been really good for the Boomers and throughout his career is he’s a slow down pace where he can create out of the pick-and-roll and he comes out of it really slowly, he can find whoever he needs to find… is he going to have 15 to 20 minutes? I’m not sure.
“He’s coming off the bench obviously but that’s the question. Can he be that guy off the bench that plays limited minutes at times and stays locked in as an older guy?”
CAN THE BOOMERS AFFORD TO STAY PATTY?
Bogut though was more firm in the fact that Patty Mills needs to come off the bench at this year’s Olympics.
Mills will go down in history for his 42-point heroics in the bronze medal game against Slovenia, but at this stage it is hard to see him replicating that sort of production at this year’s Games.
The veteran guard went 1-for-11 from the field in a worrying warm-up game against China on Thursday and also struggled to get his shots falling at last year’s World Cup.
Considering Mills’ shooting is easily his biggest value add to this team, the Boomers better hope he finds his shot. Otherwise, he is another guy who could be reduced to limited minutes off the bench.
“I think if you’re starting Giddey, I don’t think you start Patty,” Bogut said.
“I think Giddey’s journey, his career’s going up, but he’s not there yet defensively. He probably needs some work on that end, and he knows that.
“Patty’s not a great defender. So I don’t think you can start both of those two. I think we saw that at the World Cup, I just don’t think you can start those two and play them mass minutes together.”
Patty Mills could come off the bench. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Bogut said he would prefer to see Mills come off the bench in a “gunning role” but also questioned how effective that will be if the 35-year-old can’t find his shooting rhythm.
“It’s just looked forced and clunky at times trying to find it,” Bogut added.
“He had a similar lead-up in the last Olympic and World Cup year… and then he popped up and had at least a great Olympics. But that is a concern.”
Should Mills start off the bench, that leaves Giddey and Dante Exum in the backcourt with Jock Landale and Josh Green also locked into starting roles while the four spot is the only one seemingly up for grabs in that scenario.
Ingles, who will turn 37 later this year, averaged 4.4 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.1 rebounds in 17.2 minutes across 68 appearances off the bench for the Orlando Magic during the 2023/24 season, becoming an unrestricted free agent after the franchise declined his $16 million option.
Following an eight-year tenure with the Utah Jazz, the veteran forward has represented the Milwaukee Bucks and Magic over the last two seasons, while his 11th NBA campaign looks set to be in Minnesota, where he will reunite with former Utah teammates Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley.
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Joe Ingles of the Australian Boomers. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
The move means Ingles will again be in the NBA championship fight, after the Timberwolves made the Western Conference finals this past season.
Ingles boasts a career three-point record of 41 per cent, which among NBA players with more than 2500 attempts over the past decade is bettered only by JJ Redick (42.9 per cent), Steph Curry (42.1 per cent) and Klay Thompson (41.4 per cent).
He is seeking to represent Australia at the upcoming Paris Olympics, where he’ll be looking to secure another medal for the Boomers.
The Boomers squad will be confirmed on Thursday night after their second warm-up game against China.
Chicago’s questionable trade for Josh Giddey was the “final straw” that pushed DeRozan to decide he would leave the team in free agency this off-season, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
DeRozan has yet to find a new home but is one of the top available free agents, ranked fourth entering free agency by the New York Post.
The 34-year-old had been considering a potential return to the Bulls after three seasons in Chicago, but several events ultimately shifted his view.
The Chicago Sun-Times noted coaching changes and “behind-the-scenes personnel decisions” as two factors that resulted in DeRozan “quickly having second thoughts”.
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Former Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. and Clippers assistant Dan Craig are joining Billy Donovan’s staff in place of assistants Chris Fleming and Josh Longstaff.
The Giddey trade ultimately broke the camel’s back.
The Bulls traded away Alex Caruso, a defensive whiz with a championship pedigree, for Giddey, a younger player coming off a disappointing end to the season with the Thunder.
Giddey was also accused of an alleged relationship with an underage girl, although charges were never pressed.
DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls. Photo by Michael Reaves / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFPSource: AFP
“DeRozan realised he was not in the Bulls’ plans, and he really no longer wanted to be,” the outlet reported.
The 15-year veteran is now free to join a team that likely is closer to contending than the Bulls, who made the playoffs just once in his three seasons.
Chicago’s season ended with a loss to the Heat in the Play-In Tournament.
DeRozan averaged 24 points per game on 48 per cent shooting this past campaign, to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
He averaged 25.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.1 rebounds during his three seasons in Chicago.
The Lakers, who await LeBron James’ re-signing with the team after he opted out of his contract, are considered a possible destination, per the report.
DeRozan spent the first nine years of his career with the Raptors before being traded to the Spurs in the Kawhi Leonard deal that helped Toronto win its first title.
This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission
Just like that another Australian is on the move in the NBA.
This time it is Josh Green who has been traded, becoming the third Australian to be dealt this off-season in a move that sees the Sydney native land with the Charlotte Hornets and Klay Thompson at the Dallas Mavericks in a multi-team trade.
As part of the deal, the Hornets will send two second-round picks to the Mavericks for Green, with one of those potentially landing at Golden State, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Thompson, the veteran shooting guard who has spent all 13 years of his NBA career with the Warriors, was an unrestricted free agent this summer and reportedly received interest from the Nuggets, Magic, Lakers, Clippers and 76ers.
In the end, Golden State facilitated a sign-and-trade deal with the Mavericks which included Green for salary-matching purposes.
The Australian signed a three-year, $41 million rookie contract extension with Dallas last October and is set to pocket $12.6 million next season.
For Green, he moves away from a Western Conference contender in Dallas to a team that finished third-last in the Eastern Conference with a record of 21 wins and 61 losses.
The silver lining for Green, like Giddey and Daniels, is that it should come with more playing time and, as a result, more opportunities to develop his game both on and off the ball.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, Green was someone the Hornets leadership “coveted” at last season’s trade deadline.
As for Thompson, the move gives the 34-year-old another chance to compete for a title after the Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving-led Mavericks fell short in the NBA Finals this past season.
The four-time NBA champion offers a clear shooting upgrade for a Mavericks team that can replace Green’s production with the addition of Quentin Grimes, who Dallas received in a trade with the Pistons last week that saw Tim Hardaway Jr. land at Detroit.
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Elsewhere, Klay Thompson is also set to leave Golden State and is not short of suitors, with the Sixers, Lakers, Nuggets, Magic and Clippers all reported to have shown interest.
The Mavericks, however, are said to be the leading contender and it could mean Australian Josh Green is on the verge of being traded to the Warriors.
Follow along in our live blog below for the latest updates as the free agency window opens!
There is also a full list down the bottom of every deal as it happens.
Lakers select… Bronny! Joins dad in LA | 01:48
KLAY THOMPSON
It looks like the end of an era for Thompson.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday that there has virtually been no talks between Thompson and the Warriors in recent weeks and that the sharpshooter is “determined to find a new home”.
Charania wrote that according to team and league scores, “Thompson and the Warriors have had close to no communication since the negotiating period opened for incumbent free agents nearly two weeks ago and no offer has been made”.
“Warriors, after other business, have wanted to circle back and negotiate with Thompson. But he isn’t expected to be there waiting as a willing secondary priority in their summer plan, with his side feeling that the Warriors’ interest in a reunion has been disingenuous,” he added.
With that in mind, who shapes as the likely candidates to land Thompson?
Well, the Magic and Nuggets had been linked to him but it seems like the Mavericks and Lakers are at the top of the list.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also reported that Thompson plans to have discussions with the Clippers and 76ers.
Stein reported that “barring an 11th-hour resuscitation of Thompson’s relationship with the Warriors”, Dallas and L.A. “projected to be the two teams at the forefront of Thompson’s thinking”.
Stein wrote that LeBron James could be willing to take a paycut if what Chris Haynes described as one of the “right targets” was happy to take the Lakers’ $13 million midlevel exception.
In spite of that, league sources told Stein “there will be strong mutual interest between Thompson and the Mavericks”, with Dallas expected to free up enough money to make a competitive offer after trading Tim Hardaway Jr. to Detroit.
The Mavericks may have to offload Australian Josh Green for salary matching purposes in the event of a sign-and-trade with Golden State.
That would elevate Quentin Grimes into a more prominent role after the Mavericks traded for him as part of the Hardaway Jr. deal.
If Green was dealt he would become the third Australian to be traded this summer after Dyson Daniels was moved to Atlanta and Josh Giddey was sent to Chicago.
The Mavericks had hoped to keep Derrick Jones Jr. too but he plans to sign a three-year, $30 million deal with the Clippers according to Shams Charania.
Klay Thompson has several suitors. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
THUNDER ARE MAKING MOVES
The Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the biggest risers last season, finishing the regular season as the top seed in the West before coming up short in the conference semi-finals.
Only a few weeks have passed since the end of the season and already Thunder general manager Sam Presti has made it clear the team is not playing around.
Instead, Oklahoma City has made aggressive moves to put itself in an even stronger position to contend in what once again shapes to be an extremely competitive Western Conference.
First, the Thunder traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and then in free agency added free agent big man Isaiah Hartenstein on a three-year, $87 million deal according to multiple reports.
OKC didn’t stop there though, re-signing key role players Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins on shrewd deals to complete what looks like one of the deepest rosters in the NBA next season.
Joe extended on a four-year, $48 million deal while Wiggins is coming back on a five-year, $47 million contract.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
While Westbrook picked up his $4 million player option with the Clippers, it appears he is poised for a sign-and-trade as opposed to staying put in Los Angeles.
And the Nuggets look the likely landing spot for him.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported Westbrook was a potential target for the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception and the Nuggets are said to be looking to part ways with Zeke Nnaji in under to get under the second tax apron and open up their MLE.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Denver “has shown a level of interest” in Westbrook, who the Clippers are said to be “actively working on trades to move”.
OTHER SITUATIONS TO WATCH
* Chicago took a big step towards a rebuild, or at least a re-tooling of sorts, by trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey. So, what does that mean for DeMar DeRozan, the team’s top scorer and free agent, who turns 35 in August?
* LeBron James has opted out of his deal with the Lakers, declining a $51.4 million player option, but is expected to agree to a new contract that could create financial flexibility to help the team target more players to bring to L.A.
* Tyrese Maxey is tipped to sign a five-year extension worth in excess of $200 million as Philadelphia looks to go all-in this summer.
* The Orlando Magic are declining Joe Ingles’ $11 million team option according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but both sides are expected to continue dialogue in free agency next week, opening the door for the Australian to potentially return.
EVERY REPORTED DEAL SO FAR
* Paul George has agreed on a four-year, $212 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Chris Paul has agreed on a one-year, $11 million-plus deal with the San Antonio Spurs, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Derrick Jones Jr. plans to sign a three-year, $30 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, per Shams Charania
* Isaiah Hartenstein plans to sign a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder, per Shams Charania
* Jonas Valanciunas has agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Washington Wizards, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Naji Marshall has agreed on a three-year, $27 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Isaiah Joe has extended on a four-year, $48 million deal with the Thunder, per Shams Charania
* Aaron Wiggins has agreed to a five-year, $47 million contract with Oklahoma City, per Shams Charania
* Tobias Harris has signed with the Detroit Pistons on a two-year, $52 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Kelly Oubre Jr. has agreed on a two-year, $16.3 million deal to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Kentavious Caldwell-Pope set to sign a three-year, $66 million deal with the Magic, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Andre Drummond to return to Sixers on a two-year deal worth around $10 million, per Shams Charania
* James Harden to re-sign with Clippers on a two-year, $70 million deal, according to Shams Charania
* Kevin Porter Jr. has signed a two-year minimum contract with the Clippers, per Law Murray
* Obi Toppin extends with Pacers on a four-year, $60 million contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
* Kevin Love staying with the Heat on a two-year deal worth over $8 million, per Shams Charania
* Luke Kornet is returning to Boston on a one-year deal, per Jared Weiss
* OG Anunoby staying put in New York on a five-year, $212.5 million contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
* Neemias Queta is remaining in Boston on a multi-year deal, per Shams Charania
* Eric Gordon has agreed to a deal with the 76ers, per Shams Charania
* Mason Plumlee has agreed on a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
LIVE BLOG:
Follow the latest NBA free agency news below! Can’t see the blog? Click here!
The rumour mill has already been heating up and now the NBA’s 2024 free agency period is officially here, with a number of big names potentially on the move.
Teams will be able to start negotiating with free agents at 8am on Monday morning [AEST] but can’t officially sign them to contracts until 2.01am on Saturday.
In the meantime though, all eyes will be on Paul George and Klay Thompson, with the pair both looking likely at this stage to be on new teams next season.
Follow along in our live blog below for the latest updates as the free agency window opens!
In case you missed it, here is a rundown on where things stand with some of the potential superstar free agents this summer.
The Clippers declined his $48.7 million option on Sunday and will enter free agency, ruling out the possibility of a sign-and-trade.
The Golden State Warriors were holding out on the hope of landing George via trade so you can rule them out of the race for his signature, with the Magic and 76ers expecting to be the biggest threats to the Clippers re-signing the nine-time All-Star.
At this point though it looks like the only chance of George remaining in Los Angeles is if he settles for a three-year deal, having held out for a four-year contract to this point.
Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank signalled in a press conference after the NBA Draft that the team would not be budging from its three-year offer.
“This is a business and the reality of the new CBA impacts teams like us,” he said.
“When your better players are in their 30s and you’re trying to build a sustainable roster, it impacts it. Like if there was no CBA, with Steve Ballmer, it would be carte blanche.
“With the new CBA, it’s not even about the money as [much as it] is how are you going to build a sustainable roster [and] maintain your tools to have transactional flexibility? And with that comes really, really hard decisions.”
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Sixers are willing to offer George a four-year deal and also have more than $60 million in projected cap space to make a big play for the 34-year-old.
Stein also reported the Magic are in the mix too, having made George’s “three-team shortlist of finalists for face-to-face meetings” which will start on Monday.
Paul George could be on the move. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
KLAY THOMPSON
It looks like the end of an era for Thompson.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday that there has virtually been no talks between Thompson and the Warriors in recent weeks and that the sharpshooter is “determined to find a new home”.
Charania wrote that according to team and league scores, “Thompson and the Warriors have had close to no communication since the negotiating period opened for incumbent free agents nearly two weeks ago and no offer has been made”.
“Warriors, after other business, have wanted to circle back and negotiate with Thompson. But he isn’t expected to be there waiting as a willing secondary priority in their summer plan, with his side feeling that the Warriors’ interest in a reunion has been disingenuous,” he added.
With that in mind, who shapes as the likely candidates to land Thompson?
Well, the Magic and Nuggets had been linked to him but it seems like the Mavericks and Lakers are at the top of the list.
Stein reported that “barring an 11th-hour resuscitation of Thompson’s relationship with the Warriors”, Dallas and L.A. “projected to be the two teams at the forefront of Thompson’s thinking”.
Stein wrote that LeBron James could be willing to take a paycut if what Chris Haynes described as one of the “right targets” was happy to take the Lakers’ $13 million midlevel exception.
In spite of that, league sources told Stein “there will be strong mutual interest between Thompson and the Mavericks”, with Dallas expected to free up enough money to make a competitive offer after trading Tim Hardaway Jr. to Detroit.
Klay Thompson has several suitors. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
OTHER SITUATIONS TO WATCH
* The Warriors and Chris Paul agreed to push back the date to Monday to guarantee the $30 million on his 2024-25 contract as Golden State explores a potential trade.
* Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope declined his player option and will become an unrestricted free agent. The Nuggets sharpshooter is expected to draw plenty of interest, with both the Mavericks and Magic linked to the championship-winning guard.
* New York’s Isaiah Hartenstein is another player who is expected to be a player in demand and the Knicks, who acquired Mikal Bridges and re-signed OG Anunoby to a five-year deal, are tipped to struggle to match rival offers.
* Chicago took a big step towards a rebuild, or at least a re-tooling of sorts, by trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey. So, what does that mean for DeMar DeRozan, the team’s top scorer and free agent, who turns 35 in August?
* LeBron James has opted out of his deal with the Lakers, declining a $51.4 million player option, but is expected to agree to a new contract that could create financial flexibility to help the team target more players to bring to L.A.
* Tyrese Maxey is tipped to sign a five-year extension worth in excess of $200 million as Philadelphia looks to go all-in this summer.
* The Orlando Magic are declining Joe Ingles’ $11 million team option according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but both sides are expected to continue dialogue in free agency next week, opening the door for the Australian to potentially return.
LIVE BLOG:
Follow the latest NBA free agency news below! Can’t see the blog? Click here!
The 2024 NBA Draft has come and gone, with a number of big trades already taking place including the latest, which saw Dejounte Murray dealt to the Pelicans.
It is just the start of what should be an intriguing summer in the NBA, with the free agency window opening on Monday (Australia time) and some big names yet to make a call on their future.
Here are three of the biggest stories to follow ahead of Monday.
CLIPPERS, PAUL GEORGE STALEMATE CONTINUES
The Paul George puzzle has yet to be solved.
The Clippers, according to ESPN, “very much” want to keep the nine-time All-Star, but uncertainty looms over the organisation.
Sunday’s deadline is steadily approaching for George to decide on his $48.8 million player option.
He is seeking a four-year contract extension at his $221 million max, per ESPN, but the Clippers haven’t budged on an agreement for months.
Despite the ambiguity, the Clippers are clinging to the hope that George, 34, will want to remain near his hometown, Palmdale, where his family resides.
Pacers nab exciting Aussie with pick 35 | 01:48
After the Clippers drafted Cam Christie with the 46th pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Lawrence Frank — the Clippers president of basketball operations — took the opportunity to give George a shoutout.
“He’s been awesome. He’s been an All-Star. He’s one of the best two-way players in the league,” Frank told reporters.
“He’s a terrific person. He’s got great family, so we hope he’s here but also respect the fact that if he chooses to opt out, that’s his choice. He’s earned it and we’ll see how things play out.”
If there’s no extension prior to the deadline, George has the option to become a free agent or opt into his deal.
Even if he does decide to opt into the final year of his deal, he could attempt to negotiate a trade from the Clippers to another team.
In January, the Clippers retained one of their go-to guys, Kawhi Leonard, with a three-year $150-million extension.
Paul George’s future is up in the air. Harry How/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Now they are weighing how to keep George around and James Harden — also a free agent — to complete their “Big 3.”
The organisation has engaged in talks with Harden alongside his agents, Mike Silverman and Troy Payne.
“We think James has been terrific for us,” Frank said.
“We hope he’s had a great experience while he has been here and we hope he decides to continue to be here. … We very much want James to remain a Clipper and hope he decides to do the same.”
A group of NBA teams are lining up for Klay Thompson as his free agency decision comes to a head.
League sources told The Athletic that the 76ers and Nuggets would have interest if the five-time All-Star enters the open market.
The 76ers, armed with roughly $65 million in cap space, have more than enough cash to give Thompson, 34, the money he’s seeking from Golden State.
The Nuggets have “pegged Thompson as a possible replacement” for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who declined a player option to enter free agency this week, per the outlet.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported Saturday that the Mavericks are “exploring the feasibility” of adding Thompson after clearing cap space by dealing Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Pistons.
Klay Thompson could be on the move. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
The Magic have also recently been reported as a possible destination for Thompson.
The latest Thompson rumours come as his relationship with the team appears to be souring.
Stein also wrote Saturday that signs “have frankly never pointed more strongly to” Thompson, who has spent all 13 of his NBA seasons with Golden State, winning four championships alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green, leaving the Bay Area.
Earlier this month, Thompson unfollowed the Warriors on Instagram, deleted mention of the team from his bio on the platform and purged the majority of his Golden State-related posts dating back more than two years, signalling something may be amiss in the relationship.
On June 17, The Athletic reported that it was all but certain Thompson would test the open market for the first time in his 11 seasons.
“Klay Thompson, I’m told, is open to all external options in free agency coming up,” the outlet’s NBA insider Shams Charania said on FanDuel TV. “He intends to test free agency. We know the Warriors want him back, they offered him an extension before the start of the season. They’re going to see if there can be a deal that gets done. He’s going to be there in the marketplace, seeking offers elsewhere.”
The Warriors have two extra days to figure out what to do with Chris Paul.
Golden State and the 39-year-old guard agreed to push back the deadline for when his $30 million salary for next season — the final year of a four-year, $120 million deal inked with the Suns in August 2021 — becomes guaranteed from Saturday to Monday, according to multiple reports.
The purpose of that change, according to ESPN, revolved around helping find a potential trade partner that fits Paul, though the outlet added that there’s still a possibility the Warriors will waive him to save salary cap space.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. had hinted at the possibility of extending the deadline during a press conference Friday, though he didn’t consider the team’s decision on Paul — the guard who spent last season with Golden State after getting traded from the Suns to the Wizards and then the Wizards to the Warriors across four days — to reflect the “pivot point” of their offseason.
“We still have some time on that, which will take,” Dunleavy told reporters Friday, “and we’ll come to a conclusion. But in terms of pivot point, no, it doesn’t. We’ll figure it out and go from there, but I don’t think it’s gonna make a huge difference in terms of like how things shake out overall.”
The Warriors have to make a call on Chris Paul. (Photo by EZRA SHAW / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
In his first year with the Warriors, Paul averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 assists per game, starting the fewest games — just 18 — of his career and settling into a complementary role alongside a struggling group that still possessed a star-filled lineup.
The Warriors, who finished No. 10 in the Western Conference, were eliminated by the Kings during their opening game of the play-in tournament, and that started an offseason filled with speculation about the futures of Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Paul.
Wiggins, according to The Ringer, will likely be “aggressively dangled,” in addition to the reality that Paul could get traded.
Those are the decisions that will shape the Warriors’ offseason, and last year, right around this time, they were the final stop for Paul after a whirlwind one-week stretch.
He was dealt by the Suns — where he had played since 2020-21 — to the Wizards in a three-team trade on June 23, and days later, Washington sent him to the Warriors in the deal that brought Jordan Poole to the Warriors.
But depending on what Dunleavy decides by Monday, it might be a one-season stint in Golden State.
One of the NBA’s household names might soon be on the move.
ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst offered Tuesday on ‘Get Up’ that the Clippers could trade star forward Paul George by “this weekend.”
Windhorst explained that George has a “different menu of options,” including opting into the final year of his contract with the Clippers to facilitate a trade — which would necessitate the fastest timeline.
“He could opt into his contract and get traded by this weekend,” Windhorst said.
“That is something that is going to come to a head in the next day or two if he wants to go with that option, because obviously you’d have to negotiate a trade. Then, the team wouldn’t necessarily need salary cap space.‘We’re going to see some action in that, probably coming up very quickly after the draft.”
One source, meanwhile, told NBA insider Marc Stein that George is the “domino who will make it all go when he falls”.
The Clippers have been trying to extend George before this latest fork in the road, with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that extension conversations between the two sides were “ongoing” after Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year, $153 million extension in mid-January.
George has one year worth $48.8 million left on the four-year extension he signed with Los Angeles in December 2020 worth up to $190 million.
Windhorst listed re-signing with the Clippers on a new deal as one of George’s three options, along with the opt-in leading into a trade or opting out of his deal to become a free agent.
The forward was an All-Star both of the last two years after playing in only 31 games in 2021-22 due to a torn UCL in his right arm.
This past year, the Fresno State product teamed up with Leonard and James Harden to help the Clippers claim the West’s No. 4 seed but lost in the first round to the Mavericks.
Since George arrived in Hollywood in 2019, the Clippers have made the playoffs in four of five seasons but have not advanced beyond the Western Conference finals.
If George opts into his contract to set up an exit from Los Angeles, insider Marc Stein reported that the Knicks could be a candidate to land the 34-year-old.
Other contenders for the nine-time All-Star, whether via trade or free agency, include the Magic, Rockets and 76ers, although a recent report made Philadelphia seem like a long shot.
George mostly recently made his debut as a commentator, assisting ESPN’s pregame coverage of Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals.
NEXT DOMINOES THAT COULD FALL… AND WHAT IT MAY MEAN FOR AUSSIE
So, if George ends up being moved, who are the next big names to keep an eye on in the NBA offseason?
Well, Stein reported that league sources believe Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be “among the players who will be most in demand” after George’s future is sorted.
Caldwell-Pope was Denver’s most underrated piece in the team’s championship run in the 2022-23 season and is one of the league’s best 3-and-D players, having now shot over 40 per cent from downtown in three of his past four seasons.
The Nuggets wing would help any contending team go to the next level, with Stein reporting that sources say Philadelphia and Orlando are considering making a play for Caldwell-Pope if he declines his $15.4 million player option with the Nuggets to enter free agency.
Elsewhere, Chris Paul could also be on the move with a key deadline on his future looming.
The veteran’s $30 million contract for next season will become guaranteed if he is on Golden State’s roster or another team’s after June 28.
If Paul was instead waived and entered free agency, Stein reported that the Lakers and Clippers are two teams that are expected to be interested in his services.
In other news, Chicago’s trade for Josh Giddey has predictably further cast a spotlight on Zach LaVine’s future at the franchise.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that sources claim the Bulls are still “engaging rival teams on LaVine trade scenarios” and are “exploring options to move up in the draft”.
The prospect of a LaVine move, at least in the short-term, is hardly a sure thing though given there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for the star guard.
Woj explains shock Giddey trade to Bulls | 00:59
Fischer reported LaVine is “merely a backup option for the guard”, adding the Bulls “have yet to develop significant traction on deals” outside of talks with the Pistons that previously included the now traded Bojan Bogdanović.
Detroit also has a new president in Trajan Langdon, which further casts doubt on whether the front office has the same interest in LaVine under different leadership.
Fischer went on to report that if there is any suitor for LaVine it seems “most likely at this juncture” that it would be the Kings, who league sources told Yahoo Sports are “active in exploring trade opportunities” for Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter.
The report claims Huerter is receiving a “healthy amount of external interest”, while adding the Kings are also considering trade possibilities for their No. 13 pick.
Meanwhile, the Magic are facing the same deadline as the Warriors when it comes to deciding whether they will retain Australian Joe Ingles or let him become an unrestricted free agent.
Ingles will make $11 million next season if Orlando keeps him, with Fischer reporting that decision will largely hinge on how much money the Magic plan to spend in free agency and where negotiations go with Jalen Suggs, who is set for a rookie-scale extension.
‘This is no indictment on Josh’ | 06:21
“Orlando could very well exercise the 2024-25 option on Ingles’ deal, sources said, depending on how much room the Magic will need to operate through its overall offseason — with the knowledge that Jalen Suggs is in line for a significant payday before his fourth season,” Fischer wrote.
It comes as Fischer reported that Orlando, who has around $36 million in cap room, still holds hopes of landing a “veteran guard/wing who can space the floor Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, without commanding too much on-ball oxygen”.
The Magic had been linked to both Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Sacramento’s Malik Monk, although the latter has since extended with the Kings.
Caldwell-Pope, who was mentioned earlier, fits the mould of the kind of player the Magic may be after.
