NBA rumors

The Dallas Mavericks have re-signed Markieff Morris. The Mavericks acquired Morris as part of the Kyrie Irving trade with the Brooklyn Nets in February. Morris played in just nine minutes per game with the Mavericks.

The Portland Trail Blazers have ramped up discussions on a Damian Lillard trade over the past few weeks, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Lillard requested a trade from the Blazers to the Miami Heat on July 1st and talks have been slow to develop.

The Blazers are prepared to bring Lillard into camp if he’s not traded before then.

According to Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Lakers and Jarred Vanderbilt have agreed to a four-year $48 million contract extension, with a player option for the final season.

The former Kentucky forward, who was traded from the Jazz to the Lakers just before the last deadline, produced 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 24 minutes per game.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt has agreed on a four-year, $48 million contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Erika Ruiz told @TheAthletic @Stadium. Deal is fully guaranteed with a player option in the fourth year. pic.twitter.com/4kuLlt8zeT

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 15, 2023

Vit Krejci has reached an agreement with the Minnesota Timberwolves for a training camp contract, Jon Krawczynski reports.

The 23-year-old Czech swingman last year played 29 games with the Atlanta Hawks.

The Timberwolves are signing Vit Krejci to a training camp deal, sources tell @TheAthletic. Krejci, a 6-8 G/F, played 29 games for the Atlanta Hawks last season.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 14, 2023

The Houston Rockets are attempting to trade Kevin Porter Jr. following his charges of felony assault and strangulation on his girlfriend.

Porter has the 2023-24 season guaranteed for $15.9 million in Year 1 of a four-year, $82.5 million deal. The subsequent years of the deal are not guaranteed.

The Rockets are offering draft compensation as an incentive to receive Porter in exchange for a player who can immediately help the team.

Porter is not expected to attend Rockets’ training camp in early October.

After signing center JaVale McGee, the Sacramento Kings have decided to waive centers Nerlens Noel and Neemias Queta. Both players had signed partially guaranteed one-year deals with the Kings this summer.

In the 2022-2023 NBA season, Noel played 3 games for the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 15.0 minutes and 1.0 point per game, and 14 games for the Detroit Pistons, averaging 11.3 minutes and 2.3 points per game.

In the 2022-2023 NBA season, Queta played 5 games for the Kings, averaging 6.4 minutes and 2.4 points per game. He also played 44 games in the G League for the Stockton Kings, averaging 28.7 minutes and 17.7 points per game.

ESPN Sources: After signing JaVale McGee to a free agent deal, the Sacramento Kings are waiving centers Nerlens Noel and Neemias Queta to give them a chance to play elsewhere. Both signed partially guaranteed one-year deals with Kings this summer.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 12, 2023

The Miami Heat are interested in trading for Damian Lillard. Even if the Portland Trail Blazers move Lillard to another team, that desire won’t alter. Despite his ambition to play for Miami, Lillard will still attend training camp for any club he is on.

Following the publication of a story that said Lillard will only report to camp for Portland or Miami, additional information has emerged denying that claim. If dealt to another club, Lillard will report to that team and participate in any activities they choose, while he will continue to advocate for a trade to the Heat.

This article covers if Lillard will still be playing for the Trail Blazers on October 3 when training camp begins. Lillard will show up to Portland’s training camp, but the Blazers will decide how to handle his involvement in the preseason.

According to Marc Stein of Substack, the Miami Heat are likely to sign Kelly Oubre Jr. if they decide to trade for Damian Lillard this offseason.

The most well-known player who is still unsigned is Oubre. With the Charlotte Hornets, Oubre played 32.2 minutes per game, averaging 20.3 points and 5.2 rebounds.

Oubre just completed a $26 million, two-year contract with the Hornets.

Duop Reath has reached an agreement to sign a one-year contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Reath participated in the Summer League with the Blazers and started at center for Australia at the World Cup.

In addition to playing professionally in Serbia and China, Reath played college basketball at LSU.

Cam Payne has been released by the San Antonio Spurs.

Payne was on an expiring $6.5 million deal when the Phoenix Suns moved him to the Spurs in July along with a protected 2024 second-round selection, cash, and a 2025 second-round pick.

Payne is not permitted to rejoin the Suns.

According to reports, the NBA Board of Governors is set to vote this week on a new rule prohibiting teams from resting two elite players during the same game.

Over the past one to two years, there have been several league conversations about stars playing more often and reducing load management. A star is defined by someone who’s made an All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons, sources said.

NBA Board of Governors is expected to vote this week on new policy that a team is unable to rest two star players in the same game, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Many league discussions over past 1-2 years have centered around stars playing more, curbing load management.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 11, 2023

George Conditt, former Iowa State player and recent standout for the Puerto Rican national team, has inked an Exhibit 10 deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. The announcement was made by his agent, Pedro Power, to ESPN. Conditt will join the Blazers’ training camp and their new G League affiliate, Rip City Remix.

In the 2023 season with the Carolina team in the Puerto Rican league (BSN), Conditt played 32 games, averaging 30.6 minutes per game. He scored an average of 11.2 points with a field goal percentage of 61.5%. He also contributed with 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game.

Free agent C George Conditt has agreed on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, agent Pedro Power tells ESPN. Conditt played for Iowa State and had a good showing for Puerto Rico in World Cup. Another big for Blazers’ camp and new Rip City Remix G League affiliate.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 10, 2023

Free agent forward Kevin Knox is signing a one-year deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, sources tell The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Knox, the No. 9 pick in the 2018 Draft, averaged 8.9 points and 17.1 minutes in 21 games for Portland last season.

Free agent G Danny Green has agreed on a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent tells ESPN. Green comes off a season spent between Memphis and Cleveland.

Free agent F/C Christian Wood has agreed on a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Deal includes a player option.

Wood averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Mavericks a season ago.

Harry Giles III is signing a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets, Chris Haynes reports.

The Duke product was the No.20 pick of the 2017 NBA Draft.

Giles returns to the NBA, where he played two seasons with the Kings and one with the Trail Blazers.

Free agent forward Harry Giles III has reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets, his agent Daniel Hazan of @hazansportsmgmt tells @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. pic.twitter.com/CAJ3fMwyta

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 1, 2023

Ukrainian forward Svi Mykhailiuk will remain in the NBA, reportedly agreeing to an annual contract with the Boston Celtics.

This development removes a significant name from the European market. Mykhailiuk, who was previously linked with Olimpia Milano before the Mirotic deal, has long been targeted by Olympiacos.

Born in 1997, Mykhailiuk spent the last NBA season between the Hornets and the Knicks.

Free agent Svi Mykhailiuk has agreed to a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 31, 2023

Jason Staudt will join the Golden State Warriors’ front office. Coming from Washington where he held the position of personnel scout, Staudt is also a long-time NBA assistant coach and recently coached the Texas Tech team in the TBT.

The Warriors are hiring personnel scout Jason Staudt away from Washington to join Golden State’s front office, league sources say.

Staudt is also a longtime NBA assistant coach who recently coached Texas Tech’s entry in @thetournament.

More NBA from me: https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 31, 2023

The Dallas Mavericks have released center JaVale McGee.

McGee earned $5,461,219 during the 2022-2023 season with the Mavericks, appearing in 42 games and averaging 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He is now free to sign with a new team.

The Dallas Mavericks have waived center JaVale McGee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. McGee will be free to sign with a new team once he clears waivers.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 29, 2023

After almost two months of negotiations, P.J. Washington and the Charlotte Hornets agreed on a three-year, $48 million contract, Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

The Kentucky product was the only NBA Restricted Free Agent who had not yet signed a contract for next season.

Washington last year scored 15.7 points with 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 2.4 assists per game.

According to Shams Charania, the Boston Celtics will host T.J. Warren and Lamar Stevens for a workout.

Warren played 42 games between the Nets and Suns last year, scoring 7.5 points in 16 minutes.

Stevens comes from a three-year stint with the Cavs (5.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG last season).

The Orlando Magic have finalised the signing of Mac McClung to a partially guaranteed contract, Shams Charania reports.

The guard put on a show last season in the Salt Lake City All Star Game, winning the Slam Dunk Contest.

McClung scored a total of 25 points in the two regular season games he played with the Philadelphia 76ers,

The Oklahoma City Thunder have released Usman Garuba. The franchise had acquired Garuba in July from the Atlanta Hawks.

Garuba played in 99 games over the past two seasons with the Houston Rockets, averaging 2.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game.