NBA rumors

The Charlotte Hornets have held talks with Sacramento about Domantas Sabonis, but negotiations remain complicated. The main issue is compensation: the Kings reportedly want at least one of Charlotte’s two first-round picks, No. 14 or No. 18.

The Hornets would prefer to keep those picks and revisit the Sabonis talks later in the offseason. Sabonis, 30, has two years left on his contract, with salaries of $45.4 million in 2026/27 and $48.6 million in 2027/28.

Last season, the Lithuanian big man averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists, playing only 19 games before knee surgery. For Charlotte, he would fill a major need at center alongside LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Kon Knueppel.

LeBron James is widely believed to prefer staying with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer. After eight seasons in Los Angeles, his ties to the franchise, Bronny James’ presence on the roster and the chance to keep playing with Luka Doncic make the Lakers the leading scenario.

The Golden State Warriors, however, are reportedly legitimately interested in adding LeBron to a veteran core featuring Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. Their pitch could include allowing James to keep his family based in Los Angeles while commuting to some degree.

A potential LeBron-Curry pairing would be one of the most fascinating stories in NBA history after their four straight Finals battles from 2015 to 2018. Age remains the major question, with James turning 42 next season, Curry 39, Green 37 and Butler 37.

The Chicago Bulls are moving forward in their search for a new head coach. According to Jake Fischer and Marc Stein, the franchise has begun interviewing finalists for the position this week.

The reported list includes Tiago Splitter, acting coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Ryan Schmidt, assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks, and Micah Nori, assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Chicago is looking to replace Billy Donovan, who stepped down on April 21.

Splitter led Portland to a 42-40 record and its first playoff appearance since 2021. Schmidt has spent the last two years on the Hawks’ staff, while Nori has worked as an NBA assistant for years and drew previous interest from the Suns and Knicks.

The future of Giannis Antetokounmpo is becoming the biggest storyline of the NBA offseason. According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, there is a growing expectation around the league that the Milwaukee Bucks will trade their franchise star before the NBA Draft.

Milwaukee is reportedly operating as if it will receive an additional first-round pick in return, alongside its current No. 10 selection. However, a deal is unlikely before the end of the NBA Finals, with the Bucks waiting to see whether the New York Knicks enter the race.

Regarding Antetokounmpo’s preferences, the Miami Heat are believed to be his top landing spot, while the Boston Celtics are still considered part of the picture. The two-time MVP is reportedly determined to stay in the Eastern Conference.

The Atlanta Hawks and head coach Quin Snyder have agreed to a multiyear contract extension.

According to Shams Charania, the move reinforces organizational continuity for the franchise after president Onsi Saleh also received a new extension.

Atlanta finished the regular season on a 20-6 run, ending with a 46-36 record before losing to the New York Knicks in six games in the playoffs. Snyder has completed his fourth season as Hawks head coach.

Despite a disappointing Western Conference Finals performance, Chet Holmgren remains a cornerstone of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s long-term plans.

According to Jake Fischer, the franchise has no intention of moving the young big man. Holmgren, who earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors this season, is set to begin the five-year maximum extension he signed last summer following Oklahoma City’s championship run.

Instead, general manager Sam Presti is expected to focus on reshaping the supporting cast around the team’s core. Decisions are still pending on the team options of Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort, while Kenrich Williams’ situation will also need to be addressed. The Thunder could decline some of those options before negotiating new deals at lower annual salaries.

With one of the league’s deepest collections of future draft assets, the upcoming NBA Draft is expected to be one of the key moments of Oklahoma City’s offseason. The Thunder have long been viewed as potential aggressors on the trade market, with the No. 12, No. 17, and No. 37 picks all considered valuable assets that could attract interest from other teams.

Reports also surfaced last week linking Oklahoma City to Cameron Boozer, a prospect widely projected to be selected within the top three picks of the draft.

Austin Reaves is reportedly seeking a maximum contract from the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to Brad Turner, Reaves could ask for a deal worth up to five years and $239.25 million.

It remains uncertain whether Reaves would be willing to take a hometown discount to stay in Los Angeles. His contract situation is now one of the key Lakers storylines of the offseason.

The Detroit Pistons and Jalen Duren are expected to discuss a major contract extension.

According to Hunter Patterson, there is a general sense around the league that negotiations could eventually land in the range of a five-year, $200 million to $220 million deal.

Duren underperformed in the postseason, but he is coming off his first All-Star appearance and an All-NBA Third Team selection, factors that strengthen his position in talks.

The New Orleans Pelicans have emerged as a team interested in acquiring Jaylen Brown.

According to Jake Fischer, the Louisiana franchise is among the potential teams to monitor if the Boston Celtics decide to evaluate Brown’s future.

For now, it is a situation to watch, but Brown remains one of the biggest possible names on the NBA market because of his talent, contract status and immediate impact.

Kyrie Irving’s future with the Dallas Mavericks is once again a topic of discussion ahead of the next NBA season.

According to Jake Fischer, Irving’s presence on the Mavericks’ roster for opening night should not be considered guaranteed.

“I don’t necessarily believe that Kyrie Irving will be on the Mavericks roster on opening night,” Fischer said. The comment adds more speculation around the guard’s future in Dallas.

The San Antonio Spurs are expected to lock up Victor Wembanyama with a five-year max rookie extension during the upcoming offseason.

According to Spotrac, the projected deal would be worth $251 million over five years, confirming Wembanyama’s status as the long-term centerpiece of the franchise.

The contract could become even larger: with supermax language included, the total value may increase to as much as $301 million.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been linked to a possible trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their front office does not appear ready to include Evan Mobley in such a deal.

According to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, multiple members of Cleveland’s brain trust would be “vehemently against” a Giannis-Mobley swap. Mobley remains the Cavaliers’ best trade asset if the team decides to chase a major move during the Donovan Mitchell era.

Mobley turns 25 this month, making him six years younger than Antetokounmpo, and is expected to make around $8 million less next season. Koby Altman also recently called Mobley the Cavaliers’ “best player throughout the playoffs.”

The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have a clear priority moving forward: keeping Austin Reaves. According to Jovan Buha, the franchise would prioritize a long-term deal for Reaves over a new one-year contract for LeBron James.

“If it comes down to whether you’d rather pay Austin $40 million per year for the next five years or LeBron $40 million for one year, they’re going to prioritize the long-term contract,” Buha said.

He added: “Austin is more of a priority for the Lakers than LeBron. That’s just a fact.” The statement underlines how important Reaves has become in the Lakers’ long-term plans.

Trey Murphy III could be on the move from the New Orleans Pelicans. Bill Simmons mentioned the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder as potential landing spots in a possible trade.

“We assume he’s probably going to get traded over the next three weeks,” Simmons said, adding that Boston could be a possibility on the market.

Simmons also pointed to the team that lost the Spurs-Thunder matchup as a possible scenario: “You have two to three weeks to trade for someone like that.”

According to ESPN, Ayo Dosunmu is expected to remain with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a new contract slightly above the midlevel exception — projected by several league insiders to start at around $15 million in the first year.

With Minnesota, Dosunmu averaged 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists across 24 regular season games.

In the playoffs, the former Chicago Bulls guard raised his level even further, posting 15.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 29 minutes per game, highlighted by his spectacular Game 4 performance in the series against the Denver Nuggets.

Dosunmu’s expected return could also push Minnesota toward moving the injured Donte DiVincenzo for salary cap reasons.

The Chicago Bulls have received permission to interview Johnnie Bryant, associate head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, for their head coaching vacancy.

Bryant has long been viewed as a future NBA head coach and has already been a finalist for several openings in recent cycles. After playing at Utah, he began his coaching path in player development before joining the Utah Jazz staff in 2012.

He later worked with the New York Knicks before moving to Cleveland in 2024 as part of Kenny Atkinson’s staff. With the Cavaliers, Bryant serves as the second-in-command on the bench.

James Harden is expected to opt out this summer and re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a team-friendly contract. According to Brian Windhorst, the move would help Cleveland get under the second apron.

A discounted deal for Harden would give the Cavaliers more salary-cap flexibility and allow the front office to pursue trades more aggressively during the offseason.

Harden’s return on a team-friendly number could therefore become a key part of Cleveland’s summer strategy after its playoff exit.

Donovan Mitchell did not close the door on his future with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Asked about potentially signing an extension, Cleveland’s star once again underlined his connection with the franchise.

“I love it here. I don’t know how else to say it. I’ve said it before I signed the other extension. I love it here,” Mitchell said, making his stance on the Cavaliers clear.

Mitchell also stressed his belief in the team’s long-term potential despite the playoff disappointment: “I have no doubt this group can get there. We have unfinished business.”

The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring Rohan Ramadas as assistant general manager, according to Shams Charania and ESPN. Ramadas comes from the New Orleans Pelicans, where he served as vice president of strategy and operations.

The Lakers have interviewed several candidates in recent weeks as they look to strengthen their front office. Ramadas will work under president Rob Pelinka, with Los Angeles entering a key phase of its roster-building process.

The move adds a strategic and operational profile to the Lakers’ basketball leadership, as the franchise prepares for an important offseason.

The Chicago Bulls will interview Chris Quinn as part of their head coaching search.

According to HoopsHype, the Miami Heat assistant coach is among the candidates being evaluated by the Illinois franchise for next season.

Quinn has been part of Erik Spoelstra’s staff since 2014 and has built a strong reputation in player development, one of the key pillars of Miami’s model.

For the Bulls, he represents an interesting profile as they look for a coach able to develop the roster and give the team a new identity.

Tiago Splitter remains in the race to become the full-time head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.

According to Marc Stein, the Blazers’ interim coach is among the finalists for the job. Splitter had also drawn interest from the Chicago Bulls, but is now firmly back in Portland’s search.

The other major name is Jeff Van Gundy: according to Chris Haynes, the Blazers have requested permission from the Los Angeles Clippers to meet with the assistant coach, who has emerged as a finalist.

Portland is now moving toward a final decision after the interim period, with Splitter and Van Gundy among the leading candidates to coach the team next season.

The Detroit Pistons are already looking at the offseason after their playoff exit, with Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris among the priorities.

General manager Trajan Langdon said the franchise hopes to reach a deal with Jalen Duren, the 22-year-old All-Star center who can become a restricted free agent this summer.

Duren averaged nearly 20 points and more than 10 rebounds during the regular season, helping Detroit earn the No. 1 seed. His playoff production dropped to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds after opposing defenses adjusted.

Detroit also hopes to keep Tobias Harris, who will become an unrestricted free agent after averaging more than 18 points in the playoffs. “He’s somebody we want to keep in a Pistons uniform,” Langdon said.

Simone Fontecchio will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and his future with the Miami Heat remains uncertain.

According to Spotrac, the Italian forward could return to Miami, but any deal is unlikely to be expensive or long-term, with a one- or two-year contract mentioned as the likely range.

The Heat are expected to first evaluate their roster needs during a fluid offseason shaped by possible trades, future cap space and decisions on veteran players.

Fontecchio therefore remains an open file for Miami: not necessarily a top priority, but a player the Heat could reconsider once their offseason direction becomes clearer.

According to BasketNews, citing Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit Pistons will be a team to watch on the NBA trade market after their second-round loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Among the names linked to the franchise are Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz and Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers. Detroit owns all of its future first-round picks, including the No. 21 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, plus several second-rounders.

Markkanen remains a complicated target, especially after Utah added Jaren Jackson Jr. to raise its level. Leonard, meanwhile, will enter the final year of his Clippers deal at $50.3 million.

The Pistons’ goal is clear: add talent and star power around Cade Cunningham after a 60-win season that was not enough to make a deeper playoff run.