NBA rumors

The Golden State Warriors’ Donte DiVincenzo has emerged as a frontrunner to join the New York Knicks. After one season with the Warriors, DiVincenzo declined to exercise a player option. Due to the Warriors only possessing his Non-Bird rights, DiVincenzo’s compensation is constrained.

After Josh Hart chose to accept his $12.9 million contract for the following season, the Knicks had enough space to deploy the entire Non-Taxpayer MLE in free agency. According to rumors, Hart took this action to allow New York to expand its squad with talented players for the following season. Hart is anticipated to approach the Knicks about a contract extension.

Along with Jalen Brunson, DiVincenzo and Hart were teammates at Villanova.

The news was reported by San Francisco Chronicle.

Indiana Pacers are close to send Chris Duarte to the Sacramento Kings for draft compensation.

The Indiana Pacers are nearing a trade sending guard Chris Duarte to the Sacramento Kings for draft compensation, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2023

James Harden wants to play for the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Philadelphia 76ers are working to make that happen, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.

According to sources close to Harden, he is “extremely upset” with how the Sixers handled his potential free agency and has made his displeasure known to the team.

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard agree that the Clippers should trade for Harden.

“There is strong optimism on Harden’s side” that he will be traded to the Clippers.

When Harden chose not to exercise his $47.4 million player option with the Sixers in favor of signing a one-plus-one contract for less money, he suffered a hefty pay reduction. The general consensus was that Harden would later return to free agency this offseason and re-sign for a protracted contract.

But before making any offers, the Sixers were prepared to pressure Harden to check the market. A brief agreement was being prepared by the Sixers.

The New Orleans Pelicans have declined the $2.6 million team option on center Willy Hernangomez.

The decision follows a season in which Hernangomez averaged 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 38 games. The center becomes a free agent.

According to Michael Scotto of Hoopshype Danilo Gallinari ‘has not had any buyout discussions’ with the Washington Wizards.

The Italian national team forward is reportedly ready to start the season with Washington, and he is determined to prove he can still be an important NBA player.

The Wizards’ plans for Gallinari are unclear. The team currently has 16 guaranteed contracts, one more than the maximum allowed.

Since the arrival of Michael Winger as the new team president, the Wizards have started a rebuilding, with the trades of Porzingis, Beal and Paul.

Gallinari has one year left on his contract worth about $6.8 million

The Utah Jazz will continue to rely on guard Jordan Clarkson and big man Kelly Olynyk next season.

Clarkson has decided to exercise his Player Option –via Sarah Todd-, while according to Michael Scotto the team has guaranteed the 12.19 million under the Olynyk deal.

The Utah Jazz fully guaranteed Kelly Olynyk’s $12.19 million deal for the 2023-24 season. Olynyk started all 68 games he appeared in for Utah last season.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 29, 2023

I'm told Jordan Clarkson will exercise his player option to stay with the Utah Jazz for the 2023-24 season, according to league sources.
This leaves the door open for the Jazz to extend his contract.

— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 29, 2023

Rookie swingman Rayan Rupert will sign a multi-year guaranteed contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, L’Equipe reports.

The 19-year-old French guard was selected by the Blazers at No. 43 in the last NBA Draft.

According to Chris Haynes, Kyrie Irving will be in Los Angeles tomorrow night to meet with Dallas Mavs and Phoenix Suns at the start of NBA Free Agency.

The reporter adds the Houston Rockets among the teams that could talk to the player.

Irving is eligible for a 5-year, 272 million Max Contract with the Mavs, who remain the favorites to secure his services.

The Chicago Bulls and Nikola Vucevic are finalizing the last details of a three-year, $60 million contract extension, his agents revealed to Adrian Wojnarowski.

The center is coming off a season with over 17 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists per game.

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is finalizing a three-year, $60M contract extension, his agents Bill Duffy and Rade Fillipovich tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2023

Former Barcelona coach Sarunas Jasikevicius has reportedly received an offer to act as an assistant coach of the Memphis Grizzlies for the next three seasons at a total of $6M, according to Home of Glory. Jasikevicius was interviewed in 2019 for the role of head coach.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid has agreed on a new three-year, $42 million deal with a player option, his agents tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Undrafted out of LSU, Reid had his best season with 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

Phoenix Suns are moving forward with the plan of keeping Deandre Ayton to play alongside Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

According to Jake Fischer, the San Antonio Spurs are in the market for another Lottery Pick in tonight’s Draft so they can reform the French duo of Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly in Texas.

The big man since his arrival in the States has spoken several times about the potential of his teammate with the Metropolitans 92, and apparently the Front Office will try to satisfy him.

By now, everyone knows he deserves to be top 10. But not enough realize he deserves to be top 5 🤫 https://t.co/xmBexcuQgc

— Wemby (@vicw_32) June 4, 2023

Coulibaly is currently projected at No. 12 by ESPN, a pick owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The New Orleans Pelicans have recently reached out to Zion Williamson in an effort to mend their strained relationship.

Williamson and David Griffin had a meeting about the offseason last week at the team’s headquarters. Williamson met with Gayle Benson with the help of Griffin as well. Source: The conference was largely constructive.

If he thought it was necessary, Benson volunteered to have a directer channel of communication with Williamson in the future.

The Pelicans are “fairly unlikely” to deal Williamson before Thursday’s draft, according to a number of sources, The Athletic reports. Scoot Henderson, who will likely go No. 2 to the Charlotte Hornets or No. 3 to the Portland Trail Blazers, is a player who the Pelicans are interested in choosing.

According to sources speaking to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the three teams—the Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, and Memphis Grizzlies—agreed to a three-team deal late Wednesday night that sent center Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics, guard Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, and guard Tyus Jones to the Wizards.

According to sources, the Celtics are giving Washington the 35th choice in Thursday’s lottery, while Memphis is sending Boston its first-round pick in Thursday’s draft, the 25th overall pick, as well as the Golden State Warriors’ top-four protected first-round pick in 2024. According to reports, the Celtics are also sending center Mike Muscala and forward Danilo Gallinari to Washington as part of the transaction.

After the two teams first tried to work out a three-team deal with the LA Clippers that would have sent Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles, the 30th pick in the draft to the Wizards, and Porzingis to the Celtics, the trade concluded a long day of negotiations involving a potential Porzingis deal.

But once that agreement broke down, Boston changed course and began talking to Memphis, which allowed this agreement to be reached shortly before the deadline.