NBA rumors

Steven Adams and the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to a two-year, $25.2 million contract extension, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski

Adams is now signed with the Grizzlies for three more seasons at $43.1 million.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Larry Nance Jr and the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a contract extension worth 21.6 million over two years.

The Wyoming product’s new deal expires in 2025.

Nance Jr arrived to the Pelicans in the trade with the Trail Blazers that also brought CJ McCollum to Louisiana.

The independent law firm probe into Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka found that he used crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman, an element that significantly factored into the severity of his one-year suspension, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Those investigative findings — which described verbiage on Udoka’s part that was deemed especially concerning coming from a workplace superior — contribute to what is likely a difficult pathway back to his reinstatement as Celtics coach in 2023, sources told ESPN.

The power dynamic associated with a superior’s improper relationship with a staff member was the primary finding and policy violation cited in the law firm’s report, which was commissioned by the Celtics and completed early last week, sources said.

Free agent Blake Griffin has agreed to a one-year, fully guaranteed deal with the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski

Griffin, 33, gives the Celtics some frontcourt depth, especially with center Robert Williams out several weeks following knee surgery. Italian forward Gallinari is out indefinitely after torn ACL

The Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder finalized a trade that involved eight players.

Per ESPN, The Houston Rockets are acquiring center Derrick Favors and a 2025 second-round draft pick in an eight-player trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources told ESPN on Thursday night.

The Thunder will acquire two draft exceptions and save $1 million in salary in a deal that sends Favors, guards Ty Jerome (that will be waived) and Theo Maledon and forward Moe Harkless to the Rockets for David Nwaba, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke and Marquese Chriss, sources said.

The deal drops the Thunder approximately $10 million under the luxury tax threshold. After the trade, both the Thunder and Rockets have 18 guaranteed contracts on their respective rosters and will need to pare them down to 15 by Oct. 17.

According to TSN, the Toronto Raptors do not feel a rush to make a move in the market, but they are reportedly ‘closely monitoring’ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s relationship with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The 24-year-old point guard spent the summer with the Canadian national team.

The Raptors have no obligation to go after a star, because they have a young roster with ample room for improvement, one that exceeded expectations last season by winning 48 games.

Boston Celtics are seeking permission to talk to Clippers assistant Jay Larranaga.

Larranaga spent nine seasons with Celtics before joining the Clippers in 2021.

The Celtics are seeking permission to talk to Clippers assistant Jay Larranaga about joining interim coach Joe Mazzulla’s staff this season, sources tell ESPN. Larranaga spent nine seasons with Celtics before joining the Clippers in 2021.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 28, 2022

Kevin Durant explained why he requested trade from the Brooklyn Nets this offseason.

After a meeting with Tsai, Nash and Marks, Durant decided to remain in Brooklyn where he signed a four-year contract in 2021.

Per ESPN (via RealGM), “There was a lot of uncertainty around our team last year,” Durant said. “I committed to this organization for four years last summer with the idea we were gonna play with that group that we kind of went on that little run to the second round [in the 2020 playoffs]. I felt like another year of that, us being healthy — we were building something towards the future.

“Then as the season went on, you seen what happened with our season, guys in and out of the lineup, injuries, just a lot of uncertainty, which built some doubt in my mind about the next four years in my career. I mean, I’m getting older and I want to be in a place that’s stable and trying to build a championship culture. So I had some doubts about that. I voiced them to [owner] Joe [Tsai], and we moved forward from there.”

Durant said he wasn’t “disappointed” or surprised that he was still in Brooklyn.

“No,” Durant said. “I know I’m that good that you’re just not going to give me away. So that’s one thing I did appreciate about Sean and Joe [they said]. ‘You’re too great for us to give you away.’ Just that easy, that simple. So, I get that. I know who I am.”

Durant said the Nets could have fought harder through adversity down the stretch of last season when he was out with an injury, noting that that’s what championship-caliber teams do.

“When I went out with the injury, we lost [11] in a row,” he said. “And I’m like we shouldn’t be losing some of these games that we lost, regardless of who’s on the floor. So I was more so worried about how we’re approaching every day as a basketball team. And I felt like we could have fought through a lot of stuff that I felt held us back. Championship teams do that. You’ve seen Steph Curry and the Warriors, he was injured going into the playoffs. Their team still fought and won games. Luka [Doncic], he was hurt and their team still fought and won games.

“I felt like we had enough talent to do that. And that’s what was the most about in my mind is that when adversity hit can we keep pushing through it? I’ve been on championship teams, I’ve been on teams that have been right at the brink of winning a championship, and they did those things. So I wanted to be a part of a group that did that.

“Winning and losing, I could take all that. I’ve been in the league for a long time. So it’s not more so about just a result. It’s how we get to that point. And I wasn’t feeling how we were getting to that point. I didn’t want it to affect the game so I waited to the offseason to tell people how I felt.”

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Jordan Nwora two a two-year, $6.2 million contract.
Nwora averaged 7.9 points per game for the Bucks a year ago.

The news was reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.

Cleveland Cavaliers F Dean Wade has agreed to a three-year, $18.5 million extension, his agents Austin Walton and Adam Papas tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski

Wade averaged 5.2 ppg and 3.1 rpg in his three seasons with Cleveland

CJ McCollum has agreed to a two-year, $64 million contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, reports Adrian Wojnarowski.

McCollum’s new contract ties him to New Orleans for four years and about $133 million.

The guard, who currently also serves as NBPA president, has averaged 24.3 points (49% FG, 39% 3P) and 5.8 assists in 26 games played with the Pelicans.

The Boston Celtics are expected to suspend coach Ime Udoka for the entire 2022-2023 season.
The coach, who led the Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2022, had consensual relationship with a female staff member.

Joe Mazzulla will be named interim coach for the season.

The news was reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Detroit Pistons are finalizing an agreement with the Utah Jazz to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic.
The Pistons will send to the Jazz Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee.

The news was reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.

Free agent guard Dennis Smith Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets, his agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management told The Athletic

Utah Jazz agreed on a two-way NBA contract with Micah Potter.

American forward played last season 3 Nba games with Detroit Pistons.

The Utah Jazz and center Micah Potter have agreed on a two-way NBA contract, sources tell me and @Tjonesonthenba. Potter spent part of last season with Detroit.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 20, 2022

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Jae Crowder could be the “key” in an eventual Phoenix Suns trade proposal to get Bojan Bogdanovic, who’s rumored to leave Utah

Crowder is on an expiring contract worth $10.2M

Cam Johnson is eligible for a contract extension with the Phoenix Suns and the two sides have been actively engaged in negotiations, reports ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

While Robert Sarver is suspended this season, the Suns are operating as though they have the authority to add money to their payroll for this season and future seasons. If Johnson and the Suns fail to agree to terms, he will become a restricted free agent next offseason.

The Phoenix Suns have been active in trade discussions this month with Jae Crowder a possible outgoing player, as reported by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

The Suns are already in the luxury tax so there are questions on whether they will have the authority to spend more money given the suspension of Robert Sarver.

As reported by RealGM, The NBA league office and some team owners are in favor of more punitive penalties in its luxury tax.

Cleveland Cavaliers will sign Sharife Cooper to a training camp deal.

American guard playes last season 12 NBA games with Atlanta Hawks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are signing guard Sharife Cooper to a training camp deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 19, 2022