NBA rumors

Mike Budenholzer is the leading candidate for the Phoenix Suns’ head coach, according to ESPN. After the firing of Frank Vogel on Thursday afternoon at the end of a single season, the Suns are accelerating negotiations to secure Budenholzer, who is already working on the formation of his coaching staff.

With a roster built around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, expectations for the new coach are high, aiming for important achievements in a high-pressure environment. Budenholzer, already NBA champion in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks and two-time coach of the year, is seen as the most qualified candidate available on the market.

The Charlotte Hornets have reached an agreement with Charles Lee, who will become the franchise’s new coach on a four-year contract.

This will be Lee’s first head coaching experience, after one season as Joe Mazzulla’s first assistant at the Celtics and five at the Bucks under Mike Budenholzer.

Lee will still finish the Playoffs on the Celtics bench.

Trae Young changes agencies. The Atlanta Hawks star is leaving Klutch Sports and moving to CAA Sports.

CAA stars include Devin Booker, Jalen Brunson, Paul Geroge, Tyrese Haliburton, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zion Williamson.

Hawks star Trae Young announces he has left Klutch Sports and is now being represented by CAA Sports 👀 pic.twitter.com/HxmtXyeV0e

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 7, 2024

The Detroit Pistons are considering several trade proposals to strengthen the team and attempt to revive their rebuilding project.

Among the players being considered are Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz and Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans. This information was reported by James L. Edwards III.

To acquire Ingram, the Pistons may have to offer Jalen Duren and a top five pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

As for Markkanen, the journalist proposes a package that would include Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

The Dallas Mavericks announce a new multi-year deal with Jason Kidd.

Class of 1973, chosen by the Mavs as a player in 1994, Kidd has been at the helm of the team since 2021 after experiences with the Nets and Bucks, and an assistant title with the Lakers.

Dallas Mavericks announced a contract extension with head coach Jason Kidd. pic.twitter.com/mVSNwOHzag

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 6, 2024

Jimmy Butler desires a contract extension with the Miami Heat during this offseason. Currently, the winger has two years left on his existing contract, with a player option for the 2025-26 season.

Should the Heat hesitate about Butler’s renewal, it is believed that rivals Philadelphia 76ers could attempt to arrange a trade for the experienced player.

The Los Angeles Clippers are considering offering a contract extension to coach Tyronn Lue to prevent him from entering the final year of his current contract in the 2025-26 season. ESPN reports.

Lue is considered a possible candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach position and other potential destinations.

Despite the Clippers’ defeat in Game 6 against the Mavericks, which ended their season, the club’s management expresses a strong desire to keep Lue as coach for the long term.

This year, the Clippers finished the regular season with a 51-31 record, finishing fourth in the Western.

Espn’s Ramona Shelbourne in a recent podcast talked about the future of Paul George, who, unlike Kawhi Leonard, has not agreed to a contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers and therefore will become a free agent at the end of the season.

“There’s two teams that are paying very close attention to Paul George: the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers, because both of them have the money to throw at him and have a need for a wing just like him, a veteran guy.”

The 9-time All Star, who tonight in Game 6 will try to close the series between the Clippers and Mavs, finished the regular season with 22.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

76ers and Magic are reportedly preparing to pursue All-Star guard Paul George

"There's two teams that are paying very close attention to Paul George: the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers, because both of them have the money to throw at him and have a need for a wing just… pic.twitter.com/4J9LJgbaEi

— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) May 1, 2024

Kevin Durant has the option to extend his contract with the Phoenix Suns during this offseason starting July 8th.

Durant could tack on an additional season worth just under $60 million for the 2026-27 season, by which time he will be 38 years old. He will turn 36 at the start of September’s training camp.

Together, Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal will earn approximately $150 million in total for the 2024-25 season.

After being eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Phoenix Suns are considering a change in technical leadership, both in terms of replacing coach Frank Vogel and possibly making changes to his staff.

Less than a year after Vogel was hired to replace Monty Williams at the helm, expectations were high, especially with the arrival of Kevin Durant and stars Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

However, the team struggled with injuries and compactness, finishing the regular season with a record of 49-33.

According to Shams Charania and Doug Haller of The Athletic, discussions are ongoing about the future of the coach and his staff.

Multiple NBA sources anticipate that Paul George will re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, despite having the option to become a free agent this offseason. According to a report by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, while the Philadelphia 76ers are expected to have significant cap space in July, earmarked potentially for George, the consensus among sources is that he will stay with the Clippers. This comes in a context where the free-agent market is perceived as weak, positioning Andrew Wiggins as possibly the best available wing for Philadelphia.

George, alongside teammates Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook, forms a formidable core for the Clippers, who are currently engaged in a playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, with the series tied 1-1. Now in his fifth season with the Clippers, George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in the regular season, shooting 47.1% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range.

The Clippers have never reached the NBA Finals in their franchise history, but with their current lineup, they have a solid chance this season. Their immediate challenge is to handle the Mavericks in Dallas in the upcoming games. George, a nine-time NBA All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection, continues to chase his first NBA championship ring, with indications pointing towards his continued commitment to the Clippers as he pursues this goal.

JJ Redick in the mix for the Charlotte Hornets’ bench. Shams Charania reports.

15 years in the NBA behind him, a Duke product, Redick has become a popular TV commentator in recent years. Now talks with the Hornets for the big jump.

The Charlotte Hornets are interviewing JJ Redick for their head coaching job, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The 15-year NBA veteran and former Duke star has shown an interest in making a coaching jump in recent years.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 22, 2024

Tobias Harris’ journey with the Philadelphia 76ers seems to have come to an end, as many fans hope.

Several NBA executives believe it is likely that Harris could end up with the Detroit Pistons in free agency, even if he has other offers.

Harris, a 13-year veteran with career averages of 16.3 points and 6.2 rebounds, has not made the impact he hoped for in Philadelphia, and could be blamed for an early exit from the playoffs this year.

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

Despite desires from teammates and staff for Klay Thompson to stay, there appears to be no significant progress in contract negotiations with the Golden State Warriors.

Following the 2023-24 NBA season, which ended for the Warriors with a play-in loss to the Sacramento Kings, Thompson is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after the last year of his five-year, $190 million contract signed in summer 2019.

According to ESPN’s Zack Lowe, there have been no “substantive” talks for months between Thompson’s camp and the team, despite interest from other teams in free agency.

The negotiations have reportedly been a burden for Thompson, as noted by ESPN’s Kendra Andrews last November, which might explain the absence of in-depth discussions.

How might a new contract for Thompson be structured? Lowe suggests that Jrue Holiday’s four-year, $135 million extension with the Boston Celtics could serve as a framework for a deal between Thompson and the Warriors.

While it seems unlikely that Thompson will play elsewhere next season, there is still a possibility that both sides may not come to an agreement. With NBA free agency beginning on July 1, Thompson and the Warriors have about two and a half months to work something out.

Source

A shake-up at the Detroit Pistons. The franchise is searching for a new President of Basketball Operations, but will keep Troy Weaver in the executive ranks as GM.

Weaver was hired by the Pistons in 2020 after a long stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Brooklyn Nets have named their new head coach. Jordi Fernandez will take over from Kevin Ollie, who took over on an interim basis after Jacque Vaughn was sacked during the All-Star Game.

Fernandez, the assistant head coach of the Sacramento Kings, was selected at the end of a month-long search in which Nets general manager Sean Marks evaluated numerous candidates.

Fernandez, 41, brings a wealth of experience to the job, having worked under Michael Malone in Denver and as part of Mike Brown’s staff with the Kings, where he helped turn the team around.

His recent experience coaching the Canadian national team to a medal at the 2023 FIBA World Championships has further enhanced his reputation.

Source ESPN

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen has agreed to a four-year, $70 million contract extension with a player option.

Suns owner Mat Ishbia is raising his projected payroll for 2024-2025 to $206 million, with another $104 million in luxury tax. To keep the core together, he will pay the highest tax in the league. Allen’s extension was key with the limited roster flexibility under the rules.

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen has agreed on a four-year $70 million contract extension with a player option, Mitch Nathan, Aaron Mintz and Steven Heumann of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/RWX8VVsxGR

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2024

According to Shams Charania, the Golden State Warriors have decided to convert Usman Garuba’s Two-Way Contract to a standard NBA deal for the rest of the season.

This will allow the Spanish big man to help the team in the postseason.

Garuba has played mostly in the G League since his arrival to the Warriors (12.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.3 BPG for Santa Cruz).

DeMar DeRozan talked about his future after Thursday morning’s practice at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena: “This is the place I want to be”.

“I love the ownership, I love everything about the city and the franchise, from the highest point to the lowest point – the office, the staff,” he added, emphasising his attachment to the club and his motivation to bring the team back to victory.

“My main goal has always been to make this organisation, this city, successful. It is always easy to complain and say what is wrong. But I want to make it clear: this is where I want to be.”

Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday has agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $135 million, his agent Jason Glushon of Glushon Sports Management told ESPN.

Holiday opted to waive his $37.3 million player option for the 2024-25 season in favour of a long-term deal that will keep him under contract through the 2027-28 season.

This contractual move allows the Celtics to save several million dollars against next year’s salary cap and retain a talented and expensive core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Holiday himself.

Thanks to this extension, the Celtics will operate as a “second apron team” in 2024-25, limiting their free agency and trade options to exceed the salary cap threshold.

Holiday joins a select group of players who have signed guaranteed contracts worth more than $100 million at the age of 33 or older, a list that includes LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Al Horford.

BREAKING: After arriving in a blockbuster offseason trade, Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday has agreed on a four-year, $135 million contract extension, his agent Jason Glushon of @GlushonSM tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Llln2yczSI

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2024

Lindsey Harding, coach of the Sacramento Kings in the G League, is in the running for head coach of the Charlotte Hornets.

In her first season in Stockton, she was voted G League 2024 Coach of the Year, leading her team to the Western finals.

The Hornets were granted permission to interview her on Monday.

Source: ESPN

The Philadelphia 76ers sign Jeff Dowtin Jr. for the rest of the season.

Former Raptors guard ties with a two-way.

The Sixers have signed guard Jeff Dowtin Jr. for the rest of the season, sources told ESPN. Dowtin, 26, played for 76ers coach Nick Nurse last year with the Raptors, and has been on a two-way deal with Philadelphia.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 4, 2024

The first names are already circulating for the succession of Steve Clifford on the bench of the Charlotte Hornets.

These include Jordi Fernandez of the Sacramento Kings, Charles Leede of the Boston Celtics, Chris Quinn of the Miami Heat, and Kevin Young of the Phoenix Suns.

Sources: Among the league’s assistant coaching candidates expected to be considered in the Charlotte process: Sacramento’s Jordi Fernandez, Boston’s Charles Lee, Miami’s Chris Quinn, Phoenix’s Kevin Young, and others.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 3, 2024