Raptors vs. Durant?
The Toronto Raptors may be players in the Kevin Durant draws, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemp.
“I think Toronto thinks it’s in the game Kevin Durant,” Bontemps dais on The Hoop Collective.
Bontemps says that while Raptors president Masai Ujiri was willing to go all-in on a Kawhi Leonard trade, Durant’s price will be much higher than Leonard’s price. Raptors acquired Leonard for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltland a first-round pick.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN added that the Nets are looking for several stars under the age of 25 in any Durant trade.
Adrian Wojnarowski said on Friday’s edition of NBA Today that the Raptors are “hiding” in trade discussions for Durant because the club has young pieces and draft picks to put together an attractive package for Durant.
Garden, Sixers begin negotiations
Free agent James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers are meeting today to begin negotiations on a new multiyear deal, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Harden declined a player offer of $47.4 million through the 2022-23 season and intends to return for a contract that would give the club more financial flexibility.
Harden was acquired by the Brooklyn 76ers last season Ben Simmons trade.
The 32-year-old averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds in 21 games with the Sixers.
Garland received the largest deal in Cavaliers team history
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, star guard Darius Garland has agreed to a five-year, $193 million max rookie contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers that could be worth up to $231 million.
In 68 games last season, the 22-year-old Garland averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in the first All-Star campaign of his young career.
Drafted by the Cavaliers with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Garland debuted with the team that season and has grown steadily each year, improving in points, rebounds and assists per game in each season of his three-year career.
Garland has averaged 17.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game in 181 NBA games thus far.
Biyombo remains in the desert
center Bismack Biyombo has agreed to return to the Phoenix Suns, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
The Mavs were interested in Dragic
The Dallas Mavericks have one roster spot and are interested in the veteran point guard. Goran Dragichaccording to Mark Stein.
Stein notes that the Mavs still have a clear need for wing players and may wait to see if a surprise option becomes available later in free agency.
Dragic, 36, played 21 games last season with the Raptors and Nets, averaging 7.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
A former soldier on the move
NBA champion Damion Lee is moving to the desert to join the Phoenix Suns on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Details of the contract have not yet been disclosed.
The six-foot-five shooting guard played in 63 games, including five starts for the Golden State Warriors last season. He averaged 7.4 points, 1.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game in 19.9 minutes.
Lee signed with the Boston Celtics out of college, but never played for the team. He made his NBA debut with the Atlanta Hawks in 2018 and was signed by the Warriors in 2019.
In 216 career NBA games, Lee averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, mostly as a bench player.
The Timberwolves add another piece
Attacking defender Bryn Forbes according to John Krawczynski, agreed to a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The 28-year-old played in 75 games last season, where he averaged 8.8 points, 1.0 assists and 1.2 rebounds per game, split between the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Spurs in 2016 and also played for the Milwaukee Bucks during his six-year career.
Forbes has seen time as a starter and bench player in the NBA. In 406 NBA games, he averaged 9.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. His career 41.4 percent three-point shooting.
Gill remains in DC
The Washington Wizards have re-signed forward Anthony Gill, the team announced Saturday.
Gill played 70 games over two seasons with the Wizards, averaging 3.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
“AG provides us with additional frontcourt depth and epitomizes the type of player we are looking for to build our team,” said Wizards President and General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “He is a true professional, an on-court leader in the community and is always ready to contribute on the court in a variety of ways when called upon.”
The Grizzlies signed two rookies
Memphis The Grizzlies have signed wing Vince Williams Jr., the 47th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, and center Kenneth Lofton Jr., an undrafted rookie, to two-way contracts, according to GrizzliesPR on Twitter.
Williams Jr. is a six-foot-six forward who averaged 14.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game in his senior year at Virginia Commonwealth University. He shot 38.7% from three-pointers.
Lofton Jr., a six-foot-eight, 275-pound big man, was named to the All-Conference USA First Team after averaging 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
The 19-year-old led Conference USA in rebounds per game and double-doubles last season.
Omorui to Oklahoma
The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to a two-way contract with free agent defenseman Eugene Omorui, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Omorui played four games with the Dallas Mavericks last season, where he averaged 1.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 4.5 minutes per game.
The six-foot-seven Nigerian player immigrated to Canada at the age of one and played in high school in Orangeville, Ont., before going on to play in college at Rutgers.
He went undrafted but signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks in August 2021 before suffering a season-ending injury in December.
Young Beheim to the Pistons
Buddy Boeheim, the youngest son of legendary Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, has agreed to a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons, the team announced.
The six-foot-six guard led the ACC in scoring in 2021-22 with 19.2 points per game and tied for second in the conference with 2.8 three-pointers per game.
In 121 career games with the Orange, the 22-year-old averaged 14.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Martin returns to the Hornets
Restricted free agent forward Cody Martin has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Restricted free agent Cody Martin has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources said. @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2022
The six-foot-five, 202-pound forward from Nevada was selected by the Hornets in the second round (36th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft.
In three seasons with the Hornets, the 26-year-old played in 171 games and averaged 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.