NBA Free-Agency Rumors Tracker: Analysis, Predictions for Players on the Move
Kawhi Leonard continues to hold the NBA hostage as we await his free-agency decision (we don't mean this literally).
Everyone is itching to find out where he'll play next season. His choice will tip the league's balance of power one way or another, and he has three franchises on the hook: the Raptors, Lakers and Clippers. His decision will impact their long-term trajectories, for better or worse. These are anxious times.
And yet, free agency hasn't slowed to a halt during Leonard's deliberation. Almost all of the other big names are already off the board. Some players are still waiting on him to make an announcement before they pick a destination. Danny Green and Marcus Morris could have their landing spots determined by his.
The rest of the field, though? Not so much. The list of available players continues to dwindle as teams put the finishing touches on their rosters. We've got you covered with the latest rumors and signings, along with everything and anything related to Fun Guy Kawhi.
Andre Iguodala on the Move Again?
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When the Golden State Warriors acquired D'Angelo Russell, they had to move Andre Iguodala to free up the requisite cap space.
Days later, Iguodala may be right back on the market.
"The Grizzlies do not plan to give Andre Iguodala a buyout before the season and are actively exploring the trade market for the former Finals MVP..." ESPN's Tim MacMahon wrote. "Rockets, Mavs among teams with interest."
Iguodala is set to make $17.2 million this season, but his contract is expiring. And both the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks have some deals on the books that could be traded for Iggy.
The salaries of Iguodala and Eric Gordon are close, but that deal probably doesn't move the needle much for the Rockets. Gordon is five years younger, acquainted with the system and a better catch-and-shoot option to space the floor for James Harden and Chris Paul. Does Iguodala's superior defense and playmaking (maybe not necessary alongside Harden and CP3) trump that?
The deal that may make more sense involves Dallas attaching sweeteners (a couple of second rounders, perhaps?) to Tim Hardaway Jr.'s contract. The Mavs have an intriguing young core with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. Iguodala's defense, passing and leadership could help the team mature a bit quicker.
NBA Comebacks For... Amar'e Stoudemire and Monta Ellis?
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Welcome to 2019, when the hysteria surrounding Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, etc. apparently isn't enough.
"Amar'e Stoudemire and Monta Ellis will workout privately for at least five NBA teams from 6-7pm—in Las Vegas—on July 8," ESPN's Jordan Schultz tweeted. "Both players are healthy and hoping to sign with a contending team, such as the Lakers."
Stoudemire is 36 and last played in the NBA in 2016. Ellis is 33 and last played in 2017. They were teammates with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2014-15 season.
These are both long shots, but if the Los Angeles Lakers sign Kawhi Leonard, they're going to need plenty of minimum-salary players.
Here's hoping the Lakers "have it all."
Kawhi Decision Still Days Away?
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A few hours after ESPN's Jalen Rose said there was a 99 percent chance Kawhi Leonard would return to the Toronto Raptors on a two-year contract, we got another update on the most mysterious superstar free agent.
"On the Kawhi front, told he’s not making a decision tonight and it may not be until the next few days," The Athletic's Jabari Young tweeted. "He and his reps are going through the process and taking their time before deciding the next move. No 2-year deals have been discussed."
If you were looking forward to a relaxing Fourth of July barbecue free of breaking news, you might be out of luck.
Kawhi Watch presses on.
76ers Add Raul Neto
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On the same day they lost T.J. McConnell to the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia 76ers added a new backup point guard to the mix.
"Free agent guard Raul Neto is signing a one-year, guaranteed veteran's minimum deal with the Philadelphia 76ers," Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania tweeted.
While McConnell holds the edge in a number of career metrics like box plus/minus and win shares per 48 minutes, Neto is within shouting distance.
And Neto's career three-point percentage of 37.7 comfortably tops McConnell's 33.5.
Jake Layman Is Headed to Minnesota
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The Portland Trail Blazers have already lost Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless and Evan Turner this summer. Now, another wing/forward is on his way elsewhere.
"Portland restricted free agent F Jake Layman is signing a three-year, $11.5M deal with Minnesota..." ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported. "Minnesota is acquiring Layman in a sign-and-trade agreement with the Blazers."
Wojnarowski went on to explain that Layman's deal was absorbed into a trade exception.
In Layman, the Wolves added a springy, 6'9" forward who just posted a 59.4 true shooting percentage. He'll likely get the bulk of his minutes on the wing, but there's some small-ball 4 potential here, as well.
Kawhi Leonard '99 Percent' Returning to the Raptors?
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ESPN's Jalen Rose had some potentially good news for Toronto Raptors fans Wednesday afternoon. And he did something few have dared to do during this Kawhi Leonard saga: make a prediction.
"So, as you just saw, Kawhi Leonard is in Toronto. What I'm 99 percent hearing is that Kawhi Leonard will be returning to Toronto and signing a two-year contract. Just completed his eighth season. That's going to put him at 10 years. That puts him in position to get the largest available maximum deal for a player of his tenure...
"And you know this, I've never vacillated. So, these are the same people I've been talking to the entire time. And when you hear the reports, especially when you do what we do, it's easy to kind of get off of your square, but I've been consistent. And as you know me, I like to measure twice and cut once. I just dropped the mic."
In that same segment of Get Up, Mike Greenberg pointed out that Rose correctly predicted a part of Kawhi's last move. Before the 2018 offseason began, Rose said Kawhi had "played his final game with the Spurs."
If he goes 2-of-2 on Kawhi predictions, Raptors fans will assuredly be elated. Still less than a month removed from winning the 2019 NBA title, they'll get their star back, a player who was supposed to be a one-year rental. And the vast majority of the team will be back for a championship defense.
Grizzlies Trade for Josh Jackson
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On Wednesday, a few Western Conference rebuilding teams made a trade with a number of implications.
"The Grizzlies are trading Kyle Korver and Jevon Carter to the Suns for De'Anthony Melton, Josh Jackson 2020 second-round pick and 2021 conditional second-round pick," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted.
As Wojnarowski noted, the Grizzlies are taking a low-risk flier on Jackson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2017. Among the 53 players from his draft class who've logged at least one minute in the NBA, Jackson is 53rd in career wins over replacement player.
It's too early to give up on him, though. He has good size and athleticism for a modern combo forward. And his raw numbers show the potential for versatility. In 2018-19, he averaged 16.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per 75 possessions.
Can the Memphis Grizzlies get Jackson to defend consistently and put those numbers up more efficiently? This could be a defining early project for new head coach Taylor Jenkins and his staff.
According to Wojnarowski, Phoenix plans to buy out the remainder of Korver's partially guaranteed contract. The Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks are the "front-runners" to sign him, Woj added.
ESPN's Bobby Marks explained that move further:
"The Memphis/Phoenix trade cannot be completed until Korver is traded from Utah to the Grizzlies. The Korver contract is for $7.5M with $3.4M guaranteed-the remaining balance becomes fully protected if he is not waived by July 7.
"Moving Jackson/Melton for Korver/Carter gives Phoenix the room (after Korver is waived) to sign Ricky Rubio (not speculating why the trade happened). Before the trade, Phoenix was about $2M over the cap when factoring in Rubio."
As for Melton, Wojnarowski says he "is a prospect that Memphis has long evaluated as a prospect with some staying power."
In 2018-19, among the 279 players with at least as many minutes, Melton was 79th in defensive box plus/minus (18th among guards) and first in steal percentage.
He's already an NBA-level defender. If he continues to develop on offense, he'd become an interesting player.
T.J. McConnell Is Headed to the Pacers
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T.J. McConnell has agreed to a two-year, $7 million deal to join the Pacers, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Please remember to hug the next Sixers fan you see.
Indiana is having one heck of an offseason, but the Pacers have yet to add a pass-first playmaker. Malcolm Brogdon is a big-time shooter and decent possession manager, but he's not a primary point guard. Jeremy Lamb is overextended as a secondary playmaker. Do not expect T.J. Warren to create for others.
Aaron Holiday would've made the Pacers' situation tenable in Victor Oladipo's absence if they believed he was ready for a heavier workload. McConnell makes it workable.
There will be some spacing concerns, and they are real. Playing non-shooters at the point guard spot is inherently restrictive, and the Pacers' spacing is undermined by its lack of volume. They will need McConnell to do some damage from the outside, at least until Oladipo recovers from his ruptured quad tendon.
That's not an unreasonable expectation. McConnell is not Ricky Rubio. He can wind up from beyond the arc off the catch if given enough time, has put in 48.2 percent of his pull-up twos last season and is shooting 48 percent between 16 feet and the three-point line over the past two years on semi-significant volume.
Markieff Morris Signs with the Pistons
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Markieff Morris has agreed to head to the Pistons, according to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania.
This is a decent fit for both parties. Detroit is still light on combo wings, and Morris needs to rehab his value after a neck injury limited him to a career-low 58 games last year, split between the Wizards and Thunder.
Though he's not the best shooter, he's an offensive upgrade over what the Pistons had in 2018-19. Morris canned 36.5 percent of his three-pointers during his first two years with the Wizards, and he has some off-the-dribble and face-up chops to lean on in the half court.
Playing him with both Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond will be a little awkward. Morris can grind out some time at the 3 in bigger lineups, but he's better off at the 4 or even being deployed as a small-ball 5. The Pistons should have backup minutes available at both spots, unless rookie Sekou Doumbouya or Thon Maker goes boom.
Frontcourts assembled around Griffin and Morris when Drummond is on the bench are especially intriguing. Morris isn't a lockdown stopper in the middle, but he's a better match for rival bigs than Griffin, and whatever trade-off Detroit concedes on defense should be well worth the offensive uptick.
Kawhi's Decision to Come Wednesday or Thursday?
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Kawhi Leonard may soon have a decision on where he'll be playing next season. We think.
As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said Wednesday (as transcribed by NBC Sports' Dan Feldman):
"Teams have simply been told this, 'If information on your presentation gets out, you're really imperiling your chance to sign Kawhi Leonard.' And so you understand why teams are keeping this so private. And his camp has not allowed that information to really get out.
"I was told to not to expect a decision until at least later today, possibly tomorrow on July 4th."
Does a report from the New York Times' Marc Stein about Drake's planned sales pitch to Leonard count as a leak? How about stalking the private jet Kawhi may be flying into Toronto on?
Or how about forming a crowd outside the hotel at which Leonard is believed to be meeting Raptors president Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster?
Because if any of these things qualify as leaked intel, well, the Raptors are in trouble.
Boban Marjanovic Is Joining the Mavericks
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How many 7'3" or taller skyscrapers does one team need?
In Dallas' case, at least two.
Boban Marjanovic agreed to join the Mavericks on a two-year, $7 million deal, according to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania. He'll join a front-line rotation that already includes Kristaps Porzingis, Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell.
This should end up being a marginal signing. Perception changes if the Mavericks are bent on using Porzingis at power forward. They shouldn't be.
Porzingis is a 5 in today's league, and Boban shouldn't even be his primary backup. Most of Powell's minutes came at center last year, and while predominantly used as a 4, Kleber should see some time in the middle as well.
View this as a third-string addition, and Boban's arrival is a nice swing. He has feathery touch around the basket and some jumper range inside 16 feet, and he's a solid rim protector when he's not matching up against frontcourts that force him to venture too far outside the paint.
DeMarcus Cousins Is Changing Agents
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As his search for a new team continues, DeMarcus Cousins is changing agents, according to the New York Times' Marc Stein. His choice: Excel Sports' Jeff Schwartz, who represents plenty of other big names, including LaMarcus Aldridge, Harrison Barnes, Kevin Love and Kemba Walker.
This is, shall we say, an unusual move. These changes are generally made in advance of free agency, not during it. That Cousins is making the switch now speaks to his market—or complete lack thereof.
"There's not a market for [Cousins]," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said (h/t CBS Sports' Michael Kaskey-Blomain). "I think he hoped that some big-market teams would strike out, they'd have cap space and he could get a one-year, $12, $15, $18, $20 million deal. That's not happening. The mid-level exception he got in Golden State last year? I don't think that's there."
Free agency could yet yield a more invested suitor for Cousins, but don't bet on it. Just a handful of teams still really need a center, and only two of them have cap space: the Hawks and Clippers. The Mavericks count as well if you consider Kristaps Porzingis a power forward. (Related: You should not consider Porzingis a power forward.)
Cousins will eventually find a landing spot. Injuries have basically ruined his past two seasons, but he proved pivotal to both of Golden State's victories in the NBA Finals. He was also at times unplayable. His next deal, like his last one, will reflect that same uncertainty.
Atlanta and Memphis Swap 2016 Contracts
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Memphis agreed to deal Chandler Parsons to Atlanta for Solomon Hill and Miles Plumlee, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. No other moving parts are expected to be involved, per The Athletic's Omari Sankofa II.
This is one of those punchline trades on the surface. The Hawks and Grizzlies are swapping contracts that were signed during the spending spree of 2016. This is basically a dead-even money wash, and all three players come off the books next season.
Still, this deal has utility beyond the jokes it invites—for both sides.
Breaking up Parsons' $25.1 million salary into two smaller contracts will make it easier for the Grizzlies to shed salary later. Neither Hill ($12.8 million) nor Plumlee ($12.5 million) is a standalone asset at his price point, but their individual costs are more manageable. Memphis can reroute one or both in separate trades or waive-and-stretch either at a much smaller number.
The Hawks, meanwhile, are saving a little more than $150,000 in salary while creating an extra roster spot. That's a savvy move when they still have close to $14 million in cap space. Look for them to become eleventh-hour players on the market.
Darius Miller Staying in New Orleans
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Darius Miller agreed to stick with the Pelicans on a two-year, $14.25 million deal, the second of which is non-guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
For anyone thinking this is too much money, please think again. Miller has ranked among the NBA's best high-volume three-point shooters over the past two seasons.
Here's every player who has made as many triples (280) while matching his success rate (38.8) since 2017-18: Bojan Bogdanovic, Stephen Curry, Paul George, Green, Joe Harris, Tobias Harris, Buddy Hield, Joe Ingles, Kyrie Irving, Kyle Korver, JJ Redick and Klay Thompson.
Miller has shown flashes of being able to do more on offense—mainly finishing possessions in the lane after pump-faking into drives. He also has the size to play some small-ball 4 (6'8", 225 lbs).
But make no mistake: The Pelicans need him most for his outside stroke. They're brimming with ball-handlers who don't double as the most efficient shooters: Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday and Zion Williamson. Like Redick and Josh Hart, Miller is both a necessary and dangerous outlet.
Warriors Rescind Quinn Cook's Qualifying Offer
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Quinn Cook is officially an unrestricted free agent.
The Warriors rescinded his qualifying offer Wednesday, according The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania. He is now free to sign with the team of his choice.
This decision hardly comes as a surprise. Cook was a rotation staple last season, but the Warriors are hard-capped following the sign-and-trade agreement for D'Angelo Russell and need to shed more salary to get under the luxury-tax apron after agreeing to pay Kevon Looney and Willie Cauley-Stein.
Cook will have admirers on the unrestricted market. The remaining player pool is light on shot creation, and he converted 44 percent of his attempts last season when using at least two dribbles.
At the same time, he's no stranger to spending time off the ball. He averaged 1.31 points per spot-up possession in 2018-19—sixth-best among the 265 players who put up at least 75 catch-and-shoot attempts. Teams won't have to travel great lengths to fit his microwave scoring into the rotation.
Wilson Chandler to the Nets
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It wouldn't have mattered what else the Brooklyn Nets did after signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. This offseason was a success.
But on Tuesday, they added more talent at the forward position.
"Free agent forward Wilson Chandler has reached an agreement with the Brooklyn Nets," Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported.
At this point in his career, Chandler should almost exclusively be a 4. And he filled that role well last year, especially for the Philadelphia 76ers.
In the 36 games he played prior to being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, Chandler shot 39.0 percent from three. Philadelphia's net rating was 6.5 points per 100 possessions better with Chandler on the floor.
If he can bring that same sort of stretch-4 ability to the Nets, the lane should be a little more open for the drives of Kyrie, Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Rodney McGruder to the Los Angeles Clippers
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Once all the other max free agents came off the board, the Los Angeles Clippers stopped worrying about pairing Kawhi Leonard with one.
They re-signed Patrick Beverley, acquired Maurice Harkless in a trade and have now added another wing.
"Free agent guard Rodney McGruder has reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers," Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported.
McGruder is a decent wing defender, but hitting his ultimate ceiling is probably dependent on more accurate shooting.
For his career, he's hit 34.8 percent of his attempts from downtown. If he can pull that up another point or two—and maybe add a little more passing—he'd be a much more interesting player.
He is entering his age-28 season, though. Time may be running out on his prolonged development.
Utah Jazz Add Emmanuel Mudiay
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The Utah Jazz continue to wheel and deal.
They've already added Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Ed Davis and Jeff Green this summer, and they're now taking a flier on a former first-round pick who never quite found his footing with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks.
"Free agent guard Emmanuel Mudiay has agreed to a one-year deal with the Utah Jazz," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
This is perhaps the first head-scratcher of Utah's offseason.
Among the 1,078 players in the three-point era with at least as many minutes, Mudiay's career box plus/minus ranks 1,057th. Over the course of his career, his true shooting percentage of 47.9 is over seven points below the league average.
However, Mudiay did just post career highs in both those numbers. While he was still below average in 2018-19, you can at least point to an upward trajectory. And the Jazz might be the team that can keep things going that way.
"Utah addresses need for PG depth," ESPN's Tim MacMahon wrote. "Mudiay, a [23]-year-old former lottery pick, will have an excellent opportunity to develop under Quin Snyder and his staff."
Lakers Are Signing Jared Dudley
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The Los Angeles Lakers are adding some depth as they wait for Kawhi Leonard.
"Free agent Jared Dudley has agreed to a one-year, $2.6M deal with the Los Angeles Lakers," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted.
Dudley's roles and playing time have diminished significantly over the last few years, but he still adds loads of experience to go along with some three-point shooting.
For his career, Dudley is a 39.2 percent shooter from deep (36.6 percent over the last three seasons).
In lineups with LeBron James, Dudley should get plenty of open threes.
Jeff Green Is Going to the Jazz
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The Utah Jazz had already turned Derrick Favors, Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen and Ricky Rubio into Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic and Ed Davis this summer.
But they weren't satisfied.
"Free agent Jeff Green has agreed to a one-year, $2.5M deal with Utah," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted.
With Crowder and Favors gone, Utah was in the market for 4s. Bogdanovic has spent over a 10th of his career minutes there, and he may well be the starter. But adding a more natural power forward makes sense. And that's what Green is.
He's coming off a solid campaign with the Washington Wizards in which he averaged 12.3 points in 27.2 minutes and had a well-above-average true shooting percentage of 60.8.
If he can replicate that level of efficiency in his age-33 season for the Jazz, he'll more than live up to his contract.
Noah Vonleh Headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves
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A day after adding Jordan Bell, the Minnesota Timberwolves have an agreement with another young, versatile big.
"The Timberwolves have agreed to terms with Noah Vonleh on a one-year deal," The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski wrote.
In 2018-19, Vonleh stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 12.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 blocks, 1.0 steals and 1.0 threes per 75 possessions.
Nikola Vucevic and DeMarcus Cousins are the only players who matched or exceeded those per-possession averages for rebounds, assists, blocks, steals and threes. Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo barely missed out because of the threes qualifier.
With Karl-Anthony Towns on the roster, there's no debate about who Minnesota's center is. But the kind of versatility Vonleh displayed should give him a shot at rotation minutes.
Warriors Sign Glenn Robinson III
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As the Golden State Warriors continue to react to the departure of Kevin Durant, they've added a wing who's shown an ability to shoot in years past.
"Free agent Glenn Robinson has agreed to a two-year deal with the Golden State Warriors, with a second-year player option," Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania reported.
Robinson had a down shooting year for the Detroit Pistons in 2018-19, going 18-of-62 (29 percent) from deep.
On the bright side, that campaign does seem to be an outlier. In his previous three seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Robinson shot 39.3 percent from three. And that was on significantly higher volume.
With Durant gone and Klay Thompson out for most of the season, shooting from the wing will be critical. Golden State is surely hoping Robinson can return to form and provide some.
Chicago Bulls Re-Sign Ryan Arcidiacono
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After a tough rookie season in which he only logged 304 minutes, Ryan Arcidiacono had a strong sophomore campaign.
And the Chicago Bulls are rewarding him for it.
"Bulls restricted free agent Ryan Arcidiacono has agreed to a three-year, $9M deal to return to Chicago," Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania wrote.
In 2018-19, Arcidiacono averaged 6.7 points, 3.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and just 0.8 turnovers in 24.2 minutes per game. His three-point percentage jumped from 29.0 percent as a rookie to 37.3 percent in Year 2.
With Tomas Satoransky and rookie Coby White on board, Arcidiacono may not have a huge role in 2019-20—at least not during games. But his quick development and floor generalship are things he can hopefully impart upon White.
76ers Bringing Back James Ennis
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In the wake of losing Jimmy Butler to the Miami Heat, the Philadelphia 76ers pivoted quickly to add Al Horford and Josh Richardson.
And now, they're supplementing a strong starting five with a solid role player off the bench.
"Free agent James Ennis has agreed to a two-year, $4.1M deal to return to Philadelphia, with second-year player option..." Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania wrote. "Ennis turned down more salary from multiple teams to return to a championship contender."
Ennis has decent size (6'7") for a wing and has hit 35.7 percent of his career three-point attempts.
For a team that features both Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, outside shooting is critical, even if it's only converted at around a league-average rate.
Brad Wanamaker Re-Signs with the Boston Celtics
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As the Boston Celtics continue to piece together their post-Kyrie Irving, post-Al Horford future, they're bringing back a familiar face in Brad Wanamaker.
"Free agent guard Brad Wanamaker is returning to the Boston Celtics on a one-year deal..." ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted."Wanamaker played six seasons in Europe before joining the Celtics last season as the oldest rookie (29) in the NBA."
Wanamaker only played 343 minutes last season, but he did show some flashes in that limited playing time. He went 16-of-39 (41 percent) from three and averaged 5.9 assists per 75 possessions.
Warriors Land Willie Cauley-Stein
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After four seasons with the up-and-coming Sacramento Kings, Willie Cauley-Stein is on his way to the defending Western Conference champs.
"I'm told Willie Cauley-Stein coming to the Warriors," The Athletic's Marcus Thompson wrote.
With Kevin Durant gone and Klay Thompson out for most, if not all, of the season, any influx of talent is good.
And while the relationship between the Kings and Cauley-Stein had soured by the end, there is certainly some talent there.
In his final campaign in Sacramento, WCS averaged 11.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists (15.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per 75 possessions) with an above-average true shooting percentage of 56.6.
With Cauley-Stein and Kevon Looney on board, the Warriors have an intriguing and young duo of centers going forward.
Danny Green Done Waiting for Kawhi?
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Danny Green has spent the last eight years playing alongside Kawhi Leonard. Two of those campaigns ended with world titles and Leonard taking home Finals MVP honors.
If Green had the option of keeping this relationship going, one might assume he'd be all over it. To that end, Marc Stein of the New York Times previously reported Green was "determined to wait" on Leonard's decision before making his own.
But Harrison D. Sanford, who co-hosts the Inside The Green Room podcast with Green, said on 105.3 The Fan that Green is at the point where "he's considering not waiting" any longer (via Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News).
Unless a suitor (like the Mavericks?) is pressuring Green to decide on an offer, it's hard to tell why he'd rush. The non-Leonard lavish spending phase of free agency is finished. Any club with cap space now is likely to still have it once Leonard makes his move. If said move is to stay with the Toronto Raptors, why would Green want to leave?
Maybe it's not that deep. Maybe he's just getting as impatient as the rest of us and hopes this might speed Leonard up. We can only hope, right?
Celtics Keep Daniel Theis in Crowded Center Mix
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The Boston Celtics' quantity-over-quality approach to replacing Al Horford continues.
The Shamrocks agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal with restricted free agent big man Daniel Theis, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Despite losing both Horford and Aron Baynes, Boston is somehow crowded at the 5. Theis joins Enes Kanter, Robert Williams, Guerschon Yabusele and two-way contract recipient Vincent Poirier in the competition for playing time.
The 27-year-old Theis probably won't take the job outright, but he does enough to warrant a rotation spot. While he could be stronger on the glass, his per-36-minutes line featured the intriguing combination of 2.7 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 threes on 38.8 percent shooting.
Mavs Prioritize Continuity, Re-Sign Dorian Finney-Smith
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While this probably hasn't been a Plan A offseason for the Dallas Mavericks, they've done a decent job of pivoting from the empty star chase to surrounding their young nucleus with reliable role players.
Keeping restricted free agent Dorian Finney-Smith on a three-year, $12 million deal—a pact Shams Charania reported for The Athletic and Stadium—is another smart step of this process. The 26-year-old offers versatility on defense and slow, steady growth at the other end.
As Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News noted, the Mavs "will have seven players on contracts of three years or longer." Add a couple more players (looking at you, Danny Green) to the mix, and Townsend feels they will be "establishing continuity, a long-missing intangible since the '11 title-team breakup."
Finney-Smith won't see a lot of minutes without major improvement to his offense (career 40.5/30.3/72.6 shooting slash), but his defense should ensure he stays a rotation regular. This past season, players shot 2.4 percentage points worse against him than they did on average and were 5.4 points worse from three.
Sixers Offer Ben Simmons Max, Solidify Their Foundation
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Ever entertained long-term concerns about the Ben Simmons-Joel Embiid pairing? The Philadelphia 76ers apparently don't share them.
Two years after locking up Embiid on a five-year max, the Sixers are attempting to do the same with Simmons, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Philly and Simmons' agent, Rich Paul, "are expected to work through the details toward an eventual agreement." The deal would land Simmons a cool $170 million.
It's an easy call for Philly.
Simmons is a game-changer, even if his game never changes to become more perimeter-friendly. Sure, it would be great if he added an outside shot, but even without one, he's already secured Rookie of the Year honors and an All-Star trip through two NBA seasons.
He's a turbo-charged 6'10" playmaker and every bit as hard to handle as that description implies. He ended both his rookie and sophomore campaigns averaging more than 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Oscar Robertson is the only other player who can say that, and Magic Johnson is the only other one to have done it in one of his first two seasons.
Simmons is a star, and the Sixers are ready to pay him like one.
Celtics Continue Frontcourt Makeover with Vincent Poirier
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The Boston Celtics were never going to replace Al Horford with one player. They lacked the funds after agreeing to sign Kemba Walker, for one, and even if they had them, there aren't many 6'10", 245-pound Swiss Army knives walking around.
Boston furthered its closer-by-committee approach Tuesday with the addition of French big man Vincent Poirier on a two-year deal, per The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania.
Over two seasons in Spain's Liga ACB, Poirier proved a wrecking ball on the interior. In each campaign, he shot better than 61 percent and averaged more than 15 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes.
"Poirier led Euroleague in rebounding this year," The Athletic's Sam Vecenie tweeted. "Beast on the O glass. Efficient finisher inside. Think he can be a solid rotational big. Don't think he solves the Celtics interior questions, but he helps."
Clippers Smartly Give Lou Williams an Early Guarantee
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The Los Angeles Clippers know they have a great thing going with super-sub Lou Williams, who has taken home the Sixth Man of the Year award in each of his first two seasons with the team.
So, L.A. didn't waste any time before securing his future. As Shams Charania reported for The Athletic and Stadium, the Clippers already agreed to completely guarantee Williams' 2020-21 salary. They had until July 15, 2020, to make that call, but why wait?
The 32-year-old is an electric offensive presence. He has averaged at least 20 points and five assists both of the past two seasons, the most recent of which he finished with staggering (and career-best) per-36-minute averages of 27.1 points and 7.3 assists.
Williams will only cost the club $8 million each of the next two seasons, making his pact one of the most cost-effective in the Association. Tack on the fact that earning goodwill with one of your top players isn't a bad way to further the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard, and this becomes a no-brainer.
Bargain Potential with Boogie
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Remember when DeMarcus Cousins shocked the hoops world by taking a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Golden State Warriors last summer? Well, he might cost even less this time around.
"There's not a market for him," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said on SportsCenter. "... The mid-level exception he got in Golden State last year, I don't think that's there for him."
This is a stunning turn of events for Cousins, a 28-year-old who has booked four All-Star trips in his career. The last time he was healthy, he was producing at a rate we'd never seen.
Then again, his 2017-18 campaign was cut short by an Achilles tear, and his 2019 playoff run was nearly derailed by a torn quad. Counting the postseason, he only made 38 appearances this past season and never really looked like himself. Given his size (6'11", 270 lbs), injury issues with his lower extremities might be more worrisome than most.
It isn't surprising that teams are proceeding with caution, but if his pay rate his fallen this far, it has effectively removed any risks. His per-36-minute averages this season included 22.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.1 blocks. Any team with a big-man opening should be angling to snatch him up at this clearance price.
Anthony Tolliver Is Headed to the Trail Blazers
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After dealing Meyers Leonard to the Miami Heat as part of a deal for Hassan Whiteside, the Portland Trail Blazers brought in a veteran big to replace the frontcourt shooting.
"Free agent forward Anthony Tolliver has agreed to a one-year, $2.6M deal with the Portland Trail Blazers..." Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania reported. "Tolliver will provide a high-level shooting rotation big."
Tolliver's numbers came back down to earth a bit this season, but he was slinging fire in 2017-18. That season, Tolliver's 63.2 effective field goal percentage ranked first among all players who attempted at least 100 threes.
That number dropped by almost 10 percentage points this season, but Tolliver has been a solid floor spacer for the bulk of his career.
In lineups that feature Whiteside, a little extra shooting could go a long way.
Another Chance for Isaiah Thomas
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In 2016-17, Isaiah Thomas had an 8.7 offensive box plus/minus (OBPM). It was the 19th best single-season OBPM in NBA history.
That season, Boston's net rating was 4.7 points per 100 possessions better with Thomas on the floor.
The two seasons since have been disastrous.
He's played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. Among the 381 players with at least as many minutes over the last two years, Thomas is 379th in overall box plus/minus (BPM). Only Kevin Knox and Antonio Blakeney are worse.
His net rating swing over the same span is a dismal minus-8.0.
Now, as he heads into his age-30 season, Thomas will move East for another shot at redemption.
"Isaiah Thomas has agreed to a one-year deal with the Washington Wizards," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted.
With John Wall still recovering from a ruptured Achilles, Thomas should get a chance to prove he still has something left in the tank.
He has big shoes to fill, though. Wall's replacement last season, Tomas Satoransky, is a career 40 percent shooter from deep, and Washington was plus-1.2 points per 100 possessions (62nd percentile) when Satoransky and Bradley Beal shared the floor in 2018-19, according to Cleaning the Glass.
76ers Add Depth at Center
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In the postseason, the Philadelphia 76ers were a mind-blowing plus-143 when Joel Embiid was on the floor and minus-107 when he was off.
This summer, they're addressing the team's tendency to fall apart without its starting center. In addition to signing Al Horford, they're also adding Kyle O'Quinn, according to The Philly Voice's Kyle Neubeck.
O'Quinn played minimal minutes in 2018-19, but he's been among the league's most versatile centers over the last few seasons. Since 2016-17, no one matches his combination of total rebounding percentage, assist percentage and block percentage.
His pace- and playing time-adjusted numbers suggest he should be playing quite a bit more. Over that same span, he's averaging 15.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.0 steals per 75 possessions with a 58.1 true shooting percentage.
As part of a three-big rotation with Embiid and Horford, he may get to show off a little more of that production.
Kawhi Leonard Meeting with the Clippers, but the Lakers Are Looming
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In the first 36 hours of free agency, news flew all over the place. The vast majority of big names came off the board in the first few hours.
Kawhi Leonard is the one player who forced fans to exercise a little patience. Now, it sounds like things may be happening.
As retired center Kendrick Perkins tweeted: "Just heard that Kawhi is meeting with the Clippers tonight but the Lakers hold the upper hand, unless Doc work his Magic tonight it's looking very strong that Kawhi will be in Purple and Gold!!!"
Is it down to just the two L.A. teams? Will the Toronto Raptors have a chance to pitch Kawhi after he meets with the Lakers and Clippers?
In the suddenly wide-open NBA, whichever team lands Kawhi should be a contender. That's obvious with the defending champions and a Lakers team that already has LeBron James and Anthony Davis. For the Clippers, the path to a title may not be quite as clear, but Leonard would fit well with Patrick Beverley, Montrezl Harrell and company.
Golden State Warriors Re-Sign Kevon Looney
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Kevon Looney was a Warrior in every sense of the word during the 2019 NBA Finals.
Even with a non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture in his ribs, Looney lobbied for the opportunity to play against the Toronto Raptors.
Now, he'll get the chance to suit up in the Warriors' blue-and-gold uniforms for plenty more battles.
"Sources: Free agent Kevon Looney has agreed to a three-year, $15M deal to return to Golden State," Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania tweeted.
This deal represents excellent value for Golden State. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were the only Warriors who had more wins over replacement player in 2018-19. And with KD gone and Klay Thompson likely out for most of the season with a torn ACL, Golden State needs as much affordable talent as possible around Curry and D'Angelo Russell.
Jordan Bell Is On His Way to the Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Minnesota Timberwolves lost their starting power forward this summer, as Taj Gibson is on his way to the New York Knicks. They may have found his replacement Monday.
"Free agent Jordan Bell has agreed to a guaranteed deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves," Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes tweeted.
He's only been in the league for two seasons, but Bell has already had something of an up-and-down career.
Among players who logged at least as many minutes, Bell was 24th in the NBA in box plus/minus as a rookie. Golden State's net rating (net points per 100 possessions) was 7.1 points better when he was on the floor that season.
This past season, everything flipped.
He was 150th in box plus/minus in 2018-19. And the Warriors' net rating was 12.9 points worse with him on the floor.
If Minnesota gets the rookie version of Bell, this fit makes plenty of sense. He can guard multiple positions, plays hard and even has a little bit of playmaking and passing ability.
Alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, who can stretch the floor beyond the three-point line, Bell's glass-crashing and rolling should be valuable.
Toronto Raptors Land Matt Thomas
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The Toronto Raptors added some shooting Monday. And they had to go to Europe to get it.
"Euroleague guard Matt Thomas has agreed to a three-year, $4.2M deal with the Toronto Raptors," Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania tweeted.
Thomas played four seasons for Iowa State from 2013-14 to 2016-17. After playing a small role in his first two seasons, he averaged 11.6 points and shot 43.8 percent from three as a junior and senior.
Over two seasons in Spain's Liga ACB, the second-best league in the world after the NBA, he averaged 13.5 points and shot 47.0 percent from three.
And that doesn't even tell the whole story.
"Matt Thomas was arguably the top jump shooter outside of the NBA last season," Synergy Basketball tweeted. "...posting an eFG% of 82% on catch and shoot jump shots including 99% when left unguarded."
Thomas isn't likely to have a big role on the defending champion Raptors, but that kind of shooting ability could help him fill a niche nevertheless.
Jimmy Butler 4-Team Trade Officially Complete
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It took four teams, five players and one first-round pick, but the Jimmy Butler trade to the Miami Heat is finally complete.
Butler will end up on the Heat, scoring a four-year, $142 million max contract, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Meanwhile, Miami is sending shooting guard Josh Richardson to Philadelphia.
The Heat also traded Hassan Whiteside to the Portland Trail Blazers for Meyers Leonard and Moe Harkless, the latter of whom will head to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers will also receive a future first-round pick from the Heat for taking on Harkless' $11.0 million salary.
This is a classic case of a win-win-win-win.
The Heat get a star player in Butler despite entering free agency with no cap space. Instead of losing Butler for nothing, the Sixers get a 25-year-old two-way wing in Richardson who averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds. The Clippers acquire a rotation wing in Harkless while collecting a first-round pick. And the Blazers have a center in Whiteside who can fill in while Jusuf Nurkic recovers from the leg injury he suffered late in the 2018-19 season.
Even after absorbing Harkless' $11 million salary into their cap space, the Clippers still have enough room to max out Kawhi Leonard, too.
Kaminsky to Phoenix, Noel Returns to OKC
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Frank Kaminsky has found a new home. Nerlens Noel is staying in his. Unless he changes his mind, of course.
Some of the best backup big men left on the free-agent market, Kaminsky and Noel bring differing skill sets to the table.
Kaminsky is leaving the Charlotte Hornets for the Phoenix Suns on a two-year, $10 million deal, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The ninth overall pick of the 2015 NBA draft hasn't lived up to the hype coming out of Wisconsin, but he'll be a nice stretch-5 option coming off the Suns' bench.
In 47 games for Charlotte last season, Kaminsky averaged 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds and hit 36.0 percent of his three-pointers. Nearly half of all his shot attempts (46.6 percent) came from outside the arc. That kind of spacing will help star shooting guard Devin Booker and incoming free agent Ricky Rubio.
This is the second time Noel has verbally agreed to re-join the Thunder in two days, per Wojnarowski. He played for OKC last season on a $1.8 million contract before turning down a $2.0 million player option for this season.
Noel averaged 4.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 13.7 minutes off the Thunder bench last season, but opponents outscored OKC by 2.6 points per 100 possessions with him on the court, per NBA.com.
Still only 25, Noel should receive a slight raise from last season and continue to be a solid rebounder and rim protector behind Steven Adams.
Bucks Ink Wesley Matthews as Malcolm Brogdon Replacement
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The Bucks weren't satisfied with just bringing back Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and George Hill. They also had to find a shooting guard to replace Malcolm Brogdon, who they sign-and-traded to the Indiana Pacers.
Milwaukee did so by landing Wesley Matthews on a veteran's minimum deal, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
This will be Matthews' fourth team since the start of last season. In January, the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal. The Knicks then waived him, which allowed him to join the Pacers.
In total, he averaged 12.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 37.2 percent from three.
Other than Brogdon, the Bucks are bringing back their entire starting lineup from last season. They could either start Matthews at the 2 or slot Hill in there and use Matthews as a sixth man.
Milwaukee needs to surround Giannis Antetokounmpo with as much shooting as possible, and Matthews drilled 40.1 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes last season. With Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe and Hill all capable of finding open shooters, Matthews should thrive on what could be the NBA's best team.
While Matthews isn't the ball-handler or rebounder that Brogdon is, getting him at a fraction of the price is a huge win for the Bucks.
Enes Kanter Signs 2-Year, $10 Million Deal with Boston Celtics
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After losing Al Horford in free agency and trading Aron Baynes to the Phoenix Suns, the Celtics needed someone to play center.
Enes Kanter is leaving the Portland Trail Blazers to sign a two-year, $10 million deal with the Celtics, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Now eight years into the league, we know what Kanter brings to the table. He's a remarkably efficient scorer inside the paint and prolific rebounder with his 6'11", 250-pound frame. Between the New York Knicks and Blazers last season, Kanter averaged 13.7 points and 9.8 rebounds in just 24.5 minutes a game, stats that project to 20.1 points and 14.5 boards per 36 minutes.
So, why shouldn't Boston just play Kanter more if he puts up such insane rebounding numbers?
He's a poor rim protector that teams constantly attack in the pick-and-roll. On offense, Kanter is basically limited to center duties since he offers no outside shooting, making just 10 total threes on 34 attempts (29.4 percent) last season.
While the Celtics need his size, keep in mind every team Kanter has played on since the 2012-13 Jazz has recorded a negative on/off net rating with him on the court.
Trail Blazers Make a Bet on Hassan Whiteside
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The Miami Heat continue to make over their roster.
On Monday, they agreed to send center Hassan Whiteside to the Portland Trail Blazers for center Meyers Leonard and small forward Maurice Harkless, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The move represents a collection of players on expiring deals switching homes and fitting in better with their new rosters.
Getting Whiteside gives the Blazers insurance at the center position while Jusuf Nurkic recovers from a broken leg. The 30-year-old put up 12.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks on 57.1 percent shooting this past season in only 23.3 minutes per game. While motivation and work ethic have been an issue in the past, Whiteside should be excited to join a title contender and is also going into a contract year.
The emergence of 2017 No. 14 overall pick Bam Adebayo made Whiteside expendable for Miami, so this move should open up a full-time starting job for the 21-year-old. Adebayo put up 8.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 0.8 blocks for the Heat last season, mostly as a reserve.
The Heat can use Harkless and Leonard in their rotation, or they could dangle their expiring $11 million deals as trade chips throughout the year. Splitting the $27 million Whiteside contract up like this gives Miami far more flexibility in future trades and saves them about $5 million as they try to clear room for the proposed Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade.
Knicks Continue to Splurge on Role Players with Elfrid Payton
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After already agreeing to sign Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, Reggie Bullock and Wayne Ellington, the Knicks continue to throw big money at free agents.
Payton is the latest to cash in, as he agreed to sign a two-year, $16 million deal with the Knicks, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Payton, 25, gives the Knicks someone to push Dennis Smith Jr. for the starting point guard job. He averaged 10.6 points, 7.6 assists and 5.2 assists in 42 games (all starts) for the New Orleans Pelicans this past season. He averaged 9.1 assists over the final 23 games of the season, many of which to new Knicks teammate Randle.
While Payton gives New York size and playmaking at the point guard position, it’s clear the Knicks didn’t have a backup plan for free agency if the top stars decided to sign elsewhere.
Payton isn’t quite young enough to carry star potential with five years already under his belt, and isn’t a point guard that can lead a franchise to the postseason a la Kyrie Irving or D’Angelo Russell, either.
The Knicks have to spend their cap space on someone, but it appears this is shaping up to be an expensive 32-win team next season.
Houston Rockets Make Sure Harden, Paul Can Get a Breather
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The Rockets are bringing back a key piece of their rotation, as Austin Rivers has agreed to return on a two-year deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The second year is a player option.
Rivers, 26, averaged 8.7 points and 2.3 assists while shooting 41.3 percent in 47 games (13 starts) for the Rockets last season. He split time between point guard, shooting guard and small forward, filling whatever role Houston asked him to play alongside James Harden and Chris Paul.
With the point guard market quickly drying up, Rivers gives the Rockets another reliable ball-handler outside of their two stars. He played a valuable role in the postseason, averaging 7.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists while connecting on 45.7 percent of his three-pointers.
The Rockets had a plus-5.6 net rating with Rivers on the court during the playoffs, according to NBA.com, and he committed only eight total turnovers in 10 games.
With Harden averaging over 35 minutes per game for the past seven seasons, Rivers gives the Rockets another option to help keep their former MVP rested.
Dallas Brings Back Seth Curry on $32 Million Deal, Now Eyeing Danny Green
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After playing for six teams in his first five NBA seasons, Seth Curry may have finally found a home.
Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Curry has agreed to sign a four-year, $32 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, giving them one of the best shooters on the free-agent market.
Curry spent last season with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 7.9 points per game off the bench while drilling 45.0 percent of his three-pointers. The 28-year-old combo guard should thrive next to Luka Doncic, as Curry connected on nearly half (49.7 percent) of his catch-and-shoot threes last season.
Stein also reported Dallas will "remain in pursuit" of Toronto Raptors free-agent shooting guard Danny Green, who is waiting on Kawhi Leonard to choose a team before he decides whether to return to the Raptors.
Warriors to Trade D’Angelo Russell?
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After agreeing to acquire D'Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets, the Golden State Warriors may already be looking to deal the 23-year-old All-Star.
"D'Angelo Russell doesn't fit there whatsoever...They will trade him. It's just a matter of when," Marc Stein of the New York Times said on the Dan Patrick Show.
Stein said the Warriors agreed to acquire Russell so they weren't left empty-handed after Kevin Durant agreed to sign with the Nets. They now have an All-Star guard to dangle as a trade chip.
Russell cannot be traded until Jan. 15, so he'll at least start the 2019-20 season in the Warriors backcourt alongside Stephen Curry.
Rockets Want Andre Iguodala
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After the Warriors agreed to trade veteran forward Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies in a cap-clearing move to obtain Russell, it's unclear whether the 35-year-old former Finals MVP will stay in Memphis.
If the Grizzlies and Iguodala come to terms on a buyout, the Houston Rockets would be interested in his services, per ESPN's Tim McMahon.
Since the Rockets are already over the salary cap, they'll need to rely on buyout candidates and minimum-salary veterans to fill out their roster around James Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela. A defensive wing like Iguodala would be a perfect fit.
The Grizzlies could always use Iguodala as a veteran mentor for Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. and enjoy the cap space his $17.2 million expiring contract would provide next summer.
But if Iguodala wants to join a contender this year, he'll likely have a long list of teams lining up to sign him at a discount, including the Rockets.
Isaiah Thomas to the Wizards?
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Even after agreeing to sign Ish Smith to a two-year, $12 million deal, the Wizards are looking for point guard help while John Wall recovers from an Achilles injury.
David Aldridge of The Athletic reported the Wizards are talking with Isaiah Thomas and are "hoping there's a fit there." He added:
"Wizards obviously know what a healthy Isaiah Thomas can do. The plan would not be to play him big minutes, of course, but pair his PG playing time with Smith (and, occasionally, undrafted FA Justin Robinson, when Robinson isn't with Washington's League team)."
The 30-year-old point guard played in only 12 games for the Denver Nuggets this past season while recovering from hip surgery. Even when healthy, he fell out of the team's rotation as Denver prioritized its younger guards. In 15.1 minutes per game off the bench, he averaged 8.1 points and 1.9 assists while shooting 34.3 percent overall and 27.9 percent from three.
If healthy, Thomas would be a low-cost scoring option for the Wizards.
Veteran Point Guards on the Move
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Point guards Cory Joseph, Ish Smith and Tomas Satoransky have all found new homes.
Joseph will be leaving the Indiana Pacers to join the Sacramento Kings on a three-year, $37 million deal, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Joseph, 27, is coming off a season in which he averaged 6.5 points, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 25.2 minutes as a backup behind Darren Collison.
He should have a similar role in Sacramento, as De'Aaron Fox is locked in as the franchise point guard. Even after signing Harrison Barnes to a four-year, $85 million deal, the Kings had some cash to spend and invested wisely in a veteran backup for Fox.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Smith is joining the Washington Wizards on a two-year, $12 million deal. The 30-year-old point guard spent the past three seasons as a reserve behind Reggie Jackson with the Detroit Pistons, and averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 22.3 minutes last season while shooting 41.9 percent overall.
With John Wall possibly missing all of next season with an Achilles injury, Smith could compete for a starting job in Washington's backcourt next to All-Star Bradley Beal.
The Wizards have also agreed to sign-and-trade Satoransky to the Chicago Bulls, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 27-year-old restricted free agent will be receiving a three-year deal, $30 million deal from the Bulls, with the chance to compete with Kris Dunn and rookie Coby White for the starting job.
In 80 games for the Wizards last season (54 starts), Satoransky averaged 8.9 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 27.1 minutes while shooting 39.5 percent from three.
