Expect multiple trades during the 2024 NBA Draft, and with that only a few nights away, the rumblings and rumors around trades and free agency targets are picking up.
Here are some of the latest rumors from around the league:
• Knicks reportedly interested in Paul Goerge trade if he opts in. Paul George remains the first major domino that has to fall in free agency — will he extend with the Clippers, opt-out of his $48.8 million and test the free agent market, or opt-in and demand a trade? Can he get a fourth year on an offer, something the Clippers have yet to put on the table?
If George opts in and demands a trade, the Knicks could have interest, reports Marc Stein in his substack newsletter.
Another trusted source has advised me to keep the Knicks on the list as a potential trade suitor for Paul George if the All-NBA swingman indeed opts into the final season of his current contract.
The Knicks could put together a trade — Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride plus at least one first-round pick — but whether the Clippers would take it is debatable. If it gets to the Clippers trading George — and that’s still a big if — Los Angeles will have multiple suitors to pick from.
• Don’t count out George to the 76ers as a free agent. For a long time, Philadelphia was seen as George’s leverage with the Clippers — the 76ers have max cap space and need an elite two-way wing to put between Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. However, last week word leaked that Philly’s interest in George had waned. Stein wrote in his newsletter that other teams are not buying that.
I am struggling to pinpoint third-party teams that put much stock in the recent leakage suggesting that the 76ers have cooled on the idea of pursuing George. Only the Sixers know their true intentions, but let’s just say there will be a healthy bit of skepticism leaguewide about the Sixers bowing out completely until PG-13 has either come to terms with the Clippers or landed somewhere other than Philly.
• Kyle Lowry likely staying in Philly. One final 76ers note, in which Stein echoes previous reports, but expect free agent veteran point guard Kyle Lowry to remain with the 76ers. There had been reports of the Clippers interest in him, but that interest has reportedly now shifted more to Chris Paul (who the Lakers are also eyeing).
• Knicks talking Mitchell Robinson trade with Wizards. It looks increasingly like Isaiah Hartenstein will return to the Knicks, but New York is testing the trade waters for Mitchell Robinson. New York has talked about a Robinson trade with Washington, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
The Wizards are among the teams whose talks with the Knicks have included dialogue on Robinson. I’m sure several other teams have talked to New York about Robinson, their 26-year-old starting center.
Robinson is a top-flight defensive center and rim protector, but he’s coming off a season in which he had two ankle surgeries. Washington traded its starting center, Daniel Gafford, to Dallas at the deadline last year (and he became part of the Mavericks’ run to the Finals).
Magic, 76ers reportedly interested in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Nuggets wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has a $15.4 million player option for next season that he is expected to turn down because he can get a new deal as a free agent that likely starts at $20 million a season (or a little higher) and gets him the security of multiple years. When he hits free agency, Orlando and Philadelphia are reportedly considering a run at him, reports Stein in his newsletter.
Caldwell-Pope is a consummate role player who was a key part of the Nuggets’ title run two years ago and averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game last season. Both the Magic and 76ers have cap space and are looking at veteran wings, although Orlando is reportedly only offering two-year deals (although at a higher salary that may be tough to ignore. Denver has his Bird rights and can offer KCP whatever they want to keep him, however, they are already into the first apron of the luxury tax and this kind of offer puts them well into the dreaded second apron.
Reserve forward Oshae Brissett declining his player option. Reserve forward Oshae Brissett played a limited role for the Celtics last season and after considering his options will test the free agent market, Keith Smith of Spotac reports.
Oshae Brissett is declining his $2.5M player option with the Boston Celtics for the 2024-25 season, a league source told @spotrac.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 23, 2024
Brissett will now be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
• Mavericks eying Trail Blazers Jerami Grant? Grant is about to enter the second year of a five-year, $160 million contract with the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers, and the Pacific Northwest team is at least listening to offers for him. The Dallas Mavericks are interested, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
Several teams, including the Mavs, have checked in on Jerami Grant’s situation in Portland. Grant, 30, is entering the second season of a five-year, $160 million contract with the Trail Blazers.
Grant averaged 21 points a game and shot 40.2% from 3 last season. He could fit on the wing in Dallas, but will Grant be happy going to a smaller role where he is the third option behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving? Grant left Denver a few years back because he wanted a larger role in the offense. Dallas wants him in more of an Aaron Gordon-sized role in Denver. Still, it’s something to watch as it appears Portland is ready to move on and is considering offers.
