NBA Free Agency Blog: Raptors lose VanVleet, keep Poeltl and add Schroder
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The NBA's "legal tampering" period is underway as teams are free to negotiate with free agents. Keep up to date with the latest news with TSN.ca's NBA Free Agency Blog.
Haliburton gets max contract
All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers have agreed on a five-year designated maximum contract extension that could be worth up to $260 million, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported early Saturday morning.
Haliburton played in 56 games last season for the Pacers and contributed 20.7 points, 10.4 assists and 3.7 rounds per game.
The 23-year-old has appeared in 191 NBA games with the Pacers and the Sacramento Kings, who selected him 12th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Bane agrees to max extension with Grizzlies
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski also reported early Saturday that Desmond Bane and the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed on a five-year, $207-million maximum contract extension.
Bane appeared in 58 games last season for the Grizzlies and posted 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 31.7 minutes per game.
The three-year veteran was selected 30th overall in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics and traded to the Grizzlies as part of a three-team deal that also included the Portland Trail Blazers.
Late Night Trades
In a late night move, the Wizards sent guard Monte Morris to the Pistons, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Morris, 28, averaged 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists over 62 games in Washington last season, his first and only campaign with the franchise.
In another move, Charania reported that the Miami Heat are trading veteran guard Victor Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The two-time All-Star played with the Thunder during the 2016-17 season.
Rose to Memphis
Veteran point guard Derrick Rose and the Memphis Grizzlies are in agreement on a two-year deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 34-year-old Rose was a member of the New York Knicks last season, appearing in 27 games off the bench.
Raptors replace VanVleet with Schroder
It didn't take long for Raptors president Masai Ujiri to find a replacement for departing point guard Fred VanVleet.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Raptors agreed to terms on a two-year, $26 million contract with free agent guard Dennis Schroder.
The 29-year-old averaged 12.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists over 66 games with the Lakers in 2022-23.
Over his 10-year career in the NBA, Schroder has spent time with the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets and Lakers.
VanVleet leaves Toronto
The Toronto Raptors and point guard Fred VanVleet are going their separate ways.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets and VanVleet are in agreement on an three-year, $130 million deal.
The move ends a seven-year run in Toronto and comes after he opted out of the $22.8 million player option on the final year of a four-year, $85 million deal.
VanVleet averaged 19.3 points per game on .393 per cent shooting from the floor and .342 per cent from beyond the arc in 69 games played last year. He also dished out 7.2 assists and grabbed 4.1 rebounds.
The Rockford, Ill., native joined the Raps as an undrafted free agent out of Wichita State in the summer of 2016 and played his way into a bigger role each season. VanVleet broke out during the playoffs in 2018-19, helping the Raptors to their first NBA Championship in franchise history. He averaged 14.0 points and 2.2 assists per game while playing over 32 minutes a night as the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games.
VanVleet was an All-Star during the 2021-22 season, reaching the 20-point-per-game plateau for the first time in his career.
Curry to Dallas
Seth Curry has agreed to join the Dallas Mavericks on a two-year deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 32-year-old averaged 9.2 points and shot 92.7 per cent from the free throw line over 61 games with the Brooklyn Nets last season.
Canada's Brissett finds new team
Toronto's Oshae Brissett has agreed on a two-year contract with the Boston Celtics, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 25-year-old forward averaged 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds over 65 games with the Indiana Pacers in 2022-23, his third campaign with the club.
Champagnie in San Antonio
Forward Julian Champagnie and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed on a four-year, $12 million deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The final year is a team option.
Lakers stay busy
The Lakers agreed on a three-year, $51 million deal with restricted free agent Rui Hachimura and a two-year deal with free agent Cam Reddish, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Hachimura, 25, averaged 11.2 points and 4.5 rebounds with a 48.6 field goal percentage over 63 games with the Lakers and Washington Wizards last season.
Reddish, 23, played 40 games last season with the Knicks and Trail Blazers, averaging 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
Pelicans keep Jones
The New Orleans Pelicans are retaining free agent forward Herb Jones with a four-year contract worth $54 million, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Jones, 24, averaged 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists over 66 games with the Pelicans in 2022-23, his second campaign with the team.
Watanabe highlights busy day for Suns
The Phoenix Suns were busy on Friday, agreeing to terms with four players, highlighted by sharpshooter and former member of the Toronto Raptors, Yuta Watanabe.
The Suns also found agreements with guard Damion Lee and forwards Drew Eubanks and Keita Bates-Diop.
Watanabe, 28, averaged 5.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and shot 44.4 per cent from behind the three-point line over 58 games with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022-23.
Ingles to Orlando
Veteran free agent forward Joe Ingles is headed to Orlando, agreeing on a two-year, $22 million deal with the Magic, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 35-year-old played last season with the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists over 46 games.
Vincent to L.A.
The Los Angeles Lakers are in agreement on a three-year, $33 million deal with the free agent guard Gabe Vincent, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The 27-year-old has spent the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Miami Heat and averaged 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists over 68 games in 2022-23.
Staying in Toronto
Centre Jakob Poeltl has agreed on a four-year, $80 million contract with the Toronto Raptors, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The veteran big man played in 72 games split between the San Antonio Spurs and Raptors last season, averaging 12.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
The Raptors acquired Poeltl in a trade on Feb. 9 in exchange for Canadian Khem Birch and two draft picks. He started all but one game he played for Toronto down the stretch of the season but the Raptors were unable to reach the playoffs, falling to the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament.
The trade was a homecoming for Poeltl, who began his career with the Raptors after being selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He played two seasons with the Raps before being dealt to San Antonio in the Kawhi Leonard trade and spent the next four and a half seasons there before returning to the Raptors.
In 488 career NBA games, the Vienna, Austria, native averages 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Irving, Mavs stay together
Veteran guard Kyrie Irving will give the Dallas Mavericks another try, agreeing to a three-year, $126 million contract on Friday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Irving was one of the top guards available via free agency this summer.
Irving split last season between the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks, arriving with the Mavs in a February blockbuster trade. That ended a tumultuous three and a half seasons with the Nets that often saw Irving miss games for injury or other off-court reasons, including his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Last October, Irving tweeted a link to an antisemitic movie, for which he was eventually suspended five games. Irving returned to the team in mid-November and played another 32 games for Brooklyn before the trade.
He averaged 27.1 points per game on .494 per cent shooting from the field and .379 from beyond the arc. He also tallied 5.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds in a total of 60 games played in 2022-23.
Jones, Spurs agree on deal
The San Antonio Spurs have agreed on terms to a two-year, $20 million contract with free agent Tre Jones, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 23-year-old averaged 12.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists over 68 games with the Spurs in 2022-23.
Johnson staying in Brooklyn
Forward Cam Johnson has agreed on a four-year, $108 million extension with the Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Acquired by Brooklyn as part of the Kevin Durant trade last season, the 26-year-old Johnson averaged 15.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists over 42 games split between the Nets and Suns.
Middleton in Milwaukee
Khris Middleton, a three-time All-Star, has agreed on a three-year, $102 million contract to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Middleton played in just 33 games with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022-23, averaging 15.1 points per game on .436 per cent shooting and .315 from beyond the arc. He missed the first month of the season while recovering from off-season wrist surgery and missed another month in the middle of the year because of a knee issue. Middleton had averaged more than 20 points per game in four of his previous five seasons.
The 31-year-old is a three-time All-Star and helped the Bucks to their first ever NBA title in 2021 where he averaged 24.0 points per game in their six-game triumph over the Phoenix Suns.
A native of Charleston, S.C., Middleton owns a career scoring average of 17.0 points per game. He was taken in the second round (No. 39 overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons and arrived with the Bucks in a deal involving point guard Brandon Jennings.
Boston bound
Kristaps Porzingis is expected to finalize a two-year $60 million extension with the Boston Celtics, according to Chris Haynes of TNT.
The 27-year-old spent last season with the Washington Wizards and was traded to the Celtics earlier this month as part of a three-team trade that also saw Marcus Smart go to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Porzingis is coming off possibly the best season of his career as he averaged 23.2 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting nearly .500 from the field and .385 from three-point land in 65 games for the Wizards.
Once thought to be one of the NBA’s rising superstars, Porzingis suffered a torn ACL in his third season with the New York Knicks. The injury forced him to miss the entire 2018-19 season and he grew frustrated with the direction of the Knicks during his recovery, prompting them to send him to the Dallas Mavericks in a January 2019 trade.
Porzingis spent the next three seasons in Dallas alongside Luka Doncic, but failed to meet the high expectations set out for him at the time of the trade. The Mavericks then dealt him to the Wizards on trade deadline day in 2021, where he appeared in a total of 82 games over the next two seasons.
Niang leaves 76ers for Cavs
Free agent forward George Niang is joining the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year, $26 million contract, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski
Niang, 30, averaged 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist over 78 games with the 76ers last season.
Alexander-Walker sticking in Minnesota
Canadian shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has agreed on a two-year deal to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
The 24-year-old native of Toronto averaged 6.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists over 59 games with the Timberwolves and Utah Jazz last season.
Bulls add Carter
Free agent guard Jevon Carter is leaving the Milwaukee Bucks, agreeing on a three-year, $20 million deal with the Chicago Bulls, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Carter, 27, averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 81 games with the Bucks last season.
Grant to Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers have made a splash in NBA free agency, agreeing to terms with forward Jerami Grant on a five-year, $160 million contract, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
Grant, 29, averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 63 games with the Trail Blazers in 2022-23.
Prince to Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Lakers and forward Taurean Prince have agreed on a one-year, $4.5 million contract, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Prince, 29, averaged 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 54 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022-23.
Brown to Pacers
Bruce Brown, a key member of the NBA champion Denver Nuggets, has agreed on a two-year, $45 million contract with the Indiana Pacers, according to multiple sources.
The 26-year-old averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists with Denver in 2022-23, his first and only campaign with the club.
White, Bulls agree on deal
Coby White has agreed on a three-year, $40 million deal to stay in Chicago with the Bulls, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
White, 23, averaged 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists over 74 games with the Bulls in 2022-23.
Kuzma returns to Washington
Free agent forward Kyle Kuzma is sticking with the Washington Wizards, agreeing to a four-year, $102 million deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Kuzma declined his $13 million player option, making him one of the premier scoring options available in free agency this summer.
Kuzma put together his most complete season in 2022-23, pouring in 21.2 points per game on .448 per cent from the field in 64 games for the Washington Wizards. He also added 7.2 rebounds and a career-best 3.7 assists.
Kuzma began his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and played four seasons in L.A. before heading to D.C. in a 2021 trade that sent point guard Russell Westbrook to the Lakers.
A native of Flint, Mich., the Lakers took Kuzma with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2017 draft. He helped the Lakers to a title in the COVID-19 bubble in the summer of 2020 and owns a career scoring average of 16.5 in 406 NBA games spread out over six seasons.
LeVert, Cavs stay together
Guard Caris LeVert and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed on a new two-year, $32 million contract, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
LeVert, 28, averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists over 74 games with the Cavs this season.
Green stays Golden
Draymond Green is staying with the Golden State Warriors, agreeing on a four-year, $100 million contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Green declined his $27.5 million player option with the Golden State Warriors on June 19, making him an unrestricted free agent.
His 2022-23 season got off to a rocky start after he punched teammate Jordan Poole at practice during training camp, causing him to take a brief leave of absence from the team. The Saginaw, Mich., native played in 78 games during the year and averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 assists and 7.2 rebounds.
Green started his NBA career as a second-round pick in 2012 out of Michigan State, earning a large role with the Warriors’ second unit in 2013-14. Green continued to ascend the year after, starting every game he played as the Warriors won four championships in eight seasons alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
The 33-year-old is a four-time All-Star, a two-Time All-NBA Team member and an eight-time All-NBA Defensive Team honouree.
Sixers not expected to extend Maxey this summer
The Philadelphia 76ers are not expected to offer a contract extension to guard Tyrese Maxey, Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice reports.
But Neubeck cautions that is not an indication of the 22-year-old Maxey's perception by management. The team believes holding off on an extension can aid in cap flexibility come next summer with Tobias Harris's $39 million per-season deal coming off of the books. The Sixers could potentially have another max slot next summer, depending on how the expected James Harden trade plays out.
The 21st overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, Maxey has become an integral member of the team. In 60 games last season, including 41 starts, Maxey averaged a career-high 20.3 points on .481 shooting, 3.5 assists and 2.9 boards over 33.6 minutes a night.
Neubeck also notes that a move for Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard appears to be very unlikely.
Harris heads to Pistons
Joe Harris's days in Brooklyn are over.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reports the 31-year-old swingman is being traded by the Nets to the Detroit Pistons.
Harris appeared in 74 games last season, averaging 7.4 points on .457 shooting, 2.2 boards and 1.4 assists over 20.6 minutes a night.
The Virginia product has appeared in 488 career games over nine seasons with the Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers.
He has one year remaining on a four-year, $75 million deal.
Knicks, Pacers set for business?
The Indiana Pacers got busy earlier on Friday when they agreed to trade Montreal-born guard Chris Duarte to the Sacramento Kings. They could stay busy in a deal with the New York Knicks. Marc Stein reports the team has emerged as a suitor for Obi Toppin.
The Knicks have exercised the option on the 25-year-old Toppin for 2023-2024 and the power forward is set to earn $6.8 million this season and become a restricted free agent next summer.
The Knicks are in a tough spot with Toppin, having just signed his younger brother Jacob Toppin as an undrafted free agent, but unable to maximize his minutes if Julius Randle returns as expected.
In 67 games last season, Toppin averaged 7.4 points on .446 shooting and 2.8 boards over 15.7 minutes a night.
What happened with Harden?
On Thursday, the NBA world was rocked by the news that James Harden decided to opt into the final year of his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and then seek a trade. The Athletic's Sam Amick reports that the belief around the league is that the 33-year-old 10-time All-Star will get his wish and be moved to the Los Angeles Clippers, but how did this come about? The groundwork seemed to have been laid for Harden to renew his commitment with the organization with the hiring of Nick Nurse considered a move to help assure Harden of his future with the team. But Amick reports that a series of "silent Sixers signals" convinced Harden to focus elsewhere and the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player has become "extremely upset" at the way his potential free agency has been handled, especially after he reworked his contract last offseason to offer the team more financial flexibility. How this plays out will become evident in the next few days.
Legal tampering?
Wait, how can tampering be legal? Well, this is not tampering in the true sense is that it's sanctioned by the NBA. As of 6pm ET on Friday night, teams are permitted to negotiate with free agents, but no deals can officially be signed until the official opening of free agency on July 6. What that means is that, while a vast majority of deals that will be agreed upon in the coming days will simply be formalized next Friday, signings can still fall apart because they aren't official until July 6. Nothing is done until it's done done.