With the Adam Silver currently sorting out the mess around the Clippers and the Aspiration scandal, the one thing he probably did not need at this point was to have another potential scandal fall into his lap. But NBA free agency rumors around the Bucks and Gary Trent have proven to be true–it had been whispered that Milwaukee had a handshake deal with Trent after giving him two minimum contracts the past two summers, and this weekend the Bucks paid up.
Trent signed a four-year, $64 million contract with the team. This is after he averaged 8.1 points, the lowest since his rookie year, and shot 38.7%, also the lowest since his rookie year. Giving a player one of the better free-agent contracts of the summer after a career-worst year is going to get Silver’s attention.
Handshake deals for minimum contracts with the promise of a bigger deal later are forbidden by the league and the CBA. There is likely no evidence that there was a pre-arranged deal for Trent, so the NBA may have a hard time proving anything–but Silver is the commissioner and circumstantial proof is enough to get him investigating.
More NBA Free Agency Rumors
The whole league is in a holding pattern, of course, based on the pending free-agent decision of LeBron James. Thus far, he has done well to send multiple signals and misdirections that have kept all teams involved thinking they at least have a chance to sign him. The Cavs, Warriors and Heat are still the favorites, but that’s only based on the educated guesses of those around the league. The expectation is that James will decide this week, and that should free up the market for the rest of the top players.
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Among those top players is Jonathan Kuminga, who is still expected to land with the Lakers, though it is a matter of when and how–and how much money he gets. A sign-and-trade would require that Kuminga gets at least three years, though there can be options and non-guarantees after the first year. That’s most likely how this plays out–Kuminga might want to be able to get back into free agency if he plays well next season.
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The Pistons remain in a staring contest with Jalen Duren, and as expected, they hold all the cards. The sides remain far apart but, one NBA executive says, “They’re going to both get closer and settle on something around $200 million. Jalen needs the Pistons and the Pistons need Jalen, so it’s something that has to get done.”
NBA Free Agency Rumors: Still on the Board
- LeBron James. We know that LeBron James is not going back to the Lakers but he’s very much enjoying grabbing attention from a variety of fanbases. Cynics among us might suggest that he is looking primarily to gather up footage for a documentary, but either way, it does appear that the Cavaliers are the likely option, but the Warriors, Sixers and Heat are in the mix, with Denver and Minnesota the darkhorses.
- James Harden. Harden opted out of his $42 million contract, but will re-sign with Cleveland. He will help the team land James if he can.
- Jonathan Kuminga. The Lakers could clear out more room to bring in Kuminga, and that seems to be the likeliest outcome–a short, one-plus-player-option deal. The Hawks turned down his $24 million option and he is going to have to play his way to his next contract.
- DeMar DeRozan. The Kings let him walk and DeRozan is weighing where he could land next. A return to Toronto would be a nice story, but unlikely. He could be Door No. 2 for whichever team misses on LeBron James–the Warriors, the Heat, the Nuggets–and is a viable alternative for just about every contender in the East.
- Draymond Green. Green opted out of his $28 million deal for next season, but will be back with the Warriors. He is part of the team’s push to sign LeBron James, and will adjust his salary accordingly. There has been chatter that Green would leave the Warriors if they don’t land James but … that’s a longshot.
- Bruce Brown. Still only 29, Brown can shoot 3s (38.5%), play defense and is a solid locker-room leader. The Nuggets would like him back. The Lakers could see him as a fallback option.
- Nick Richards. A bench option for teams seeking big men. Options for Richards are running low, but he figures to latch on soon.
- Russell Westbrook. He’s a minimum guy despite averaging 15.2 points last season. He’ll take what he can get, but a spot with the Heat would be the best answer for him. He’s a possibility for the Wizards, too.
- Ziaire Williams. Williams averaged 10.2 points in 22.9 minutes for Brooklyn last year, and is still just 24 years old. A smart team could shape him up into a useful 3-and-D player, perhaps the Lakers or the Cavs.
- Ochai Agbaji. Like Williams, he’s a possible Plan B (or C) if the Lakers can’t land Kuminga. A former lottery pick, he still feels worthy of a gamble by someone.
- Gary Payton II. Payton played 73 games for the Warriors, and that kind of durability must count for something. But he is not a shooter and his athleticism is fading at age 33. Most likely he will head back to the Warriors once they see how their roster shakes out.
- Nic Batum. It appears that Batum is heading back to France to close out his career, though there are NBA rumors of interest in him. His signing is not official, so he could be lured back to the league.
- Gabe Vincent. If not Westbrook, the Heat could look for a return engagement with Vincent, who has dropped off significantly since leaving Miami. But the Heat are expected to pass on bringing Vincent back.
- Matisse Thybulle. Thybulle is still every bit the defensive pest he has always been and he has a solid 3-point shot now. But injuries are the big issue–he has played just 45 games in the past two years.
- Jeremy Sochan. The decline and fall of Sochan, the No. 9 pick in the 2022 draft, remains bizarre. He was dumped by the Spurs last season, and barely played for the Knicks. He is 6-foot-8 and only 23, so he may be worthy of another chance in NBA free agency.
GettyJonathan Kuminga remains the Lakers’ top offseason target
Big-Time Restricted Targets
- Jalen Duren, Pistons. Duren has been the subject of frequent NBA rumors and might not be happy with the state of negotiations, but that is par for the course with restricted NBA free agency. No player is ever happy. He is still the Pistons’ player to lose, though he continues to hold out hope for a sign-and-trade.
- Peyton Watson, Nuggets. Watson has been linked to the Clippers, and ultimately, he might wind up in LA on a sign-and-trade. But if the Nuggets make a separate trade to clear space, they could choose to keep him in place.
- Bennedict Mathurin, Clippers. Shooting struggles after his trade to the Clippers could complicate restricted free agency, which is always complicated enough as is. But L.A. wants to keep him in place.
NBA Free Agency Rumors: LeBron Decision, Gary Trent Mess and the Big Board