The NBA Finals may be in full swing and the draft is on the horizon on June 25-26, but the NBA offseason has already started stealing the headlines.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant has been the source of trade rumblings throughout the spring and early summer. The MVP could be the biggest domino to fall, which will help determine the offseason landscape. Teams around the league are also keeping an eye on another former MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and his future with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Elsewhere, the New York Knicks are still looking for a head coach, and the Boston Celtics are trying to figure out how to navigate their roster now that Jayson Tatum will miss a good portion of next season.
The Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic kicked the trade season off on June 15 in a multi-player, multi-pick deal. Desmond Bane is headed to Orlando for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four future first-round picks and a future first-round pick swap.
Our NBA insiders will be tracking the latest signings, buzz, news and intel throughout the summer, so stay tuned as we report on the biggest moves that will shape the league.
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Shams shares Kevin Durant’s main trade suitors with McAfee
Shams Charania tells Pat McAfee that Kevin Durant is the biggest trade domino, with five teams interested: Rockets, Spurs, Heat, Timberwolves and Knicks.
June 15
1:30 p.m. ET: In addition to the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat, there remain several teams still lurking in the Kevin Durant trade landscape, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on “SportsCenter.”
“[Kawhi Leonard] had a list of teams he preferred to go to,” Windhorst said. “He had one year left on his contract, and the Toronto Raptors were willing to roll the dice as a possible rental. And once again, you don’t see Toronto on Durant’s list, but the Raptors are one of the teams lurking out there, who may be willing to do this without knowing that they can keep Durant on an extension, and basically potentially be a rental.
“And I think there’s a couple others, including the Los Angeles Clippers, and potentially even the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is still wide open. Maybe Durant gets what he wants, maybe he has to accept something else.”
11:00 a.m. ET: The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to trade Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
June 14
2:30 p.m. ET: The Houston Rockets and Steven Adams reached an agreement on a three-year, $39 million contract extension, sources told ESPN’s Sham’s Charania. Adams will turn 32 years old next month.
June 13
12: 38 p.m. ET: Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant could be traded in the next “few days,” per ESPN’s Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show. Charania added that the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves have been the teams focused on a deal over the past 24 hours.
June 12
3:20 p.m. ET: The Boston Celtics are open to hearing trade offers for guards Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Boston would prefer to keep the pair of NBA champions but “if they get a big offer, they have to look at everything.”
2:30 p.m. ET: Trade talks are beginning to heat up for Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Some teams are “are motivated to get this deal done sooner rather than later,” but the process could play out throughout the draft.
11:00 a.m. ET: The NBA offseason is going to “happen faster than normal,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on First Take. A lot of action could happen near the NBA draft, rather than early free agency.
June 10
11:40 a.m. ET: The New York Knicks were denied talking to Jason Kidd about their open head coach position, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. The Knicks were also denied permission to interview Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka and the Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.
10:40 a.m. ET: There is currently “no trade market” for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, because he “has not asked for [a trade]” and the Bucks “are not looking to trade him,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on Get Up.
