NBA rumors: Free agency and trades

Follow along here for all the NBA free agency rumors, updates and news.

Author:
SI Wire
Publish date:
Jul 2, 2015

The NBA free agency period began at 12:01 a.m. ET on July 1 and teams immediately began formally jockeying for position to sign some of the league's top talent.

While players and teams can now officially agree to contracts, players can't officially sign contracts until July 9.

Like every off-season, this one is jam-packed with intrigue and storylines. Questions abound: Will LeBron James remain in Cleveland? Will LaMarcus Aldridge leave the Blazers for a title contender? And what about the futures of other high-profile free agents like DeAndre Jordan?

Fortunately, you can follow every move in NBA free agency with our free-agent tracker, along with our analysis and grades from our NBA experts. Below, you'll also find rankings for the top 25 free agents, positional rankings, top storylines to watch and the latest trade rumors and buzz.

Tracker | Top 25 | FA grades | Position ranks

Free Agent Signings:

THURSDAY, JULY 2

• Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard agree on five-year, $120 million-plus extension

• Dwyane Wade, Heat agree to one-year deal worth $20 million

• Greg Monroe agrees to three years, $50 million with Bucks

• Pacers, Monta Ellis agree to four-year, $44 million contract

• Arron Afflalo signs two-year, $16 million deal with Knicks

• Celtics to re-sign Jae Crowder for five years, $35 million

• Aron Baynes, Pistons agree to three years, $20 million

• Kings sign James Anderson to multi-year deal

• Ed Davis agrees to three-year deal with Trail Blazers

• Nets, Thomas Robinson agree to two-year deal

Rumors:

12:30 a.m.

• Wes Matthews has notified the Kings he is "unlikely" to take their offer, raising the chances he signs with the Mavericks, reports ESPN's Marc Stein.

12:00 a.m. Friday

• After meeting with the Clippers, DeAndre Jordan remains "truly 50-50" and "torn" between the Mavericks and the Clippers, reports Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

• The Clippers' presentation to Jordan was "very, very well done," reports the Los Angeles Times' Brad Turner. Jordan is not expected to have a decision made in the next 24 hours, reports Turner.

• Although the Knicks have received a commitment from Robin Lopez, they are "still pursuing" Jordan, reports Bleacher Reports' Howard Beck.

• LaMarcus Aldridge had a lengthy dinner with Heat president Pat Riley that was still going on as of 9 p.m. PT, reports ESPN's Marc Stein.

11:30 p.m.

• Robin Lopez has committed to joining the Knicks as long as DeAndre Jordan does not sign there, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. The terms of the Knicks' offer to Lopez remain unclear. Lopez would be choosing the Knicks over the Lakers.

• DeAndre Jordan is not expected to "drag out" his decision, reports the Los Angeles Times' Ben Bolch. "There is some thought" he will announce where he is signing after LaMarcus Aldridge.

10:30 p.m.

• The Kings' contract offer to guard Wes Matthews is for four years at $16 million annually, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. Stein previously reported the offer as three years for a total of $45 million.

• Forward David West is most likely to wind up with the Spurs or Wizards, reports ESPN's Marc Stein.

10:00 p.m.

• DeAndre Jordan's meeting with the Clippers will be attended by head coach Doc Rivers, owner Steve Ballmer and president of business operations Gillian Zucker, reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski. No Los Angeles players will be at the meeting.

• The Knicks have internally discussed trading for Warriors forward David Lee, reports ESPN's Ian Begley. New York drafted Lee in 2005 and he played five seasons with the team.

• The Kings have offered guard Wes Matthews a three-year deal in the $45 million range, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. Stein adds the Mavericks are believed to be Matthews' preferred destination and the favorites to land him.

9:00 p.m.

• Robin Lopez is discussing a deal with the Knicks, reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, who adds that the contract would be in the range of being worth $12 to $13 million per season. Wojnarowski later added that the Lakers are also under serious consideration by Lopez.

• The Cavaliers and restricted free-agent guard Matthew Dellavedova are talking about a potential multi-year deal in the range of $3 to $5 million per year, reports RealGM's Shams Charania. Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick later offered an apparently conflicting report, saying the Cavaliers "have yet to engage in any serious contract negotiations to this point" with Dellavedova. Skolnick also reported the Cavaliers are focused primarily on contract talks with center Tristan Thompson and forward LeBron James, as well as possible deals to move center Brendan Haywood.

8:30 p.m.

• Kenyon Martin told Yahoo! Sports that he is retiring. Martin, the No. 1 pick of the 2000 draft, played in 11 games last season for the Bucks.

• The Pacers have agreed to re-sign forward Lavoy Allen to a multi-year deal, reports Yahoo's Marc Spears.

7:30 p.m.

• Damian Lillard, who just agreed to an extension with Portland, will fly to Los Angeles to try and convince LaMarcus Aldridge to remain a Trail Blazer, reports USA Today's Sam Amick. Amick also reports the relationship between the two has been a "focal point" of Aldridge's potential departure.

• ESPN's Ian Begley reports the Knicks made a good impression on DeAndre Jordan during their meeting Wednesday, and that Phil Jackson was "engaged."

• The Lakers have shown interest in free agent bigs Amare' Stoudemire and Jason Smith, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.

• Free agent big man Kosta Koufos has interest from Dallas, Sacramento and the Lakers, reports Alex Kennedy of BasketballInsiders.com.

7:00 p.m.

• Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling reports the Spurs and Suns are the frontrunners for LaMarcus Aldridge, with the Mavericks third. Zwerling adds the Lakers are out, and a move to the Heat is "not happening."

• DeAndre Jordan's meeting with the Clippers will likely be his last meeting with a team before making his decision, reports Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. "Don't expect him to drag it out," Kennedy adds, per a source.

• The Nets are "actively shopping" Joe Johnson, reports ESPN's Mike Mazzeo. He adds teams are "leery" of taking on Johnson's contract and having to make moves accordingly. The veteran shooting guard is due nearly $25 million next season.

• Washington is "closing in" on a trade for Milwaukee's Jared Dudley that is "on course" to go through on July 9, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. Dudley opted into his $4.25 million deal for next season, and the Wizards plan to absorb his contract into a trade exception and send Milwaukee a future second-rounder, according to Stein.

• Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports the pick headed to Milwaukee in the Dudley deal is a protected first, with protection to the degree that it will almost surely end up a second-rounder.

6:00 p.m.

• Damian Lillard tweeted that he will remain with the Trail Blazers. Yahoo's Marc Spears reports Lillard's extension is for five years and $120 million. USA Today's Sam Amick reports the deal is worth between $125 and $129 million over five years with no player option, and adds that all five years are guaranteed.

• Dwyane Wade will remain with the Miami Heat on a one-year, $20 million deal, reports Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. Reynolds reports Wade's agent called it a "win-win" for both sides.

• The only teams LaMarcus Aldridge currently feels "clear about" in terms of organizational fit are the Blazers and Spurs, reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski.

• Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick reports the Heat could only acquire Aldridge after clearing significant cap space or executing a sign-and-trade.

• Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports the Mavericks and Clippers are the only "legit candidates" for DeAndre Jordan.

• The Cavaliers announced center Timofey Mozgov underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Wednesday and will take six weeks to recover, according to Yahoo's Spears and others.

• Brooklyn and Thomas Robinson have agreed to a two-year deal with a player option for 2016-17, reports Alex Kennedy of BasketballInsiders.com. Robinson confirmed he will join the Nets via Twitter.

• Free agent power forward Quincy Acy has interest from Orlando, Sacramento, New Orleans, Atlanta and San Antonio, reports Kennedy.

5:00 p.m.

• ESPN's Marc Stein reports LaMarcus Aldridge and Heat president Pat Riley will have dinner on Thursday night. The two sides will meet after Aldridge's second meeting with the Lakers Thursday afternoon, Stein adds.

• In their Thursday meeting, the Lakers are planning to "undo everything that turned off" LaMarcus Aldridge on Wednesday, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Bresnahan adds it's not yet clear who will be in the meeting on behalf of Los Angeles.

• Trail Blazers free agent center Joel Freeland plans to sign in Europe if he doesn't agree to an NBA deal by July 10, reports Real GM's Shams Charania.

4:30 p.m.

• LaMarcus Aldridge will meet with the Lakers for a second time on Thursday, reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Lakers reportedly "want to see if they can get it right" after their first meeting Wednesday with the Trail Blazers star fell short of the mark.

• Aldridge has cancelled his Thursday meeting with the New York Knicks, reports TNT's David Aldridge. TNT's Aldridge adds the Blazers forward will meet with the Lakers and Heat this afternoon. The meeting was reportedly cancelled when "it became clear the Knicks wanted Aldridge to play center," which he is "adamant against" doing.

• USA Today's Sam Amick reports Aldridge's Thursday meeting with the Knicks will include GM Mitch Kupchak and head coach Byron Scott and focus on "talking basketball." TNT's David Aldridge confirms it will only include Kupchak and Scott.

• LaMarcus Aldridge felt his first meeting with the Lakers was "too focused" on off-court things including Hollywood and branding, and the Lakers want to "rectify" that, reports Wojnarowski.

• Wojnarowski reports Aldridge is "considering taking a visit or two" in free agency and that a decision is not imminent.

• According to Wojnarowski, Aldridge has a new high-profile suitor in the Miami Heat, who are "pursuing the possibility" of an audience with him.

• Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reports Heat president Pat Riley flew to Los Angeles, where Aldridge lives in the off-season and has been holding meetings, on "free agency business." Winderman adds "there are a lot of people" on Miami's list of targets.

4:00 p.m.

• The Suns have traded Marcus Morris, Reggie Bullock and Danny Granger to Detroit, reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski. Detroit will send Phoenix a 2020 second-round pick, he adds. Phoenix met with LaMarcus Aldridge yesterday and reportedly believes it has a shot: Wojnarowski reports the Suns now have $20 million of cap space.

• Wojnarowski reports the Suns have "no assurance" Aldridge will sign with them, but his "sudden" intrigue has pushed Phoenix to make itself a serious option.

• Ken Berger of CBS Sports notes that the Suns may still have more work to do to create the proper cap space to sign Aldridge. The trade with Detroit frees up $8.4 million, he reports.

• According to Wojnarowski, the Suns need to move forwards Markieff Morris and PJ Tucker to have enough room for both Aldridge and Tyson Chandler, the latter with whom they agreed to a long-term deal on Wednesday.

• Wojnarowski reports that if Dallas is unable to sign DeAndre Jordan, the Mavericks are expected to do a sign-and-trade with the Pacers, sending Monta Ellis to Indiana in exchange for Roy Hibbert to fill their hole at center.

• Bradley Beal and the Wizards have begun discussing a contract extension, reports Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. Beal reportedly believes he deserves a max contract.

• ESPN's Jeff Goodman reports that if Dallas can't sign DeAndre Jordan, they will look at Lakers free agent center Jordan Hill as an alternative.

3:00 p.m.

• Clippers free agent center DeAndre Jordan is currently meeting with Phil Jackson and the Knicks, reports ESPN's Marc Stein.

• Though restricted free agent Tristan Thompson has yet to come to terms with the Cavaliers, Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports there is "not a vast gap" in negotiations, which are ongoing, and that there is "no animosity" between the sides.

• Dallas, New York and the L.A. Lakers could be landing spots for Warriors big man David Lee, who is likely to be traded, reports Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. Lee could present a "fallback option" if those teams miss on their bigger targets, as all three have room to take Lee's contract, worth upward of $15 million next season. Beck reports the Knicks "have had discussions" about bringing back Lee, a former first-rounder who played his first five seasons, from 2005-2010 in New York, but have to explore their options with free agents first.

• ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reports the Lakers are more likely to pursue Lee than try and trade for Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins if their main free agency plans fall through.

• Trail Blazers free agent center Robin Lopez and the New York Knicks have "strong mutual interest" according to ESPN's Ian Begley.

• Lakers free agent forward Ed Davis will sign a three-year, $20 million deal with Portland, reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski notes that the Blazers will still have room to re-sign LaMarcus Aldridge and Robin Lopez

• The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent guard Shane Larkin for two years and $3 million, Wojnarowski reports.

• The Lakers are now among the teams interested in free agent big man Amare' Stoudemire, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard.

• The Knicks are "ramping up" their interest in Rockets restricted free agent point guard Patrick Beverley, reports Alex Kennedy of BasketballInsiders.com. The two sides have been "talking a lot," Kennedy adds.

• Washington has interest in Pacers free agent forward Chris Copeland, reports Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling.

2:00 p.m.

• Spurs big man Tim Duncan has confirmed he will play in 2015-16, reports Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News.

• Monta Ellis and the Indiana Pacers have agreed to a four-year, $44 million deal, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. Stein reports Ellis holds a player option in the final year of his new deal, which was confirmed by CBS Sports' Ken Berger.

• ESPN's Chris Broussard reports Ellis turned down a larger offer from Sacramento of four years and $48 million to join the Pacers.

• SI.com's Chris Mannix reports that with Ellis bound for Indiana, the Kings could pursue Grizzlies free agent center Kosta Koufos.

• Another ripple from the Ellis deal: Sacramento will now make free agent shooting guard Wesley Matthews an offer that will be "hard to refuse," reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

• With the Kings missing on Ellis, the Mavericks now "fear" Sacramento preparing a huge offer for Matthews and now hope he will wait to see if DeAndre Jordan picks Dallas before making a decision, reports ESPN's Tim MacMahon. MacMahon notes that the Mavericks are "optimistic" on the matter.

• Cleveland and restricted free agent Tristan Thompson are "currently still apart" on contract talks after making progress on Wednesday, reports ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

• Detroit has a verbal agreement with Spurs center Aron Baynes on a three-year, deal worth up to $20 million, reports Stein. Baynes reportedly has a player option in year three.

• Sacramento has agreed to a multi-year deal with free agent guard James Anderson, reports Yahoo's Marc Spears. Anderson, 26, spent last season with Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania. He was taken 20th overall by San Antonio in the 2010 draft.

1:00 p.m.

• Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies are nearing agreement on a five-year, max contract worth upward of $100 million, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. Gasol and Memphis officials including owner Robert Pera met in Barcelona on Wednesday, and the 30-year-old center has reportedly "shunned" other interested parties.

• The Hawks have agreed to a deal with 2014 second-rounder Walter "Edy" Tavares, a 7'3" center from Cape Verde, according to Yahoo's Marc Spears. Tavares spent last season with Gran Canaria in the Spanish Liga ACB. Tavares is expected to play with Atlanta in summer league, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

• After missing on Greg Monroe, the Knicks' negotiations with Portland free agent center Robin Lopez "will gain momentum," reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski.

• Dallas would consider a "salary dump deal" for Indiana center Roy Hibbert if top target DeAndre Jordan decides to go elsewhere, reports ESPN's Tim MacMahon. MacMahon notes the Mavericks remain "hopeful" on their chances with the Clippers center.

• The Kings, after clearing cap space in a deal with Philadelphia early Thursday, are scheduled to meet with free agent targets Wesley Matthews on Thursday and Rajon Rondo on Friday, according to Stein. Sacramento is also working to set up a meeting with Monta Ellis.

• Veteran forward David West has "serious interest" in playing for the Spurs or Warriors next season, reports USA Today's Sam Amick. West declined a $12.2 million player option with the Pacers and is willing to take less to chase a championship.

• The Rockets, Clippers, Mavericks and Suns are among the teams interested in Amare' Stoudemire as a reserve big man, reports ESPN's Chris Broussard.

• Dallas is "back in the hunt" to re-sign guard J.J. Barea, reports TNT's David Aldridge, with Miami the other team contending for his services. Barea reportedly seeks a three-year contract.

11:00 a.m.

• Free-agent forward Greg Monroe will sign a max contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Monroe, 25, played the first five seasons of his career with the Detroit Pistons. He averaged 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season for Detroit.

• Restricted free agent Jae Crowder and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a five-year deal worth $35 million, RealGM reports. The Mavericks were also reportedly interested in signing Crowder, who averaged 9.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season.

10:00 a.m.

• Blazers assistant coach Kim Hughes told an Indiana TV station that the team had lost forward LaMarcus Aldridge. "Well, people don't realize we just went young," Hughes says in the video, according to The Oregonian. "We didn't publicize it, but we lost LaMarcus Aldridge. It hasn't been declared yet, but I'm sure he won't come back. We will go young."

• The Knicks and Arron Afflalo have agree to a two-year deal worth $16 million, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reports. Afflalo, 29, will reportedly have a player option on the second year of the deal. Earlier this off-season, Afflalo decided to test free agency after declining a $7.75 million player option for next season. The guard was traded from the Nuggets to the Trail Blazers in Feburary at the NBA's trade deadline.

• Omer Asik is in the process of finalizing a five-year, $60 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports. The 7-foot center played for the Bulls and Rockets before joining the Pelicans ahead of the 2014-15 season.

12:00 a.m., Thursday

• While initial reports said free agent DeAndre Jordan had a problem with the Lakers' pitch to him, SI.com's Chris Mannix reports that Jordan thought the Lakers' presentation was professional. The meeting may have been hurt by its late start with both sides tired from an eventful first day of free agency, Mannix reports. The Clippers and Mavericks still remain frontrunners for Jordan after strong pitches, Mannix says.

• Just hours after he had reportedly "broken off" talks with the Warriors, Golden State's leading rebounder Draymond Green signed a five-year, $82 million deal with the team. The news was first reported by Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears.

• Sacramento is orchestrating a trade with Philadelphia that would send Nik Stauskas, Jason Thompson and Carl Landry to the 76ers in an effort to clear cap space, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. Additionally, the Kings are "seriously interested" in free agent guard Monta Ellis, Wojnarowski reported. SI.com's Chris Mannix reported that the cap clearance efforts were related to the Kings' pursuing of Ellis, as well as Rajon Rondo.

• Jae Crowder has agreed to a five-year, $35 million contract with the Boston Celtics, according to RealGM's Shams Charania. The Celtics had already beefed up their frontcourt with the addition of Amir Johnson.

• Omer Asik and the New Orleans Pelicans have finalized a five-year, $60 million deal, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

• While Dallas was considered strong contenders for Wes Matthews as early as Wednesday afternoon, the Kings are now "very strongly in the mix," for the Blazers forward, according to TNT's David Aldridge.