NBA free agency and trade rumors: Blake Griffin to meet with Suns, Clippers
Free agency is looming at midnight on Friday. Big names are on the move. The annual week of NBA upheaval has arrived.
Unrestricted free agents agree to deals but can not officially sign a contract until the NBA's moratorium ends on July 7.
Chris Paul has been traded to the Rockets. Phil Jackson is out in New York. Could Carmelo Anthony join Paul and James Harden in Houston?
Paul George could still be traded. Blake Griffin, Gordon Hayward and Paul Millsap are among the big name free agents. Don't rule anything out.
Here are the latest news and rumors from around the league.
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5 p.m.
• The San Antonio Spurs are preparing to offer restricted free agent Jonathon Simmons a deal in the range of $9 million annually. (Marc Stein, ESPN.com)
• The New York Knicks are unlikely to re-sign Derrick Rose. (New York Daily News)
• The Philadelphia 76ers waived guard Gerald Henderson. (Tom Moore, Bucks County Courier Times)
• The Minnesota Timberwolves are trading Ricky Rubio to the Utah Jazz for a 2018 first-round draft pick. (Tony Jones, Salt Lake Tribune) (Spencer Checketts, Zone Sports Network)
Friday afternoon rumors roundup
• J.J. Redick is interested in joining the Rockets if it works financially, although he is still considering the 76ers or Nets for about $16-$18 million annually. (Brad Turner, LA Times)
• The Warriors do not have a meeting scheduled with Andre Iguodala, but both sides are optimistic. (Zach Lowe, ESPN.com)
• The Knicks will waive forward Maurice Ndour. (Shams Charania, The Vertical)
• Other teams around the league feel that the Pelicans will quickly come to an agreement with Jrue Holiday on a lucrative five–year contract. (Marc Stein, ESPN.com)
• The Cavaliers want to bring back Kyle Korver. They'll likely make him an offer when free agency begins Saturday morning. (Joe Vardon, Cleveland.com)
• 2016 first-round pick Furkan Korkmaz is likely to be joining the Sixers next season. (Jessica Camerato, CSN Philly)
• Ty Lawson is interested in returning to the Kings. (Jason Jones, Sacramento Bee)
• Turkish swingman Cedi Osman appears to be joining the Cavs. (David Pick)
• Mike Dunleavy will be waived by the Hawks before his $5.2 million salary becomes fully guaranteed at midnight. (Tim MacMahon, ESPN)
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Friday AM rumors roundup
• Blake Griffin will take a meeting with the Phoenix Suns when free agency opens on Saturday. (Brad Turner, Los Angeles Times)
• The Los Angeles Clippers are also set to meet with Griffin's agent before start of free agency. (Bill Oram, SoCal News Group)
• Paul George is telling friends he expects to be a Laker in 2018. (Tania Ganguli, Los Angeles Times)
• The Lakers are not expecting to get Paul George in a trade as they've held firm on keeping Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. (Mark Medina, L.A. Daily News)
• The Boston Celtics are still waiting to hear back from the Indiana Pacers concerning Paul George, but consider the team's current demand for George unrealistic. (Boston Herald)
• The Wizards and Pistons believe that the Nets could make a play for respective restricted free agents Otto Porter and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. (Marc Stein, ESPN.com)
• Rajon Rondo is on the trading block by the Chicago Bulls and could be dealt if the team can't find a trading partner. (K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune)
• The New York Knicks have opened talks with former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin about the team's presidency. (Ramona Shelburne, ESPN.com)
• The Los Angeles Clippers are interested in free agents Jonathan Simmons, Rudy Gay, Danilo Gallinari, P.J. Tucker, James Johnson, Joe Ingles and Andre Iguodala. (Brad Turner, Los Angeles Times)
• The Brooklyn Nets to pick options on guards Sean Kilpatrick and Joe Harris for next season. (Adrian Wojnarowski, The Vertical)