The NBA’s free agency opens today! At 3:00pm, the moratorium begins. We can expect to quickly hear about teams and players reaching deals, even if the signing is not official. The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to have a limited role in free agency. With a roster that is currently full, Portland is more likely to be involved in a trade rather than a signing.
We’ll track the morning news and rumors here, then will move to the official opening of free agency later today with the announcement of deals.
Completed Deals
- Alex Len agrees to return to the Kings for 1 year, $3.3 million. (Shams)
- Patrick Williams agrees to stay with the Bulls for 5 years, $90 million with a player option. (Shams)
- Obi Toppin has agreed to stay in Indiana for 4 years, $60 million. (Woj)
Blazers Rumors
- Jerami Grant has repeatedly been listed as a player that might be available in trade talks. Anthony F. Irwin says the Lakers have been in discussions with the Blazers about Grant, but there is no corroboration so far. The Lakers and Mavericks are often mentioned as destinations (and in related news, see the Klay Thompson update below).
NBA News and Rumors
- The Detroit Pistons hired J.B. Bickerstaff as their new head coach, filling the final NBA vacancy.
- Bobby Marks reports that the Bulls can’t give away Zach Lavine, even if they offer to attach a future first round pick.
- Adrian Wojnarowski claims that LeBron James is willing to consider a reduced contract if the Lakers can sign a player James Harden, Jonas Valanciunas, or Klay Thompson with the MLE
- Rumors are all over about the statuses of Paul George and Klay Thompson. Philadelphia, and Orlando are common destinations for George, and Chris Haynes reports that Philly is pushing hard, but George is still on good terms with the Clippers and could return. The Lakers and Mavericks seem to be in the lead for Klay, and the Warriors do not seem in the running to re-sign him.
