With the start of free agency now around 24 hours away, the NBA rumor mill is really heating up. Before the action officially begins (Thursday at 6 p.m. ET), here’s a rundown of the latest news from across the league, including some notes on the future of Damian Lillard and Victor Oladipo. (We have more here on Bradley Beal, James Harden and Delete Murray).
Blazers to offer great extension to Lillard
The Trail Blazers went into full-tank mode last season, but that was only a short-term solution to some of the team’s problems, including Damian Lillard’s abdominal surgery. Now, with Lillard healthy again, the Blazers are hoping to revamp their roster and get back into the playoffs.
Of course, trying to win isn’t the only way to keep Lillard happy. Additionally, the Blazers are expected to offer him a two-year extension worth more than $100 million, according to Jake Fischer. Lillard is currently in the middle of a four-year contract that runs until 2025 (with a player option for the final season). If he signs the two-year extension, it will keep him in Portland until 2027.
Barring a trade request at some point over the next few seasons – something Lillard has been unwilling to push so far – such an extension will likely ensure the end of his career with the Blazers. . He will be 37 in the summer of 2027.
Oladipo should leave Heat
Victor Oladipo underwent another quad tendon surgery in May 2021 and missed most of last season while in rehab. He finally returned in March, but played sparingly until the end of the regular season. Although he gained more minutes in the playoffs, as the Heat advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, his playing time was still understandably sporadic.
While clearly not the player he was before the injury — Oladipo shot 36.8% from the field in the playoffs — he had his moments. He scored 40 points in the Heat’s regular season finale and had an impact defensively, especially in the ECF against the Celtics.
As a result, Oladipo is expected to have several suitors as he enters free agency this summer. The Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons are among the interested teams, according to Jake Fischer. Oladipo is not expected to return to the Heat.
Magic will not make a qualifying offer to Bamba
Mo Bamba’s tenure with the Orlando Magic appears to have come to an end. Although Bamba had the best season of his career, the team are not expected to make a qualifying offer to the big man, which will make him an unrestricted free agent this summer. according to Khobi Price.
Bamba, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, hasn’t lived up to expectations so far. However, he seemed to figure things out last season and had 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, while shooting 38.1% from 3-point range – all career highs.
Although he won’t be a star, Bamba still has the potential to be a productive player and is only 24 years old. So it’s no surprise that he’s garnering a ton of interest across the league. The Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves have all recorded interest, by price.
Mavericks Don’t Give Up Brunson Sign and Exchange
Late Tuesday night, the New York Knicks completed another trade with the Detroit Pistons. This time, they sent Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to Detroit with two future second-round picks and $6 million in cash to free up more space for their pursuit of Jalen Brunson.
That deal, combined with their planned overnight move to waive Kemba Walker’s contract, means the Knicks now have about $30 million in cap space this summer. That will be more than enough to sign Brunson to a four-year deal worth around $110 million, and they are now considered favorites for his signature.
Because they cleared the required piece, it appears the Mavericks’ hopes of salvaging a sign and trade from the situation have vanished. However, the Mavs haven’t given up on that possibility, according to Tim Cato. Whether they can do it now that the Knicks have all the power remains to be seen, but it would be far superior to letting Brunson walk for nothing.
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