DETROIT, MI - MAY 13: (EDITORS NOTE: A special camera filter fractal was used for this image) Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers stands for the National Anthem before the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 13, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In Mike Gansey’s first free agency move running the Sixers, he’s bringing in a familiar face in Dean Wade.
The 6-foot-9 forward, who was initially signed by Gansey and the Cavaliers’ front office as an undrafted free agent in 2019, has spent his entire seven-year NBA career in Cleveland. He now comes to Philadelphia on four-year, $39 million deal, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Wade’s calling card is his perimeter defense. With a 7-foot wingspan, a 228-pound frame and good lateral quickness, he’s able to guard multiple positions at a high level. We heard a lot of talk about the Sixers needing to find an identity this offseason. With a trio of Wade, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe handling the tough perimeter assignments, and Tyrese Maxey digging for steals while Joel Embiid protects the rim, forming a defensive identity feels possible.
Nothing about his raw numbers will impress you, but Wade is far from a zero on the offensive end. He can make open looks. He’s shot 36.7% from three for his career, though you’d maybe like to see an uptick in his volume. He’s not a shot creator by any means, but he’s a good connector and is comfortable putting the ball on the floor when needed. He’s a solid rebounder, but that could still remain an area of weakness for the Sixers overall.
With that said, Gansey and the front office still have avenues to improve. The Sixers are likely signing Wade using a portion of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which comes in at roughly $15 million for 2026-27. They’ll now be hard capped at the first apron, but it also means they’ll have some of the NTMLE left over (likely around $6 million) for another player above the minimum. They also could access the bi-annual exception ($5.5 million).
Free agency is just beginning, so there should be plenty of business remaining. The Sixers could still use more depth across the board. Make sure to follow our tracker and we’ll update you as much as we can.
Luke Kennard during his Lakers debut against the Golden State Warriors in February. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
In need of three-point shooting, the Lakers lost the league’s best sharpshooter on the first day of free agency.
Guard Luke Kennard has agreed to a two-year, $13-million deal with the Phoenix Suns, The Times confirmed Tuesday.
Kennard was an unrestricted free agent after he was traded to the Lakers last February from the Atlanta Hawks. His arrival coincided with a dramatic offensive uptick for the Lakers, who went from 34.9% shooting from three in games before Kennard and 37.7% in games after. Kennard was on a one-year, $11-million contract last season, his ninth year in the NBA.
The former Duke star averaged nine points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Lakers while shooting 44.8% from three-point range. He showed his influence beyond just shooting when he took on more ballhandling duties late in the season to fill in during injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. In a starting role during the last six games of the regular season, Kennard averaged 6.4 assists.
The Lakers already lost LeBron James on the first day of free agency after the 22-time All-Star informed the team he intended to sign somewhere else for his NBA-record 24th season. Kennard could have provided a critical floor-spacing piece around Doncic, who thrives when surrounded by lob-catching centers, athletic wings and knockdown shooters.
The Knicks’ path to the NBA title involved contributions from everyone on the roster — even if they did not play a single postseason minute.
Head coach Mike Brown revealed that forward Dillon Jones, who appeared in just seven regular season games for the Knicks, played a key role in the team’s playoff preparation.
“Throughout the course of this run, I got help with the messaging from different people,” Brown said to Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart during a new episode of the “Roommates Show” released on Tuesday.
“I’m gonna tell you guys, you may know this or may not, Dillon [Jones] was fabulous.”
Dillon Jones poses with the Larry O’Brien trophy after the Knicks clinched the NBA championship. NBAE via Getty Images
Most fans didn’t even know Jones was part of the organization until an ill-conceived banner outside City Hall that bore his name and Patrick Ewing’s sacred No. 33, sparking some unexpected parade-day outrage.
The 24-year-old played a total of 39 minutes for New York, but it was his experience before joining the Knicks that proved invaluable.
As a rookie, the 26th overall pick spent the 2024-25 campaign with the Thunder, who defeated the Pacers in seven games to win the NBA Finals.
Head coach Mike Brown revealed that Jones played a pivotal role in the Knicks’ postseason preparation — despite not playing in the postseason. John Jones-Imagn Images
The Weber State product appeared in 54 regular season games and saw some sporadic action in the postseason as Oklahoma City sought to avenge a second-round postseason exit a year prior.
Crazy.
Mike Brown revealed he leaned on DILLON JONES for advice throughout the Knicks’ championship run after Jones won a title with OKC, and that it was his idea to show the team their faces after the loss of the ECF to the Pacers.
“I spoke to Dillon often during this playoff run because he had just gone through it with Oklahoma City,” Brown added. “I said, ‘Hey, when you guys were in this position, what was [head coach] Mark [Daigneault] saying? What was [general manager] Sam Presit saying? What were you guys saying to each other? What do you think here?”
In his first season as Knicks head coach, Brown preached collaboration and communication, a philosophy that led to 13 straight postseason wins and the organization’s first title in 53 years.
The Knicks ended the organization’s 53-year championship drought. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
One of Jones’ most prudent suggestions, according to Brown, was to have the Knicks relive their own postseason disappointment shortcomings.
Before the Knicks opened the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers, Brown had the team’s video department produce a short film focusing on players’ reactions a year prior, when New York fell in six games to the Pacers.
“Mike Brown said that he showed the film and asked the guys, ‘How did you feel in that moment,” ESPN’s Lisa Salters said during a Game 4 report. “Just to remind them of what it felt like to come up short.”
Brown revealed that he was not the mastermind of that motivation tactic.
“That was [Jones’] idea,” Brown said. “He wanted to show still shots of you because [OKC] did something similar to that because they had lost the year before. We took it to another level, we put together a video just to remind everybody that this is what it felt like.”
It’s unclear what type of role, if any, Jones would have next season, but the Knicks could do worse than a player with two NBA championships in his first two seasons.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 31, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Jazz 118-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers’ top priority this summer is finding a center of the future, so it’s no surprise their top target this summer is a big man.
The restricted free agent market is always tricky to navigate, but the two best centers available this summer fall both fall in that category. While Jalen Duren is feuding with the Pistons — and taking a meeting with the Lakers, to be fair — Kessler is also feuding with the Jazz and LA is ready to take advantage.
On Tuesday evening, longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein provided an update on the Lakers’ free agency. On top of reporting of likely deals for Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes, he also noted that Kessler will be the team’s top free agent target this summer.
The growing anticipation leaguewide is that the Lakers ultimately secure commitments on new contracts from Toronto free agent Sandro Mamukelashvili and Philadelphia free agent Quentin Grimes while still pursuing their top summer target: Utah restricted free agent Walker Kessler. https://t.co/pYMRcSyvrn
Kessler held meetings with teams on Tuesday and, while none of the teams were reported, the assumption is the Lakers were among them. The Jazz and Kessler are quite far apart on their next contract, leading to the Lakers believing they can swoop in on a deal.
Unlike Detroit, the Jazz have not signaled a willingness to match any offer made to Kessler. They already have a host of big men in their front court, including Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic.
Chasing a player in restricted free agency is a gamble and the Lakers are putting a lot of chips in that basket. But if it works, it could be a huge win for the purple and gold.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JUNE 26: Darryn Peterson arrives at the airport after being drafted as the second overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at Salt Lake City Airport greeted by fans on June 26, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Take a breath, people. This article is a momentary bubble of safety from the ongoing Walker Kessler free agency debacle. I will not be adding my fingerprints to the growing collection of my peers’ on the big red illuminating “PANIC” button. I don’t need that kind of anxiety in my life, so I opt to write about Utah’s fertile garden of blossoming youth.
Let’s instead emphasize what is good and happy in the Salt Lake Valley, and that is the second overall pick, Darryn Peterson.
In his first days in the Beehive State, Peterson is quickly familiarizing himself with his teammates, coaches, and the systems that Will Hardy has installed.
“I think the quickest thing is how quick he’s learning,” Third-year Jazzman Cody Williams shared during a media availability. “Even from yesterday to today, you can see he’s a lot more comfortable in the offense, making his reads and getting to his spots. He has a high IQ.”
Cody Williams and Ace Bailey discuss what they’ve seen from Darryn Peterson in his first few days with the Utah Jazz and reflect on their own rookie transitions to show what it takes to find your role in the NBA. #darrynpeterson#takenotepic.twitter.com/Op1Ultf0lm
The (big air quotes here) “veterans” will join Peterson on Utah’s Summer League team this season, and clearly hold plenty of sage wisdom and vital advice for a youngster still finding his footing on a new stage.
Williams and Bailey have survived the rookie experience, and continue to find what they do well and how they can contribute to winning in this exciting new era of Utah Jazz basketball.
On top of ball-handling and court vision, I’d love to see Cody Williams absorb some of the nutrients radiating from Darryn Peterson’s celestial jump shot. This clip of Utah’s rookie putting up a shot is so satisfying it melted me into a heap on my office chair.
One uninterrupted motion, smooth like Carlos Santana, and delicately grazing the net on its way through the cylinder, this is the type of tape you’ll see from a million players of varying skill levels, but not to this degree. This is the type of consistency of a generational shooter — the Utah Jazz somehow came away with this guy without the number-one pick.
Williams likewise arrived in Utah without the benefit of the number-one overall pick, but you get my point.
Disturbing content warning here, but Cody has only eclipsed three-point shooting clips of 25.9% as a rookie and 21.4% as a sophomore. These are abysmal metrics for a player who shot 40% at Colorado (on an admittedly limited sample size). He’ll need to find the range for at least 30% at his position, or his role on the team will be extremely situational. I can think of another wing who prided himself on how well he could see the floor, and that player is no longer in the NBA despite being the number-one pick in 2016.
This image is an omen, Cody; give heed, for heaven’s sake.
Williams and Bailey have experience on their sides and should absolutely feel comfortable in showing DP the ropes in his first days with the team. But make no mistake, Peterson will be the best player on the court from the first minute of Summer League. There’s a lot he’ll need to figure out, but it won’t be long before he’s teaching his elders.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Keon Ellis #14 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on March 01, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets first free agent signing of the 2026 off-season is Keon Ellis, a 26-year-old 6’4″ 3-and-D shooting guard. Ellis, who played last season for the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers, will be paid $18 million over the next two seasons under the proposed deal.
Shams Charania was first with the news…
Free agent guard Keon Ellis has agreed to a two-year, $18 million guaranteed deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/YdLqrFZHhq
Shams also noted that the contract has an odd “mutual option” …
The deal, negotiated by Mark Bartelstein and Torrian Jones of @PrioritySports, contains a full mutual option that fully guarantees the $18M for Ellis while allowing both sides to have a conversation about a new deal next summer, but either party can opt-in (not opt-out). https://t.co/Nsn42dwy0v
Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic explained the option this way…
Keon Ellis has agreed to a 2-year, $18 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets, league sources confirmed to @FredKatz and me. The contract has a team AND player option for Year 2, so either side can choose to opt in. @ShamsCharania first on it.
Ellis, a product of Alabama, is going into his fifth season. After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, Ellis signed a two-way contract with the Sacramento Kings in July 2022 and established his reputation as tough defender and solid shooter. At the trade deadline, Ellis was traded to the Cavaliers where he finished out his three year, $5.1 million vets’ minimum deal.
For the season, in 72 games, 11 starts, Ellis averaged 6.7 points, 1.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 20.5 minutes, with 44/36/73 shooting splits. For his career, Ellis has shot 40.7% from deep. But his big attraction to the Nets is on the other side of the court, being a solid point-of-attack defender in Jordi Fernandez’s schemes. His numbers tell the story…
Indeed, Fernandez was the associate head coach of the Kings when Ellis played in Sacramento between 2022 and 2024.
There will presumably be a logjam at guard, with Terance Mann, second year players Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf as well as this year’s lottery pick, Mikel Brown Jr. Other than Mann and to a lesser degree Powell, however, none are known for the defense.
Yossi Gozlan quickly turned out one of his patented updates on how the signing will effect the Nets salary cap.
Brooklyn Nets salary cap situation with Keon Ellis.
Cap space is fluid in terms of how to procedurally sign him, Day'Ron Sharpe, and Josh Minott.
Ellis later reported that the 3-and-D guards’ value has been difficult to guage, noting that Ellis will make considerably more than Jordan Goodwin, 27, who is at $6.3 million, and Jose Alvarado, 28, with a brand new $4.9 million deal, but none of them is as good a 3-point shooter as Ellis.
Bottom line: Sean Marks & co. still have more than $30 million available.
The Nets and free agent guard Keon Ellis have agreed to a two-year, $18 million guaranteed deal, reports ESPN's Shams Charania.
The signing came shortly after the NBA free agency negotiating window opened and gives Brooklyn some depth at the guard position.
Ellis, 26, has played four seasons in the league and was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Cleveland Cavaliers during last season's trade deadline. With the Cavs, Ellis averaged 8.3 points in 29 games.
For his career, the University of Alabama product who went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft has averaged 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game while playing in 225 games (60 starts).
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) works to the basket as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) defends in the first half of Game 2 in a second-round...
Luke Kennard won’t return to the Lakers for the 2026-27 season.
The free agent guard is leaving the Lakers for the Suns in free agency after just half a season with the Lakers.
Kennard, who was an unrestricted free agent, agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal that was first reported by ESPN.
One of the league’s best shooters since entering the league out of Duke in 2017, Kennard led the league in 3-point shooting percentage (47.8%) for the third time in his career.
Luke Kennard won’t return to the Lakers for the 2026-27 season. APLuke Kennard reacts to a foul call. Getty Images
Kennard averaged 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3 assists in six-game opening round series victory over the Rockets, and 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the Lakers’ playoff run that ended with a second-round sweep to the Thunder.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Anthony Davis and Melody Ehsani attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Washington Wizards at Crypto.com Arena on March 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards are NOT interested in trading center Anthony Davis, according Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports.
The Washington Wizards are not interested in trading 10-time NBA All-Star forward Anthony Davis and are not listening to trade offers for him, a source told @espn@andscape. Another NBA team exec says Wizards GM Will Dawkins is a huge fan of AD.
Keep in mind that things can change real quick during this time of the year in the NBA. But if some of the top NBA insiders say that the Wizards aren’t trading a top star, it’s more likely that that is the case.
Keon Ellis of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes to the basket as Mouhamed Gueye of the Atlanta Hawks defends during the third quarter at State Farm Arena on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
With green guards and precious little defense, the Nets needed to add a veteran in the backcourt and pressure at the point of attack.
They’re hoping Keon Ellis can bring both — and on a team-friendly deal.
The Nets and Ellis agreed to a two-year, $18 million contract Tuesday on the first night of free agency. It was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Post.
The deal includes a full mutual option. It fully guarantees Ellis his $18 million, while still letting both sides negotiate a new deal next summer. Either can opt in.
The Nets would still have nearly $35 million in salary cap space left, per Third Apron cap guru Yossi Gozlan, if they take Ellis and Josh Minott into cap space and Day’Ron Sharpe into the room mid-level exception.
Keon Ellis of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes to the basket as Mouhamed Gueye of the Atlanta Hawks defends during the third quarter at State Farm Arena on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
The Nets spent first-round picks on guards Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf last season, and Mikel Brown Jr. last week. None are expected to be defensive stalwarts, while wing Drake Powell has yet to grow into that role.
Point-of-attack defenders who can actually shoot — prototypical 3-and-D types — are pricey in the NBA, but Ellis may provide some of that archetype.
The 26-year-old Ellis played for Cleveland after being traded midseason from Sacramento. Nets head coach Jordi Fernández was a Kings assistant for two years while Ellis was there, and now they’ll have a reunion in Brooklyn.
Ellis went undrafted and has never earned more than the veteran’s minimum. But he’s a career 40.7 percent shooter from 3-point range and hit 35.5 percent last season for the Cavaliers en route to averaging 8.3 points.
But after averaging 24 minutes in the regular season and notching a plus-4.5 net rating, he struggled in the postseason. He averaged just seven minutes and recorded a minus-15.9 Net Rating in 12 appearances.
Still, playoff struggles are a luxury for the rebuilding Nets, a long way from those sorts of worries. Considering how defensively challenged they are — and how young their backcourt is — it’s easy to see Ellis earning a significant rotation role.
Ellis was fifth in the NBA in steals per 100 possessions in 2024-25 and 15th this past season, when he ranked in the 93rd percentile in steals.
Keon Ellis of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks during the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena on March 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Getty Images
The Nets still have plenty of cap space and even more needs.
They’re unlikely to trade for Boston’s Jaylen Brown, league sources said.
Despite the Nets being linked with the Celtics All-Star, The Post reported Monday that they weren’t likely to deal for him, a league source saying, “I wouldn’t put much stock in it.” The Stein Line confirmed the same Tuesday. But trading away Nic Claxton has left a hole at center and made Day’Ron Sharpe the nominal starter.
Although the Nets have been linked with Jalen Duren and Walker Kessler, both are restricted free agents and seem rich for the Nets’ blood.
So where could Brooklyn look? Across the East River, with The Post reporting the Knicks are unlikely to keep Mitchell Robinson and the Nets have interest.
Robinson leads the NBA in offensive rebounds per 36 minutes and per 100 possessions; Sharpe is fifth in both. The Nets re-signed Sharpe to a two-year, $20 million deal, a team-friendly contract that looks even cheaper weighed against Jock Landale’s one-year, $14 million pact. But prying Robinson away from the Knicks would give the Nets the best rebounding 1-2 punch they’ve ever had.
Robinson is widely expected to command an annual salary starting at $15 million and possibly as high as $20 million.
Two other options are more offensively oriented, in Orlando’s Moritz Wagner and Toronto’s Sandro Mamukelashvili. But the Lakers are not only meeting with Duren but reportedly comfortable offering Mamukelashvili $10 million annually, per SNY. The latter won’t protect the rim, but he’ll pass the ball and space the floor, shooting 38.9 percent from deep this past season.
Another target is Wagner, 29, who would stretch the floor and bring toughness. He averaged just 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.9 minutes last season, seeing his playing time slashed in Orlando. He could see it rise in Brooklyn.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 03: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 03, 2026 in New York City. The Philadelphia 76ers won 130-119. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While there has been little movement across the entirety of free agency on Tuesday, let alone the Lakers, it looks like the team has been moving in the background.
Two players who have been linked to the Lakers, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes, look likely to have deals with LA, according to multiple reports. Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein posted on Twitter that the belief around the league is that the pair will agree to contracts with the Lakers.
The growing anticipation leaguewide is that the Lakers ultimately secure commitments on new contracts from Toronto free agent Sandro Mamukelashvili and Philadelphia free agent Quentin Grimes while still pursuing their top summer target: Utah restricted free agent Walker Kessler. https://t.co/pYMRcSyvrn
Just before that, his co-worker, Jake Fischer, reported that the league is under the impression that both deals are done and the pair will become Lakers.
The likeliest route for them to secure the deals is that one of them is signed with the Room Exception at roughly $9 million this season and the other is signed with cap space at around $10 million. That would leave the team with enough cap space to go after Walker Kessler as well.
With Luka Kennard departing to the Suns, the Lakers need a guard off the bench and Grimes fills that need. As for Mamu, it’s unclear if he’d be a replacement for Rui Hachimura or simply another piece on the roster. If it’s the latter, it’s a good signing. If it’s the former, then it’s a tougher sell.
For now, it’s not the time to jump to conclusions until all the work is done. In a vacuum, both deals are fair value. But seeing them in the greater context of the offseason will be key.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 25: Alexandre Sarr #20 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during a 2025-26 Emirates NBA Cup game on November 25, 2025 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards are in East Group C for next season’s NBA Cup, the NBA announced Tuesday.
The groups are set for the Emirates NBA Cup 2026!
All 30 NBA teams were randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2025-26 regular season.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Keon Ellis #14 of the Clevland Cavaliers looks on in the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 02, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis, who they acquired this past season, has reportedly signed with the Brooklyn Nets on a guaranteed two-year, $18 million deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Free agent guard Keon Ellis has agreed to a two-year, $18 million guaranteed deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/YdLqrFZHhq
The Cavs traded for Ellis and point guard Dennis Schroder from the Sacramento Kings for De’Andre Hunter, a move that was widely seen as a win for Cleveland. The 26-year-old Ellis brought a level of defensive intensity and energy that was severely lacking on the Cavs at the time, but he fell out of the rotation in the playoffs.
In 29 games with the Cavs, Ellis averaged 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 49.1% shooting from the floor. That shooting percentage is the best of Ellis’ career, though his 35.5% three-point shooting figure was the lowest of any other season.
While this move may look puzzling, the Cavs have a number of free agency fires burning that they are working to figure out. The pending departure of Dean Wade was likely higher on the to-do list than re-signing Ellis, which allowed the former University of Alabama guard to seek out a fresh opportunity.
The rebuilding Nets can offer much more playing time, and the reported contract Ellis signed reflects that. The second year has a mutual option, while maintaining the $18 million guarantee. It is unconventional, but it allows the Nets to re-sign Ellis or move on and open a roster spot. The Cavs are in championship-or-bust mode, and it may not have been as likely that Ellis would see such consistent playing time as he would see on a rebuilding squad.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 5, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers are set to lose one of the best shooters on their roster and in the NBA.
Luke Kennard came to LA at the deadline and immediately provided elite shooting and scoring off the bench. But as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, he is reportedly leaving the Lakers and joining the Suns, as first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.
Free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Phoenix Suns, with a player option for the second season, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/rXhDalEdhF
The Lakers losing Kennard is a massive blow as he was a very productive player. Also, with LeBron James out of LA, the roster is suddenly missing multiple players who were a part of it last year. With Kennard making so little, this seems like a deal the Lakers could’ve matched. However, that is not the case, and Kennard will continue his career in Phoenix.
During the regular season, Kennard was a laser for the Lakers. He converted on 53.3% of his attempts and made 47.8% of his shots from deep, making him the league leader in 3-point percentage.
Luke's coaches and teammates surprised him with his trophy for leading the league in 3-point percentage 🙌 pic.twitter.com/vNF1VkRomZ
Kennard remained an effective player throughout the playoffs. He averaged 11.5 points, which was higher than his regular-season average of nine points with the Lakers. His shooting from beyond the arc also remained high, making 47.4% of his threes.
Now that Kennard is gone, the Lakers will have to find another player they can rely on for outside shooting to be an offensive boost for the team. Considering how slim the free agency market is, that will be a difficult thing to accomplish.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball against Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 113-110. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns entered free agency with one open roster spot and one glaring need, adding shooting to a team that had just traded away two of its best perimeter threats. With Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale headed to Charlotte, Phoenix needed to replace some of the spacing and bench scoring it lost in that deal while restoring some balance to the roster.
They’ve now done exactly that. The Suns are signing veteran sharpshooter Luke Kennard to a two-year, $13 million contract. The second year is a player option.
Free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Phoenix Suns, with a player option for the second season, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/rXhDalEdhF
Kennard, who is 30 years old, essentially replaces a very similar player the Suns just sent out. Grayson Allen and Luke Kennard were teammates at Duke, although Allen stayed for all four seasons while Kennard declared for the 2017 NBA Draft after his sophomore year. He was ultimately selected 12th overall by the Detroit Pistons. Now he arrives in Phoenix to fill the role vacated by Allen.
Yes, I do have Luke Kennard atop my list of free agent targets for the Suns I put out yesterday. Just 30 years old and not only led the league in three-point shooting this season with 47.8% from deep he also shot 47.4% in two playoff series for the Lakers. Would be the PERFECT…
While Kennard doesn’t possess the same level of physicality or the ability to get to the rim consistently, he is the better three-point shooter. Over a nine-year NBA career that has spanned five different teams, Kennard has shot 44.2% from beyond the arc. He’s led the NBA in three-point percentage three different times, with his best season coming in 2022-23, when he split time between the Clippers and Grizzlies and shot an absurd 49.4% from three on 4.6 attempts per game. He is a one-dimensional player. He’s a pure shooter.
During the Lakers’ 10-game postseason run this past spring, Kennard averaged 11.5 points while shooting 47.4% from beyond the arc. He’s not going to wow you defensively or protect the rim, and he’s not an exceptional playmaker. His job is simple. Come off the bench and shoot. That’s exactly what the Suns are asking him to do.
What this does to the Suns’ cap sheet is push them back over the first apron, with their projected payroll now sitting at approximately $214.9 million. It also completes the standard roster, as Phoenix has now filled all 15 roster spots heading into next season. The only remaining opening is one two-way contract. That spot could ultimately go to Sam Hoiberg or Corey Camper Jr., both of whom the Suns have already signed to Exhibit 10 contracts.
But at this point, the roster is complete. From a contractual standpoint, they’ve put themselves in a good position. The roster now contains plenty of mid-tier, tradable contracts, giving the organization flexibility as it moves forward. In that regard, they’ve operated the right way. Still, you never know. A transaction could be lurking in the shadows.
The depth chart feels balanced, even if there are still legitimate questions about the team’s defensive viability, where the shot volume will ultimately come from, and what the Phoenix Suns will actually look like during the 2026-27 season.
Now comes the fun part. For the rest of the summer, we’ll do what we always do. We’ll theorize, speculate, and try to figure out what this team can become once the games finally begin.
