We have reached the summer doldrums in the NBA — there is no wind filling the sails of teams pushing them toward completing. Put another way: There is no immediate deadline.
For restricted free agents, the real pressure comes when training camps start at the end of September, that's when teams and players have to have a deal. Teams also look at the remaining free agents out there and think, "Why do I have to commit to a deal now? Let's see what the market looks like closer to the start of camp." So we wait. Here is where things stand with the nine biggest-name free agents on the board.
1) Jalen Duran (restricted)
Jalen Duren's situation remains unchanged. He is the best free agent on the board — an All-NBA and All-Star player last season who averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while playing elite defense in the paint — but he and the Pistons remain well apart on a contract extension.
The Pistons are not considering sign-and-trade options, something league sources have told NBC Sports all offseason. ESPN's Anthony Slater echoed that sentiment on the Hoop Collective Podcast: "Detroit has nixed that idea completely."
The question now is money. After a rough playoffs, Duren cost himself money. Detroit reportedly opened with an offer in the mid-$30 million-a-year range (maybe something like five years, $180 million), while Duren is looking for something closer to the same deal Victor Wembanyama just signed (five years, $251 million, a $50 million a year average). Right now, there is little pressure for either side to compromise, but as we move into mid- and late-September, that changes.
Duren can play for the $9.5 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, but that is a massive risk, leaving maybe a couple hundred million dollars on the table.
2) James Harden
Harden opted out of his $42.3 million player option to give the Cavaliers more cap flexibility to upgrade the roster, or more specifically, chase LeBron James. That didn't exactly work out. Now the two sides will eventually come to a deal that sees Harden take a haircut next season but get a longer-term deal worth more total money.
The Cavaliers are currently $35.5 million below the second apron with 13 roster spots filled. Harden will make 14, but again there is no rush as the Cavaliers have poked around a sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga — or just outright signing him for the taxpayer midlevel exception of $6.1 million — which would impact what Cleveland can offer Harden. (Cleveland also was tied at points to a Peyton Watson sign-and-trade but that seems to have cooled down.)
So this is dragging out, with no real pressure to get a deal done.
3) Peyton Watson (restricted)
Denver is stuck, in part because they paid Christian Braun five years, $125 million last summer, then matched the Spencer Jones offer sheet from Oklahoma City. The real issue is that Braun didn't live up to his new deal last season, Watson stepped in and outplayed him, and is now looking for a contract in the same ballpark. Watson earned that, but the Nuggets are currently the only team in the league over the second apron — with an ownership group not known for paying that level of tax — and giving Watson a similar deal would lead to a massive tax bill.
Which is why a sign-and-trade of Watson may be the final outcome, and Denver is open to it. Atlanta, Cleveland, Milwaukee and the LA Clippers are the teams that have reportedly expressed interest. However, the Hawks and Cavaliers have cooled of late because of the asking price (both from Watson and the Nuggets), reports Brett Siegel at ClutchPoints.. The Bucks are hesitant to throw in a first-round pick to get the deal done, reports Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Complicating matters is the second apron. With the Nuggets currently over that line they are limited in what they can take back (it has to be less salary, players can't be aggregated and more). The Clippers reportedly want to offer Derrick Jones Jr. to Denver in a trade, but the apron makes that very difficult.
It's possible Denver just signs Watson, but that means it will have found a trade partner to take on Braun and his contract, or Cameron Johnson and his larger $23.1 million contract.
4) Jonathan Kuminga
Didn't we just do this extended free agency with Jonathan Kuminga last summer?
Atlanta didn't pick up the $23.4 million team option on Kuminga, and he originally was hoping to make in that ballpark again with a new team, but that's not happening. He's going to make considerably less, very possibly on a short-term deal where he will have to prove his worth — not just as a scorer, but as a guy who can fit into a team system and play a role. That was at the core of his clashes with Steve Kerr in Golden State.
Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers have been regularly mentioned as the primary suitors for Kuminga, but neither is offering near what Kuminga wants per year in a new deal, and any sign-and-trade contract has to be for at least three years under the CBA. Which is why Kuminga taking less — maybe the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception from Cleveland — to get a shorter deal that gets him back on the market more quickly might be the answer. Kuminga's athleticism, defense and scoring would help the Lakers or Cavaliers — as long as he played a role.
It feels like next summer, or the one after, we could be right back here with Kuminga.
5) DeMar DeRozan
This is one of those veteran signings that likely happens closer to the start of training camp. There is no urgency now, as teams will choose to keep their options open and not commit until they have to.
Miami and DeRozan have mutual interest, according to multiple reports. Cleveland has been mentioned as another landing spot, as have Denver and Washington. Other teams could jump in the mix close to the start of camp. DeRozan, 36, can help a team off the bench, he averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 assists per game in Sacramento last season.
6) Bennedict Mathurin (restricted)
Mathurin and the Clippers remain apart on a contract, but a lot of things feel up in the air with the Clippers right now as everyone waits for the Aspiration/Kawhi Leonard investigation to take a next step (and the Leonard trade to Toronto to go through). LA wants to re-sign Mathurin, who averaged 17.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in the 26 games he played for them last season after coming over in the Ivica Zubac trade.
The Clippers are open to a sign-and-trade. Detroit called and talked to the Clippers, but that is now dead, reports Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. New Orleans is known to have called. The Clippers would be open to a deal with the Bulls (Isaac Okoro and some second-round picks, Siegel reports), but those talks also seem cold.
Mathurin may just re-sign with the Clippers, the question is the money and years. Mathurin could play for his $8.8 million qualifying offer and become a free agent next offseason, but he'd be leaving money on the table and teams want to pay him. Eventually. This is likely wrapped up closer to training camp.
7) Russell Westbrook
Does Westbrook get signed before the start of training camp? Or is this a case where a team goes into camp and realizes it needs point guard depth (or gets hit with an injury) and reaches out to the future Hall of Famer?
Wherever he lands, Westbrook very likely would be asked to come off the bench (something he did not do in Sacramento a year ago) and play for the minimum, but if he's willing to do that, there will be teams calling. Eventually. Last season with the Kings, he averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game, although he is not efficient, is inconsistent and is limited defensively.
The Kings would be open to a reunion, reports ESPN’s Anthony Slater, but rookie Darius Acuff will be the starter in Sacramento and Westbrook would be his backup and play more of a mentor role.
Celtics +2.5 (-115)
Knicks -4.5 (-110)
Spurs -1.5 (-110)
Pistons
76ers
Thunder
