Tag: NBA Free Agency

DeMar DeRozan listed as Lakers dream free agency target this summer

Could the Los Angeles Lakers steal DeMar DeRozan from the Chicago Bulls in free agency?

The Chicago Bulls have some big-time decisions to make this summer, and one of them revolves around whether or not to re-sign DeMar DeRozan. Other teams could try to steal him away. According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, DeRozan could be a dream free agency target for the Los Angeles Lakers.

“This is quite a pipe dream, especially since DeMar DeRozan could make eight times as much money by returning to the Chicago Bulls next season,” Swartz wrote. “Still, DeRozan himself hasn’t ruled out signing with the Los[lawrence-auto-related count=3] Angeles Lakers, who were his favorite team while he grew up in Compton, California.

“For a player who’s made over a quarter-billion dollars in his NBA career (not counting endorsements), taking the Lakers’ $5.2 million taxpayer MLE and joining LeBron James (a potential free agent himself), Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and others on a Lakers team packed with talent may be appealing for DeRozan. DeRozan might not be a perfect fit, but he is easily the most talented player whom the Lakers would have a chance at signing with their taxpayer MLE.”

If DeRozan signed with the Lakers, he would get a chance to play for one of his home-town teams.

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Tobias Harris floated as Bulls’ dream free agency target this summer

Could the Chicago Bulls go after Tobias Harris in free agency?

The Chicago Bulls have a big offseason ahead of them. They have a bunch of different options to consider. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report recently wrote an article about “dream” free agency targets for every team in the NBA, and for the Bulls, he listed veteran forward Tobias Harris.

“The Chicago Bulls reportedly want to keep DeMar DeRozan, although committing more than $80 million to him and Zach LaVine next season doesn’t seem like a recipe for success,” Swartz wrote. “Even if the Bulls run it back (again), they’ll need some additional help to make the playoffs. Tobias Harris would be a nice veteran pickup regardless of whether DeRozan returns. The 31-year-old averaged 17.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.0 steals per game with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, but his tenure in Philly appears likely to end this summer.

“A core of Coby White, LaVine, DeRozan, Harris and Nikola Vučević features plenty of scoring and would be better equipped to make a playoff run. On his new contract, Harris isn’t likely to earn anywhere close to the $39.3 million he made this past season. He could be in play for Chicago with the $12.9 million non-taxpayer MLE.”

Depending on the price, adding Harris could help the Bulls make the playoffs next year, making the move worth it.

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Spurs among teams floated as potential Tobias Harris suitors

Should the San Antonio Spurs go after Tobias Harris in free agency?

Tobias Harris and the Philadelphia 76ers are not going to be heading into next season together. The question is, where will Harris go? Which teams will throw him an offer in free agency. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report name-dropped the San Antonio Spurs as a team that could potentially consider signing him.

“The Sixers won’t prioritize retaining Harris over going big-game hunting with their cap space, and it feels like a fresh start is in order anyway,” Hughes wrote. “The Thunder, Pistons, Hornets, Raptors, Spurs and even the Magic could justify tossing $15-20 million per season at Harris, and the options broaden substantially if we include non cap-space teams that could offer the full mid-level exception.

“With bigger names on the market and the “overpaid” label of the past dogging him, Harris feels like a forgotten man in 2024 free agency. Don’t be surprised if, when we reassess the offseason in a few months, the team that signs him rates as one of the big winners.”

Harris could bring a solid veteran presence to San Antonio, but he looked rough at the end of his time with the 76ers.

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Pistons floated as potential ‘surprise landing spot’ for DeMar DeRozan

Is there a chance DeMar DeRozan joins the Detroit Pistons this offseason?

This offseason will be full of decisions for the Chicago Bulls, and one of the biggest revolves around the impending unrestricted free agency of DeMar DeRozan. They’ll need to come to an agreement on a new deal with him if they want him back, but if they don’t, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes the Detroit Pistons could be a potential “surprise landing spot.”

“Whether Detroit should go down this road at all is a separate question, and…actually, you know what? Let’s just answer it,” Hughes wrote. “The Pistons shouldn’t be in the market for 34-year-old non-spacers, no matter how productive they’ve been, with a young roster starved for shooting.

“What’s more, all that cap space would be better utilized as a means to take on bad contracts with picks attached. Adding costly veterans at this juncture would be classic step-skipping—exactly the kind of hasty thinking that gets teams mired in the dreaded middle. But one can at least understand how the brutal last half-decade might spur some rash decisions in Detroit. When you’ve been this bad for this long, mediocrity, which DeRozan has proved he can deliver, looks pretty good.”

If the Bulls truly want to focus on the future, letting DeRozan walk could be what’s best for them.

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Could the Spurs be a ‘surprise landing spot’ for Klay Thompson?

Could the San Antonio Spurs go after Klay Thompson in free agency?

This summer is shaping up to be a busy one for the San Antonio Spurs. Despite being one of the worst teams in the league this past season, they have a clear pathway to competitiveness, thanks to Victor Wembanyama. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes they could even be a potential “surprise landing spot” for Klay Thompson in free agency.

“From San Antonio’s perspective, Thompson’s premium shooting and championship experience could be hugely valuable for cornerstone Victor Wembanyama,” Hughes wrote. “An offense that ranked 28th in three-point percentage can’t give Wemby the spacing he needs to thrive, and Thompson could help boost that hit rate.

“For Thompson, there would certainly be worse options than signing on to play alongside a younger generational superstar in Wemby after spending his career with Stephen Curry. Throw in head coach Gregg Popovich, an organization that historically treats its vets well and the opportunity to link up with a team on the rise, and the Spurs actually have quite a bit to offer.”

Adding Thompson’s three-point shooting, even at his age, would be a massive win for the Spurs’ offense, especially if they can get him on a good deal.

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Jalen Smith suggested as potential Bulls free agency target

Could the Chicago Bulls target Jalen Smith in free agency this offseason?

The Chicago Bulls should be looking to shake things up this summer in hopes of improving their roster and their future. One guy who they could target is Indiana Pacers big man Jalen Smith, as Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report suggested him among potential free agency targets for Chicago.

“The Bulls should plan on probing the big-man market this summer,” Buckley wrote. “They’ll have no choice if Andre Drummond exits in free agency, but it goes beyond that. Chicago should be prepared for—and, some might argue, pursuing—the possibility of a Nikola Vučević trade between now and his contract’s expiration in 2026. His counting categories might generally impress, but this club has consistently fared better without him throughout his three-plus seasons in the Windy City.

All of the above and more should give the front office reason to consider Jalen Smith, assuming he declines his $5.4 million player option, per Spotrac. Chicago doesn’t always get the shooting or the shot-blocking it needs from the center spot, and Smith is one of few reasonably priced players capable of scratching both itches For his career, he’s been a per-36-minutes supplier of 1.7 threes and 1.5 blocks, per Basketball-Reference, and his outside shot has never looked more promising. This season, he not only splashed a career-high 61 triples (in 61 games), he did so while posting a personal-best 42.4 percent conversion rate.”

Smith’s dynamic offense at the big man position could really help the Bulls on that end of the floor.

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Report: Warriors showing interest in Malik Beasley

Malik Beasley buried 224 3-pointers with the Bucks during the 2023-24 campaign.

While the Western Conference finals are underway in the NBA playoffs, the Golden State Warriors are already preparing for the offseason. After being eliminated from the play-in tournament, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Steve Kerr and the Warriors have questions to answer, starting with how they will handle free agency.

In the early stages of the offseason, the Warriors are reportedly showing interest in a sharpshooting soon-to-be free agent. According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Warriors are showing an early interest in Milwaukee Bucks wing Malik Beasley. Along with the Warriors, the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic are showing interest in Beasley, per Iko.

Via @KellyIko on X:

https://x.com/KellyIko/status/1792950368441159880

During the 2023-24 campaign, Beasley drilled 224 3-pointers with the Bucks, ranking 11th for made 3-pointers in the NBA. During his only season with the Bucks, the Florida State product average 11.3 points on 44.3% shooting from the floor to go along with 3.7 boards and 1.4 assists in 29.6 minutes per contest.

Beasley has played seven seasons in the NBA, with stops in Denver, Minnesota, Utah, Los Angeles and Milwaukee. The 27-year-old guard has averaged 38.5% from beyond the arc on 5.9 3-point attempts per game over his career.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X! 

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Could the Chicago Bulls target Caleb Martin in free agency?

Caleb Martin could be a potential free agency target for the Chicago Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls should be scouring the market for potential improvements this summer, as they will have a chance to reshape their roster. Though their primary focuses should probably be the trade market and the 2024 NBA Draft, they could also look to add in free agency. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report suggested they target Caleb Martin.

“The forward spots could be the primary focus for this front office,” Buckley wrote. “They not only need to decide the free-agency fates of DeMar DeRozan (unrestricted) and Patrick Williams (restricted), they also must explore ways of upgrading the rotations behind them. Caleb Martin could be a really smart flier to take whenever he makes the easy call to decline his $7.1 million player option.

“The 28-year-old effectively aced the two-way energizer role over the past three seasons in South Beach. He guards up and down positions, makes enough threes to keep defenders honest (career 35.7) and uses his revved-at-all-times motor to make myriad hustle plays. He has also dropped a few hints at perhaps still having some untapped potential, despite being a 28-year-old role player. There aren’t a ton of support players who’ve delivered a big-stage showing like his masterful run through the 2023 Eastern Conference finals, when he helped the eighth-seeded Heat oust the second-seeded Boston Celtics by averaging 19.3 points with a wholly absurd 60.2/48.9/87.5 shooting slash.”

Adding some 3-and-D forward help to the mix would be great for the Bulls.

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Buddy Hield tops list of potential Bulls free agency targets

If the Chicago Bulls want to improve their roster this summer, one of their top priorities should be to add some three-point shooting to the mix. Zach Buckley recently road a free-agent big board for Chicago, and he put Buddy Hield at the top of the …

If the Chicago Bulls want to improve their roster this summer, one of their top priorities should be to add some three-point shooting to the mix. Zach Buckley recently road a free-agent big board for Chicago, and he put Buddy Hield at the top of the list.

“If the Bulls get nothing else done this offseason, they should at least find ways to up their three-point volume,” Buckley wrote. “There is a cap on how efficient this offense can be when it holds bottom-five rankings in three-point makes (27th) and attempts (26th), never mind what better spacing might mean for attackers like DeRozan and Coby White. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Chicago throw the entire non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception at this perimeter deficiency, and if it does, that might be enough to snag Buddy Hield.

“He is an elite outside shooter who routinely wows with volume and efficiency. The 31-year-old is already top-25 all-time in three-point makes (1,924, 22nd), a feat made all the more impressive by the fact he’s also a 40 percent perimeter shooter for his career. Hield is probably hoping for a bigger payout than this, but there aren’t a slew of win-now teams with money to spend, and the 76ers might be focused on bigger-fish pursuits.”

Hield has been one of the best three-point shooters since he’s stepped in the league, and he would undoubtedly help Chicago’s offense.

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Could Bulls’ Patrick Williams sign an offer sheet with the Jazz?

Could Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams sign an offer sheet with the Utah Jazz in free agency?

The Chicago Bulls will have some big-time decisions to make this summer, and a lot of them will come to fruition in free agency. Patrick Williams will be an unrestricted free agent, and while the Bulls have his rights, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report thinks the Utah Jazz should sign him to an offer sheet.

“In the event he puts pen to paper for less than the max, signs a basic extension (140 percent raise) or the parties agree to wait until next summer, Utah has more than enough scratch to inflate the cost of other teams’ free agents—not unlike it did with Paul Reed last year,” Favale wrote. “Team CEO Danny Ainge and general manager Justin Zanik should consider doing the same with Patrick Williams. Granted, there’s more risk involved here. Even with injuries galore in his rear view—including season-ending surgery on his left foot this year—Williams will require a hefty offer sheet to really put pressure on the Chicago Bulls.

“And there’s no guarantee the folks in the Windy City match. They are the biggest wild cards this offseason, and Williams has yet to establish himself as a higher-volume offensive threat. Utah doesn’t need to care. The 22-year-old is a heady defender and capable of rumbling with bigger wings and forwards. If Chicago doesn’t match an offer sheet, the Jazz would meaningfully beef up their perimeter stopping power while unlocking some ultra-huge lineups featuring Williams, Markkanen, Taylor Hendricks, John Collins or Walker Kessler and a guard.”

Losing Williams would be a very tough blow for the Bulls.

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