Morning Shootaround

Shootaround (July 3) -- Latest NBA Summer League and free agency news

NBA.com staff reports

Latest NBA headlines and free-agency news:

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Hornacek sees Porzingis as vital piece — That the New York Knicks would even ponder trading Kristaps Porzingis in the offseason left many an NBA wonk baffled. Porzingis’ name was even mentioned in some pre-Draft trade talk, but that has died down and his future with the Knicks is looking more certain. That’s the word from Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek, who spoke with our Fran Blinebury yesterday at the Orlando Summer League:

Now, for the first time since Jackson’s departure on June 28, coach Jeff Hornacek said he expects the 21-year-old power forward to be a part of the team for the 2017-18 season.

“That’s my assumption as coach,” Hornacek said Sunday after watching the Knicks fall to 0-2 at the Orlando Summer League with a 103-78 loss to the Pistons. “I think we’re gonna have all our guys back.

“We want to have all our guys back. I think it was out there that Phil would listen to things. He wouldn’t have been out shopping K.P. We love KP and what he does. I don’t see him going anywhere.”

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While his numbers mostly went up a tick in 2016-17, there was a general sense that the 7-3 Latvian did not make the progress that was expected by the organization.

“First year you’re trying to get your feet when you get thrown out there,” Hornacek said. “The second year, now you feel more comfortable and take a few steps forward. Then the third year you’re really confident. You’ve been in the league for a couple of years. You know guys’ tendencies more. You know how guys guard you. The game just starts to slow down for you. When the game starts to slow down for you, that’s when you take big strides.”

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Report: Durant is taking less than expected: According to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant is expected to take a pay cut when he signs his new deal with the Golden State Warriors.

Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area Newspaper Group reports that Durant will get nearly $10 million less than what he could have received.

Durant is expected to sign a two-year, $53 million contract, a source confirmed. The exact details of his new contract were first reported by ESPN’s Chris Haynes. His first-year salary will be $25 million, nearly $10 million less than what he could have gotten. The second year is a player option, which Durant is expected to decline and sign a new maximum contract.

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Report: Hayward to provide another big July 4th decision?: Last year on July 4, Kevin Durant made his decision to leave the Thunder to join the Warriors – a decision which had ripple effects in the league. It appears Gordon Hayward may be doing the same thing following his meetings with the Heat, Celtics and Jazz, which are vying for his services.

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Reports: Clippers nearing agreement with Gallinari: ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and others are reporting that the Clippers are nearing a three-year deal with forward Danilo Gallinari, whom they would then formally acquire in a three-way deal with the Nuggets and Hawks.

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When the Jazz traded for Ricky Rubio before the start of free agency’s negotiating period on Friday, it marked the end of Hill’s stint with Utah. He’s still on the market as of today and according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, will be meeting with the Lakers to discuss a possible one-year deal …

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Report: Anthony open to trade to Rockets, Cavs — The New York Knicks are looking for a new team president after ousting Phil Jackson. Could they be in the market for a new starting forward, too, for 2017-18? According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com, star forward Carmelo Anthony is open to waiving his no-trade clause if the Knicks can work out a trade to the Houston Rockets or Cleveland Cavaliers:

Carmelo Anthony, a 10-time NBA All-Star, is open to waiving his no-trade clause to join the Houston Rockets or Cleveland Cavaliers should those teams create a pathway to a deal with the New York Knicks, league sources told ESPN.

Houston has been proactive in pursuing possible trade scenarios for Anthony lately, though its discussions around the league have yet to gain traction on a deal, league sources said.

The arrival of All-Star guard Chris Paul to join MVP runner-up James Harden has catapulted the Rockets into contention for Anthony and established his interest in joining the Rockets, sources said.

Cleveland has remained a preferred destination for Anthony because of the presence of LeBron James.

Anthony had been a consistent target of former Knicks president Phil Jackson, who had been pushing for Anthony to waive his no-trade clause and leave New York. After Jackson’s firing last week, the Knicks have maintained a stance of wanting significant assets back for Anthony in a trade and have resisted the idea of a contract buyout, league sources said. Sources said the Knicks are trying to avoid long-term salary commitments to older players.

In discussions with Houston, sources indicated that the Knicks have been reluctant to consider taking on forward Ryan Anderson, who is owed $61.3 million over the next three years.

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Report: Pacers turn to Collison: With last season’s starting point guard Jeff Teague reportedly heading to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Pacers have agreed to a two-year deal with Darren Collison.

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New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose is a free agent this summer, but had his best days in the NBA as a member of the Chicago Bulls. A return to the Midwest may be on the table as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports Rose will talk with the Milwaukee Bucks today — but a return to New York may also be in the cards, per Ian Begley of ESPN and Al Iannazzone of Newsday …

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Update, 11:51 a.m. — According to Adam Himmelsbach of the The Boston Globe, Gordon Hayward has no set timetable for making his free-agency decision …

Jazz ready their free-agent pitch to Hayward — Today is the moment Utah Jazz fans everywhere have been awaiting: team brass meeting with marquee free agent Gordon Hayward and convincing him to stick around a few more years. After being wooed by the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics the past two days, Hayward will entertain Jazz officials at one of his offseason homes — this one being in San Diego. Jody Genessy of The Deseret News has more:

On Monday, the Utah Jazz get a turn to make their free-agency pitch to Gordon Hayward.

Don’t expect a Hayward replica statue next to Stockton and Malone or for the initials GH to replace the U above The Hill.

Unlike the other two suitors, the Jazz are traveling to chat with Hayward. The meeting will take place in San Diego, according to sources.

Owner Gail Miller and her family, general manager Dennis Lindsey, coach Quin Snyder and team president Steve Starks are among the members of the Jazz who will meet with the All-Star small forward. Their objective, of course, is to convince him to return home to Utah while visiting with him in his home away from home in Southern California.

While some people will overanalyze the location of this meeting, the people and plan are far more important than the place.

All things considered, it might make the most sense for this important rendezvous to take place away from Utah anyway.

Hayward is living in San Diego this offseason, for one thing. The Jazz’s building and practice facility are both hard-hat construction sites as they undergo massive renovations, for another.

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The Jazz will get a chance — away from the hustle and bustle of their summer league activities and away from anxious and hopeful fans — to drive home the important points about why they believe Utah is the place for the Haywards.

Lindsey loves to talk about how the Jazz love to tell their story to prospects, and this is their chance to do just that.

Even though Hayward just had great visits this weekend with two impressive organizations with championship pedigrees, top-tier coaches and respected front offices, the Jazz enter this important meeting with confidence.

They believe the grass is greener on their side of fence.

They believe this family should stay together.

“We feel good because of the city and the organization, the level of the team, Quin, the development staff, Rudy (Gobert),” Lindsey recently said. “We’re quite confident. We’ll see what that means. We’ll find out if that’s overconfident or appropriately placed. … I think as much as anything we’re confident in where the team is positioned, the ability to move it forward.”

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It wouldn’t hurt to point out that Hayward can make more money in Utah than anywhere else if he signs a five-year max contract, too. (The Jazz can pay him $172.4 million through the 2021-22 season, while Boston and Miami can give him $127.8 million over four years.)

The Jazz know, however, that money won’t be the deciding factor. It’s deeper than that. It’s all about their fit and future together, and reassuring him that he can win and challenge the Warriors (and the rest of the rising West) in Utah. Hayward is about winning more than anything else.

“I think Gordon knows how much he’s appreciated here and how the fit’s been. It’s been great for him,” Snyder said. “We certainly want him to continue here. There’s lots of good things happening here. There’s lots of momentum.”

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Reports: Nuggets, Millsap reach deal — Almost from the outset of free agency, former Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap saw his name linked to several teams in the Western Conference. In the end, though, the Denver Nuggets have emerged with the All-Star big man after the two sides agreed on a three-year deal last night. The Denver Post‘s Nick Kosminder has more on the deal:

The Nuggets landed one of the most significant free agents in franchise history Sunday night, agreeing to a three-year, $90 million deal with power forward Paul Millsap, a league source confirmed.

Millsap was an all-star with the Atlanta Hawks each of the last four seasons and gives the Nuggets an impact frontcourt presence alongside center Nikola Jokic. The 11-year veteran should provide an immediate impact for a young roster that finished one game out of the Western Conference playoff picture last season.

The contract, which can’t be officially signed until Friday, has a team option for the third year.

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The addition of Millsap was a major coup for the Nuggets in their attempt to keep pace with their rivals in the Northwest Division and other teams in the Western Conference. Minnesota swung a deal for Chicago star Jimmy Butler on draft night last month. Shortly before free agency began Friday night, Oklahoma City stunned the NBA by acquiring Paul George in a trade with Indiana, pairing a player of all-league caliber next to MVP Russell Westbrook.

The Nuggets had to make a move to keep pace and take another step as they aim to return to the postseason for the first time since 2013. Denver attempted to make multiple trades, both before and after the draft, in an attempt to land a marquee player. The Nuggets weren’t able to acquire a star through those means, but they put on a full-court press in an attempt to land Millsap, a player about whom the organization has been intrigued for some time. By landing their target through free agency, a move first reported by Yahoo Sports, the Nuggets were able to keep a young roster that includes Jokic, guards Gary Harris and Jamal Murray and forward Juancho Hernangomez together.

President Josh Kroenke, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, general manager Arturas Karnisovas, coach Michael Malone and guard Gary Harris made the trip to Atlanta on Saturday to meet with Millsap. They were joined by Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, who impressed the Nuggets brass with his pitch to Millsap about the rise of Denver as a city and what it meant to win there, experience he gained by helping the Broncos win Super Bowl 50.

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Millsap, who will become Denver’s highest-paid player, is also considered one of the league’s top leaders, a quality the Nuggets wanted to add to a locker room of young players. Millsap has blossomed in that role throughout his career, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last season.

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Report: Wizards plan to match Porter’s offer sheet — In virtually every statistical sense of the word, the 2016-17 season was a fantastic one for the Washington Wizards’ Otto Porter Jr. It didn’t take long for him to cash in on that season, as he received a max offer sheet from the Sacramento Kings last night totaling a reported four years and $100 million (per Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee). According to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post, the Wizards plan to match that offer and keep Porter Jr. in the fold:

As a restricted free agent, Porter can still return to the Washington Wizards, but the team must match the Kings’ offer. Washington has until Saturday to re-sign Porter.

According to several people familiar with the Wizards’ thinking, the team will in fact match the lofty offer. The Wizards did not extend their own maximum offer to Porter at the start of the free agency period at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, but team officials still believe that he is a vital part of the team’s success. If Porter re-signs with Washington, he would become the highest-paid player on the roster.

Keeping Porter would greatly limit Washington’s spending potential. Therefore, the Wizards must find minimum salaries to complete the roster. They made one such deal Sunday, adding shooting depth to its bench unit by agreeing to terms with free agent guard Jodie Meeks. The short-term deal is for two years and $7 million and makes use of Washington’s bi-annual exception.

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This addition, combined with Porter’s maximum offer sheet, likely signals the end of Bojan Bogdanovic’s brief time in Washington.

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If Bogdanovic does not return, then Meeks would instantly step into the shooting void. Through a scattered 2016-17 season with the Orlando Magic, Meeks shot a personal-best .409 three-point percentage.

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Report: Rondo, Lakers have mutual interest in deal — In terms of big markets in the NBA, Rajon Rondo has played in many of them. From Boston to Dallas to last season in Chicago, there aren’t too many major cities left on his list. According to Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times, the Lakers have some decided interest in signing Rondo:

In their search for veteran backcourt help, the Lakers have been considering a familiar, if unexpected name.

Former Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo and the Lakers have mutual interest. A representative from Rondo’s camp initiated the discussions on Friday night, as free agency opened.

If that interest moves into serious contract discussions, Rondo would have to agree to a one-year deal, as the Lakers have been unwilling to jeopardize their salary-cap space for the summer of 2018.

The Lakers see Rondo as a candidate for a one-year deal, having become something of a journeyman lately. They also see him as a potential mentor for rookie point guard Lonzo Ball. In Chicago last season, Rondo was hailed as a great teammate by the Bulls’ younger players.

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SOME RANDOM HEADLINES: What happened to the 60-win Hawks? They all left for (much) more money … Is Draymond Green trying to recruit Nick Young to the Golden State Warriors? … According to a report, the Indiana Pacers may be trying to trade for Cory Joseph … The Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly pulled their qualifying offer to Shabazz Muhammad … Veteran Vince Carter is reportedly meeting with the Sacramento Kings today …

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