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With NBA Free Agency beginning at 9PM PST on Saturday, teams and players are starting to make decisions on pre-deadline options. Offers and opt-outs dominated Friday’s NBA news.
As we covered earlier, LeBron James has has opted out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and is now an unrestricted free agent.
LeBron could sign a new contract with Cleveland of course, but that doesn’t seem too likely. Dan Feldman quotes Stephen A. Smith of ESPN:
According to a couple of owners I’ve spoken to and a few executives I’ve spoken to, Dan Gilbert is known for not being particularly fond of LeBron James. He doesn’t mind the thought of LeBron James leaving at all. As a matter of fact, I had one executive tell me, “Excuse me, I can’t wait until he leaves, because I’ll get my team back.” This is something Dan Gilbert has actually echoed.
We also covered the news that DeAndre Jordan opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and will become a free agent.
In Portland Trail Blazers news, Shabazz Napier will not be extended a qualifying offer and will become a free agent on July 1.
Aaron Jackson’s team option was picked up by the Houston Rockets according to Shams Charania:
Sources: The Houston Rockets have exercised team option on guard Aaron Jackson’s contract for next season. Houston would need to guarantee Jackson’s $1.4M salary in order to involve him in a potential trade.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2018
To the “delight” of New York Knicks fans, Enes Kanter opted in to his rather large player option according to Shams Charania:
New York Knicks center Enes Kanter plans to exercise his $18.6M player option today to return to the team next season, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2018
Marc J. Spears is reporting that Garrett Temple has exercised his player option and will stay with the Sacramento Kings:
Kings guard Garrett Temple tells @TheUndefeated he will be opting in to his $8 million player option for next season.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) June 29, 2018
İsmail Şenol of Turkey followed up (in Turkish) on Arian Wojnarowski’s report that Joffrey Lauvergne had declined his player option with news that Lauvergne would be playing for Fenerbahce in Europe next year:
As the great @ismailsenol is reporting, Lauvergne will sign with @EuroLeague power Fenerbahce, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/KWDzn9arQD
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2018
Woj also has the scoop on Joe Young who will be a free agent after Indiana declines their team option on him:
Indiana has declined the option on guard Joe Young, league source tells ESPN. He'll become a free agent.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2018
The Houston Rockets are showing interest in Gerald Green, but they aren’t alone says Chris Haynes:
Free agent Gerald Green plans to meet with Houston in Los Angeles on July 1, league sources tell ESPN. The athletic, 3-point specialist has multiple suitors.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 29, 2018
Bojan Bogdanovic will be with the Indiana Pacers for another year as the team are fully guaranteeing his full salary according to Shams Charania:
The Indiana Pacers are guaranteeing forward Bojan Bogdanovic’s $10.5M deal for the 2018-19 season, league sources tell Yahoo. Bogdanovic played critical role for the Pacers last season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2018
The Boston Celtics had a nice playoff run in spite of some crucial injuries. What are the odds they make a major move to try to get over the top? Not so hot according to Danny Ainge as quoted by Gary Washburn:
Danny Ainge on this summer: “We don’t really have a need. We have really good players. We need to surround them with role players with the rest of our roster that have a chance to win.” #Celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) June 29, 2018
Think Paul George is going anywhere other than to the Los Angeles Lakers? It sure doesn’t sound like it, as quoted by Alex Kennedy:
Paul George: "I love LA. This is home. I grew up watching Kobe. When I first fell in love with the game, when I'm outside playing, I wasn't picturing myself in an IND jersey or OKC jersey; I pictured myself in a Lakers jersey. Everyone in the league will say they wanna go home."
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 29, 2018
Speaking of the Lakers, if they can land their big targets they should have any problems filling out their roster according to Alex Kennedy:
Several veterans have told me they'd settle for a minimum deal with the Lakers if they land LeBron James. All eyes will be on L.A. and very few teams have cap room this summer, so they'd have no trouble adding complementary pieces to fill out the roster: https://t.co/T7krjvPCDw
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 29, 2018
Finally, we’ll end with another good quote collected by Alex Kennedy about the overall free agency outlook this year:
Very few teams have cap room, so NBA agents believe quality players will have to settle for mid-level exception/bi-annual exception. One agent said, "Many agents will be fired this summer. It's the worst free-agent market in terms of money that I’ve seen." https://t.co/d0s9BuAgwi
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 29, 2018
Adding some late-breaking Friday night news: Lonzo Ball suffers a knee injury according to Shams Charania:
Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball has a torn meniscus in his left knee, league sources tell Yahoo. Ball is expected to be ready for training camp next season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2018