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New York Knicks acquire Brooklyn Nets’ Mikal Bridges in blockbuster trade ahead of NBA Draft, free agency new,york,knicks,acquire,brooklyn,nets,mikal,bridges,in,blockbuster,trade,ahead,of,nba,draft,free,agency,liberty,ballers,front-page,76ers-analysis,nba-rumors-news

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Boom. In the quiet, with less than 24 hours before the start of Wednesday’s 2024 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks have pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Knicks are shipping out four future unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks, an unprotected swap, a second-rounder and Bojan Bogdanovic for Mikal Bridges.

In a follow up tweet, Woj added: “The Knicks pay a steep price to land one of the league’s most coveted trade assets and the Nets get a massive haul to replenish assets and embark on a rebuild with mass cap space and future draft picks.”

With Jalen Brunson, fresh off his first All-Star bid, the All-NBA Second team, and having finished fourth in MVP voting, along with Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, Bridges will now round out the Villanova Knicks.

The Nets once depleted their draft warchest for James Harden, who they then traded for Ben Simmons back in 2022. So this allows Brooklyn, who has reportedly turned down numerous other offers for the quintessential 3-and-D stud in the past, to restock and then some.

The next major question for the Knicks is what this could mean, if anything, for OG Anunoby’s future?

The former Raptor recently opted out of his one-year player option. And all insiders seem to agree that he’s all but certain to re-sign in New York. Would adding Bridges, someone who essentially plays the same small forward position as OG, change the equation? Could this be a form of “insurance” should Anunoby somehow walk? There have at least been rumors that OG’s camp was not satisfied with the extension offers he received from Knicks’ President Leon Rose — fueling rumors out of Philadelphia, a team named by numerous sources as having interest.

But there is still plenty of room to keep him around in New York if they trim in other places.

According to Yossi Gozlan, previously with Hoops Hype, the Knicks are now hard-capped yet could still theoretically retain both Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Where would they cut costs then? We’ve already seen rumors that Mitchell Robinson could be on the move, with the Wizards being one team named.

Another former All-NBA Second Teamer, Julius Randle, also has a hefty salary, and should offer back some value if the Knicks looked to move the former Lakers and Pelicans power forward too. If they truly want to avoid the hard cap, then it makes sense why SNY’s Ian Begley had this to add:

As far as the Sixers are concerned, well, you can figure out the bad news rather quickly. Not only does Bridges’ name go off the trade market, he lands with the very team that just knocked Joel Embiid and the squad out of the playoffs back in May.

In many ways, Mikal would have made a perfect fit playing alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — and it doesn’t make things any easier to swallow remembering the Sixers once drafted the rangy wing before quickly trading him on Draft Day 2018.

As for Paul George? Well, the Knicks were one team that had been rumored to potentially have interest in PG should the nine-time All-Star opt in to his one-year player option. Brian Windhorst, Marc Stein and other reporters had previously named the Knicks as a team to watch should the Clippers’ former All-NBA forward pass up the chance to hit free agency — where Daryl Morey and the Sixers would almost certainly have a $212M max four-year deal waiting for the Palmdale native… assuming they don’t surprise us between now and July 1 like the Knicks just did.

With this move, George may lose one option he may have had in an opt-in and trade scenario. That is likely the one part of this move that Morey will — at least momentarily — enjoy. But the Golden State Warriors have already been named as another team to keep close watch on if PG doesn’t wind up hitting free agency but rather seeking trade from his native L.A.

The Athletic’s Fred Katz has been reminding fans that Anunoby is likely re-signing with the Knicks. And with this news bomb, Katz doesn’t appear to be changing his tune much:

Same goes for SNY’s Ian Begley:

If the Knicks really started to feel a cap crunch, in the instance they do keep Anunoby on a deal somewhere in the (rumored) $35M annual-range, perhaps Hartenstein would ultimately become New York’s casualty of this Bridges blockbuster.

The Nets were not done either.

More fro Woj on X:

“Another massive deal: Brooklyn has a deal with Houston to return the Nets’ 2026 first-round pick for a 2027 Phoenix Suns first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Rockets also acquire 2025 right to swap Houston/OKC first for 2025 Suns first-round pick. More details coming on picks deal.”

So not only do the Nets “make up” for some of the picks they lost in that Harden deal by moving Bridges to the Knicks, they recouped some of their own picks they once moved in 2020-2021.

That means… wait for it… you guessed it… the Nets can finally tank and “improve” their own picks — something they couldn’t do back when the Boston Celtics possessed Brooklyn’s lottery picks — helping Danny Ainge and subsequent execs like Brad Stevens begin building the current 2024 champs back in 2016.

On the Rockets side of things, Woj had this to add:

So now Morey and co. can keep watching the clock hoping that there isn’t a news bomb that PG has opted in; unless of course the Sixers have one of these shockers brewing themselves.

And oh right, maybe Kevin Durant could be available too, I guess? Add Durant to your wish list along with PG, Jimmy Butler, Anunoby and Brandon Ingram.

Must be nice….

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The 2024 NBA Draft is set for this coming Wednesday. We can guess that Daryl Morey, Elton Brand and the rest of the Philadelphia 76ers front office are busy investigating pretty much every option under the sun.

We’re also less than a week away from what could become a Philly-legacy-shaping free agency period for the Joel Embiid era. No biggie. Let’s jump right in.

All-Star and Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey’s big option

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

According to Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto, Tyrese Maxey, expected to sign a five-year max deal at some point in time this summer, could receive a player option for the final year of his pending deal.

Per Scotto:

“The most certain thing for Philadelphia is Tyrese Maxey re-signing on a max extension, league sources said. However, after having to wait a year and being patient with Philadelphia’s front office as it prioritized max cap space, keep an eye on Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul wanting a player option on the final year of Maxey’s new contract and the full 15 percent trade kicker he’s eligible for in negotiations, HoopsHype has learned.”

Maxey could have inked himself a max extension one year ago. The constantly evolving combo guard deferred for 12 months in a win-win player-team maneuver. Maxey rolled the dice to bet on himself both to grant the team more cap-flex this summer as well as Maxeymize his own potential earnings.

After falling short of the votes the Garland, Texas native needed to make an All-NBA team, his max earnings will come in around $205M on a five-year deal (it would have been a substantially higher figure if he made any of the three All-NBA teams).

But as a your welcome for deferring, it sounds like Maxey’s Klutch Sports agent, Rich Paul, is gunning to negotiate Maxey an option for the 2028 summer. In a perfect outcome for Morey, one can guess the Team President would have preferred to lock up the first-time All-Star, still just 23-years old, for as long as humanly possible. But he probably won’t quibble much here.

Whatever you want, Tyrese. We love you, we value you dearly, you’re essentially untouchable, and we want you to retire with No. 0 hanging in our future new arena’s rafters one day next to Joel’s No. 21 and a new championship banner or five.

Draft intel

Duke v Houston

Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

According to ESPN’s resident NBA draft guru, Jonathon Givony, the Sixers are still widely expected to shop their upcoming pick at No. 16. But there are a couple of names to keep an eye on if they opt to retain their selection.

Per Givony:

“The Sixers are known to have conducted only a handful of workouts, possibly the fewest of any team drafting in the first round. That info has caused some speculation that this pick could be on the move, depending on which player falls to No. 16.

Regardless of who is picking, [Jared] McCain has an easy niche he can fill in the NBA with his scoring versatility, basketball instincts, competitiveness and smarts, making him an attractive option for teams drafting in this range.”

Givony also noted that one of the few players the team hosted was Pacome Dadiet, a soon-to-be 19-year-old out of France.

The Sixers have also worked out USC’s Isaiah Collier.

Scotto also threw Ja’Kobe Walter, a shooter from Baylor’s name out there, in the event the 76ers cannot re-sign free-agent-to-be, sniper Buddy Hield:

“Lastly, with sharpshooter Buddy Hield entering unrestricted free agency, Ja’Kobe Walter offers a cheaper 3-and-D replacement and a much better perimeter defender with a 6-foot-10 wingspan in the draft.”

Paul George

LA Clippers v Philadelphia 76ers

Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

Of course, no rumor roundup is complete without some of the latest on Los Angeles Clippers’ star Paul George. Is he the Sixers “Plan A?” Has their interest “significantly waned?” Liberty Ballers analyzed that in-depth, processing loads of intel over the weekend.

But Monday offered us even more slop to feast on.

Per Brian Windhorst on ESPN’s “Get Up:”

Per Windy:

“Well, let’s remember that Paul George has three options. One is to re-sign with the Clippers. Two is to enter free agency and go somewhere else like Philly or Orlando. Three, he can opt into his contract and get traded by this weekend. That is something that is gonna come to a head in the next day or two if he wants to go with that option. ’Cause obviously you’d have to negotiate a trade and then the team wouldn’t necessarily need salary cap space. So the Paul George sweepstakes is gonna come to a head, at least that aspect of it, faster than those other players who are gonna be free agents like Klay Thompson and DeMar DeRozan. So Paul George has a different menu of options and we’re gonna see some action in that probably coming up very quickly after the draft.”

When Windhorst says that the sweepstakes is going to come to a head faster than players who are more definitively set to hit free agency on July 1, it’s my belief that he expects that to happen — even if he is not certain.

I’m also basing this opinion off what he said a few days ago on a similarly themed ESPN appearance:

“If Paul George changes teams, it’s very likely going to be a situation where he opts into his contract and requests a trade. The Clippers have an offer on the table that is believed to be similar to what they gave Kawhi Leonard, which is a 3-year deal at just below the max.”

Windhorst has bandied the idea that PG could land up with the New York Knicks. And Marc Stein, via Substack newsletter, over the weekend mentioned that possibility as well:

Per Stein:

“Another trusted source has advised me to keep the Knicks on the list as a potential trade suitor for George if the All-NBA swingman indeed opts into the final season of his current contract at 48.8M. That would position George to push for a trade to another team.”

And Scotto on this one too:

“As Marc Stein reported, the Knicks have interest in Paul George, who can opt into his $48.8 million player option to facilitate a trade.

New York’s interest dates back to last year at the NBA Draft when the Knicks discussed a package featuring Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, and three first-round picks in exchange for George, as previously reported by HoopsHype.

The George interest surfaced at a curious time, after the Knicks low-balled forward OG Anunoby during early free agent discussions on a potential new deal, as Brian Windhorst first reported, and league sources confirmed to HoopsHype.

When the Knicks first acquired Anunoby, the belief was that he’d land a deal in the $30-35 million a year range annually, league sources told HoopsHype. Now, however, that value has gone up, starting at $35 million annually to his maximum starting salary for next season, sources said.”

Boiling this down, if the Clippers are not willing to offer George more than a three-year $150Mish extension (as has been reported from numerous sources now), then he could earn substantially more by changing teams.

He can opt out and net up to $212M from both Philly and Orlando.

If he opts in and is traded, any acquiring team then possessing his Bird Rights, can offer him 8 percent raises (as opposed to 5%) on a four-year total deal, approaching near $221M.

So if Windy thinks PG opting in and being traded is the most likely scenario, and the Knicks have been most commonly mentioned as the team to watch in that hypothetical, then perhaps Knicks’ President Leon Rose is looking for yet another CAA All-Star client for his already well-rounded team.

But of course, the Knicks must also handle their OG Anunoby situation noted above. It feels like a game of chicken between George, the Clips, Sixers, Knicks, Magic, and perhaps even the Golden State Warriors— as has been speculated too.

It’s been rumored that the Knicks are hoping to come in with a $35M annual deal for the former Raptors wing, Anunoby. And that the Sixers still have interest there.

Scotto continues:

“Despite a recent report that Philadelphia’s interest in Paul George has cooled amid uncertainty about whether he’d go across the country and sign with Philadelphia in free agency, there remains significant interest from the 76ers in signing him as a free agent, league sources told HoopsHype.

Should the Sixers whiff on George, trying to trade for Jimmy Butler or sign OG Anunoby to a short-term, higher market average annual salary free agent deal are also options.”

When Scotto mentions that last scenario, we’ve already learned names like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Klay Thompson may remain fall back free agent options for Morey and co.

Scotto echoes the sentiment once more: “Another backup contingency free agency plan is the possibility of giving Kentavious Caldwell-Pope a similar two-year deal to Bruce Brown with a higher first-year salary and team option in the second year, league sources told HoopsHype.”

Oh, and for whatever it’s worth, Udonis Haslem, former Heat lifer and current Miami Vice President of Basketball Development, thinks PG would fit best in Philly.

Per the UD the OG of Heat Culture OG’s:

“I would go to Philly if I’m Paul George….so he can definitely help that team, if he wants to win, ’cause I know he said ‘I ain’t ring chasing,’ that’s a damn lie. Everybody wants to win. Everybody ring chasing nowadays….you want a ring and you ain’t got one… you’re gonna have to go to the East, you ain’t gonna get one out West.”

Haslem was also asked on the “First Take” guest spot if he thinks there are questions around the league about the risk of joining forces with Embiid, given his health history. Haslem said there have been questions there but a player like PG should show up and have an authentic conversation about Joel’s “habits,” and the idea of forming a Big Three with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey that can defeat the Boston Celtics would appeal if he were in PG’s shoes.

Udonis “light years” Haslem. I guess this could even mean the Miami Heat are not a team to watch then for a Paul George trade.

An Alex Caruso ‘what if?’

Chicago Bulls v Philadelphia 76ers

Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

Finally, Scotto leaves us with one last what-if regarding Alex Caruso, recently traded by the Chicago Bulls to the Oklahoma City Thunder for guard Josh Giddey:

“While Philadelphia was also linked to a potential trade for Bulls guard Zach LaVine, the 76ers have less interest in taking on the remaining $138 million on his contract with Alex Caruso no longer able to be attached in trade talks, league sources told HoopsHype.”

So I guess Philly would have considered adding LaVine more seriously if it also included the stud defensive guard, now with the Thunder.

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The Sixers’ offseason flexibility has had them tied to numerous big names — Paul George, LeBron James and Jimmy Butler. Along with these stars, Brandon Ingram was linked as a potential trade option if they were to strike out in free agency. We now have news that the New Orleans Pelicans have reached out to the Sixers regarding Ingram.

The Athletic’s Kelly Iko had the latest scoop on Ingram, along with other Houston-centric storylines in his latest draft notebook:

“…New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram was mentioned as a player seen in a lower tier than Mitchell and in recent days, rumors have swirled about the Pelicans dangling Ingram in trade talks and in one iteration, a hypothetical Ingram-for-Alperen Şengün swap was mentioned, but the Rockets have no interest, team sources said. League sources said New Orleans also contacted the Philadelphia 76ers concerning a possible Ingram trade.”

Recent rumors and reports out of NOLA have suggested that extension talks with Ingram are at a complete standstill, so it makes sense that they’re making calls ahead of next week’s draft. We can get a feel for what the current ask might be if they suggested a straight up swap for Houston’s Alperen Sengun, a rising star who was in the conversation for Most Improved Player this season.

While NOLA’s preference might be getting back a contributor, it’s unlikely that’ll be the case if the Sixers agree to an Ingram deal. An Ingram-Philly trade framework would likely revolve around draft capital, as the Sixers can offer up to five first-round draft picks on draft night.

The current ask isn’t monstrous for a former All-Star such as Ingram, and it’s likely to drop until an actual deal takes place. Around the NBA, teams are looking to shed salary, not add it. Not only is Ingram’s salary large now, but his future team will also need to work out an extension, as he’ll be an unrestricted free agent after next season — another factor that could cause the ask to drop even further. Whether you’re an Ingram fan or not, the appeal of adding him becomes even more intriguing if you’re able to do it for a low price.

It seems like the Paul George smoke has intensified over the past few days, and this Ingram news will only add speculation to what should be a busy offseason for the Sixers.

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There’s a host of possible outcomes for the Sixers in free agency this summer. They have the flexibility to create $60+ million in cap space to go spending and star hunting, plus a bunch of players on expiring contracts ready to hit free agency.

This includes Kelly Oubre Jr., fresh off a strong year where he more than proved his value. Now, he seems to be getting ready to make the most of his chance to land a big raise by acquiring new representation: he’s officially joined CAA Basketball.

Oubre’s agent was Torrel Harris for a few years, but Oubre parted ways with him before joining the Sixers and representing himself for a while.

Oubre’s entering free agency at just the right time after the quality season he turned in. With his on-ball scoring and driving ability, off-ball cutting, some improved passing, athleticism, and defensive ability against guards and forwards (which lapsed at times but was rock solid at others, especially later in the season), he showed he can be a genuinely good player after he went unsigned for so long in free agency just one year ago. He had plenty of games where he was one of the Sixers’ best three or four players on the floor. Getting that kind of production from a player on a minimum deal was incredible value.

There’s no doubt the Sixers should look into bringing Oubre back if they can. But as one of the better wings on the free agent market this summer, he may well have played his way out of the Sixers’ budget and will look to cash in elsewhere.

We’ll see soon enough if a K9 return is possible.