NBA insider Marc J. Spears reports Jalen Duren's restricted free agency standoff with Detroit has turned personal, with Duren feeling disrespected rather than simply underpaid.
Lakers insider Jovan Buha said on The Third Apron podcast that Marcus Smart appeared ready to leave Los Angeles even before free agency opened.
Jonathan Kuminga texted Lonzo Ball podcast co-host Darren Moore to dispute reports he turned down more money from Los Angeles. Kuminga said no such offer was ever on the table before he signed with Minnesota. The denial contradicts earlier rumors that the Lakers offered him more than the Timberwolves did.
John Konchar is drawing interest from the Knicks, Heat, Magic and Raptors, Marc Stein reported in his Stein Line newsletter, calling him one of the top free agents still available.
Free agent big man Maxi Kleber is drawing serious interest from BC Roma, the new Italian club founded by Luka Doncic and Donnie Nelson, according to Marc Stein. The 34-year-old German center enters Serie A and the EuroCup with hopes of eventually joining NBA Europe, and signing Kleber would be a headline addition.
Miami is looking for backcourt depth behind Davion Mitchell after adding Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. Heat insider Ira Winderman reports D'Angelo Russell could be an option if he works out a buyout with Memphis.
Boston is interested in signing Devin Carter once he clears waivers from Atlanta, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer. The Hawks acquired Carter from Sacramento in June as part of a second-apron salary dump before waiving him, months after Sacramento took him 13th overall in 2024.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report ranks Jalen Duren as the top remaining free agent, ahead of Bruce Brown Jr. and Gabe Vincent, with Kevin Love, Cam Thomas and Kelly Olynyk also unsigned.
CBS Sports' Sam Quinn says there is a "very good chance" Deni Avdija reaches free agency in 2028, arguing Portland isn't managing its cap to preserve room for an extension. Avdija's current deal is a bargain for the Blazers, but Quinn frames the franchise as adrift and unlikely to prioritize locking him up.
Ian Begley of SNY.tv reports the Knicks are considering free agent big man Tony Bradley for a roster spot, alongside earlier interest in Drew Eubanks and John Konchar. New York is expected to carry only 14 standard players plus three two-way deals into camp, with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond set at center.
BC Roma is discussing a deal with free agent big man Maxi Kleber, 34, according to Superbasket. Kleber played 43 games for the Lakers last season after nine years in the NBA, most of them with Dallas. A move to Rome would see him replace center Jesse Edwards, who recently parted ways with the club.
Miami is exploring backcourt depth ahead of training camp, weighing a reunion with Gabe Vincent on a non-guaranteed camp deal or a run at D'Angelo Russell.
NBA insider Jake Fischer said on Bleacher Report's livestream that Cleveland spoke with free-agent guard Gabe Vincent before finalizing James Harden's new contract. Those discussions never turned into an offer, and Fischer said Vincent will not be joining the team.
Lonzo Ball remains a free agent months after Utah waived him following a deadline trade from Cleveland. Basketball Forever suggested his NBA career may be nearing its end, citing a career-low 4.6 points per game and shooting slumps in 35 games with the Cavaliers last season.
Denver Post reporter Bennett Durando details how Peyton Watson's split from the Nuggets built over months. Denver bypassed a rookie extension last October, offering no more than $10-12M annually while Watson sought around $14M, and instead extended Christian Braun.
Minnesota explored bringing Sasha Vezenkov back from Europe to the NBA, Marc Stein reports. No formal offer was ever made, and Vezenkov reportedly signaled he wasn't interested in returning. The Timberwolves then pivoted and signed Jonathan Kuminga instead.
Gabe Vincent remains a free agent roughly three weeks before rosters lock. Atlanta let him go after acquiring him from the Lakers at the deadline, and Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus flagged Miami's thin point guard depth as a fit.
Jalen Duren remains unsigned as a restricted free agent, with Detroit and his camp still apart on a long-term deal. Detroit's offer is now put at around $190 million over five years, or roughly $35 million a year, while Duren wants at least $200 million, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson.
Ben Simmons had interest in Miami before agreeing to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with Sacramento. Sun Sentinel writer Ira Winderman reports the Heat turned him down because he's no longer a proven win-now contributor, preferring to develop players like Tre Donaldson instead.
Ochai Agbaji remains unsigned after stints with Utah, Toronto and Brooklyn, and Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus lists him among the top free agents still without a team. Pincus notes Agbaji improved to 34.9% from three after landing in Brooklyn and could need to start on an Exhibit 10 deal.
