With the NBA Draft days away, HoopsHype has gathered the latest intel on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talks, Jaylen Brown’s future with the Boston Celtics, and where the Miami Heat, Celtics, Detroit Pistons, and Portland Trail Blazers could fit into the equation.
In addition, we have Brooklyn Nets trade talks towards the top of the draft. Plus, Suns updates on a potential range for a Dillon Brooks extension and free agency updates on Mark Williams, Collin Gillespie, and Jordan Goodwin. Moreover, what could be next for Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, Cason Wallace, and Lu Dort?
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Furthermore, Timberwolves chatter surrounding Kawhi Leonard, Ayo Dosunmu, and Josh Giddey. Lastly, Raptors trade talks involving RJ Barrett, a looming decision for the Orlando Magic with Anthony Black and Jalen Suggs, and updates on the Nuggets, Pistons, and Jazz.
The Eastern Conference landscape is expected to have a seismic shift this summer following the conclusion of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes.
The Miami Heat has had the most consistent interest in trading for Antetokounmpo, including a package widely believed to be centered around 2025 All-Star Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Jaime Jaquez Jr., and first-round draft pick compensation. It’s worth noting that Nikola Jovic, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Pelle Larsson have each come up in different iterations of the Antetokounmpo trade talks, league sources told HoopsHype.
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The Pistons have expressed interest in acquiring Herro as part of a multi-team trade scenario with the Heat and Bucks, HoopsHype has learned. Detroit’s interest in Herro was first reported by The Stein Line. The Pistons have several attractive trade assets, including future first-round draft picks, Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, who has a $15.99 million salary for the upcoming season, partially guaranteed at $2 million. Trey Murphy is another big name who’s been linked to the Pistons recently.
More recently, the Boston Celtics have been linked as a trade suitor for Antetokounmpo. Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have spent the past nine seasons as teammates, winning a championship, making two Finals appearances, and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals five times. During that span, Brown was notably in trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant before he was ultimately traded to the Phoenix Suns. Would acquiring Antetokounmpo be enough for Boston to break up one of the most successful duos in the league over the past decade?
Despite some executives around the league assuming it would be a foregone conclusion that the Bucks would try to flip Brown to another team to get future first-round draft pick compensation as part of a rebuilding effort, it’s not a certainty. If the Celtics indeed acquire Antetokounmpo and Brown ends up going to the Bucks as part of the trade, the Bucks would consider keeping Brown, HoopsHype has learned.
It’s worth noting that ESPN’s Marc Spears said Brown wouldn’t want to play for Milwaukee. Meanwhile, Brown is locked in for $183 million over the next three seasons on his contract.
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The Portland Trail Blazers have been involved in Antetokounmpo trade talks on multiple fronts. Portland has discussed trying to acquire Antetokounmpo, and as a potential facilitator because they have two future first-round Bucks swaps in 2028 and 2030, league sources said. In 2029, the Blazers will also get the best and worst first-round pick between Boston, Milwaukee, and Portland. Should the Blazers miss out on Antetokounmpo, they’ve recently been described as a serious suitor for Brown, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
The Clippers are also said to be interested in Brown and have future first-round draft picks available to dangle, including the fifth pick in the draft as a potential trade chip, along with a 2029 unprotected first-round draft pick from the Indiana Pacers from the Ivica Zubac trade, should they decide to pursue a trade.
It’s worth noting that Keaton Wagler, who could potentially be the fifth pick of the draft where the Clippers are currently slotted, has fans in Milwaukee’s front office and is also represented by Matt Bollero of ProMondo Sports, who won a championship with the Bucks as Senior Director of Scouting.
Over the weekend, most of the league is hoping the results of the Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes conclude before the draft so teams can align other transactions accordingly with a busy few weeks ahead.
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The Brooklyn Nets have attempted to move up into the top-four range of the NBA Draft by dangling their No. 6 pick with future first-round draft picks, league sources told HoopsHype.
Should Brooklyn remain at six, who they’ll select is a bit of a mystery to teams around the league, considering the Nets have been linked to guards Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, forward Nate Ament, and center Aday Mara at various points.
Wagler was connected to the Clippers by many executives once Los Angeles came out of the lottery with the fifth pick. Acuff has been heavily linked to the Sacramento Kings, who are in search of a long-term point guard of the future. Sacramento has also shown interest in Flemings during the pre-draft process if Acuff is off the board. Brown has been mostly connected with the Clippers, Nets, and Hawks. Ament said he worked out for the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Nets, and Oklahoma City Thunder during a SportsCenter interview. Mara has also been linked to the Atlanta Hawks and Thunder.
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The Phoenix Suns have signaled a willingness to bring back a majority of their roster going into next season. With that in mind, the Suns have several items on the offseason agenda, including a potential extension for Dillon Brooks and navigating free agency for center Mark Williams and guards Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin.
In his first season with Phoenix, Brooks remained a strong defender, helped change the team’s culture, and became a 20-point-per-game scorer for the first time in his career. At 30, Brooks enters the upcoming season on the books for $21 million. Looking ahead, Brooks could earn a potential extension around an average of $25 million per season.
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Williams, the team’s starting center, will enter restricted free agency after being tendered his $9.62 million qualifying offer, as Spotrac’s Keith Smith reported. Barring interest from the Chicago Bulls, who are projected to have significant cap space available on the free agent center market, Williams’ range is projected to be around the non-taxpayer mid-level exception starting at $15 million per year, give or take a few million dollars. Should Williams draw interest for the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception elsewhere, the Suns could go slightly above that range on a short-term deal.
Gillespie had a breakout season in Phoenix, averaging career-highs in points (12.7), assists (4.6), and steals (1.2), while starting 58 of 80 games. As Gillespie nears his 27th birthday on June 25th, the career 40.5 percent 3-point shooter is in line for a big pay raise. Within league circles, Gillespie was projected to earn roughly $13 million per season on his next deal. According to ESPN, he’s now agreed to a four-year, $48 million deal to remain with the Suns.
Similarly, Goodwin had a breakout season, averaging career-highs in points (8.7), rebounds (4.9), and steals (1.5) in 70 games. Within league circles, Goodwin’s projected salary range is believed to be around $5-6 million per season.
Lastly, the Suns have also done some background on Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, HoopsHype has learned.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder has yet to pay the luxury tax with its current core, but that will change starting next season as the team’s payroll will grow amid several key roster decisions upcoming for executive Sam Presti.
Despite hot takes and speculation that ensued after the Thunder lost in seven games to the San Antonio Spurs without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell for most of that series, blockbuster changes aren’t expected.
Starting center Isaiah Hartenstein has a $28.5 million team option for the upcoming season. He’s expected to remain in Oklahoma City. The question among executives around the league is whether the Thunder will exercise their team option or decline it and work out a new multi-year deal at a lower average annual salary.
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With Williams expected to return healthy next season, Mitchell, Cason Wallace, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso in the fold, teams across the league are monitoring fellow starter Lu Dort’s availability. Dort has a team option for $17.22 million for the upcoming season that several front executives who spoke with HoopsHype are projecting the Thunder to exercise, then consider flipping Dort on the trade market. Should such a scenario happen, Dort has been linked with the Lakers and several other teams. It’s worth noting that Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez coached Dort with the Canadian National Team.
After being consistent role players for Oklahoma City throughout the past season, league sources say opposing executives have circled the wagon on Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Both players saw limited action against the Spurs in the Conference Finals, despite being key contributors during the regular season, and would represent significant depth upgrades for most teams around the league.
Joe, who turns 27 on July 2nd and is a career 40.6 percent 3-point shooter, has appeared in at least 71 games in each of the past four seasons and averaged a career-high 11.1 points last season. He’s owed $11.32 million this upcoming season and has an $11.32 million team option for the 2027-28 season.
Wiggins, 27, has played in 65 or more games over the past four seasons. For his career, Wiggins is a 48.7 percent shooter from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc. He’s on the books for $9.03 million this upcoming season, $8.17 million for the 2027-28 season, and has a $8.17 million team option for the 2028-29 season.
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Similar to Joe and Wiggins, Kenrich Williams is a player who’s seen reduced playing time on a loaded Thunder squad, but would be an impactful bench player in other situations. Williams has a $7.16 million team option for the upcoming season. Some within league circles wonder if the Thunder will decline his team option to re-sign him at a lower average annual salary. If Williams hits the market, teams will have interest in the 31-year-old forward. He’s shot 49.2 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from downtown during his six-year Thunder tenure.
Oklahoma City can also extend Wallace, an All-Defensive Team selection last season. Recent comparable guards who’ve signed contract extensions include Dyson Daniels and Christian Braun, who both signed for $25 million per season, and Jalen Suggs, who signed for $30 million annually. Should Wallace enter restricted free agency next year, he’d be a highly coveted player. Various teams have called the Thunder through Wallace’s tenure to gauge what it would take to pry him from the franchise.
Lastly, there was a collective sigh of relief within the league as the lottery results were unveiled when the Thunder didn’t move up to bolster an already strong young core. Yet, Oklahoma City can still move up in the draft by consolidating picks 12 and 17, or using other future first-round picks to do so.
After avoiding the luxury tax this past season, Orlando’s payroll is about to spike with the extension of Paolo Banchero kicking in. With that in mind, Orlando is currently projected above the first apron and slightly below the second, with Jonathan Isaac’s $14.5 million salary partially guaranteed ($8 million) for the upcoming season, and with Anthony Black eligible for extension talks this summer with the franchise.
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While the contract of Isaac gives Orlando flexibility to shed salary or use as a potential trade chip, the immediacy of Black’s extension talks will be interesting. Following Jalen Suggs getting a five-year, $150 million extension, and with Black having comparable statistics to Suggs last season.
Meanwhile, Sean Sweeney’s coaching staff has begun to take shape with HoopsHype reporting the additions of DJ Bakker, Mfon Udofia, and Riley Crean as assistant coaches. Sources say other assistant coaching candidates in the mix for Sweeney’s staff include Joe Prunty, Popeye Jones, Greg Buckner, and Tom Bialaszewski.
Prunty joined Orlando last season and has worked with Sweeney in Brooklyn and Milwaukee. Jones worked with Sweeney dating back to the Nets. Bialaszewski was an advanced scout for the Spurs last season, where Sweeney coached as an associate head coach.
After trading for Ayo Dosunmu at the deadline, the Minnesota Timberwolves want to re-sign him. According to NBA executives who’ve spoken with HoopsHype, Dosunmu’s range is projected to be somewhere north of $18 million annually and could reach the low $20 million range.
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While Dosunmu is a player Minnesota wants to retain, there could be other changes to the roster as the always-aggressive Timberwolves explore the trade market.
The Timberwolves have gauged the trade value of Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and their No. 28 first-round pick in the draft, league sources told HoopsHype.
Randle appeared in 79 games last season, averaging 21.1 points on 48.1 percent shooting with 6.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He’s owed $33.33 million this upcoming season and has a $35.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season. DiVincenzo suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon in the playoffs and is on an expiring $12.54 million contract for the upcoming season.
According to Darren Wolfson, Minnesota recently expressed interest in Josh Giddey, which was confirmed by HoopsHype.
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Other teams have always called on rising swingman Jaden McDaniels. Minnesota has made him essentially untradable unless it was for a blockbuster trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic. When the Los Angeles Clippers were struggling earlier this season amid a 6-21 start and gauging the trade market for Kawhi Leonard and James Harden each, the Clippers poked around on McDaniels, but were rebuffed, HoopsHype has learned.
Thus, heading into the draft, the Timberwolves will remain a team to monitor.
Toronto Raptors swingman RJ Barrett has drawn trade interest in multi-team conversations, league sources told HoopsHype. The Canadian swingman is on an expiring $29.62 million contract this upcoming season. He’s averaged 20.5 points on 49.5 percent shooting from the field and 35.3 percent beyond the arc with 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists since joining his hometown Raptors.
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With the Denver Nuggets currently projected to be near the second apron, they’ve signaled a willingness to discuss forward Zeke Nnaji and the No. 26 pick as a trade package, league sources told HoopsHype.
Nnaji is owed $7.47 million for the 2026-27 season and has a $7.47 million player option for the 2027-28 season.
The Utah Jazz has expressed interest in re-signing center Jusuf Nurkic, league sources told Hoopshype.
Nurkic played some of his best basketball in recent years with Utah, averaging 10.9 points on 50.3 percent shooting from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range with 10.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals, while starting 36 of 41 games played.
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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBA Intel: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, More
