Thunder lock SGA as Mavs, Rockets add depth to bolster NBA title hopes
WASHINGTON: The Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to a four-year, $285.4 million super maximum contract extension with league and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ESPN reported Tuesday, as rival teams the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets added veteran players on the first day of free agency to bolster their hopes for an NBA title next season.
Gilgeous-Alexander's new deal runs through the 2030-31 season and at $71.35 million marks the highest annual salary in NBA history. Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid ranks second in the league with an AAV of $64.3 million, per Spotrac.
Gilgeous-Alexander was voted the Most Valuable Player of the 2024-25 season after averaging a league-high 32.7 points with 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 76 starts.
The three-time All-Star guard added Finals MVP honors after guiding the Thunder to the club's first championship in Oklahoma City, averaging 29.9 points, 6.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 23 playoff games. The only other players in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP and a scoring title in the same season are Michael Jordan (four times), Shaquille O'Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Gilgeous-Alexander, who turns 27 this month, has career averages of 24.4 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 462 games (453 starts) with the Los Angeles Clippers (2018-19) and Thunder.
DLo joins Mavs
Free agent point guard D'Angelo Russell is joining the Mavericks on a two-year deal worth $13 million, ESPN reported Monday. Russell joins a Mavs team in win-now mode following the midseason Luka Doncic trade, with a core of Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg.
Irving is recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in March, and Russell may be asked to start at point guard until Irving is healthy early in 2026. Russell, 29, split the 2024-25 season between the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets and averaged 12.6 points, 5.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 58 games (36 starts). Russell played with Davis in Los Angeles before Davis was shipped to Dallas in the Doncic blockbuster.
An All-Star in 2018-19 with Brooklyn, Russell has posted career averages of 17.3 points, 5.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 36.5 percent from 3-point range in 629 games (536 starts) with the Lakers, Nets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Finney-Smith to Rockets
Nine-year NBA veteran Dorian Finney-Smith will sign a four-year contract with the Rockets, according to multiple reports on Monday. The deal is reported to be valued at $53 million for the defensive standout. It is the Rockets' second acquisition of the offseason following a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant that was first reported on June 22.
Finney-Smith averaged 7.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range in 43 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. He played 34 minutes per game in the playoffs.
Finney-Smith, 32, arrived in Los Angeles after a trade from the Brooklyn Nets in December. He spent the 2023-24 season and the first half of this year's campaign in Brooklyn after seven seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. The 6-foot-7 wing declined his player option with the Lakers and elected free agency.
It was also reported that Houston re-signed center Clint Capela to a three-year contract, valued at $21.5 million. Capela, 31, played the first six years of his career in Houston before playing for Atlanta from 2020-25. The 6-foot-10 Capela averages a double-double for his career with 12.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in 664 NBA games (587 starts).
Knicks add Clarkson
Jordan Clarkson agreed to a buyout from the Utah Jazz on Monday, and he intends to sign with the New York Knicks when he clears waivers, multiple media outlets reported on Monday.
Clarkson, four years removed from being selected the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, played just 37 games (nine starts) last season. He missed the final 10 games because of a medical procedure designed to alleviate plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
The 33-year-old guard averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds in the 2024-25 season. He shot a career-low 40.8 percent from the floor. Clarkson was part of the 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers team that reached the NBA Finals before getting swept by the Golden State Warriors.
A second-round draft pick of the Washington Wizards in 2014, Clarkson was immediately dealt to the Lakers. He played 3 1/2 seasons in Los Angeles, then parts of three seasons in Cleveland before he was traded to Utah in December 2019. In 753 games (231 starts), Clarkson owns NBA averages of 16.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
Brook Lopez to Clippers
Veteran big man Brook Lopez has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to multiple reports on Monday. Lopez, 37, is a veteran of 17 seasons with the last seven coming for the Milwaukee Bucks. He was a member of the Bucks' team that won the 2021 NBA Finals. Lopez averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots in 80 games last season.
Lopez spent his first nine seasons with the Nets and was an All-Star for Brooklyn in the 2012-13 season. He spent the 2017-18 season with the Los Angeles Lakers before joining the Bucks as a free agent. Lopez has career averages of 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots in 1,105 games (1,065 starts). He also has made 1,075 3-pointers.
The Bucks could be a franchise about to retool as star Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn't yet indicated whether he wants to remain with the franchise. In addition, Damian Lillard will miss most of the season and possibly all of it after sustaining a torn Achilles tendon injury during the playoffs.
Three veteran free agents agreed to two-year contracts to remain with the Bucks, according to multiple media reports on Monday. Kevin Porter Jr.'s deal reportedly is worth $11 million, with Gary Trent Jr. to get $7.5 million and Taurean Prince to receive $7.1 million.
Nuggets trade MPJ
The Denver Nuggets are trading forward Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 unprotected first-round draft choice to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Cam Johnson, according to multiple outlets on Monday night. Porter has spent all six of his NBA campaigns with the Nuggets and averaged 18.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 77 games last season.
Porter, who turned 27 on Sunday, has dealt with injuries throughout his career, including a back ailment that delayed his NBA debut for a year. He has career averages of 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in 345 games (291 starts). Porter averaged 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds during Denver's 2023 run to the NBA title.
Johnson, 29, averaged a career-high 18.8 points in 57 games last season for Brooklyn. He also averaged 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Johnson has career averages of 12.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 340 games (181 starts) over six seasons. He spent his first 3 1/2 seasons with the Phoenix Suns before being dealt to the Nets at the 2023 trade deadline in the deal that netted Kevin Durant.
Also, guard Bruce Brown reportedly agreed to a one-year, $3.63 million deal with Denver. He also was on the club's NBA title team. Brown, 28, has played for six franchises and has averages of 8.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 457 games (268 starts) over seven campaigns. He split last season between the Toronto Raptors (18 games) and New Orleans Pelicans (21) and averaged 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds. — Reuters
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Kuwait Times
04-07-2025
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Giannis down on Bucks dumping Damian Lillard
MILWAUKEE: The Milwaukee Bucks are waiving nine-time All-Star guard Damian Lillard and signing free agent center Myles Turner, ESPN reported Tuesday. The decision did not sit well with Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to NBA reporter Chris Haynes. The Bucks are stretching the remaining $113 million on Lillard's contract over the next five seasons, per the report, using the 'stretch and release' provision in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Lillard is currently recovering from surgery in May to repair a torn Achilles tendon. Antetokounmpo has been mentioned as a trade candidate this offseason. Among teams with reported interest in a deal should the Bucks part with the two-time MVP are the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks. Antetokounmpo has spent all 12 of his NBA seasons in Milwaukee. Turner spent his entire 10-year career with the Indiana Pacers. He agreed to a four-year, $107 million contract with Milwaukee, per ESPN. The deal reportedly includes a player option in the final season in 2028-29 and a 15 percent trade kicker, a bonus paid to Turner in the event he's traded. Turner, 29, helped the Pacers reach the NBA Finals this season, losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. He averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 72 starts in the regular season, and 13.8 points, 4.8 boards and 2.0 blocks in 23 starts in the postseason. Lillard turns 35 on July 15 and faces a long rehab from the Achilles injury to return to top basketball form. A timeline hasn't been formally set, but he will likely miss a large chunk of the 2025-26 season and possibly all of it. Lillard was hurt in the first quarter of the Bucks' 129-103 Game 4 loss to the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs on April 27. He missed the first game of that series and the last 14 games in the regular season with a blood clot in his calf. Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 58 games during his second campaign with the Bucks. He spent his first 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard owns career averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 900 regular-season contests. His 2,804 3-pointers rank fourth in NBA history. Turner leaves Indiana as the franchise's all-time leader in blocked shots (1,412). He also ranks sixth in games (642) and ninth in total rebounds (4,349). Nuggets add Tim Hardaway Jr The Denver Nuggets reached an agreement on a one-year deal with Tim Hardaway Jr. on Tuesday, according to multiple media reports. Per The Athletic, the deal is for the veteran minimum. Hardaway, 33, was acquired last summer by the Detroit Pistons along with three draft picks from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Quentin Grimes. The shooting guard went on to become a key contributor in Detroit's resurgence in 2024-25 that resulted in the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, where the Pistons lost to the New York Knicks in the first round. Starting and appearing in 77 regular-season games for the Pistons, Hardaway averaged 11.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 36.8 percent from 3-point range. Denver has enjoyed an impressive haul in the early going of free agency, adding Jonas Valanciunas and Cameron Johnson via trade and inking returnee Bruce Brown Jr. in the period's first few days. Elsewhere, outside shooter Duncan Robinson is joining the Detroit Pistons on a three-year, $48 million deal as part of a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat, according to multiple reports on Tuesday. The Pistons are sending guard Simone Fontecchio to the Heat as part of the transaction. Robinson spent seven seasons with the Heat and is the franchise's all-time leader with 1,202 career 3-pointers. Robinson set up the move by declining his $19.9 million early termination option over the weekend. The 31-year-old Robinson will seek more playing time with the Pistons. He averaged 24.1 minutes per outing in 74 games (37 starts) with Miami last season. His career high of 31.4 minutes occurred in the 2020-21 season. Robinson averaged 11.0 points and made 190 3-pointers last season. He has a career scoring average of 11.3 points in 423 games (283 starts). Robinson knocked down 752 treys over a three-season span earlier in his career, topped by a career-best 270 in the 2019-20 season, a total that ties for 25th most in NBA history. Robinson played the final three seasons of his college career at Michigan and was a member of the squad that lost to Villanova in the 2018 national championship game. He wasn't selected in the 2018 NBA Draft and signed with the Heat as an undrafted free agent. — Reuters
Kuwait Times
02-07-2025
- Kuwait Times
Thunder lock SGA as Mavs, Rockets add depth to bolster NBA title hopes
Knicks, Clippers add veteran help, Nuggets retool as free agency starts WASHINGTON: The Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to a four-year, $285.4 million super maximum contract extension with league and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ESPN reported Tuesday, as rival teams the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets added veteran players on the first day of free agency to bolster their hopes for an NBA title next season. Gilgeous-Alexander's new deal runs through the 2030-31 season and at $71.35 million marks the highest annual salary in NBA history. Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid ranks second in the league with an AAV of $64.3 million, per Spotrac. Gilgeous-Alexander was voted the Most Valuable Player of the 2024-25 season after averaging a league-high 32.7 points with 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 76 starts. The three-time All-Star guard added Finals MVP honors after guiding the Thunder to the club's first championship in Oklahoma City, averaging 29.9 points, 6.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 23 playoff games. The only other players in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP and a scoring title in the same season are Michael Jordan (four times), Shaquille O'Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Gilgeous-Alexander, who turns 27 this month, has career averages of 24.4 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 462 games (453 starts) with the Los Angeles Clippers (2018-19) and Thunder. DLo joins Mavs Free agent point guard D'Angelo Russell is joining the Mavericks on a two-year deal worth $13 million, ESPN reported Monday. Russell joins a Mavs team in win-now mode following the midseason Luka Doncic trade, with a core of Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg. Irving is recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in March, and Russell may be asked to start at point guard until Irving is healthy early in 2026. Russell, 29, split the 2024-25 season between the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets and averaged 12.6 points, 5.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 58 games (36 starts). Russell played with Davis in Los Angeles before Davis was shipped to Dallas in the Doncic blockbuster. An All-Star in 2018-19 with Brooklyn, Russell has posted career averages of 17.3 points, 5.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 36.5 percent from 3-point range in 629 games (536 starts) with the Lakers, Nets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. Finney-Smith to Rockets Nine-year NBA veteran Dorian Finney-Smith will sign a four-year contract with the Rockets, according to multiple reports on Monday. The deal is reported to be valued at $53 million for the defensive standout. It is the Rockets' second acquisition of the offseason following a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant that was first reported on June 22. Finney-Smith averaged 7.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range in 43 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. He played 34 minutes per game in the playoffs. Finney-Smith, 32, arrived in Los Angeles after a trade from the Brooklyn Nets in December. He spent the 2023-24 season and the first half of this year's campaign in Brooklyn after seven seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. The 6-foot-7 wing declined his player option with the Lakers and elected free agency. It was also reported that Houston re-signed center Clint Capela to a three-year contract, valued at $21.5 million. Capela, 31, played the first six years of his career in Houston before playing for Atlanta from 2020-25. The 6-foot-10 Capela averages a double-double for his career with 12.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in 664 NBA games (587 starts). Knicks add Clarkson Jordan Clarkson agreed to a buyout from the Utah Jazz on Monday, and he intends to sign with the New York Knicks when he clears waivers, multiple media outlets reported on Monday. Clarkson, four years removed from being selected the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, played just 37 games (nine starts) last season. He missed the final 10 games because of a medical procedure designed to alleviate plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The 33-year-old guard averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds in the 2024-25 season. He shot a career-low 40.8 percent from the floor. Clarkson was part of the 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers team that reached the NBA Finals before getting swept by the Golden State Warriors. A second-round draft pick of the Washington Wizards in 2014, Clarkson was immediately dealt to the Lakers. He played 3 1/2 seasons in Los Angeles, then parts of three seasons in Cleveland before he was traded to Utah in December 2019. In 753 games (231 starts), Clarkson owns NBA averages of 16.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Brook Lopez to Clippers Veteran big man Brook Lopez has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to multiple reports on Monday. Lopez, 37, is a veteran of 17 seasons with the last seven coming for the Milwaukee Bucks. He was a member of the Bucks' team that won the 2021 NBA Finals. Lopez averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots in 80 games last season. Lopez spent his first nine seasons with the Nets and was an All-Star for Brooklyn in the 2012-13 season. He spent the 2017-18 season with the Los Angeles Lakers before joining the Bucks as a free agent. Lopez has career averages of 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots in 1,105 games (1,065 starts). He also has made 1,075 3-pointers. The Bucks could be a franchise about to retool as star Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn't yet indicated whether he wants to remain with the franchise. In addition, Damian Lillard will miss most of the season and possibly all of it after sustaining a torn Achilles tendon injury during the playoffs. Three veteran free agents agreed to two-year contracts to remain with the Bucks, according to multiple media reports on Monday. Kevin Porter Jr.'s deal reportedly is worth $11 million, with Gary Trent Jr. to get $7.5 million and Taurean Prince to receive $7.1 million. Nuggets trade MPJ The Denver Nuggets are trading forward Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 unprotected first-round draft choice to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Cam Johnson, according to multiple outlets on Monday night. Porter has spent all six of his NBA campaigns with the Nuggets and averaged 18.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 77 games last season. Porter, who turned 27 on Sunday, has dealt with injuries throughout his career, including a back ailment that delayed his NBA debut for a year. He has career averages of 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in 345 games (291 starts). Porter averaged 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds during Denver's 2023 run to the NBA title. Johnson, 29, averaged a career-high 18.8 points in 57 games last season for Brooklyn. He also averaged 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Johnson has career averages of 12.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 340 games (181 starts) over six seasons. He spent his first 3 1/2 seasons with the Phoenix Suns before being dealt to the Nets at the 2023 trade deadline in the deal that netted Kevin Durant. Also, guard Bruce Brown reportedly agreed to a one-year, $3.63 million deal with Denver. He also was on the club's NBA title team. Brown, 28, has played for six franchises and has averages of 8.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 457 games (268 starts) over seven campaigns. He split last season between the Toronto Raptors (18 games) and New Orleans Pelicans (21) and averaged 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds. — Reuters
