/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67838841/usa_today_14885186.0.jpg)
Welcome to the second day of 2020 NBA Free Agency! We wake up this morning, mercifully, to only a handful of deals having gone down in the wee morning hours — but a couple of them, we’ll see, involved multiple teams, players and picks. We’ll attempt to sort it out below!
For the Raptors, still no movement on any of their free agents, nor any rumours about new players they may bring in. Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol were both rumoured to be Lakers targets last night, but Los Angeles’ deal for Montrezl Harrell would seem to scuttle those talks. Where was Serge Ibaka flying to yesterday? Did he ever land? Is up there, circling, above our heads as we speak?
Then, there’s Fred VanVleet. According to multiple reports yesterday, Fred was waiting until today to take meetings in Chicago. Toronto, of course, remains in play, as do the New York Knicks. The Hawks can likely still find room for VanVleet, even with the big deal they gave Danilo Gallinari, but if they’re seriously pursuing Bogdan Bogdanovic, as Vince Carter (!?) reported, they may be out on Fred.
As always, check back regularly for updates both Raptors and non-Raptors related. And during the lulls, you can also:
- Check out what went down on Day 1
- Run back down Toronto’s options for its own players
- Refresh your Raptors salary cap knowledge for this summer and next
All right, on to Day 2!
9:00am Update
Just before 1:00 am this morning, Steven Adams’ name became linked to a deal that would send him to New Orleans. That soon expanded to become part of the Milwaukee-New Orleans deal for Jrue Holiday.
New Orleans and Milwaukee are expanding the original Jrue Holiday trade to include more teams and players, including the routing of Steven Adams to the Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. Talks are moving toward a possible four-team trade.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
It was a mess of tweets, especially since another massive multi-team deal went down at the same time. Here’s how this one shakes out:
- Adams goes to New Orleans
- Oklahoma City gets a protected first-round pick from Denver (see next bullet), and two future second-round picks from the Pelicans
- That pick was originally Denver’s; they sent it to Milwaukee on Draft night in exchange for the 24th overall pick, RJ Hampton. Now, that pick get routed to OKC.
It’s not entirely clear what happens to the rest of the Holiday deal — including the three picks and two swaps the Bucks sent the New Orleans. We assume it remains in place as is, but we’ll update as more becomes clear.
That other big trade, which may have been done in conjunction with this trade, added Dallas and Detroit to the mix, and included two former Raptors, James Johnson and Delon Wright. When all was said and done it looked something like this:
Here's the deal: The Mavericks gets James Johnson; Pistons get Delon Wright; OKC gets Ariza, Jackson and pick. https://t.co/ezb9dXnpGw
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
Delon Wright and Dwane Casey reunited? Why not! Delon will have plenty of centres to pass the ball to.
Shams was still busy in the early morning hours too, and he’s got news on another player leaving the Clippers:
Free agent JaMychal Green has agreed to a two-year, $15M deal with the Denver Nuggets, with player option in second season, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
Green will pretty much replace Jerami Grant in Denver, who left for Detroit last night.
Next up, Denzel Valentine has decided to take Chicago’s qualifying offer and remain a Bull:
Free agent Denzel Valentine has signed a one-year, $4.7M (qualifying offer) deal with the Bulls, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
And Michael Carter-Williams has decided to run it back with Orlando:
Free agent Michael Carter-Williams has agreed to a deal to return to the Orlando Magic, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
I don’t think either of these last two deals move the needle too much.
Now it’s time to eat some breakfast while we wait for bigger names to drop!
12:00pm Update
A few more deals have materialized this morning, but first, a clarification from Woj on the Adams deal:
As part of the trade, guard Eric Bledsoe is staying with the Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/8zAmO5VOeW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
So Eric Bledsoe sticks with New Orleans, and George Hill heads off to OKC, where I’m sure he’ll be traded for a 2037 draft pick any moment now.
Meanwhile, Miami is filling out its roster while keeping the books clean for 2021:
Free agent F Moe Harkless has agreed to a one-year, $3.6M deal with the Miami Heat, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
That’s a good pickup that replaces most of what Derrick Jones did for them — except the dunking, of course.
Speaking of good pickups: Kris Dunn is heading to Atlanta!
Free agent guard Kris Dunn has agreed to a two-year, $10M deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell ESPN. Player option on the second year.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
That’s a guy who can help shore up that incredibly soft Hawks perimeter defence.
The Grizzlies remain home to cool players, as they’re keeping De’Anthony Melton on a four-year deal:
Restricted free agent De’Anthony Melton has agreed to four-year, $35M deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
Not gonna lie, that seems a little rich to me, but good for Melton for cashing in.
Still no Raptors updates, but we’ve got our eyes open (and our Woj notifications on!).
4:30pm Update
OK, are we all recovered from running victory laps over the Fred VanVleet news? Freddy back! Phew.
For posterity’s sake, we’ll start there:
Fred VanVleet has agreed to a four-year, $85M deal to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors, agent Brian Jungreis of @ParLay_SE told @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
And again you can read all the details, including a salary dip that helps the Raptors keep cap space next summer, in our story here.
In other news, the Bucks continued to make moves:
First, they brought in Bobby Portis:
Free agent Bobby Portis has agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
Shams went on to clarify that this is a two year deal for Portis. Portis, of course, is best known for breaking the face of Nikola Mirotic, a former Buck, when both were on the Bulls. Good times!
The Bucks also shored up the PG position behind Jrue Holiday by signing DJ Augustin:
Free agent guard DJ Augustin has agreed to a three-year, $21M deal with Milwaukee, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
Now, I like Augustin, and I guess Portis is fine too. But are these really the moves to put Milwaukee over the top in their championship quest (and in their quest to retain Giannis Antetokounmpo)? I think we can all agree that Holiday is an upgrade over Eric Bledsoe, but are Augustin and Portis as good as George Hill and Wes Matthews?
Elsewhere, the Wizards are hoping that by signing Raul Neto, you’ll forget that John Wall made a trade request:
Free agent guard Raul Neto has agreed to a one-year deal with the Washington Wizards, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
That was pretty small potatoes compared this bomb drop:
Free agent Gordon Hayward is signing a 4-year, $120M deal with Charlotte, per source.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
Michael, wyd?? That is a lot of money for Gordon Hayward, who has not looked the same since suffering that horrific ankle injury three years ago. I mean, hey, good for him, but seriously, Michael... wyd????
Now, since the Hornets didn’t have the cap space available to sign Hayward outright, they’ve since decided to waive Nic Batum.
The Hornets will waive Nic Batum to create cap space to sign Gordon Hayward, reports @rick_bonnell.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
Unfortunately I’ve lost the tweet, but someone on Twitter pointed out — if you factor in the cost of waiving Batum, which is about $9 million, the Hornets are paying $39 million for Gordon Hayward next season. MICHAEL, WYD!?!?
Even further down South, the Heat continued to make smart moves:
Free agent Avery Bradley has agreed to a two-year, $11.6M deal with the Miami Heat, his agent Charles Briscoe tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
I’m not an Avery Bradley guy — too many years of watching DeMar DeRozan absolutely dismantle him, I think — but it’s a good value deal for Miami, who’s looking to maintain that precious cap flexibility next summer.
The Heat, however, will lose the services of Jae Crowder, who’s going to play with the feisty Phoenix Suns:
Free agent Jae Crowder has agreed to a three-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
The AP’s Tim Reynolds went on to confirm the deal is for $30 million.
Memphis continues to do fun and cool things:
Former undrafted two-way player John Konchar has agreed to a four-year, $9M deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, agent Happy Walters tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
What’s going in Orlando? Oh, nothing much, just running it back with the exact same team that barely made the playoffs the last two seasons:
Free agent Gary Clark has agreed to a two-year, $4.1M deal to stay with Orlando, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
I feel for Steve Clifford, man.
From here we got a bit of clarification on Pat Connaughton’s deal, which I know you were all anxiously awaiting:
Free agent guard Pat Connaughton is returning to the Bucks on a longer than originally anticipated deal – 3 years, $16M -- agents Jeff Schwartz and Jordan Gertler of @ExcelSM_bball tell ESPN. https://t.co/4sWp1un9Xb
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
I guess it’s decent value, but again: Is this the kinda thing that’s putting Milwaukee in the Finals. I love the Holiday move, but everything else looks seriously meh to me. Including this:
Breaking on @BonniesMBB: Free agent guard Jaylen Adams has agreed to a two-way deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, agent @MikeGTdot of @OneLegacySports tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
If you don’t know who Jaylen Adams is, I don't blame you: I had to Google him too. He went undrafted in 2018, signed a two-way with Atlanta, then signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Bucks last summer. They waived him but he was picked up by Portland and played a couple minutes in the bubble. We’ll see if he sticks in Milwaukee this time.
Now, as we head towards the dinner hour, some news out of Atlanta: Rajon Rondo is joining the Hawks!
Rajon Rondo has agreed to a two-year, $15M deal with Atlanta Hawks, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
He’ll provide some veteran stability in the backcourt alongside Trae Young and Kris Dunn.
That’s it for now, back with more new later as it develops.