Green holds a $27,678,571 option on his contract for next season, while Porzingis will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the month.

“I’ve had conversations with kind of all of our free agents,” Dunleavy said. “Their representatives. I think we’re in a good place with all of them … as far as Draymond and KP, Draymond has the player option, but we’re in communication with his group. Then same thing with KP. Both guys, I think, we value, we want here, and we see them as a kind of (a) piece of the puzzle next season.”

Green, who has stated he wants to return, could help out the front office by declining the option and signing an extension at a lower number. That would give the Warriors more breathing room to stay out of the luxury tax.

Golden State is also awaiting two other player options that would impact its bottom line — Al Horford ($5,969,250) and De’Anthony Melton ($3,451,779).

Here’s more from Dunleavy’s press conference:

• Steve Kerr decided shortly after the season to remain as head coach. However, his staff is still in flux — Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse left the organization in hopes of landing head coaching jobs. Dunleavy says the front office is still mulling its options. “We’re still working through that,” Dunleavy said. “Obviously, getting the main thing done with Steve was huge. With Terry and Jerry leaving, there obviously will be some changes, so we’re working through that. But nothing imminent. Once there is, we’ll let you guys know.”
• The GM seems intent on keeping the 11th overall pick in the draft, rather than using it in a trade. “(The) job right now is to make this team better. So if it means doing older, then we’ll do it, but that’s pretty unlikely,” he said. “There’s only so many guys I feel like we could bring in that are older. We’ve got some guys on the back end of it already, and to add to that, there would definitely be some risk. Maybe there’s a situation we do that and go for it — we obviously would prefer to get younger.”
• While the Thunder and Spurs appear set up for long-term success in the Western Conference, Dunleavy won’t make moves specifically with those teams in mind. “We’ve had, what, eight different champions in eight years. Is that right? I’d say the big-picture thing is it’s as wide open as it’s ever been,”  he said. “We can’t make any assumptions that this team is going to do it for the next 10 years. They’re going to be here. You know, injuries, salary cap issues, all those things. I think we’ve got to be careful of that. More than anything, it teaches you just to focus in on yourself and what you can do to be better. Don’t worry about we have to beat this team or we’ve got to be better than this at this position. I think it just reinforces we need to be better and let’s focus on ourselves.”
• The Warriors also have a late second-round pick at No. 54. Dunleavy will go with the best available player, according to Kevin Topley of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “I think the approach on the second round for us has been not to overthink it, you’re looking for a guy that can just make it,” he said. “You don’t worry about position, you don’t worry about size, you don’t worry about age, you’re picking, for example, late 50s, it’s hard to make it to the NBA that far back in the draft.”

Speaking on WFAN’s The Carton Show (Twitter video link), Dolan said it would “suicidal” for the franchise to become a second apron club.

“If we could bring back the whole team, exactly as it is, why wouldn’t you? But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to,” he said. “We’re willing to stretch, but there’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do and we’re not going to do those. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. … I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”

If that’s the case, the Knicks will have some hard decisions to make this offseason. Topped by Karl-Anthony Towns‘ $57MM contract for next season, the Knicks have approximately $201MM tied into eight guaranteed salary commitments. Most of that total is invested in starters Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, all of whom remain under contract for multiple seasons.

Several key reserves are headed to free agency though, and while there are no cap rules prohibiting the Knicks from re-signing any of them, it will almost certainly be impossible to keep them all without going over the second tax apron.

Jose Alvarado holds a $4.5MM player option on his contract — if he exercises it, that would add to the Knicks’ guaranteed salary total. Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson are headed to unrestricted free agency, while Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti will become restricted free agents at the end of the month if they’re issued qualifying offers.

A new market-value contract for Robinson alone could push the Knicks close to or into the second apron, which is projected at $221.7MM for next season. Retaining Alvarado, Robinson and Shamet would push them further above that threshold, and they’d still have to fill out the remainder of the roster.

Re-signing Diawara could also be difficult if another team aggressively pursues him, since the Knicks only hold his Non-Bird rights after he earned the minimum as a rookie. Diawara appeared in 69 regular season games, though he had a minimal role in the postseason.

What Dolan didn’t clarify was whether he wanted to avoid the second apron due to its roster-building restrictions or to keep the payroll under control. However, to avoid that apron the Knicks would more than likely need to fill most of their bench with players on veteran’s minimum deals and rookie contracts.

The restrictions for teams operating over the second apron include not being allowed to use any portion of the mid-level exception, aggregate two or more player salaries in a trade, send out cash as part of a trade, or acquire a player via trade by using a signed-and-traded player for salary-matching purposes. Teams that finish the season above the second apron also have their first-round pick in the draft seven years away “frozen” — that pick would not be tradable unless the club spent enough subsequent seasons out of second apron territory.

However, the assistant GM did acknowledge that Toronto in recent years have been lacking a frontcourt player who can be a lob threat on offense and protect the rim on defense, Lewenberg notes. While Tolzman said the Raptors are “taking a close look” at players who fit that bill, that hole doesn’t necessarily need to be addressed in the draft — it could also be an area the team focuses on in free agency or on the trade market.

We have more from around the Eastern Conference:

• Tiago Splitter‘s new contract as the head coach of the Bulls includes three guaranteed seasons and a team option for a fourth year, according to longtime Portland-area reporter Dwight Jaynes, who tweets that Splitter’s salary is believed to be around the league average for a head coach.
• The Sixers have started bringing in potential targets for their No. 22 pick for pre-draft workouts, with Koa Peat (Arizona), Dailyn Swain (Texas), Chris Cenac (Houston), Allen Graves (Santa Clara), Isaiah Evans (Duke), and Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s) all scheduled to have visited the team by the end of the week, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Philadelphia is also lining up Zoom meetings with certain first-round prospects who won’t be visiting the team in person, adds Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
• Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused him of running over and breaking a 12-year-old’s foot with his vehicle, reports Julia Coin of The Charlotte Observer. The child’s family had been seeking $3.75MM in damages in the suit, which was filed in 2024. The terms of the settlement agreement aren’t known.
• UConn forward Alex Karaban (No. 30 on ESPN’s big board) and St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell (No. 42) visited the Knicks on Wednesday for a pre-draft workout, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). New York controls the 24th, 31st, and 55th overall picks in next week’s draft.

It’s the third round of green room invitations sent out by the league. The NBA initially invited 14 players, then added another six players to that list, so the latest update brings the total number of invitees to 24, which is the same number of prospects invited to the green room for the 2025 draft.

That means unless one of these 24 declines his invitation, we likely know now the full list of players will be in the green room next Tuesday in Brooklyn. Here are all the prospects reported to have earned invitations, along with their rank on Woo’s ESPN big board:

1. AJ Dybantsa (BYU)
2. Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
3. Cameron Boozer (Duke)
4. Caleb Wilson (UNC)
5. Keaton Wagler (Illinois)
6. Darius Acuff (Arkansas)
7. Mikel Brown (Louisville)
8. Kingston Flemings (Houston)
9. Nate Ament (Tennessee)
10. Aday Mara (Michigan)
11. Brayden Burries (Arizona)
12. Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan)
13. Karim Lopez (Mexico)
14. Morez Johnson (Michigan)
15. Hannes Steinbach (Washington)
16. Labaron Philon (Alabama)
17. Allen Graves (Santa Clara)
18. Christian Anderson (Texas Tech)
19. Bennett Stirtz (Iowa)
20. Cameron Carr (Baylor)
21. Chris Cenac (Houston)
23. Dailyn Swain (Texas)
24. Isaiah Evans (Duke)
27. Ebuka Okorie (Stanford)

The NBA determines which prospects to invite to the green room after asking teams to vote on which 25 players they expect to come off the board first. The goal is to avoid a situation in which a player doesn’t hear his name called on the first day of the draft. Of course, it’s possible that will still happen, but in 2025, all 24 players invited to the green room were drafted in the first round.

The other prospects in the top 30 on ESPN’s board who aren’t among this year’s green room invitees at this point are Kentucky big man Jayden Quaintance (No. 22), Arizona forward Koa Peat (No. 25), Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas (No. 26), UNC center Henri Veesaar (No. 28), St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor (No. 29), and UConn forward Alex Karaban (No. 30).

Fischer hears from sources that Wagler and Flemings took part in a head-to-head workout at the Clippers’ facility last week and says the chatter since then has suggested that Wagler was the more impressive prospect of the two in that session.

As for Brown, he has mostly been hosting teams in Orlando to work out in a 1-on-0 setting, but he has recently begun paying visits to teams in his draft range as well. According to Fischer, the Nets (No. 6) hosted Brown last Thursday and he’s currently in Los Angeles to meet with the Clippers.

If Wagler and Brown end up coming off the board fifth and sixth, it would line up the Kings to use the No. 7 pick on Acuff, a player they’ve been linked to throughout the pre-draft process. Flemings would also be an option in that scenario, and Fischer and James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link) both hear that the Houston guard was in Sacramento last week to work out for the Kings, despite a previous report that stated he hadn’t visited the club.

Here are a few more notes and rumors related to the 2026 NBA draft:

• Sources tell Fischer that one reason Darryn Peterson isn’t visiting the Jazz is because his camp is wary of positional overlap with guard Keyonte George, who is viewed as a long-term cornerstone in Utah. In other news out of Utah, Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link) confirms that the Jazz recently hosted Acuff for a workout and were impressed, but sources tell Jones that the club is unlikely to seriously consider anyone besides Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, or Cameron Boozer with the No. 2 overall pick.
• Nate Ament‘s trainer, Chauncey Beckett, spoke at length to Mark Medina of R.org about the Tennessee forward’s pre-draft process, indicating that Ament has worked out – or is scheduled to work out – for the Clippers, Nets, Mavericks, Thunder, and Bulls.
• Fischer shares a couple updates on potential second-round picks, writing that several scouts have linked BYU guard Richie Saunders to the Nets at No. 33 and adding that Syracuse forward William Kyle has shut down his pre-draft workouts. Kyle visited 11 teams and got enough positive feedback during those workouts that he declined five additional invitations, according to Fischer, who identifies the Knicks, Spurs, Thunder, Celtics, and Lakers as teams with interest.
• Gonzaga guard Tyon Grant-Foster, who had a defibrillator implanted due to a heart condition called arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, has been granted medical clearance by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel, reports Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link).

Adding two more first-rounders to their current No. 10 selection would almost certainly mean trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it’s not necessarily seen as a foregone conclusion that the star forward will be on the move within the next several days, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.

“The only reason we are talking about this ‘official’ deadline is because (Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam) came out and mentioned the draft,” Haynes said on the Deals and Dunks show on SiriusXM NBA Radio (Twitter audio link). “What I’m hearing (is) this could drag into free agency, this could drag on into July. So the Bucks are not operating as if (the draft) is the deadline. … I still do ultimately believe he will be moved this offseason, but I’m not as certain as I was before that it would be done before the draft.”

Waiting until July to trade Antetokounmpo could open up some new avenues for the Bucks and Giannis’ suitors. For instance, a Miami offer could include Andrew Wiggins if he picks up his $30.2MM player option by the June 29 deadline, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel observes (via Twitter).

However, waiting would also reduce the Bucks’ ability to target specific prospects in the 2026 draft. For example, while the Heat could still trade the player they draft at No. 13 as part of a package in July, that player won’t necessarily be the same one the Bucks would’ve chosen if they’d agreed to acquire the pick ahead of time.

In his Deals and Dunks spot, Haynes also said the possibility of Boston acquiring Antetokounmpo is not “as promising as we thought,” noting that the Celtics are still in the mix but that there’s “not a clear sign as of right now that (acquiring Giannis) is their number one objective.”

Here are a few trade rumors from around the NBA:

• The Nets are believed to have some interest in Thunder wing Aaron Wiggins, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. If Oklahoma City needs to shed some salary for tax/apron reasons, Brooklyn would be a logical trade partner — the Nets are expected to operate with significant cap room and could easily accommodate Wiggins’ $9MM cap hit for 2026/27 without sending out any salary themselves.
• Siegel describes the Bucks as one of the most aggressive teams on the trade market even outside of their talks involving Antetokounmpo, writing that Ryan Rollins appears to be the only player on Milwaukee’s roster that the front office isn’t exploring moving.
• Multiple teams have been in touch with the Bulls to inquire about the No. 4 pick, and while Chicago has been willing to hear out those teams, there has been no indication that Bryson Graham and the front office are seriously entertaining the idea of moving down, Siegel says.
• The Spurs are said to have interest in packaging some or all of their second-round picks (Nos. 35, 42, and 44) in order to move up in the second round or into the late first round, per Siegel. St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor, Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson, and UConn forward Alex Karaban are among the prospects speculated to be targets for San Antonio, Siegel adds.

Another big man on the Hornets’ radar, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, is Nets center Nic Claxton. While Charlotte could make a compelling offer for Claxton using expiring salary and draft assets, Scotto notes that Brooklyn has shown interest in the past in Coby White, an unrestricted free agent whom Charlotte hopes to re-sign this offseason.

If the Nets still like White, they have the cap room to try to sign him outright, Scotto acknowledges, but he wonders if a sign-and-trade deal that sends White to Brooklyn as part of a package for Claxton might be something the two teams consider, since it would allow the Nets to use their cap room on other players. Current Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson previously worked under Sean Marks in Brooklyn’s front office, Scotto points out, so the two executives are very familiar with one another.

Here are a few more NBA notes and rumors from Scotto:

• People around the NBA strongly believe that Austin Reaves will remain with the Lakers if they offer him a deal close to his maximum, but if they low-ball him, he’s expected to consider other suitors, Scotto writes. Brooklyn has been identified as a team that may be willing to give Reaves the max.
• Despite a new round of trade rumors involving Trae Young, the veteran point guard is excited about getting a fresh start in Washington and hopes to stick with the Wizards for “a long time,” a league source tells HoopsHype. As Scotto writes, the expectation in league circles remains that Young will sign a multiyear deal of some sort with the Wizards this offseason.
• The Bulls, one of a small handful of teams projected to have cap space this summer, will be open to using their room to absorb unwanted contracts that come attached to draft compensation, per Scotto.
• DJ Bakker, the head coach of the Hornets‘ G League affiliate, is a candidate to join Sean Sweeney‘s staff as a Magic assistant, according to Scotto, who suggests that current Charlotte assistant Zach Peterson would be the frontrunner to coach the Greensboro Swarm if Bakker leaves the organization. Bakker was the runner-up for the G League’s Coach of the Year award in 2025/26.

Even if they bring back McCollum, the Hawks have interest in adding a “downhill ball-handler” to their backcourt to complement star forward Jalen Johnson, Fischer reports. Additionally, Atlanta would like to upgrade its frontcourt rotation beyond current starting center Onyeka Okongwu, Fischer adds.

Rival executives expect the Hawks to address one of those needs with the eighth overall pick in next week’s draft, according to both Fischer and Scotto. With AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson expected to come off the board in the top four, in some order, at least one guard from a group that includes Mikel Brown, Darius Acuff, Keaton Wagler, and Kingston Flemings will be available at No. 8, and Michigan center Aday Mara may also be an option.

Fischer says he gets the sense that the Brown, Wagler, and Flemings camps all view the Hawks at No. 8 as their floor, while Acuff’s floor may be Milwaukee at No. 10, despite a series of rumors suggesting that Sacramento covets him at No. 7.

Here’s more on the Hawks:

• Numerous teams are expected to register interest in free agent center Jock Landale after his strong 2025/26 season, but the Hawks hope to retain him, Scotto reports. Atlanta holds Landale’s Non-Bird rights and he’s coming off a minimum-salary contract, so the club’s ability to give him a raise without using another exception will be limited.
• Before making their decision on Jonathan Kuminga‘s $24.3MM team option, the Hawks have gauged the trade market for the former seventh overall pick, league sources tell HoopsHype. However, Scotto describes Kuminga returning to Atlanta – whether on that option or on a new contract – as a “real possibility.”
• The Hawks, who also hold a second first-rounder at No. 23, have looked into the possibility of trading up from that spot, league sources tell Scotto.
• Although Atlanta was identified last week as a team with some interest in Austin Reaves, the odds of the Hawks emerging as a serious suitor for the Lakers guard, an unrestricted free agent this offseason, are considered low, Scotto writes.
• Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, spoke in an interview with beIN Sports about playing a diminished role during his second NBA season, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. Risacher admits it was a “pretty frustrating” season and said the reason for his dip in minutes was “not as clear as I would have liked.” However, he believes he stayed mentally focused and can learn from the experience. “I belong on an NBA court,” the 21-year-old forward said. “There’s no doubt about that. I have confidence in myself.”

Still, that doesn’t mean that the Warriors aren’t remaining on the lookout for impact players who could be attainable on the trade market. The team would have interest in forward Kawhi Leonard, for instance, depending on the price tag, Slater writes, though Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has remained steadfastly against the idea of trading the two-time Finals MVP.

Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III is another player who has long been on Golden State’s radar, and he might be more attainable this offseason than in past transaction cycles, sources tell ESPN. Unlike Giannis and Kawhi, who are in their 30s, Murphy is entering his age-26 season, so acquiring him would help the Warriors accomplish their goal of getting younger.

New Orleans has set a high asking price for Murphy in past discussions, but there have been rumblings about the Pelicans looking to trade into this year’s lottery, and Golden State controls the No. 11 overall pick, Slater observes.

Here’s more from Slater on the Warriors:

• Assuming Golden State hangs onto the No. 11 pick, Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Arizona guard Brayden Burries, Michigan center Aday Mara, Louisville guard Mikel Brown, and Houston guard Kingston Flemings are among the names to watch, according to Slater, though a few of those players figure to be off the board by the time the Warriors are on the clock. One team source told ESPN that Lendeborg’s fit is “so obvious” and that his age (24 in September) won’t disqualify him, while Slater adds that Mara, Brown, and Flemings all have “fans” within the organization.
• As for Burries, he has declined workouts with some teams drafting in the top 10, including the Kings (No. 7). But the Mavericks (No. 9) are viewed as one of his preferred landing spots and he’s also scheduled to work out for Golden State on Thursday, Slater reports. Team sources tell ESPN that Burries will be one of several notable prospects visiting the Bay Area on Thursday, along with Alabama guard Labaron Philon and Washington big man Hannes Steinbach.
• If having Green decline his $27.6MM player option and signing a new multiyear contract that lowers his 2026/27 cap hit gives the Warriors a direct path to a roster upgrade elsewhere, that remains the team’s preferred route, says Slater, but the current expectation is that Green will simply pick up his option. That wouldn’t bother the Warriors, who like the idea of keeping their books relatively clean beyond next season, Slater continues. That scenario would put Green on an expiring contract, making him a potential trade candidate, but team sources tell ESPN there’s still mutual interest in having him finish his career in Golden State.
• There’s “growing momentum” toward the Warriors bringing back Kristaps Porzingis on a short-term deal that reduces his salary after he earned more than $30MM in 2025/26, Slater writes. Slater adds that Al Horford‘s decision on a $5.9MM player option remains unclear, but De’Anthony Melton is considered likely to turn down his $3.4MM option to test the free agent market. That wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Melton re-signing with Golden State, Slater clarifies.
• Extension discussions for players who are under contract for 2026/27 figure to happen later in the summer. That might include a rookie scale extension for guard Brandin Podziemski, with Slater reporting that there’s “optimism” about the two sides reaching a deal closer to the October deadline.
• In case you missed it, Slater also stated that the Warriors view LeBron James as likely to re-sign with the Lakers.

As Slater explains, Golden State would be a “willing suitor” for James if he’s not able to reach a deal with the Lakers and would be prepared to make an offer using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which projects to be worth just over $15MM.

If it reaches that point, the Warriors could even include a second-year player option and get Stephen Curry involved in the recruiting process, Slater notes. But the Warriors are currently operating under the belief that the four-time MVP will remain in L.A.

While James will be an unrestricted free agent this summer for the first time since he joined the Lakers in 2018, there has been an expectation that a new deal between the two sides is the most likely outcome, assuming the 41-year-old wants to continue his playing career.

Besides the fact that LeBron and his family are comfortable in Los Angeles, the Lakers hold his Bird rights and have plenty of salary cap flexibility. That means they’re in position to offer him a salary well north of the mid-level exception, even if it comes in lower than the $52.6MM he earned in 2025/26. They could also include a no-trade clause in their offer, which wouldn’t be an option for Golden State, since a player must have spent at least four years with a team before becoming eligible for a no-trade clause.

Appearing on ESPN Cleveland on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Brian Windhorst of ESPN said he believes the Lakers and James have already begun discussing a new contract.

“I think LeBron’s intention is to play, and I think the focus right now is making a deal with the Lakers,” Windhorst said. “Right now he’s allowed to negotiate with the Lakers, and I believe they are negotiating, I believe they’re going back and forth. Free agency begins in 14 days, and in the next 14 days, I think he’s going to try to make a deal with the Lakers.

“The amount of the deal may depend on what else the Lakers might be able to do in free agency. If in 14 days, he is at an impasse with the Lakers and there is no deal there, then I think other teams, like the Cavs, should stand to attention. But the league, I think, generally believes that the two sides are going to come together.”

A report from Sam Amick of The Athletic earlier this week indicated that Kessler is unhappy with the way negotiations with the Jazz have played out so far, and MacMahon confirms that there’s still a “gulf” between the two sides in those contract talks, with the big man presumably seeking a more lucrative payday.

While we don’t know for sure whether that entire $140MM figure is fully guaranteed, the offer would work out to $28MM per year. That would put Kessler’s average annual value above fellow centers like Nic Claxton ($24.3MM), Jakob Poeltl ($25.9MM), and Myles Turner ($27.2MM) and not far behind Jarrett Allen ($30.2MM). It’s possible he and his camp are seeking something closer to the five-year, $185MM rookie scale extension that Rockets big man Alperen Sengun signed in 2024.

However, Kessler may be hard-pressed to get that type of offer. The 7’2″ center was limited to just five games in 2025/26 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in the fall, and while he was very effective as a rebounder (12.2 RPG) and shot blocker (2.4 BPG) in 2024/25, he has yet to develop into a legitimate offensive weapon. He scored 11.1 points per game in ’24/25 and has a career scoring average of 9.5 PPG.

It’s a safe bet that the Jazz will issue a $7.1MM qualifying offer to formally make Kessler a restricted free agent later this month. As of June 30, he’ll be permitted to negotiate with rival suitors and try to secure an offer sheet from one of them. But few teams will have the cap room required to top the offer that Utah has already put on the table, and it’s unclear if any of those clubs – including Brooklyn, Chicago, and the Lakers – will make Kessler a priority.

According to MacMahon, sources are also skeptical that guard Keyonte George will reach a rookie scale extension with the Jazz this offseason.

George, who struggled to score efficiently in his first two NBA seasons and didn’t play well defensively, had a breakout year as a scorer and play-maker in 2025/26, establishing new career highs in points (23.6) and assists (6.1) per game while boosting his shooting line to .456/.371/.892. Each of those shooting rates also represented a career best.

While Utah’s front office is open to discussing a new deal for George, MacMahon says the team would need to see him take another step forward in his fourth season in order to be comfortable giving him a contract approaching his maximum. As MacMahon notes, the Jazz have shown with their handling of Kessler that they’re willing to go to restricted free agency with a possible long-term cornerstone rather than locking in a potentially unfavorable deal a year early.

The Timberwolves, who hold the 28th overall pick, are “very much in conversation” to move that first-rounder, Fischer reports, writing that rival teams say Minnesota is searching for another ball-handler to add to its backcourt.

The Knicks, meanwhile, control the 24th and 31st picks, but they’ll likely trade at least one of them, per Fischer. It’s possible New York will decide to keep No. 24 and move No. 31, since the team would have nearly 24 hours between the first and second rounds to field trade offers and potentially create a bidding war for that selection.

Both the Wolves and Knicks are believed to have interest in Valencia guard Sergio de Larrea, says Fischer, though it’s unclear if either team would draft him in the first round if they were to keep their respective picks. While Fischer suggests that Minnesota could target the Spaniard in a trade-down scenario, he’s ranked 34th overall on ESPN’s big board, so he might not be available too far beyond the No. 28 pick.

The Nuggets and Celtics, who will pick 26th and 27th, respectively, have been “increasingly interested” in trying to move up in the first round, sources tell Fischer. Denver doesn’t have many future draft picks available to make the sort of aggressive offer that might be necessary to move up more than a couple spots, though the team does have a handful of trade candidates on its roster.

The Pelicans, whose own first-round pick is controlled by Atlanta, continue to actively try to get back into the first round, Fischer confirms. Previous reporting indicated that New Orleans is hoping to acquire a lottery selection and perhaps has a specific target in mind, but if there’s a player the Pelicans like in the back half of the first round, engaging teams like Minnesota and/or New York in the 20s could make sense.

Finally, while they’re not looking to move into the first round, the Pacers are hoping to acquire a pick early in the second round, Fischer reports. Indiana previously traded away both of its own selections in this draft, but drafting a second-rounder who would earn the rookie minimum would help the team manage its cap situation as it flirts with the luxury tax line.

The Bulls and Clippers have the fourth and fifth overall picks, respectively. The Mavs are lower in the lottery at No. 9 but the player they choose will have the added benefit of playing alongside a true franchise cornerstone in Cooper Flagg. While undersized, Flemings is a talented scorer who showed good off-ball ability playing in Houston’s talented program this season.

We have more notes on the draft:

• Texas Tech point guard Christian Anderson is another prospect looking to separate himself from the other guards, despite generally being ranked slightly lower than the top guard group. He has worked out for multiple teams with top-10 picks so far this summer, Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor reports in his own mock draft. Anderson is one of the better play-makers out of the pick-and-roll in the class and has a case for being the best shooter in the draft.
• The Pelicans held a pre-draft workout on Tuesday featuring Maliq Brown (Duke), Malik Dia (Ole Miss), Xaivian Lee (Florida), JJ Starling (Syracuse), and Peter Suder (Miami, Ohio), Will Guillory reports for The Athletic (Twitter link). Of the six prospects, Brown is the highest ranked, coming in at No. 54 on Jeremy Woo’s big board for ESPN. The Pelicans control the 58th overall pick in the draft.
• Sam Vecenie of The Athletic released his 2026 draft guide on Monday, featuring rankings of his top 100 prospects as well as 60 in-depth player breakdowns. Within the detailed guide, he writes that AJ Dybantsa could easily become a top-10 player in the NBA and refers to Cameron Boozer as close to a can’t-fail prospect, noting that the only thing keeping Boozer from a No. 1 ranking in the class is that he profiles better as an elite second star on a team, rather than the primary engine.

Brooklyn is in a position to be one of the major players in free agency, if the front office chooses to go that route. The team has already been linked to Lakers free agent guard Austin Reaves, though most expect him to remain in Los Angeles once the dust settles. The Nets could try to bring in some other talented younger veterans like restricted free agents Tari Eason, Jalen Duren, or Peyton Watson to complement veteran forward Michael Porter Jr.

The Nets could also explore trying to trade up in the draft, though that’s expected to be very expensive, given the perceived talent level at the top of the class.

We have more from around the Atlantic Division:

• The Celtics have three options facing them this summer: run back the same roster, go all-in on a blockbuster deal, or find a way to improve their depth around the margins, Keith Smith writes in his offseason preview for Spotrac. The first option is unlikely, as the team will want to make real progress towards becoming a contender again, Smith speculates. If they pursue the third path, which is the most probable, Nikola Vucevic and Dalano Banton would be unlikely to return. Smith identifies Anfernee Simons, Quentin Grimes, and John Collins, among others, as interesting free agent options Boston could target
• The Sixers have three players with team options that they will have to make decisions on by the June 29 deadline, Adam Aaronson writes for the Philly Voice. Dominick Barlow was a feel-good story for the Sixers this season, emerging as a reliable rotation player after being signed to a two-way deal. However, that doesn’t mean that picking up his $3.4MM option is the best course. Aaronson expects the team to decline that option in order to negotiate a longer deal. A similar outcome makes sense for Trendon Watford, as declining his option and signing him to a one-year minimum contract would lower his cap hold from $2.8MM to $2.45MM, though it would prevent him from being traded this summer. Finally, Aaronson predicts the team picks up Dalen Terry‘s $2.6MM option, which is non-guaranteed.
• The arrival of NIL money has changed the draft landscape for teams picking after the lottery, such as the Raptors, who hold picks No. 19 and 50, Michael Grange writes for Sportsnet. “It seemed like (picking) in the 20s range … there was more certainty in terms of being able to find guys for sure that that we really liked back in the day,” said assistant general manager Dan Tolzman. “…There’s not as much of a chance to, like, have guys kind of fall through the cracks as there used to be.” However, the Raptors are optimistic in their ability to find a contributor later in the first round, as they did with Ja’Kobe Walter when they selected him 19th overall in 2024.

It’s unclear how much he’d command around the league though, according to Woike. With the Lakers looking to move from the James era into the Doncic era, they will have to be careful with how they allocate their money, especially given that James, Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Marcus Smart make up some of the top names in this year’s free agency class.

It may be best for the Lakers to be aggressive between now and the start of free agency on June 30, which would allow them to use James’ Bird rights to re-sign him to a deal that pays him commensurate value to his worth while also making some much-needed additions, Woike writes.

We have more from around the Pacific Division:

• Jaxson Hayes has officially been granted Slovenian citizenship and a passport as he prepares to join his Lakers teammate, Doncic, on the Slovenian national team, Marc Stein notes (via Twitter). This plan has been in the works since last October and will set Doncic up to throw lobs to a familiar big man in international play.
• The Warriors hosted six players for pre-draft workouts on Monday, the team announced (Twitter link): Nick Martinelli (Northwestern), Jaylin Sellers (Providence), Devin Askew (Villanova), Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan), Chris Cenac Jr. (Houston), and Chaze Harris (South Alabama). Golden State owns picks No. 11 and 54 in this year’s draft. Johnson is the top-rated prospect among the group, landing 14th on Jeremy Woo’s ESPN big board, and he was happy with how the workout went, Monte Poole writes for NBC Sports Bay Area. A versatile and physical defender with some shooting ability, Johnson could fit well into the Warriors’ identity. “I think that I bring some physicality, versatility on the defensive end and a connector offensively,” Johnson said. “Just trying to help everybody get to their spots, not try to force anything, being a great teammate.” Cenac is an intriguing young forward, though he still has plenty of growth to do to unlock his potential. He’s unlikely to be in the mix at No. 11, but it’s possible the Warriors could try to find a way to trade back into the first round, Dalton Johnson writes for NBC Sports Bay Area.
• The Kings will host a six-player workout on Wednesday, Jason Anderson reports for the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). The players invited are Milos Uzan (Houston), Tre Donaldson (Miami), Corey Camper (Nevada), Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State), Micah Handlogten (Florida), and Graham Ike (Gonzaga). Among those six players, Uzan is the highest-rated prospect on Woo’s big board at No. 58.