Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma stay put with big extensions; latest news, rumors, trades

NBA free agency is now underway as teams can start negotiating deals with free-agent players. Those deals can become official July 6. Between Friday and July 6, all deals can be agreed upon but are not binding agreements between team and player. They become official once the deal is signed July 6 or later.

A handful of teams have significant cap space, including the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings, while many others have some juggling to do in order to retain their current players as the new collective bargaining agreement takes effect Saturday.

Some of the top players to watch during free agency: James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Khris Middleton and Fred VanVleet. Other players could shake up the offseason, such as Damian Lillard’s status with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Follow Yahoo Sports for the latest NBA free-agency news.

One-time NBA All-Star center Kristaps Porzingis has agreed to a two-year, $60 million contract extension with the Boston Celtics, sources told Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.

Jerami Grant reportedly agrees $160M deal to return to Trail Blazers

Forward Jerami Grant has agreed to a five-year, $160 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports.

Grant, 29, spent the past season with the Portland after being traded from the Detroit Pistons this past offseason. He had a solid 2022-23 season, averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game for the Trail Blazers. Read more on Grant’s extension.

Bruce Brown, fresh off an NBA title with Nuggets, reportedly agrees to $45M deal with Pacers

Bruce Brown, a key contributor in the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 championship team, reportedly agreed to a two-year, $45 million deal with the Indiana Pacers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

The deal comes after Brown declined his $6.8 million player option earlier this month. Brown enjoyed a breakout season in Denver after he originally signed a two-year, $13.3 million contract with the Nuggets this past offseason. He averaged a career-high 11.5 points per game in 28.5 minutes per game last season. Brown also added 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game this season. Read more on Brown’s deal.

Four-time NBA champion and 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green has agreed to return to the Golden State Warriors on a four-year, $100 million contract, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reports. Green will have a player option on the fourth year.

The 33-year-old veteran averaged 8.5 points (53/31/71 shooting splits), 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 31.5 minutes over 73 games for the Warriors this past season, earning his eighth spot on an All-Defensive roster. Read more on Green’s extension.

Kyle Kuzma returning to Wizards on $102M deal

Kyle Kuzma is returning to the Washington Wizards, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Kuzma, after declining a player option with the Washington Wizards and entering free agency, agreed to rejoin the team on a four-year, $102 million deal, his agent told Wojnarowski.

Though the Wizards struggled and missed the playoffs both seasons that Kuzma was there, he is coming off the best season in his career. Kuzma averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game, shot nearly 45% from the field and added 7.2 rebounds and a career-best 3.7 assists per game. Read more on Kuzma’s extension.

Nets deal Joe Harris to Pistons to free up cap space

The Brooklyn Nets are trying to get some payroll flexibility before NBA free agency officially opens. The team took a big step toward that Friday, dealing Joe Harris to the Detroit Pistons, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Nets are also sending two second-round picks to Detroit in the deal. Harris has $19.9 million left on his contract, which expires after the 2023-24 NBA season. The move gives the Nets more cap space, allowing the team to potentially add multiple impact players in the offseason.

James Harden reportedly picks up player option in order to facilitate trade from Sixers

One-time NBA MVP James Harden has picked up $35.6 million player option with the 76ers in anticipation of working with the team on a trade out of Philadelphia, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Harden, who turns 34 years old in August, averaged 21 points, a league-high 10.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Sixers this past season, making his 10th straight All-Star appearance. A strained tendon in his right foot and a sore left Achilles’ tendon cost him 24 games during the regular season and a possible All-NBA appearance — a growing trend in his career. Soft-tissue injuries also sidelined Harden in his two previous seasons, and he has not made an All-NBA roster since he was on the Houston Rockets in 2020. Read more on Harden’s options. 

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