2021 NBA free agency: Live updates with latest Sacramento Kings news, notes, trade rumors
Note: This story will be updated throughout the day. More to come before and after the free agency period begins at 3 p.m. PT.
The NBA’s free-agency frenzy is about to begin with nearly 200 players hitting the open market.
Kings center Richaun Holmes will be the primary focus in Sacramento when free agency begins at 3 p.m. PT. Holmes, center Hassan Whiteside and forward Maurice Harkless will be unrestricted free agents. Kings guard Terence Davis will be a restricted free agent. Signings can’t be finalized until the moratorium ends Aug. 6, but there will be plenty of action on Day 1 with a number of agreements expected to be announced in the first hour of free agency.
The most the Kings can offer Holmes using his Early Bird Rights would be a four-year deal worth about $50 million. Holmes is believed to be seeking closer to $20 million per year, but it remains to be seen whether he will command those kinds of offers. The Kings won’t have the salary cap space to match an offer in that range unless they can free up money in a deal involving Marvin Bagley III, Buddy Hield or Harrison Barnes.
Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein reported the Kings are “said to be preparing an offer in the $50 million range to bring back in-demand center Richaun Holmes — with Holmes said to be seeking bigger numbers.” There are multiple reports suggesting rival executives believe Holmes will stay in Sacramento, but the Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks are reportedly interested in prying him away.
More on Holmes
The Athletic’s John Hollinger notes if Holmes doesn’t get a big offer from Toronto, a “likely outcome” if the Raptors take Goran Dragic in a sign-and-trade for Lowry, Holmes could get “squeezed” in this market.
Hollinger wrote: “That could see him returning to Sacramento on an ‘Early Bird’ deal for $11 million; such a deal must be at least a two-year deal, but he could sign for the slightly lower non-taxpayer MLE on a one-year deal with a player option that would let him test the market again next year.”
Top free agents
Kawhi Leonard, F, Los Angeles Clippers
Leonard declined his $36 million player option for next season to become a free agent. He will likely re-sign with the Clippers, but sources told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports/TNT that Leonard will listen to offers from other teams.
John Collins, F, Atlanta Hawks
Collins turned down a four-year, $90 million extension prior to the 2020-21 season, banking on better offers as a restricted free agent this summer. The Hawks will have the right to match any offer Collins receives. There was a sense the Hawks would bring Collins back following their surprising run to the Eastern Conference finals, but The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Collins and the Hawks “are not close to an agreement.”
Chris Paul, G, Phoenix Suns
The 36-year-old point guard turned down a whopping $44 million player option to seek even more money after leading the Suns to the NBA Finals. Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported Paul “appears all but destined to return to Phoenix,” possibly with a new three-year deal worth upwards of $90 million.
Kyle Lowry, G, Toronto Raptors
Lowry is top free agent on the market who is likely headed to a new team. ESPN reported the Miami Heat was positioned as the front-runner to acquire Lowry in a sign-and-trade deal with Toronto.
Hield trade talks
The Kings came close to making a draft-day trade that would have sent Hield to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package that included Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell. That deal fell through when the Lakers pivoted, trading Kuzma, Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a first-round draft pick to the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook instead.
According to Bleacher Report, the Lakers could still have interest in acquiring Hield, but the framework for a deal would be more complicated at this point. Sacramento doesn’t want Lakers free agent guard Dennis Schroder, so a deal would likely require another team that 1) wants Schroder; and 2) has assets the Kings want.
Signing news
Numerous agreements were announced in the first hour of free agency. Some of the highlights, according to various reports:
Paul agreed to a four-year, $120 million deal with the Suns.
Five-time All-Star Jimmy Butler agreed to a maximum extension with the Heat.
Lowry is headed to Miami in a sign-and-trade deal.
Duncan Robinson agreed to stay in Miami on a five-year, $90 million deal.
Tim Hardaway Jr. agreed to a new four-year, $74 million deal with the Mavericks.
All-Star guard Mike Conley agreed to a three-year, $72.5 million contract with the Utah Jazz.
Restricted free agent center Jarrett Allen agreed to a five-year, $100 million extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Lonzo Ball agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal with the Chicago Bulls.
Center Nerlens Noel returned to the Knicks on a three-year, $32 million contract.
Kings news
League sources tell The Sacramento Bee the Kings are re-signing Harkless to a two-year, $9 million deal. Sources have also confirmed the Kings are signing center Alex Len to a two-year, $7.65 million contract.
Harkless, 28, is a nine-year NBA veteran who came to Sacramento last season in the trade-deadline deal that sent Nemanja Bjelica to Miami. Harkless appeared in 26 games for the Kings and made 20 starts, averaging 6.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 24.9 minutes per game.
Len, 28, spent part of the 2019-20 season with the Kings. He appeared in only 15 games for the Kings but quickly established himself as an imposing defensive presence, averaging 5.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 15.0 minutes per game.
This story was originally published August 2, 2021 at 12:37 PM.
