NBA free agency opens with Spurs,
Rockets, Hawks, Magic and Mavs among those making early moves
[July 01, 2025]
By TIM REYNOLDS
Victor Wembanyama has another big man to help him out in San
Antonio. The Houston Rockets continued their offseason overhaul. And
Orlando and Atlanta made moves with eyes on contending this coming
season as the NBA's free agency period got underway Monday.
The Spurs lured center Luke Kornet away from Boston with a
four-year, $41 million deal, a person with knowledge of the
agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition
of anonymity because the team cannot announce the deal until the
league's signing moratorium for most contracts is lifted on Sunday.
Kornet was part of Boston's 2024 NBA title team and has shot 68%
from the field in 205 games, mostly off the bench, over the last
three regular seasons. He figures to add frontcourt depth to the
Spurs, who are hoping to have Wembanyama the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of
the Year and an All-Star this past season back and ready to go
after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in a shoulder back
in February.
The Rockets, meanwhile, added veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith on
a four-year, $53 million deal shortly after free agency opened. ESPN
first reported the deal, and a person with knowledge of the
agreement confirmed the terms to AP.
Houston becomes Finney-Smith's fourth team after stints with Dallas,
Brooklyn and the Los Angeles Lakers. He'll be added to a Rockets
club that earlier this summer landed Kevin Durant in a blockbuster
trade with Phoenix, though that deal cannot receive formal approval
from the NBA until next week.
Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points and was a 41% shooter from 3-point
range this past season.
ESPN also reported that the Rockets' run on free agents continued
with the addition of center Clint Capela, who spent the first six
years of his career in Houston before playing for the last five
seasons in Atlanta. Capela agreed to a three-year deal with the
Rockets, ESPN said.
Dallas, which needed some point guard help especially because the
newly re-signed Kyrie Irving rehabbing from an ACL tear may not
be ready to play until about midseason, agreed with D'Angelo Russell
on a two-year contract worth nearly $13 million.
Russell would be part of the backcourt depth on a club with an
imposing front line that, if healthy, would include No. 1 overall
pick Cooper Flagg, 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and promising
young center Dereck Lively II.
Hawks, Magic eyeing moves in East
Atlanta added Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Minnesota on what will
be a four-year, $62 million deal following a completion of a
sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves. Minnesota will get a draft
pick, cash considerations and will create a trade exception once the
deal is finalized, a person with knowledge of the move told AP.
The Magic, meanwhile, added Tyus Jones on a one-year deal. He joins
an Orlando roster that already landed Desmond Bane from Memphis in a
trade, and the Magic who played long stretches last season without
Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs because of injuries
should be a legit East contender this season if healthy.
It was a big night for the Jones family: Tyus Jones' brother, Tre
Jones, agreed Monday on a three-year deal to return to the Chicago
Bulls.
Free agency officially starts
The free agency period officially opened at 6 p.m. Eastern time on
Monday, but in actuality, was rolling long before that.
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Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving advances the ball up court
during an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in Dallas,
Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez,File)
LeBron James has already opted in to a $52.6
million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for this coming season, the
Rockets traded for Durant not a free agency move, obviously and
the Los Angeles Clippers saw James Harden decline his option in
return for a new deal and a raise. There was even a surprise
addition to free agency, with Portland announcing it has bought out
the contract of former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, allowing him to
sign with any team he chooses.
And on Monday, even before the shopping window officially started,
more deals: Nicolas Batum will come back to the Clippers, his agency
said, on a two-year deal, while Joe Ingles agreed to return to the
Minnesota Timberwolves. Deals like those could get done before the
official start time because teams are allowed to negotiate with
their own free agents once the NBA Finals are finished.
Other deals
In other deals confirmed by AP on Monday night:
The Los Angeles Clippers added Brook Lopez most recently of
Milwaukee on a two-year deal worth about $18 million.
Veteran guard Bruce Brown returned to the Denver Nuggets, a team
he helped win the 2023 NBA title.
Center Kevon Looney agreed to a two-year deal with New Orleans,
after he spent his first 10 seasons with Golden State.
Guard Caris LeVert will sign a two-year deal worth nearly $15
million annually with the Detroit Pistons, a team that won 14 games
in 2023-24 and then won 44 games to earn the No. 6 seed in the
Eastern Conference this past season.
Luka Garza joined Boston, after the Celtics lost Kornet, on a
two-year, $5.5 million deal, agent Mark Bartelstein said.
Salary cap set
The NBA announced Monday that it has set the salary cap for the
coming season at $154.647 million, the maximum allowed 10% increase
over the level for this past season.
The tax level for the 2025-26 season is $187.895 million, the league
said.
What's already happened
Julius Randle returns to the Timberwolves with a potential $100
million deal.
Bobby Portis stays with the Bucks, keeping the popular sixth man
in Milwaukee.
Duncan Robinson terminates his contract with the Heat, though he
may return.
What's next
In very specific situations, teams can announce signings when
completed. But in most situations, and this even applies to some
draft-related trades (such as the one involving Durant going to
Houston), teams won't be able to announce those until at least July
6.
___
AP Sports Writers Schuyler Dixon in Dallas and Kyle Hightower in
Boston contributed to this story.
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