Former top-10 pick Frank Ntilikina is closing in on a deal with the Mavericks, longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein relays in his latest newsletter.
Ntilikina’s career never took off while on the Knicks and the team declined to pick up his qualifying offer, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
More Rumors & Notes From Around The NBA
- The Rockets will re-sign Dante Exum, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Houston’s training camp roster is currently at 20 players, so they will need to make a corresponding move in order to bring aboard.
- The Celtics could target Zach LaVine if Bradley Beal doesn’t become available, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Beal by all accounts is still unavailable, as he has a strong desire to make things work in Washington. LaVine will also become an unrestricted free agent next offseason unless the Bulls come out with a max extension.
- Free agent Kenneth Faried is working out for the Lakers this week, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. The big man’s most recent NBA stint was with the Rockets back in 2019.
- If the Sixers can’t convince Simmons to rejoin the team at least through December, then his trade value could take a serious hit, Derek Bodner of The Athletic says. All-Star caliber players don’t tend to be available in the first few months of the season, and if the Sixers are forced to trade him sooner than they’d like to, then they’d likely have to settle for multiple draft picks as their best return rather than trading for a Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal.
