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Michael Porter Jr.: I never lost consistently my whole career until I got to Brooklyn. We were losing a lot. We were young. We were building something, but we’re not there yet. So it was definitely hard, bro. It definitely was hard. But I see the future with the team. I see what we’ve got in the young dudes. I see we have the most money to spend. I think we’ve got the most. We’re the youngest team. Kind of like Oklahoma City — it took them a while to get good. I think that’ll be how it is here. But I’m with it. I want to stay in Brooklyn.
Mamukelashvili also indicated his preference is to return: “I really want to be back,” he said Monday. “I love Toronto, I love the people, I love the organization, coach Darko (Rajakovic). I think he was a guy that gave me a chance to go out there and be myself.” Even if the Raptors opt for continuity — completely reasonable given the success they had, the potential for internal improvement and the entanglements their current pay structure represents — finding money for Mamukelashvili isn’t as easy as writing a cheque.
William Lou: "I want to be here for the rest of my career, I don't ever want to leave. I don't have any problems openly saying that. "That's out of my control. I have done my part on the court this year, and I hope things work out that way." RJ Barrett speaking from the heart about wanting to be a Raptor forever
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Steven Adams: “As of right now, yeah, just got three years, and then I’m just keeping my options open. So, obviously, all my family is in New Zealand and whatnot, and that’s where a lot of my farm is and stuff like that, so I’ve got a lot of ties back here. But then, yeah, there’s a few in America as well. So, yeah, we’ll see, bro.”
Bennett Durando: Shams Charania just went on Inside the NBA and confirmed some tidbits from our @denverpost reporting on the end of the Nuggets’ season: David Adelman’s job is considered safe, but changes to the roster are coming this summer as Denver navigates first-round exit amid payroll dilemmas.
One of the Nuggets’ top priorities will be retaining restricted free agent Peyton Watson, and if they do, at least one current starter is almost guaranteed to be sacrificed in a corresponding cost-cutting move. Johnson has been considered the most likely candidate to be traded for months, according to sources, but Gordon and Braun are in the same salary range as him. Denver’s first-round flame-out was disastrous enough that anyone other than Jokic could feasibly be shipped off.
The third, and perhaps the cleanest avenue, is internal growth. Eason, for example, will be a restricted free agent this offseason, but Houston plans to re-engage in conversations around a long-term deal following the conclusion of the Finals, team sources said, in hopes of striking an agreement ahead of July 1. In the event that both parties fail to reach a common middle ground — there’s an understanding the 24-year-old could change management ahead of a pivotal summer — and Eason signs an offer sheet elsewhere, Houston, which still values his two-way contributions, would be expected to match.
The Rockets will also meet with Thompson in hopes of agreeing to an extension, team sources said. (The 23-year-old is eligible to sign a five-year, $252 million max extension, according to the CBA and salary-cap analysts.) VanVleet has a $25 million player option for the 2026-27 season, but the Rockets, who are confident the veteran guard wishes to remain in Houston, will speak with him about either picking up the option or declining it for a longer deal, sources said.
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If the Rockets decide to chase another star-level talent this summer — like so many rival executives believe they will — they are well positioned to do so. But whether it’s chasing Antetokounmpo, or perhaps Leonard or Mitchell, that approach runs the risk of backfiring if they come up short while sending the wrong kinds of signals to this current core.
Fred VanVleet will be another player to keep an eye on this offseason. He has a $25 million player option for the 2026-27 season. He could just bank that money as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL. But there’s also a chance the 32-year-old could negotiate a new deal with Houston to provide some short-term cap flexibility in exchange for a few additional years of security.
Michael Scotto: Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason on free agency: “It’s tough to say I didn’t think about it. You definitely think about it. I was drafted here. I’ve grown up here. My family is here. I love Houston. As far as everything else, God knows.”
John Gambadoro: Mat Ishbia told @BurnsAndGambo yesterday that he expects Dillon Brooks, who is eligible for a 4-year extension, to be in Phoenix long term and that they have to figure out a way to keep him. Said he see's him as part of a championship team in Phoenix over the next 3-4 years.