On the always-hectic opening night of free agency, “in case you missed it” is a far more appropriate phrase than usual. Before the evening began, Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Nets.
With the Sixers expected to add P.J. Tucker, Danuel House Jr. and Trevelin Queen, here’s a roundup of notable non-Sixers action from Night 1:
Jalen Brunson — Knicks
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CAA basketball agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Brunson agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with a player option in the final season.
That’s quite a contract for the 25-year-old Villanova product, a player every team passed on in the first round of the 2018 NBA draft.
The Knicks on Thursday night also agreed to a two-year, $16.7 million deal with center Isaiah Hartenstein, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reported.
Other reported agreements to reach the $100 million mark included Bradley Beal (five years, $251 million to stay in Washington), Anfernee Simons (four years, $100 million with Portland), and extensions for Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker, Ja Morant and Karl-Anthony Towns.
NBA
Andre Drummond — Bulls
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Drummond is progressing toward a contract with Chicago. It’s a two-year, $6.6 million deal that has a player option in Year 2 and will use part of the Bulls’ non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The Sixers, who signed Drummond on a one-year, veteran minimum contract last summer, could not have matched that price and still added both Tucker and House.
Backup center was a clear offseason need for Chicago. Tony Bradley, another former Sixer, is also in that mix after picking up his $2 million player option.
DeAndre Jordan — Nuggets
To no one’s surprise, the Sixers’ Game 1 starter for their second-round playoff series against the Heat is not staying in Philadelphia.
Jordan and the Nuggets came to terms on a one-year, veteran minimum deal, The Denver Post’s Mike Singer reported.
That wasn’t all in former Sixers big men news. Mike Muscala and Dewayne Dedmon will reportedly re-sign with the Thunder and Heat, respectively.
Victor Oladipo — Heat
Oladipo will return to Miami on a one-year, $11 million agreement, Charania reported.
Among the other players reportedly heading back to Eastern Conference playoff teams are Toronto’s Chris Boucher, Milwaukee’s Wesley Matthews and Jevon Carter, and Brooklyn’s Patty Mills and Nicolas Claxton.