Jazz trade Rudy Gobert to Timberwolves for pick-heavy package

Warriors re-sign center Kevon Looney

Hawks trade Kevin Huerter to Kings in cap-clearing move

Celtics acquire Malcolm Brogdon in trade with Pacers

Blazers solidify interior by re-signing Jusuf Nurkic

Clippers and John Wall agree to two-year contract

Warriors lose Gary Payton II to Blazers, Otto Porter Jr. to Raptors

Zach LaVine re-signs with Bulls on max deal

Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ja Morant claim max extensions

Notable free agents still left unsigned

Raptors bring back Chris Boucher on three-year deal

Bucks sign Bobby Portis, Wesley Matthews, Jevon Carter and Joe Ingles

Clippers re-sign Nicolas Batum, lose Isaiah Hartenstein to Knicks

Bulls tab Andre Drummond to fill out frontline

Grizzlies retain key bench leader by re-signing Tyus Jones

Jazz trade Rudy Gobert to Timberwolves for pick-heavy package

Warriors re-sign center Kevon Looney

Hawks trade Kevin Huerter to Kings in cap-clearing move

Celtics acquire Malcolm Brogdon in trade with Pacers

Blazers solidify interior by re-signing Jusuf Nurkic

Clippers and John Wall agree to two-year contract

Warriors lose Gary Payton II to Blazers, Otto Porter Jr. to Raptors

Zach LaVine re-signs with Bulls on max deal

Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ja Morant claim max extensions

Notable free agents still left unsigned

Raptors bring back Chris Boucher on three-year deal

Bucks sign Bobby Portis, Wesley Matthews, Jevon Carter and Joe Ingles

Clippers re-sign Nicolas Batum, lose Isaiah Hartenstein to Knicks

Bulls tab Andre Drummond to fill out frontline

Grizzlies retain key bench leader by re-signing Tyus Jones

NBA free agency continued Friday with more deals announced and some trades sprinkled in.

The long-anticipated breakup of the Utah Jazz’s star partnership has finally arrived.

Utah agreed to trade all-star center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a package of players and draft picks, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed Friday.

The Jazz will receive four first-round picks, 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler, guards Patrick Beverley and Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Minnesota will send out unprotected first-round picks in 2023, 2025 and 2027 and a top-five protected pick in 2029. ESPN.com first reported the terms, which also includes Leandro Bolmaro going from Minnesota to Utah.

Gobert, 30, averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game last season, earning his third straight all-star selection. However, chemistry concerns between Gobert and all-star guard Donovan Mitchell contributed to Utah’s lackluster exit in a first-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks, and longtime Jazz Coach Quin Snyder announced his resignation earlier this month after eight seasons.

For Utah, which recently hired former Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy to be the NBA’s youngest coach at age 34, the return package signals a long-term rebuilding plan. The Jazz didn’t receive an impact-making veteran nor a proven starting-caliber center to replace Gobert. Instead, Utah collected quality draft assets, surpassing the three first-round picks that the Atlanta Hawks sent to the San Antonio Spurs for all-star guard Dejounte Murray earlier this week.

The Golden State Warriors’ bench will look different next year, but their traditional starting lineup will remain intact.

Unrestricted free agent center Kevon Looney agreed to re-sign with the Warriors on a three-year contract worth $25.5 million, a person with knowledge of the agreement confirmed Friday. Looney, 26, was Golden State’s top priority among its free agents, as his interior defense and rebounding were in short supply on its championship roster. ESPN.com first reported Looney’s agreement.

The 6-foot-9 center averaged a modest 6 points and 7.3 rebounds in his seventh season with the Warriors, but his knack for hustle plays and his ability to step out and guard opponents on the perimeter make him a valuable front line option in the postseason. Looney, who has won three championships with the Warriors, started alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green for most of the 2022 playoff run, though he was shifted to the bench when Coach Steve Kerr preferred smaller lineups for matchup purposes.

The Warriors needed a dose of good news after losing Juan Toscano-Anderson, Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. in the opening 24 hours of free agency. Some roster losses were expected, given that Golden State could wind up approaching $400 million in payroll, luxury taxes and repeater taxes in 2022-23, according to a CBSSports.com estimate.

The Atlanta Hawks’ bold trade for all-star guard Dejounte Murray was bound to have some trickle-down effects.

On Friday, the Hawks traded guard Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings for Justin Holiday, Moe Harkless and a lottery-protected 2024 first-round pick, according to ESPN.com.

Huerter, 23, averaged 12.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season while shooting a career-best 38.9 percent from deep. The 2018 first-round pick started alongside Trae Young for most of the past four seasons and delivered a standout performance by scoring 27 points in a Game 7 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2021 playoffs.

Murray’s arrival, though, was bound to displace Huerter, who should plug in as a starting shooting guard alongside De’Aaron Fox in Sacramento. In addition to adding Huerter, the Kings poached backup scoring guard Malik Monk from the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

Huerter is entering the first year of a four-year, $65 million contract, and trading him will help Atlanta cut nearly $4 million from its 2022-23 payroll. There are additional financial implications for the Hawks, as both Holiday and Harkless are entering the final years of their contracts.

It remains to be seen whether Atlanta’s roster overhaul is complete, as forward John Collins has been mentioned repeatedly in trade rumors.

When the Boston Celtics’ offense ground to a halt in the NBA Finals, it became clear that they needed an additional proven ballhandler to make life easier for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Celtics President Brad Stevens wasted little time addressing the clear need, agreeing to trade for Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed Friday. In the deal, Boston will send Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan and a 2023 first-round pick, according to ESPN.com.

Brogdon, 29, averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game for the Pacers, although he was limited to just 36 appearances due to injuries. The 2017 Rookie of the Year is a subtle, skilled, high-character player who can play on or off the ball.

Still, there are some concerns that limited Brogdon’s trade value. For starters, he has three years remaining on a four-year, $85 million contract that he signed in 2019, a deal that proved to be too rich for the rebuilding Pacers. Brogdon lacks the athleticism to be the type of top-tier guard who can put a team on his back. What’s more, he shot a career-low 31.2 percent from deep last year, well below his career mark of 37.6 percent.

Brogdon should be a much more natural fit on the Celtics, a leading 2023 title contender who won’t ask him to do too much within a balanced offense. At 6-foot-5, he fits Boston’s goal of fielding lineups composed entirely of players who are big for their positions. In a best-case scenario, Brogdon could emerge as the guard version of Al Horford: heady, steady and unselfish.

Rumors had circulated about a possible Brogdon trade for weeks, accelerating when Indiana drafted Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin to form a young backcourt pairing with Tyrese Haliburton, who was acquired from the Sacramento Kings in a trade deadline deal.

The first-round pick is easily the most valuable piece of Boston’s return package. Otherwise, Stevens managed not to include any players from his main rotation. Theis had his moments during his second stint with the Celtics, but he saw his minutes cut sharply during the Eastern Conference finals and Finals.

Indiana can take a flier on the 22-year-old Nesmith, who has struggled to shoot the ball as advertised when he was selected in the 2020 draft lottery.

While next year’s Portland Trail Blazers will feature plenty of intriguing new names, there will be a familiar face in the middle.

The Blazers agreed to re-sign Jusuf Nurkic to a four-year contract worth $70 million, according to his agency, Klutch Sports.

Nurkic, 27, has been a mainstay in Portland since he arrived in a 2017 trade from the Denver Nuggets. The “Bosnian Beast” averaged 15 points and 11.1 rebounds per game last season, though his availability was limited by injuries for the third straight season. All told, Nurkic has appeared in just 101 games over the last three seasons combined while playing out a four-year, $48 million deal that he signed in 2018.

Nevertheless, Portland’s lack of established interior players gave Nurkic leverage in these negotiations. The Blazers will hope that both Nurkic and all-star guard Damian Lillard enjoy better health next season, and that forward Jerami Grant, who arrived via trade from the Detroit Pistons, can improve their frontcourt versatility.

New Blazers General Manager M Joe Cronin has been busy this summer, re-signing guard Anfernee Simons, poaching guard Gary Payton II from the Golden State Warriors and selecting guard Shaedon Sharpe with the No. 7 pick in last week’s draft.

John Wall’s exit strategy came off without a hitch.

After reaching a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets earlier this week, Wall agreed to sign a two-year contract worth $13.2 million with the Los Angeles Clippers, his agency, Klutch Sports, announced Friday.

For Wall, the No. 1 pick of the 2010 draft who spent the first 10 years of his NBA career with the Washington Wizards, the move to Los Angeles is a long-awaited fresh start.

Washington traded Wall to Houston in December 2020, but the Rockets quickly entered a rebuilding cycle and opted to shut down the five-time all-star for the 2021-22 season. With a long history of injury issues and multiple years left on a four-year, $170 million extension that started in 2019, Wall didn’t garner much trade interest last year. Wall last played April 23, 2021, and he averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 40 appearances for the Rockets that season. Before arriving in Houston, he missed the entire 2019-20 season following an Achilles’ injury.

The Clippers enter next season with title aspirations given Kawhi Leonard’s impending return from a knee injury, and they re-signed Nicolas Batum and Amir Coffey on Thursday. Wall would join a veteran roster that includes Leonard, Paul George, Marcus Morris, Norman Powell and Reggie Jackson. In Los Angeles, Wall, who has shared a long friendship with George, is likely to be cast in a narrower role, given that he has appeared in just 113 games over the past five seasons. But the Clippers can use another capable ballhandler in addition to Jackson, and Wall could help lighten the loads on Leonard and George.

Still, Wall will need to prove he can remain healthy, make open shots on the perimeter, protect the basketball and recommit to the defensive end. In his most recent healthy season, Wall posted a career-low 15.4 Player Efficiency Rating and shot just 31.7 percent on three-pointers.

The raid on the Golden State Warriors’ championship roster is officially underway.

After first losing Juan Toscano-Anderson to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Warriors were unable to return guard Gary Payton II and forward Otto Porter Jr. in the opening days of NBA free agency.

Payton II, a defensive specialist who returned from an elbow injury to play key minutes in the Finals against the Boston Celtics, signed a three-year contract worth $28 million, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed Friday. The son of Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton averaged 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game off Golden State’s bench last season, providing ferocious on-ball defense and improved three-point shooting.

For the 29-year-old Payton II, the contract represents a payday years in the making. After going undrafted out of Oregon State, Payton II toiled in the G League for years before finally breaking through with the Warriors. When Payton II suffered a fractured elbow when he was knocked out of the air by Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks during the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors were worried that the injury might compromise his ability to land his first major NBA contract. Instead, Payton returned to distinguish himself with lockdown defense in the Finals, coming up with three steals apiece in Games 5 and 6.

In Portland, Payton II will feel a long-standing need for point-of-attack defense in a backcourt that is loaded with skilled scorers in Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons.

Meanwhile, Porter, an experienced shooter and defender, signed a two-year contract, according to Yahoo Sports. Porter averaged 8.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 37 percent from deep, and his presence allowed the Warriors to field wing-heavy lineups filled with versatile defenders. Porter, 29, did see his role reduced slightly as Golden State progressed through the postseason.

The Raptors have prioritized similarly interchangeable lineups in recent years, and Porter will make for a natural fit.

Warriors Coach Steve Kerr promised recently that his team “would be even better next year,” but the defections will require greater contributions from Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, two forwards who just completed their rookie campaigns. Golden State’s top free agency priority, center Kevon Looney, remains unsigned.

Despite nagging injury issues and a forgettable postseason debut, Zach LaVine secured a five-year maximum contract worth $215 million, his agency, Klutch Sports, announced on Friday.

LaVine, 27, entered this summer as one of biggest names in free agency thanks to his volume scoring and his reliable three-point shooting. The shooting guard’s return to the Bulls featured little drama, as they were able to offer him a fifth year on his contract that outside suitors couldn’t match. For LaVine, who just completed a four-year, $78 million deal, this new max contract will more than double his annual salary.

LaVine averaged 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for the Bulls last season, shifting into a secondary scoring role to accommodate the arrival of DeMar DeRozan. The 2014 lottery pick still earned his second consecutive all-star selection, though a troublesome knee limited his effectiveness during the first postseason appearance of his eight-year career. LaVine averaged 19.3 points and shot 42.9 percent in a first-round loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, and his defense is bound to face scrutiny in future playoff runs.

After winning 46 games, its most since 2014-15, it’s no surprise that Chicago decided to keep DeRozan and LaVine together. How far, exactly, that tandem can carry the Bulls remains to be seen, with entrenched Eastern Conference powers like the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat all possessing rosters with bigger stars and better defenses.

Questions will probably continue to swirl around center Nikola Vucevic, as the Bulls have been linked as a possible trade partner with the Utah Jazz center for Rudy Gobert. On Thursday, Chicago signed center Andre Drummond to a two-year deal.

So far, this summer’s free agency period has seen most of the big names re-sign with their current teams: LaVine joins Bradley Beal, Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ja Morant, among other all-stars, who elected to return to their incumbent teams on new contracts or extensions.

When it comes time for the NBA’s rising stars to sign new contracts, there’s usually not much to negotiate.

That was the case for Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, all of whom inked long-term contract extensions on Friday, just hours after the NBA’s summer free agency period opened.

All four deals were first reported as finalized by ESPN.com.

The NBA’s free agency period got off to a hectic start Thursday, but many of this summer’s biggest names remain unsigned. Aside from Kevin Durant, who is still waiting to see whether the Brooklyn Nets honor his trade request, here are 10 names to watch Friday and beyond.

1. Zach Lavine (Chicago Bulls); Unrestricted

2. James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers); Unrestricted

3. Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns); Restricted

4. Miles Bridges (Charlotte Hornets); Restricted

5. Collin Sexton (Cleveland Cavaliers); Restricted

6. Jusuf Nurkic (Portland Trail Blazers); Unrestricted

7. Kevon Looney (Golden State Warriors); Unrestricted

8. T.J. Warren (Indiana Pacers); Unrestricted

9. Bruce Brown (Brooklyn Nets); Unrestricted

10. Gary Payton II (Golden State Warriors); Unrestricted

While the Toronto Raptors had a relatively quiet start to free agency as expected, they did agree to re-sign backup center Chris Boucher to a three-year contract worth $35.3 million, according to ESPN.com.

The 29-year-old Boucher, a Canadian who went undrafted out of Oregon, averaged 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds last season. A bouncy center who fits Toronto’s preference for long and athletic lineups, Boucher was able to cash in the first significant payday of his five-year career.

Bigger moves might still be coming for the Raptors, who could extend all-star guard Fred VanVleet. OG Anunoby, a quality shooter and defender, was also mentioned in trade rumors before last week’s draft.

As the Milwaukee Bucks hope to get back to their championship heights, they opened the free agency period by retaining a fan favorite, taking a flier on an injured veteran forward and bringing back two experienced guards.

The Bucks agreed to re-sign Bobby Portis to a four-year, $49 million contract, according to ESPN.com, and then inked Joe Ingles to a one-year deal.

Then, Milwaukee re-signed Wesley Matthews on a one-year contract and Jevon Carter on a two-year contract, according to The Athletic.

Portis, 27, instantly endeared himself to the Milwaukee faithful with his shot-making and rebounding, often receiving “Bobby! Bobby!” chants from the Fiserv Forum crowd during the Bucks’ 2021 title run. The 6-foot-9 big man averaged a career-high 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds last season while stepping in as a starting center alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo following Brook Lopez’s extended injury.

The 34-year-old Ingles was himself a fan favorite on the Utah Jazz before suffering a torn ACL in late-January. Utah elected to trade Ingles to the Portland Trail Blazers at the February trade deadline, and the Australian forward continues to rehabilitate the injury. Milwaukee is probably trying to play the long game, hoping that Ingles could return in time to give rotation minutes during the 2023 postseason. Ingles, who finished second in the 2021 Sixth Man of the Year race, averaged 7.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last season.

Matthews, 35, averaged 5.1 points and 1.9 rebounds as a three-point shooter and defensive specialist off the bench.

The 26-year-old Carter averaged 4.2 assists and 1.5 assists per game for the Brooklyn Nets and Bucks in a backup role last season.

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said Wednesday that he expected his team to be among the NBA’s top contenders once Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are back on the court together next season.

“I think if we stay healthy next year, we’re going to be having a chance to talk way late in the spring season,” Ballmer told reporters. “We have a great group, great spirit, great energy. … I think the sky is the limit for our team. … Of course, you’ve got to have a little bit of luck to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.”

During a busy opening to free agency, the Clippers kept a key piece of their title hopes by re-signing veteran forward Nicolas Batum to a two-year contract worth $22 million, per Yahoo Sports. Los Angeles also re-signed guard Amir Coffey to a three-year contract worth $11 million, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Clippers’ biggest defection came when high-energy center Isaiah Hartenstein signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the New York Knicks.

Batum, 33, has rediscovered his game with the Clippers, averaging 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds as a starter last season. Back in 2019-20, the versatile French forward appeared to be headed out of the NBA following a disastrous campaign with the Charlotte Hornets. Now, Batum is a key piece to the Clippers’ deep reservoir of long and interchangeable wings that includes Leonard, George, Marcus Morris, Norman Powell and Robert Covington.

Coffey, 25, averaged 9 points and 2.9 rebounds in a bench role last season.

The 24-year-old Hartenstein averaged a career-high 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds as a backup center, and he should enjoy an expanded role with the Knicks.

The Chicago Bulls have been a popular destination for Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert in recent trade rumors, but they added a different all-star center on the opening day of NBA free agency.

Andre Drummond, an unrestricted free agent who spent the stretch run of last season with the Brooklyn Nets, agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million contract with the Bulls, according to ESPN.com. Chicago will be Drummond’s fifth team since 2020.

The 28-year-old center averaged 7.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for the Philadelphia 76ers and Nets last year before seeing his playing time cut considerably during the playoffs. A high-volume rebounder who struggles to defend in space, Drummond averaged just 15 minutes per game during Brooklyn’s first-round sweep against the Boston Celtics.

Chicago’s front line can use all the help it can get after getting pummeled by Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks during the first round of the playoffs. Drummond, who was twice selected as an all-star during his eight-year tenure with the Detroit Pistons, will offer a bigger-bodied alternative to starter Nikola Vucevic. Chicago ranked 28th in rebounding and 23rd in defensive efficiency last season.

Bulls guard Zach LaVine, one of the top free agents in this year’s class, was not among the big name players to quickly announce their decisions on Thursday.

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