Ball in play: Summary of movements in Free Agency

The NBA Free Agency is underway and after the ‘bombshell’ it released Kevin Durant When asking to leave the Brooklyn Nets, during the day on Thursday there were other movements, changes and returns that go beyond the ‘big shots’ and that project a competitive 2022-2023 season in the Association.

This is a brief account of some of the agreements and movements with which the ‘chess’ began between the GM’s of the franchises for the next campaign.

Free-agent center Andre Drummond has agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Thursday. The second year is a player option.

The 28-year-old Drummond had a solid second half for the Brooklyn Nets after being traded just before the trade deadline as part of the package that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Nets players and coaches expressed their appreciation for how hard Drummond played, as he averaged 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in 24 regular season games with Brooklyn.

The Philadelphia 76ers and the free agent forward PJ Tucker They are finalizing a three-year deal worth $33.2 million, his agent told The Athletic.

The Sixers also reached deals with free-agent shooting guards Danuel House and Trevelin Queensources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. House’s deal is for two years and $8.5 million, the sources said.

After winning a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, Tucker joined another Eastern Conference contender, the Miami Heat, helping them achieve the best record in the conference last season.

Tucker, 37, especially shone in the playoffs, hitting 45% of his 3-pointers while playing 28 minutes a game in Miami’s run to the conference finals. Despite his age, Tucker again proved exceptionally durable after playing in 71 regular season games and then all 18 playoff games for Miami.

the free agent bobby portis He returns to the Milwaukee Bucks on a four-year, $49 million deal, his agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Thursday.

Portis turned down a $4.5 million player option with the Bucks before free agency.

A year ago, Milwaukee couldn’t offer him more than that amount, and Portis took a pay cut to come back after winning a championship.

The 27-year-old Portis started 59 games of his 72 games last season, much of it off the bench. brooklyn lopez injured and averaged 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds on 47.9% shooting from the field and 39.3% shooting from 3. He has started seven playoff games the past two years in Milwaukee and averaged 15.4 points and 11.3 rebounds during they.

The shooting guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, Anfernee Simonshas agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract extension, his agent Bill Duffy of BDA Sports + WME Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Simons, who turned 23 on June 8, averaged 17.3 points and 29.5 minutes per game in 57 games, including 30 starts, for Portland last season. He took over as the team’s primary ball handler down the stretch after franchise mainstay, CJ McCollumwas traded to the New Orleans Pelicans and superstar shooting guard Damian Lillard out for the season following abdominal surgery.

In those 30 games Simons started, he averaged 22 points per game and shot 45 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from 3-point range, while averaging just under 10 3-point attempts a night.

the escort Luguentz Dort agreed to a five-year, $87.5 million deal to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent, Wasserman’s Thad Foucher, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 23-year-old Dort, who is considered one of the best defenders in the NBA, signed with the Thunder in 2019 as an undrafted rookie on a two-way deal and emerged as a starter for Oklahoma City’s playoff team that season. Dort’s contract became a minimum four-year deal before the league’s 2020 restart in the Orlando bubble.

The free agent shooting guard Malik Monk is signing a two-year, $19 million deal to join the Sacramento Kings, his brother and agent, Marcus Monk, told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Monk, 24, was one of the rare bright spots for a disappointing Los Angeles Lakers team last season, averaging career highs in minutes (28.1), points (13.8), assists (2.9) and shooting percentage actual (59.7%).

Selected 11th overall in the 2017 draft, Monk spent the first four seasons of his career in Charlotte, but struggled to get consistent touches amid a packed backcourt that included Terry Rose, LaMelo Ball Y Devon Graham.

The free agent forward Nicholas Batum agreed to a two-year deal to return to the LA Clippers, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Thursday.

Also, the escort Amir Coffey He also agreed to a three-year, $11 million deal to remain with the Clippers, his agents Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of BDA Sports and WME Sports told Wojnarowski.

The Dallas Mavericks and the center JaVale McGee agreed to a three-year deal worth $20.1 million, sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

The deal includes a player option for the third season, sources said.

McGee enjoyed arguably the best season of his career as a backup center and backup starter on a dominant Phoenix Suns team last season, averaging near career highs in points and rebounds per minute.

A pure center who rolls the rim, McGee is averaging 1.5 blocks while shooting 57.6% from the field for his career.

Kyle Anderson has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal to join the Minnesota Timberwolves, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of Wasserman Basketball told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Anderson gives a Minnesota team that lacks wing depth a strong rotation player as the team looks to build on its playoff appearance last season. Anderson will fit in well alongside All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns with his ability to create plays and block shots.

A key figure at depth for the Memphis Grizzlies in recent seasons, Anderson hit the open market for the first time since leaving the San Antonio Spurs in 2018.