We\u2019re in the sweet spot of the NBA rumor mill season: The NBA Draft is behind us, NBA free agency starts in less than a week, and deals are getting done. We\u2019ve had two massive trades already (three if you want to count Julius Randle to Brooklyn, which set the table for LaMelo Ball to Minnesota). What are the latest rumors? Here\u2019s a roundup.<\/p>\n
Mitchell Robinson likely not returning to New York<\/p>\n
Knicks owner James Dolan has been clear during a couple of interviews since New York won its first title in 53 years: He wants to keep this roster together, but he would not go into the second apron to do it.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where the math gets ugly, and why the Knicks traded out of the first round of the NBA Draft (first round picks get a guaranteed contract). Even with all their moves, expect Mitchell Robinson to be the odd man out, reports Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.<\/p>\n
Heard it\u2019s unlikely Mitchell Robinson will be back with Knicks next season. He\u2019s longest tenured Knick but also an unrestricted free agent. Owner James Dolan said he\u2019s unwilling to pay into second apron so running it back with bench is not feasible.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) June 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Other teams around the league have been preparing for this, and Robinson \u2014 coming off a title run where he was crucial for the Knicks off the bench \u2014 will have a number of suitors.<\/p>\n Kawhi Leonard open to return to Raptors, Spurs<\/p>\n Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers are in the midst of negotiating a contract extension, but the sides are reportedly not close to a deal. Leonard, 35 and coming off an All-NBA season, is entering the final season of his current deal at $50.3 million, and the Clippers want him to take a healthy pay cut. Leonard doesn\u2019t like the number the Clippers are presenting.<\/p>\n Which has led to some speculation about a trade. However, if that happens, Leonard has some leverage because the team that deals for him will want him to sign an extension \u2014 and he would do that with his two former teams, San Antonio or Toronto, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line<\/a>. He would not do that with two other teams that have had their eye on him, Miami and Detroit, Fischer reports.<\/p>\n Toronto reportedly has been interested if Leonard becomes available. San Antonio has not been reported as an interested party, and whether the organization would want a reunion after a messy exit the first time around in 2018 is, to put it politely, up for debate. It\u2019s also unclear if any other interested teams (Golden State has been mentioned) would get a thumbs-up from Leonard.<\/p>\n Lakers reportedly open to Jarrett Allen for LeBron<\/p>\n With all due respect to Brian Windhorst \u2014 a genuinely good person and great reporter, someone I like and respect \u2014 this is a reach. At best.<\/p>\n Discussing a potential LeBron James return to Cleveland, Windhorst said this on ESPN Cleveland radio (hat tip Real GM).<\/p>\n “I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron, obviously LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs,” – @WindhorstESPN<\/a> says the Lakers would KILL to get Jarrett Allen in a trade for LeBron. pic.twitter.com\/WiFmIABUiE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThere is a thought process out there in Los Angeles and if the Cavs were interested in this, the Lakers would sit up in attention right now. That they would sign-and-trade LeBron for Jarrett Allen. I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron. Obviously, LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs. But if your pathway to pay LeBron the money is to trade Jarrett Allen for him, the Lakers would kill for Jarrett Allen.\u201d<\/p>\n First, Windhorst is right, if LeBron wanted this and the Cavaliers were open to it, the Lakers would jump at trading for Allen. All Cleveland could offer to LeBron as a free agent is the veteran minimum, and if you think LeBron would play for the minimum you have not been paying attention to his career. Allen is set to make $28 million next season (and has two guaranteed years at $62.7 million beyond that), and a salary basically matching that number might be palatable to LeBron.<\/p>\n However, there are a few issues here. First, and Windhorst brushes past this but it\u2019s huge: Does LeBron want to return to Cleveland? He plays with his son on the Lakers, in a city where his family has made a home and is happy and settled. Does he want to move to Cleveland (or Akron) for a year? Does he want to leave the West Coast?<\/p>\n Second is the money issue. Completing a sign-and-trade for LeBron would hard cap the Cavaliers at the first apron, expected to be about $209 million. Cleveland currently has about $222 million in projected salary on the books, so while LeBron may take a little less and James Harden takes a lower per-year number on his extension, that\u2019s still $13 million to cut, which will hurt the team\u2019s depth. Then there\u2019s the question of just how open Cleveland really is to trading Allen, although they may have to in the coming years for financial reasons.<\/p>\n All of which is to say, this is a long shot. At best. But with the Lakers and LeBron reportedly not really discussing a number yet in any detail, speculation about his future will fill the void.<\/p>\n Other NBA rumors, news<\/p>\n \u2022 Detroit still interested in Herro. Tyler Herro reportedly is excited to be back in Milwaukee, where he was born, to play for the Bucks… except they may not keep him if the right offer comes in. Detroit, still looking for an elite second playmaker to put next to Cade Cunningham, is still interested, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2022 Atlanta picked up its $2.41 million team option on Mouhamed Gueye for next season, which was expected. He played a big role as a backup big for them last season.<\/p>\n \u2022 Expect Jazz to keep Walker Kessler. Don\u2019t take my word for it (although league sources have told NBC Sports that other teams don\u2019t think he\u2019s really available), listen to Jazz owner Ryan Smith on Run it Back<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe love Walk. He\u2019s a big piece of where we\u2019re going.\u201d<\/p>\n