After a frenzied first day of free agency, where there was over a billion dollars in contracts agreed to, there is some clarity going into the summer as teams shed salary and attempt to boost their chances to dethrone the Golden State Warriors. The biggest names in the game have been taken off the board, starting with LeBron James agreeing to a $154 million deal to go west and play with the Los Angeles Lakers. Chris Paul re-upped with the Houston Rockets on a max deal, Kevin Durant is back with the Warriors and Paul George decided to stay in Oklahoma City for the near future. There are still some valuable players out there on the market, with injured star DeMarcus Cousins and restricted free agents Marcus Smart and Clint Capela still coveted by teams. Players can agree to deals officially, but cannot sign contracts until noon on July 6. Here are the latest news and rumors from around the league. 1 a.m. • Avery Bradley has agreed to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers for two-years, $25 million. (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports) 10 p.m. • DeMarcus Cousins had no significant contract offers when free agency started. (Marc Spears, The Undefeated) • DeMarcus Cousins narrowed his choices down to the Warriors and Celtics before choosing Golden State. (Chris Haynes, ESPN.com) • Draymond Green played a big role in recruiting DeMarcus Cousins to the Warriors along with general manageeer Bob Myers and coach Steve Kerr. (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports) • The Trail Blazers and Pelicans discussed a sign-and-trade for DeMarcus Cousins, but Cousins sharing an agent with Portland restricted free agent Jusuf Nurkic proved to be a road block. (Chris Haynes, ESPN.com) 8 p.m. • DeMarcus Cousins agreed to join the Warriors on a one-year deal. (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports) • DeMarcus Cousins will make $5.3 million, or the taxpayer mid-level exception in his deal with Golden State and is not expected to return from his torn Achilles until December or January. (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.com) 7 p.m. • Seth Curry agreed to a two-year deal with the Trail Blazers that has a player option for the second season. (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.com) 6 p.m. • Anthony Davis helped recruit Julius Randle to New Orleans. (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.com) • Julius Randle agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with the Pelicans with a player option for the second year. (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.com) • Julius Randle asked to be renounced by the Lakers after realizing his role would change this season and the team wasn't committed to him long-term. (Ramona Shelburne, ESPN.com) 5 p.m. • The Lakers agreed to a one-year, $9 million deal with Rajon Rondo. (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.com) • The Lakers have renounced their rights to Julius Randle, making him an unrestricted free agent. (Adrian Wojnarowksi, ESPN.com) • The Pacers released center Al Jefferson. (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports) • The Wizards claimed former Lakers big man Thomas Bryant off waivers. (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports) 3 p.m. • Center Nerlens Noel will sign a two-year deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, including a player option in Year 2. The deal is for the veteran minimum (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports). • Utah will re-sign forward Derrick Favors to a two-year, $36 million deal (Marc Spears, ESPN.com). • It is becoming more unlikely that Carmelo Anthony will play for Oklahoma City next season, as stretch-waiving him would save the Thunder over $100 million (Tim Bontemps, Washington Post). • Anthony Tolliver is nearing a one-year deal in the $5 million to $6 million range with the Minnesota Timberwolves (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports). 12 p.m. • Tyreke Evans is meeting with the Lakers today after meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. (Chris Haynes, ESPN.com) • 76ers continue to express interest in forward Kyle O'Quinn. The Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans also have interest. (Alex Kennedy, HoopsHype) • Free agent guard J.J. Redick re-signs with the Philadelphia 76ers on a one-year deal. Deal could be worth $12–13 million. (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.com) 11 a.m. •Lakers restricted free agent Julius Randle has not received an offer yet, but is expected to meet with team on Monday. (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports) • Sources describe the Lakers' proposals for Kawhi Leonard as "underwhelming," with one exec saying the offers were "flat-out unacceptable." (Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer) • The Spurs have interest in 76ers' Dario Saric and Robert Covington, but would keep Leonard if they can't find right deal. (Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News) 7 a.m. • The San Antonio Spurs are setting their price for Leonard for any team, including the Philadelphia 76ers, who want to trade for the All-Star. It could include two players and three future first-round picks. (Jordan Schultz, Yahoo! Sports) • The Phoenix Suns will meet with shooting guard Devin Booker on a possible extension, a day after reports that Booker was upset with the team for waiving friend Tyler Ulis. (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.com) • Derrick Favors meets with the Utah Jazz, with a decision on his future coming Monday. His agent says multiple teams are interested in Favors. (David Aldridge, TNT) • The New Orleans Pelicans signed guard Elfrid Payton to a one-year deal. (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.com) • Free agent center Nerlens Noel is considering the Washington Wizards, Lakers, Thunder and Pelicans. (Shams Charania, Yahoo! Sports) • The 76ers and guard Jerryd Bayless are strongly considering a buyout. Bayless is due $9 million in salary next season. (Jordan Schultz, Yahoo! Sports)<doc-sep>Having tried to move hell and high water to score a trade for Kawhi Leonard, only to fall short of the door, the Los Angeles Lakers could target big man DeMarcus Cousins on a short-term max deal, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Cousins could play as a potential superstar partner to LeBron James, who called the mercurial center “the best big man in our game” back in 2017. The Lakers have had to stay on their toes, first hoping the Oklahoma City Thunder swingman would be happy to bolt for La La Land after a one-year venture in OKC. But as the three-and-D star drifted away from his initial promise to be nothing but a “one-year rental” for whichever team traded for him, the purple-and-gold started to target other superstars as a way to lure James into the fold. Having taken two strikes down the middle, the front office of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka are up at the batter’s box again, dusting off their cleats and hoping to take a big swing for Cousins, who is unlikely to get the five-year max from the New Orleans Pelicans — who will have other salaries tied that make them unable to dole out such a hefty deal. A partnership between James and Cousins could give defenses problems, while the short-term nature of the deal will allow utmost flexibility for both team and player as they approach the unknown.<doc-sep>
The Pelicans and Lakers each called center DeMarcus Cousins after free agency began early Sunday morning, and Cousins is expected to schedule meetings with both teams, according to The Undefeated. Free agency officially opened at 12:01 a.m. ET Sunday, though unrestricted free agents are not allowed to sign new deals until Friday. The Ringer reported late Saturday evening that Cousins would be an “increasingly likely target” for the Lakers on a short-term, max-level contract if they were unable to sign Paul George, citing league sources. Reports shortly followed that George — who has been connected with the Lakers for much of the last two years — will re-sign with the Thunder on what is reportedly a four-year, $137 million contract. The Lakers, who have the cap flexibility to sign two players to max-level contracts this summer, have been heavily connected with LeBron James, who is officially a free agent, and Kawhi Leonard, who reportedly requested a trade from the Spurs. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said early Saturday morning on “SportsCenter” that Cousins was “very likely” to return to the Pelicans on a shorter-term deal. A day later, a source told ESPN that Cousins said it “might be time” to play in a major market after having spent his career to date in Sacramento and New Orleans. see also Where everyone has landed as NBA free agency hits If the Lakers had any thought of a three-pronged superteam,... Cousins, who turns 28 in August, is recovering from a torn left Achilles tendon sustained in January. Prior to the injury, the Pelicans were expected to offer him a max-level, five-year contract this offseason, but the severity of the issue is expected to depress his market significantly. He told The Undefeated in May that he is “for sure” open to re-signing with the Pelicans, but he also acknowledged the uncertainty of his situation as he prepared to hit free agency for the first time. “I know for a fact my teammates want me back there, but you know it’s a business,” Cousins said. “The people in the front office are going to make the best decision for the team or whatever they feel is the best decision. … “I honestly can’t answer that question. I haven’t spoken to the front office in a while, so we’ll see what happens.” Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry told reporters a week later the team “obviously” wants Cousins back. Before his injury, Cousins was averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game through 48 games, figures that have never been reached by one player in a single season in NBA history. Picked fifth overall in the 2010 draft, the eight-year veteran has career averages of 21.5 points, 11.0 rebounds. 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.