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The New Orleans Pelicans and guard CJ McCollum have reportedly had talks regarding a new contract.

Speaking Wednesday on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said he's heard the Pels and McCollum have discussed a new deal even though he may not be eligible to sign one yet.

ESPN's Andrew Lopez chimed in, noting that McCollum may be able to sign a new contract as soon as August.

McCollum signed a three-year, $100 million extension with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019, and that deal runs through the 2023-24 season.

New Orleans acquired the 30-year-old McCollum last season in a blockbuster trade with the Blazers. The Pels sent a first-round pick, two second-round picks, Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky and Didi Louzada to Portland for McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell.

McCollum went on to enjoy the best production of his nine-year career in 26 games with the Pelicans, averaging 24.3 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals, all of which would have been career highs over the course of a full season.

The former Lehigh star also made 2.7 three-pointers per game with the Pelicans and shot 49.3 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from beyond the arc.

The Pels went 13-13 in games McCollum played and made the postseason play-in tournament, which saw them beat the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers to clinch the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

The Pelicans then took two games from the top-seeded Phoenix Suns, who had the best record in the NBA, before falling 4-2 in the first round.

Given the success the Pels enjoyed even though star forward Zion Williamson missed the entire season because of injury, there is a great deal of excitement regarding the future.

Assuming the squad stays together before the 2022-23 season begins, McCollum, Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas will all play together for the first time, giving New Orleans one of the best cores in the NBA.

McCollum figures to be a huge part of the Pelicans' success next season and beyond. He boasts a 19.2 points-per-game average in his career and makes just shy of 40 percent of his three-point attempts, meaning he will be leaned on to spread the floor and open things up inside for Williamson and Valanciunas.

While McCollum has never been an All-Star, the 2015-16 NBA Most Improved Player will be one next season if he maintains the level of play he showed with the Pelicans previously, and the price of a contract extension would only go up.

The New Orleans Pelicans and Zion Williamson have agreed to terms on a rookie supermax extension.

Williamson's agent, Austin Brown, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday that the two sides agreed to a five-year deal worth a guaranteed $193 million that could escalate to $231 million.

The news comes after The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania reported Friday that the two sides were nearing an agreement.

The deal hardly comes as a surprise, as the Pelicans made Williamson the face of the franchise by selecting him first overall in the 2019 NBA draft. However, there had been some uncertainty about his status with the organization as he rehabbed from a foot injury.

In September 2021, Christian Clark of NOLA.com reported there was tension between Williamson and the Pelicans over how the team handled his recovery from a torn meniscus during his rookie season. He added that Williamson's relationship with executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin even began to "sour."

However, Williamson reiterated his commitment to the Pelicans in June.

"I do want to be here. That's no secret. I feel like I've stood on that when I spoke," Williamson said during registration for his youth basketball camp at a local YMCA in New Orleans, per ESPN's Andrew Lopez. "Currently, this does not really have anything to do with that. This is just me wanting to be a pillar in my community."

Just days before Williamson's comments, Griffin told reporters that the power forward undoubtedly deserved a max contract despite his injury history.

"The kid's historically good when he plays ... this is a max player, that's easy," Griffin said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast (h/t ESPN.com).

While he only appeared in 24 games during his rookie season, Williamson impressed, averaging 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 58.3 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from deep en route to an All-Rookie team selection.

The 21-year-old appeared in 61 games during the 2020-21 campaign and was even better, averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 61.1 percent from the floor. His performance earned him his first All-Star selection.

However, he went on to miss the entire 2021-22 season while rehabbing his surgically repaired right foot, and the Pelicans finished ninth in the Western Conference with a 36-46 record before suffering a first-round playoff loss to the Phoenix Suns.

When healthy, Williamson is one of the best forwards in the NBA, and his return alongside CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram should at least allow New Orleans to compete for a playoff spot again in 2022-23.

Veteran forward Danilo Gallinari is reportedly set to sign with the Boston Celtics after he's released by the San Antonio Spurs and clears waivers.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Gallinari's preference to join the Celtics. Brian Robb of MassLive added the 33-year-old Italian is expected to sign a two-year contract using the team's $6.5 million taxpayer mid-level exception.

The Spurs acquired Gallinari in the blockbuster Dejounte Murray trade with the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

Gallinari is an ideal fit for Boston on paper as a stretch 4 who can make an offensive impact without needing a ton of touches.

He averaged 12.4 points while attempting 9.4 shots per game across two seasons with the Hawks. His usage rate last season (18.4 percent) hit its lowest mark since his rookie year with the New York Knicks in 2008-09.

His career field-goal percentage (42.8) is subpar, but he's knocked down 38.2 percent of his threes and 87.7 percent of his free throws in 13 NBA seasons.

Although Gallinari is in his mid-30s, he said after the season that he came out of the campaign without any physical concerns.

"I felt great. My body felt great," he told reporters in April after the Miami Heat eliminated the Hawks from the playoffs. "I'm very happy with the way that I was able to play all these games and sustain the season."

The Celtics' starting lineup is locked in with Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Robert Williams III, so Gallinari is ticketed for a reserve role in Boston.

He could form a platoon with Grant Williams for reserve minutes at the 4. He'll handle a larger share of the minutes when Boston is seeking offense, and Williams will step in when it's more of a defensive situation.

The Celtics figure to remain among the NBA's championship contenders heading into the 2022-23 campaign, so proven depth will be important coming off a year where they played 106 games counting the playoffs.

Gallinari can take some offensive pressure off Tatum and Brown while stepping into the starting lineup if needed, giving a nice boost to the rotation.

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies reached an agreement on a five-year, $193 million designated rookie extension that could become worth $231 million, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Morant shared his thoughts about the extension shortly after it was revealed:

Memphis is my home 💙

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) July 1, 2022

damn pic.twitter.com/nU7WexVjN8

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) July 1, 2022

Morant became extension-eligible following the 2021-22 season, and a max contract felt inevitable.

"I'm definitely happy to be here," the All-Star guard told reporters in May. "Memphis is my home. As that go when that conversation comes up, I feel like it will be in the media for everybody to see. If your answer is do I want to be in Memphis: Hell yeah."

General manager Zach Kleiman struck a similar tone.

"I'm of course not allowed to say specifics on that," he said of a possible contract. "Whatever I'm allowed to say under the NBA rules without violating the CBA, I hereby say about what our plans would be for Ja as a cornerstone here."

Morant averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 57 games. He shot 49.3 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc. The 22-year-old's step forward was rewarded with the NBA's Most Improved Player award.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKAR4M1wwC0

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, tied a franchise record with 56 wins and earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Were it not for Morant's bone bruise in the playoffs, Memphis might have advanced to the conference finals.

More than just his individual numbers or the team's wins and losses, Morant has epitomized the ideals of a true franchise player.

Almost immediately the 6'3" playmaker understood the opportunity for him to become a symbol for the entire city of Memphis.

"I think Ja could retire a Grizzly because he sees himself in this place and this place sees itself in him," John Martin of ESPN Radio 92.9 in Memphis told Andscape's Justin Tinsley. "Ja’s not from here. But he’s of here."

Jerry Dover Jr., who coaches girls basketball at a private school in East Memphis, told Tinsley that Morant "will have an Allen Iverson-like effect on the city."

On the court, Morant's personality and confidence can rub off on his teammates. Throughout this past season, Memphis displayed an attitude belying the squad's general youth and lack of collective success.

Morant described the franchise's culture as "drippy" in a February interview with ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

"That's our identity, and that's going to continue to be our identity," he said. "Some guys don't like it, but it gives us an edge. It gives us a boost, a lot of energy out there on the floor, so we're going to continue to do it."

The "Grit and Grind" era brought sustained relevancy to the Grizzlies for the first time and yielded a trio of stars (Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph) who felt unique to the organization. Randolph was the first player to have his jersey retired by the team.

But with all due respect to Conley, Gasol and Randolph, Morant can be a truly transformative figure on a different scale, an All-NBA talent with the charisma to match.

Giving him the most money allowable under the collective bargaining agreement was a no-brainer, and there was nothing to indicate he'd hesitate to agree when presented with a formal offer.

Now, the hard part for Kleiman comes with improving the supporting cast around Morant to get the Grizzlies their first championship.

Lonnie Walker IV agreed to a one-year $6.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday after the San Antonio Spurs pulled the qualifying offer they made him, according to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania.

If the Spurs had kept the qualifying offer on the table, he would have been a restricted free agent, and San Antonio would have been allowed to match any offer opposing teams sent his way.

The 23-year-old had been a key cog off the bench for the Spurs since he was drafted 18th in 2018 and has improved every season since. During his rookie campaign, he averaged just 2.6 points per game in 17 contests.

During the 2021-22 season, Walker took a significant step forward, averaging 12.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 40.7 percent from the floor and 31.4 percent from deep in 70 games.

Walker took on a heavier role for the Spurs after they traded Derrick White to the Boston Celtics on Feb. 10, becoming the team's sixth man and assuming a larger scoring load.

Walker will now have an opportunity to join LeBron James and the Lakers, who are looking to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs this past season.

The San Antonio Spurs reportedly traded All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, which raised eyebrows across the league.

However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that the Spurs decided to part ways with Murray because it was inevitable that they'd lose the 25-year-old.

"He and his agent, Rich Paul, made it known that he was not going to extend his contract with the Spurs this summer," Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast.

Murray signed a four-year, $64 million contract with the Spurs in 2019. He has two years remaining on the deal and is set to earn a base salary of $16.6 million next season, per Spotrac.

Windhorst said Murray was not discontent but knew he'd be worth more than what San Antonio could afford.

"And that wasn't really necessarily about the Spurs," Windhorst said. "His contract is about $16 million on average. When you extend your contract, you're limited into how much of a raise you can get. And it would've been probably below his market value as a 25-year-old All-Star. But he pretty much told them—he's like, 'I'm probably not going to extend next summer either.'"

The Spurs reportedly acquired three first-round picks and a future pick swap along with veteran forward Danilo Gallinari from the Hawks. While losing Murray is a major blow for San Antonio's chances to compete for a playoff spot next season, the franchise is set up for the future with nine first-round picks over the next five years.

The San Antonio Spurs could be in for another disappointing season in 2022-23 following a reported trade that will send Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks. However, Gregg Popovich is reportedly embracing the chance to coach one of the youngest squads in the NBA.

According to Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News, Popovich is said to be excited "like he's back at Pomona-Pitzer" and is "completely on board" with coaching a young roster next season.

San Antonio enters the 2022-23 season with an average age of 24, and Popovich is going to have a lot of work to do.

By trading Murray to the Hawks, the Spurs signaled they are fully dedicated to a rebuild, and some fans were questioning whether or not Popovich would want to stick around and coach a group that lacks proven talent.

That said, Popovich has stated in the past that he enjoys coaching a young team, telling reporters in September 2021 that the Spurs are "a team filled with great character, a lot of will, and that's what makes it fun."

"It's exciting. I have no idea who I am going to give it (basketball) to or what play we're going to run," Popovich added. "That's something we're going to figure out as we move along here. And to me, that is exciting as hell."

The Spurs finished the 2021-22 campaign with a 34-48 record and haven't had a winning season since 2018-19, but Popovich didn't enjoy coaching young players, he would have probably left a long time ago.

It's not necessarily surprising that Popovich finds the challenge of coaching a young roster exciting. The 73-year-old has been head coach of the Spurs since 1996 and has overseen a variety of teams—some veteran, some young, some a mix of the two.

Popovich has coached very experienced players like Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge over his historic career.

But now he's being tasked with coaching a young group that has a fire to get better and improve. With a roster that includes Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan and Tre Jones, among others, Popovich will enjoy the personal challenge of leading the group and find it fun to watch those players grow.

Popovich is one of the best coaches in NBA history, having posted a 1,344-701 record over his career that includes five NBA titles. If anyone can help this young group succeed, it's him.

The San Antonio Spurs reportedly agreed to trade guard Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday in exchange for forward Danilo Gallinari, three first-round picks and a future pick swap.

The 2025 and 2027 first-rounders are unprotected ATL first-round picks, per league source. https://t.co/6M1PAaCfQ8

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 29, 2022

Teams are very, very hesitant to do this. They often fight for even top-1 protection. The CHA pick is middling/lotto-protected, but the rest is about as much draft equity (maybe more) as SAS could have ever anticipated getting. Even pushing to 2025/27 (and not 2023/2025) matters https://t.co/J5eRNuCadu

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 29, 2022

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the news. The Hawks were one of several teams negotiating trades with the Spurs for Murray in recent weeks as San Antonio seemingly embarks on a full-scale rebuilding effort.

Rumors regarding Murray's status with the Spurs have been swirling for several weeks. The All-Star guard has even gone so far as to acknowledge the rumors on social media.

San Antonio's motivation to move Murray seems curious at best. He's coming off a career-best season, posting averages of 21.0 points, 9.2 assists, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals while playing stellar perimeter defense.

The Spurs also have Murray under a team-friendly deal that will pay him $34.2 million over the next two seasons.

While this is clearly the beginning of a full-scale rebuilding effort, Murray doesn't turn 26 until September and still will be well within his prime when the Spurs plan on competing again.

The 2023 NBA draft features forward Victor Wembanyama, one of the most touted prospects in recent memory, and another potential superstar in guard Scoot Henderson. It's possible the Spurs feel they would be too good with Murray in the fold to have a realistic shot at landing a top-two pick.

That said, the fact the Spurs were in this position calls into question their team-building strategy of the last few years. There were calls for the franchise to begin its rebuilding stage in 2018 when Kawhi Leonard requested a trade. Rather than take a package of picks and young players, the Spurs instead chose a package highlighted by DeMar DeRozan, who allowed the team to remain competitive but stuck in the purgatory of mediocrity.

The Spurs made the playoffs in DeRozan's first year with the franchise but were ousted in the first round before failing to make the postseason each of the last three seasons. It's fair to argue the Spurs never would have been in a position to need to trade Murray if they chose the correct path four years ago.

There is also the matter of whether 73-year-old Gregg Popovich has the stomach for a rebuild that will likely take him into his late 70s.

As far as the Hawks go, this is a no-brainer. Murray fills two of the team's biggest needs, perimeter defense and a ball-handler who can help take the load off Trae Young's shoulders. The Charlotte first-round pick is protected picks 1-16 next season and lottery-protected through 2025; it can't even get the Spurs in the Wembayana race.

The two Hawks' first-round picks project out of the lottery for the foreseeable future, barring some cataclysmic series of injuries or a falling out with Young.

As it stands, Atlanta gave up three picks that project to be in the late teens to mid-20s and a veteran expiring contract for a 25-year-old All-Star. It's nothing short of a home run.

Lonnie Walker IV has received a $6.3 million qualifying offer from the San Antonio Spurs, which will make him a restricted free agent this summer.

According to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, Walker is expected to test the market, though the Spurs will retain the right to match any offer sheet he signs after tendering the qualifying offer:

The Spurs have formally tendered a qualifying offer to Lonnie Walker worth $6.3M, making him a restricted free agent beginning tomorrow. Otherwise, he would have been unrestricted.

The expectation is that Walker will fully test the free agency market.

— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) June 29, 2022

The 23-year-old has been a key cog off the bench for the Spurs since being drafted 18th overall in 2018 and has improved every season since. During his rookie campaign, he averaged just 2.6 points per game in 17 contests.

During the 2021-22 season, Walker took a significant step forward, averaging 12.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 40.7 percent from the floor and 31.4 percent from deep in 70 games.

The Miami product took on a bigger role for the Spurs after they traded Derrick White to the Boston Celtics during the 2021-22 campaign, becoming the team's sixth man and assuming a larger scoring load.

The Dallas Mavericks' price point to re-sign guard Jalen Brunson is reportedly about $22 million per year, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

That price point, per sources: a five-year deal at “more than Fred VanVleet money,” which means about $22M per year or $110M total value. https://t.co/fjAHrfcbQu

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 29, 2022

Per Grant Asfeth of Dallas Basketball, the max offer the Mavs can make to Brunson is worth five years and $175.45 million.

The New York Knicks are reportedly in hot pursuit of Brunson, to the point where Tim Cato of The Athletic reported Tuesday that the Mavs have "anticipated" the ex-Villanova star leaving for "weeks," to the point where it's "seen as a certainty" that he will leave town for the Big Apple.

Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein also tweeted Tuesday that "there is a growing resignation in Dallas, sources say, that the Knicks are indeed Brunson's top choice and his inevitable destination."

All the signs point to that happening. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that the Knicks have cleared nearly $30 million in cap space to sign Brunson to close to a max contract:

The Knicks have cleared $30M in salary cap space to offer Dallas' Jalen Brunson in the neighborhood of a max contract. The unloading of assets and contracts clearly shows the Knicks' confidence that they can secure Brunson once free agency opens on Thursday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

They notably traded Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday to clear $19 million in salary, per Wojnarowski. The Knicks also dealt point guard Kemba Walker to the Pistons last Thursday to clear another $9 million.

Per SNY's Ian Begley, the Knicks can offer Brunson a max deal of four years and $131 million.

Brunson, 25, averaged 16.3 points on 50.2 percent shooting, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds last year in his fourth NBA season. He's played his entire NBA career with the Mavs, who selected him with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2018 draft.