Jeff McDonald: Pop was asked about the timing of coachi…
June 20, 2021 | 10:02 am EDT Update
Marc J. Spears: 'Kyle Kuzma already looks like he's on his way out'
According to NBA insider Marc J. Spears, the 31-year-old point guard will most likely be moved by the Thunder. He thinks that the Los Angeles Lakers should try to get him. Spears also revealed that Kyle Kuzma appears to be leaving the 2020 NBA champions. “Man, I can’t see Kemba playing there. If I’m the Lakers, man, why not try to go after Kemba. To me it makes a lot of sense. Kuzma already looks like he’s on his way out,” Spears said on ESPN’s The Jump.
The 2020 NBA champion further fuelled speculations by deleting the Lakers from his Instagram bio. It is nothing new for Kuzma to be included in trade rumors. Ever since entering the league, his name was part of speculations each season.
“I think Spencer will get high teens (annually),” one NBA executive told HoopsHype. “Dinwiddie seems like he’s leaving,” another NBA executive predicted when speaking with HoopsHype. “He’ll have a high salary number. I don’t see him staying regardless. I don’t get the sense he wants to be there.”
“Coming off that injury, I’d be concerned about giving him in the neighborhood of $80 million over four years,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “Dinwiddie is worth $14-17 million depending on his health,” another executive said.
To the executive’s point, some around the league believe Dinwiddie wants to be a starting point guard with a larger role as he had during the 2019-20 season when he averaged a career-high 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game. Even if Dinwiddie wanted to return to the Nets as Irving’s backcourt mate, it would be tough for the Nets to keep him with luxury tax implications in mind.
After signing with Brooklyn for the veteran’s minimum, several NBAexecutives believe Green will earn a pay raise this summer.Executives estimated his value is currently at $3-6 million annually. “Green and Griffin probably won’t get more than the bi-annual exception,” oneexecutive projected. “I think Green will be a tax-payer mid-level exception guy,” another executive countered.
“I think Griffin could be worth a little more than the taxpayer mid-level exception or around $6 million,” one NBAexecutive told HoopsHype.
According to rival NBA executives, Brown’s value could range anywhere from $4-7 million annually. There’s a belief he’s valued more highly in Brooklyn and may not fit well in a different role elsewhere due to his unique role with the Nets. “Brown will get less than the taxpayer mid-level exception,” an NBAexecutive told HoopsHype. “He’s a 6-foot-4 power forward for Brooklyn. Not many teams can use him like that.”
