Kawhi Leonard is reportedly turning down his option with the LA Clippers, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Keep track of all the latest NBA free agency news and reports before the 2021 NBA free agent period officially begins at 6 p.m. ET on Mon., Aug. 2.
Here are the top headlines from Aug. 1 so far:
• Report: Leonard declines $36 million option with Clippers
• Report: Paul turns down player option for 2021-22
• Mavericks pick up team option on Cauley-Stein
• Heat exercise team option on Dragic
• Hornets make qualifying offer to Graham, but not Monk
• Report: Heat declining Iguodala’s option
• Report: Bulls decline option on Arcidiacono
• Report: Blazers don’t extend offer to Collins
• Report: Nets decline to make offer to Chiozza
• Offseason Roundup: Aug. 1 | July 31 •
Reports: Leonard declines $36 million player option
LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is declining his $36 million player option, according to multiple reports.
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is expected to decline his $36 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell @YahooSports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 1, 2021
While the Clippers’ star becomes an unrestricted free agent, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says the expectation is that Leonard will negotiate with LA for a new contract.
Kawhi Leonard has declined his $36M player option for next season and becomes a free agent, per source. Now, the expectation is that Leonard will negotiate a new deal to stay with Clippers. @ChrisBHaynes first on declining option.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
— 5:41 p.m. ET
Report: Paul declining $44.2 million option with Suns
Point guard Chris Paul is declining his $44.2 million player option with the Phoenix Suns, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Phoenix Suns’ Chris Paul is declining his $44.2 million player option for the 2021-22 season and becoming an unrestricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 1, 2021
The move makes the veteran point guard an unrestricted free agent, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says the Suns are optimistic they’ll be able to keep Paul in the fold.
Chris Paul has until midnight ET to decide on his $44M player option, but there’s optimism that if he does decide against picking it up that he and the Suns can reach a new deal when free agency opens on Monday night, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
— 5:40 p.m. ET
Report: Nets decline to make offer to Chiozza
The Brooklyn Nets have declined to make a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Chris Chiozza, making the point guard an unrestricted free agent, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Brooklyn declined to offer guard Chris Chiozza the qualifying offer, so he comes a free agent, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
— 5:11 p.m. ET
Hornets extend offer to Graham, but not Monk
The Charlotte Hornets have made Devonte’ Graham a restricted free agent after extending a qualifying offer, the team announced Sunday.
We are extending a qualifying offer to guard Devonte’ Graham, making him a restricted free agent.
🔗: https://t.co/Ywmx7pZSfR pic.twitter.com/GRFCYveVGj
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) August 1, 2021
The team also announced they declined to extend an offer to guard Malik Monk, who will become an unrestricted free agent.
OFFICIAL: The @hornets have not tendered a qualifying offer to guard Malik Monk making him an unrestricted free agent
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) August 1, 2021
— 5:05 p.m. ET
Mavericks exercise option on Cauley-Stein
The Dallas Mavericks will pick up the $4.1 team option on big man Willie Cauley-Stein, the team announced Sunday.
The Dallas Mavericks have picked up the second-season contract option for Willie Cauley-Stein. pic.twitter.com/ODXRX0qAY0
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) August 1, 2021
Cauley-Stein came to Dallas in a deal with Golden State before the trading deadline in 2019-20. He played 13 games for the Mavericks before the pandemic shut down the season, then opted out of the restart in the Florida bubble.
The 27-year-old played 53 games in sporadic duty under coach Rick Carlisle, who resigned a day after general manager Donnie Nelson was fired in June.
The move with Cauley-Stein should leave Dallas with about $30 million in salary cap space in free agency.
— 4:56 p.m. ET
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Report: Blazers don’t extend offer to Collins
Zach Collins will become an unrestricted free agent after the Trail Blazers declined to extend their $7 million qualifying offer, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Portland isn't extending the $7M qualifying offer to Zach Collins, officially making him a free agent, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
Collins has struggled with injuries since being drafted 10th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. The forward had left ankle surgery in June after two previous ankle surgeries in 2020, the team announced.
— 4:44 p.m. ET
Report: Bulls decline option on Arcidiacono
The Chicago Bulls are reportedly declining the option on Ryan Arcidiacono, according to K.C. Johnson. of NBC Sports Chicago.
The Bulls are declining the $3M team option on Ryan Arcidiacono, per source.
Arcidiacono could be a candidate to return on a minimum deal, although he also is expected to draw interest in free agency.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) August 1, 2021
— 4:04 p.m. ET
Heat exercise team option on Dragic
The Miami Heat have officially picked up Goran Dragic’s team option for the 2021-22 season, which reportedly will pay him $19.4 million.
OFFICIAL: The Miami HEAT have exercised their team option on Goran Dragić.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) August 1, 2021
The 35-year-old guard averaged 13.4 points, 4.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds over 50 games with Miami last season.
Miami's status as the favorite to land Kyle Lowry was only enhanced by the decision to pick up Goran Dragic's option for next season, league sources say.
A sign-and-trade with Toronto for Lowry centered around Dragic's $19.4MM deal for next season is an obvious route to a deal.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 1, 2021
— 2:50 p.m.
Reports: Heat declining Iguodala’s option
Veteran forward Andre Iguodala will become an unrestricted free agent after the Miami Heat reportedly declined his team option for next season, according to reports from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The Heat are declining the $15M team option on F Andre Iguodala’s contract for next season, making him a free agent, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
The decision frees up salary cap space for the Heat, who reportedly remain interested in guard Kyle Lowry.
As the Miami Heat create salary cap space, Toronto free agent guard Kyle Lowry remains a firm target in free agency, sources tell ESPN. Miami has more levers to pull to create space to sign Lowry outright — or can still endeavor to work a sign-and-trade with the Raptors.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
Heat retain Goran Dragic (for now); Andre Iguodala allowed to become free agent. https://t.co/DLdTLcbQ6b A look at the details and implications of the move ahead of Monday's 6 p.m. start of NBA free agency.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) August 1, 2021
The move also makes a return to Golden State possible for Iguodala, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein.
The momentum behind an Andre Iguodala return to Golden State is bubbling strong already after Miami declined Iguodala's 2021-22 team option.
As Warriors owner Joe Lacob told @anthonyVslater: "Now we add a few veterans. We’re going to do that. You’ll see in the next few days."
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 1, 2021
— 2:29 p.m.
• Offseason Roundup: Aug. 1 | July 31 •
