August may be here, but a few NBA names are still drifting through the market.
Marc Stein of The Stein Line provided a fresh batch of updates Wednesday, and the common thread is simple: the Clippers and Cavaliers still have work to do before their offseason picture settles. Bradley Beal, Peyton Watson and James Harden are all part of that mix.
Beal’s situation is the most straightforward on paper and the messiest in practice. Stein says a return to the Clippers is still in play after Beal declined his $5.6 million player option in June and hit unrestricted free agency. Miami has also shown interest, but Los Angeles would need to sort out its roster first.
That part is where things get tricky. If the Kawhi Leonard trade is completed, the Clippers would sit at 14 guaranteed contracts, with Cam Christie on a non-guaranteed deal. They’ve also been connected to Watson and could still circle back to restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin.
So yes, Beal is still there as an option. The harder part is figuring out where the chair comes from.
Cleveland, meanwhile, is still active on the Watson front. Stein reports the Cavaliers remain in the hunt for the Nuggets’ restricted free agent, along with the Clippers and Bucks.
The path for the Cavs could run through trades, with Dennis Schroder and/or Max Strus both still in play. If Cleveland moves either one, it could create the opening needed to pursue Watson on a four-year sign-and-trade deal.
Jonathan Kuminga.
That also helps explain why Harden is still unsigned. Stein says there isn’t much doubt about where that ends, calling him a “lock” to re-sign with Cleveland on a multiyear contract.
For now, the Cavs are keeping the door open while they work through Watson or Kuminga before putting the final pieces on Harden’s deal. Even in August, Cleveland’s offseason still has some real moving parts.
In Other News...
Clippers Still Face A Risky Bradley Beal Decision
Bradley Beal is back on the market, and the Clippers are at least keeping the door open. After a limited run last season because of injury, the veteran guard is drawing interest from several teams, including Los Angeles, Miami and Boston, as contenders continue to weigh whether his scoring pedigree is worth the cost and the uncertainty.
For the Clippers, the decision is especially tricky because Beal brings name value and proven talent, but also a medical question mark that can shape an entire offseason plan. Miami is also believed to be in the mix as it looks at veteran options around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, yet the same concerns follow Beal wherever he goes, leaving this as one of the more delicate calls still hanging out there. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Still Have One Offseason Hurdle Before A James Harden Deal
James Hardens expected re-signing with Cleveland is still tied to a few moving parts around the league, and one of the more familiar names in that swirl is Russell Westbrook. A report had linked Westbrook to Hapoel Tel Aviv, but that was denied by a source close to the situation and had already been dismissed by the teams general manager. Westbrook also remains on the radar of the Sacramento Kings as a possible veteran presence, though it is far from clear whether he would be willing to take on a reduced role.
For the Clippers, the bigger takeaway is how much roster uncertainty still lingers across the board even as other teams sort themselves out. Bradley Beals situation in Los Angeles remains unresolved, and there is also outside interest in Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson from multiple teams. It is the kind of summer traffic that can reshape the edges of a roster quickly, especially when one more domino elsewhere has to fall before the bigger deal everyone is waiting on can truly settle in. [Read more 🡒]