The NBA’s offseason logjam is finally starting to move, but a few big pieces are still waiting on the same domino to fall.
The Hornets’ trade involving LaMelo Ball and Naz Reid is expected to be officially wrapped up sometime Friday, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The expectation is that the deal will be folded together with the Timberwolves’ separate three-team Julius Randle trade with the Nets and Bulls, creating one four-team transaction for salary-matching purposes.
That matters beyond just the teams directly involved. Phoenix has been sitting on its own business until that trade clears, because a draft pick the Suns are getting from Charlotte in the Miles Bridges deal is tied to a pick Charlotte is receiving from Minnesota. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reported that the Suns expect to finish both the Bridges trade and their signing of Luke Kennard early next week.
Kennard’s deal is one reason the timing is so delicate. Even though free agent signings usually aren’t blocked by pending trades, Phoenix can’t sign him until the Bridges trade is finalized because it plans to use the taxpayer mid-level exception. That exception hard-caps a team at the second tax apron, and the Suns are too close to that line to make Kennard’s contract work until they replace Royce O’Neale’s and Grayson Allen’s combined $29MM with Bridges’ $22.8MM salary.
Around the league, Nuggets restricted free agent Spencer Jones says he’s still in the middle of the market. In a video posted to social media, Jones said he’s “currently fielding offers, as we speak,” and added that his agent is speaking with teams other than Denver.
Jones filmed the video while walking to the Nuggets’ practice facility and said, “Any of these days could be the very last time I’m going to this facility,” before adding, “Or not. We’ll see.”
Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North reported that the Timberwolves have checked in on Jones, though their cap situation likely leaves them without a realistic path to sign him.
There’s also still uncertainty surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s trade situation. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that the Clippers explored Leonard’s trade market for several weeks before reaching an agreement with Toronto, and that L.A. believed the league office had indicated the NBA’s Aspiration investigation wouldn’t affect a possible deal.
According to Fischer, it wasn’t until the teams were set to hold a trade call this week that the NBA informed the Raptors they would take on the risk of any penalties Leonard might face from the probe, separate from any sanctions involving the Clippers. That development is what led Toronto to pause before officially completing the trade, though both sides still expect it to get done eventually.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks also weighed in on the broader offseason picture, looking at 10 unresolved storylines. His rundown includes how LeBron James’ free agency has rippled across several teams and players, a look at the top restricted and unrestricted free agents still available, possible extension candidates, and which teams still have roster spots to fill.
In Other News...
Summer League Could Expose Which Suns Prospects Are Actually Ready
The Suns head into 2026 Summer League with a roster that should tell them plenty about the next wave of their young talent. A mix of rookies and more seasoned prospects gives Phoenix a chance to sort through different stages of development, with first-rounders Peat and Maluach drawing the most attention and second-round picks Fleming and Brea also getting a real chance to show where they stand.
For a team trying to build out its future, this is the kind of setting that can separate long-term projects from players who are ready to push for a bigger role sooner rather than later. Peat, Maluach, Fleming and Brea all arrive with different expectations, and the Suns will be watching not just for production, but for the kind of progress that hints at how quickly each one can fit into the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Miles Bridges Brings Another Off Court Cloud Over The Suns
Miles Bridges is back in the middle of an off-court legal dispute that has drawn fresh attention around the Suns, with the matter tied to custody arrangements and competing claims between Bridges and Mychelle. Earlier this year, Bridges was granted a temporary restraining order after alleging cyberstalking and harassment, adding another layer to a situation that has already spilled well beyond the basketball court.
Both sides have now filed legal documents accusing the other of misconduct in connection with those custody issues, keeping the case active and the details in motion. For Phoenix, it is another unwelcome distraction attached to a player whose off-court history has already made every new development a sensitive one, and the Suns have not commented on the situation. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Just Raised The Stakes For Khaman Maluach
The Suns used a lottery pick on Khaman Maluach last summer because they wanted to build around his size and long-term upside at center, and they have not backed away from that plan. Even so, the roster around him has made the path more crowded, with Mark Williams back in the fold and Oso Ighodaro still in place, which means Maluach is entering a season where development and opportunity will have to line up at the right time.
Brian Gregory has already made clear that Maluachs minutes will be determined by a mix of factors once the season begins, so nothing is being handed to him. For now, the next chance to make his case comes in Las Vegas, where Summer League gives him a stage to show the Suns why he should be more than a developmental piece in a rotation that already has some established names ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]