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It was always a given that Bradley Beal would sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. All intel across the NBA at Summer League in Las Vegas indicated that this deal would be finalized before the Phoenix Suns even agreed to their buyout with Beal, and sure enough, that is what happened.
However, Beal wasn't the only big name to make headlines recently. In the midst of NBA Summer League, Damian Lillard and Marcus Smart also secured their futures.
While Lillard passed up multiple opportunities with playoff-contending organizations to rejoin the Portland Trail Blazers, intel surrounding Smart signaled that the former Defensive Player of the Year did not want to remain with the Washington Wizards any longer and instead wanted to join a different NBA team with playoff aspirations.
And so, Smart reached a buyout agreement and will join the Los Angeles Lakers.
This was a big week for the Western Conference, which continues to grow in firepower with 13 teams who could realistically get to the playoffs during the 2025-26 NBA season. There is no chance the Utah Jazz make a legitimate push for the postseason this upcoming year (sorry Jazz fans), and it's hard to imagine the New Orleans Pelicans will be healthy enough to compete in the West.
Once again, the injury bug has struck the Pelicans in Summer League, as rookie Derik Queen will be sidelined indefinitely and miss almost all of the preseason after undergoing surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist. Queen, whom the Pelicans gave up an unprotected 2026 first-round pick for, will miss approximately three months with this injury.
Anyways, back to the matter at hand — a loaded Western Conference seeing the Clippers, Lakers, and Trail Blazers all make significant moves late in July.
Unlike previous years, NBA Summer League was quiet… for the most part. Of course, there were still plenty of rumors (which we will get to), but there wasn't much to talk about regarding free agency outside of Beal's situation.
Intel surrounding Beal was never if he would be bought out of his contract by the Suns, but when he would be bought out during NBA Summer League. All of the paperwork and stipulations of his buyout had been drafted up before the start of July, league sources told ClutchPoints.
Ultimately, this came down to when Beal wanted to make it official, which he decided after handpicking the Clippers as his next destination.
Bradley Beal, Chris Paul make Clippers real threats
Before the Clippers locked in Bradley Beal as their latest roster addition this offseason, they made a trade with the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz. Norman Powell was traded from the Clippers to the Heat, and in doing so, LA added John Collins to their frontcourt.
Collins had been on the Clippers' radar since before the 2024-25 season, given his high-flying abilities in the frontcourt and his versatile play on both ends of the court. Although Powell was a great player in LA and probably should've been named an All-Star last season, Lawrence Frank and this front office immediately made Beal their top priority to replace Powell.
As much as the Clippers wanted to add Beal, the former three-time All-Star wanted to join them more, sources told ClutchPoints. Despite intel suggesting that Beal received interest across the NBA, he picked the overlooked organization in Los Angeles as the most attractive destination for both career and family reasons.
Other teams who were in the mix for Beal included the Heat, Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Milwaukee Bucks, sources at NBA Summer League confirmed. Even so, each team outside of the Clippers came with a caveat.
Miami held a strong interest in Beal before the Powell trade, and they were even viewed as the favorite to land him by rival teams. After trading for Powell, the Heat held no interest in bringing Beal aboard. As for the Warriors, they truly weren't all that interested in Beal unless he was willing to take a minimum contract (more on Golden State's whirlwind yet quiet offseason a little later).
Beal did not hold interest in joining the Lakers despite the team holding extensive conversations with him and his representation, sources said. Unlike his role in the starting lineup with the Clippers next to James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, the Lakers wanted him to be their sixth man behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Over in Milwaukee, the Bucks made a legitimate, serious push for Beal and presented him with a persuasive pitch where he would be the No. 2 option next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, sources said. While Beal's camp gave serious thought to Milwaukee's offer, the 32-year-old viewed the Clippers as the perfect franchise to continue his career with past the upcoming season.
Oh, and Chris Paul recently made his decision on Monday morning to return to the Clippers, sources told ClutchPoints. Paul previously spent six seasons with the organization from 2011 to 2017, and there was never a doubt that he would return to Los Angeles this offseason. He will now spend the final year of his career as the sixth man on a championship-contending team in the West.
The Clippers now have a strong-looking starting group with Harden, Beal, Leonard, Collins, and Ivica Zubac that can contend with the very best in the league. Los Angeles also has a ton of depth with Paul, Derrick Jones Jr., Bogdan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, and Kris Dunn as well.
It was no secret that the Clippers really wanted Paul back this offseason, and now they can officially say that he will fill the final spot on their roster.
What's next for Suns?
Speaking of Beal's situation, his buyout not only impacted the Clippers, but it also impacted the Suns and their immediate future.
Just years after assembling his vision of a championship core with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Beal, Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia saw his dreams become a nightmare. Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets, and Beal was bought out of his contract this offseason, thus ending a disastrous, short era for the Suns.
But hey, they gave Booker a two-year, $145 million contract extension that keeps him with the team through the 2029-30 season. At least Suns fans don't have to worry about Booker going anywhere!
Where the Suns go from here is an interesting topic to dissect, especially when you actually examine their current roster and come to the conclusion that they had a terrific offseason. When a final decision to move on from Durant and Beal was made, the Suns and new general manager Brian Gregory made it their mission to cut the team's total salaries by becoming younger, faster, and more versatile.
Jalen Green and Mark Williams are only 23 years old, and Phoenix added three dynamic rookies in the 2025 NBA Draft: Khaman Maluach (10th overall), Rasheer Fleming (31st overall), and Koby Brea (41st overall).
Whereas Maluach and Fleming present a ton of upside moving forward as long, versatile frontcourt options, Brea could contribute right away. At NBA Summer League, there were multiple times where Brea looked like a young Devin Booker getting to his spots and scoring in the mid-range area.
The Suns have a good thing going for them after moving on from two All-Star talents, and this organization may not be done this offseason.
In recent weeks, Phoenix has discussed Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale on the trade block with teams in both conferences, sources said. The main point of emphasis to evaluate both veteran players' trade markets is to move off long-term money and open up options to build a long-term core.
Allen does not possess much of a market, as the Suns have mainly put out “feelers” to teams, one source close to the situation described.
The consensus at NBA Summer League was that the Suns will involve both players in a lot of intel and chatter leading up to the trade deadline in February. It looks more likely right now that both players will begin the 2025-26 season in Phoenix.
Other than feeling out the trade market for Allen and O'Neale, the Suns have also been linked to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has stayed up to date on NBA intel since the trade deadline, as Kuminga was a player who was involved in the three-team proposal between the Suns, Warriors, and Heat.
Before Durant ultimately shut down the deal, ClutchPoints reported on extensive trade talks between Phoenix, Golden State, and Miami that would have sent Jimmy Butler to the Suns, Durant to the Warriors, and Andrew Wiggins to the Heat. A handful of assets and draft picks also would've ended up in Phoenix — Kuminga being a key piece to the puzzle.
The Suns' interest in Kuminga has not changed since the trade deadline, but there haven't been any serious developments on this front, league sources said. Allen is a player Phoenix has brought up in brief sign-and-trade talks with Golden State, but that is not a contract the Warriors would want to add in a potential deal involving Kuminga this summer.
And so, that is where the Suns' offseason lies. With an open roster spot to fill, it is expected that the team will target some more backcourt depth, sources said. Keep an eye on former Suns guard Jordan Goodwin being an option here after he was recently waived by the Lakers.
Looping back to the Kuminga stuff … we might as well get to the latest Warriors intel from NBA Summer League.
Warriors, Celtics dominate NBA Summer League intel
On top of all the buyout discussions at NBA Summer League, the two teams that dominated conversations were the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics, for different reasons. Whereas the Warriors continue to be stuck in a holding pattern because of Jonathan Kuminga's restricted free agency, the Celtics have been massive sellers this offseason to cut their massive payroll in half.
Starting with the Warriors, not much has changed for Stephen Curry and Co. Almost the entirety of the Dubs' front office was in attendance for Summer League, and several players, like Draymond Green and Brandin Podziemski, attended the events to support their organization. Curry was busy playing golf in South Lake Tahoe during the American Century Championship.
The Warriors' brass met with Kuminga and his representation in Las Vegas. Since before the offseason ended, it was clear Kuminga's camp wanted to secure a long-term contract in the ballpark of Jalen Johnson's five-year, $150 million extension with the Atlanta Hawks, sources said.
On the flip side, Golden State had already offered Kuminga a deal in the $30 million AAV range before the 2024-25 season and made it clear that offer is no longer on the table. Instead, the Warriors want a smaller deal around $20 million per year.
While there are members of the organization who want Kuminga back, given his overall potential, the assumption is that he would return with the understanding that he would be flipped before the trade deadline in February. The only problem is that it is known around the league that Kuminga doesn't want to be with the Warriors any longer and instead wants to continue his career elsewhere, sources said.
Kuminga wants a starting role on a team that believes in his star potential, and he understands that will not happen with Golden State. Limited options remain this late in the offseason, as the two sides have explored multiple avenues to a potential sign-and-trade.
The Suns' interest in Kuminga is not new, as they wanted him and were going to get him in the three-team trade involving Kevin Durant with the Warriors and Heat at the trade deadline. However, Phoenix has filled out their roster in other ways this offseason and doesn't want to be tied down to long-term money, which makes their pursuit of Kuminga unlikely.
Teams like the Heat and Brooklyn Nets have not pursued Kuminga this offseason, sources said. Although the Kings did express interest in Kuminga, it seems like that ship has sailed as well after their initial conversations with Golden State went south quickly. The Warriors held no interest in what the Kings were offering — a deal focused on Devin Carter with no valuable draft assets.
That leaves the Chicago Bulls, another team rumored to be interested in Kuminga since last season. The Warriors are still holding out belief that they can get a sign-and-trade done with the Bulls. Then again, Chicago has its own problems to figure out with Giddey.
Before they can think about pursuing Kuminga, the Bulls will need to come to terms on a new deal with Giddey first, since they are hard-capped at the first apron. It has been made clear that Chicago doesn't hold interest in trading Coby White, and it's unlikely Golden State would pursue veteran center Nikola Vucevic in a sign-and-trade for Kuminga, sources said.
Ayo Dosunmu is a key name to keep an eye on, not just for the Warriors, who have been interested in him previously, but other teams around the league as well. There has been plenty of interest in Dosunmu as he enters the final year of his contract.
The Dubs' main problem is that there simply isn't a market for Kuminga right now. This situation could drag on into August, which continues to stall other deals the team has lined up in free agency.
As previously reported multiple times in our Siegel's Scoop column, Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton are widely expected to sign with the Warriors. A handful of teams at NBA Summer League stated Horford and Melton already have verbal agreements in place with Golden State.
Another name worth mentioning that was connected to the Dubs in Las Vegas is Malcolm Brogdon. The former Sixth Man of the Year has held out in free agency to this point despite multiple suitors contacting him in recent weeks. He would be an excellent addition on a minimum contract for a team like Golden State, which desperately needs a lead guard in their second unit.
Other than the Warriors, a lot of noise has been made about the Celtics and the moves they have already made. Both Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday were shipped out of Boston in cap-saving trades made by executive Brad Stevens this offseason. As a result, there were a lot of rumors before the 2025 NBA Draft about what the future held for Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
Although Boston fielded calls for both players when their garage sale was happening, Stevens and the Celtics did not see any value in trading either player this offseason, sources said. White and Brown are still essential parts of the Celtics' core next to Jayson Tatum, who will spend almost all of the 2025-26 season rehabbing from a torn Achilles.
The Celtics received plenty of offers from teams for White, one of which involved two first-round picks and a swap, league sources said. There was also strong interest from the Toronto Raptors. As reported on ClutchPoints, the Raptors put together a package revolving around the ninth pick for White, which Boston declined.
While White and Brown aren't going anywhere, there have been plenty of questions asked about Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang, two players the Celtics received in their Holiday and Porzingis trades.
Since before NBA Summer League, Simons and Niang have been linked to intel and chatter around the league. The Celtics have talked with multiple teams over the last handful of weeks regarding these players, sources said. Changes will be coming to Boston between now and the trade deadline, but whether they make moves before training camp is the big question that is receiving mixed reviews.
It is worth noting that the Celtics do like Simons and believe he could emerge as a key contributor in the backcourt when Tatum and Brown are at full strength. Although the team has explored possible ways to flip him for other assets this offseason, Boston is fully confident in Simons' abilities should he remain on the roster, sources said.
On the third day of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, the latest chatter and intel about the Celtics linked them to a potential trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources said. In the midst of scrambling for details, it became clear that these talks were around before Summer League and nothing ever materialized.
Boston had been seeking potential paths to free up extra money given their ties to Damian Lillard. When it became clear that the Celtics were out of the running for Lillard, the organization backed off on trade talks with Memphis, sources said.
After fielding calls for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope when they first traded for him with the Orlando Magic, the Grizzlies have not seen any real conversations materialize for the veteran shooting guard. The Lakers were a team that spoke with Memphis about KCP after their Desmond Bane trade, sources said.
Another piece of intel coming from NBA Summer League revolves around John Konchar and his future with the Grizzlies. Konchar has been involved in trade talks since before the trade deadline, and he is an obvious name to be moved for Memphis to free up some extra cap space.
The Celtics will look very different during the 2025-26 season, and their fans are definitely feeling some type of way. This is not only because of the step back that the organization is taking, but also because Marcus Smart recently agreed to a deal with the Lakers.
Why Marcus Smart chose Lakers
It was inevitable that the Lakers would make a big move this offseason. Aside from all the drama and rumors surrounding LeBron James, Los Angeles had made it a point of emphasis to find a defensive-minded perimeter player after signing Deandre Ayton and losing Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency. That is why Smart became their top option.
When the Grizzlies traded Smart to the Washington Wizards before the trade deadline in February, the assumption was that the former Defensive Player of the Year would finish his contract with the rebuilding organization, especially since there were no talks of a buyout during the 2024-25 season. The Lakers also inquired about Smart when he was still on the Grizzlies, sources said.
However, Smart had made it clear to the Wizards in recent weeks that he wanted the opportunity to play meaningful basketball for a team in a playoff position. Washington had reached out to a few teams recently about including Smart in a trade, but it became clear there wasn't a realistic path to trading him.
As a result, the two sides reached a buyout agreement that is slightly more than he will end up getting in Los Angeles during the 2025-26 season, team sources said. The second year of his new deal in Los Angeles will contain a player option, which allows Smart to become a free agent again next summer.
The main reason Smart chose the Lakers over other teams pursuing him, which included the Bucks and Suns, is because of Luka Doncic. Smart was very interested in joining the Suns, sources said. But when Doncic made a strong pitch to the 31-year-old, he ultimately elected to join the Lakers instead.
To sign Smart, the Lakers decided to waive Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin. The expectation was that the Lakers would waive Milton, regardless of whether they had a deal lined up for Smart or not, but Goodwin was a different story.
Los Angeles truly valued Goodwin's demeanor and contributions, which is why the team explored trade avenues to free up extra cap space utilizing their expiring contracts over the last week, sources said. Teams knew of Los Angeles' intentions, and there was not much interest in dealing with the Lakers unless draft picks were involved. No trade ever came close for the Lakers.
Goodwin is now expected to see several playoff-contending teams interested in his services.
Both Ayton and Smart are two players Doncic pinpointed as players he wanted Los Angeles to pursue this offseason. This is now Luka's team and no longer LeBron's, which is why there continues to be a lot of buzz about what the future holds for the league's all-time leading scorer.
LeBron won't be bought out of his contract, nor does it appear as if he will be traded. Nobody really knows what will happen with James, but there was a growing belief during Summer League that the upcoming 2025-26 season could be it for him. Time will tell what LeBron will decide, as he would make a formal announcement before training camp if this were to be his “farewell season.”
Outside of talk about LeBron retiring and the Lakers signing Smart, Rob Pelinka and his front office had been exploring the trade market since before Summer League to find an immediate wing upgrade. When word of Smart reaching a buyout with Washington came to them, a few days before word got to media circles, Los Angeles immediately seized this opportunity with the help of Doncic.
The Lakers now have 14 players under contract for the 2025-26 season and are just over $1 million from the first-apron tax line. While the Lakers could pursue other veterans still available in free agency with their final roster spot, they would first need to free up space to do so.
Brogdon, a player Los Angeles expressed trade interest in before the 2025 NBA trade deadline, remains on their radar should the team free up extra funds in a small consolidation trade. The Lakers had also previously expressed interest in defensive-minded swingman Gary Payton II before Smart reached his buyout in Washington.
As previously mentioned, the Lakers held conversations with the Grizzlies regarding Caldwell-Pope when Memphis first acquired him. Los Angeles also reached out to the Minnesota Timberwolves about Donte DiVincenzo's availability, but the Wolves were not interested at all, sources said.
There have also been zero recent conversations between the Suns and Lakers. The two teams have not talked since before Ayton signed with Los Angeles, as the team had previously expressed interest in Nick Richards.
The bottom line is that the Lakers have been busy this offseason despite not making any trades. With a dry trade market this offseason, the Lakers have been patient and are not forcing action where they would end up overpaying for a player they are not entirely sold on. It will be interesting to see what develops in Los Angeles over the next month, especially regarding LeBron's future.
Other key notes and intel from around the NBA
Chicago Bulls: No progress has been made between Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls on a new deal in restricted free agency, league sources said. The two sides met at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where Giddey and his camp made it clear they want a contract similar to that of Jalen Suggs (5-year, $150 million) and Immanuel Quickley (5-year, $162 million) and have not come down from their $30 million annual average value asking price.
The Bulls have not offered more than a four-year contract in the $20 million per year range. However, the two sides are expected to reunite and negotiate and find common ground on a new deal this summer. No team outside of Chicago has expressed legitimate interest in Giddey due to his contract demands.
Detroit Pistons: One interesting name came up in some early trade chatter entering the 2025-26 season at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas: Jaden Ivey. Coming off his broken left fibula, Ivey is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and rival teams have questioned how well he fits into Detroit's long-term plans. Whereas Cade Cunningham takes his time and attacks opponents at his own pace in half-court sets, Ivey is an uptempo guard who utilizes speed and athleticism in his game, especially when it comes to half-court offense.
The Pistons ranked second in the league last season in fast break points and have proven to be one of the league's best team's attacking in transition. However, in the half-court, they tend to move the ball around and take their time breaking down an opposing team's defense instead of attacking early in the shot clock. Keep an eye on the Pistons seeking a big upgrade before the trade deadline and potentially including Ivey in said move, as well as their new $14 million TPE from the Dennis Schroder sign-and-trade with Sacramento.
Houston Rockets: Before signing Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency, the Houston Rockets pursued a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers for forward Dean Wade, sources said. Houston was willing to offer Wade a full MLE extension over the next few seasons, the same deal that Finney-Smith ultimately got, if they were able to finalize a trade with Cleveland.
When the Cavaliers declined this trade involving Wade and the Lakers' fallout with Finney-Smith made its rounds across the league, the Rockets quickly moved on to the veteran two-way wing and offered him a four-year, $52.7 million contract. These trade talks between Cleveland and Houston happened the week between the NBA Draft and free agency.
Sacramento Kings: Russell Westbrook and Malcolm Brogdon are the two players who have come up the most in conversations about how the Sacramento Kings will fill out their roster this offseason. The word from NBA Summer League regarding the Kings is that they still want to add Westbrook even after their sign-and-trade to acquire Dennis Schroder from the Pistons.
