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The NBA Free Agency period is now well underway, although a number of notable names remain available. Kawhi Leonard, DeMarcus Cousins, and Danny Green have yet to sign contracts, while teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, L.A. Clippers, and Dallas Mavericks remain eager to make further upgrades to the roster.
So, ahead of another potentially drama-filled day, here are all the latest news and rumors you need to know for July 3rd.
LeBron James willing to step aside for Kawhi Leonard
After meeting with the L.A. Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors, Kawhi Leonard has yet to decide on where he will play next season. However, multiple reports have suggested that the Lakers are the frontrunners to acquire the superstar, and during an appearance on the Woj Pod, ESPN's Ryan Russillo revealed that LeBron James is willing to hand the team over to Leonard in the not-too-distant future:
The Kawhi pitch, whether it is from the Lakers or LeBron, is this: LeBron basically is saying, Hey, this is going to be your team in two years
Leonard is coming off a season in which he led the Raptors to a first-ever championship, and the 28-year-old is known to be keen on a return to his native Los Angeles. If Kawhi picks the Lakers, he will form a big three with Anthony Davis and James, which would immediately become arguably the best trio in NBA history.
James is undoubtedly the current face of the Lakers, and the superstar still has three-seasons remaining on the four-year, $154 million contracts that he signed last summer. However, James will turn 35 later this year, while Leonard is firmly in his prime having turned 28 last week.
Philadelphia 76ers offer Ben Simmons five-year $170 million extension
The Philadelphia 76ers currently have Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Al Horford all locked into long-term deals, and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the Ben Simmons could be the next man to pledge his future to the franchise:
The Philadelphia 76ers offered All-Star guard Ben Simmons a five-year, $170 million maximum extension, and the sides are working through contract details toward an eventual agreement
The Sixers selected Ben Simmons with No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 draft, and the Australian has established himself as one of the NBA's most promising stars.
After missing the 16-17 season, Simmons was named the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year and the 22-year-old is coming off a season in which he averaged16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game.
Klay Thompson undergoes successful surgery; on-track to return next season
Klay Thompson left the court during Game 6 of the NBA Finals, and the All-Star was later diagnosed with a torn ACL. The severity of the injury led to suggestions that Thompson could miss the entire 19-20 regular season, although ESPN is reporting that the guard has undergone successful surgery, and should return ahead of the All-Star break:
Thompson is expected to make a full recovery. There's no timetable on a return, but his agent, Greg Lawrence, has said that Thompson is expected to follow a standard recovery time of five to seven months.
Thompson is coming off a season in which he averaged 21.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. The 29-year-old signed a new $190 million maximum contract with the Warriors earlier this week.
