{"id":905073,"date":"2026-07-01T09:03:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T09:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/905073\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T09:03:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T09:03:15","slug":"free-agent-rumors-lebron-wolves-grimes-s-jones-bulls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/905073\/","title":{"rendered":"Free Agent Rumors: LeBron, Wolves, Grimes, S. Jones, Bulls"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <strong>Timberwolves<\/strong> were among the teams to reach out to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">LeBron James<\/a><\/strong> after free agency opened on Tuesday and express interest in signing the star forward, reports <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7410378\/2026\/07\/01\/lebron-james-minnesota-timberwolves-free-agency\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic<\/a>. Krawczynski\u2019s colleague at The Athletic, Sam Amick, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hoopsrumors.com\/2026\/06\/lebron-james-to-weigh-offers-from-all-interested-teams.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">reported earlier in the day<\/a> that Minnesota had interest in James.<\/p>\n<p>Team and league sources clarify to Krawczynski that the Wolves don\u2019t believe they\u2019ll be atop LeBron\u2019s list of preferred destinations. The club has very little spending flexibility below a second-apron hard cap, and while James sounds <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hoopsrumors.com\/2026\/06\/lebron-james-tells-lakers-hell-play-elsewhere-in-2026-27.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">prepared to play outside Southern California<\/a>, Minneapolis may be a tough sell.<\/p>\n<p>Still, the Wolves believe they can make a compelling basketball case to James if contending for a fifth championship is his top priority. The club will have a loaded backcourt featuring <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/e\/edwaran01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Anthony Edwards<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/ballla01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">LaMelo Ball<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/dosunay01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ayo Dosunmu<\/a><\/strong>, along with defensive stalwarts at center (<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/goberru01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Rudy Gobert<\/a><\/strong>) and on the wing (<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mcdanja02.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Jaden McDaniels<\/a><\/strong>), but projects to have a glaring hole at the power forward spot after trading away both <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/randlju01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Julius Randle<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/reidna01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Naz Reid<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>As Krawczynski writes, trading swingman <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/greenjo02.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Josh Green<\/a><\/strong> and his $14.7MM expiring contract would be an option for Minnesota if the team wants to create more room under the second apron to pursue James or another power forward. However, the Wolves are \u201cintrigued\u201d by Green and there was nothing happening on that front as of Tuesday, sources tell The Athletic.<\/p>\n<p>We have more news and notes from around free agency:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"longlis\">\n<li>After spending the last season-and-a-half the <strong>Sixers<\/strong>, unrestricted free agent <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/grimequ01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Quentin Grimes<\/a><\/strong> won\u2019t be returning to Philadelphia, according to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/live-blogs\/nba-free-agency-2026-live-updates-reaction-news-rumors\/cFmfEjapdzzC\/6yFPUzvs76iF\/?unlocked_article_code=1.uFA.nAiq.sv8r9ErvXcc_&amp;source=athletic_user_shared_gift_live_blog_copylink&amp;smid=url-share-ta\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tony Jones of The Athletic<\/a>. That aligns with earlier reporting, which suggested that the <strong>Lakers<\/strong> are <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hoopsrumors.com\/2026\/06\/lakers-expected-to-sign-mamukelashvili-grimes-still-pursuing-kessler.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">widely viewed as the frontrunner<\/a> to land the shooting guard\u2019s services. Grimes spent the 2025\/26 season playing on his qualifying offer after failing to reach a longer-term agreement with the 76ers as a restricted free agent last offseason. He settled into a second-unit role, averaging 13.4 points and 3.3 assists per game with a career-low .334 3PT%.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nuggets<\/strong> forward <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jonessp01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Spencer Jones<\/a><\/strong> bet on himself, and it sounds like the choice will pay off when he signs his next contract. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/skj21_nbafreeagency-share-7477014126284898304--a7g\/?utm_source=screenshot_social_share&amp;utm_medium=ios_app&amp;rcm=ACoAAA3YcxkB_NRCPkZrneHqU7NTs0Lb7gPU2gs&amp;utm_campaign=copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">In a LinkedIn post<\/a>, Jones said he was offered a multiyear contract during the season that would have paid him around $2MM per year in guaranteed money, but he turned it down in favor of a rest-of-season pact and is now negotiating a deal worth \u201cmore than double\u201d what that original offer was worth (hat tip to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/HarrisonWind\/status\/2072160561677402474?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow\">DNVR\u2019s Harrison Wind<\/a>, via Twitter). Jones is a restricted free agent after receiving a $2.65MM qualifying offer from Denver.<\/li>\n<li>Source reiterated to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/chicago.suntimes.com\/bulls\/2026\/06\/30\/bulls-crawl-free-agency-taking-care-of-own-inking-zach-collins\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times<\/a> on Tuesday that the <strong>Bulls<\/strong> have interest in free agent guard <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/powelno01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Norman Powell<\/a><\/strong>. Chicago has also talked to the <strong>Cavaliers<\/strong> about a potential trade, according to Cowley, who speculates that the Bulls may be eyeing Illinois native <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/strusma01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Max Strus<\/a><\/strong>. Cleveland has <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hoopsrumors.com\/2026\/06\/free-agent-rumors-lebron-cavs-lakers-grimes-wagner-kennard.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">reportedly<\/a> looked into potential deals involving Strus and his expiring $16.7MM contract, though the team may be less inclined to move the veteran wing after losing <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wadede01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dean Wade<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/e\/elliske01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-01_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Keon Ellis<\/a><\/strong> in free agency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Eli Cohen contributed to this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Timberwolves were among the teams to reach out to LeBron James after free agency opened on Tuesday&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":905074,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[10],"tags":[64020,3363,59157,20542,31300,156139,62,67,132,68],"class_list":["post-905073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-josh-green","tag-lebron-james","tag-max-strus","tag-norman-powell","tag-quentin-grimes","tag-spencer-jones","tag-sports","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116843918574731750","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/905073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=905073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/905073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/905074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=905073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=905073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=905073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}