The web's leading, must-read NBA rumors page for over 10 years. Make our NBA rumors page your homepage and enjoy the hottest NBA trade rumors and related stories all on one page, every day. Click any NBA rumors link for full story in new window. Main NBA rumors update in morning; more stories during day. And discuss the hottest NBA rumor gossip on the InsideHoops basketball forum (free to register).

Date of 2013 NBA trade deadline was February 21.

NBA Rumors for Tuesday, May 21

InsideHoops NBA rumors updated 3:30 p.m. ET
More NBA rumors stories and other news also appears on the InsideHoops basketball blog.

Vinny Del Negro is out as the Los Angeles Clippers' coach, sources confirmed to ESPN's Chris Broussard. Following one of the best seasons in franchise history, the Clippers opted not to offer a new contract to Del Negro, whose current deal will expire on June 30, sources told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Ramona Shelburne. Del Negro coached the Clippers to a franchise-record 56 wins this season and the Pacific Division title. ESPN.com

Warriors: Co-owner Joe Lacob once pined for the Warriors to get in the mix with the big names. They were willing to throw in the kitchen sink in pursuit of Dwight Howard. They considered trading for Chris Paul without him agreeing to a contract extension. But their thirst for relevance was quenched by a first-round upset of the Nuggets and by pushing the Spurs to six games. San Jose Mercury News

The Warriors don't have a draft pick in June, but will they find a way to get one? "It's all about the price," Myers said. "It's a cost-benefit analysis. What does it cost to get a pick? What does it cost in a player? What does it cost in whatever trade's proposed? We'll see what comes up." San Jose Mercury News

Knicks GM Glen Grunwald said Jason Kidd gave him no indication he was retiring. “We had a great meeting with Jason yesterday,’’ Grunwald said in a end-of-season press conference with the media. “He was a big part of our success and we look forward to having him back next year.’’ NY Post Blog

Asked if Kidd hinted at all about having to reevaluate his future despite having two years and $6.2 million left on his pact, Grunwald said, “Not yesterday. It sounded like he was coming back.’’ However, Mike Woodson piped in, “I thought he was based on our conversation. But that could change, you never know.’’ NY Post Blog

Knicks GM Glen Grunwald declined to fire back Tuesday at Jim Boeheim for the longtime Syracuse coach's published comments eviscerating the team assembled around former Orange star Carmelo Anthony. "Jim's a great coach and he's obviously very loyal to Melo," Grunwald said. "So I understand where his comments came from." Boeheim, whose lone championship at Syracuse came with a freshman Anthony leading the way in 2003, took direct shots at Anthony's coaches and supporting cast — including Tyson Chandler, Pablo Prigioni and Raymond Felton — in a story in the Syracuse Post-Standard. NY Daily News

Woodson, asked about criticism aimed at him from fans and media during and after the Indiana series, responded by saying "I really haven't heard the criticism because I don't read it that much. I'm my own biggest critic. This was a great season for our team. I don't care how you slice it and dice it. When we put this team together, this is the first time we assembled the team, I thought we made a major step. Is there room for improvement, absolutely across the board there is. This was a positive season for our ball club, regardless of what anybody says, it was a positive season." NY Daily News

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President and CEO Tim Leiweke announced Tuesday that he has revamped the senior leadership of the Toronto Raptors in preparation for next season. Bryan Colangelo has had his contract extended as the team’s President and will report directly to Mr. Leiweke. The club has also created a new position of General Manager that will have final authority on all basketball-related decisions. At this time, with input from Colangelo, Leiweke is conducting a search to identify candidates and expects to name the new GM in the next 30 days. InsideHoops

“After thorough evaluation and considering all the options, we have concluded that these changes will be in the best interest of the organization,” said Leiweke. “By splitting the roles and having both men report directly to me, we are adding depth to the basketball operations group and giving the Toronto Raptors the best chance of competing for championships in the future. The new GM will inherit a great situation in Toronto, as all of my due diligence around the League indicates that we have a fine, young core and a few key moves will make us a playoff contender next season.” InsideHoops

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant has a very good reputation, and his generous actions today only solidified that sentiment. On Tuesday, May 21, 2013, Durant through his family foundation pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross disaster relief efforts in Oklahoma. “The Red Cross relies on its donors to perform its mission in relieving human suffering following disasters,” said Janienne Bella, regional CEO. “Mr. Durant’s gift and support to Oklahoma comes at a time of great need and we’re forever thankful for his generosity.” InsideHoops

Chris Paul will be a free agent this summer. He can sign a max contract for five years and a total of $107.5 million with the Clippers. He can sign a four-year deal worth nearly $30 million dollars less with another team. He will be seeking $18.7 million in the first year of his new contract. It’s highly improbable that the Knicks can acquire Paul via free agency. Here’s why: The Knicks are currently committed to $77.6 million in payroll. Their payroll would have to be less than $41.3 to have enough room to pay Paul $18.7 million in the first year. Trimming that much payroll is nearly impossible given the Knicks’ salary structure. ESPN NY

So that leaves the possibility of a sign-and-trade. In order to complete a sign-and-trade, the Knicks will need to be below the collective bargaining agreement's “apron” after the trade. The apron, per the terms of the 2011 CBA, is set at $4 million above the luxury tax threshold. For the purposes of this blog, let’s put the luxury tax level at $71.5 million. (It was $70.3 this season.) That means the apron would be $75.5 million. If the Knicks re-sign J.R. Smith to a $5.6 million contract, as expected, that raises their salary commitment in 2013-14 to $80.3 million. Coon suggests that we bump the payroll up to $82 million for the purposes of this exercise to account for other cap holds that factor in. ESPN NY

MAIN MORNING NBA RUMORS STORIES

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan is changing his team’s name to the Hornets, said a person familiar with the situation. The person said Jordan will detail the timetable for the change to be completed at a press conference the Bobcats have scheduled for Tuesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press Monday on condition of anonymity because the name change has not been publicly announced. AP

NBA deputy commissioner and COO Adam Silver previously said it would take "about 18 months" for the Bobcats to change their name. That means Charlotte could once again become the Hornets by the 2014-15 season. The Hornets resided in Charlotte from 1988-2002 before then-owner George Shinn moved the franchise to New Orleans. Philadelphia Daily News

On Monday Drew became the fifth candidate to interview with general manager John Hammond and other Bucks officials. The Bucks also met with former Utah coach Jerry Sloan on a visit to his downstate Illinois farm. Of the five candidates to interview formally, only Drew and former Seattle and Portland coach Nate McMillan have been head coaches in the NBA. The others interviewed were former Bucks and current Houston assistant Kelvin Sampson, 34-year-old Houston assistant J.B. Bickerstaff and Los Angeles Lakers assistant Steve Clifford. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Phil Jackson was brought in as a consultant on Detroit's coaching search. McMillan interviewed early with Detroit and is thought to be regarded highly by Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars. Former Pistons player Hunter, given permission by Phoenix, also has been interviewed. San Antonio's top assistant, Mike Budenholzer, and Indiana assistant Brian Shaw, who worked under Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers, also are candidates. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Six candidates have surfaced in Charlotte, including Sampson, a North Carolina native. Former Suns coach Alvin Gentry interviewed for the job. Others reportedly being considered include Cleveland assistant Nate Tibbetts, former Suns assistant Elston Turner, Utah assistant Jeff Hornacek and Clifford. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Nets started their search for P.J. Carlesimo's replacement at the top, going to Phil Jackson. But that wasn't going to happen. Former Bucks coach Scott Skiles' name has come up and Shaw could be an option. If the Nets are willing to wait, Hollins could be available if he does not stay in Memphis. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Current Philadelphia assistant and former Pistons coach Michael Curry has the support of a few players, including 76ers point guard Jrue Holiday. Curry played a key role under former coach Doug Collins, who resigned after the season. Other candidates include Golden State assistant Mike Malone, Hornacek and Shaw. This hire is the call of new Philadelphia general manager Sam Hinkie. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Another new general manager, Ryan McDonough, will hire Phoenix's next coach. McDonough interviewed interim coach Hunter for the job but also is looking at other candidates. Among them are Hornacek, a former Suns player, and Sampson, Bickerstaff and Clifford. CSKA Moscow assistant Quin Snyder, a former coach at Missouri, also is a possibility. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Drew is not expected to remain with the Hawks although the possibility remains open. According to reports, Atlanta has interviewed former Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy and Budenholzer. And Ferry is reported to be intrigued with CSKA Moscow coach Ettore Messina, who if hired would become the first European-born head coach in the NBA. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Chris Hansen is not going away in his pursuit of bringing the NBA back to Seattle. Hansen released a statement on his SonicsArena.com website on Monday afternoon, congratulating Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson on his efforts to keep the Kings in California, while also vowing to keep up his pursuit of getting the NBA back to Seattle. AP

”Even as we are disappointed with the developments related to our efforts to purchase the Kings, we would just like to reiterate our dedication to bringing the NBA back to Seattle,” Hansen wrote. ”We will continue to press forward with our arena plans with the same commitment and effort we have over the last two years, and look forward to working with the City (of Seattle) and (King) County to see the project through the hurdles that remain. Likewise, we plan to continue to work with the league regarding opportunities that may arise to return an NBA franchise to our City.” AP

Armed with the best odds and their three-time winner back on stage, the Magic will try to jump-start the rebuilding process Tuesday night by landing the rights to the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. Williams has won four times, including victories in 1992, ‘93 and 2004 with the Magic. They used the most recent one to draft Howard, and no team since has entered with the best odds and won the lottery. The Magic were back in the lottery the next two years but were busy playing in the postseason every spring since until this one, when they finished an NBA-worst 20-62 after sending Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers last August in a four-team deal. AP

The Kings had the sixth-worst record (28-54), giving them a 6.3 percent chance of winning the lottery and landing the top pick. Under league rules, the lowest the Kings can pick is ninth. Coach Keith Smart, under contract through next season, will represent the Kings at the lottery, a decision made before the Maloofs agreed last week to sell the team to a group led by Vivek Ranadive. Basketball president Geoff Petrie, whose contract expires June 30, continues to oversee basketball operations, but who will have the final say in the draft remains unknown as the transition in ownership continues. Considering their record and the fact they missed the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, the Kings could look in several directions in the draft. Sacramento Bee

Ryan Blake, senior director of NBA scouting operations, said, "This is a very, very deep draft," and there are plenty of talented college and international players. "We really don't know if we're going to get any franchise players," Blake said. "But we're going to get a lot of good players, a lot of players in the second round and even free agents that will make teams. It's that deep." Sacramento Bee

Of all the positions on the 76ers, none is more of a concern heading into next season than the center spot. Time will tell if the organization brings back Andrew Bynum, an unrestricted free agent who never played a game for the team. The organization could try to fill that need by selecting Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk in the June 27 NBA draft. The Sixers will likely be awarded the draft's 11th pick during Tuesday night's NBA draft lottery in New York. Philadelphia Inquirer

Olynyk runs the floor well and can score off the dribble. "I was very impressed by his face-up shooting touch that extends beyond the NBA three-point range," the scout said. "He didn't take a ton of threes [at Gonzaga] but definitely has the range." Philadelphia Inquirer

Colton Iverson measured at 6-foot-10½ without shoes and 7-0 with shoes, weighing 262.8 pounds. Phillips said Iverson is down at least seven pounds from what he weighed toward the end of the season. Iverson has also worked to lower his body fat percentage. And yet, he realizes one fact about being one of the biggest post players available to be drafted. "It's not necessarily a bad thing to be the heaviest guy in this draft," Iverson said. "Because there's a lot of skinner guys that won't necessarily be able to bang in the league next year." Denver Post

Cavaliers: They have another first-round pick at No. 19 (from the Lakers). They also have gobs of available space under the salary cap. So not only do they have assets to draft more young players, or trade the picks for veterans, they have the financial freedom to play the free-agency game come July. And yes, Cavs general manager Chris Grant will consider all those options, and travel down all possible paths. In the world of Cleveland pro basketball, it’s winnin’ time. The Cavs have already started that process, using the lottery to land All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, improving power forward Tristan Thompson and dynamic shooting guard Dion Waiters during the past two off-seasons. Fox Sports Ohio

It took the Grizzlies two games to get off the mat in the first round, when they suffered a 21-point blowout at Los Angeles and then lost on a Chris Paul buzzer-beater in Game 2. Memphis then won the next four. There weren't as many adjustments needed in Round 2, when Kevin Durant's spectacular finish lifted Oklahoma City to a two-point win in the opener. Again, the Grizzlies won four straight to advance. So, the panic button is nowhere in sight for these comeback kids with Game 2 on Tuesday night in San Antonio. AP

"That's what you do in life. Every time you have a bad moment, you've got to bounce back and get up and go again," coach Lionel Hollins said. "You have a bad day, you've got to get up the next morning and make it a good day. Every team has lost games that have been really bad, they've lost one-point buzzer-beaters, all of those types of things. "If you're going to be in life and live, you've got to get up and go do it again and try to be better." AP

The Spurs had a surprisingly easy time against the NBA's best defense in Game 1, shooting 53 percent and making a franchise postseason-record 14 3-pointers on just 29 attempts. It took Memphis too long to settle in during its first conference finals appearance, and San Antonio was up 17 by the end of the first quarter and 20 in the second quarter. AP

Fan interest in the Sacramento Kings has been "frenzied" since a local group reached an agreement Friday to buy the team from the Maloof family and keep it here. Kings officials said Monday they are receiving season ticket renewal requests at an average of one seat per minute. And a rally to celebrate the team's future in Sacramento has been moved to Thursday - and will now feature the franchise's new owner. Vivek Ranadive, a Silicon Valley software executive, is scheduled to attend the rally at Cesar Chavez Plaza downtown. The free event is set to run from 5 to 9 p.m. Sacramento Bee

The team's ticket sales operations will broaden at 9 a.m. today to include accepting reservations for full-season tickets from fans who currently are not season ticket holders, Clark said. The team is expected to launch sales sometime this summer for partial season tickets. Clark said people who sign up for season tickets now will have their names placed on a priority list for tickets to the planned downtown arena, which is scheduled to open for the 2016 season. The deposit is $200 for most seats, he said. Sacramento Bee

More NBA rumors later today

Although our main bulk rumors update comes each morning, always reload this page later in the day. Also check our basketball blog for more stories.

Discuss your reaction with other fans

Rant and rave about today's hot NBA rumors with other fans on our Basketball Message Board. It's the most fun place in the world to discuss the NBA with other hardcore fans who live for basketball.

Additional Recent NBA Rumors

Today's NBA rumors | Yesterday's basketball rumors | 2 days ago | 3 days ago | 4 days ago