F Amir Johnson had his contract option picked up by the Celtics on Thursday. The Celtics guaranteed the contract of Johnson at $12 million.

PG Jeff Teague was an essential addition in the offseason overhaul that included firing coach Frank Vogel.The Pacers acquired Teague from the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade that sent the draft rights to first-round pick Taurean Prince to the Hawks. "With Jeff, we think he brings something we haven't had in a true point guard," team president Larry Bird said of the Indianapolis native. "We think he fits in with what we're trying to do. He has speed, the ability to create for others and he can score."Last season, Teague averaged 15.7 points and 5.9 assists per game. In 2015, he was named to the NBA All-Star team.

F Marco Belinelli was officially acquired by Charlotte from Sacramento in exchange for the draft rights to guard Malachi Richardson.The deal was first agreed to before last month's draft.Belinelli averaged 10.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 24.6 minutes in 68 games, including seven starts, for the Kings last season. The nine-year veteran has averaged 9.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 23.0 minutes in 570 career NBA games.Belinelli has two-years remaining on the three-year, $19 million contract he signed last offseason and is due to make $6.33 million in base salary next season and $6.6 million in 2017-18."We are excited to be adding a high-caliber player in Marco Belinelli to our roster," Hornets general manager Rich Cho said. "Marco is a solid outside shooter and has proven he can score and create for others in a variety of ways over the course of his nine-year NBA career. He brings veteran leadership to our locker room and we think he'll mesh with our core group well."

President of basketball operations Danny Ainge insisted the Boston Celtics weren't finished this offseason after picking up the contract options of veteran forwards in Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko on Thursday.The Celtics guaranteed the contracts of Johnson and Jerebko at $12 million and $5 million next season, respectively, moves that bring their roster to 13, but Ainge is still searching for upgrades after losing out on prized free agent forward Kevin Durant on Monday."We are still looking at doing deals, and we're certainly not finished for the summer," Ainge told the Boston Globe in Salt Lake City, where the Celtics are participating in the Utah Jazz Summer League.Ainge added that the Celtics' biggest needs were outside shooting and help inside at the center position.Boston met with Durant in the Hamptons over the holiday weekend, but the former NBA MVP and four-time scoring champion opted to sign with the Golden State Warriors.However, the Celtics already signed one marquee free agent, former Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford, to a four-year, $113 million deal.Ainge also said that center Ante Zizic, whom Boston selected at No. 23 overall in this year's draft, will return to Croatia for the 2016 season.Guerschon Yabusele, the team's No. 16 overall pick, is also likely to return to France next season, but the decision hasn't been finalized.

In making room for Dwyane Wade's homecoming, the Chicago Bulls officially finalized the cap-clearing trades of Jose Calderon to the Los Angeles Lakers and Mike Dunleavy to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.Calderon was shipped to Los Angeles along with the Denver Nuggets' 2018 second-round draft pick and Chicago's 2019 second-rounder in exchange for the rights to Ater Majok, the Lakers' pick at No. 58 overall in the 2011 draft.Calderon is an 11-year veteran who played for four teams, never officially suiting up for Chicago. The Spaniard was acquired in the deal that sent former All-Star guard Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks on June 22.Calderon has career averages of 9.9 points and 6.5 assists while sporting a 47.4 percent field goal percentage.Majok, a 29-year-old power forward/center born in Sudan, last played for Trefl Sopot of the Polish Basketball League.Dunleavy, meanwhile, is headed to the reigning NBA champion Cavaliers in exchange for the rights to Vladimir Veremeenko,... [More]

A man who needs no introduction officially joined the Golden State Warriors on Thursday as 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant was welcomed to Oakland at a press conference in the same venue where his season ended. "I trusted my gut, trusted my instincts," Durant said. "The Fourth of July, I was just torn. I woke up about 7 o'clock (July 5) and said, 'I want to go to the Warriors.' That call to Oklahoma City was the hardest thing I had to do in my life. Tears were shed. ... It's not a popular decision, but I will live with it."Durant, 27, led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Western Conference finals four times in the past six seasons, including a Game 7 loss in June to the Warriors. Durant selected the Warriors over the Thunder and Boston Celtics and signs a two-year, $54.3 million contract that allows him to return to free agency next July, when Curry is another star attraction scheduled to be on the open market. --The Chicago Bulls skipped a large-scale rebuild, renovating the... [More]

The Washington Wizards made a bevy of moves on Thursday, including signing center Ian Mahinmi, forward Andrew Nicholson and forward/center Jason Smith to contracts.Terms of the deals were not disclosed by the Wizards, who also acquired guard Trey Burke from Utah for a 2021 second-round pick. The ninth overall pick of the 2013 draft, Burke has averaged 12.1 points, 4.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds in three seasons with Utah and is expected to back up All-Star guard John Wall.Mahinmi recorded career-highs in points (9.3) and rebounds (7.1) last season with Indiana. Those numbers were considerably better than the 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds he averaged in his previous eight campaigns with San Antonio, Dallas and the Pacers."Ian will give us defense, rebounding and rim protection at the backup center position," Washington president Ernie Grunfeld said. "He is a physical, experienced player who proved himself last season as a starter and will provide great depth for our frontcourt." Nicholson averaged... [More]

Trading Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks before the 2016 NBA Draft signaled the start of a rebuilding effort in Chicago.Thursday, it's clear the Bulls skipped a large-scale rebuild, renovating the roster with the addition of two championship-winning guards, Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade.Wade will sign a two-year, $47 million contract and join Rondo (two years, $28 million), who led the NBA with an average of 11.7 assists per game with the Sacramento Kings last season."We are very excited to add Rajon to our organization. He is a tremendous competitor and a championship-level player," Bulls GM Gar Forman said. "He is a battle-tested veteran who has been an All-Star and NBA Champion. He is a terrific distributor and playmaker who we feel (will) be a great addition to our team."Rondo said Thursday he was not signed to be what Derrick Rose was to the Bulls. He also said the perception that he is a pariah in the locker room comes from stubbornness. "You can call me stubborn but I'm intelligent.... [More]

Pacers president Larry Bird gave first-year coach Nate McMillan something Indiana was missing. In Bird's opinion, point guard Jeff Teague was an essential addition in the offseason overhaul that included firing coach Frank Vogel.The Pacers acquired Teague from the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade that sent the draft rights to first-round pick Taurean Prince to the Hawks. As part of the deal, Pacers point guard George Hill went to Utah. Indiana also acquired forward Thaddeus Young and signed unrestricted free agent Al Jefferson to a three-year, $30.5 million contract. All three players officially joined the Pacers on Thursday, as the NBA moratorium on acquisitions was lifted."With Jeff, we think he brings something we haven't had in a true point guard," Bird said of the Indianapolis native. "We think he fits in with what we're trying to do. He has speed, the ability to create for others and he can score."Last season, Teague averaged 15.7 points and 5.9 assists per game. In 2015, he was... [More]

The Charlotte Hornets officially acquired forward Marco Belinelli from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for the draft rights to guard Malachi Richardson in a deal that was agreed to before last month's draft.Belinelli averaged 10.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 24.6 minutes in 68 games, including seven starts, for the Kings last season. The nine-year veteran has averaged 9.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 23.0 minutes in 570 career NBA games.Belinelli has two-years remaining on the three-year, $19 million contract he signed last offseason and is due to make $6.33 million in base salary next season and $6.6 million in 2017-18."We are excited to be adding a high-caliber player in Marco Belinelli to our roster," Hornets general manager Rich Cho said. "Marco is a solid outside shooter and has proven he can score and create for others in a variety of ways over the course of his nine-year NBA career. He brings veteran leadership to our locker room and we think he'll mesh with our... [More]

F Richard Jefferson agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Cavaliers next season."Can't wait to repeat ... 2 year deal done!! The Land you ready?" Jefferson wrote.Jefferson, 36, joined the Cavaliers before last season and contributed mostly in a reserve role to a team that won the NBA championship last month. He averaged 5.5 points and 1.7 rebounds in 74 regular-season games, below his career averages of 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

G Dwyane Wade is set to join the Bulls after spending 13 seasons with the Heat. He reportedly will sign a two-year, $47.5 million deal.The contract includes a player option.Wade, a 34-year-old veteran, reportedly balked at a two-year, $40 million offer from Miami, the team that drafted him in 2003. He averaged 19 points in 74 games last season after missing a combined 48 contests due to various injuries the previous two seasons.

NBA veteran Richard Jefferson agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers next season.The 6-foot-7 forward announced his intentions Thursday night on Snapchat."Can't wait to repeat ... 2 year deal done!! The Land you ready?" Jefferson wrote.The deal was not confirmed by the Cavaliers.The 36-year-old Jefferson joined the Cavaliers before last season and contributed mostly in a reserve role to a team that won the NBA championship last month. He averaged 5.5 points and 1.7 rebounds in 74 regular-season games, below his career averages of 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Jefferson said after Game 7 of the NBA Finals that he likely would retire, but he told Cavaliers fans at a victory parade that he could come back for another season.

Dwyane Wade's free agency drama concluded Wednesday, and the Chicago Bulls are the apparent winners.Wade is set to join the Bulls after spending 13 seasons with the Miami Heat. Once free agents can officially start signing contracts Thursday, Wade reportedly will sign a two-year, $47.5 million deal that includes a player option."This was not an easy decision, but I feel I have made the right choice for myself and my family," Wade wrote in a letter to Miami that was released to the Associated Press.Earlier Wednesday, Wade was involved with acrimonious negotiations with the Heat, who also reportedly pursued free agent forward Kevin Durant before he agreed to a deal with the Golden State Warriors on Monday.Wade, a 34-year-old guard, reportedly balked at a two-year, $40 million offer from the team that drafted him in 2003. He also was reportedly upset with Miami making re-signing Hassan Whiteside to a mega-deal rather than paying him the money he sought.Wade has made over $300 million in a... [More]

Dwyane Wade is hosting several meetings Wednesday in New York, including a one-on-one with Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, as his dramatic foray into free agency nears a final turn.Acrimony between the 34-year-old pillar of the franchise and Heat management simmered to the surface when Miami offered a contract not to the liking of Wade, who has never been the highest-paid player on the roster. Wade, a 12-time All-Star, had made over $300 million in total salary since he was drafted in the first round out of Marquette in 2003, but always played second fiddle on Arison's books to help build the roster around him.Wade reportedly asked for at least two years, $50 million. Miami's most recent known offer was two years, $40 million. The Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks are potentially the Cleveland Cavaliers are courting Wade, but the Heat want to prevent a divorce. No doubt Arison wants to keep Wade away from a reunion with LeBron James and the NBA champion Cavaliers.Unless James... [More]

F Boris Diaw was dealt from San Antonio to Utah so the Spurs could clear up cap room to sign free agent F/C Pau Gasol.The Jazz will send the rights to last year's second-round pick Olivier Hanlan to the Spurs. Hanlan played this past season overseas.Diaw, a 13-year veteran, averaged 6.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season with the Spurs. He will make $7 million this season. Utah will hold a team option for Diaw in 2017-18.

G Dwyane Wade, a free agent, reportedly will meet with the Cavaliers and the Nuggets.The Bulls, Nuggets and Heat are offering more money than the Cavs. According to reports, Chicago and Denver were told Wade would like a two-year, $50 million deal with a player option for a third year. The Heat offered the 34-year-old pillar of the franchise a deal for two years for $40 million, hoping to prevent a divorce. Wade, a 12-time All-Star, had made over $300 million in total salary since he was drafted in the first round out of Marquette in 2003.

G Gerald Henderson and the 76ers agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal, according to The Vertical.Henderson, who played his high school basketball in Philadelphia and whose father played for the 76ers, will be counted on for veteran leadership. The seven-year veteran averaged 8.7 points and 2.9 rebounds for Portland last season. He primarily came off the bench for the Trail Blazers. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets.

F/C Pau Gasol confirmed Tuesday he is set to join the Spurs when the NBA moratorium on free agent signings is lifted Thursday. Gasol verbally agreed to a two-year deal worth $30 million. The deal features a second-year player option.

F Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks agreed to a two-year deal worth at least $40 million. The deal can be signed Thursday, when the NBA moratorium on contract signings is lifted.Nowitzki played last season on a one-year deal and has spent his entire 18-year career with the Mavericks. He is sixth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 29,491 career points.