RealGM Basketball Wiretap

18 June 2025

• Khaman Maluach Met With Pelicans, Wizards, Hawks; Raptors, Bulls Looking To Draft Center

  Khaman Maluach met with the New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, and Atlanta Hawks, sources told Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

  Maluach will also visit the Jazz next week.

  Stein also added that rumors of the Raptors trading their No. 9 pick in the draft is partly due to the belief that Maluach will be drafted before then.

  The Hawks and Bulls are also looking to draft a center.

• Billy Donovan, Bulls Working On Contract Extension

  The Chicago Bulls shut down the New York Knicks interest in head coach Billy Donovan. The Bulls not only rejected the Knicks request to speak to Donovan about their opening, but now Donovan might be staying in Chicago longer too. Donovan and the Bulls are in process of signing a contract extension.

  Donovan recently completed his fifth season as the Bulls head coach. In those five years, Donovan has gone 195-205 with one playoff appearance. Overall, Donovan has coached 800 regular season games in the NBA, between his five years in Chicago and his five years on the sidelines for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

  Donovan and the Bulls most recently signed a contract extension during the 2022 offseason. The Bulls have had just one winning season under Donovan, which was during the 2021-22 season when they lost in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks. Chicago has since dealt with a number of injuries and roster turnover.

• Billy Donovan To Knicks Considered 'More Plausible' Than Other Employed Coaches

  The New York Knicks have requested permission to speak to at least five currently employed head coaches in Jason Kidd, Ime Udoka, Chris Finch, Billy Donovan and Quin Snyder and were denied by all five incumbent teams. Kidd and Donovan are the two candidates that still could emerge for the Knicks as they search for a replacement for Tom Thibodeau.

  "I will say the Billy Donovan one is more plausible," said Brian Windhorst on Thursday's Hoop Collective Podcast.

  "Until they have a coach, I think there's two that are not off the board," said Tim Bontemps. "One is Jason Kidd, one is Billy Donovan."

  "Until they have a coach, or until Jason Kidd maybe gets an extension," added Tim MacMahon.

  "Because both of those guys are in position to get extensions with their teams-so I would say until there's another shoe to drop in either of those situations," said Bontemps.

  Both Donovan and Kidd have left head coaching jobs in the past to directly join another team as head coach. As the Oklahoma City Thunder were set to embark on a rebuild in 2020, he exited to become head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Kidd also finagled his way from the Brooklyn Nets to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2014.

  "I still wouldn't totally dismiss it but it's unlikely," said MacMahon on the possibility of Kidd leaving the Mavericks for the Knicks.

  "The other three-Quin Snyder, Ime Udoka, Chris Finch are not happening," said Bontemps.

• Knicks Denied Permission To Speak With Quin Snyder, Billy Donovan

  The New York Knicks have reached out to the teams of two more head coaches they are interested in hiring for their head coaching jobs and were denied as they were previously for Jason Kidd, Ime Udoka and Chris Finch.

  The Knicks reached out to the Atlanta Hawks to speak with Quin Snyder, but were firmly denied, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

  According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Chicago, the Chicago Bulls denied the Knicks permission to speak with Billy Donovan. The Bulls continue to highly value Donovan.

  New York is searching for a new head coach to replace Tom Thibodeau.

• Bulls Interested In Drafting Egor Demin

  The Chicago Bulls hold the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Picking near the end of the lottery leaves Chicago with a lot options, but they Bulls are seemingly focusing in on drafting Egor Demin of BYU.

  Some outlets consider Demin to be a top 10 selection in the draft. Others have him available when the Bulls pick. Chicago is said to be focused on drafting a wing or big with their first-round pick.

  The 6-foot-8 ballhandler had an up-and-down season at BYU. Demin averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Unfortunately, the 19-year-old shot just 41.2% from the field and 27.3% on three-pointers.

  Still, Chicago sees Demin as potentially a good fit in their up-tempo offense. The pace with which team wants to play, has reportedly seen them sour some on big man Derik Queen. The Maryland big man is not considered a good fit for the Bulls style of play.

• Josh Giddey Seeking At Least Five-Year, $120M Deal From Bulls

  Josh Giddey will be seeking at least $120 million over five years from the Chicago Bulls in restricted free agency. Giddey, who is represented by Daniel Moldovan, was acquired by the Bulls last June from the Oklahoma City Thunder for Alex Caruso. The Bulls also reportedly never made an extension offer to Giddey last offseason.

  In 70 games with the Bulls last season, Giddey averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists while shooting 37.8 percent on 4.0 three-point attempts per game. Giddy also had a career high PER of 17.8. Giddey had a PER of 24.0 in 19 games after the All-Star break.

• Mavericks Interested In Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball, Chris Paul

  The Dallas Mavericks have interest in acquiring a point guard that would help them remain competitive next season while Kyrie Irving rehabilitates his torn ACL. Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball and Chris Paul are three players to monitor as all three would also be able to play alongside Irving once he is cleared to return to game action.

  Holiday has three seasons and $104 million remaining on his contract with the Boston Celtics. Holiday is a trade candidate as the Celtics attempt to navigate their salary cap, luxury tax and apron situation.

  Ball would be an easier player for the Mavericks to acquire after he signed a two-year, $20 million extension in February with Year 2 being a team option.

  Paul will be a free agent after signing a one-year, $11 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs last offseason. Paul played in all 82 games for the Spurs this season, but their backcourt has become crowded with the emergence of Stephon Castle along with the trade for De'Aaron Fox and anticipated draft selection of Dylan Harper.

• Coby White Likely To Wait For Bigger Deal With Bulls Vs Extension This Summer

  Chicago Bulls guard Coby White continued his emergence as one of the better young guards in the NBA last season. That has many wondering what White's next contract could like, after he signed a team-friendly three-year, $36 million contract in 2023.

  White's salary for next season is $12.9 million. Because that figure is less than the NBA's average player salary, White would be eligible for a projected four-year, $89 million extension this offseason.

  However, an average annual value of just over $22 million isn't enough for a player of White's stature. But Bulls fans shouldn't panic and assume that means White is leaving town. Instead, White and the Chicago are expected to wait until the 2026 offseason to sign a new contract, when White would be eligible for a contract in the range of $40 million per season.

• Bulls To Look To Trade Nikola Vuceivc This Offseason

  The Chicago Bulls are again expected to explore trading veteran center Nikola Vucevic this offseason. Vucevic is heading into the final year of the three-year extension he signed with Chicago in 2023.

  Vucevic has one year remaining on his deal at $21.5 million for 2025-26. The Bulls reportedly were close to trading the veteran center to the Golden State Warriors at the trade deadline, but couldn't reach a final agreement on a deal. As he has an expiring contract, it's expected Vucevic could be easier to trade this offseason or ahead of the 2026 trade deadline.

  If Chicago trade Vucevic, it's expected that veteran backup Zach Collins would be installed as the team's new starting center. The Bulls could also look to fill the center position through the 2025 NBA Draft.

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