Russia pushes back on Griner prisoner swap. Warriors sign rookie Rollins to $4.8 million deal, Harden signs $68.6M deal with 76ers, No. 1 overall pick Banchero lands endorsement deal with Jordan, and more basketball news.
Russia pushes back on Griner swap: No deal yet, wants it done quietly
Russia warned the US on Thursday that it wants any possible prisoner swap handled quietly, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying such negotiations are typically done discreetly behind the scenes, Fox Sports reported.
"We know that such issues are discussed without any such release of information," Peskov said. "Normally, the public learns about it when the agreements are already implemented."
"No agreements have been finalized," Peskov emphasized, refusing to provide further details.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova acknowledged that officials from the US and the Kremlin have engaged in talks, but stated, "There have been no concrete results yet."
"We proceed from the assumption that interests of both parties should be taken into account during the negotiations," Zakharova added.
Warriors sign rookie Rollins to $4.8 million deal
The Warriors have agreed to a three-year, $4.8 million contract with their 2022 second-round pick, 20-year-old shooting guard Ryan Rollins. The rookie was the No. 44 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, NBC Sports reported. According to reports, Rollins' deal is fully guaranteed for the first two seasons and has a significant guarantee for year 3, and the Warriors had already sent $2 million to the Atlanta Hawks in order to draft him.
Rollins set out the summer league due to a stress fracture in his right foot. He will compete against first-round pick Patrick Baldwin Jr. for playing time in the rotation, and will likely spend ample time in the G league.
Harden signs 2-year, $68.6M deal with 76ers
The 76ers have signed a two-year, $68.6 million deal with All-Star guard James Harden, 32, who will be eligible to return to free agency next summer and negotiate another new deal,
Harden will make roughly $14.5 million less this season than he may have earned under his previous deal, according to multiple reports, but he says he wanted to give the 76ers some flexibility in improving their roster and competing for a championship, NBA.com reported.
"This is where I want to be," Harden said. "This is where I want to win, and I think we have the pieces to accomplish that goal."
Under the new contract, Harden will earn $33 million this season with a $35 million option for the 2023-24 season.
No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero finalizing endorsement deal with Jordan Brand
Orlando Magic rookie and No. 1 NBA overall pick Paolo Banchero is finalizing an endorsement deal with Jordan Brand, which already supports an impressive list of NBA stars, NBA.com reported. The deals of the agreement have not yet been released. But Banchero, 19, has already been putting in work in the Air Jordan 36 and Zion 2 over the summer.
Last year, he was named ACC rookie of the year, averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals. At the Las Vegas summer league, Banchero averaged 20 points, six assists, and five rebounds over two games.