PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- When it comes to team-building, U.S. men's national team manager Gregg Berhalter is not above thinking out of the box. Or, in a recent case, out of the pan.

With some free time ahead of the Americans' Gold Cup group-stage match against Trinidad and Tobago in Minneapolis, former U.S. international Tony Sanneh was sought out for some ideas on potential activities in the Twin Cities. Through his Sanneh Foundation, the former defender has long worked in areas of leadership and community engagement around the world.

In this instance, he partnered with the culinary school at St. Paul College and local chef David Fhima to set up their own version of the TV show "Iron Chef." The U.S. players were divided into four teams and, with the help of other local culinary experts, were charged with preparing a meal.

"Some guys had no clue about cooking," said midfielder Cristian Roldan. "Other guys were chefs in their own ways. I was in the middle, but Omar Gonzalez, he was pretty detail-oriented when it comes to cooking."

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Great hosting @usmnt with @thesannehfoundation @david_fhima and @saintpaulcollegemn chef Ross chef pierre chef hadj Fun to see the smile and energy. The winner goes to team @omar4gonzalez and @jozyaltidore

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The team of Gonzalez, Jozy Altidore, Nick Lima, Daniel Lovitz and Tyler Boyd prevailed, though defender Tim Ream was not impressed, insisting the scales were tipped against his side.

"When it's Wagyu steak against a piece of salmon, we all know who's going to win that battle," he said with a wry smile on his face.

But as with most team-building endeavors, there was a broader message to be driven home, with Gonzalez acknowledging the bigger takeaways of preparation and collaboration.

"This was one of the coolest things I've ever done with the national team; the fact that we all had to work together," he said following Wednesday's 1-0 win over Panama. "Gregg and his staff talk about preparation a lot, and he finds ways to bring that into play. We talked to the chef, and he explained what his daily life is like and how preparation is key to what he does."

Berhalter's detail-oriented approach means he leaves nothing to chance. When first pondering doing the cooking activity, for example, he spoke with Fhima for 30 minutes to make sure the respective messages were aligned. The same was true earlier this year when the team was in Houston and visited NASA.

"It's building understanding with your teammates," Berhalter told ESPN FC. "It's not only fun activities. We've done strenuous activities as a group outside of the field where you have to really bond with each other, really fight for each other, you have to dig for each other. Then there's others where you have to communicate with each other and work collaboratively. If we talk about our game being a collective game model where we need everyone working together, activities like this bring us closer together.

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"We think it's very important for us to build the team culture and build togetherness," the U.S. coach continued. "We know that because we don't have a lot time together, we have to take advantage of the time we do have. It's programming things like that and giving the guys the ability to be together outside of the field. We know that as we build this cohesion, we're going to be stronger on the field."

By the time of the Gold Cup final on July 7 -- assuming the U.S. makes it that far -- some members of the team will have been in camp for six weeks. As such, there seems to be a concerted effort by players to interact, beyond any generational or positional divide. Crossword puzzles are still a thing, and video games have even begun to creep their way into some older elements of the squad.

"It's just been natural. It's not been anything that we've tried to do," said Ream about the way the team has come together. "Everyone is easy, everyone is easygoing. It's a good mix of personalities, and it's just kind of happened organically. Guys are into their video games, the older guys are not, so we're kind of interested in how all that works. Omar and myself have watched it a little bit. But it's just sitting at tables and at meals and just hanging out."

That cohesion appears to be manifesting itself on the field, where all three group games were won, with 11 goals scored and zero conceded. While it is easy to dismiss matches against Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Panama as a series of glorified scrimmages, in terms of the eye test, the U.S. looks like it is coming to grips with the system Berhalter has been implementing since his first camp in January.

The next test is a tricky, if unlikely, quarterfinal encounter in Philadelphia on Sunday. Curacao's national team was formed only in 2011, after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, and is ranked 79th by FIFA, but its roster is full of players with experience in the Dutch first and second tiers. Some, such as Cardiff City's Leandro Bacuna and Everton defender Cuco Martina, have played at even higher levels.

"[Curacao] are a dangerous team," said Berhalter in his prematch news conference. "They make a lot of flexible movements offensively. They get into high positions with their fullbacks. The wingers are tucking inside overloading the field. They have good players."

The U.S. can have no excuses and enter the match as heavy favorites. Berhalter's side is in good form, as well as being healthy and rested after the entire starting XI was rested for against Panama, but its first official competition since failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, is not in a position where it can look past any team.

With three games standing between them and Gold Cup glory, it is time for the U.S. players to find a trophy-winning recipe.

Lancashire 275 for 5 (Vilas 67*, Jones 52) v Durham

It is tempting when watching cricket on grounds like Sedbergh to toy with the notion that life might always be like this: that one's days might be spent in the stern, benevolent shadow of the Howgill Fells while batsmen like Dane Vilas face bowlers such as Chris Rushworth under typically Cumbrian, cloud-tossed skies. School years are not always the best of one's life but Lancashire and Durham supporters may eventually reflect on their days watching this match and judge them among the richest of their summer.

That it might be so is partly explained by the discipline of Cameron Bancroft's bowlers, who enjoyed success when they pitched the ball up rather than digging it in on a wicket offering bounce and carry. It might also find account in the bells of St Andrew's which summoned us joyously to our cricket in the morning; or in the sun which raced across Baugh Fell in the evening. It also has something to do with the generosity of the school and its staff, who cannot do too much to make this great event memorable.

Yet this day's cricket was only given proper shape after tea once Liam Livingstone was leg before to Nathan Rimmington for 35 and Vilas began his fifth-wicket partnership with Rob Jones. Lancashire were 141 for 4 when Livingstone played across the line; Jones was at that point unbeaten on 27. The 23-year-old had displayed patience beyond his years yet the arrival of his captain seemed to imbue his batting with fresh urgency. It is often so with inspirational captains like Vilas, who himself showed more intent than his team's top order had managed, albeit when the ball was newer.

Rather than waiting to receive deliveries, Vilas looked to meet them, thus eliminating some movement. There were the usual powerful drives and clips through midwicket and they somewhat disconcerted a Durham attack who had hitherto set the day's agenda. A Lancashire innings which had burned slowly and been filled with honest labour - only 65 runs came in 32 overs during the afternoon - suddenly acquired fresh life as Vilas demanded that Jones be ready to run quick singles.

The partnership had yielded 87 runs when Jones was pinned on the back foot for 52 by Rushworth, who had earlier bowled Keaton Jennings for 11 with one that kept low. But Rushworth was the only Durham bowler to take more than one wicket on this first day. He had Steven Croft dropped by Alex Lees before he had scored and the reprieved batsman was unbeaten on 29 when play ended in a gentle evensong of defensive strokes and watchfulness. It has been Lancashire's day and it has also been Sedbergh's

The only problem in the whole day was certainly not of Sedbergh's making; nor indeed, it is fair to argue, was it of Lancashire's, whose enterprise in taking a game to an area in the north-west from which it recruits many players should be commended. No, the stramash occurred when a charabanc hired to give home supporters free transport to the game arrived at the ground with well over an hour to spare but missed its turning and found nowhere to park. The driver, instead of letting his passengers get off, gave them a tour of Cumbrian byways for around 50 minutes, at one stage even returning south down the M6. One wonders what Francis Thompson, that great poet of Lancastrian cricket, might have made of it.

"It is little I repair to the matches of the Northern folk

'Cos my own red coach will never slow.

It is little I repair to the matches of the Northern folk

And we've passed this pub six times before, I know."

Fortunately, when the Old Trafford Forty-Nine were allowed to escape their incarceration, they could at least enjoy some resilient Lancastrian batting in a couple of sessions during which both sides engaged in the reconnaissance so characteristic of cricketers on fresh fields.

Having progressed, not with hazard, to 71 for 1 at lunch, Lancashire lost Alex Davies for 38 in the over after the resumption when he could only glove a fine lifting ball from Brydon Carse to wicketkeeper Ned Eckersley. And Lancastrian problems deepened when Haseeb Hameed, after making 24 with his customary diligence, was drawn forward by a fine ball from Ben Raine and edged a catch to Bancroft at second slip.

Livingstone settled into one of his more patient innings, yet more evidence of his determination to develop his red-ball game. Jones joined him and the pair plainly steeled themselves to rebuild the innings from 81 for 3 on a pitch which is a credit to the school's groundsman, Martin South. The crowd at Sedbergh, some of whom had queued for 45 minutes before the gates opened, gave themselves to their cricket. For all the racket of modernity there remains a sense of timelessness at a venue which saw its first cricket deep in Victorian England and whose famous Knowles pavilion has celebrated its 106th birthday.

Winder and Crook, the two fells closest to the ground, remained clear. Both had been shrouded in cloud on Saturday evening. Eventually even Baugh Fell eventually doffed its cap of mist in honour of the occasion. And we are to have three days more of this stuff.

Hampshire 15 for 1 trail Somerset 408 (Hildreth 105, Abell 82, Banton 79, Bartlett 68, Abbott 6-84) by 393 runs

James Hildreth led the way with a century as Somerset gained maximum batting points on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Hampshire at Taunton.

But, from a dominant 353 for 3, the Division One leaders slipped to 408 all out. Kyle Abbott claimed 6 for 84, four of his wickets coming with the second new ball.

Hildreth's exquisite 105 was his first Championship hundred of the season. He shared a second-wicket stand of 178 with skipper Tom Abell, who made 82, and their good work was backed up by youngsters Tom Banton and George Bartlett, who both hit half-centuries.

But Hampshire's seamers stuck to their task and Abbott produced an inspired spell of 4 for 22 from the Somerset Pavilion End late in the day as seven wickets fell for just 55 runs in bright sunshine.

By the close, Hampshire had replied with 15 for 1 from seven overs, losing Ollie Soames, caught behind off Jamie Overton for a duck.

Somerset won the toss and elected to bat first on a used pitch. Clearly expecting it to turn as the game progressed, the home side selected a second spinner in Dom Bess in place of seamer Jack Brooks.

Hampshire made an early breakthrough with the total on 18, Azhar Ali's poor season continuing when he played all around a straight ball from Abbott and departed lbw for 12.

But Abell showed good judgement on when to leave the ball as he and Hildreth saw off the new ball and laid the foundation for the biggest stand of the day.

Hildreth looked in prime form from the start and went to fifty off 78 balls, with seven fours. By lunch, he and Abell had taken the total of 98 for 1.

Abell was content to play the supporting role as Hildreth continued to prosper after the interval, bringing up his 45th first-class century with a six over deep square off a long-hop from leg-spinner Mason Crane, who struggled for any semblance of control.

Abell went to a watchful half-century from 126 balls, with five fours, just the innings Somerset needed to cure their top-order batting problems.

With the score on 196, Hildreth was struck a blow on the helmet by Fidel Edwards, who worked up good pace from the River End. The next ball was also short and the batsman pulled to short mid-wicket where Keith Barker took a good diving catch.

Abell fell with the total on 237, edging Abbott to first slip and at tea it was 289 for 3. Banton and Bartlett demonstrated their potential with a stand of 116 off 128 balls, both exuding confidence, before Banton, who had survived a stumping chance on 17, fell lbw to James Fuller for 79.

Steve Davies departed cheaply to Fuller and the second new ball was taken at 379 for 5. From then on Hampshire hit back strongly, led by Abbott. He removed Lewis Gregory for 25, and Jamie Overton and Tim Groenewald for ducks with successive balls, and last man Jack Leach for six.

Bartlett became a second victim for Edwards, having contributed an impressive 68 and Somerset had cause to feel disappointed with their late-order collapse.

Hampshire had substitute fielder Aneurin Donald keeping wicket for much of the day after Tom Alsop suffered a hamstring injury during the morning session. Donald was later replaced by specialist keeper Lewis McManus, who had been summoned to the ground.

Sussex 7 for 2 trail Northamptonshire 273 (Zaib 54, Robinson 6-63) by 266 runs

It is little wonder that Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson has been hoping for a call-up for the England Lions this summer. While the sensational Jofra Archer, his Sussex team-mate, has been capturing headlines, Robinson has been slowly building a reputation as one of the most consistent opening bowlers on the county circuit.

When he took his fifth wicket on Sunday, on the opening day of the County Championship Division Two match against Northants, he had reached 200 first-class wickets in only his 50th match. He has now taken 110 Championship wickets since the beginning of last season. Last year he took 74 wickets at 18.66, and this summer he already has 36 at 18.77 as he spearheads his side's bid for promotion.

Robinson was not fully fit for last week's disappointing defeat at home to Durham. But against Northants at Hove he was back to his best, achieving nasty bounce and away movement.

He finished with figures of 6 for 63 as Northants were bowled out for 273 in 87 overs. But the away side were still happy with their score after winning the toss and sliding to 96 for 4 at lunch, and then 205 for 9.

Northants have replaced Durham at the foot of the table and are still looking for their first Championship win of the season. Their hopes of making an impact were encouraged by the number of Sussex absentees. They were already without Archer and the injured Mir Hamza, and before this match all-rounder Chris Jordan pulled out with tonsillitis, along with Stiaan van Zyl, who has tennis elbow.

Sussex were more in need of Robinson than ever before, and he didn't disappoint. He broke through with the last ball of the opening over, when he had Ricardo Vasconcelos lbw for two. It was 29 for 2 when Rob Newton edged Robinson to keeper Ben Brown.

Temba Bavuma got an inside edge to Brown, then Alex Wakely, on 36, was beaten by David Wiese and Laurie Evans took the catch at second slip.

There didn't look much chance of a recovery when Rob Keogh was lbw to Robinson with just one run added to the lunch score. And, in Robinson's next over, Luke Procter edged and Luke Wells took an outstanding catch at third slip, moving his long arms very quickly to his left to take the chance two-handed.

With Northants 99 for 6, captain Adam Rossington and Saif Zaib put on 51 for the seventh wicket and there was a last-wicket stand of 68 between Nathan Buck and Ben Sanderson before Robinson and Abi Sakande finished off the innings.

Northants soon made an impact with the ball. Varun Chopra, signed on loan from Essex to stiffen their top-order batting, made just five and the returning Phil Salt a single.

Glamorgan 354 for 6 (Labuschagne 106, Lloyd 97, Selman 67) v Worcestershire

Marnus Labuschagne's run fest continued at Sophia Gardens on Sunday as he scored his fourth century of the Championship season - in addition to four other half centuries - taking his seasons's tally to 938 and further making his case for a spot in Australia's squad for the Ashes.

With one more Championship game to play before Shaun Marsh returns, unless he is needed for the Test squad, Labuschagne has been a revelation which has helped Glamorgan rise to the top of Division Two after finishing bottom last season, 36 points adrift from ninth place with only 13 batting points.

He was well supported by David Lloyd, who scored 97 and Glamorgan, who are 354 for 6 will have their sights on a score in excess of 400, which will pose a formidable challenge for the visitors on a pitch already responding to spin.

They have already gained 27 batting points this summer with another one likely from this game, and if they can maintain this form for their remaining games, will be very much in contention for promotion at the end of the season.

Although Brett D'Oliveira restricted their progress by taking three quick wickets shortly before the new ball became due, Glamorgan would have been satisfied with their day's work in their first Championship appearance at Sophia Gardens for eleven weeks.

After an uncontested toss, Nick Selman and Owen Morgan, promoted to open the innings with Charlie Hemphrey on paternity leave, gave Glamorgan a steady start with a partnership of 80 for the first wicket before Morgan was out shortly before lunch for a patient 28.

Labuschange was immediately into his stride with a flurry of boundaries, and the second wicket pair had put on a further 75 before Selman, who is also in a rich vein of form this season after failing to score a half century last year, became the second Glamorgan player to be caught at second slip. Selman made 67, his fourth fifty of the summer adding to the 150 he made against Gloucestershire.

Labuschagne went on score 106 in a chanceless innings from 139 balls, which included a six and 13 fours, but his dismissal started Glamorgan's mid-innings collapse where D'Oliveira took three wickets for one run from nine balls.

The leg-spinner held on to a return catch from Labuschagne and bowled Billy Root, who played down the wrong line, before dismissing Dan Douthwaite leg before as the batsman played across a straight ball. Glamorgan captain Lloyd watched the wickets fall from the other end after he and Labuschagne had added a further 138 for the third wicket.

Lloyd, with his highest score of the season, and Tom Cullen then avoided any further alarms with a 51-run partnership, before D'Oliveira took his fourth wicket when Lloyd chipped to short cover in the day's penultimate over.

Derbyshire 372 for 4 (Godleman 102, Hudson-Prentice 99, Reece 96, du Plooy 50) v Middlesex

Middlesex's decision to forego the toss and bowl might have looked the logical route to follow given the colour of the pitch here. Instead, it exposed their bowlers to a day of mostly unrewarding toil on a slow surface that offered them little apart from the slightly unreal experience of watching Billy Godleman, once a Middlesex player, compile a 115-ball hundred.

By his own confession, Godleman's default approach in red-ball cricket, for the most part, in a career that had him tipped to play at the highest level in his formative years at Lord's, has been based on survival first.

This is the Godleman who went back to Lord's in only his second match as a Derbyshire player in 2013, opened the batting on day one against his former employers and took 244 balls to reach fifty, the slowest in the history of the County Championship, allowing himself the liberty of just one boundary. He is not quite so conservative these days, yet still hardly a dasher.

So it must have been quite an eye-opener for the likes of Steven Finn and Dawid Malan as Godleman took it upon himself to throw caution to the wind and attack the new ball in a way that had seasoned followers of the Derbyshire captain scratching their heads to recall anything quite like it.

Wielding the bat in a way that suggested he had woken convinced that the day would be his, even the fact that his first boundary almost took out his stumps off an inside edge and the second flew over the slips did not alter his mood. At one point, to general consternation, he went down the pitch to Toby Roland-Jones and belted the ball over long-off for six.

This time he reached his half-century in 35 deliveries, which a check through his career record confirmed was unprecedented, as everyone watching suspected.

He should have then been out almost immediately, dropped at backward point by Steve Eskinazi without adding to the 51 he had scored up to that moment. It was the leg-spinner Nathan Sowter's first over and the chance could not have been more straightforward.

Now Godleman became a little more watchful. His next 12 runs took him seven balls longer to acquire than his first 51. Luis Reece began to catch him up, reaching his own half-century from 92 deliveries. Curiously, given that he had batted with a much more conservative approach than his partner, he should have been out twice, dropped by Max Holden at midwicket without scoring off Roland-Jones and again at slip by Sam Robson on 33, in the unlucky Sowter's second over.

They reached lunch on 113 without loss. The Middlesex bowlers may have bemoaned their luck but they had also offered too many relatively easy run hits, either by bowling too short or too wide.

Godleman pushed on again in the second session, completing what was also the fastest hundred of his first-class career when he cut Sowter to the third-man boundary for his 16th four, raising his arms above his head in celebration and shouting something as he looked towards the heavens. Again, he offered a chance immediately after passing the milestone. This time it was taken, at slip, as Sowter's luck improved as he found some turn and bounce to find the edge.

Reece, joined by the splendidly-named Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who will never be troubled to remember his Championship debut for Derbyshire, was by now scoring runs with increasing confidence and a hundred seemed to be his for the taking too. It was no wonder, then, that he threw his head back in disbelief as he was dismissed on 96, wondering what had possessed him to meet a seemingly innocuous ball from seamer George Scott straight to Roland-Jones at mid-on.

Yet if Reece could consider himself unlucky, it was nothing compared with the agony that would befall Hudson-Prentice, whose maiden Championship innings for the county was just one run from turning into a dream start.

A 23-year-old all-rounder who was released by Sussex, his home county, at the end of the 2016 season, Hudson-Prentice has been given the chance to resurrect his county career after spending last season and the start of this one on the MCC Young Cricketers' programme at Lord's, where his progress will have been noted by Steve Kirby, the former MCC head coach who is now Derbyshire's assistant coach.

He made a good enough impression there to earn some Second XI cricket with Derbyshire this early summer, two hundreds in May convincing the county to offer him a contract until the end of 2021.

So far, it looks a good decision. Well organised at the crease, he took on a high-quality attack with confidence and no little skill, numbering some crisp drives among his 13 fours and lofting Sowter for a towering six. Middlesex took the new ball and Tom Helm had him edging to second slip only to be called for over-stepping. It seemed destined to be a perfect day.

Yet, on 99 and facing the same bowler, an attempt to pull away a short ball went just wrong enough for the ball to travel upwards rather than flat. He looked on from the crease, willing Middlesex's bad day in the field to continue, before dropping his head in stricken resignation as square-leg Finn clasped the ball safely to his chest. Helm struck again in the same over, dismissing Alex Hughes with the best delivery of the day to claw back something for Middlesex.

NBA free agency is almost here.

Teams and players will be allowed to begin negotiations Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. The first two days of free agency in 2018 included Paul George and LeBron James making major decisions -- what will Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and others do this year?

Stay up to date with the latest deals and rumblings.

More: Trade tracker | Rating every move

June 30 updates

4:47 p.m. ET: Once free agency opens at 6 p.m. ET, Brook Lopez is planning to sign a four-year, $52 million deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

4:40 p.m. ET: Free agent guard Garrett Temple is expected to sign a two-year, $10 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets, a source told ESPN's The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears. The deal includes a team option for the second year.

3:31 p.m. ET: Kevin Durant will announce his free-agent decision Sunday night via The Boardroom Instagram account, a source tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

3:25 p.m. ET: The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard have agreed to a four-year, $196 million super maximum contract extension, sources confirmed to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. Lillard, 28, has two years and around $61 million left on his current deal.

• How can Portland contend with Lillard's new supermax?

3:12 p.m. ET: ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports the Boston Celtics are in exploratory talks with the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets on a three-team sign-and-trade involving Kyrie Irving (Nets), Kemba Walker (Celtics) and Terry Rozier (Hornets).

2:05 p.m. ET: Jonas Valanciunas is expected to commit to a three-year, $45 million contract to return to the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The 27-year-old center declined a $17.6 million player option on his 2019-20 contract, clearing the way to become an unrestricted free agent and negotiate a new, longer-term deal.

12:37 p.m. ET: EuroLeague forward/center Nicolo Melli has finalized a two-year free-agent deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Melli, 28, was the EuroLeague Finals' top scorer for Fenerbahce in Turkey last season.

11:46 a.m. ET: The Dallas Mavericks expect to agree to a three-year, $33 million contract extension with center Dwight Powell in the opening stages of free agency Sunday evening, sources confirmed to Tim MacMahon. Powell recently exercised his $10.3 million player option for next season with the plan to work out an extension to stay in Dallas long term.

June 29 updates

7:29 p.m. ET: Free-agent center Enes Kanter is drawing interest from a number of teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Sacramento Kings, league sources tell ESPN's Royce Young. Kanter started last season with the New York Knicks before landing with the Portland Trail Blazers after a midseason buyout. Kanter served as a starter in the postseason following Jusuf Nurkic's season-ending injury.

6:03 p.m. ET: The Brooklyn Nets are expected to renounce All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent, or explore sign-and-trade scenarios with Russell and his reps once Kyrie Irving signs with the team, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. Russell and the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in a reunion, and the team has reached out to his agents to set up a meeting.

6:01 p.m. ET: Free agent Derrick Rose will meet with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, with both sides motivated to find a pathway to a two-year contract, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

6 p.m. ET: Free agent Jimmy Butler is expected to meet with the Miami Heat on Sunday and the Houston Rockets early next week, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. The Philadelphia 76ers haven't ruled out working with Butler on sign-and-trades, which Miami and Houston need to acquire the All-Star guard.

6 p.m. ET: Free agent Kyrie Irving is meeting with the Brooklyn Nets in New York on Sunday and both sides are motivated to move quickly toward reaching a 4-year, $141M deal, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

5:16 p.m. ET: The Cleveland Cavaliers have come to an agreement with JR Smith to push back the guarantee date of his contract from June 30 until July 15 to allow the team more time to trade him, sources tell Brian Windhorst.

5:01 p.m. ET: Charlotte has declined to exercise the qualifying offer on Frank Kaminsky, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. There's significant interest in Kaminsky in the marketplace.

4:43 p.m. ET: Charlotte has been scouring the free-agent point guard market, considering such options as Elfrid Payton, T.J. McConnell, Ish Smith and Emmanuel Mudiay, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

4:38 p.m. ET: Kemba Walker plans to be in Boston on Sunday to finalize a formal agreement with the Celtics, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. As reported this week, the Celtics and Walker both intend for the All-Star guard to commit to a four-year, $141 million maximum contract once free agency opens. Walker is traveling to New England to meet with Celtics officials at 6 p.m. ET.

4:33 p.m. ET: Free agent Nikola Mirotic plans to return to Europe after five seasons in the NBA and sign with EuroLeague team Barcelona, according to multiple reports.

3:52 p.m. ET: Boston is declining to extend a qualifying offer to guard Brad Wanamaker, who becomes an unrestricted free agent, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski. The Celtics could still revisit Wanamaker in free agency.

3:17 p.m. ET: Boston has extended a qualifying offer to center Daniel Theis, making him a restricted free agent, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski.

2:44 p.m. ET: Another quality big on the market: Houston center Nene is declining his $3.8M option and will become a free agent, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

1:37 p.m. ET: The Nuggets are extending a qualifying offer to forward Trey Lyles, who'll become a restricted free agent, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

1 p.m. ET: The Milwaukee Bucks plan to waive veteran guard George Hill, who was part of the team's "Bench Mob" during its run to the Eastern Conference finals this season, a source confirmed to ESPN. Hill joined the Bucks in December when the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt him in a three-team trade. He averaged 6.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 47 regular-season games for Milwaukee.

12:50 p.m. ET: Denver is picking up the option on Paul Millsap's $30 million contract, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski, who added that Denver will bring back Millsap for the final season of his three-year contract at $30.3 million, will have available their $9.2 million midlevel exception AND still stay under the luxury tax. Denver is loaded to compete for the Western Conference title.

11:50 a.m. ET: Free-agent stars Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard have been discussing scenarios that could include a future with them playing together, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski. For now, there are two clear possibilities for the two All-NBA forwards to sign with the same franchise: the LA Clippers and New York Knicks.

11:16 a.m. ET: The Golden State Warriors and Shaun Livingston have agreed to move back the guarantee date on his $7.7 million contract to July 10, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. There had been a June 30 date for the Warriors to guarantee his full deal for 2019-20 -- or waive him with a $2 million payout. Moving back the date gives the Warriors some flexibility in decision-making as free agency unfolds for them.

• Projecting the starting salary for every NBA free agent

June 28 updates

11:11 p.m. ET: Point guard Darren Collison, set to be a free agent this offseason, decided to announce his retirement in an announcement to Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated. Collison spent ten seasons in the NBA out of UCLA, including the 2018-19 season with the Indiana Pacers. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Collison was set to secure an annual salary of $10-12 million; instead, the Inland Empire native will focus on faith and family.

9:25 p.m. ET: Kevin Durant will speak to the Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors at the start of free agency, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant is recovering in New York from surgery to repair a torn left Achilles' tendon, and he plans to communicate with teams from there. The two-time Finals MVP may extend his decision making process into the next week.

7:17 p.m. ET: Zach Lowe bounces around the free-agency questions big and small as we wait on Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the other massive dominoes. One topic is if Boston signs Kemba Walker, Malcolm Brogdon loses a suitor. The Bucks are bracing for a monster Brogdon offer sheet. They have a walkaway number somewhere, sources say.

5:48 p.m. ET: Kawhi Leonard will speak to the Los Angeles Lakers in the next few days and has made a personal request that only owner Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson, the team's former president of basketball operations, be involved in the meeting, sources told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. Johnson told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne on Friday that he will help the Lakers in free agency in any way he can, but he said NBA rules do not permit him to be part of official team meetings with prospective free agents.

3:07 p.m. ET: The Golden State Warriors are planning to offer All-Star guard Klay Thompson a five-year, $190 million maximum contract when free agency opens Sunday at 6 p.m. ET -- which is expected to accelerate the process of general manager Bob Myers and Thompson's agent, Greg Lawrence, quickly reaching a formal agreement, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

• The next six moves for the Warriors in a busy free agency

7:19 a.m. ET: Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst examine where the Warriors are as they embark on a summer with their dynasty on a knife's edge. Much of it centers on a huge volume of money. By the time free agency opens Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, the Warriors will have offered both Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant full five-year maximum contracts. Even with the reality that Durant might miss all of next season recovering from a torn Achilles and Thompson might miss the bulk of it coming back from an ACL tear, this remains the Warriors' first choice.

• Four big trades we'd like to see

• Blame Kyrie? It's not that simple, Boston

June 27 updates

3:16 p.m. ET: Free agent Kawhi Leonard is expected to allow the Toronto Raptors to make the final presentation among the teams meeting with him in Los Angeles next week, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

2:18 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones to the Wizards as part of the Anthony Davis deal with New Orleans, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe. As part of the deal to unload those contracts and salary, Davis plans to waive his $4 million trade bonus, which will push the Lakers cap space to $32M for the start of free agency. The Lakers will send a future second-round pick to the Wizards with the three players, and Washington will send cash to New Orleans, league sources said. The deal will become official on July 6.

• How should the Lakers spend their new cap space?

• Trade grades: How Lakers, Wizards did in bigger AD deal

11:49 a.m. ET: The Boston Celtics have emerged as the front-runners to sign Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker in free agency, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

June 26 updates

5:45 p.m. ET: The New Orleans Pelicans have declined to tender the qualifying offer to Cheick Diallo, making him an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

5:07 p.m. ET: Toronto Raptors center Marc Gasol is exercising his $25.6 million player option for next season, returning to the defending NBA champions, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

3:58 p.m. ET: The Houston Rockets are canvassing NBA teams with significant salary cap space to individually offer center Clint Capela, guard Eric Gordon and forward P.J. Tucker as a prelude to its pursuit of a sign-and-trade deal for Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Jimmy Butler, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe.

11:40 a.m. ET: Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant has declined his $31.5 million player option and will become an unrestricted free agent, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant and business manager Rich Kleiman are in New York, evaluating free-agency options.

June 25 updates

10:47 p.m. ET: Are both L.A. teams players in the Kawhi sweepstakes? Adrian Wojnarowski details how the race for Kawhi Leonard still remains between the Toronto Raptors and LA Clippers, but Kawhi's camp is still keeping an eye on how much money the Los Angeles Lakers can free up this summer.

10:38 p.m. ET: Could Golden State risk losing Klay this summer? Adrian Wojnarowski explains that if the Golden State Warriors don't offer the max to Klay Thompson, he could be open to meeting with teams, including the LA Clippers.

6:08 p.m. ET: Once free agency starts on Sunday, the Houston Rockets are planning to recruit Jimmy Butler to push the Philadelphia 76ers for a sign-and-trade deal that would allow the All-Star forward to join James Harden and Chris Paul, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Rockets don't have the salary cap space to sign Butler, so they'd need the threat of the Sixers losing him for nothing to a team with the available room to motivate the Sixers into a trade.

• 'There's too much damn turmoil': An unsettling vibe surrounds Rockets

June 24 updates

5:51 p.m. ET: Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers demurred when asked if he was optimistic heading into formal conversations with injuerd stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson this week regarding their respective futures with the team. Durant has a player option for next season that he has been expected to opt out of all year. Thompson will be an unrestricted free agent.

4:11 p.m. ET: The Portland Trail Blazers have traded Evan Turner to the Atlanta Hawks for Kent Bazemore, a league source tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Turner, a former No. 2 overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers, spent the past three seasons with the Blazers. Bazemore has been with Atlanta for the past five seasons, making him the longest tenured current Hawk prior to the trade.

• Trade grades: Who wins the Blazers-Hawks deal?

3:51 p.m. ET: Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Monday morning that he's excited about his team being unexpected players in free agency: "I like the fact that we have different opportunities. We have some flexibility, but I don't really know what is realistic yet. That's what we'll spend the rest of this week trying to figure out. What even do we have a chance to do, and where should be our priorities? But I'm excited about the opportunity."

June 21 updates

12:24 p.m. ET: Phoenix Suns guard Tyler Johnson has exercised his $19.25 million player option for the 2019-20 season, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

10:10 a.m. ET: Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside has exercised the $27.1 million player option on his contract for 2019-20, league source tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

June 20 update

4:51 p.m. ET: The New Orleans Pelicans have picked up the 2019-20 team option on Jahlil Okafor, ESPN's Malika Andrews reports. Okafor -- who was drafted third by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2015 and spent time playing with the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets -- signed with the Pelicans during the summer of 2018.

June 19 updates

10:58 p.m. ET: The Milwaukee Bucks are trading guard Tony Snell and the 30th pick in Thursday's draft to the Detroit Pistons for forward Jon Leuer, a league source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Pistons now have the 15th and 30th picks in the draft. Milwaukee saves $4 million in salary this year, and remove Snell's $12 million salary hit in 2020-21.

• Trade grades: What the deal means for the Bucks' free agency

3:22 p.m. ET: Milwaukee Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton is declining his $13 million player option and will become an unrestricted free agent, his agent, Mike Lindeman of Excel Sports, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Middleton and the Bucks are planning to work together toward a new long-term deal, league sources said.

12:44 p.m. ET: The Memphis Grizzlies have traded guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz for Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver and Jae Crowder, the 23rd pick in Thursday's draft and a future first-round pick, league sources told ESPN. The Jazz will send a protected 2020 first-round pick to the Grizzlies, league sources told ESPN. That pick will convey as a late lottery pick in 2020 or 2021, or become a lightly protected pick from 2022 to '24. The deal will be complete on July 6.

• Lowe: Conley trade puts Utah in Finals contention

• Trade grades: Who win the Mike Conley deal?

June 18 updates

11:35 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers are scrambling to reshape the parameters of the Anthony Davis trade with New Orleans and create the capacity for $32 million-plus in salary-cap space when the free-agent moratorium ends on July 6, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Lakers were engaging additional teams on Tuesday to take on the contracts of three of the remaining four players on the team's roster -- Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones -- league sources said. Kyle Kuzma and LeBron James are the only other two Lakers remaining on the team's end-of-season roster.

• How the Lakers could add a third star next to LeBron and AD

7:51 p.m. ET: All-Star center Al Horford is prepared to enter free agency to find a three- or four-year deal outside of Boston, after the gulf between the two sides became too great for them to close on a new deal, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Horford declined to exercise his $30.1 million option for the 2019-20 season earlier today.

3:38 p.m. ET: The New York Knicks have declined a recent trade offer that would have sent the No. 3 overall draft pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the eighth and 10th picks, a source told ESPN's Jonathan Givony. The Hawks have been aggressively exploring trade scenarios in which they would package the Nos. 8 and 10 picks to move up in Thursday's NBA draft, the source told Givony.

3:25 p.m. ET: All-Star center Al Horford of the Boston Celtics will decline to exercise his $30.1 million option for the 2019-20 season and become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. While Horford, a five-time All-Star, will move into the free-agent marketplace on June 30, there's motivation for both Horford and the Celtics to work toward an agreement on a new long-term contract, league sources tell ESPN.

3:24 p.m. ET: Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes is declining his $25.1 million player option and becoming an unrestricted free agent, his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Barnes and the Kings remain open to exploring a long-term deal after a successful partnership in the final few months of the 2018-19 season, league sources said.

June 17 update

4:49 p.m. ET: Brooklyn Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will become an unrestricted free agent after Brooklyn declined to make him a qualifying offer, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Nets now have $46 million available in cap space heading into their decision on retaining restricted free agent D'Angelo Russell.

June 15 updates

6:27 p.m. ET: The New Orleans Pelicans agreed to trade power forward Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for point guard Lonzo Ball, small forward Brandon Ingram, small forward Josh Hart, and four first round picks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The fourth overall pick in the 2019 draft is included in the trade, along with a 2021 protected pick (top-eight goes to New Orleans) that becomes unprotected in 2022, a 2023 pick swap, and an unprotected 2024 pick that can be deferred to 2025, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Ramona Shelburne. This trade ends a saga that saw Davis fined $50,000 on January 29 for a public trade demand.

• Trade grades: How do Lakers, Pelicans grade out after blockbuster?

June 13 updates

7:45 p.m. ET: Goran Dragic has told the Miami Heat he is exercising his $19.2 million option for next season, according to The Athletic. Dragic was limited to 36 games for the Heat last season, averaging 13.7 points and 4.8 assists

4:47 p.m. ET: Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas is declining the $17.6 million player option on his 2019-20 contract, clearing the way to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Valanciunas' primary intention will be to negotiate a new longer-term deal with the Grizzlies, league sources said.

June 12 updates

10:49 p.m. ET: Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving is changing representation and is expected to partner with Roc Nation Sports, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Irving parted ways with longtime agent Jeff Wechsler on Wednesday, clearing the way for him to ultimately work with Jay-Z's Roc Nation prior to the start of NBA free agency on June 30, sources said.

Irving, a six-time All-Star, will become an unrestricted free agent, and league sources say he remains intensely interested in the Brooklyn Nets. The New York Knicks are expected to remain competitive for Irving, too, sources tell ESPN.

4:05 p.m. ET: Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant posted Wednesday on Instagram that he did rupture his Achilles and has undergone surgery to repair the injury suffered in the Warriors' series-extending Game 5 win. He was expected to be among the marquee free agents this summer but might now end up exercising his $31.5 million option to stay with the Warriors, especially if he's going to be sidelined for an extended period.

• KD's free-agency options, and what this means for the Warriors

3:55 p.m. ET: The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are each engaged in trade talks with the New Orleans Pelicans on All-NBA star Anthony Davis, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Zach Lowe, Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst on Wednesday. The Lakers' No. 4 pick has been discussed as a trade chip to help the Pelicans acquire a high-level player in multi-team deals.

• Ranking the Celtics and Lakers by trade value for AD

• Five big Anthony Davis trades we'd like to see

June 11 updates

10:47 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks are teams that may look to lure Kemba Walker if the All-Star guard chooses not to return to the Charlotte Hornets this summer, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Walker, 29, is eligible for a supermax extension after making one of the league's three All-NBA teams last month.

11:53 a.m. ET: The Memphis Grizzlies are hiring Milwaukee Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins as the franchise's next head coach, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Jenkins is third NBA head coach to come directly off of Mike Budenholzer's coaching staff, joining Utah's Quin Snyder and Brooklyn's Kenny Atkinson. Jenkins will be the Grizzlies' fourth head coach in the last five years. Memphis has missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons and went 33-49 this past season.

• Next moves for the Grizzlies: Should Memphis trade Mike Conley?

June 6 update

4:29 p.m. ET: The Brooklyn Nets agreed to trade shooting guard Allen Crabbe, their 2019 first-round pick (17th overall) and a protected 2020 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for small forward Taurean Prince and a 2021 second round pick, according to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The trade allows for Brooklyn to clear two max-salary spots in free agency and possibly pursue Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving in July.

• Pelton trade grades: What the Nets-Hawks deal means for free agency

May 29 update

11:55 a.m. ET: According to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets have let it be known that the entire roster and future draft picks are on the table. Players such as point guard Chris Paul and Clint Capela are realistic trade targets despite both signing new contracts with Houston last summer.

May 27 update

4:32 p.m. ET: The Milwaukee Bucks were the top playoffs seed in the Eastern Conference in 2019, but they were eliminated in the conference finals by the Toronto Raptors. The team has several free agents, including starters small forward Khris Middleton, center Brook Lopez and shooting guard Malcolm Brogdon (restricted). All-NBA first team power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo made it clear he wants Milwaukee to retain "everyone" for next season, according to a report by ESPN's Malika Andrews.

May 23 update

2:24 p.m. ET: The NBA announced the All-NBA teams, allowing players such as Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker and Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard to secure the supermax bag. According to a report by ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Lillard is expected to accept Portland's extension offer, while there is no clear leaning toward what 2019 free agent Walker will decide.

Once free agency opens at 6 p.m. ET, center Jonas Valanciunas is expected to commit to a three-year, $45 million contract to return to the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources told ESPN.

Valanciunas declined a $17.6 million player option on his 2019-20 contract, clearing the way to become an unrestricted free agent and negotiate a new, longer term deal.

In the post-Marc Gasol era, Valanciunas arrived in Memphis with the franchise focused on him as a long-term solution at center next to talented forward Jaren Jackson Jr.

Valanciunas, 27, had the most productive stretch of his career with the Grizzlies after getting traded from Toronto in February, averaging 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds in 19 games.

Valanciunas, who will be starting his eighth NBA season, has averaged 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds a game in his career.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard have agreed to a four-year, $196 million super maximum contract extension, sources confirmed to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

The All-NBA guard will have a player option for $54.3 million in the last year of the extension, sources said.

Lillard, 28, has two years and around $61 million left on his current deal. The extension would keep him in Portland through the 2024-25 season.

The extension was first reported by The Athletic.

After Portland parted ways with LaMarcus Aldridge, who signed with the San Antonio Spurs before the 2015-16 season, Lillard became the face of the franchise.

The Weber State product, drafted No. 6 overall by Portland in the 2012 NBA draft, has helped lead the Blazers to the playoffs six times --most recently to the Western Conference finals, where they were swept by the Golden State Warriors.

In the first round, Lillard hit a series-clinching 3-pointer at the buzzer to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games -- the second series-clinching buzzer-beater of his career (2014 vs. Houston).

Lillard is one of just four players to average at least 25 points and 5 assists per game in each of the past four seasons, along with LeBron James, Stephen Curry and James Harden.

His 12,909 career points rank second in Blazers franchise history, trailing only Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler (18,040).

Once free agency opens at 6 p.m. ET, Brook Lopez is planning to sign a four-year, $52 million deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, league sources tell ESPN.

It's possible no single player changed his future more over the course of the past 12 months than Lopez did by signing with the Bucks.

After the 2015-16 season -- Lopez's eighth in the NBA -- he had gone a combined 3-for-21 from 3-point range. Since then, though, he's shot a staggering 1,224 triples -- including taking almost twice as many 3s (512) than 2s (274) this past season with the Bucks.

And after signing with the Bucks for their biannual exception last year, worth $3.4 million, Lopez became an essential part of Milwaukee's remarkable turnaround this season and its elite units at both ends of the court.

That allowed Lopez, 31, to enter free agency this summer as one of the top free-agent centers on the market, alongside Al Horford and Nikola Vucevic, and putting him back in line for the kind of payday he received on his prior contract -- a three-year, $60 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets in 2015.

In addition to setting career highs in 3-point makes, attempts and percentage (36.5) this past season in Milwaukee, Lopez also averaged 12.5 points and a career-high 2.2 blocks per game.

Information from ESPN's Tim Bontemps was used in this report.