NBA notebook: Report has Irving going to Nets

The Herald report cited separate sources pointing to an Irving-Nets union but
said the Boston Celtics have not been informed of Irving's plans and remain
optimistic he could remain with the team.

The top pick in the 2011 draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Irving is a
six-time All-Star who is viewed as one of the best players available in a
loaded free agent class this summer.

Acquired prior to the 2017-18 season from the Cavaliers, Irving also has been
linked to being part of a superstar tandem in Brooklyn. In one such scenario,
Irving could team with Kevin Durant. The Golden State Warriors star can become
a free agent on June 30 by opting out of the final year of his deal.

--A week before he likely will be selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft,
Zion Williamson filed a lawsuit in an attempt to nullify a marketing agreement
he signed on April 20, ESPN reported.

The suit, brought in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North
Carolina, alleges the deal that the former Duke star reached with Gina Ford
and Prime Sports Marketing violates North Carolina law.

According to the filing, the contract between the parties included a clause
that the deal could not be broken for five years, which Williamson's attorneys
maintain is illegal in North Carolina. After signing with Prime Sports,
Williamson later signed with CAA for representation and marketing.

--Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker said that to stay with the team
long term, he is willing to sign for less than the supermax contract terms he
earned by being on an All-NBA team in 2019.

The 2017 collective bargaining agreement projects that Walker's supermax
contract would be worth five years and $221 million. The maximum Walker could
make by signing with another team is four years and $140 million.

The three-time All-Star just finished a four-year, $48 million deal. The
29-year-old Connecticut product averaged 25.6 points with 5.9 assists for the
Hornets in the 2018-19 season. Those numbers are above his eight-year career
averages of 19.8 points and 5.5 assists.

--A GoFundMe page launched by a suburban Toronto man has raised nearly $30,000
for the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation.

The organizer, Hamzah Moin, said he started the fundraiser to support Durant
after some Toronto Raptors fans seemingly reacted with joy when the Golden
State Warriors star ruptured his Achilles in the second quarter of Game 5 of
the NBA Finals on Monday night. Durant had surgery to repair his Achilles on
Wednesday.

"On behalf of the level-headed and true fans of Raptor Nation -- from Toronto
to Vancouver to Iqaluit to St. John's, and any fans living outside Canada: we
wanted to say 'sorry'," Moin wrote.

--Field Level Media