Unlike previous situations in his coaching career, Tom Thibodeau was unable to keep the issues going on inside the locker room of the Minnesota Timberwolves from leaking out to the media.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins didn't play with the same type of consistent effort Jimmy Butler respects, which created a divide within the Wolves.

Thibodeau had hoped he could keep the team in place through the offseason and fix the issues at the start of camp.

One of Thibodeau's favorite mantras is that "the magic is in the work."

But Butler was fed up with the situation to a point where he requested a trade as he enters his walk year.

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed free agent center Brandon McCoy.

McCoy, 7-1, 250, went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The Chicago native spent one season at UNLV, appearing in 33 games and averaging 16.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.

The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Kurt Rambis as Senior Basketball Advisor. 

In his role, Rambis will report to Johnson and support the basketball operations and coaching staffs in their day-to-day functions.

“As a member of the Showtime Lakers, Kurt is a champion and knows how to win,” said Johnson. “He has been an integral part of the Lakers organization winning four NBA Championships as a player and an additional four as a part of the staff. His insights and wide range of experiences will be a huge benefit to our operations.”

Rambis previously spent 16 years (1994-2009, 2013-14) in various coaching and front office roles within the Lakers organization. During this time, the team made six NBA Finals appearances (2000-02, 2004, 2008-09) and won four NBA Championships (2000, 2001, 2002 and 2009). Rambis also served as the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2009-11 and most recently spent four seasons (2014-18) as associate head coach of the New York Knicks, including a brief stint as interim head coach.

The Boston Celtics are finalizing a camp deal with Marcus Georges-Hunt.

Georges-Hunt played with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic during the past two seasons. Georges-Hunt also previously played for the Maine Red Claws.

The legal issues of Jabari Bird and his status with the Celtics remains unresolved, which impacts their available roster spots.

The Houston Rockets approached Eric Gordon this offseason about his interest in a contract extension.

Gordon is in the third season of a four-year, $52 million contract.

The Rockets can only offer a raise worth as much as 120 percent of his $14 million salary in 19-20, followed by eight percent raises.

Manu Ginobili has "no intention" of becoming a coach with the San Antonio Spurs.

Ginobili, however, attended the Spurs' annual coaching retreat before the start of training camp.

Ginobili said it was an opportunity he couldn't pass up because it gave him the chance to "learn and see basketball from the other side."

"I accepted with pleasure," he wrote. "It was a great decision."

Ginobili announced his retirement from the NBA in August.

One of the reasons LeBron James committed to the Los Angeles Lakers over the long-term was to embrace a process he knew the organization would have to undergo, according to sources.

James realized the Lakers would be unable to contend for a title in his first season and believed he had multiple seasons remaining in his prime.

James has been challenged by the media several times this week to set parameters for the season.

"I don't expect anything. The unknown is what to expect," James said. "You work for what you want."

Klay Thompson reiterated his desire to remain with the Golden State Warriors. Thompson will be a free agent in 2019.

"It's awesome," Thompson said after Thursday's practice. "Makes you want to win now, though, that's for sure. Makes you want to make the most of it. I think we have in the last two years.

"It's crazy because we are back-to-back champs, but at the same time I feel like we're all relatively young and we can still get to another level and keep winning. Not just this year, but years beyond. Not a lot of guys can do that with their team. So I love coming to work every day because I realize this is a special group and a special time to be a Warrior."

Thompson was asked whether he would be weighing that factor more heavily in the offseason, he replied without hesitation.

"Yeah, definitely," Thompson said. "I think it would be stupid not to be. It's hard to walk away from something -- you were here when it started and yeah, you just want to stay on the train as long as you can."

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent forward Devin Davis.

In addition, the Magic have waived guard Gabe York.

Davis (6’6”, 225, 3/29/95) played in 55 career games (48 starts) during two seasons (2016-18) at the University of Houston, averaging 9.9 ppg., 5.9 rpg. and 1.2 apg. in 24.1 minpg. As a senior (2017-18), he played and started in all 35 contests, averaging 10.9 ppg., a team-high 6.3 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 26.0 minpg. Davis was the only Cougar to start all 35 outings and ranked seventh in the American Athletic Conference in rebounding.

The Sacramento Kings have added Brandon Austin to their training camp roster.

Austin spent time with the Reno Bighorns of the G League last season.