NBA free agency: Live updates, Draymond Green and Kyle Kuzma signings; latest Kings news

The Kings don’t have as much buying power as they had 24 hours ago, but they still have a chance to make meaningful moves when NBA free agency begins at 3 p.m. Friday.

The Kings wrote a big check Thursday, spending more than half of their potential salary cap space to bring back veteran forward Harrison Barnes on a new three-year, $54 million contract.

Sacramento now has nine players under contract for next season with $116 million in salary. That assumes Barnes will be paid the average of $18 million in the first year of his new deal. This leaves the Kings with about $18 million under the $134 million salary cap for the 2023-24 season. They could free up another $2.4 million if P.J. Dozier is waived before his contract becomes guaranteed July 10.

The Kings are probably off the market for major free agents Khris Middleton, Draymond Green, Jerami Grant and Kyle Kuzma, but only the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder have more cap space. Sacramento could exceed the $12.4 million mid-level exception, if needed, to outbid most teams for players such as Bruce Brown, Dillon Brooks, Caris LeVert, Kelly Oubre Jr., Jalen McDaniels, Christian Wood and Mason Plumlee.

The Kings could instead try to renegotiate and extend All-Star center Domantas Sabonis’ contract. Neither side has confirmed the specifics of a potential new deal, but a league source told The Sacramento Bee it is possible, depending on how the Kings use their cap space.

Trade winds

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the Indiana Pacers are nearing a trade to send Chris Duarte to the Kings for draft compensation. A league source confirmed to The Sacramento Bee the Kings and Pacers are engaged in talks regarding Duarte, a 26-year-old guard who is entering his third NBA season.

Duarte averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 36.9% from 3-point range as a rookie. His numbers dropped to 7.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in his second season.

Harden trade talks

James Harden reportedly opted into his $35.6 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, but only so the two sides can work together on a trade.

The Athletic reported the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat are expected to emerge as top suitors for Harden, a 10-time All-Star and former MVP who averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists last season.

VanVleet meetings

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet will hold in-person meetings with officials from the Raptors and Houston Rockets on Friday in Los Angeles.

Van Vleet, 29, is a 2019 NBA champion and a 2022 All-Star who has spent all seven of his NBA seasons with the Raptors. He averaged 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds 7.2 assists and 1.8 steals last season.

Trey day

The Kings are bringing veteran forward Trey Lyles back on a new contract. The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported it is a two-year, $16 million deal with bonuses. Lyles averaged 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds as a key reserve for the Kings last season.

Metu to Suns

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Chimezie Metu has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns. Metu, a 26-year-old forward, spent the past three seasons in Sacramento. He had his best season in 2021-22, averaging 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds.

Other signings

According to various reports:

• Draymond Green has agreed to return to the Golden State Warriors on a new four-year, $100 million contract.

• Kyrie Irving will remain with the Dallas Mavericks on a new three-year, $126 million deal with a player option in the third year.

• Kyle Kuzma has agreed to a four-year, $102 million contract to return to the Washington Wizards.

• The Milwaukee Bucks are bringing Khris Middleton back on a three-year, $102 million contract.

• The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Caris LeVert to a new two-year, $32 million contract.

• Jerami Grant has agreed to a new five-year, $160 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers.

• Bruce Brown is leaving the NBA champion Denver Nuggets to sign a two-year, $45 million deal with the Indiana Pacers.

• Restricted free agent Cam Johnson will remain with the Brooklyn Nets on a four-year, $108 million deal.

• Gabe Vincent, a Modesto native who attended Stockton-St. Mary’s High School and spent two years with the G League Stockton Kings, is leaving the Miami Heat to sign a three-year, $33 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.