2018 August | Hoops Rumors

Andrew Nicholson, Russ Smith Sign With Chinese Team

August 11th, 2018 at 11:56am CST by marksuleymanov

A pair of former NBA players, Andrew Nicholson and Russ Smith, have both signed with the Fujian Sturgeons of the Chinese Basketball Association, per a report from Sportando. We relayed yesterday that Nicholson was expected to sign with Fujian.

Nicholson teamed with former NBA veteran Yi Jianlian and Donald Sloan last year for Guangdong Tigers. He posted 22.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 1.6 APG in 46 CBA games. The Tigers went to the CBA semifinals before being eliminated by the Liaoning Flying Leopards.

A former Magic first-round pick (19th overall), Nicholson appeared in 285 total NBA regular season games from 2012 to 2017 with Orlando, Washington, and Brooklyn before heading to China last September.

As for Smith, the former second-round pick (47th overall) by the Pelicans spent last season with the Sturgeons. Smith is arguably best known for his 81-point game last July in the Chinese National Basketball League. Smith appeared in 27 NBA games with the Pelicans and Grizzlies from 2014-16, averaging 2.0 PPG.

And-Ones: Bogut, Offseason Additions, All-Stars, Betting

August 11th, 2018 at 11:18am CST by marksuleymanov

Andrew Bogut has not played professional basketball since his brief stint with the Lakers last season. The former first overall pick made his debut for the Sydney Kings in a preseason contest ahead of Australia’s National Basketball League season, per USA TODAY.

Playing against the Japanese national team, Bogut posted four points, six rebounds and six assists in a 77-57 victory. After the game, Bogut discussed his adjustment to playing significant minutes after not playing for almost eight months.

“I was always just trying to ease into it,” Bogut said. “I haven’t played a game since January. When I played with the Lakers, I wasn’t getting a lot of minutes. It was my first organized hitout in seven months so I just wanted to go as hard as I could in the first half. There’s going to be games in the NBL season when I’m not going to be the leading scorer, I’m not going to be the leading rebound getter. But I know ‘I’m going to still have an impact on the game just because I’m out there.”

Check out more news and notes around the basketball world:

ESPN conducted a forecast panel to examine who would be the best and worst newcomers to their respective teams after an offseason of player movement. The panel voted that LeBron James would be the best newcomer as he prepares for his first season with the Lakers; the worst newcomer was voted as Carmelo Anthony, who has verbally agreed to join the Rockets.
In the same vein, ESPN also rounded up the same panel to vote on which players will be first-time All-Stars this upcoming season. Once again, Ben Simmons upstaged Donovan Mitchell, as Simmons was voted as the likeliest first-time All-Star for 2018/19.
In a lengthy, in-depth piece, David Purdum of ESPN takes a look at how sports betting hit the mainstream, leading up to NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently announcing that MGM Resorts would be the league’s official gambling partner.

Andrew Bogut

Atlantic Notes: Noah, Porzingis, Atkinson, Crawford

August 11th, 2018 at 9:34am CST by marksuleymanov

As we relayed earlier this week, the Knicks are expected to part ways with oft-injured center Joakim Noah before the start of training camp. If the Knicks fail to find a trading partner, the team is expected to use the stretch provision after September 1. Noah, 33, still has two years and $37.8MM left on his deal.

Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News examined both the good and bad sides of the Knicks parting ways with Noah this offseason. It would likely avoid a major headache and possible players’ union issue if the Knicks refuse to play Noah. Bondy reiterates that the deadline to solve the Noah issue is not September 1 but rather next summer when New York intends to pursue top free agents.

The Nets dealing Timofey Mozgov‘s lucrative multiyear contract for an expiring deal is one example of a team leveraging an albatross deal into future cap space. The Knicks’ best choice would be to hold onto Noah and look for trades instead of stretching his contract, Bondy writes.

Check out more Atlantic Division notes:

In the same story, Bondy looked at the pros and cons of the Knicks extending Kristaps Porzingis this offseason. On one hand, New York should lock up its best player since Patrick Ewing amid an unstable environment, with Porzingis set to play for the fourth coach of his career in 2018/19. Conversely, the Knicks plan to make use of their cap room in 2019, and extending the Latvian now would eat into that space — the team could simply let him hit restricted free agency and then negotiate or match any offer.
Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson denied the franchise has contemplated tanking in order to secure more favorable draft positioning, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Instead, Atkinson says the goal is to play as well as possible so Brooklyn becomes a desirable free agency destination. “We talk about internal improvement, we talk about player development, we talk about culture,” Atkinson said. “Tanking is not a word we use. It’s just not in our [vocabulary]. I don’t think the fans in New York want to see that.”
Following an injury to rookie Zhaire Smith, the Sixers may be in the market for wing depth, and veteran sharpshooter Jamal Crawford could fit the bill. In a recent appearance on Brandon Robinson’s Scoop B Podcast, Crawford spoke glowingly of Philadelphia and what playing there would mean to him (via Amico Hoops). “I like their city. I like how into it they are about basketball. I like their knowledge of basketball, how passionate they are. I’ve always loved coach Brett Brown,” Crawford said.

Celtics Notes: Theis, Bird, Irving, Schedule

August 10th, 2018 at 8:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Forward Daniel Theis is making steady progress in his recovery from a torn left meniscus injury and expects to be ready for training camp, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston reports. The 6’9” German native was enjoying a solid rookie campaign before his season ended in mid-March. Theis has returned to the team’s training facility to continue his rehab and recently began doing full-court sprints. “I’ve been back two weeks,” he told Blakely. “I’ve been doing new stuff every day.” Theis was a rotation player last season, appearing in 63 games, including three starts. He averaged 5.3 PPG and 4.3 RPG in 14.8 MPG. He’ll have to fight for minutes next season with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum established as starters and Marcus Morris, Semi Ojeleye, Guerschon Yabusele and rookie Robert Williams also on the 15-man roster.

In other developments involving the Celtics:

Swingman Jabari Bird considers his first opportunity to play last season as a turning point in his career, as he explained to Marc D’Amico of Celtics.com. Bird got his number called in the second half with the team trailing by eight against the Sixers. Boston rallied for its first win of the season. “Getting drafted is one thing. That’s an honor. Playing Summer League and having some good games, that’s one thing,” he said. “But when you do it in an NBA game, regular season, road game, hostile environment, it just felt like I really belong at this level. Moving forward, I just knew: I’m here for a reason.” Bird parlayed his two-way deal last season into a standard two-year contract this summer with the first season guaranteed.
Kyrie Irving is expected to opt out of his contract next summer and become a free agent but coach Brad Stevens has no plans to discuss the situation with his point guard, Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports reports. Stevens told Mannix that the atmosphere around the franchise speaks for itself. “I’m not going to talk to him about it at all,” Stevens said. “One of the things I want to do is give everything I can to all these guys while they’re here. Hopefully, the people that are here recognize that it’s a really good environment with a high upside for a long time.”
In his latest post, Blakely offers a month-by-month breakdown of the Celtics’ just-released regular-season schedule.

Western Notes: Okafor, White, Canaan, Curry

August 10th, 2018 at 7:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The signing of big man Jahlil Okafor is a low-risk, high-reward proposition for the Pelicans, Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate opines. The former No. 3 overall pick was signed this week to a partially guaranteed two-year, $3.27MM contract, which includes a team option for the second year. That means Okafor can easily be cut loose if he doesn’t impress in training camp, Kushner notes. If he sticks, Okafor’s scoring ability could allow him to carve out a niche role off the bench behind starters Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic, Kushner adds.

We have more from around the Western Division:

The losses of Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Anderson, Danny Green and Tony Parker should expand Derrick White‘s role with the Spurs next season, according to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio News Express. The 6’4” guard appeared in just 17 games last season but the 2017 first-rounder is poised to be a rotation player after a strong showing in summer-league play. “It’s nice to know they have faith in me, that they are confident in me,” White told Orsborn. “It’s tough to see all those guys go. They did so much for the organization. But I’ve got to make the most of my opportunities.”
Point guard Isaiah Canaan wants to repay the Suns organization for helping him recover from a fractured left ankle, Clevis Murray of the Arizona Republic reports. Canaan re-signed with Phoenix this summer after rehabbing the injury with the team’s medical staff. Canaan was waived in February after playing 19 games with the Suns but they committed to helping him with his recovery. “The Suns organization helped me get back on my feet and back to doing what I love to do,” Canaan said. “I couldn’t ask for anything else but an opportunity and I told them they won’t regret it and I’m going to take full advantage of it.”
Warriors guard Stephen Curry was both surprised and delighted that DeMarcus Cousins signed with the club in free agency, according to an Associated Press report. “It’s interesting because nobody going into free agency thought about DeMarcus as an option then all of a sudden he found his way onto our team,” Curry said. “So for us to have a new dynamic, a new look, whenever he’s fully healthy it should be amazing. I think we got better.”
The addition of LeBron James has made the Lakers national TV darlings once again, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register notes. The team will have 43 nationally-televised games, three more than the two-time defending champion Warriors.

Rockets Sign Rookie Guard Rob Gray

August 10th, 2018 at 5:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets have signed undrafted rookie guard Rob Gray, according to a team press release.

The terms were not announced but Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets that it’s a training camp deal.

The 6’1” Gray averaged 18.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.0 APG and 1.2 SPG in his three college seasons with the University of Houston. He’s the American Athletic Conference’s all-time leading scorer with 1,710 points.

Gray, who saw brief action with the team’s summer league squad in Las Vegas, scored a combined 62 points in two NCAA Tournament games in March, including 23-point, 10-rebound effort against national runner-up Michigan. Gray averaged 19.3 PPG, 4.4 APG and 3.7 RPG in his senior year.

Gray hinted right after the draft that he’d get a training-camp invite from the Rockets.

“I will be playing summer league/training camp with them trying to earn a roster spot for the upcoming season,” Gray said.

New NBA Schedule Features Fewest Ever Back-To-Backs

August 10th, 2018 at 3:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The schedule for the 2018/19 NBA regular season, officially unveiled by the league on Friday, will feature the fewest back-to-backs in league history. On average, teams will play on consecutive nights 13.3 times in ’18/19, with no club playing more than 15 back-to-backs.

Under the newest Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and players’ union, the league has been scheduling an earlier opening night, extending the regular season in order to allow players more rest in between games. This season’s schedule, which begins on October 16, will feature no instances of a team playing four games in five nights or eight games in 12 nights.

Some of the notable games include LeBron James‘ return to Cleveland on November 21, Kawhi Leonard‘s first game in San Antonio with the Raptors on January 3 and Gordon Hayward‘s first game in Utah as a member of the Celtics on November 9,

Listed below are links to the full 2018/19 season schedules for each NBA team, organized by conference and division:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Southeast Division

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Northwest Division

Pacific Division

Southwest Division

Hoops Rumors’ 2018 NBA Free Agent Tracker

August 10th, 2018 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re over a month into 2018’s NBA free agent period, and with news of contract agreements and signings continuing to break, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this offseason. To this end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a feature we’ve had each year since our inception in 2012. Using our tracker, you can quickly look up deals, sorting by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.

A few notes on the tracker:

Some of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect tentative agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
Similarly, contract years and dollars will sometimes be based on what’s been reported to date, so those amounts could be approximations rather than official figures. Salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
A restricted free agent who signs an offer sheet won’t be included in the tracker right away. We’ll wait to hear whether the player’s original team will match or pass on that offer sheet before we update our tracker, in order to avoid confusion.
If you’re viewing the tracker on our mobile site, be sure to turn your phone sideways to see more details.

Our 2018 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. On our mobile site, it can be found in our menu under “Free Agent Lists.”

The tracker will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.

Our lists of free agents by position/type and by team break down the players who have yet to reach contract agreements.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

2018/19 NBA Roster Counts

August 10th, 2018 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

While NBA teams are allowed to carry up to 20 players during the offseason, rosters are limited to 15 players during the regular season. Expanded offseason rosters allow clubs to bring in players on contracts that aren’t fully guaranteed, giving those players a chance to earn a regular season roster spot or getting a closer look at them before sending them to their G League affiliate.

In addition to the usual 15-man rosters, NBA teams are permitted to carry two players on two-way contracts. Two-way deals, which we describe in detail in our glossary, essentially give clubs the NBA rights to two extra players, though they’ll likely spend the majority of the season in the G League, rather than with the NBA team.

Here are the various categories you’ll find in our roster count list:

NBA: These players are officially on standard NBA contracts with a given team. The total number of players under contract is listed, with the number of players on fully guaranteed contracts noted in parentheses. So a team with 13 fully guaranteed contracts and a pair of 10-day deals is listed as “15 (13).”
Two-way: These are players signed to two-way contracts. Unless otherwise noted, these deals are official. You can find a specific team’s two-way players right here.
Total: A team’s total roster count, taking into account all of the above.

Here are 2018/19’s NBA roster counts, which we’ll continue to update through the offseason and into the regular season:

Updated 4-10-19 (10:53pm CT)

Atlanta Hawks

NBA: 15 (15)
Two-way: 1
Total: 16

Boston Celtics

NBA: 15 (15)
Two-way: 1
Total: 16

Brooklyn Nets

NBA: 15 (15)
Two-way: 1
Total: 16

Charlotte Hornets

NBA: 15 (15)
Two-way: 2
Total: 17

Chicago Bulls

NBA: 15 (15)
Two-way: 2
Total: 17

Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA: 15 (15)
Two-way: 2
Total: 17

Southwest Notes: Carter, Rockets, Mavs, Nunnally

August 10th, 2018 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Like the Sixers, whose first-rounder Zhaire Smith underwent foot surgery on Thursday, the Grizzlies have been one of the NBA teams hit hardest by injuries in recent years, and are once again dealing with an injury to a young player as training camp nears.

Second-round pick Jevon Carter suffered a torn right thumb ligament while participating in a skills camp this week, a team source tells Peter Edmiston of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. According to Edmiston, the injury will require surgery, but the Grizzlies are confident that Carter will make a full recovery. While a timetable has yet to be provided, Edmiston suggests that – based on similar injuries to other NBA players – the rookie could still be ready to go by the start of the season.

Memphis will hope the injury doesn’t slow Carter’s development, since the club doesn’t have him under contract for long — because they used their full mid-level exception on Kyle Anderson, the Grizzlies could only ink the No. 32 overall pick to a two-year deal. Carter is the only player in the top 12 selections of round two who didn’t receive at least three years on his first NBA contract.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The Chinanu Onuaku trade between the Mavericks and Rockets was a minor deal on the surface, but included some interesting details, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter links). Dallas will have the right to swap the Warriors’ 2020 second-round pick for the Rockets’ 2020 second-rounder, but that Houston pick is top-39 protected. If it ends up falling within the protected range, the Mavs will instead receive $500K from the Rockets. Additionally, the $1,544,951 in cash Houston is sending the Mavs in the trade to cover Onuaku’s salary will be paid out in 17 installments over the next year.
After Tom Ziller of SBNation.com wondered earlier this week why we haven’t heard any news on the investigation into workplace misconduct allegations within the Mavericks‘ organization, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News provides an update. According to Townsend, the process is taking longer than initially anticipated because the investigators are “being as thorough as humanly possible, dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s.”
Before James Nunnally signed with Minnesota, he drew “great” interest from the Pelicans, as well as some interest from the Rockets, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN (Twitter link).

Month: November 2024