2021 August | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Notes: Stanley, LeVert, Duarte, Jackson

August 20th, 2021 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Cassius Stanley may already be nearing the end of his time with the Pacers, writes J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. Indiana withdrew its qualifying offer last week for Stanley, who was taken with the 54th pick in the 2020 draft, making him an unrestricted free agent.

It’s the latest in a series of events that show the second-year shooting guard might not be in the organization’s long-term plans. Stanley saw limited playing time last season, averaging about four minutes per night in 24 games, even though management instructed former coach Nate Bjorkgren to use him more often to help develop his game, sources tell Michael. Stanley rarely got off the bench, even with injuries to Jeremy Lamb, Malcolm Brogdon and Edmond Sumner.

During this year’s Summer League, Stanley found himself behind undrafted rookie Duane Washington, who signed a two-way deal with the team. Michael got conflicting reports from sources about whether Stanley will be invited to training camp, and the best offer he might get from the Pacers is a one-year Exhibit 10 contract. Michael states that Stanley figures to get similar or even better offers from other teams.

There’s more from Indiana:

The Pacers’ search for a third point guard includes a plan to use Brogdon off the ball more often, Michael adds. Indiana explored point guard options in free agency and brought back T.J. McConnell at $35MM over four years. Caris LeVert can help with playmaking duties, but new coach Rick Carlisle prefers to keep him as the primary scorer and doesn’t want to burden him with running the offense, according to Michael.
First-round pick Chris Duarte showed off his versatility during Summer League, Michael observes in a separate story. Duarte directed the defense and displayed an ability to be a finisher, a shooter or a creator on offense. “We’re putting him in different situations, wanting him to read the game, feel the game,” said coach Mike Weinar. “A lot of the NBA game now is feel. When you get towards the playoffs and intense basketball you certainly don’t want to be calling plays all the time.”
Rookie Isaiah Jackson showed good instincts on defense, even though he didn’t get to practice with his teammates before Summer League began, Michael adds. Jackson was acquired from the Lakers in a trade and wasn’t cleared to play until midway through the first game.

Rockets Notes: Green, Sengun, Wall, Weaver

August 20th, 2021 at 11:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets liked what they saw from Jalen Green in Summer League play, and their excitement goes beyond his statistics, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The No. 2 overall pick averaged 20.3 PPG and shot 51.4% from the floor (52.6% from three-point range) in his first two games before getting shut down after reporting hamstring tightness midway through the third game.

Coaches were impressed by Green’s decision making when the Pistons threw traps at him after he crossed half court. Green made the right reads and got the ball where it was supposed to go, rather than focusing on a one-on-one battle with No. 1 selection Cade Cunningham.

“It’s exciting to see him up and close and personal in a Rockets uniform,” coach Stephen Silas said. “Jalen out there making exciting plays but doing it within the context of how we do things.”

There’s more from Houston:

All four of the Rockets’ first-round picks looked like legitimate prospects during their first Summer League experience, Feigen adds. Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher may be sent to the G League to get playing time, but Alperen Sengun appears ready to contribute with the NBA team. Feigen notes that Sengun, the MVP of the Turkish League last season, displayed an advanced understanding of the game in Las Vegas.
The youth movement in Houston raises questions about the future of John Wall, who will be 31 when the season begins, per Rahat Huq of The Houston Chronicle. Wall had a 31.6 usage percentage last season and figures to have a similar role as long as he remains with the team. There has been speculation of a possible buyout with Wall, who will make $44.3MM this year and has a $47.4MM player option for 2022/23, but the organization’s best move may be to rebuild his value and try to trade him next summer.
Summer League coach Will Weaver talks about giving players their first NBA experience, plus several other topics, in an interview with Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Atlantic Notes: Harden, Clifford, Knicks, Riller

August 20th, 2021 at 10:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries limited the Nets‘ Big Three from the time James Harden joined Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in January, but Harden is optimistic that things will be different this season, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “At full strength, nobody can beat us,” Harden proclaimed.

The trio played just eight games together during the regular season, and the bad luck continued through the playoffs as Harden aggravated a strained hamstring in the second-round series with the Bucks and Irving missed the final three games after injuring his right ankle.

“So I want to make sure I’m completely healed and strong enough so I can go out there and completely be myself,” Harden said. “My rehab is going very, very well, and my getting my conditioning right is a big part of that.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Former Magic head coach Steve Clifford will be a consultant with the Nets this season, but his duties haven’t been fully defined, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Clifford said he will help coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks with whatever they need. “Steve and I have had a few discussions about the best way for it to be structured. But basically I’ll be working for Steve and maybe in some instances for Sean on any area that they view I could be helpful with,” Clifford explained. “On any staff, staff chemistry is just like team chemistry. Steve’s the head coach, he’s already proven to be terrific at that; they have a veteran staff, a talented roster.”
The Knicks emphasized flexibility in nearly all their free agency moves, notes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Contracts for Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel all have team options for the final season, while Taj Gibson‘s two-year deal is non-guaranteed for the second season. New York will have the chance to create some cap space in 2023, Begley adds.
Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice examines what new two-way player Grant Riller will bring to the Sixers.

Mavericks Sign EJ Onu

August 20th, 2021 at 8:53am CST by Arthur Hill

EJ Onu has signed with the Mavericks, according to RealGM’s transactions log. Details on the contract weren’t released, but it’s likely to be a non-guaranteed training camp deal with Exhibit 10 language.

A 6’11” forward, Onu played four seasons at Shawnee State. He averaged 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds as a senior and helped the Bears capture the NAIA championship. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Mid-South Conference three times and was selected as MSC Player of the Year this season.

He played for Dallas in the Summer League, but had to leave Sunday’s game with a knee injury.

The signing brings the Mavericks to 18 players under contract, along with a reported deal for Carlik Jones. Teams can bring up to 20 players to training camp.

Wizards Sign Jordan Goodwin To Exhibit 10 Deal

August 20th, 2021 at 8:35am CST by Arthur Hill

Jordan Goodwin has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Wizards, according to the transactions log at RealGM.

Goodwin, a 6’3″ guard of out St. Louis, was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team in 2020 and 2021. The 22-year-old spent four seasons with the Billikens and averaged 14.5 points and 10.1 rebounds as a senior. An undrafted free agent, he played for the Wizards in the Las Vegas Summer League.

The contract means Goodwin will join Washington for training camp and is eligible for a $50K bonus if he winds up playing for the team’s G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. The signing brings the Wizards to 18 players, two short of the limit heading into camp. Kyree Walker is also expected to receive a training camp deal.

Spurs Sign Jock Landale

August 20th, 2021 at 8:07am CST by Eli Cohen

AUGUST 20: The signing is official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

AUGUST 3: The Spurs have agreed to a two-year deal with Australian big man Jock Landale, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Landale, a 25-year-old, 6’11” center, is fresh off winning the 2021 NBL Grand Final MVP for Melbourne United. He averaged 16.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.2 APG and 1.5 BPG while shooting 38.9% from three on 149 total attempts during the 2020/21 season.

The Spurs are light in established frontcourt players, leaving the possibility of Landale to carve out a role for himself, especially if newly-signed Zach Collins is unable to stay healthy. With the team officially losing Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan, the youth movement appears to be in full swing in San Antonio.

Southeast Notes: Garrett, Jarreau, Wizards

August 19th, 2021 at 8:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rookie free agent Marcus Garrett has been expected to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Heat. The undrafted Kansas guard is now a candidate for a two-way spot but there’s a holdup, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. Garrett is in the midst of changing representation and cannot do anything with any team for at least a week, Jackson adds.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The Heat also have an interest in signing undrafted University of Houston guard DeJon Jarreau, another summer league standout, Jackson tweets. However, it’s not certain whether Miami will offer a two-way or Exhibit 10 deal to Jarreau, who averaged 11.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 5.8 APG in Las Vegas.
The Wizards’ rotation is filled with questions in the aftermath of the Russell Westbrook trade. The Athletic’s Fred Katz and John Hollinger take a closer look at how things may shake out.
In case you missed it, Terry Rozier is signing a four-year extension with the Hornets. Get the details here.

Hamidou Diallo Re-Signs With Pistons On Two-Year Contract

August 19th, 2021 at 8:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

8:35pm: A team press release has confirmed the signing, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets. The second year of the contract is a team option, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets.

5:04pm: Restricted free agent Hamidou Diallo will remain with the Pistons on a two-year, $10.4MM deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Diallo’s agents, Thad Foucher and Joe Smith, informed Wojnarowski of the decision.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link), the Pistons will eventually have to make another roster move to fit in Diallo, since they now have 16 guaranteed contracts on their books. There’s no rush to make that move, since teams can carry up to 20 players in the offseason.

Diallo appeared in 20 games after Detroit acquired him from Oklahoma City, averaging 11.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 1.2 APG. The high-flying Diallo also showed improvement with his 3-point shot after the mid-season trade, draining 39% of his 3-point shots. He had a breakout season with extended playing time, as he also averaged 11.9 for OKC in 32 games.

A 2018 second-round selection, Diallo appeared in 129 games with the Thunder. He’s averaged 7.5 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 17.8 MPG during his three-year career.

General manager Troy Weaver, a former Thunder executive, had prioritized re-signing Diallo this offseason. Detroit extended a qualifying offer of $2.08MM to make him a restricted free agent.

Diallo joins a crowd at the wing that includes top pick Cade Cunningham, who will often share the floor with Killian Hayes, as well Saddiq Bey, Josh Jackson, Rodney McGruder, Frank Jackson and Jerami Grant (in bigger lineups).

Western Notes: Hyland, Porter Jr., Towns, Russell, Toliver

August 19th, 2021 at 8:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rookie Bones Hyland averaged 19.7 PPG across four games in Las Vegas and his Nuggets summer league coach believes he can play right away for the NBA club, Mike Singer of the Denver Post writes. “His skill set is undeniable,” Charles Klask said. “… I think there’s always room for players like him that have great feel for the game. They find a way to get on the floor because they can do so many different things, and as long as he can bring it on both ends, night in and night out, I think he can be part of our rotation, for sure.” Hyland was drafted with the No. 26 pick.

We have more from the Western Conference:

There shouldn’t be any serious concern about the Nuggets’ ability to reach a rookie scale extension agreement with Michael Porter Jr., Singer opines in a mailbag piece. Singer’s sources say there shouldn’t be too much read into the lack of news regarding negotiations, since the club has until the start of the season to extend Porter. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, had a number of other clients to focus on during free agency, Singer adds.
Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell are determined to do what it takes this offseason to turn the Timberwolves’ fortunes around, coach Chris Finch told The Athletic’s Britt Robson. “There is a deep and genuine motivation by Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell to have their best offseason ever. And that’s really where it begins and ends, because if your best players aren’t all-in and ready, then you are not going to go very far,” Finch said. “They’ve seen their contemporaries having success. Devin Booker’s in the Finals. Nikola Jokic wins MVP. These are guys who they feel they are every bit as good as, if not better than — or at one point have been better than — in the league.”
The Mavericks are hiring Kristi Toliver as an assistant coach, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Dallas had been seeking a female assistant for Jason Kidd‘s staff. Toliver, who remains an active player in the WNBA, spent two seasons in the Wizards’ organization.

Jason Terry Named Coach Of Nuggets’ G League Affiliate

August 19th, 2021 at 6:56pm CST by Luke Adams

6:56pm: The Nuggets have officially hired Terry as the Grand Rapids Gold head coach, according to a team press release.

2:39pm: Former NBA guard Jason Terry is finalizing a deal to coach the Nuggets‘ new G League affiliate, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Terry, a former NBA champion and Sixth Man of the Year winner, last played in the NBA in 2018. He joined the Texas Legends – Dallas’ G League affiliate – as an assistant general manager in 2019, then left the team to become an assistant coach at his alma mater of Arizona for the 2020/21 season.

Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, who reported in June that Terry was in the mix for an assistant role on Jason Kidd‘s coaching staff, tweets that Terry spent some time in Las Vegas observing the Mavericks’ coaches and weighing the possibility of joining the team as an assistant. However, it seems Terry determined that becoming a head coach at the G League level will move him closer to his goal of eventually coaching an NBA team, notes Townsend.

The Nuggets, who had previously been one of the only NBA teams without an NBAGL affiliate, entered a partnership with the Grand Rapids Drive earlier in 2021 and rebranded the franchise, which will now be known as the Grand Rapids Gold.

Since the Gold are based in Michigan, it won’t be easy for the Nuggets to quickly shuttle players back and forth between Denver and Grand Rapids. But it will give the franchise an opportunity to assign players to the G League without having to worry about how another team’s affiliate will use and develop them.

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