2021 August | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Garza, Cunningham, Carter, Bacon

August 19th, 2021 at 6:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons second-round pick Luka Garza earned a two-way contract with strong performances in the Las Vegas summer league. Garza dropped 25 pounds since the college season ended and noticed a difference in his mobility, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. “I think it definitely improves my ability to move in multiple ways,” Garza said. “But, for me, I’m not comfortable. I want to continue to work on that and get better and better and better. The better I am on that end, the better my career is going to go.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

Top pick Cade Cunningham showed that he’s ready and willing to be the Pistons’ team leader during summer league action, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports writes. Cunningham made his presence felt, not only with his play but the way he encouraged and directed his teammates. “He’s a natural leader, which is rare for a 19-year-old kid,” coach Dwane Casey told Goodwill.
Jevon Carter, who was acquired by the Nets in a trade with Phoenix this summer, won’t hesitate to voice his opinion in the Brooklyn locker room, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “I’m a vocal leader,” Carter said. “I help the team out.” Carter appeared in 60 regular-season and seven postseason games for the Suns, who included him in the Landry Shamet deal.
Dwayne Bacon‘s contract with the Knicks is non-guaranteed, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Bacon signed a one-year, minimum-salary deal after being waived by Orlando.

Raptors’ Ujiri Talks Potential Return To Toronto, Player Development Plans

August 19th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

While Masai Ujiri‘s new deal and promotion to vice chairman doesn’t give him a stake in the Raptors‘ ownership, sources who spoke to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca believe there may be “equity-like” elements in Ujiri’s deal, such as bonuses based on revenues or on an increased valuation of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the company that owns the Raptors.

The terms of Ujiri’s new contract with the team haven’t been announced or reported, so it’s unclear how much the Raptors’ president of basketball operations is being paid or how many years the deal covers. However, given that it has been called a “significant” multiyear deal, Grange says he’d be surprised if it’s not at least a four- or five-year agreement.

Ujiri spoke to reporters on Wednesday about his new deal with the Raptors and the team’s offseason. Here are a few of the highlights from that presser:

Ujiri is optimistic the Raptors will be able to play in Toronto in 2021/22 after spending a season in Tampa, suggesting that there’s no real backup plan at this point. “I told (MLSE chairman) Larry (Tanenbaum) and Adam (Silver) and even Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau that playing away set us back a couple of years,” Ujiri said, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. “We know that and we are ready for that challenge, (but) playing another year somewhere else will set us back five years. We are not trying to do that. We have no interest (in playing anywhere else). We have not looked elsewhere, we are not going to look elsewhere, we’re playing at home; we’re trying to play at home. That’s the goal for us.”
The Raptors could have created a chunk of cap space this offseason and pursued a veteran free agent or two, but they’re instead focusing on the development of returning young players like OG Anunoby and Malachi Flynn and newcomers like Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa. “I said it when I sat here eight years ago (and) I’m saying it again,” Ujiri said, according to Lewenberg. “We are going to continue to develop these players and we’re going to find a way to win a championship here based on our development of our players, and whatever comes from that, sometimes trades, sometimes you acquire (players) through free agency.”
Ujiri added that the Raptors are willing to be patient with their young players and will give them an “opportunity to grow,” rather than trying to take a short-cut to contention, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “There’s going to be super-teams, there are going to be three superstars on one team and maybe they’ll get as many as 10 one day,” Ujiri said. “We’re not taking that route, at least not for now. Our route is to grow our young players and be excited. It might not be the big three and winning now and super-teams. But in our minds, it’s a little bit super. Super young, but super hopeful.”

Pelicans Notes: Hart, Offseason Moves, Murphy, Summer League

August 19th, 2021 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Josh Hart‘s new three-year deal with the Pelicans includes some unique terms, according to ESPN’s Will Guillory and Bobby Marks (Twitter links). In an Instagram video, Marks provides a more in-depth breakdown of the agreement.

After earning a guaranteed $12MM salary in year one, Hart will have a $12.96MM non-guaranteed salary in year two, says Guillory. If the Pelicans want to avoid paying Hart that salary, they’ll have to waive him by June 25, meaning he’d get a head-start on finding a new team in free agency.

If Hart plays out the first two years of his deal, his $12.96MM salary for 2023/24 would be non-guaranteed as well, but he also has a player option for that third year. It would essentially be a mutual option for Hart and the Pelicans. He’d have until June 24 to decide whether to exercise or decline his player option, then – if he opts in – New Orleans would have until June 25 to decide whether to guarantee his salary.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Scouts and executives polled by Tim Bontemps of ESPN were critical of the Pelicans’ offseason, questioning the team’s decision to replace Lonzo Ball with Devonte’ Graham. “They’re a sinking ship and reaching for a life preserver that just isn’t going to help,” one Western Conference executive said. “I don’t understand how (Jonas Valanciunas) is going to fit. I don’t understand how Devonte’ is worth what they paid. It’s just weird.”
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic loved what he saw from the Pelicans and Trey Murphy at Las Vegas Summer League, noting that he talked to two separate scouts who thought Murphy was the best rookie in Vegas. Vecenie referred to New Orleans’ Summer League team as “juggernaut” on the defensive end, singling out Murphy, Naji Marshall, Herb Jones, and Kira Lewis for their performances.
Murphy was one of seven players named to the All-Summer League First Team, per the NBA, as he joined co-MVPs Davion Mitchell and Cameron Thomas, among others.

2021/22 NBA Draft-And-Stash Signings

August 19th, 2021 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent signees, trade acquisitions, and 2021 draftees have been the most common additions to NBA rosters in recent weeks. However, a small number of players come via the draft-and-stash route, as teams bring aboard players drafted in previous years.

First-round draftees from the last three years – such as Leandro Bolmaro of the Timberwolves – are limited to the 2021 rookie scale. Players who were previously selected in the second round of a draft – or who were first-round picks more than three years ago – are free to sign any type of contract via cap room or exceptions.

Listed below are the draft-and-stash prospects who have signed so far this offseason, with contract details noted. If and when more teams add draft-and-stash players, we’ll update this list, which can be found at anytime on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” or in the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Chicago Bulls: Marko Simonovic, F/C (2020 draft; No. 44) (story)
- Simonovic spent another season with Crvena Zvezda in Serbia after being selected in the second round of last year’s draft, but he was one of Arturas Karnisovas‘ first draft picks and the plan was always for him to come stateside at some point. The Bulls saved a portion of their mid-level exception for Simonovic to ensure they were able to give him a third non-guaranteed year on top of his two guaranteed seasons.
- Contract: Three years, $4.32MM (minimum salary). First two years guaranteed.
Charlotte Hornets: Arnoldas Kulboka, F (2018 draft; No. 55) (story)
- After being drafted in 2018, Kulboka remained with Brose Bamberg, his team in Germany, for another year. He then joined Bilbao in Spain for the next two seasons before coming stateside for the 2021/22 campaign. The 23-year-old will start his NBA career on a two-way deal, so he’ll be limited to 50 games at the NBA level this season unless he’s promoted to the 15-man roster.
- Contract: Two-way contract.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Vit Krejci, G (2020 draft; No. 37) (story)
- Krejci was still recovering from a knee injury when the Thunder acquired him in the 2020 draft, so he spent the season with the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League rehabbing that injury. A year later, the 21-year-old has officially signed his first NBA contract with the Thunder.
- Contract: Four years, $6.31MM (minimum salary). First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Leandro Bolmaro, G (2020 draft; No. 23) (story)
- Bolmaro was stashed for a year in Spain after the Timberwolves used one of their 2020 first-round picks to nab him. He won a Liga ACB championship and a Spanish Cup title with Barcelona in 2021, and was named the ACB Most Spectacular Player, proving he was ready to make the leap to the NBA.
- Contract: Four years, $11.81MM. First two years guaranteed. Third- and fourth-year team options.
Denver Nuggets: Petr Cornelie, F (2016 draft; No. 53) (story)
- Cornelie played for Denver’s Summer League team several times after being selected in the 2016 draft, but didn’t actually make the move stateside until this season, when he filled one of the team’s two-way contract slots. He had spent the last eight years (from 2013-21) playing in his home country of France, including for Elan Bearnais in 2020/21.
- Contract: Two-way contract.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android

August 19th, 2021 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

If you enjoy Hoops Rumors on your smartphone or tablet, be sure to check out our free Trade Rumors app!

Trade Rumors, available for iOS and Android, is the best way to consume our content on a mobile device. Here’s what it delivers, all for free:

All the articles from Hoops Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, Pro Football Rumors, and Pro Hockey Rumors in an easy-to-navigate, eye-catching format. Swipe through stories to quickly consume all the news and rumors from our four sites. Not into all four sports? No problem – any sport can be easily removed.
Customize what you see. You can create feeds for any team or player across any of our sites.
Notifications. For any team or player, you can set up push notifications to ensure you always get breaking news instantly. Notifications can also be set up at the sport level.
Commenting. You can read and contribute comments on the app seamlessly.
Customer service. If you find a bug, we’ll fix it. If you have a feature request, we’ll consider it. The app is continually evolving and improving.
Did we mention Trade Rumors is a free app? What do you have to lose? Download it now!

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Pelicans, Josh Hart Finalize Three-Year Contract

August 19th, 2021 at 10:45am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

AUGUST 19: Hart’s new contract with the Pelicans is now official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.

AUGUST 16: The Pelicans are nearing an agreement to re-sign restricted free agent wing Josh Hart, Hart’s agents at CAA inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Woj reports that the contract will be a three-year, $38MM deal. New Orleans had Hart’s Bird rights, so no cap room maneuvering or exceptions are necessary to make the deal work.

The 6’5″ wing was part of the loaded package of young players and draft picks that arrived in New Orleans in the deal that sent All-Star big man Anthony Davis to the Lakers in the summer of 2019.

Hart, 26, was selected with the No. 30 pick in the 2017 NBA draft out of Villanova. He spent his first two seasons in Los Angeles, showing promising flashes as an intriguing two-way swingman.

Hart has seen his touches on offense improve as a reserve for the Pelicans from his tenure in Los Angeles. During his most recent season in 2020/21, Hart appeared in 47 of 72 possible contests. Across 28.7 MPG, he averaged 9.2 PPG on 43.9% shooting with 8.0 RPG, 2.3 APG and 0.8 SPG.

Hart will be the Pelicans’ 15th player on a guaranteed contract, which means that power forward Wenyen Gabriel, currently on a non-guaranteed $1,762,796 contract for the 2021/22 season, looks like the odd man out.

Woj adds that the deal looks set to be concluded soon. Will Guillory of The Athletic echoes this sentiment, tweeting that “a few details” in the contract still need to be finessed.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Nuggets Sign JaMychal Green To Two-Year Deal

August 19th, 2021 at 10:44am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

AUGUST 19: The Nuggets have officially re-signed Green, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

AUGUST 2: The Nuggets will bring back reserve power forward JaMychal Green, an unrestricted free agent, on a two-year, $17MM deal, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). The agreement includes a player option for the 2022/23 season, Charania adds.

After going undrafted out of Alabama in 2012, the 6’8″ Green logged time with the Spurs, Grizzlies, and Clippers before linking up with Denver. Green, now 31, initially joined the Nuggets as a free agent in 2020, inking a two-year, $15MM deal with a player option for the 2021/22 season, which he then declined this summer.

An athletic big man with long-range shooting ability, Green proved a helpful contributor in Denver’s frontcourt rotation. Across 58 contests with Denver, Green averaged 8.1 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 19.3 MPG, with a stellar shooting line of .463/.399/.807. He averaged 5.4 PPG and 5.2 RPG during 19 MPG in the 2021 postseason.

The Pelicans were also interested in adding Green this summer, writes Mike Singer of the Denver Post.

The Nuggets appear determined to retain some key role players this summer, as it was also reported today that Denver is set to bring back free agent shooting guard Will Barton, also on a two-year deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Celtics Notes: Roster, Two-Way Slot, Tax, Begarin

August 19th, 2021 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to reporters, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens suggested the team has completed its major offseason moves.

Stevens pointed out that Boston has 16 players on standard contracts (15 guaranteed salaries, plus Jabari Parker‘s non-guaranteed deal) and said he’s comfortable bringing this group to training camp, noting that any additional moves will likely be “tweaks around the edge” (Twitter links via Keith Smith of Spotrac).

The Celtics do still have one open two-way slot, and Stevens said the team is still considering how to fill it. There’s no rush to do so, since Boston could end up targeting a player who gets waived by another team this fall, according to Stevens (Twitter link via Smith).

Here’s more from the Celtics’ new president:

Discussing Boston’s key offseason additions, Stevens said the team likes Josh Richardson‘s toughness and ability to play multiple positions, and added that the Celtics were “very fortunate” to land Dennis Schröder and Enes Kanter for the taxpayer mid-level exception and the veteran’s minimum, respectively (all Twitter links via Smith).
Stevens has the green light to go into luxury-tax territory in 2021/22, which is why he didn’t want to trigger a hard cap this offseason by acquiring a player via sign-and-trade or using more than the taxpayer portion of the MLE, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Stevens confirmed that second-round pick Juhann Begarin will remain overseas for at least the 2021/22 season (Twitter link via Weiss). Stevens added that the team will be monitoring Begarin and 2020 second-rounder Yam Madar “quite a bit” in Europe this year (Twitter link via Smith).

Hawks Sign A.J. Lawson To Camp Deal

August 19th, 2021 at 8:13am CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks have signed rookie free agent A.J. Lawson to a one-year contract, according to RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions. While terms of the deal aren’t known, it figures to be a non-guaranteed camp deal that includes Exhibit 10 language.

Lawson, who went undrafted on July 29, put up 16.6 PPG and 4.1 RPG with a .351 3PT% in 21 games (31.3 MPG) as a junior for South Carolina in 2020/21. The 6’6″ shooting guard earned a spot on the All-SEC Second Team.

Shortly after the draft, Lawson reportedly reached an agreement to sign with the Heat, then joined the team for Summer League play. However, he left Miami’s Summer League club in Las Vegas in order to join the Hawks’ SL squad, which was a pretty clear indication that he no longer intended to attend training camp with the Heat. Instead, it appears he’ll do so with Atlanta.

With the signing, the Hawks now have 14 players on guaranteed contracts, two on Exhibit 10 deals (Lawson and Johnny Hamilton) and one on a two-way pact (Sharife Cooper). Atlanta also has a two-way qualifying offer out to Skylar Mays and reportedly intends to sign undrafted rookie Ibi Watson to an Exhibit 10 contract.

Knicks Sign Dwayne Bacon

August 19th, 2021 at 7:33am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

AUGUST 19: The Knicks have officially signed Bacon, according to RealGM’s transactions log. It’s a one-year, minimum-salary contract, and I’d be surprised if it’s fully guaranteed.

AUGUST 9: After being waived by the Magic on Sunday, free agent shooting guard Dwayne Bacon appears to have lined up a new home elsewhere in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks are set to sign Bacon on a new deal, reports Tim Bontemps of ESPN (via Twitter).

Bacon, 25, spent his first three NBA seasons with the Hornets and their NBAGL affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

He then signed on with the Magic in 2020, proving his durability by appearing in every single game for Orlando during the 72-game 2020/21 NBA season, including 50 starts. He averaged 10.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.3 APG and 0.6 SPG in 25.7 MPG for a lottery-bound Orlando squad. Bacon sported a shooting line of .402/.285/.824.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) notes, the Knicks’ roster currently projects to include 14 guaranteed deals, one non-guaranteed contract (Argentinian point guard Luca Vildoza), and one player on a two-way contract (rookie forward Jericho Sims). It’s unclear whether Bacon will receive a full or partial guarantee on his new deal.

Of course, before he can sign with the Knicks, Bacon will need to clear waivers. That will happen on Tuesday, assuming he goes unclaimed.

Month: November 2024