2021 August | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Barton, Green, Robinson-Earl, Muscala, Brown

August 14th, 2021 at 12:59pm CST by Eli Cohen

In an Instagram video, ESPN’s Bobby Marks broke down two of the Nuggets’ contracts, clarifying that Will Barton is on a descending two-year deal, with $30MM fully guaranteed. He’ll receive $15.6MM in year one and $14.37MM in year two. Keith Smith of Spotrac adds that Barton’s deal includes $1MM in unlikely bonuses in each of the two years.

Marks also outlined Nuggets’ forward Jeff Green‘s new contract, which is a two-year, $9MM pact with $1MM in bonuses. Green will have a player option in year two, as had been previously reported. Marks notes that Green had been on minimum-salary contracts for several seasons, so this contract represents a big win for him and his agent.

We have more news from around the Northwest Division:

While the general terms of the Thunder’s No. 32 pick Jeremiah Robinson-Earl have been previously reported, Keith Smith provides a breakdown of the exact amount of Robinson-Earl’s four-year deal. The ex-Villanova Wildcat will receive two years at $2MM, fully guaranteed, followed by $1.9MM non-guaranteed in year three, and a non-guaranteed team option of $1.98MM in year four. OKC signed Robinson-Earl using part of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms via tweet that Mike Muscala‘s contract with the Thunder is for $7MM over two years, and adds that the second year is a team option. This will be the third straight season in OKC for the 30-year-old center
Scotto also clarifies the terms of Greg Brown III’s deal with the Trail Blazers. The 43rd pick, for whom the Blazers traded a 2026 second-round pick and cash considerations, will receive a three-year, $4.3MM (minimum-salary) deal, with the first two years fully guaranteed. The final year of the contract will be non-guaranteed. The signing used Portland’s mid-level exception.

Bruno Caboclo Signs With Brazilian Team

August 14th, 2021 at 11:59am CST by Dana Gauruder

Bruno Caboclo, who played for the Rockets last season, has signed with Sao Paulo in Brazil, according to the team, Hoops Rum0rs’ JD Shaw tweets.

The 6’9” Caboclo played in France with Limoges CSP at the end of last season.

He has appeared in 105 NBA games since he was drafted in the first round by the Raptors in 2014. He’s also played for Sacramento and Memphis.

Caboclo saw action in six games with Houston before he was waived in mid-January in order to clear a roster spot after the James Harden multi-team blockbuster. He also played eight games for Houston at the end of the 2019/20 season after being acquired from the Grizzlies at the trade deadline.

Central Notes: Pacers, Stanley, Green, T. Antetokounmpo, DeRozan

August 14th, 2021 at 11:31am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers are looking to add a third point guard after trading Aaron Holiday to the Wizards, according to J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star. They’ve been trying to move wing Jeremy Lamb and his expiring $10.5MM contract but have yet to find any takers.

Those factors contributed to the decision to pull a qualifying offer from two-way player Cassius Stanley. However, Stanley’s time in the organization isn’t necessarily over. He’s been offered a training camp invite, though it’s uncertain if he’ll accept it or attempt to hook on with another team.

We have more from the Central Division:

Javonte Green‘s two-year, veteran’s minimum contract with the Bulls is fully guaranteed and doesn’t include any options, Keith Smith tweets. Green was acquired in March and entered the month as a restricted free agent after Chicago extended him a qualifying offer. The signing was made official on Wednesday.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo received a player option in the final year of his two-year contract with the Bucks, Ian Begley of SNY.TV tweets. He signed a two-year deal worth approximately $3.6MM.
DeMar DeRozan will make $26MM in the first season of his three-year contract, somewhat below what was initially reported, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. DeRozan, who was acquired by the Bulls in a sign-and-trade, will make $27.3MM and $28.6MM in the final two years, for a total of $81.9MM, according to Smith (Twitter link). The contract is fully guaranteed without any options or bonuses.

Suspended Jalen Harris Signs With Italian Team

August 14th, 2021 at 10:02am CST by Dana Gauruder

Jalen Harris, who has been suspended by the NBA for violating its anti-drug program, has signed a one-year deal with Italy’s Vanoli Cremona, the Italian team tweets (hat tip to Sportando).

The NBA dismissed and disqualified Harris on July 1 and he’ll have to wait a year to apply for reinstatement.

Harris played for the Raptors on a two-way contract last season after being selected with the 59th pick in the 2020 draft out of the University of Nevada. He averaged 7.4 PPG in 13 games and was a standout on the Raptors’ G League team in his seven games with the 905, averaging 17.6 PPG on 50% shooting from 3-point distance.

The day after the suspension was announced, the Raptors waived Harris, according to RealGM’s transactions log. Thus, Toronto no longer holds his rights and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent if and when he’s eventually approved for reinstatement.

Bulls’ Devon Dotson Signs Qualifying Offer

August 14th, 2021 at 9:00am CST by Dana Gauruder

Free agent guard Devon Dotson has signed his qualifying offer from the Bulls, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Dotson will be on a two-way contract and the qualifying offer includes a $50K guarantee. Chicago still has its other two-way slot available.

Dotson, 22, was also on a two-way deal last season when he appeared in 11 games with the Bulls as a rookie, averaging 2.1 PPG in 4.5 MPG. Dotson averaged 13 PPG and 5.6 APG in 10 G League games with the Canton Charge.

He’s currently averaging 6.7 PPG and 3.0 APG in 22.2 MPG through three summer league games in Las Vegas.

Western Notes: Azubuike, Jackson, Wright, Green

August 13th, 2021 at 9:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jazz 2020 first-round selection, big man Udoka Azubuike, was hampered by a severe ankle sprain in his rookie campaign, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News writes. Azubuike suffered the injury during the Salt Lake City Stars’ first game in the G League bubble last season. “It was tough, it was really tough for me going through that injury, that process,” Azubuike said. “Not being out on the court practicing or learning, doing what a regular rookie like me would do.” He’ll likely compete for backup center minutes this season with veteran acquisition Hassan Whiteside.

We have more from the Western Conference:

The King’s young players are not the only ones going through a learning process during summer league action. Bobby Jackson, the team’s summer league coach, is also gaining valuable experience, Jason Jones of The Athletic writes. “I can get better in late-game situations, understanding who to have on the floor, the substitutions, all the stuff that comes with it,” Jackson said. “But me and my stuff, just like the players have to do a better job, we’ve got to do a better job of making sure we have the right personnel on the floor. But it’s a growing experience for me, I love it.” Jackson was also recently named the head coach of the G League’s Stockton Kings.
McKinley Wright IV received a two-way deal from the Timberwolves last week. The former Colorado standout grew up in Minnesota and is thrilled to play in his home state, according to Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I didn’t know that I was going to be coming home,” Wright said. “I didn’t know that Minnesota was this interested in me. … I told my family, ‘We didn’t hear my name called how we initially planned, but this is better for me, going undrafted, betting on myself, and I continue to look forward to proving people wrong.”
Jeff Green’s versatile offensive game, which is built around 3-point shooting and elite finishing around the rim, should be a major boost for the Nuggets’ second unit, Eric Spyropoulos of the team’s website writes. The veteran big man signed a two-year deal with Denver in free agency.

Pacers Withdraw Qualifying Offer To Cassius Stanley

August 13th, 2021 at 9:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers have withdrawn their two-way qualifying offer to Cassius Stanley, making him an unrestricted free agent, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star tweets.

Stanley played on a two-way contract as a rookie. He saw action in 24 games, averaging 1.5 PPG in 3.9 MPG.

Stanley, 21, was chosen with the No. 54 overall pick in 2020 out of Duke. He competed in last year’s Slam Dunk competition prior to the All-Star game.

He averaged 12.6 PPG and 4.9 RPG in his lone season with the Blue Devils.

Indiana has both of its two-way slots filled by Amida Brimah and Duane Washington.

Mavericks Sign Eugene Omoruyi To Two-Way Contract

August 13th, 2021 at 8:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks have signed rookie Eugene Omoruyi to a two-way contract, the team’s PR department tweets.

Omoruyi went undrafted after spending one season at Oregon and three at Rutgers. Dallas’ decision to ink Omoruyi to a contract was reported right after the draft and the franchise obviously likes the 6’6” small forward enough to hand him one of its two-ways.

Omoruyi averaged 17.1 PPG and 5.4 RPG on .473/.376/.765 shooting in 28 games (30.6 MPG) with the Ducks. In two summer league contests, Omoruyi is averaging 16.0 PPG and 7.0 RPG.

The Mavs’ other two-way slot is occupied by guard Nate Hinton. Dallas now has a full 17-man roster, though the club can add up to three more players to its offseason squad.

Damion Lee To Remain On Warriors Roster, Receive $500K Guarantee

August 13th, 2021 at 6:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors guard Damion Lee‘s roster spot is safe, ensuring he’ll receive a $500K partial guarantee, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.

Lee needed to remain on the roster through this weekend to receive the guarantee. The remainder of his $1.91MM contract for next season remains non-guaranteed, though the team views him as one of the 14 players with a guaranteed roster spot entering next season. The final roster opening will likely be determined in a training camp battle, Slater adds.

Lee, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, has appeared in 153 games during his four-year career, mainly with Golden State. He came off the bench in all but one of 57 appearances last season, averaging 6.5 PPG and 3.2 RPG in 18.9 MPG. He also shot a healthy 39.7% from 3-point range.

Central Notes: Lowe, Ball, DeRozan, Mad Ants

August 13th, 2021 at 5:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sidney Lowe is joining the Cavaliers’ staff as an assistant, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Lowe, 61, was most recently on the Pistons’ staff. Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff lost an assistant when Lindsay Gottlieb left the organization to become the women’s head coach at USC. Lowe has coached in the league for 30 years.

We have more on the Central Division:

The sign-and-trade with the Pelicans brought Lonzo Ball to an organization that wanted him — the Bulls. Acquired in a sign-and-trade, Ball appreciates how his new bosses feel about him, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. “Just me personally, I feel like they wanted me,” he said. “And I want to play for someone that wants me to play for them. So that was attractive.’’
When DeMar DeRozan saw that Bulls were bringing in Ball, they didn’t need to do a hard sell to convince him to join the team, Cowley notes in the same story. DeRozan also came aboard in a sign-and-trade. “You could see what they were working toward, and it was something I wanted to be a part of,’ he said. “It wasn’t too much of a pitch that they had to make after that.’’
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ G League affiliate, will play nine games in Indianapolis next season, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files reports. The Mad Ants will also play 15 games on their home court. Those games in Indiana will make it easier for the Pacers to shuttle players back and forth between the NBA and the G League, if necessary.

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