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Lakers Sign Jay Huff To Two-Way Contract

October 18th, 2021 at 1:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have signed rookie free agent big man Jay Huff to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.

A 7’1″ forward/center, Huff spent his college career at Virginia and was a full-time starter for the first time as a senior in 2020/21. He averaged 13.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 2.6 BPG with a stellar .585/.387/.837 shooting line in 25 games (27.0 MPG). Huff, who won a national title in 2019, made the All-ACC Second Team and the ACC All-Defensive Team in 2021.

After going undrafted in July, Huff caught on with the Wizards, signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the team in August and playing for Washington in both the Las Vegas Summer League and the preseason. He was cut last week, with the Wizards probably hoping he’d play for the Capital City Go-Go, their G League affiliate. Instead, Huff has caught on with another NBA team.

Huff is the fourth player the Lakers have signed to a two-way contract already since the new league year began in August. The team initially inked Austin Reaves and Joel Ayayi to two-way deals, but later promoted Reaves to the standard roster and released Ayayi. Sekou Doumbouya took Reaves’ two-way slot and now Huff has replaced Ayayi.

The Lakers still have an open spot on their 15-man roster.

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Spurs Waive Al-Farouq Aminu

October 18th, 2021 at 12:30pm CST by Luke Adams

12:30pm: The Spurs have officially waived Aminu, per a team press release.

12:12pm: The Spurs are waiving veteran forward Al-Farouq Aminu, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

San Antonio had been carrying 16 players on guaranteed contracts, so cutting Aminu will ensure the team gets down to 15 for the start of the regular season. The Spurs will be on the hook for Aminu’s $10,183,800 salary, which will remain on their cap for the 2021/22 season.

Aminu, who signed a three-year, $29MM+ deal with Orlando in 2019, battled injuries throughout the contract, appearing in just 35 games for the Magic before he was sent to Chicago in the Nikola Vucevic trade at the 2021 deadline. He played in six games for the Bulls down the stretch, then was flipped to the Spurs in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade this offseason.

A strong, versatile defender when healthy, Aminu was a starter in New Orleans and Portland earlier in his career, but was only traded to the Spurs for salary-matching purposes and wasn’t considered a keeper for the club. There was a little uncertainty about whether he’d be a victim of the preseason roster crunch, since his $10MM expiring deal could’ve been useful in a midseason trade, but it seems the Spurs decided it made more sense to release him than one of their younger players.

San Antonio also waived Luka Samanic last week in order to get down to 15 players on standard contracts for the regular season. The team does have an open two-way contract slot.

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Celtics Sign Brodric Thomas To Two-Way Deal

October 18th, 2021 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

11:29am: The Celtics have officially signed Thomas to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.

8:02am: The Celtics are filling one of the open spots on their 17-man roster by signing guard Brodric Thomas to a two-way contract, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

Thomas, 24, began his rookie season in 2020/21 with the Rockets after going undrafted out of Truman. He had his Exhibit 10 contract with Houston converted to a two-way pact at the end of the preseason, then appeared in four games with the Rockets before being waived in February. Thomas caught on with Cleveland on a new two-way deal less than two weeks later and finished the season with the Cavaliers.

In 32 total games for his two teams, Thomas averaged 3.9 PPG and 1.7 RPG on .361/.271/.674 shooting in 12.5 minutes per contest. He put up better numbers in the G League, with 18.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 3.5 APG on .447/.413/.571 shooting in 14 games (33.6 MPG) for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Canton Charge.

Thomas re-signed with the Cavs on another two-way deal this offseason, but was released last week.

Once Thomas officially joins the team, the Celtics will have 16 players under contract — Thomas and Sam Hauser on two-way pacts, plus 14 players on standard deals. It doesn’t appear the team will fill its final roster spot to start the regular season.

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Elijah Bryant Signs With Anadolu Efes

October 18th, 2021 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Bucks last week, free agent shooting guard Elijah Bryant is headed overseas, having signed a two-year contract with Anadolu Efes, the Turkish team announced in a press release.

Bryant, 26, joined the Bucks during the last week of the 2020/21 regular season and was part of the group that won an NBA championship three months later. He put up 16 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes during Milwaukee’s regular season finale, then logged garbage-time minutes in 11 playoff contests.

The former BYU standout, who began his professional career by playing in Israel from 2018-21, was released by the Bucks in September, rejoined the team for training camp and the preseason, then was cut again last Thursday.

In addition to playing in Turkey’s top basketball league, Bryant’s new team also competes in the EuroLeague — Anadolu Efes won its first EuroLeague title earlier this year.

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Contract, Roster Deadlines Loom For NBA Teams

October 18th, 2021 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

We’re one day away from the start of the NBA’s 2021/22 regular season, making Monday the last day of the 2021 offseason. Today serves as the deadline for a number of contract- and roster-related decisions around the league. Here are the most important ones:

Rookie Scale Extensions

A total of 24 players entered the offseason eligible for rookie scale extensions. Seven of those players (Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Michael Porter Jr., Mikal Bridges, Robert Williams, and Wendell Carter Jr.) have already signed or agreed to new deals, while one (Chandler Hutchison) was waived. That leaves the following 16 players eligible to sign rookie scale extensions on Monday:

The majority of these guys won’t sign new deals until the 2022 offseason, when they’re eligible for restricted free agency. But it would be a surprise if at least a couple more players from this list don’t finalize rookie scale extensions today. Ayton, Bridges, Huerter, Jackson, and Sexton are some of the best candidates.

The deadline for rookie scale extensions is at 5:00pm central time.

Certain Veteran Contract Extensions

A veteran player who signed his current contract at least two years ago (or three years ago if it was a five-year deal) is eligible to sign an extension. That means many veterans around the NBA are eligible to sign contract extensions today, but that number will significantly drop as of tomorrow.

Once the regular season begins, only veterans in the final year of their contracts can sign extensions — a player that has multiple years remaining is no longer extension-eligible until the following offseason.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Veteran Contract Extension]

Let’s use the Pacers as an example. Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, and Jeremy Lamb are all eligible for extensions, but of those five players, only Warren and Lamb are on expiring deals. Brogdon, Turner, and LeVert are under contract through 2022/23, so each of them could sign an extension today that covers up to three additional seasons. However, starting on Tuesday, all three will be ineligible to sign an extension until the 2022 offseason.

Someone who has a player option for 2022/23, like Wizards star Bradley Beal, could still sign a new deal during the season, but he’d have to eliminate that option to do so. Picking it up would make him ineligible to complete an extension until the 2022 offseason after today, since it would turn his contract into a multiyear deal, not an expiring one.

A small number of veterans who have 2022/23 player options won’t be able to decline them in order to sign an extension. Nets star James Harden, for instance, couldn’t replace his $47.37MM option for ’22/23 with the first year of a new extension, since he’s already earning more than the maximum, making him eligible for only a 5% raise on his current salary in an extension. That would result in a ’22/23 salary of $46.53MM, but the first-year salary in an extension can’t be lower than the player option it would replace.

That means if Harden wants to sign an extension, he’d have to pick up his player option so that his extension could begin in 2023/24. Since that would make his current contract a multiyear deal, he won’t be eligible for an extension during the season if he doesn’t finalize one today.

The deadline for veteran extensions for players on non-expiring contracts is at 10:59pm CT tonight.

Regular Season Rosters

Most teams around the NBA finalized their roster cuts on Saturday for financial reasons, as we explained over the weekend. However, today is the offiical deadline to reduce offseason rosters to the regular season limit of 15 players on standard contracts (plus two on two-way contracts).

While it’s certainly possible there will be some additional roster shuffling today as teams tweak their back-end roster spots or fill two-way openings, only two teams – the Hornets and Spurs – absolutely have to make cuts, as we detailed on Sunday.

The final day of the offseason is also the last day for teams to convert Exhibit 10 contracts into two-way deals. However, after David Duke, Malik Fitts, Tyler Cook, RJ Nembhard, Tacko Fall, and Daishen Nix had their Exhibit 10 deals converted into two-ways within the last week, there are no candidates left for this maneuver.

Finally, Monday is the last day for a free agent to be signed-and-traded. There’s no indication that any sign-and-trades are in the works.

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Heat Notes: Herro, Vaccine, Two-Way Spots, Roster

October 17th, 2021 at 8:49pm CST by JD Shaw

After an impressive preseason, Heat guard Tyler Herro has given the team a reason to be optimistic entering the 2021/22 season, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.

Herro poured in more than 25 points in three of his five outings, scoring from all three levels. The 21-year-old is coming off a campaign where he averaged 15.1 points, five rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He’s expected to be the team’s sixth man this season.

“I mean it feels good, a lot of hard work this offseason,” Herro said. “We’ve got a great group of guys, just feeding life into me, really putting me in positions to be successful, whether it’s the coaching staff or the players around me. So just continuing to work and one day at a time.”

There’s more out of Miami tonight:

  • Every player on the Heat is fully vaccinated, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “We’re a fully vaccinated team, so we can do different things than last year,” Herro said when asked about the first preseason road trip. “It was a little different. Getting on the road was really good for us. Just being on the road and experiencing that for the first time together was good.”
  • Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald examines how filling both two-way spots impacted the team’s Exhibit 10 players. Miami waived Javonte Smart, Dru Smith, Micah Potter and D.J. Stewart on Friday, which was procedural since Caleb Martin and Marcus Garrett already occupy the club’s two-way spots.
  • Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel explores whether the Heat might’ve moved too quickly with its current roster. Miami is looking to contend again this season — just one calendar year removed from reaching the NBA Finals.
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And-Ones: Njie, Young, Mannion, Mudiay

October 17th, 2021 at 7:19pm CST by JD Shaw

Swedish player Barra Njie is signing a contract in the NBA G League and entering the October 23 draft, agent Jerry Dianis told Hoops Rumors.

Njie rejected multiple offers from the EuroLeague and Liga ACB, Dianis said. The 6’3″ point guard was named Rookie of the Year in the Swedish Basketball League last season, averaging 17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

Njie, 20, will be NBA draft-eligible for 2022 and attended St. Benedict’s Preparatory school before signing overseas.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Speaking of the G League Draft, former NBA guard Joe Young will also sign a contract and enter the event, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link). Young played 127 games with the Pacers from 2015-18, most recently spending time in China.
  • Former Warriors guard Nico Mannion dealt with an intestinal infection caused by salmonella this summer, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando tweets. Mannion estimates that he lost over 40 pounds due to the infection, and photos eventually surfaced online of his poor condition. He made his debut with Italian club Virtus Bologna on Saturday.
  • Emmanuel Mudiay recently discussed a variety of subjects with Antonis Stroggylakis of EuroHoops, including his recent impressive performance overseas and why he chose to spend the last year away from basketball. “I just wanted to take some time off and spend time with my family,” said Mudiay, a five-year NBA veteran who signed with Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania) in August. “I just stayed at home to be with my family.”
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NBA G League Salaries To Receive Slight Increase

October 17th, 2021 at 5:47pm CST by JD Shaw

The NBA G League will increase its base player salaries from $35K to $37K this season, sources told Hoops Rumors.

Players previously made $7,000 per month — or $35K per season — numbers that will see slight growth starting with the 2021/22 season. More increases could come in future years, especially with G League players forming their own union in 2020.

Although many G League observers believe players should receive more, these salaries have improved from past years. In 2014, for example, salaries were broken down into three groups: Tier A ($25K), Tier B ($19K) and Tier C ($13K).

Some players also receive bonuses from their Exhibit 10 contracts, which reward them up to $50K if they spend at least 60 days with their team’s G League affiliate. Theoretically, a player could earn $87K when taking into account his Exhibit 10 bonus (if the full $50K is included) and G League salary.

A total of 28 teams, all of which are affiliated with an NBA franchise, will be participating in the G League’s regular season in 2021/22. This doesn’t include the G League Ignite, which is entering its second year, or the newly-added Mexico City Capitanes. The Ignite and the Capitanes will take part in the league’s new Showcase Cup, but won’t participate in the regular season.

This year’s G League draft will take place on Saturday, October 23, with the Showcase Cup tipping off on Friday, November 5. After spending last year’s shortened season in a “bubble” at Walt Disney World, the league will return to a full schedule, with a 36-game regular season set to begin on December 27.

A record 45% of players on 2020/21 opening-night NBA rosters held NBAGL experience.

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Wizards Claim Two-Way Player Joel Ayayi Off Waivers

October 17th, 2021 at 4:20pm CST by JD Shaw

The Wizards have claimed two-way player Joel Ayayi off waivers from the Lakers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Ayayi was one of four players released by Los Angeles on Friday.

Ayayi, a 6’5″ guard, went unselected in the NBA draft this past summer. The 21-year-old spent three seasons at Gonzaga before declaring for the draft, holding per-game averages of 12 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists during his junior year.

The move brings Washington’s roster to 17 players ahead of the campaign. Ayayi will be the team’s second two-way player, joining Cassius Winston.

The Wizards open the season with a road contest against the Raptors on Wednesday. Washington is coming off an offseason in which it retooled its roster, adding Spencer Dinwiddie, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, among others.

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Sixers Notes: Milton, Offseason, Contention, Simmons

October 17th, 2021 at 3:58pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Sixers reserve guard Shake Milton continues to struggle with a sprained ankle. Head coach Doc Rivers said today that Milton was “nowhere near” being ready to rejoin his teammates in Philadelphia’s season-opening contest on Wednesday against the Pelicans, tweets Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times. Rivers added that he expects Milton to be unavailable “for a while.”

The 6’5″ Milton, selected with the No. 54 pick in the 2018 draft, enjoyed a breakout year with the Sixers during the 2020/21 season, averaging career highs of 13.0 PPG, 3.1 APG and 2.3 in 63 games.

There’s more out of the City of Brotherly Love:

  • After a tumultuous offseason that saw an extended holdout from All-Star Ben Simmons, the Sixers have their work cut out for them to remain a contender in the East. John Hollinger of The Athletic supplies a fresh recap for Philadelphia’s offseason moves and examines the club’s cap situation in a new season preview. Hollinger offers high marks for the club’s value free agency signings, especially applauding the addition of reserve power forward Georges Niang and the re-signings of wings Danny Green and Furkan Korkmaz to team-friendly deals.
  • The Sixers are optimistic they can compete for a title, even with the situation surrounding disgruntled star Ben Simmons still unsettled, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “If you don’t have great expectations, you are not going to have great success,” head coach Doc Rivers observed. “We have to be able to handle the expectations that we create.”
  • After successfully clearing team health and safety protocols, embattled Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons has resumed practicing with Philadelphia as a full participant, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Head coach Doc Rivers said he intends to treat Simmons as if he will playing with the club going forward. “Well we have to,” Rivers said. “As a coach, I’m literally in a tough spot, right? But we literally have to.” According to an ESPN report, it remains uncertain when Simmons will play actual games for the Sixers. “When he’s ready, he’ll play,” Rivers said.
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