2021 | Hoops Rumors

Raptors Notes: Roster Battle, Siakam, Boucher, Anunoby

October 14th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The fight to make the Raptors‘ 15-man regular season squad has been one of the NBA’s more competitive preseason roster battles, with Sam Dekker, Ishmail Wainright, and Isaac Bonga vying to earn two spots (or just one, if Toronto opens the season with 14 players). Addressing the competition today, Dekker said he’ll be happy for Wainright and/or Bonga if they beat him out for a roster spot.

“These are guys I’ll stay in touch with for a long time no matter what and I’m always going to cheer for them, because it’s the weakness of a man to root for someone to fail,” Dekker said, adding that his current teammates are some of the “kindest human beings” he knows (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca).

Wainright also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to make his case for a regular season roster spot, regardless of what the Raptors decide.

“No matter how it goes, I’m not going to hang my head,” Wainright said (Twitter link via Lewenberg). “My family always told me when one door closes, another opens. I’m coming out of this a better man, a better basketball player, a better person, period… Whatever happens, I gave it my all from start to finish.”

All three players have had strong camps, according to Lewenberg (Twitter link). While many teams will set their rosters by Saturday, the Raptors could wait until Monday if they want, since Dekker, Wainright, and Bonga all have partial guarantees. That means their cap hits would remain unchanged if they don’t clear waivers until after the regular season begins, unlike a player on a non-guaranteed deal, who must be waived by Saturday for a team to avoid incurring a small cap charge.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Tuesday, head coach Nick Nurse said that Pascal Siakam (shoulder) is starting contact work this week and may only be a few weeks away from returning, while big man Chris Boucher (finger) is about 10 days away (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca).
With Siakam sidelined to start the season and Kyle Lowry no longer a Raptor, the team is grooming OG Anunoby to be a centerpiece of its offense, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “He’s our number one option right now,” Fred VanVleet said of his teammate. “He’s been great, he’s been assertive finding his spots, I think me and him are finding a little bit of rhythm together, so it’s good to see.”
Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca takes a look at the battle between Goran Dragic and Gary Trent Jr. for the second starting spot in the backcourt alongside VanVleet, suggesting Dragic appears to have the upper hand.
John Hollinger of The Athletic didn’t love the terms of the Raptors’ free agent contracts with Trent and Khem Birch, but praised the team for getting Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk on a minimum-salary deal. Hollinger projects the team to finish with a 40-42 record, good for ninth in the East.

Hornets Waive Jalen Crutcher, Cameron McGriff

October 14th, 2021 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have cut a pair of players from their preseason roster, announcing in a press release that Jalen Crutcher and Cameron McGriff have been placed on waivers.

Crutcher, a 6’1″ point guard, spent his last four years at Dayton, where he averaged 17.6 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 3.5 RPG on .463/.372/.763 shooting in 24 games (38.1 MPG) as a senior in 2020/21. He suited up for Milwaukee’s Summer League team in Las Vegas after going undrafted.

McGriff went undrafted in 2020 after four seasons with Oklahoma State. The 6’7″ forward averaged 12.3 PPG and 6.6 RPG in his senior year, then played for Belgium’s Okapi Aalstar last season, putting up 13.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG. He joined the Hornets for this year’s Summer League.

Charlotte signed Crutcher and McGriff to non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contracts less than a week ago. While Crutcher saw some action in one of the team’s preseason games, neither player was a real candidate to make the regular season roster. Both Crutcher and McGriff will likely end up playing for the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate.

Zion Williamson To Be Reevaluated In Two Weeks

October 14th, 2021 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans will be without star forward Zion Williamson to start the regular season, executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin confirmed today to reporters.

Williamson, who is recovering from offseason foot surgery, underwent imaging on his right foot this week and doctors were happy with what they saw on those scans, per Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter links). However, while the former No. 1 overall pick has been cleared to begin running, he’s still not able to participate in physical activities against other players, Guillory notes.

There’s “no fixed timeline” for Williamson’s return to game action and he’ll undergo more scans in about two weeks, Griffin said (Twitter link via Andrew Lopez of ESPN).

When Griffin first revealed on Media Day last month that Williamson had undergone surgery on his foot in the offseason, he expressed optimism that the 21-year-old would be ready to go by opening night. That doesn’t mean Zion has suffered a setback – the Pelicans may just be exercising caution with their franchise player – but it’s still an ominous sign for a player who has dealt with leg injuries in the past.

Based on today’s announcement, it sounds as if there’s no chance of Williamson returning to action within the next two weeks, which means he’ll miss at least the first five games of New Orleans’ season. In his absence, the team will lean more heavily on forward Brandon Ingram and center Jonas Valanciunas to provide offensive punch in the frontcourt.

Thunder Waive Melvin Frazier, Expected To Sign Zavier Simpson

October 14th, 2021 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

After joining the Thunder on a training camp deal earlier in the week, veteran wing Melvin Frazier has been waived, the team announced today.

The No. 35 pick in the 2018 draft, Frazier played in just 29 NBA games in his first two professional seasons, with Orlando. He has spent more time in the G League over the last three years, appearing in 41 games with the Lakeland Magic from 2018-20, then suiting up for the Oklahoma City Blue in the 2021 NBAGL bubble.

Frazier played a limited role with the Blue, averaging just 6.8 PPG and 3.4 RPG in 12 games (20.8 MPG), but the fact that he received an Exhibit 10 deal this week suggests the Thunder plan on having him return to their G League affiliate for the 2021/22 season.

The Thunder now have an open roster spot and may use it to sign Zavier Simpson. Our JD Shaw (Twitter link) hears from a source that Oklahoma City is expected to sign the guard to an Exhibit 10 deal.

Like Frazier, Simpson played for the OKC Blue last season and would be in line for a bonus worth up to $50K if he returns to the G League and spends at least 60 days with the club. The former Michigan Wolverine averaged 9.8 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 4.3 RPG in 15 games (28.5 MPG) in the G League in 2021.

2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Houston Rockets

October 14th, 2021 at 1:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2021 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s offseason moves, examine what still needs to be done before opening night, and look ahead to what the 2021/22 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Houston Rockets.

Free agent signings:

Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.

Daniel Theis: Four years, $35.61MM. Fourth-year team option. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
David Nwaba: Three years, $15.07MM. Third-year team option. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
Dante Exum: Three years, $15MM. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Base value of $7.5MM, with $7.5MM in likely incentives and $1.22MM in unlikely incentives. Re-signed using Bird rights.
Anthony Lamb: Two-way contract. Accepted two-way qualifying offer as restricted free agent.

Two-way conversions:

Armoni Brooks: Four years, minimum salary. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Converted using mid-level exception.

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Alperen Sengun (No. 16 pick) from the Thunder in exchange for the Pistons’ 2022 first-round pick (top-16 protected) and the Wizards’ 2023 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
Acquired Daniel Theis (sign-and-trade) from the Bulls in exchange for cash ($1.1MM).
Acquired Sekou Doumbouya and the Nets’ 2024 second-round pick from the Nets in exchange for cash ($110K).
- Note: Doumbouya has since been waived.

Draft picks:

1-2: Jalen Green
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $40,808,448).
1-16: Alperen Sengun
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $15,550,974).
1-23: Usman Garuba
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $11,805,395).
1-24: Josh Christopher
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $11,463,215).

Contract extensions:

None

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

The Rockets and John Wall agreed that he’ll sit out of games as the team works to find him a new home.
Hired Chris Wallace and Matt Bullard in front office roles.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap and below the tax line.
Carrying approximately $131.9MM in salary.
$8,046,935 of non-taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($1,489,065 used on Armoni Brooks).
Full bi-annual exception ($3,732,000) still available.
Two traded player exceptions available, including one worth $1.8MM.

Lingering preseason issues:

The Rockets have 16 players with guaranteed contracts, so someone will needed to be traded or released before the regular season begins.
John Wall is technically eligible for a veteran contract extension until October 18, though he’s more likely to be traded or bought out than extended.
Danuel House is eligible for a veteran contract extension all season.

The Rockets’ offseason:

After eight straight years in the playoffs, the Rockets stumbled into an unwanted rebuilding process last season. James Harden came to training camp with trade demands and intensified them until the team had no choice but to move him in mid-January. He was sent to Brooklyn for a package that was loaded with future draft picks, but didn’t offer much immediate help. What followed was a free fall that left Houston with the league’s worst record at 17-55.

The first step toward rebuilding came with a little bit of luck on lottery night. Faced with the prospect of losing their first-round pick to the Thunder if it dropped out of the top five, the Rockets landed the No. 2 selection and used it to draft Jalen Green, an electrifying scorer from the G League Ignite who brings a mix of shot-making and athleticism that prompts some scouts to view him as a future contender for the scoring title.

Houston had two other first-round selections in hand from previous trades, then made another deal on draft night, sending two future picks to Oklahoma City for the chance to draft center Alperen Sengun at No. 16. The Turkish League MVP combines with Green and fellow first-rounders Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher to give the Rockets a collection of young talent to build around.

Houston was relatively quiet on the free agent market, but the team did land center Daniel Theis in a sign-and-trade with the Bulls that wound up being a straight cash deal. Theis brings a rugged interior presence that the Rockets didn’t have last season and frees up big man Christian Wood to spend more time on the perimeter.

Outside of the draft, the major news of the offseason was an agreement with John Wall that will keep the veteran guard off the floor until management can trade him. Wall’s hefty salary — he’s owed $44.3MM this season and has a $47.4MM player option for 2022/23 — and his injury history have made it tough to find a trading partner, and the Rockets have expressed a reluctance to attach any first-round picks or take back unwanted salary in return. Unless that changes, or both sides decide a buyout is in their best interest, Wall will serve as a virtual assistant coach while Kevin Porter Jr. takes over at point guard.

Also facing an uncertain future in Houston is Eric Gordon, who will turn 33 in December and doesn’t fit the rebuilding timeline. Gordon, one of the few veterans who wasn’t moved last season, is reportedly open to being traded, and there were rumors that he might be on the move before the draft. The Rockets gave Gordon a new contract while they were still contenders, and it will pay him $18.2MM this season and $19.5MM next year, with a non-guaranteed $20.9MM salary for 2023/24. The team wouldn’t mind getting that money off its books, but as long as he remains in Houston, Gordon will join Wall in serving as a mentor to the young players, although he’ll be able to do some of his teaching on the court.

The Rockets see Porter as their answer at point guard and a perfect backcourt partner for Green. The team sent Porter to the G League to learn the position after trading for him last season, and he showed plenty of promise in 26 games after being recalled. The front office believes Porter, Wood, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Jae’Sean Tate provide a good core to complement this year’s draft haul.

Defensive lapses were a recurring issue last season, and the Rockets tried to address them by re-signing two veterans who excel on that end of the court. David Nwaba, who bounced back from a torn Achilles tendon to play 30 games last season, was rewarded with a three-year deal. Dante Exum also received a three-year contract, but because of his injury-filled past, it’s loaded with incentives and only carries a $2.5MM guarantee.

The Rockets’ upcoming season:

The Rockets may not win much more than they did last season, but it feels like the franchise is pointed in the right direction. Head coach Stephen Silas suffered through a chaotic first year on the job as roster moves, COVID-19 and a slew of injuries forced him to adjust his lineup nearly every game.

Player development will be the focus of the upcoming season as all four of Houston’s first-round picks are 19 years old. No matter how good they turn out to be, they’ll need time to adjust to the pace and talent level of the NBA. Garuba and Christopher may spend part of their rookie season in the G League to get regular playing time.

The Rockets appear headed back to the lottery, but the upcoming season offers a chance to further shape their future. Finding deals for Wall and Gordon will be a priority as the team hopes to create more opportunities for its young players and create some cap flexibility going forward. The offseason brought plenty of hope to Houston fans, but they may have to wait longer for the team to start winning again.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post. Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Clippers Cut Moses Wright, George King

October 14th, 2021 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have waived forwards Moses Wright and George King, the team announced today. Both players signed Exhibit 10 contracts with Los Angeles last month.

An undrafted rookie, Wright spent all four years of his college career at Georgia Tech and had a huge season as a senior in 2020/21, averaging 17.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.6 BPG, and 1.5 SPG with a .532/.414/.658 shooting line in 25 games (35.3 MPG). He was named the ACC Player of the Year and made the ACC’s All-Defensive team.

King, the 59th overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Colorado, spent his rookie season with Phoenix on a two-way contract, but appeared in just one NBA game and has been out of the league for the last two years. He played in Italy and Poland during the 2019/20 season, then spent the ’20/21 campaign in Germany with the Niners Chemnitz.

Both Wright and King played sparingly for the Clippers during the preseason, logging fewer than 10 minutes per game. It’s possible both players will end up on the roster of the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, L.A.’s G League affiliate.

The Clippers will have to make at least one more cut before the regular season begins. Harry Giles and Isaiah Hartenstein are vying for the 15th spot on the roster.

Rockets Sign Armoni Brooks To Four-Year Deal

October 14th, 2021 at 12:21pm CST by Luke Adams

12:21pm: The Rockets have officially signed Brooks to a multiyear contract, the team announced today in a press release. The club also confirmed the previously-reported signing of guard Marcus Foster.

According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link), Brooks’ four-year deal can be worth up to $7.2MM. That means it’s a minimum-salary contract, which would have a four-year value of $7,201,486. The second and third years are non-guaranteed with July trigger dates, while the fourth year is a team option, says Iko.

11:10am: The Rockets are signing guard Armoni Brooks to a four-year contract, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The first-year salary will be guaranteed, with trigger dates for each season after that, Wojnarowski reports.

Brooks, 23, appeared in 20 games for the Rockets in 2020/21, averaging 11.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.5 APG with a shooting line of .406/.382/.583 in 26.0 minutes per contest. The former Houston Cougar had previously played in the G League since going undrafted in 2019.

After reaching free agency this offseason, Brooks re-signed with the Rockets on an Exhibit 10 contract, which the team converted to a two-way contract on Wednesday. Houston wouldn’t have been able to turn Brooks’ one-year Exhibit 10 contract into a four-year deal directly, but moving him to a two-way slot opened the door for the two sides to negotiate a new multiyear contract. The club will use part of its mid-level exception to complete the signing.

The move will create a bit of a roster crunch for the Rockets, since they already had 15 players on guaranteed contracts. John Wall, who technically remains with the team but isn’t expected to play in any games, is the most expendable player on the roster, but there hasn’t been any indication that a trade or buyout is close. Dante Exum could also be at risk — half of his $5MM cap hit consists of incentives that the club wouldn’t have to pay if Exum is cut.

Moving Brooks back to the standard roster will also open up a two-way slot for the Rockets. If former two-way player Tyler Bey clears waivers, perhaps he could return on a new deal. Camp invitee Daishen Nix is also a candidate to have his Exhibit 10 deal converted to a two-way pact.

Cavs Notes: Davis, James, Rubio, Garland, Rotation

October 14th, 2021 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers‘ signing of Ed Davis on Wednesday came as a bit of a surprise, given the timing of the move and the fact that Cleveland already has a good amount of frontcourt depth. However, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff pushed for the addition of Davis, who is considered one of the NBA’s best locker-room presences and mentors.

Davis’ one-year, minimum-salary contract is non-guaranteed, per Fedor. However, the expectation is that the veteran center will be part of the Cavaliers’ 15-man roster to start the regular season.

Here’s more on the Cavs:

Justin James, who also signed with the Cavs on Wednesday, will likely play in the team’s preseason finale on Friday and will get a chance to earn one of the team’s open two-way slots, says Fedor. If James doesn’t get a two-way contract, he could still become an affiliate player for the Cleveland Charge.
In another story for Cleveland.com, Fedor takes an in-depth look at how the Cavaliers acquired Ricky Rubio early in the offseason and what role they expect him to play in 2021/22. Although Rubio won’t be part of the starting five, Bickerstaff will be counting on him for starter-type minutes, and one member of the organization told Fedor that he thinks the Spaniard will work his way into Cleveland’s closing five.
Fedor adds in the same story that Rubio has taken starting point guard Darius Garland “under his wing.” The two guards, whose lockers are next to each other, talk daily and watch film together, writes Fedor.
After indicating earlier this month that he planned on a 10-man rotation for the regular season, Bickerstaff now thinks the Cavs’ regular rotation could include just nine players, tweets Fedor. Bickerstaff believes the versatility of Evan Mobley and Lauri Markkanen, along with his desire to have Rubio play starter minutes, reduces the need for a 10th regular.

Knicks Release Myles Powell

October 14th, 2021 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

After signing him earlier in the week, the Knicks have waived guard Myles Powell, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Powell, a 6’2″ guard who went undrafted out of Seton Hall in 2020, averaged 17.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, and 3.4 RPG in 13 games (28.1 MPG) for the Westchester Knicks during the abridged 2020/21 season, posting an impressive shooting line of .448/.446/.818 for New York’s G League affiliate.

As Fred Katz of The Athletic confirms (via Twitter), the Knicks signed Powell to an Exhibit 10 contract this week with an eye toward having him return to Westchester for the 2021/22 season. The team already has Powell’s NBAGL returning rights, but completing an Exhibit 10 deal will allow him to receive a $50K bonus, assuming he spends at least 60 days with New York’s G League team.

The Knicks now have 19 players under contract, including 14 on guaranteed deals and one on a two-way pact.

Grizzlies Sign Ahmad Caver, Matthew Hurt; Waive Sean McDermott, Romeo Weems

October 14th, 2021 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have completed a series of four roster moves, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived Sean McDermott and Romeo Weems, replacing them on the roster with Ahmad Caver and Matthew Hurt.

Both McDermott and Weems had been on Exhibit 10 contracts and it’s safe to assume that Caver and Hurt will receive similar deals.

All four players are candidates to join the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate. Signing them to Exhibit 10 deals now ensures the Grizzlies will secure their NBAGL rights or – if the team already holds their returning rights – will be able to award them bonuses of up to $50K if they spend at least 60 days with the Hustle.

Caver, a 6’2″ point guard, has spent the last two seasons with the Hustle and made a major impact off the bench for the team in the 2021 NBAGL bubble, averaging 16.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 3.8 APG on .525/.425/.634 shooting in 15 games (29.4 MPG).

Hurt, a 6’9″ forward who played two seasons for Duke, had a very productive sophomore season for the Blue Devils in 2020/21, averaging 18.3 PPG and 6.2 RPG with a stellar .556/.444/.724 shooting line across 24 games (32.7 MPG). He signed a two-way contract with Houston in August, but was waived in September.

Year: 2024