SEPTEMBER 13: Simpson officially signed with the Pistons on Tuesday, per RealGM’s transaction log.
JULY 27: Free agent point guard Zavier Simpson is signing a one-year contract with the Pistons, Simpson’s agent Daniel Hazan tells Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Sources inform James L. Edwards III of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) that Simpson’s deal will include an Exhibit 10 clause.
The six-footer went undrafted out of Michigan in 2020. He then joined the Thunder’s NBAGL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, late into the 2020/21 season. Simpson re-joined the Blue for the 2021/22 season. He finally made his NBA debut with the Thunder proper in April 2022, upon signing a rest-of-season deal.
Across his four contests with Oklahoma City, he averaged 11.0 PPG, 7.5 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.3 SPG and 1.0 BPG. It remains his only regular season NBA experience to date.
He joined the Magic’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic (now the Osceola Magic), for 2022/23. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 9.0 APG, and 1.7 SPG across 32 contests, all starts, with Lakeland, posting a shooting line of .524/.474/.580. Simpson made the NBAGL Next Up Game as a result of his play last year. Most recently, he played for Detroit’s Summer League squad this month.
Detroit’s G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, announced in a press release that it has acquired Simpson’s returning player rights through a trade with the Magic’s affiliate team, the Osceola Magic. Motor City is trading a 2024 G League second-rounder, plus the returning rights of Reggie Perry and Devontae Cacok, in exchange for Simpson.
The move signals that Simpson’s deal with the Pistons is meant to ensure he receives an Exhibit 10 bonus and that the team envisions him eventually joining the Cruise.
Something seems off here, or rather, it seems like there is more to this signing.
Is this a 2W contract? That would make more sense.
Is this an E10? That would make more sense.
Is this non-guaranteed? Again, that would make more sense.
Did Simpson have a growth spurt, since we saw him in SL, that has resulted in him now playing a wing? That would make more sense.
I like the dude, but in case nobody has noticed, DET has some congestion issues in the back court.
Probably a non-guaranteed deal… gotta make the team, then become fully guaranteed past the January date.
Whatever it is, it’s better than unsigned.
How tall is he now then ?
Hook shot king
It just an exhibit 10 contract according to James Edwards III of the Athletic.
524/.474/.580
Wow, shoots 3s like prime Kyle Korver and Free Throws like prime Shaq. Any reason why he is so bad from the line for a PG? He also had two < 60% seasons in college.
The hits just keep coming for Killian Hayes. Another play-hard guard walking in the door requesting to play against him to prove he is more worthy of the spot. Simpson ain’t got a shot, but he will guard Hayes in camp like it was Game 7 of the NBA Finals.