Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Month: October 2024

Northwest Notes: Cui, Braun, Caruso, Hartenstein

September 21st, 2024 at 10:57am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Trail Blazers did not want to hold back Yongxi Cui after he got a better offer from the Nets, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report tweets.

Also known as Jacky, Cui officially signed a two-way contract with the Nets on Friday. He had previously agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the Blazers, but hadn’t officially signed it.

If he’d come to camp in Portland he would have been competing for a two-way spot, according to Highkin. When the Nets offered him one outright, Portland didn’t want to stand in the way of the undrafted rookie.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • In a subscriber-only piece, Harrison Wind of TheDNVR.com takes a look at how defenses will adjust to the Nuggets’ starting five with third-year guard Christian Braun replacing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Braun appeared in all 82 regular-season games last season but made just four starts and only played 28 regular-season minutes with Denver’s other four starters on the court. Caldwell-Pope signed with the Magic early in free agency.
  • There’s been plenty of talk regarding the defensive impact of newcomers Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein on the Thunder. However, their offensive contributions will be just as key, Esfandiar Baraheni of Sportscasting.com writes. Caruso will help the team in the underrated roles of screener and secondary play-making. Hartenstein’s solid screening and short-roll game will also add to the versatility of Oklahoma City’s offense.
  • In case you missed it, we took a look at every Northwest Division team’s roster as training camps approach.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

International Notes: Baynes, Vezenkov, Taylor, Petrusev, Djurisic

September 21st, 2024 at 9:32am CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA center Aron Baynes isn’t ready to end his career. He told ESPN’s Olgun Uluc he’s still shopping for an opportunity in Australia’s National Basketball League.

“My body feels good. I love playing the game,” he said. “It’s just, right now, I’m focused on my family and being there with my kids. Just being dad right now. Just enjoying not having to be anywhere at any particular time, apart from school drop off and school pickup. Right now, nothing labeled; just, body feels really good, though, I’m moving well. We’ll just see how it goes.”

Baynes, 37, played with the Brisbane Bullets last season, averaging 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He spent nine seasons in the NBA from 2012-21, playing for the Spurs, Pistons, Celtics, Suns, and Raptors during that time.

We have more from the international basketball world:

  • Sasha Vezenkov reiterated that he wanted to return to Europe because he was looking for a bigger role than he had in the NBA. “It gives you joy when you return to a familiar environment where you are loved,” he said, per Vangelis Papadimitriou of Eurohoops.net. “I prefer to be in a competitive environment, to fight for titles, and to feel important. I didn’t know if I would have an opportunity in the NBA like the one I gave myself. This is what I wanted to do, and I wanted to do it with Olympiacos. This is my home.” Vezenkov, who spent a single season in Sacramento, signed a five-year contract with Olympiacos after giving up over $6.6MM in guaranteed salary with the Raptors.
  • Former NBA guard Isaiah Taylor has signed with the Dubai Basketball Club, the team tweets (hat tip to Sportando). Taylor appeared in 67 games for the Hawks in 2017/18. Taylor has played in Israel, Spain, Turkey, Lithuania and China in recent seasons.
  • Crvena Zvezda’s president Nebojsa Covic confirmed that Olympiacos will not loan Filip Petrusev to his team this season, according to Eurohoops.net. He also said the team wasn’t signing Nikola Djurisic, a Hawks second-round draft pick in June who is recovering from foot surgery. “During the season, there could be departures or arrivals, which we currently don’t have planned. With that, I’m putting an end to the soap opera surrounding Petrusev and Djurisic, who is in America,” Covic said. “Petrusev is a player for Olympiacos.”
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Northwest Division

September 20th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and/or cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Northwest Division. Let’s dive in…

Denver Nuggets

Under general manager Calvin Booth, the Nuggets have typically set their training camp roster early in the offseason and not made any changes to the back end until the preseason is underway. Last year, for instance, Denver maxed out its 21-man roster on August 3 and didn’t make another roster move until October 13.

It looks like the team will probably stick to that pattern this year, taking the current group to camp and then rotating some Exhibit 10 signees on and off the roster during the preseason. With 15 players on guaranteed contracts and three on two-way deals, Denver’s projected regular season roster also looks set.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Although the Timberwolves have some back-end roster flexibility, they also have significant projected luxury tax penalties, and with the battle for control of the franchise headed to arbitration this fall, it’s still unclear who exactly will be on the hook for that tax bill.

With that in mind, I’d be surprised to see the Wolves carry a full 15-man standard roster into the regular season. And it’s probably safe to assume Dozier will start the season as the 14th man, since he has a $1MM partial guarantee that the team would have to eat if he’s waived and replaced with a newcomer. Minnesota could potentially make a change at that 14th spot before the league-wide guarantee date on January 7 if Dozier doesn’t prove in the first half that he deserves it, but his place on the opening night roster looks relatively safe.

While I expect some more Exhibit 10 shuffling in the coming days and weeks, the Wolves could set their camp roster by simply completing Randle’s deal, which would get them to the 21-man limit.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Even if they finalize their reported Exhibit 10 deals with Boeheim and Leons before October 1 and have both players with them in training camp, the Thunder would only have 19 players under contract, so they likely have more moves up their sleeve in the coming week or two.

The Thunder are one of the few NBA teams well positioned to bring in another veteran free agent who could make the 15-man standard roster. While Jaylin Williams will make the team, that still leaves the 15th spot open, and Oklahoma City is more than $11MM away from the luxury tax line, so another minimum-salary signing wouldn’t be a problem financially. With Topic out for the season and Kenrich Williams seemingly unlikely to be ready for opening night, the club could also use another depth piece.

It’s unclear whether the Thunder are perusing the free agent market with an eye toward adding a 15th man, but one more wing would make sense to me, with Oshae Brissett, Nassir Little, Justin Holiday, and Reggie Bullock among the available players who could fit.

Portland Trail Blazers

Banton’s big numbers (16.7 PPG, 3.6 APG) down the stretch for the Trail Blazers were the result of significant usage (27.2%) rather than a jump in scoring efficiency (he shot .408/.311/.780). Still, I’d give him the edge over Graham for the 15th roster spot in Portland since he’s younger and has a small partial guarantee. That spot’s not set in stone though.

The Trail Blazers still have one opening on their 21-man preseason roster. Unless the Blazers intend to bring in another player to compete with Banton and Graham to be the 15th man, that roster spot could be used to churn through Exhibit 10 signees for the Rip City Remix, Portland’s G League affiliate.

Utah Jazz

The Jazz‘s roster looks pretty close to ready for the regular season, with 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts and all three two-way spots occupied. Utah’s roster moves this fall may just consist of rotating Exhibit 10 players in and out before making final cuts at the end of the preseason.

A two-way shake-up is always a possibility, but Potter, Preston, and Tshiebwe all played well in the G League last season, so one of the non-guaranteed camp invitees would have to make a strong impression in October for the team to make a change there.

Previously:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Rockets Reach Buyout Agreement With AJ Griffin

September 20th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

10:00pm: Griffin has been placed on waivers, according to NBA.com’s official transaction log.

4:28pm: The Rockets have reached a buyout agreement with forward AJ Griffin, reports Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

Reporting last week indicated that Griffin was “seriously considering” the possibility of stepping away from basketball and that the Rockets were preparing for his departure from the sport. The buyout agreement between the two sides will allow Griffin to sit out the 2024/25 season while weighing whether or not he wants to continue his career beyond that, a source tells Feigen.

The 16th overall pick of the 2022 draft and the son of longtime NBA assistant and former Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin, AJ Griffin had a promising rookie season with the Hawks, averaging 8.9 points per game with a .465/.390/.894 shooting line in 72 contests (19.5 MPG).

However, he missed time due to leg and ankle issues and personal reasons in 2023/24 and didn’t play much when he was available, averaging just 8.6 minutes per contest in 20 appearances. The former Duke Blue Devil’s scoring numbers cratered to 2.4 PPG on 29.0% shooting, including 25.6% on three-point attempts.

The Rockets attempted to buy low on Griffin earlier this offseason, trading the No. 44 pick to Atlanta in exchange for the 21-year-old. That transaction was eventually turned into a three-team deal that saw Atlanta move up to No. 43, flipping No. 44 and cash to Miami.

The Rockets had reportedly long been interested in Griffin, and in July he expressed excitement about having a fresh start with Houston. But his struggles continued in Summer League, where he shot just 38.2% from the field, including 28.0% from beyond the arc, in a setting where former first-round picks with multiple years of NBA experience typically thrive.

According to Feigen, the buyout agreement between Griffin and the Rockets is worth $250K. It’s unclear whether that means the forward is giving up $250K, slightly reducing his $3.89MM cap hit for 2024/25, or giving up nearly his entire salary and leaving Houston with a cap charge of just $250K. We’ll have to wait for the official details to confirm the specific numbers.

Griffin’s rookie scale contract included a $5.97MM team option for 2025/26. That option will be declined automatically when Houston places him on waivers.

The move opens up a spot on Houston’s projected 15-man regular season roster. The club doesn’t have to carry a 15th man to open the season, but has more than enough breathing room below the luxury tax line to accommodate a minimum-salary signing.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Warriors Waive Yuri Collins, Javan Johnson

September 20th, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have made a pair of cuts, requesting waivers on guard Yuri Collins and forward Javan Johnson, according to the official transaction log at NBA.com.

Both players were signed to Exhibit 10 contracts within the past week after playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors last season. They’re now on track to report back to Golden State’s G League affiliate and earn Exhibit 10 bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days with Santa Cruz.

Both Collins and Johnson were role players at the G League level last season. Collins, who went undrafted out of St. Louis in 2023, appeared in 50 Showcase Cup and regular season games for Santa Cruz, averaging 5.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.3 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per outing, with a shooting line of .458/.397/.714.

Johnson caught on with Golden State last fall after wrapping up his college career at DePaul earlier in the year. He appeared in a total of 48 games for Santa Cruz in 2023/24, averaging 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 20.9 minutes per contest and shooting .399/.375/.882.

The Warriors now have 19 players under contract, leaving two openings on their 21-man offseason roster. They’ll likely fill both spots before training camp begins on October 1.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Atlantic Notes: DeRozan, Raptors, Ujiri, Simmons, Dolan

September 20th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked this week during a radio appearance on Sportsnet 590 The Fan in Toronto whether he’s interested in eventually returning to the Raptors to finish his NBA career, DeMar DeRozan expressed interest in the idea, though he made it clear that he doesn’t want to spend his final season as a benchwarmer in Toronto.

“You always want a poetic ending (in) that way,” DeRozan said. “Granted, most people don’t get to write their own ending. But what a better ending than being able to end where you start. Not just end, by just putting on the jersey. It has to be in a sense of me still being myself. I wouldn’t want to come back and be (Hakeem) Olajuwon (who spent an underwhelming final season in Toronto after 17 years in Houston). It has to just make sense. You kind of want to go out like you came in. That’s what people kind of remember you as.”

DeRozan, who was drafted ninth overall by the Raptors in 2009, spent his first nine seasons with the club before being sent to San Antonio in 2018’s Kawhi Leonard blockbuster trade. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in points (13,296) and games played (675), among other statistical categories.

DeRozan is under contract with the Kings for the next three seasons after joining the team via sign-and-trade this offseason.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • What does it mean for Masai Ujiri‘s future in Toronto that Rogers has bought out Bell’s stake in the Raptors and gained majority ownership control? Eric Koreen of The Athletic explores that question, noting that Rogers chairman Edward Rogers III and Ujiri, the team’s longtime president of basketball operations, have had a “strained relationship” in the past. Rogers reportedly opposed the terms of the contract extension that Ujiri signed with the club in 2021, which has two years left on it.
  • Nets guard Ben Simmons, who underwent back surgery in March, is on track to fully participate in training camp next month, agent Bernie Lee tells veteran NBA reporter Chris Haynes (Twitter link). “Ben is fully cleared and is a full participant for the start of camp,” Lee said. “He is excited to get started.”
  • A U.S. District Court judge in California has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a woman who accused Knicks team owner James Dolan of sexual assault, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN. The suit, which was filed in January, referenced incidents that took place in 2013 and 2014 allegedly involving Dolan and former Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein. A Dolan spokesperson referred to the suit as “a malicious attempt to assert horrific allegations by an attorney who subverts the legal system for personal gain,” while the accuser’s attorneys said they’ll be appealing the court’s decision and will continue to pursue their client’s sexual battery claims against Dolan and Weinstein.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Magic, Robert Baker Agree To Exhibit 10 Deal

September 20th, 2024 at 6:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have agreed to sign forward Robert Baker to an Exhibit 10 contract, agent Darrell Comer tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Baker, who played college ball at Harvard from 2017-20, has spent the last few seasons in the G League, playing for the Kings’, Lakers’, and Hawks’ affiliates. Last season, he appeared in 29 games for the College Park Skyhawks – Atlanta’s NBAGL team – and averaged 14.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 28.2 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .448/.340/.780.

The 6’10” forward had his G League returning rights traded earlier this month from the Skyhawks to the Osceola Magic, Orlando’s affiliate. Given that context, it looks like the plan is for him to be signed and waived by Orlando and then head back this fall to the G League, where he’ll earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with Osceola.

The Magic currently have a full 21-man offseason roster, so someone will need to be waived in order for Baker to officially sign his contract. Five of those 21 players are on Exhibit 10 deals, so the cut will almost certainly come from that group.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Offseason Observations: Exhibit 10 Terms, Okoro, Current FAs, Stretch Provision

September 20th, 2024 at 5:36pm CST by Luke Adams

With the start of most NBA training camps just 11 days away (and even sooner than that for the Celtics and Nuggets), the 2024 offseason is nearing its end.

Before we put a bow on the summer of 2024, we have one more installment of our "Offseason Observations" to share today, following up on similar articles published in July and August.

Here are some of the under-the-radar cap- and CBA-related stories I'm keeping an eye on as teams around the league prepare for their media days and training camps.

The disparity between Exhibit 10 bonuses

As we've written many teams in recent weeks, when a player signs an Exhibit 10 contract with an NBA team, is waived before the regular season begins, and then spends at least 60 days with his club's G League affiliate, he's eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K.

We always clarify that those bonuses can be worth "up to" $77.5K because that's the maximum possible Exhibit 10 bonus in 2024/25 (up from $75K a year ago, having increased at the same rate as the salary cap). But not every player who signs an Exhibit 10 contract is able to negotiate that maximum bonus.

Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription

BENEFITS
  • Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Luke Adams
  • Join exclusive weekly live chats with Arthur Hill
  • Remove ads and support our writers.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Zion, Luka, Washington, Rockets

September 20th, 2024 at 2:10pm CST by Rory Maher

Star point guard Ja Morant believes back-to-back college Player of the Year Zach Edey will have a strong debut season in the NBA, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Edey, who played four years at Purdue, was selected by the Grizzlies with the No. 9 overall pick in June’s draft.

“Definitely rookie of the year,” Morant said of his expectations for Edey. “I think easily, too.”

As Cole writes, Edey worked out with his new teammate earlier this summer and Morant came away impressed.

“For him to come in and say he wants to work out with me and then getting through the workout throughout the whole week, it was big-time for him,” Morant said. “It made me excited to have him on the team. His skill set is even much better.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

  • Morant was suspended for the first 25 games of last season, played nine games, and then suffered a shoulder injury which required season-ending surgery in January (Memphis went 6-3 with him and 21-52 without him). However, he was cleared for contact work in early July and is fully healthy ahead of training camp, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Morant estimated he was at 75% strength in late July. Fellow Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, who was limited to 20 games last season due to a litany of injuries, also makes ESPN’s list of key player returns to monitor for 2024/25, as does Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who is fully recovered from the left hamstring strain he suffered late last season, per Andrew Lopez.
  • Jack Tien-Dana of RealGM weighs the pros and cons of Mavericks star Luka Doncic being physically stronger and heavier than he was when he first came in the league, writing that the 25-year-old and Dallas will need to “reconcile a series of contradictions” to get the best out of the All-NBA guard deep in the playoffs.
  • In a subscriber-only story for his Substack, Dallas Hoops Journal, Grant Afseth says Mavericks forward P.J. Washington could be the team’s “X-factor” heading into 2024/25. In order to optimally complement Doncic and Dallas’ other starters, Washington will need to become a more consistent outside shooter, Afseth observes. Washington entered last season with a career mark of 36.6% from three-point range, but shot just 32.0% from beyond the arc in ’23/24.
  • The Rockets brought back Jeff Green and Aaron Holiday because they showed they could be productive when called upon last season despite having inconsistent roles, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). The two veterans are also valued for their leadership, Feigen notes. The Rockets opted to guarantee Green’s $8MM salary for 2024/25, while Holiday re-signed with Houston on two-year, $9.6MM deal in free agency.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Nets Sign Tyrese Martin, Killian Hayes

September 20th, 2024 at 12:57pm CST by Rory Maher

The Nets have signed free agents Tyrese Martin and Killian Hayes, the team announced (Twitter links).

The seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft, Hayes spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Pistons before being waived in February. Hayes’ agreement with the Nets was first reported in late July. While Hayes is on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, he’ll reportedly be given an opportunity to earn a regular season roster spot.

Martin’s agreement with the Nets was not previously reported, but had been speculated after Long Island traded for his returning rights from the Iowa Wolves a couple weeks ago. That indicates that Martin, who played for Brooklyn’s Summer League squad in July, likely signed an Exhibit 10 deal as well.

A 25-year-old wing who started his college career at Rhode Island before finishing at UConn, Martin was the 51st pick of the 2022 draft. He spent his rookie year on a standard deal with the Hawks, but only appeared in 16 regular season games for a total of 66 minutes, having spent most of the campaign in the G League.

Atlanta released Martin last summer, making him a free agent. He signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Minnesota last fall, was waived before 2023/24 began, and spent all of last season with the team’s NBAGL affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. In 39 total games with Iowa (33.5 MPG), Martin averaged 16.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.2 APG and 0.9 SPG on .447/.331/.831 shooting.

Unlike Hayes, Martin only has one year of NBA service time, making him eligible for a two-way contract. Exhibit 10 deals can be converted to two-way contracts, and Brooklyn has one two-way opening after signing Yongxi Cui.

The Nets now have 19 players under contract, two shy of the offseason limit, with several other reported agreements that have yet to be finalized.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts