Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Lillard, Moore, Minott, Mitchell, Porter Jr.

July 11th, 2022 at 10:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Damian Lillard hasn’t joined many of his peers by demanding a trade or signing with another team as a free agent during his career. The Trail Blazers star just signed a two-year max extension and says there’s power in loyalty, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes.

“Something that’s missing in our league is the character and the fight and the passion and pride about not just the name on the back, but the name on the front and how you impact the people you come into contact with,” Lillard said. “I think because of how much I’ve embraced that, and haven’t pretended to embrace it, this just shows the power in that.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Timberwolves rookie draft picks Wendell Moore and Josh Minott have shown promise but also growing pains during Summer League play, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. Moore has a shot to be the team’s No. 3 point guard and Minott, a frontcourt player, has intriguing potential as well. “I guess my playbook is going to open up a little bit for him, I’ll tell you that,” assistant coach Kevin Burleson said of Minott. “Some of the stuff he did, I didn’t know he could do. I didn’t see that in practice or the camp.”
While the Jazz reportedly are building their roster around Donovan Mitchell, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on Brian Windhorst’s podcast that there are whispers around the league that “(top executive) Danny Ainge is not convinced Mitchell can be the face of a contending franchise,” as HoopsHype relays.
Michael Porter Jr. offered another encouraging update on his health, Chris Dempsey of Altitude Sports tweets. The Nuggets forward says he has fully recovered from his latest back surgery. “I’m doing really well. I’m feeling good,” he said. “I just continue to give all the glory to God. I’m feeling great. I’m able to workout as much as I want. No pain or anything. I’m in a really good spot. I’m excited to get back with the team.”

Bruce Brown "Can't Wait" To Team Up With Nikola Jokic

July 10th, 2022 at 10:56am CST by Arthur Hill

Bruce Brown‘s decision to join the Nuggets in free agency was heavily influenced by former Nets teammate Jeff Green, who touted the advantages of playing alongside Nikola Jokic, per Mike Singer of The Denver Post. “I literally can’t wait,” Brown said about the chance to team up with Jokic. “He’s one of the guys I hate playing against, me being a defender because you can’t turn your head. You gotta keep your eye on the ball at all times, which is tough. He makes the perfect play every time.”

Contract Details: Drummond, Jones, LaVine, Cancar, Martin, Nurkic

July 9th, 2022 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The two-year contracts that Andre Drummond and Derrick Jones signed with the Bulls have virtually identical terms. Both players will earn guaranteed $3.2MM salaries in 2022/23, with $3.36MM player options for the ’23/24 season, Hoops Rumors has learned. The only real difference between the two deals is how the Bulls completed them — Drummond received a portion of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, while Jones was re-signed using his Non-Bird rights.

Here are more details on recently signed contracts from around the NBA:

Zach LaVine‘s five-year, maximum-salary contract with the Bulls includes a 15% trade kicker, Hoops Rumors has learned. For 2022/23, at least, that kicker will be inconsequential since LaVine is already earning the max, but it could be a factor later in his deal if the annual salary cap increases outpace his annual 8% raises.
Vlatko Cancar‘s three-year contract with the Nuggets features matching $2,234,359 cap hits in each of the first two seasons, plus a $2,346,606 team option for 2024/25. The first two years are guaranteed.
Heat forward Caleb Martin received a starting salary of $6,479,000, which is the full portion of the taxpayer mid-level exception. Miami remains below the tax apron, so the team can use the rest of the non-taxpayer MLE (approximately $4MM more) if it so chooses. Martin also got a third-year player option and a 15% trade kicker on his new three-year deal.
Jusuf Nurkic‘s four-year, $70MM contract with the Trail Blazers is fully guaranteed and is structured with standard 8% annual raises. It starts at $15,625,000 in 2022/23 and increases to $19,375,000 by year four in ’25/26.

And-Ones: Diop, Baynes, Onuaku, Free Agency, Macon, Dragic

July 9th, 2022 at 2:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cavaliers draft-and-stash pick Khalifa Diop has extended his contract with Gran Canaria through 2025, according to Eurohoops.net. The Senegalese center’s previous deal with the club was set to expire in 2024. Diop. 20, was selected with the 39th overall pick with the goal of stashing him at least for next season. Presumably, Diop will have NBA opt-outs in his European contract for when Cleveland is ready to bring him aboard.

We have more news from around the basketball world:

Free agent center Aron Baynes worked out for NBA teams in Las Vegas on Friday and received generally positive reviews, Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com reports. Baynes is seeking an NBA comeback after suffering a serious spinal cord injury during the Tokyo Olympics. One scout told Bulpett that Baynes showed good stamina and a consistent 3-point stroke. Another executive said that Baynes could be a good fit for the Celtics.
Israeli League MVP Chinanu Onuaku will work out for NBA teams on Wednesday at the Las Vegas Summer League, Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net reports. The Raptors, Clippers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Mavericks and Lakers are among the teams expected to be in attendance. Additionally, Greece’s Panathinaikos is expected to soon present an official offer for a two-year contract. The 6’11” big man played six games with the Rockets from 2016-18.
Donte DiVincenzo‘s two-year contract with the Warriors and Bruce Brown‘s two-year deal with the Nuggets are the best value signings during free agency thus far, in the view of executives who spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.
Former NBA guard Daryl Macon has signed with Unics, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. Macon averaged 13.1 PPG and 3.6 APG last season in EuroLeague with Panathinaikos. Macon played four games with the Heat during the 2019/20 season.
Former NBA guard Zoran Dragic has re-signed with Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana for another season, according to Sportando. Dragic averaged 10.7 PPG and 5.5 RPG last season in EuroCup action.

Contract Details: DiVincenzo, Brown, Warren, Eubanks, Pinson

July 9th, 2022 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

Donte DiVincenzo‘s new two-year contract with the Warriors includes a 15% trade kicker, Hoops Rumors has learned. Golden State signed DiVincenzo using a $4.5MM chunk of its taxpayer mid-level exception, leaving a leftover portion of $1,979,000 on that MLE. DiVincenzo’s second-year player option is worth $4,725,000.

Here are a few more details on recently signed contracts:

Bruce Brown‘s two-year deal with the Nuggets is worth the full taxpayer mid-level exception ($6,479,000), with the maximum allowable 5% raise for his second-year player option ($6,802,950), Hoops Rumors has learned.
T.J. Warren‘s one-year contract with the Nets is worth the veteran’s minimum, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Warren will earn a $2,628,597 salary while Brooklyn takes on a cap hit of $1,836,090 for the veteran forward.
As expected, the new one-year contracts Drew Eubanks (Trail Blazers) and Theo Pinson (Mavericks) are also worth the veteran’s minimum. Both deals are guaranteed.

Northwest Notes: Porter Jr., Lillard, Cancar, Gobert

July 9th, 2022 at 10:31am CST by Dana Gauruder

Michael Porter Jr.‘s season was short-circuited by back surgery but the Nuggets forward said he’s ready to go for next season, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets.

On an NBA TV interview, Porter said, “I think I’m 100% at this point. It’s a blessing. I feel good. I’m excited to get back on the court and play basketball.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

In an interview with ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth, Damian Lillard said he’s healthy after recovering from abdominal surgery, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets. “I wanted to fight through it. … It got to the point where I had to play it smarter,” Lillard said. “… My body is stronger than it was before in certain areas.” Lillard will be signing a two-year max extension with the Trail Blazers.
In the same interview, Lillard gave a ringing endorsement to the Jerami Grant trade with the Pistons. Reynolds relays in another tweet. “I loved it. That was like the No. 1 thing I wanted to get done,” he said. “Jerami has been on winning teams in OKC and Denver. He brings something to the game that we haven’t had at that position.”
Vlatko Cancar‘s three-year contract with the Nuggets is worth $6.8MM, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. Cancar signed the contract on Thursday. As previously reported, it includes a team option in the last year.
Rim protection and rebounding were areas of needs for the Timberwolves. That’s why they were willing to pay a high price for Rudy Gobert, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. “We gave up a lot. There’s no two ways about it,” president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. “Tremendous draft capital, really good players, really good guys. But when you’re able to add a guy that’s as good as Rudy and not touch your top two or three players, it’s really, really rare.”

Nuggets Sign Nikola Jokic To Super-Max Extension

July 8th, 2022 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 8: Jokic’s super-max extension is now official, the Nuggets announced today in a press release.

JUNE 30: The Nuggets and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic have agreed to terms on a five-year, super-max extension that projects to be the richest contract in NBA history, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Jokic has one year remaining on his current contract, so his new deal will begin in 2023/24 and will be worth 35% of that year’s cap, with subsequent 8% raises.

With the NBA now projecting a $133MM cap for ’23/24, per Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), Jokic is on track to earn a starting salary of $46.55MM and a total of $269.99MM across five seasons.

The contract will include a player option in the fifth year, per Charania. Jokic’s salary for that season (2027/28) projects to be worth $61.45MM. The deal will also include a trade kicker, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Jokic, who met the criteria for a super-max extension a year ago when he won his first Most Valuable Player award, wasn’t technically eligible to sign such a deal until this year, when he had seven years of NBA experience under his belt.

He cemented his case for that super-max deal by winning a second MVP award in 2021/22, establishing new career highs in PPG (27.1), RPG (13.8), and FG% (.583) while also averaging 7.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game in 74 contests (33.5 MPG).

This extension agreement had long been anticipated. Jokic’s agent Misko Raznatovic said earlier in the year that he anticipated his client would sign a super-max extension, and the center himself confirmed in April that he’d accept the offer if the Nuggets put it on the table.

Nuggets, Vlatko Cancar Complete Three-Year Deal

July 7th, 2022 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

10:58am: Cancar’s new deal is now official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.

9:30am: Free agent forward Vlatko Cancar has reached an agreement with the Nuggets, according to agent Misko Raznatovic, who tweets that his client will sign a three-year contract. The third year of the deal will be a team option, per Raznatovic.

The 49th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Cancar remained overseas for two more years, then signed with the Nuggets in 2019. He has spent the last three seasons with the team, but has only appeared in 70 games during that time, averaging 2.3 PPG and 1.3 RPG on .484/.333/.742 shooting in 7.2 MPG.

Cancar appeared to be in line for a little more playing time in 2021/22 before his season was derailed by a right foot fracture in January. The injury took about three months to heal — the 25-year-old returned to action in the Nuggets’ regular season finale, then saw some brief action in two playoff contests.

Despite Cancar’s limited role during his first three NBA seasons, the Nuggets issued him a qualifying offer last week, making him a restricted free agent, and have now reached a deal that will keep him on the roster. While the team held the Slovenian’s Bird rights, it would be surprising if his new deal is worth more than the minimum, and it’s unclear how much of it will be guaranteed.

Denver has 11 players currently on guaranteed contracts, with Bruce Brown, DeAndre Jordan, and Davon Reed set to join that group once they officially sign their respective contracts. That puts Cancar in line to fill the 15th and final spot on the team’s standard regular season roster, though it’s possible there will be more changes between now and opening night.

Nuggets Notes: Murray, Porter, Caldwell-Pope, Braun

July 6th, 2022 at 5:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nuggets‘ Summer League practice on Tuesday was enlivened by the presence of Jamal Murray, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscriber link). Murray participated in several drills and took part in some scrimmages. Summer League coach Ryan Bowen said practicing was Murray’s decision and although he wanted to keep playing while the media was present, that idea was vetoed.

Murray, who missed the entire season due to a torn ACL, was involved in some non-contact drills on Monday that sparked his competitive instincts, Bowen explained. The reviews on Murray were positive, and coach Michael Malone called it “probably the most serious 5-on-5” that Murray has played since the injury, tweets Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports.

“He looked mobile, agile and hostile,” Malone said, citing a quote from “Remember the Titans.” “He looked confident. That’s the most important thing to me. I wasn’t charting his makes and misses. I was trying to see the confidence level. How was he moving, defensively … he looked good.” (Twitter link)

There’s more from Denver:

Jontay Porter, who’s on the Nuggets’ Summer League roster, offered a positive update on his brother, Michael Porter Jr., whose season was cut short by back surgery, Singer states in the same story. Jontay said Michael “looks great” and they’ve been playing 1-on-1 and 3-on-3 games to get themselves back into shape. Jontay played for the Grizzlies last year, but was limited to 11 games because of a knee injury.
In a press conference today welcoming veteranswingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Malone said he was the main player the Nuggets focused on acquiring, Singer adds in a separate story. Malone likes having a 6’5″ guard who can play defense, and the team hasn’t forgotten the way that Caldwell-Pope shut down Murray in the 2020 Western Conference Finals. “He’s seen what it takes to win a championship,” Malone said.
The Nuggets also introduced first-round pick Christian Braun, and Malone suggested that he might have a regular role as a rookie, Wind tweets. “I love his maturity. I love his IQ,” Malone said. “The things I really love about him the most are his toughness and physicality. Some guys shy away from physicality, Christian embraces physicality.”

Nuggets Acquire Ismael Kamagate From Blazers

July 6th, 2022 at 5:14pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 6: The trade between Denver and Portland is now official, the Blazers announced in a press release.

The Nuggets received the draft rights to Kamagate, while the Blazers will receive either the Timberwolves’ or Hornets’ second-round pick (whichever is more favorable).

JUNE 23: The Nuggets are acquiring French center Ismael Kamagate, the 46th pick of the 2022 NBA draft, from the Trail Blazers in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick, sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post (All Twitter links). Portland acquired the 46th pick from Detroit as part of the impending Jerami Grant trade.

In 34 appearances (27.1 MPG) for Paris Basketball of France’s LNB Pro A league (first division) this season, Kamagate averaged 11.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 1.6 BPG while shooting 64.3% from the floor and 65.4% from the free throw line.

According to Mike Schmitz, who used to work for ESPN but was recently hired as an assistant GM by the Blazers, the 6’11” big man has an impressive physical profile but is considered more of a long-term project than a player who’s ready for immediate action in the NBA. Kamagate is a strong inside finisher and a skilled offensive talent, per Schmitz, but he’s not a great rebounder and is a pretty poor defender at this point.

Based on Schmitz’ scouting report, Kamagate might be a draft-and-stash candidate for a Denver team that hopes to contend for a title next season.