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Clippers Waive Juwan Morgan, Michael Devoe, Lucas Williamson

October 4th, 2022 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have cut three camp invitees, announcing today that forward Juwan Morgan and guards Michael Devoe and Lucas Williamson have been placed on waivers.

Devoe, Morgan, and Williamson were all in camp on Exhibit 10 contracts, making them long shots to earn spots on the Clippers’ 15-man regular season roster.

Assuming they don’t find other NBA opportunities, all three players look like good bets to eventually join the Ontario Clippers, L.A.’s G League affiliate. They’ll be eligible for bonuses worth $50K if they spend at least 60 days with the NBAGL club.

The Clippers now have 17 players under contract. Fourteen are on standard guaranteed contracts, with Moussa Diabate on a two-way deal and Moses Brown and Xavier Moon still in camp on Exhibit 10 deals.

There’s plenty of time between now and October 17 for Los Angeles to continue making signings and cuts, so nothing’s set in stone yet. But for the time being, it looks like Brown and Moon could end up vying for the Clippers’ open two-way slot if the team opts not to carry a 15th man on its standard roster.

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NBA GMs High On Cavs’ Offseason Moves, Bucks’ Title Chances

October 4th, 2022 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers‘ acquisition of Donovan Mitchell made their offseason the most successful of any NBA team, according to the league’s general managers. In his annual survey of the NBA’s top basketball decision-makers, John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes that 41% of the GM respondents picked Cleveland as having made the best offseason moves, while 59% chose the addition of Mitchell as the move that will have the biggest impact.

The Timberwolves and Jazz were on opposite ends of one of the summer’s other blockbuster trades, but the two clubs tied for second (along with the Sixers) in the GM vote for which teams made the best overall offseason moves. Minnesota’s trade for Rudy Gobert was the second-leading vote-getter for the offseason’s most impactful single acquisition, earning 31% of the vote.

The team viewed by the majority of GMs as the title favorite for 2023 didn’t earn any votes for having the best offseason. According to Schuhmann, 43% of the poll respondents picked the Bucks to win next year’s Finals, with GMs apparently betting on continuity in Milwaukee. The Warriors (25%), Clippers (21%), and Celtics (11%) also received votes.

Here are a few more interesting results from Schuhmann’s GM survey, which is worth checking out in full:

  • NBA general managers expect the Clippers – who will have Kawhi Leonard back – to be the most improved team in 2022/23. L.A. received 41% of the vote, with the Cavaliers and Pelicans at 17% apiece.
  • The Celtics‘ trade for Malcolm Brogdon earned the most votes (28%) for the summer’s most underrated acquisition. The Sixers‘ signing of P.J. Tucker and the Clippers‘ addition of John Wall were the runners-up, with 14% each.
  • Asked which team has the most promising young core, NBA GMs overwhelmingly chose the Cavaliers (41%) and Grizzlies (38%). The Pistons (10%) were the only other club to get multiple votes.
  • NBA GMs view Magic forward Paolo Banchero as the best bet to win Rookie of the Year (79%) and also chose him as the 2022 draftee most likely to be the best player in five years (31%), narrowly edging Thunder big man Chet Holmgren (28%). As for the steal of the draft, GMs were split between Pistons big man Jalen Duren and Rockets forward Tari Eason (14% apiece), among many others.
  • Mavericks star Luka Doncic was picked as the favorite to win MVP, earning 48% of the vote from NBA GMs. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks came in second with 34%.
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Simmons, Kawhi, Murray, MPJ Returned To Action On Monday

October 4th, 2022 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

Nets guard Ben Simmons, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Nuggets stars Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. all made their preseason debuts on Monday, returning to an NBA court for the first time in 2022.

Simmons missed all of the 2021/22 season due to a holdout, mental health issues, and back problems; Leonard and Murray sat out the season while recovering from ACL tears; and Porter was shut down due to a back injury last November after playing in just nine games.

In addition to being Simmons’ first game in 470 days, it was also the first time he has suited up for his new team since being traded from Philadelphia to Brooklyn. Simmons played 19 minutes against his old team, and while the Sixers beat the Nets by 19 points, the former No. 1 overall pick said he felt “amazing” being back on the court, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.

“I’m grateful just to be able to step on that floor,” Simmons said after scoring six points and dishing five assists in 19 minutes. “Step on an NBA floor again. I had a lot of fun out there.”

Leonard, meanwhile, was playing for the first time since being injured in the second round of the playoffs against Utah in June of 2021. He had 11 points and four rebounds in a victory over Portland in Seattle, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. While Leonard acknowledged that he probably won’t be playing 35-plus minutes out of the gate this season, he – like Simmons – said he was more excited than nervous to get back on the court.

“It was great,” Leonard said. “Just being able to put all that hard work that I did throughout the, 14, 16 months, just able to put it to (the) test and playing against NBA talent, it was good. Just being out there with the guys and talking, I missed it. It was a great experience for me.”

As for Murray, he called his return vs. Oklahoma City – his first game in 539 days – “a lot of fun” and told reporters that he “felt like a rookie out there” (Twitter links via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports and Mike Singer of The Denver Post). He and Porter will need more time to find their rhythm, but both players came out of their preseason debuts feeling good, Singer writes in a full story for The Denver Post (subscription required).

While Simmons, Leonard, Murray, and Porter made their long-awaited returns on Monday, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is poised to do so on Tuesday after missing the entire 2021/22 season due to a broken foot. Kevin Durant said after the Nets’ loss on Monday that having all these stars healthy again is great news for the NBA.

“Being away for a year, you get a lot of anxiety not playing,” Durant said, per Friedell. “I know I did. Just anxious to see how I’m playing, where I’m going to play, what my role is on the team. But as a fan of the game, Kawhi being back is great for basketball, Jamal Murray being back is great for basketball, all the guys that have been out injured and being able to play again, it’s a great feeling seeing them out there.”

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Several Vets Sitting Out Preseason Opener

September 30th, 2022 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams
  • The Clippers are taking a cautious approach this preseason with a handful of veteran players, with head coach Tyronn Lue announcing on Thursday that Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, John Wall, and Reggie Jackson won’t play in the team’s preseason opener in Seattle on Friday (Twitter link via Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times). The Warriors are going the same route with Klay Thompson, holding him out of the club’s two preseason contests in Japan, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
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Contract Details: Lakers, Galloway, DSJ, McCollum, More

September 30th, 2022 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

When the Lakers signed Matt Ryan and Dwayne Bacon to non-guaranteed training camp contracts earlier this month, both players received Exhibit 9 clauses in their new deals, but not Exhibit 10s, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Exhibit 9 contracts are non-guaranteed camp deals that don’t count against the cap during the preseason and offer teams some protection in the event of an injury. Exhibit 10s are similar, but also allow teams to convert the player to a two-way deal (if he’s eligible) or to give him a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate.

As a general rule, a player who signs a training camp contract without an Exhibit 10 clause is usually just competing for a spot on his team’s 15-man regular season roster and won’t end up playing for the club’s G League affiliate if he doesn’t make the cut.

Langston Galloway (Pacers), Dennis Smith Jr. (Hornets), LiAngelo Ball (Hornets), Cody Zeller (Jazz), Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Suns), and Wes Iwundu (Trail Blazers) are among the other recently signed free agents who signed Exhibit 9 – not Exhibit 10 – contracts.

Here are a few more contract details from around the NBA:

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Jay Larranaga Staying With Clippers After Talking To Celtics

September 28th, 2022 at 9:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 28, 9:07pm: Larranaga will be sticking with the Clipppers after speaking to the Celtics, sources tell Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 28, 10:40am: The Clippers are granting the Celtics permission to speak to Larranaga, a league source tells Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 27, 10:45pm: The Celtics are apparently looking to hire another veteran coach to assist interim head coach Joe Mazzulla.

They are seeking permission to talk to Clippers assistant Jay Larranaga about joining Mazzulla’s staff this season, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Larranaga is a familiar face in Boston. He joined Tyronn Lue‘s staff last season after spending nine years with the Celtics, including seven seasons as Brad Stevens’ top assistant.

Mazzulla was thrust into the spotlight when Ime Udoka was suspended for the season for violating team policy.

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Steve Ballmer Remains NBA's Richest Owner

September 28th, 2022 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams
  • Steve Ballmer of the Clippers remains the richest owner in sports, according to a report from Forbes, which estimates Ballmer’s net worth at $83 billion. Robert Pera of the Grizzlies ($17.6 billion) and Dan Gilbert of the Cavaliers ($17.3 billion) are the other NBA owners who rank in Forbes’ top 10.
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Lue Excited About How To Utilize Wall's Speed

September 27th, 2022 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams
  • Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is looking forward to taking advantage of the element of speed that newly added point guard John Wall will bring to the team this season, writes Helene Elliott of The Los Angeles Times. “I think with John, adding John, his pace is tremendous. That’s going to allow us to get easy baskets,” Lue said. “Guys get open threes, easy shots, him getting downhill, getting to the basket changes our team dramatically. His pace, the way he plays, brings a different dimension to our team.”
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Pacific Notes: Leonard, Westbrook, Curry, Gentry, Kings

September 26th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

After missing all of last season with a knee injury, Kawhi Leonard pronounced himself ready for training camp, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes.

“For me individually, I’ll be participating in training camp,” the Clippers‘ star forward said. “Then from there, just seeing how my progression is, how I feel, what I’m not feeling, is it moving correctly, and just keep going from there, just gradually building up. But right now, I feel good, and the plan is to start camp and play.”

[RELATED: Kawhi Leonard Cleared, But Clippers Will Remain Cautious]

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Russell Westbrook was unusually blunt when asked on Monday if he feels the Lakers truly want him on the roster, according to Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register. “Whether they want me here or not doesn’t really matter, honestly,” Westbrook said. “My job is to be professional, show up to work, like I’ve always done. Thus far, I did my job the best way I know how to and that’s it. I mean, you all have jobs – sometimes people at our jobs don’t like us or don’t want us there.”
  • Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green could be on the free agent market next summer, but Stephen Curry hopes that the current group of Warriors can remain in place, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “You want that to be the spirit of how decisions are made, and we want the best chance to win every single year. And we’re proving with this squad, that’s what the results have been,” he said. “So, we want to keep that together for as long as we can. That’s the goal.”
  • Former head coach Alvin Gentry has been named the Kings’ VP of basketball engagement, according to a team press release. Mark Toyoda has been elevated to  senior director of basketball administration. Melanie Stocking has been promoted to senior director of team operations. Saagar Sarin has been promoted to director of pro personnel and Aram Palamoudian has been promoted to basketball operations coordinator.
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Clippers Sign Juwan Morgan

September 24th, 2022 at 2:30pm CST by JD Shaw

The Clippers have signed free agent forward Juwan Morgan ahead of training camp, his agency Edge Sports International announced on social media (Twitter link). The exact terms are still unknown.

Morgan, 25, finished last season as a member of the Celtics. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the team’s G League affiliate in Maine. Morgan also shot 51% from the floor and 34% from deep, showing an ability to score from all three levels.

Before joining Boston, Morgan went undrafted in 2019 and spent two seasons with the Jazz. He appeared in 50 games across those stints.

Los Angeles currently has 20 players under contract, including Morgan. The team has Moses Brown, Xavier Moon, Michael Devoe and Lucas Williamson on Exhibit 10 deals. Shooting guard Keaton Wallace also signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the club, but he was waived on Friday.

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