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Eight 10-Day Deals To Expire By End Of Weekend

February 27th, 2019 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Several teams around the NBA signed new players last week in order to get back to the league-mandated roster minimum of 14 players after slipping below that number at the trade deadline. While those clubs are complying with NBA rules for the time being, many of them just signed players to 10-day contracts and will have to consider additional moves once those deals expire.

At the moment, there are 11 active 10-day contracts around the league, with one more – B.J. Johnson to the Hawks – reported but not yet official. Eight of those 11 active deals are set to expire by the end of this weekend, so here’s a quick look at each of those situations:

February 27

Corey Brewer (Kings)
- Brewer’s 10-day contract, his second with the Kings, will expire after Sacramento’s Tuesday matchup against Milwaukee. So, as of tomorrow, the team will have to decide whether to re-sign him for the rest of the season or let him go. If the Kings don’t bring back Brewer, who has appeared in two of their last three games, they’d be down to 13 players and would have two weeks to get back up to 14.

March 1

Henry Ellenson (Knicks)
- Ellenson played a key role in the Knicks‘ comeback win over Orlando on Tuesday, filling the box score with 13 points, nine boards, five assists, and two steals. He’s still on his first 10-day deal, and the Knicks would dip to 13 players without him, so I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get a second contract from the club.
Jordan Sibert (Hawks)
- The Hawks are reportedly poised to sign B.J. Johnson to a 10-day contract, which would keep them at 14 players even if they don’t bring back Sibert. Sibert has yet to play in a game for Atlanta, so it’s hard to get a sense of which way the team is leaning on a possible second 10-day deal.
Emanuel Terry (Heat)
- The Heat are flirting with the luxury tax line, which is probably bad news for Terry. Miami figures to be very careful about not signing players earlier than they have to for the rest of the season, which means Terry may not be re-signed right away – or at all – once his first 10-day contract expires this Friday night.
Jodie Meeks (Raptors)
- Meeks has come out firing in his first two games with the Raptors, putting up 13 shot attempts in just 24 minutes. Toronto’s production from beyond the arc has been inconsistent this season, so Meeks’ outside shot may earn him a longer look from the team. However, like Terry in Miami, he may not be re-signed immediately when his first 10-day contract expires, since the Raptors will want to do all they can to minimize their tax bill.

March 2

Ray Spalding (Suns)
- For a lottery-bound team like the Suns, it makes sense to use their open roster spots to audition young prospects who might prove worthy of sticking around on next season’s team. It’s not clear if Spalding, who is on his first 10-day contract, fits that bill, since he hasn’t seen any action so far. If Phoenix doesn’t re-sign him, the roster count will be at 13 players, and the club would be required to add someone eventually.

March 3

Chris Chiozza / Terrence Jones (Rockets)
- Like the Heat and Raptors, the Rockets are very aware of where their team salary is in relation to the tax line, and will likely avoid carrying more players than they have to. When Choizza’s and Jones’ deals expire on Sunday night, Houston may be happy to drop below the roster minimum for a little while again before getting back up to 14 later in the month.

The other three active 10-day contracts around the league belong to Isaiah Canaan (Bucks), Tahjere McCall (Nets), and Cameron Reynolds (Timberwolves). Those deals will run through March 6, March 7, and March 8, respectively.

Meanwhile, it’s also worth keeping an eye on the Thunder, who have been carrying 13 players since Scotty Hopson‘s and Richard Solomon‘s 10-day contracts expired on Saturday night. Oklahoma City projects to be the NBA’s biggest taxpayer this year, and will likely be patient when it comes to filling that 14th roster slot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Poll: How Many Max FAs Will Knicks Sign In 2019?

February 25th, 2019 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

While it’s not necessarily having a major impact on the court for either team, the seven-player trade completed by the Knicks and Mavericks in advance of the trade deadline was perhaps the biggest deal of 2019 so far due to its long-term implications.

For Dallas, the move meant securing Kristaps Porzingis, a potential franchise frontcourt player whom the team envisions complementing young star Luka Doncic for the next decade.

For New York, there were a handful of motivating factors — the club got to take a chance on a 2017 lottery pick in Dennis Smith Jr., and secured a couple future first-round picks too. But perhaps the most important aspect of the trade from the Knicks’ perspective was that it allowed the team to create not just one, but two maximum-salary contracts slots in free agency this summer.

Since the Knicks made the deal, speculation has run wild about their potential offseason targets. Do they know something we don’t about Kevin Durant‘s plans? Or Kyrie Irving‘s? Is New York native Kemba Walker in their crosshairs?

Before their trade with the Mavs, the Knicks were already close to having enough space for one maximum-salary free agent, and wouldn’t have had to attach Porzingis to a larger package to create that extra room. Instead, the team chose to make a blockbuster deal that opened a pair of those slots.

What, exactly, does that tell us about their summer plans? If they’re not sure about Durant or Irving coming, would they offer a maximum-salary deal to another free agent? Will Kawhi Leonard be a target? Knicks fans would be a little less thrilled about the prospect of the club using that space to give max deals to two players from a group that includes Walker, Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris, and Khris Middleton, but maybe those players will be on the team’s wish list as well.

On the other hand, if the Knicks can’t land both Durant and Irving, the prudent move might be to use their leftover cap room to absorb an unwanted contract or two to accumulate more assets — or to sign players to one-term contracts, rolling over their cap room to next summer.

When a panel of ESPN.com experts made offseason predictions last week, one question asked how many maximum-salary free agents the Knicks would sign this summer. The top answer was two (47.2%), followed by one (41.7%), and zero (11.1%). In other words, there’s a strong belief that the Knicks will invest huge money in at least one star this offseason, and likely two.

What do you think? Are you bullish on the Knicks’ chances of landing two stars? Do you believe they’ll hand out two max contracts even if they don’t necessarily get their top two choices? Or do you think they’ll end up being a little more patient with their newfound flexibility?

Vote in our poll, then head below to the comment section to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Jenkins Thrilled To Get Rest-Of-Season Deal From Knicks

February 25th, 2019 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

John Jenkins, who inked a rest-of-season contract with the Knicks last week, is thrilled that he was able to parlay a 10-day deal into a longer-term commitment, per Marc Berman of The New York Post. “It’s all I could ask for coming in on a 10-day and getting an opportunity to succeed,” Jenkins said. “I’m thankful, grateful, extremely happy. All the hard work I’ve put in, and sacrifice, all paying off at the perfect time.”

Knicks Notes: Mudiay, Dotson, Ntilikina, Pitino

February 24th, 2019 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

It’s too early to write off Emmanuel Mudiay as part of the Knicks‘ future, states Howie Kussoy of The New York Post. Playing for the first time since hurting his shoulder on January 23, Mudiay came off the bench to post 15 points, six rebounds and three steals Friday night.

He had been the starting point guard before the injury, but that was also before New York traded for Dennis Smith Jr., who has taken over that role. Mudiay wound up playing more than Smith did in a narrow loss to the Timberwolves, including the entire fourth quarter.

“I felt good,” Mudiay said. “I just gotta get my rhythm back. … Obviously, it’s a different team than I was playing with. Last time I played was with Tim [Hardaway Jr.] and them. This is the first time that I played with [DeAndre Jordan] and Dennis. It’s just about growing the chemistry.”

Mudiay’s future beyond this season remains uncertain as he is headed toward free agency. The Knicks will have to extend a qualifying offer expected to be worth about $4.5MM to keep him restricted and retain the right to match any offer, but they’ll have other priorities as they try to rebuild the franchise through the free agent market.

There’s more this morning from New York:

Damyean Dotson displayed why his role has increased with an early scoring explosion Friday, writes Greg Joyce of The New York Post. He notched 18 of the Knicks’ first 25 points, hitting five straight shots from 3-point range. “Versatility, he’s tough, he rebounds, and he can really shoot the ball,” coach David Fizdale said of Dotson, who has started seven of the past nine games. “And he plays with an incredible pace. That’s why I really like him. He doesn’t need the ball a lot to score.”
The Knicks still have no idea when Frank Ntilikina will return from a groin injury, Joyce adds in a separate story. The team expected it to be minor at first, but Ntilikina will miss his 12th straight game today. His absence complicates the organization’s effort to figure out a long-term plan for the backcourt.
The decision to trade Kristaps Porzingis and create two max contract slots to gamble in free agency has been endorsed by former Knicks coach Rick Pitino, relays Adam Zagoria in a story for Forbes. “The rules have changed with the lottery,” Pitino said. “The Knicks have floundered the other way trying the opposite the last decade. It’s time to do it the right way [with] cap space [and a] decent draft. The other way had no chance of succeeding.”

Knicks Sign John Jenkins To Two-Year Deal

February 21st, 2019 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 21: After Jenkins’ 10-day deal expired overnight, the Knicks officially finalized his multiyear contract today, announcing the signing in a press release.

FEBRUARY 20: With John Jenkins‘ 10-day contract with the Knicks about to expire, the two sides have reached an agreement on a longer-term deal, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, Jenkins will sign a two-year contract with New York.

Jenkins, who will turn 28 next month, has played some of the best basketball of his career in 2018/19. The former first-round pick spent most of the season with the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate, averaging 24.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 3.6 APG with a .473/.431/.928 shooting line in 19 games.

That performance earned Jenkins a pair of 10-day contracts with the Wizards, though he played limited minutes in just four games with the team. He saw more action in two games with the Knicks, posting 10.5 PPG in 17.5 minutes per contest.

The exact terms of Jenkins’ new deal have yet to be reported, but it’s safe to assume it’ll be worth the minimum, and Marc Berman of The New York Post tweets that the 2019/20 salary will be non-guaranteed. The Knicks are being very cautious with how they use their cap room for next season, so it makes sense that Jenkins’ deal won’t cut into that room at all.

Berman does note that there will be an early trigger date, so New York will have to decide during the summer whether to retain or part ways with Jenkins.

Even after re-signing Jenkins, the Knicks will still have just 13 players on NBA contracts, so they’ll have to add at least one more player this week to get up to the league-mandated minimum of 14. It appears that player will be Henry Ellenson, who has reportedly agreed to a 10-day deal with the club.

Knicks Notes: Ntilikina, Mudiay, Middleton, Kanter

February 20th, 2019 at 6:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks are about to have an overcrowded situation at point guard, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Frank Ntilikina is close to returning from a groin strain and Emmanuel Mudiay has nearly recovered from a strained left shoulder. Mudiay practiced today, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley, while Ntilikina was held out of practice and will be re-evaluated Friday.

When they’re cleared to play, both guards will be sharing time with Dennis Smith Jr., who took over the starting role after being acquired from the Mavericks in late January, and possibly Kadeem Allen, who has impressed coaches since being signed to a two-way contract last month.

Allen could be sent to the G League once everyone is healthy, Berman notes, or the Knicks may want to see more of what he can do at the NBA level. Mudiay could be the odd man out as he’s headed toward free agency and seemingly has little prospect of re-signing in New York now that the organization has committed to Smith.

There’s more Knicks news to pass along:

If Kyrie Irving is unavailable, New York might target Bucks swingman Khris Middleton in hopes of pairing him with Kevin Durant, Berman speculates in a separate story. Middleton had a 20-point performance in his first All-Star game, then sidestepped questions about free agency. “I’m having a great career so far — that’s all I’m worrying about,” Middleton said. “I’ll think about the summertime in the summertime. We have a lot more work to do, hopefully. We’re playing great basketball. That’s all I’m worrying about.” Because Middleton doesn’t necessarily project as a full max player, Berman suggests the Knicks could sign him and have money left over to keep DeAndre Jordan, who is a friend of Durant’s.
The Knicks might find it more difficult to lure Durant as long as James Dolan remains the team’s owner, states Frank Isola of The Athletic. A rumor that Dolan might have interest in selling the team was dismissed as “100% false” by MSG Co. on Monday. Isola notes that the organization’s long history of failure under Dolan could make Durant think twice about coming to New York.
Although his time with the Knicks didn’t end well, Enes Kanter would still endorse the franchise to any free agents who ask him, tweets New York sportswriter Brian Heyman. “It’s a very good organization. Good people. … Amazing city,” Kanter said. “So I think that they have a really good chance to get good superstars.”

Knicks Sign Henry Ellenson To 10-Day Deal

February 20th, 2019 at 2:59pm CST by ChrisCrouse

FEBRUARY 20: The Knicks have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Ellenson to a 10-day contract.

FEBRUARY 19: The Knicks will sign Henry Ellenson to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Detroit selected Ellenson with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2016 draft, but he never saw much action for the franchise, playing in a total of 59 games. He was waived by the team shortly after the trade deadline to make room for Wayne Ellington.

The decision to add Ellenson aligns with the Knicks recent strategy of adding former first-round picks who have fallen out of favor with their previous club. Dennis Smith Jr., Emmanuel Mudiay, Noah Vonleh, and Mario Hezonja are all other teams’ recent first-rounders that currently reside in New York.

The Knicks have been below the roster minimum of 14 players since waiving Enes Kanter and Wesley Matthews after the trade deadline, but will get back to the minimum by signing Ellenson and John Jenkins, who has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with the team.

Finishing Last Should Be A Goal

February 18th, 2019 at 7:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks need to keep on tanking to assure themselves a top five pick in the draft, Steve Popper of Newsday argues. The team with the worst record can’t fall any lower than the fifth pick under the new draft lottery rules, Popper notes, and the Suns currently hold that distinction after New York ended its 18-game losing streak. After the top five players, including Duke’s trio of Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish, there’s an apparent dropoff in talent. The team with the second-worst record has a 20% chance of falling to the No. 6 slot, Popper adds.

MSG Denies Report Dolan Is ‘Courting Offers’ For Knicks

February 18th, 2019 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

1:02pm: As was the case in December, MSG Co. has issued a statement refuting the idea that there are plans to sell the Knicks (Twitter link via Stefan Bondy).

“The story is 100% false,” the statement reads. “There has been nothing. No discussions. No plans to have discussions — nothing.”

12:13pm: After Knicks owner James Dolan indicated in December that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of selling the franchise, a new report suggests that he may actually be seriously considering that idea. As Tommy Beer of Forbes.com relays, Bill Simmons of The Ringer said in his latest podcast that Dolan is “courting offers” for the Knicks.

“Multiple people told me this, who know things,” Simmons said. “… It’s happening. It’s on. It’s go time. He’s courting offers for the Knicks. That’s what I heard at All-Star weekend from people I trust.”

Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News notes that there have been rumblings for months that Dolan has been considering the idea of a sale, but if he’s actively seeking out offers, that would be new territory.

Last year, Madison Square Garden Co. announced plans to separate the sports and entertainment aspects of its business, which means that the Knicks could be sold without Madison Square Garden being part of the deal. In that scenario, Dolan could theoretically retain control of the live entertainment business, including venues like MSG, the Hulu Theater, and Radio City Music Hall.

Simmons’ comments suggest that those aspects of the business may be of greater interest to Dolan than controlling the Knicks long-term.

“This is what I’ve pieced together,” Simmons said, according to Beer. “[Dolan] really cares about the buildings and the in-game/in-concert experience. And he wants to put even more money into that. The Knicks are just a pain in the a–, people s–t on him for it. He feels if he can just sell the Knicks for some crazy price, then he can put the money into that music/in-game experience stuff that he cares about. So, the Knicks are available.”

In the wake of his December comments stating that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of selling the Knicks, Dolan quickly released a statement clarifying that there were no plans to sell the team. Two months later, with rumors swirling again, it wouldn’t be shocking if he issues a similar denial. If he doesn’t, it would strongly signal that Simmons is onto something.

For what it’s worth, Forbes’ most recently NBA franchise valuations – published earlier this month – estimated the Knicks’ worth at $4 billion. The team ranked first on Forbes’ list of most valuable NBA franchises, and became the first basketball club to ever earn a $4 billion valuation.

Dell Demps’ Firing Bad News For Knicks?

February 16th, 2019 at 10:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The ouster of Pelicans GM Dell Demps could complicate the Knicks‘ hopes of landing Anthony Davis in a trade this summer, writes Frank Isola of The Athletic.

Knicks president Steve Mills had informal talks with Demps last month about a deal involving Davis and Kristaps Porzingis, according to Isola. Porzingis was since shipped to the Mavericks in a trade that enabled New York to open two max salary slots for free agency.

A source tells Isola that Demps wanted to wait until after the draft lottery before resuming talks so he would know where New York would be picking. Second in the league in our current Reverse Standings, the Knicks have a 14% chance of winning the lottery and getting a shot at Duke standout Zion Williamson, whom Demps was intrigued by. Demps also has a prior connection with New York, having served as a scout for the organization.

The team has a much different relationship with former Cavaliers GM David Griffin, who is considered one of the potential front-runners to replace Demps in New Orleans. Another source tells Isola that Griffin was considering an offer to become GM of the Knicks two years ago, but turned it down when he discovered he wouldn’t be solely in charge of personnel decisions. While Griffin was negotiating with New York, Mills signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to a long-term contract.

Another top contender for the Pelicans post, Celtics assistant GM Michael Zarren, presents an even worse scenario for the Knicks and Lakers, Isola adds. Zarren is considered “the right-hand man” to Boston GM Danny Ainge and has a strong familiarity with the young players who would be key to any deal with the Celtics.