Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Sign Jeremiah Robinson-Earl To Two-Way Contract

November 3rd, 2023 at 2:11pm CST by Tristan Tucker

NOVEMBER 3: The Pelicans have officially signed Robinson-Earl to a two-way contract and waived Gates, the team announced today in a press release.

NOVEMBER 2: The Pelicans are signing forward/center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a two-way contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Robinson-Earl, 22, was the No. 32 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He holds career averages of 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in two seasons with the Thunder. Robinson-Earl appeared in 92 games (56 starts) with Oklahoma City. With the Thunder facing a roster crunch this season, they sent him in a trade to the Rockets, who waived him before the season.

According to Charania, the former Oklahoma City forward had standard contract offers elsewhere but chose to sign with the Pelicans for a potential better opportunity.

The Pelicans had all three of their two-way contract spots filled, with Dereon Seabron, Kaiser Gates and Matt Ryan under contract. New Orleans is waiving Gates to make room for Robinson-Earl, according to ESPN’s Andrew Lopez (Twitter link).

Gates signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Pelicans this offseason after averaging 14.0 points per game in the G League with the Long Island Nets last season. He shot 55.4% from beyond the arc on 5.0 attempts per game last year.

While the Pelicans have an opening on their 15-man standard roster, their proximity to the tax meant they were unlikely to convert one of their two-way guys to a standard deal.

In signing Robinson-Earl, the Pelicans are adding more depth to a frontcourt that has been affected by injuries. As a player with extensive NBA experience, it’s possible Robinson-Earl gets playing time right away, much like two-way player Ryan is.

Once Robinson-Earl officially joins the team, the Pelicans will still have three players on two-way deals and 14 players signed to standard contracts.

Coaches To Receive Bonuses For In-Season Tournament Results

November 3rd, 2023 at 7:56am CST by Luke Adams

Like NBA players, the league’s coaches will benefit financially from advancing in the league’s new in-season tournament, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, the head coach of the team that wins the in-season tournament will be awarded a $500K bonus, which is equivalent to the amount that each of the players on the winning team will earn.

Head coaches, like players, will also earn bonuses if they’re a tournament quarterfinalist ($50K), semifinalist ($100K), or runner-up ($200K), per Wojnarowski.

The assistant coaches on the final eight teams will share a prize pool that will be worth 75% of the head coach’s bonus, Wojnarowski adds. If I’m understanding Woj’s wording correctly, that means the assistants on the in-season tournament champion would divvy up $375K in bonus money.

The in-season tournament prize money for players was collectively bargained between the NBA and NBPA as part of the league’s newest CBA, but bonuses for coaches weren’t part of that agreement. According to Wojnarowski, a coaching leadership group met with commissioner Adam Silver in September to discuss the possibility of adding financial incentives for coaches, and the two sides ultimately agreed on this bonus structure.

Friday is the first day of group play for the first in-season tournament in NBA history. As the event’s schedule shows, 14 teams will compete in round robin games today, with Knicks vs. Bucks, Mavericks vs. Nuggets, and Warriors vs. Thunder among the marquee matchups.

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Devin Vassell To Miss Time With Groin Injury

November 3rd, 2023 at 7:41am CST by Luke Adams

Spurs wing Devin Vassell is expected to be out for a while due to a left groin injury, head coach Gregg Popovich told reporters after Thursday’s win in Phoenix, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).

Vassell left the game late in the first half with tightness in his groin. Popovich said he told the 23-year-old to test the injury at halftime and to be honest about how it felt, and Vassell admitted he couldn’t go, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN.

The fourth-year swingman will undergo an MRI on Friday to assess the severity of the injury. The results of that MRI should help clarify Vassell’s recovery timeline, but it sounds like the team expects him to miss at least the next few games.

In his absence, the Spurs figure to lean more heavily on players like Cedi Osman, Doug McDermott, and Malaki Branham, who started the second half in Vassell’s place.

Vassell signed a five-year, $135MM+ rookie scale extension with the Spurs last month, securing his spot in the franchise’s long-term plans. He had gotten off to a strong start this season, averaging 19.4 points per game in his first five appearances – despite being limited to just 17 minutes on Thursday – and shooting 53.7% from the floor (40.7% on threes).

While it’s an unfortunate turn of events for the Spurs, Vassell’s injury was overshadowed on Thursday by a monster night for rookie Victor Wembanyama, who had the best game of his young career in leading San Antonio to a second consecutive road win over the Suns. Wembanyama put up 38 points and 10 rebounds, clinching the victory by scoring 10 points during a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter after Phoenix tied the game at 116.

James Harden: “I’m Not A System Player, I Am A System”

November 2nd, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Speaking in front of reporters for the first time as a member of the Clippers, James Harden opened up about his trade demand from the Sixers. Harden stated he felt the Sixers had him “on a leash” last season.

“When I mean a leash, I don’t mean just shooting the basketball every time,” Harden said via ESPN’s Malika Andrews (Twitter link). “I think the game and I’m a creator on the court … [I need] somebody that trusts me, that believes in me, that understands me, that I’m not a system player. I am a system.”

The 10-time All-Star said he just wants to win at the highest level, which is why he took less money to stay with the Sixers last season (Twitter link via Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina). Harden signed a two-year, $68.6MM deal with Philadelphia last summer — the second year was a player option, which he exercised before demanding a trade. According to Harden, he planned to retire a Sixer, but felt the organization had other plans.

“They didn’t want me. It’s that simple,” Harden said.

The Sixers traded Harden to the Clippers after a four-month saga. Harden made public comments criticizing Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey over the summer and was in and out of training camp as he awaited a trade.

In the end, Harden was sent to Los Angeles alongside P.J. Tucker, with Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Marcus Morris and Kenyon Martin Jr. dealt to Philadelphia. According to Andrews (Twitter link), Harden is planning to make his Clippers debut on Monday against the Knicks.

“I can fit in with anybody and make a championship run work,” (Twitter link via Medina). “All of us are on the same page in the sense that the individual stats and all of those things are past us.“

Former Suns Star Walter Davis Passes Away

November 2nd, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Rory Maher

Walter Davis, who starred in college at North Carolina, passed away on Thursday morning of natural causes, the Tar Heels announced in a press release. He was 69 years old.

Many of Davis’ top NBA accomplishments came while he was on the Suns, who selected him fifth overall in 1977. He earned an All-Star nod, was named second-team All-NBA, and won Rookie of the Year during his debut season in 1977/78. He followed that up with All-Star and second-team All-NBA honors in ’78/79.

The 6’6″ guard/forward made six All-Star teams in 11 seasons with Phoenix, and he remains the team’s all-time leading scorer. His No. 6 jersey was retired by the Suns.

Davis, who won a gold medal with the U.S. in 1976, averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals over the course of 15 years in the NBA, which included stints with the Nuggets and Trail Blazers at the end of his career (1033 regular season games, 27.9 minutes per night). He shot 51.1% from the field and 85.1% from the free throw line.

We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to Davis’ friends and family, which includes his nephew, former NBA guard Hubert Davis, who is currently head coach of the Tar Heels.

Bismack Biyombo Signs With Grizzlies

November 2nd, 2023 at 10:08am CST by Arthur Hill

NOVEMBER 2: Following their fifth game of the season on Wednesday, the Grizzlies have moved Morant to the suspended list and officially signed Biyombo, the team confirmed in a press release (Twitter link).

Biyombo received a one-year, $5MM contract with a $1MM guarantee, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

OCTOBER 28: The Grizzlies will add veteran center Bismack Biyombo, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Memphis will be able to transfer Ja Morant to the suspended list after he serves five games of his 25-game suspension, and Charania suggests the signing will occur once that happens. The Grizzlies are off to an 0-3 start with upcoming games Monday against Dallas and Wednesday at Utah.

The 31-year-old Biyombo will provide an interior presence for a team playing without starting center Steven Adams, who will undergo knee surgery and miss the entire season. The Grizzlies are also missing backup center Brandon Clarke, who is still recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered in March, and have been starting Xavier Tillman in the middle.

Biyombo is a free agent after spending the past two years in Phoenix. He got into 61 games last season, making 14 starts and averaging 4.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 14.3 minutes per night. He shot 57.8% from the field, but he brings a limited shooting range and hasn’t made a three-pointer in his career.

The Lakers reportedly considered signing Biyombo this summer, but opted for Christian Wood instead.

The Grizzlies have a full roster, so they can’t add Biyombo without cutting someone else until Morant is officially on the suspended list. They still have their entire $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception remaining, plus the $4.516MM bi-annual exception, if they want to offer Biyombo more than the veteran’s minimum salary, though it seems unlikely that will be necessary.

Daryl Morey Happy With Return In James Harden Trade

November 1st, 2023 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

It took more than four months, but the Sixers got the assets they were seeking when James Harden first asked for a trade in late June, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Morey said the focus was on acquiring expiring contracts and draft capital in any Harden deal. The trade with the Clippers brought back Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington and Kenyon Martin Jr., all of whom will be free agents next summer, along with a collection of draft assets that stretch through 2029.

“We set a bar in June, really, when James requested the trade and said, ‘Look, if we can get it to here, that should be what generally allows you to get out and get a player,” Morey said. “Having a player like Jrue (Holiday) go (to the Boston Celtics) for a similar package was sort of validating on that. So we set the bar, and obviously it came together where the Clippers met that price.”

What the Sixers didn’t get is Terance Mann, who was reportedly the sticking point for L.A. throughout the negotiations. According to Pompey, the Clippers initially offered one unprotected first-round pick and a pick swap along with the expiring contracts. With Morey unable to pry Mann loose, he settled for more draft capital instead.

Appearing Wednesday on the Ball Don’t Lie podcast, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports suggested that Morey was reluctant to accept the final version of the trade, but was forced to by ownership, which told him to “get a deal done now.”

Speaking with Pompey, Morey downplayed the report, saying team owners have a role in virtually every NBA trade.

“Ownership, I can only speak to my side. I don’t know how much their side was involved,” Morey said. “Our side was straightforward, the same: Always keep them abreast of our plans, making recommendations for when we make trades, and they signed off on them. It was a very standard trade, so I didn’t quite follow that reporting.”

Morey also expressed hope that his long relationship with Harden, which fell apart in spectacular fashion this summer, can eventually be repaired.

“Look, I think time heals,” Morey said. “He wanted to be traded and we did follow through on what he wanted. … Honestly, I think he chose to handle things certain ways that I wouldn’t have. He might feel the same about us, that we should have moved quicker or whatever. Look, he’s a great player and he’s going to do great things for the Clippers. P.J. (Tucker) as well. I’m glad they’re in the West.”

Clippers Trade Filip Petrusev, Cash To Kings

November 1st, 2023 at 8:23pm CST by Luke Adams

8:23pm: The trade is official, the Clippers announced (via Twitter).

7:59 pm: The Clippers will send Petrusev and cash to the Kings in exchange for the draft rights to Luka Mitrovic, a source tells Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Mitrovic, a 30-year-old forward currently playing in Serbia, was the final pick in the 2015 draft.

3:02pm: The Clippers and Kings have agreed to a trade that will send big man Filip Petrusev and cash to Sacramento, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Petrusev was dealt to Los Angeles along with James Harden and P.J. Tucker in the blockbuster trade that was officially completed on Wednesday. However, Law Murray of The Athletic reported at the time of the agreement that the Serbian rookie wasn’t in the Clippers’ plans and wasn’t expected to remain on the roster.

By trading Petrusev to Sacramento, the Clippers will open up a second roster spot on their 15-man squad. Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, a team can only carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for up to 14 days at a time and 28 total days during a season, so Los Angeles will have to replace Petrusev on its roster sooner rather than later.

Even after the Clippers add a 14th man, I’d expect them to keep their 15th roster spot open for the time being in order to maintain some flexibility and to avoid increasing their projected luxury tax bill.

The Kings, meanwhile, entered the season with an open roster spot of their own and will now use it to take a look at Petrusev, a draft-and-stash prospect who was selected 50th overall in 2021 and joined the 76ers two years later.

The 6’11” forward/center, who played college ball at Gonzaga, won a EuroLeague championship with Anadolu Efes in 2022, earned a Serbian League title with Crvena Zvezda in 2023, and was part of the Serbian national team that finished second at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Assuming the terms of his contract aren’t being adjusted as part of the trade, Petrusev’s salary is currently only partially guaranteed for $559,782 (50% of his full salary), so the Kings could waive him at some point with no real financial penalty if they want to reopen that 15th roster spot. His full cap hit is $1,119,563.

It’s unclear what the Kings are sending the Clippers in the trade, but based on the structure of the deal and how it’s been reported, I expect it to be either a heavily protected second-round pick or the draft rights to a player who will likely never sign an NBA contract.

College Basketball Legend Bobby Knight Dies

November 1st, 2023 at 6:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bobby Knight, one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history, died today at age 83. A formal announcement was made on his website.

Knight amassed 902 career wins at three schools, but his greatest success came at Indiana, where he coached from 1971 to 2000 and led the Hoosiers to three national championships. Indiana was the dominant team in the Big 10 during Knight’s time there, winning 11 regular season titles and making five trips to the Final Four.

Knight was known for his fiery temper as much as his on-court success, and both helped make him one of college basketball’s most recognizable figures for several decades. He’s a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, being inducted in 1991, and the College Basketball Hall of Fame, which he joined in 2006.

Knight also enjoyed success in international competitions, guiding Team USA to gold medals at the 1984 Olympics and the 1979 Pan American Games.

As a college player, Knight was part of an NCAA champion at Ohio State in 1960. He joined the army after graduation and became an assistant coach at West Point, then was promoted to the Black Knights’ head coach at age 24. Six seasons at the military academy set him up for the opportunity at Indiana.

Knight coached several legendary Hoosiers teams, including the 1975-76 squad, which went unbeaten through the regular season and NCAA Tournament, a feat that hasn’t been duplicated since. Knight was dismissed in 2000 after several complaints about his behavior and finished his college coaching career with Texas Tech from 2001-08.

Although Knight never played or coached in the NBA, his influence on the league was widespread. His programs produced numerous NBA players and several head coaches, including Randy Wittman, Mike Woodson, Keith Smart, Isiah Thomas and Lawrence Frank.

Our deepest condolences go out to Knight’s family and friends.

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Keon Johnson Signs Two-Way Contract With Nets

November 1st, 2023 at 12:34pm CST by Rory Maher

NOVEMBER 1: The Nets have officially signed Johnson to a two-way contract, the team announced in a press release.

OCTOBER 31: Free agent guard Keon Johnson plans to sign a two-way deal with the Nets, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

As our tracker shows, the Nets have an open two-way spot, so they won’t need to waive anyone to sign Johnson. Their 18-man roster will be full once the move is official.

Johnson, the 21st overall pick of the 2021 draft, was sent to Phoenix from Portland in the three-team blockbuster that saw Damian Lillard land with Milwaukee. The 21-year-old was waived by the Suns last week, just before the season started, due to the team’s roster crunch.

The fourth-year option on Johnson’s rookie scale contract was declined when he was cut by Phoenix, though the team will still be paying his $2.8MM salary this season. After clearing waivers, the third-year guard became an unrestricted free agent, but he was ineligible to return to the Suns on a two-way deal since his contract was guaranteed for more than $75K (the maximum two-way protection amount). Phoenix is now the lone NBA team with a two-way opening.

An explosive athlete who was viewed as a developmental project when he declared for the draft after one college season at Tennesseee, Johnson struggled to score efficiently over his first two NBA seasons with the Clippers and Trail Blazers, averaging a combined 5.9 PPG, 1.8 APG and 1.6 RPG on .362/.343/.739 shooting in 77 games (14.4 MPG). Due to the Nets’ crowded backcourt, Johnson will likely be spending a good chunk of 2023/24 in the G League with their affiliate in Long Island.

If Johnson officially signs on Wednesday, he’ll earn a two-way salary of $534,045 and will be eligible to appear in up to 48 regular season games.