Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hornets’ Kai Jones Requests Trade

October 9th, 2023 at 2:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Hornets big man Kai Jones has submitted a trade request, he announced on social media (Twitter link).

Jones is indefinitely away from the Hornets — with no timetable for a return — due to personal reasons. That announcement came after the 22-year-old made a series of strange social media posts, including calling out some of his teammates.

A former first-round pick (19th overall in 2021), Jones has averaged just 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 67 total games with the Hornets (9.1 minutes per night). He has had a much bigger role at the G League level, averaging 17.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 2.1 blocks in 38 regular season games with the Greensboro Swarm — Charlotte’s affiliate — from 2021-23.

Jones will earn a guaranteed $3.05MM this season after the Hornets picked up their third-year option on his rookie scale contract last fall. However, based on recent events and his limited role during his first two seasons, it’s looking extremely unlikely that they will pick up his $4.69MM option for 2024/25.

It’s hard to envision any type of trade market materializing for Jones’ services at this point. Charlotte waiving him outright seems more plausible, given his modest contributions and odd behavior.

He also may face a fine from the NBA for making a public trade request.

USA Basketball Aggressively Pursuing Jrue Holiday For Olympics

October 8th, 2023 at 6:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jrue Holiday has had a whirlwind offseason. The new Celtics point guard now has something else to ponder — a spot on Team USA’s roster for the Olympics.

USA Basketball is aggressively pursuing Holiday to return to Team USA and play in Paris, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Holiday, 33, is still mulling whether to accept the offer. There are 12 coveted spots on Team USA’s Olympic roster.

USA Basketball is trying to bounce back from this summer’s disappointing showing in the FIBA World Cup, in which it failed to win a medal. Many of the country’s star players skipped the World Cup.

USA Basketball officials considered Holiday the second-most-impactful player, after Kevin Durant, on the 2021 gold medal team. Holiday’s on-ball defense, play-making and leadership are among the factors behind USA Basketball’s recruitment, Wojnarowski adds.

The Olympic team is expected to include LeBron James, Durant, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum, if they accept invitations. Some other star players who publicly volunteered recently won’t be extended invitations, according to Wojnarowski. There’s no timetable on a Holiday decision.

Holiday, of course, has other things on his mind as he tries to adapt to another Eastern Conference contender. He was traded twice in recent weeks, first to Portland from Milwaukee in the Damian Lillard blockbuster and then to the Celtics.

Celtics’ Jay Scrubb Suffers Torn ACL

October 8th, 2023 at 4:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics reserve Jay Scrubb suffered a torn right ACL during practice on Saturday, the team’s PR department tweets.

Scrubb, a second-round pick in 2020, signed a two-way contract with Boston in mid-July after a strong Summer League showing. He averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in those four games.

A 23-year-old guard, Scrubb finished last season with the Magic after signing a two-way contract in late March. He was waived in June.

Scrubb appeared in two games for Orlando late in the season, but spent most of his time in the G League. He averaged 22.2 points for the Lakeland Magic over 28 games, including 25 starts.

He previously played for the Clippers, appearing in a total 22 NBA games over two seasons.

Kawhi: Confident About Clippers Extension But No Rush

October 7th, 2023 at 5:41pm CST by Rory Maher

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been extension-eligible for a few months, but a new deal has yet to come together.

When Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times asked Leonard about the topic, he said he has a “good” relationship with the team’s front office and expressed confidence that an extension will eventually be reached, though it certainly doesn’t sound imminent (Twitter link).

“For sure,” Leonard said. “It hasn’t even been nothing that we’ve been rushing on their side, or my side. So, we’re good.”

Leonard, 32, can become a free agent next summer if he declines his $48.8MM player option for 2024/25. He will earn $45.6MM this season.

If Leonard signs an extension during the ’23/24 season, he would have to decline his ’24/25 player option as part of the agreement. He could make more money if he goes that route, assuming he’s offered another max deal.

A five-time All-NBA member, two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Leonard has been excellent for the Clippers when healthy, averaging a combined 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 steals on .496/.396/.881 shooting in 33.3 minutes per game. During the playoffs, he has been even better, averaging 29.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 5.1 APG and 2.2 SPG on .528/.375/.871 shooting in 26 games (39.3 MPG).

The problem, of course, is that Leonard has been injured for much of his tenure with Los Angeles. He has appeared in just 161 of a possible 308 regular season games in four years with the Clippers, having missed the entire ’21/22 season with a partially torn right ACL.

Leonard sustained a torn meniscus in the same knee during last season’s playoffs, which required another surgery, but is “fully healthy” entering ’23/24.

Fellow star wing Paul George also holds a ’24/25 player option and is extension-eligible. He recently confirmed he has discussed a new deal with the Clippers but said there was work to be done to reach an agreement.

Booth: Nuggets Preparing For Potential Super-Max Deal For Murray

October 7th, 2023 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is one of the players who would become eligible for a super-max veteran extension – worth 35% of the cap instead of 30% – if he earns All-NBA honors in 2023/24.

On the surface, that seems like a long shot for Murray, who has never received a single All-NBA vote, let alone made one of the three end-of-season teams. However, speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, general manager Calvin Booth said the Nuggets believe Murray can and will secure an All-NBA berth this season, suggesting that the organization is looking ahead to giving him a super-max contract extension.

“He’s really focused and locked in. I think he’s going to have a big season. We’re anticipating that we’re probably paying him the super-max. He’ll probably make All-NBA,” Booth said. “Everybody knows it’s out there, so we might as well talk about it. He obviously knows that carrot is out there for him. But more than the financial reward for it, he’s a competitor. I definitely think, even if he doesn’t say it out loud, that will definitely be on his mind and will be approaching the season that way.”

The Nuggets are already on the hook for one super-max contract for two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Adding a second one to their long-term payroll would reduce their financial flexibility going forward and would mean dedicating a significant portion of their cap to two players. Still, Booth’s comments to Medina make it sound like Denver would be open to offering a super-max extension if Murray qualifies for one.

“Obviously, it’s going to be a hit to our salary cap, but I love seeing people reach their potential when they play the way he can,” Booth said. “So if he accomplishes a goal and makes All-NBA, I know Josh [Kroenke] and Mr. K [Stan Kroenke] are big Jamal guys. So, we’ll step up and do what we need to do.”

Murray is currently eligible to sign a three-year extension that could be worth up to 30% of the 2025/26 salary cap (with 8% annual raises). If he claims a spot on an All-NBA team this season, he’d be eligible next summer to sign a five-year extension that begins at 35% of the ’25/26 cap.

We don’t yet where exactly the cap will land for that season, but the total value of Murray’s extension could double if he waits until 2024 and receives a super-max deal. With that in mind, it’s no surprise then that a recent report indicated the 26-year-old likely wouldn’t sign a new extension before the season.

Murray will likely have to make a statistical leap in 2023/24 to earn an All-NBA nod. He has had some memorable postseason runs – including this past spring, when he averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per night in 20 games en route to a title – but his regular season numbers have never been quite that gaudy. Last season, he put up 20.0 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 4.0 RPG on .454/.398/.833 shooting.

It’s also worth noting that Murray will have to appear in at least 65 games to qualify for All-NBA honors. Last season, his first one back following a torn ACL that forced him to miss all of 2021/22, he appeared in exactly 65.

Jarrett Allen Out At Least Two Weeks With Ankle Injury

October 7th, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has been diagnosed with a left ankle bone bruise after getting injured in training camp this week, the team announced (via Twitter).

Allen, who underwent an MRI to confirm the diagnosis, will begin undergoing treatment and going through a rehabilitation process and is expected to be reevaluated in two weeks, per the Cavs.

Cleveland’s regular season opener is still 18 days away, so it’s possible Allen will be cleared to play in that game. However, the club’s announcement today simply says he’ll be reevaluated in two weeks — not that he’ll necessarily be ready to return at that point.

Allen is a key contributor for a Cavs team looking to build upon last season’s 51-31 record and first-round playoff exit, so if he’s not cleared for opening night, hopefully his absence doesn’t extend too far beyond that. Last season, the 25-year-old averaged 14.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 32.6 minutes per night across 68 appearances (all starts).

Damian Jones and Tristan Thompson are Cleveland’s backups at the five, though it’s possible that if Allen isn’t good to go for the opener, the team would slide Evan Mobley over to center and use a smaller starting five rather than inserting Jones or Thompson into that group.

Joel Embiid To Play For Team USA In Olympics

October 5th, 2023 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Joel Embiid has committed to Team USA for the 2024 Olympics, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

Embiid informed USA Basketball executive director Grant Hill of his decision Thursday morning, sources tell Shelburne. She adds that Embiid and Hill met for nearly an hour earlier this week in Fort Collins, Colorado, where the Sixers are conducting training camp.

Because Embiid was born in Cameroon and has citizenship with both the U.S. and France, he was eligible to play for any of those teams. Shelburne’s sources said he wants to help Team USA become the No. 1 nation in international basketball again after it failed to medal at this year’s World Cup.

Embiid recently told ESPN that he would love to represent his home nation, but he was hesitant to commit because Cameroon hasn’t qualified for the 2024 Olympics. France reportedly gave Embiid an October 10 deadline to reach his decision.

Next year’s competition, which will be held in Paris, will mark Embiid’s first appearance in the Olympics. He will be a welcome addition to an American team that was routinely out-rebounded by larger opponents during the World Cup.

A six-time All-Star, Embiid is the NBA’s reigning MVP, having averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.7 blocks on .548/.330/.857 shooting in 66 games (34.6 minutes) in 2022/23. The 29-year-old led the league in scoring for the second straight season.

Reggie Bullock Signs With Rockets

October 4th, 2023 at 7:35pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 4: The signing is official, the Rockets announced (via Twitter). Bullock’s contract is a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

OCTOBER 3: Veteran swingman Reggie Bullock intends to sign with the Rockets, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Bullock, who finalized a buyout agreement with the Spurs over the weekend, received interest from multiple clubs, according to Charania. He’ll join a Rockets team that had been seeking another rotation player to replace Kevin Porter Jr., who is not expected to play another game for Houston following his arrest last month.

Bullock, who was traded from the Mavericks to the Spurs as part of the three-team Grant Williams deal in July, spent the past two seasons with Dallas, serving as a part-time starter. His scoring average dipped to 7.2 points per game last season, his lowest mark since 2016/17. However, he still made 38.0% of his three-point attempts, which is right in line with his 38.4% career rate.

The Rockets have made an effort this offseason to bring in veteran talent in the hopes of moving up the standings following three consecutive seasons with no more than 22 wins. Bullock will join Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Jeff Green among the team’s veteran newcomers.

Charania’s report says Bullock will sign with Houston after he clears waivers, but NBA.com’s official transaction log indicates that the 32-year-old was officially cut on Saturday, meaning he would’ve cleared waivers and become an unrestricted free agent on Monday. That means he should be free to complete his deal with the Rockets anytime.

While details of Bullock’s deal haven’t been reported, it seems likely to be a one-year, minimum-salary contract. Houston has an open spot on its 21-man preseason roster and won’t have to cut anyone to make room for Bullock.

Drama-Free First Day Of Camp For James Harden

October 4th, 2023 at 5:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

James Harden has indicated that he’s willing to make things uncomfortable for the Sixers until he gets the trade he requested, but there were no incidents on his first day at training camp, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

It was business as usual as Harden worked out with his teammates at Colorado State University. He skipped media day amid a public feud with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and missed the first day of camp, but he was fully engaged Wednesday as he participated in drills.

Head coach Nick Nurse said Harden “looked good” and showed up in shape, and the expectation is that he will continue to fulfill his obligations to the team until his situation is resolved.

“He’s here. He knows the schedule, and we expect him to be there,” Nurse said. “I think we can wait and see on (where things go from here), but every indication is that he’s here (now).”

Speculation has been rampant about what Harden might do in an attempt to force his way out of Philadelphia. His trade demand, which was made when he picked up his $35.6MM option for this season in late June, is now more than three months old with no signs of traction on a deal with the Clippers, his preferred choice, or anyone else.

Harden believes he was deceived by the organization and specifically Morey, whom he called a liar during a public appearance in China this summer. Harden also vowed never to play for a team that was run by Morey, but it appears he may have no choice.

Harden left today’s practice before the media was allowed in, but teammates echoed Nurse’s sentiments. Harden didn’t address the team before practice or when he arrived in Colorado on Tuesday, but Tobias Harris said there was no need for an explanation.

“We’re all grown men here,” Harris said. “Everybody understands the business of the game of basketball at this point. Personally, he doesn’t have to address myself or anybody, truthfully.” But his participation, in my opinion, is addressing that. He’s here, and his attitude and energy today allowed everybody to understand that he wants to go out here and compete with us and get stuff done. In my opinion, that’s all, really, that matters, is his energy and effort towards myself and all our teammates.”

Unlike the team’s standoff with Ben Simmons two years ago, there are no hard feelings between Harden and any of his teammates, Bontemps adds. The organization has made overtures to ease the tension, including making a 25% salary payment to Harden two days earlier than it was due.

While the Sixers have to be relieved to see one of their stars back on the court and interacting with his coaches and teammates, the basic structure of the situation hasn’t changed. Harden still wants out and Morey seems determined to hold onto him unless he can get a return that keeps the team in title contention, so any good feelings from today aren’t guaranteed to last.

Spurs Sign Devin Vassell To Five-Year Extension

October 3rd, 2023 at 3:03pm CST by Rory Maher

OCTOBER 3: The Spurs have officially signed Vassell to his contract extension, the team announced today in a press release.

OCTOBER 2, 5:09pm: Vassell’s extension is a straight five-year deal with no options and features $135MM in guaranteed money, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that Vassell can earn another $11MM in incentives.

OCTOBER 2, 4:09pm: Guard/forward Devin Vassell is signing a five-year, $146MM rookie scale extension with the Spurs, his agents at CAA Sports tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Given how much money they’re committing to him, clearly the Spurs view Vassell as a long-term cornerstone of their rebuild alongside No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, 2022 lottery pick Jeremy Sochan, and Keldon Johnson, among others.

Vassell, 23, was the No. 11 pick of the 2020 draft after two years at Florida State. The Georgia native had a breakout third season in 2022/23, averaging 18.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals on .439/.387/.780 shooting.

However, Vassell was limited to 38 games (31.0 minutes per night) last season due to a left knee injury, which required surgery in January.

Back in June, there were rumors the Spurs might be looking to add another lottery pick. General manager Brian Wright shut down any speculation that the team would entertain trading Vassell, and now San Antonio is inking the young wing to a new contract.

If Vassell’s extension is fully guaranteed, he will earn $29.2MM annually on his new deal, which will begin in 2024/25. He will make $5.89MM this season.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, despite the significant financial commitment to Vassell, the Spurs still project to have $45-60MM in cap room next summer, so they could be a major player in free agency.

The Spurs have a history of signing their productive first-round picks to rookie scale extensions. Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Johnson all inked extensions with San Antonio in recent years, though Murray and White have since been traded.

Vassell is the sixth player to agree to a rookie scale deal this offseason. The full list — as well as the players who are eligible for their own extensions — can be found right here.