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Mavericks Re-Sign Markieff Morris

September 16th, 2023 at 12:29pm CST by Rory Maher

The Mavericks have re-signed free agent forward Markieff Morris, the team announced in a press release.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but given his modest role last season, it seems likely that the 34-year-old signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract. We’ll have to wait and see if he got any guaranteed money, but Morris, who is entering his 13th season, would earn just under $3.2MM on a minimum deal, while Dallas would carry a $2,019,706 cap hit.

Morris was sent to Dallas from Brooklyn in early February as part of the Kyrie Irving trade. He was averaging a career-low 10.6 minutes per game in 27 appearances for the Nets and said he was looking for an opportunity for more playing time after the deal, but Morris played even less for the Mavs, averaging just 8.8 minutes over eight appearances. That average is actually inflated — he played 26 minutes in the team’s final game, when Dallas was trying to lose to keep its lottery pick.

While he hasn’t found much individual success in recent seasons, Morris played all 21 playoff games for the Lakers in 2019/20 when they won the championship. The longtime veteran holds career regular season averages of 10.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 750 games (378 starts, 24.1 minutes), with a shooting slash line of .446/.343/.778.

The Mavericks waived and then used the stretch provision on JaVale McGee to free up a roster spot for Morris. McGee later signed a guaranteed one-year, minimum-salary deal with the Kings after clearing waivers.

With Morris officially signed, the Mavs now have 20 players under contract, one shy of the offseason limit. They have one two-way slot open, as our tracker shows.

Cavaliers Executive Koby Altman Charged With OVI

September 16th, 2023 at 11:19am CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman was arrested and charged Friday night for operating a vehicle while impaired, according to a report from FOX 8’s I-Team.

“We are aware of an incident involving Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman,” the team said in a statement, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). “We are currently gathering more information and have no further comment at this time.”

According to the FOX 8 report, Ohio State Highway Patrol says troopers stopped Altman just before 9:00 p.m.

“Troopers initiated a traffic stop and during their interaction with the driver, indicators of impairment were observed,” the patrol said, per FOX 8. “The driver was subsequently placed under arrest for OVI and soon after offered a breath test which he refused.”

Altman was also charged with committing a marked lanes violation, per the report. FOX 8 reports the patrol added that Altman was “respectful and cooperative with troopers.”

Altman joined Cleveland’s front office in 2012, working his way up through the organization before being named general manager in 2017. In 2022, Altman was promoted to president of basketball operations and signed a contract extension through the 2027/28 season.

Serge Ibaka Signs With Bayern Munich

September 16th, 2023 at 9:46am CST by Tristan Tucker

Free agent forward/center Serge Ibaka has signed with German club FC Bayern Munich for the upcoming season, according to a press release from the team.

“We are incredibly proud and happy that such a highly decorated athlete like Serge Ibaka believes in our journey,” club president Herbert Heiner said, per the release. “We are convinced that he will not only be a tremendous asset in terms of sports but also a enrichment for German basketball. I am certain that our young players will greatly benefit from his vast experience.”

Ibaka, who won an NBA championship with the Raptors in 2019, holds career averages of 12.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks across 919 NBA appearances (697 starts).

The 6’10” big man was originally drafted by the Thunder (then SuperSonics) with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2008 draft. Oklahoma City brought Ibaka over in the 2009/10 season and he played there through 2016, helping the team reach the 2012 NBA Finals.

During his time with the Thunder, Ibaka became one of the league’s premier shot blockers, averaging 2.5 blocks across 524 appearances with Oklahoma City. In arguably his best defensive season, the year the Thunder fell in the 2012 Finals, Ibaka averaged 3.7 blocks.

In the 2016 offseason, Ibaka was traded to the Magic in the deal that landed Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in Oklahoma City. The Congolese big appeared in 56 games with Orlando before being traded to the Raptors at the 2017 trade deadline in exchange for Terrence Ross. Ibaka was a key rotation piece for Toronto’s championship team, putting up 15.0 points per night in the regular season and 9.4 PPG and 6.0 RPG in 24 playoff games.

After leaving the Raptors following the 2019/20 season, Ibaka had brief stints with the Clippers and Bucks before being traded at the 2023 deadline to the Pacers, who waived him.

In signing Ibaka, Bayern Munich is getting a two-time NBA block champ and three-time All-Defensive Team member. The release mentions the team’s roster is complete with the signing, putting the finishing touches on an impressive offseason that saw the club ink former NBAers Carsen Edwards and Leandro Bolmaro.

Ibaka is Oklahoma City’s all-time franchise leader in total blocks, with 1,300, and in blocks per game, with 2.5.

“[Ibaka]’s career speaks for itself,” Bayern Munich sport director Daniele Baiesi said, per the release. “With him, we get size, the ability to open up the court, and a huge presence on and off the field. Without a doubt, this is a very prestigious transfer and demonstrates the credibility of our program.“

Wizards Re-Sign Taj Gibson

September 15th, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

1:51pm: The Wizards have officially re-signed Gibson, the team announced in a press release.

“Taj has earned his reputation as a consummate professional and loyal teammate,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said in a statement. “We look forward to him adding to the competitive atmosphere when we begin training camp next month.”

9:47am: Free agent big man Taj Gibson has reached an agreement to return to the Wizards on a one-year, minimum-salary deal, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Gibson, 38, appeared in 49 games for Washington last season, averaging 3.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per night. All of those figures were career lows, though the former first-round pick was a valued veteran presence in the Wizards’ locker room.

Given that the Wizards were already carrying 16 players on guaranteed contracts and revamped their front office this offseason, the odds seemed to be working against Gibson’s return. However, Washington isn’t especially deep in the frontcourt after trading away big man Kristaps Porzingis, so having a vet like Gibson on the bench could be a useful insurance policy.

It’s unclear at this point whether or not Gibson’s salary will be fully guaranteed. Many of the contracts being signed by veteran free agents at this stage of the offseason are either non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed, and the Wizards may not be eager to exacerbate their roster crunch by adding another guaranteed salary to their books. We’ll have to wait for additional details.

Assuming they all make the 15-man regular season roster, Gibson could end up vying with fellow centers Daniel Gafford and Mike Muscala for playing time at the five. His minimum-salary contract would pay him $3,196,448 for the 2023/24 season, while Washington would have a $2,019,706 cap charge.

Dwight Howard To Meet With Warriors

September 15th, 2023 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent center Dwight Howard will meet with Warriors officials next week, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As Anthony Slater of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), Golden State has brought several veteran big men in for workouts in recent weeks as the team casts a wide net in its search for a player or two to fill out the roster. Slater refers to Howard as a “real option,” adding that the 37-year-old’s mindset during his meetings with the Warriors’ brass will be a factor in determining whether the two sides move forward.

Howard is an eight-time All-Star and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, but was out of the NBA last season after playing for the Lakers in 2021/22. He averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game (60 appearances) for Los Angeles in ’21/22 before playing in Taiwan in ’22/23.

Howard’s 16.2 MPG in ’21/22 was a career low, but may be his ceiling going forward — at this stage of his career, he’s unlikely to be viewed as more than a situational reserve by NBA teams. If he’s willing to accept a limited role and perhaps a non-guaranteed contract, the former superstar should have a legitimate shot at an NBA comeback.

Dewayne Dedmon, Derrick Favors, and Harry Giles are among the other bigs that have reportedly gotten a look from the Warriors this summer (Giles has since signed with Brooklyn). The team was also said to have interest in JaVale McGee before he joined the Kings.

Golden State is currently carrying 13 players on standard contracts. The club will need to have at least 14 by opening night.

Team USA Back To No. 1 In Latest FIBA Rankings

September 15th, 2023 at 7:54am CST by Luke Adams

The United States didn’t win a medal at this year’s World Cup, but the team’s fourth-place finish helped move the program back to No. 1 in FIBA’s updated world rankings.

The rankings are based on national teams’ performance in recent international competitions, including the World Cup, Olympics, and various regional tournaments. The U.S. had previously been at No. 2, behind Spain, the 2019 World Cup champions. The Spaniards finished ninth at this year’s World Cup and fell to second place in FIBA’s rankings.

Germany, Canada, and Latvia are among the biggest risers. The Germans moved up from 11th to third after winning the 2023 World Cup, while Canada’s bronze-medal finish helped them jump from 15th to sixth. Latvia, having finished fifth at the World Cup, climbed an impressive 22 spots, from 30th to eighth, in FIBA’s rankings.

Australia (fourth), Serbia (fifth), Argentina (seventh), France (ninth), and Lithuania (10th) are the other teams in the top 10. South Sudan is another notable riser, having leaped from 63rd to 31st to become Africa’s top-ranked national club.

FIBA’s rankings don’t mean much once the games begin, but they’re used to determine potting, seeding, and groupings in future competitions, so it will benefit teams like Germany, Canada, and Latvia going forward to be ranked higher, as Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca notes (via Twitter).

The full rankings can be viewed right here.

Rockets Offering “Several” Second-Rounders To Unload Porter

September 14th, 2023 at 2:46pm CST by Rory Maher

2:46pm: Houston hopes to either trade or waive Porter prior to training camp, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

2:08pm: Sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter video link) that the Rockets are offering “several second-round draft picks” in an effort to trade Kevin Porter Jr., who was arrested this week on felony charges of assault and strangulation.

According to Charania, Houston is actively discussing potential Porter deals with “multiple teams.” Charania reported yesterday that the Rockets were looking to trade the 23-year-old following his latest alleged off-court incident.

As Charania has pointed out a couple times now, any team considering a move for Porter would have to weigh the negative publicity that would follow, even if the acquiring team never intends for the guard to actually play for the organization.

Porter pleaded not guilty to the assault charges at his arraignment on Tuesday and was ordered to appear in a New York court on October 16. Prosecutors said the attack left his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick, with a fractured vertebra in her neck and a deep cut above her right eye.

Charania suggests the Rockets might be trying to sell rival teams on the fact that if Porter eventually faces a suspension (without pay), a team that acquires him could get financial relief to offset part of his $15.86MM contract for 2023/24, which is fully guaranteed. In that scenario, the suspension may be applied retroactively, since his court case and the league’s investigation into the incident may not be resolved in the near future.

However, that scenario would require an acquiring team to keep Porter on its roster until he’s suspended, which would obviously be extremely unpopular with fans and members of the community. It also assumes that Porter will eventually be suspended, which isn’t certain, even if it seems likely given his history and the severity of the allegations.

Complicating matters further is the fact that Porter’s partially guaranteed salary for 2024/25 has several trigger dates throughout the upcoming season, which means any money a team might save via a suspension would be offset by owing him more money in ’24/25. He’s currently owed $1MM in ’24/25, but that will increase to $3MM on opening night and $6MM if he’s still on a team’s roster five days after the trade deadline.

Even if the Rockets can’t find a trade partner, Charania says Porter’s tenure with Houston — and possibly the NBA — is “most likely” nearing its end.

NBAGL Winter Showcase To Be Held In Orlando For Next Four Years

September 14th, 2023 at 12:47pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA G League’s Winter Showcase will be moving to Orlando, Florida, having reached a four-year agreement for the event to be held at the Orange County Convention Center, according to a league press release.

“The NBA G League is thrilled to work with Hyatt and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission to bring the 2023 NBA G League Winter Showcase to Orlando,” said Shareef Abdur-Rahim, NBA G League President. “We’re looking forward to working with Hyatt on enhancing the experience for players and team personnel at one of the NBA G League’s marquee events.”

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported a couple months ago that the Winter Showcase, which will be held from Dec. 19-22, would be moving to Orlando in 2023/24 due to the NBA’s new in-season tournament. Las Vegas had hosted the Winter Showcase for several years, but will instead host the semifinals and final of the in-season tournament.

The Winter Showcase is the culmination of the fall Showcase Cup. Eight teams — the top four regional qualifiers and the next four teams with the best winning percentages regardless of region — will square off in a single-elimination tournament at the event for the chance to win the Showcase Cup Championship.

Silver Discusses Player Participation Policy, In-Season Tournament, More

September 13th, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA’s new Player Participation Policy is designed to create the best possible product for the fans, commissioner Adam Silver told reporters, including Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, at a press conference Wednesday.

The guidelines, which were approved on Wednesday by the Board of Governors, were pursued by “everyone in the league,” Silver said. That includes owners, management, coaches, the NBPA and some individual players. They’re focused on producing a better experience for paying customers at the arenas and more reliability for media rights holders.

“This is ultimately about the fans,” Silver said. “And that we’ve taken this (load management) too far. This is an acknowledgment that it has gotten away from us a bit.”

Silver has been working for years to overcome the problem of the league’s best players appearing in fewer and fewer games. Under the PPP, teams will be subject to hefty fines if they violate the policy by giving excess rest to their stars, who are defined as anyone who has made an All-Star or All-NBA team during the previous three seasons.

“That doesn’t mean we were turning the clock back, that players are expected to play through injuries or that players never need rest,” Silver said. “But there’s a statement of a principle in this league that, if you’re a healthy player, you’re going to play.”

There’s more from Silver’s press conference:

The commissioner acknowledged that the new in-season tournament, which will debut this fall, may take a while to resonate, Aschburner adds. Silver added the league is committed to a long-term approach with the event. “It’s a multi-season issue, to the extent we’re looking to create a new tradition,” he said. “… If we’re seeing early indications of success, we’re going to see a little ratcheted-up intensity.”
Silver repeated his distaste for trade demands like the ones issued this summer by Damian Lillard and James Harden, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Although the Trail Blazers and Sixers haven’t made much progress on moving their unhappy stars, Silver doesn’t believe the public declarations are good for the league. “In terms of trade demands, of course, don’t like them,” Silver said. “As a league, want players and teams to honor their contracts. And I’m watching both the situation in Portland and Philadelphia, and hope they get worked out to the satisfaction of everyone before the season starts. And I’m glad that things seem to have settled down somewhat, at least in terms of public discourse.”
Silver said the league won’t do anything to force the sale of the Trail Blazers, relays TV station KGW8. When Paul Allen died in 2018, his will stipulated that the parts of his estate, including the NBA team, must be sold. However, Silver complimented Paul’s sister, Jody Allen, for running the team in “a first-class manner.”

Warriors Auditioning Veteran Players

September 13th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors are continuing to hold workouts with veteran NBA players as they look to fill out their roster, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

In addition to Kent Bazemore and Juan Toscano-Anderson, who were previously identified as working out for the team, Scotto names Dewayne Dedmon, Will Barton, Jaylen Nowell, Stanley Johnson and Derrick Favors as others who have been given tryouts.

Scotto notes that three of those players have previous experience with the organization. Bazemore signed with Golden State for the 2020/21 season, Toscano-Anderson was part of the 2021/22 title team, and Dedmon played four games for the Warriors during his rookie season.

Barton also has an upcoming workout with the Pelicans, sources tell Scotto. He was a starter with the Nuggets for several seasons, but saw his role diminish last year after being traded to the Wizards and then joining the Raptors as a free agent.

Favors recently worked out for the Trail Blazers, Scotto adds. The 32-year-old big man didn’t appear in any games last season, although he signed a 10-day contract with the Hawks in January.

Nowell averaged a career-high 10.8 PPG for the Timberwolves last season, but he hasn’t found a new team, even though Minnesota was believed to be open to a sign-and-trade deal. A report this summer indicated that the Mavericks had interest in Nowell, but nothing came of it.

Johnson, who has been with five teams over the past four years, averaged 5.8 PPG while shooting 45% from three-point range in 30 games with the Spurs last season.

Golden State has 13 players with guaranteed contracts and is expected to fill one of its two roster openings before the start of the season. The Warriors also have one two-way slot filled and commitments for three Exhibit 10 deals, so they can sign four more players before training camp opens.