Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks Re-Sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo

July 28th, 2023 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

3:58pm: The Bucks have officially re-signed Antetokounmpo, the team announced in a press release.

2:51pm: Free agent forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo has agreed to re-sign with the Bucks, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The older brother of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis has spent the last four seasons in Milwaukee, averaging 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game (162 games) during that time. Prior to 2019, he primarily played overseas and in the G League, though he did have a brief NBA stint with New York in 2015/16.

According to Charania (Twitter link), Thanasis chose the Bucks over multiple other options, including the Knicks.

Given Thanasis’ limited contributions at the NBA level, it would be a little surprising if multiple teams were vying to offer the 31-year-old a fully guaranteed contract — we’ll have to wait to see what the details of his new deal are. Based on the Bucks’ financial situation, it figures to be worth the veteran’s minimum.

Milwaukee currently has 14 players on guaranteed contracts, so if the team plans to have Thanasis on its regular season roster, he would fill the 15th and final spot, barring additional moves. In that scenario, the Bucks would be carrying two pairs of brothers on their 2023/24 squad, with Brook Lopez and Robin Lopez also under contract.

Udonis Haslem Officially Confirms Retirement

July 28th, 2023 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

When Udonis Haslem re-signed with the Heat in 2022, he made it clear that the 2022/23 season would be his last, a stance that he didn’t waver from over the course of the year.

On Friday, he made it clear that he hasn’t reconsidered that decision, publishing an Instagram post in which he officially confirmed that he’s retiring as a player.

“I consider myself extremely blessed to say I can leave this game with no regrets,” Haslem wrote as part of a larger statement. “The championships, the accolades, the brotherhood, man it’s hard not to be at peace. Undrafted to a 3x Champion, All-Rookie 2nd Team, Teammate Of The Year, the oldest player to play in an NBA Finals game, Miami Heat’s all-time leading rebounder and longest-tenured player, the list goes on.

“… I will always be the #OG, but now it’s time for the family man and the businessman to get to work… #40, see you in the rafters soon. Until then, #OG out.”

Haslem, 43, joined the Heat as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and spent the next 20 years with the franchise, appearing in 879 regular season games and another 149 postseason contests. He won titles with the club in 2006, 2012, and 2013, averaging 7.5 points and 6.6 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game over the course of his career.

Although he hasn’t played regular rotation minutes since the 2014/15 season, Haslem had remained a valued member of Miami’s roster since then, signing a series of one-year contracts to remain with the club.

Haslem has been the NBA’s oldest player since Vince Carter retired in 2020, and joins Carter as just one of 10 players in league history to play at least 20 seasons. Unlike most members of that group, Haslem spent all 20 of his seasons with a single team, becoming just the third player in NBA history to play for the same franchise for at least two decades — Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) and Kobe Bryant (Lakers) are the two others.

Even though Haslem has retired, he has still been around the team this summer, serving as a mentor to its younger players. However, during his final few years as a player, he repeatedly told reporters that he had no desire to become a coach and would prefer to explore the possibility of buying into the Heat as a minority owner.

“I look to take a path of ownership, but to be a working owner, not a guy who crosses his legs and sits on the sideline,” Haslem said in February. “I want to be a guy that connects the dots between the locker room and front office, connects the dots between the front office and the owners.”

Wizards Sign Jared Butler To Two-Way Deal

July 28th, 2023 at 12:42pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

JULY 28: The Wizards have officially signed Butler, according to a press release from the team. The club has one open two-way slot remaining.

JULY 24: The Wizards have agreed to sign free agent point guard Jared Butler to a two-way deal, his agent Mark Bartelstein at Priority Sports informs Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Butler, 22, was selected with the No. 40 overall pick out of Baylor in 2021. He played out his rookie season with the Jazz, who waived him ahead of the 2022/23 season. He joined the Nuggets’ NBAGL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, at the start of last season, before eventually latching on with the Thunder on a two-way deal this past March.

Across 48 total NBA contests in his two seasons of experience, Butler holds averages of 4.1 PPG on .415/.343/.688 shooting, along with 1.5 APG.

Last year in the NBAGL, he enjoyed significantly more run, and accordingly had more impressive stats. He posted averages of 16.7 PPG, 6.3 APG, 3.3 RPG, and 0.9 SPG in his 27 total games split between the Grand Rapids Gold and the Thunders’ G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue.

Bronny James Discharged From Hospital After Cardiac Arrest

July 27th, 2023 at 7:39pm CST by Rory Maher

After suffering cardiac arrest on Monday during a workout at USC’s Galen Center, incoming Trojan freshman and potential 2024 first-round pick Bronny James has been discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, writes Jeff Borzello of ESPN.

“Thanks to the swift and effective response by the USC athletics’ medical staff, Bronny James was successfully treated for a sudden cardiac arrest,” Merije Chukumerije, the consulting cardiologist for James, said in a statement. “He arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center fully conscious, neurologically intact and stable. Mr. James was cared for promptly by highly-trained staff and has been discharged home, where he is resting.

“Although his workup will be ongoing, we are hopeful for his continued progress and are encouraged by his response, resilience, and his family and community support.”

NBA superstar LeBron James, Bronny’s father, sent out a tweet on Thursday indicating his son was home.

“I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers,” LeBron wrote. “We feel you and I’m so grateful. Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. Will have more to say when we’re ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us!”

A family spokesperson told Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter) that Bronny was released late Tuesday night, so he was in the hospital for less than 48 hours.

A report from TMZ early Wednesday morning indicated the James family was “relieved” and feeling “optimistic” about Bronny’s prognosis. That said, sources tell TMZ that more tests need to be run before doctors can determine why the young guard suffered the cardiac arrest.

Spurs Sign Sidy Cissoko To Three-Year Deal

July 27th, 2023 at 11:04am CST by Arthur Hill

Second-round pick Sidy Cissoko has agreed to a three-year contract with the Spurs, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. His signing is confirmed in the NBA.com transactions log.

Although a source confirms to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express News (Twitter link) that it’s a standard contract, no details are provided on how many years are guaranteed. The signing will add to a crowded roster, as the Spurs already have 17 players with standard deals.

The French forward was selected with the 44th pick in last month’s draft after playing one year with the G League Ignite. He was the first European player to sign with the G League team. Cissoko played for San Antonio during Summer League and impressed team officials with his aggressiveness on offense.

Dominick Barlow Returns To Spurs On Two-Way Deal

July 27th, 2023 at 10:50am CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 27: Barlow’s signing is official, the Spurs confirmed (via Twitter).

JULY 26: Power forward Dominick Barlow will remain with the Spurs on a two-way contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The news was confirmed by his agent, Todd Ramasar of Life Sports Agency, Wojnarowski adds.

Barlow, 20, was a restricted free agent after receiving a qualifying offer from San Antonio last month. His new deal amounts to another two-way contract with a small guarantee for the upcoming season.

Barlow inked a two-way deal with the Spurs last summer after going undrafted following a year with Overtime Elite. He spent much of the season in the G League, but he appeared in 28 NBA games and averaged 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per night. He put up some impressive numbers in April, including 21 points and 19 rebounds on the final day of the NBA’s regular season.

Once Barlow’s signing becomes official, the Spurs will have one open two-way slot on their roster. Sir’Jabari Rice is also signed to a two-way deal.

Bradley Beal Hopes To Revive Career With Suns

July 26th, 2023 at 9:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bradley Beal was at his son’s baseball game when his agent broke the news that he was being traded to Phoenix, he says in an interview with Deyscha Smith of Slam Magazine. Beal stayed and watched the rest of the game while speculation ran wild on social media about the new super-team in Phoenix and how Beal can co-exist with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton.

It’s been about a month since the trade became official, and Beal is well into the process of connecting with his new Suns teammates. They set up a group chat to keep in touch throughout the summer, and Beal said they’ve made him feel welcome in his new home.

“Everybody’s been unreal in this whole transition,” he said. “This is all new for me, but I’m embracing it, and these guys have all embraced me. It’s like, I’m ready to get to work, you know? This is definitely an awesome group of guys to be a part of. We’re still building on our team, but it’s been a joy so far.”

Beal describes Durant and Booker as “humble” and says he tries to approach the game the same way they do. He doesn’t expect any problems as three players who’ve been primary scorers throughout their careers try to blend their talents into a cohesive unit.

Beal was a three-time All-Star in Washington, but his reputation has taken a hit recently as a result of injuries and a decline in performance. After averaging 30.5 and 31.3 PPG in back-to-back seasons, Beal fell off to 23.2 in the last two years while playing 40 and 50 games.

He told Smith that he hasn’t set any individual goals for the upcoming season, but he hopes to prove he can still be one of NBA’s best players on both ends of the court.

“Showing that I can really compete at a high level and play a meaningful game. You know, playing in the playoffs, winning in the playoffs, advancing past rounds,” Beal said. “Granted, I wanna get back to my All-Star level of play. I really believe that that’s who I am: All-NBA guy, All-Star guy. And I have a good group that can push me to be that every single day. So I’m excited about that opportunity. I get to be around like-minded guys and guys who will push me to make sure that I’m the best version of myself every day.”

Beal is trying to savor the changes in his life after spending his first 11 seasons with the Wizards. He said it felt like he “got drafted all over again” when he put on a Suns uniform for the first time, but he hopes the legacy he built in Washington will endure now that he’s on the other side of the country.

“I had so many great memories and so many great moments in DC,” Beal said. “It’s really hard to pinpoint one. I think I’m just grateful for all the bonds and the relationships I’ve built. I think that’s what I’ll propel into my next chapter of life. I want this chapter to be more or less open and me not trying to control everything.

“I think we, as humans, sometimes try to control our lives a little too much. I want to just let this wave kind of take me where it wants to go and let God lead the way and enjoy it every step of the way.”

Knicks Sign Dylan Windler To Two-Way Deal, Waive Trevor Keels

July 26th, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 26: The Knicks have confirmed the signing of Windler and the previously reported release of Keels (Twitter link).

JULY 24: The Knicks are signing free agent wing Dylan Windler to a two-way contract, agents Andy Shiffman and Mark Bartelstein tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

The 26th pick of the 2019 draft, Windler spent all four of his NBA seasons with the Cavaliers, who chose not to give him a qualifying offer last month, making him an unrestricted free agent.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN observes (via Twitter), Windler would previously have been ineligible to receive a two-way contract, but a new provision in the CBA means he’s only counted as having three years of service because he missed his entire rookie season with an injury.

According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link), even though it was reported that Nathan Knight would receive a two-way deal (and confirmed by Bondy himself), the team’s press release didn’t specify that he actually received said two-way deal. However, NBA.com’s official transactions log has Knight on a two-way deal.

Knight’s contract situation is relevant because the Knicks would have all three two-way slots filled if the big man is indeed on a two-way deal. Jaylen Martin and Trevor Keels occupy the other two-way slots, while Duane Washington could still accept his two-way qualifying offer.

A source tells Fred Katz of The Athletic that Knight is on a one-year, two-way contract, so the Knicks will have to either convert one of their players on a two-way deal to a standard contract or release someone (Twitter links).

Windler, 26, only appeared in 84 games during his time with Cleveland, including three games for just 10 total minutes in 2022/23. He holds career averages of 3.3 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 11.7 MPG.

The former Belmont star played 11 regular season games (22.2 MPG) for the Cavs’ G League affiliate (the Cleveland Charge) last season, averaging 12.2 PPG and 5.9 RPG on .523/.407/.632 shooting.

Juancho Hernangomez Joins Panathinaikos On Two-Year Deal

July 26th, 2023 at 5:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Juancho Hernangomez is returning to Europe after seven NBA seasons, tweets Greek basketball writer George Zakkas, who confirms that Hernangomez has signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos.

The 27-year-old forward has been a free agent since being waived by the Raptors at the end of February when the team signed Will Barton. Hernangomez spent less than a full season in Toronto and averaged 2.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 42 games.

There was a report earlier this month that Hernangomez might join his brother in Barcelona, but he wanted to seek another NBA opportunity before committing to playing overseas. When that didn’t happen, Hernangomez accepted the offer from Panathinaikos.

A native of Madrid, Spain, Hernangomez played four seasons for his hometown club, Estudiantes, before being drafted by Denver with the 15th pick in 2016. He was traded to Minnesota after three-and-a-half seasons with the Nuggets and later had short stays with the Celtics, Spurs and Jazz before coming to Toronto.

Hernangomez, best known to some fans of Bo Cruz in the Netflix film ‘Hustle,’ has career averages of 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 339 NBA games.

Lakers Sign Alex Fudge To Two-Way Deal, Waive Cole Swider

July 26th, 2023 at 4:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

4:51pm: The contract with Fudge is official, the Lakers announced (via Twitter).

4:33pm: The Lakers will sign Alex Fudge to a two-way contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They will open up a two-way slot by waiving Cole Swider, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Fudge, a 20-year-old forward, put up modest numbers during his college career at LSU and Florida, averaging 4.6 and 3.9 rebounds over two seasons.

Fudge played for L.A.’s Summer League team, and although his statistics didn’t stand out, he impressed the Lakers enough with his athleticism to earn a two-way opportunity. A previous report had indicated he would be signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the team.

Swider, a 24-year-old small forward, signed a two-way contract with L.A. last summer after going undrafted out of Villanova. He appeared in just seven games for the Lakers, spending most of his rookie year in the G League, where he averaged 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 27 regular season games.

Swider’s contract for the upcoming season is non-guaranteed, so L.A. won’t be on the hook for any more money. Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge occupy the team’s other two-way spots.