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Thunder’s Williams, Holmgren Among Players Joining USA Select Team

July 20th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren of the Thunder and Jalen Green of the Rockets are among the young players joining the USA Select Team ahead of the upcoming FIBA World Cup, league sources tell Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Those three players will be eligible to travel with Team USA to the Philippines and could potentially be added to the 12-man national team roster in the event of an injury, per The Athletic.

Williams, Holmgren and Green will be joined by Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Kings forward Keegan Murray for Team USA’s training camp in a couple of weeks, where they will practice and scrimmage against the main roster, according to Charania and Vardon. As many as 12 players could end up being named to the Select Team.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported (via Twitter) that Cunningham would attend the training camp. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick was actually offered a spot on the senior team’s roster, according to Wojnarowski, but decided to forgo the opportunity in order to focus on the 2023/24 season. Cunningham was limited to 12 games last season due to a shin injury which required surgery.

Williams, the runner-up for the ’22/23 Rookie of the Year award, is coming off a stellar first season with OKC, averaging 14.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.3 APG and 1.4 SPG on .521/.356/.812 shooting in 75 games (30.3 MPG). Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick last year, missed the entire season due to foot surgery, but he’s healthy again and recently played during Las Vegas Summer League.

Green, the No. 2 overall pick in 2021, averaged 22.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 3.7 APG on .416/.338/.786 shooting in 76 games (34.2 MPG) for Houston last season. Murray was the fourth pick of last year’s draft. The former Iowa product averaged 12.2 PPG and 4.6 RPG while shooting 41.1% from three-point range during his All-Rookie First Team campaign.

The Americans will start training camp for the World Cup on August 3 in Las Vegas, with their first game scheduled later that month in the Philippines.

Heat Promote GM Elisburg To Executive VP Of Basketball Operations

July 20th, 2023 at 1:57pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat have promoted senior vice president of basketball operations and general manager Andy Elisburg to executive vice president of basketball operations, the team announced in a press release. In addition to his new title, he will retain his dual title of GM.

Elisburg has been with Miami since the team’s inception in 1988. He has served as senior VP of basketball ops and GM for the past 10 years.

“Andy is so deserving of this promotion,” said president Pat Riley. “Working together for 28 years has brought so many great transactions that have improved the franchise multiple times over the years, both on and off the court. More importantly, Andy’s knowledge and work ethic are second to none, he’s been involved with everything we do at the HEAT and we look forward to continued success.”

While Riley is frequently (and justifiably) credited for the Heat’s success over the past two decades, Elisburg has been an instrumental behind-the-scenes figure who is said to be a shrewd negotiator and a CBA expert. Miami has won three championships and made seven NBA Finals appearances since 2006, when the team won its first title.

Suns To Launch New G League Affiliate

July 20th, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns are planning to have a G League affiliate, possibly by the 2024/25 season, writes Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Once the Trail Blazers launch their G League team this fall, Phoenix will be the only NBA franchise without a direct affiliate in the league. The Suns used to operate a team in Northern Arizona, but former owner Robert Sarver sold it to the Pistons in 2020.

“Bringing a G League team to the Valley has been a priority for us, and I am excited that we have begun the process and the wheels are in motion to have a team in Phoenix as early as the 2024/25 season,” owner Mat Ishbia announced. “Not only will this allow us to develop young players within our winning culture, but also will serve as an opportunity to expand our reach and connect with even more basketball fans across the region. This investment further strengthens our connection with the community and continues to elevate Phoenix as the epicenter of basketball.”

The new franchise will be located somewhere in the Phoenix area, sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. During their four seasons in operation, the Northern Arizona Suns played in Prescott Valley, which is about 90 minutes away from Phoenix.

There are several criteria an NBA team has to meet to acquire a G League affiliate, Rankin adds, including having a lease agreement with an arena that complies with league standards. Those standards involve having enough locker rooms, approved ceiling clearance and available dates for 24 regular season home games. The G League doesn’t designate a minimum number of seats for its arenas.

Before they can begin their new franchise, the Suns will have to hire coaches, staff members, a team president and a general manager.

Without a direct affiliate, any Phoenix players who get sent to the G League are assigned to another team. That affects control of how the players are used and removes the potential benefit of developing them in a system that’s similar the one that the Suns operate.

Ishbia teased the announcement Monday during an appearance on the Burns and Gambo radio show, per Kellan Olson of Arizona Sports 98.7.

“We believe in developing young players,” Ishbia told the hosts. “… In the very near future, hopefully we’ll be able to announce a different strategy on that.”

Olson notes that the Suns have rarely sent their two-way players to the G League since selling the Northern Arizona franchise.

Pacers First-Rounder Jarace Walker Had “Minor” Elbow Surgery

July 19th, 2023 at 4:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Jarace Walker underwent “minor” surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The Pacers forward is expected to be completely healed when training camp opens in the fall, per Wojnarowski.

Walker spent his lone college season with the Houston Cougars, averaging 11.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.0 SPG and 1.3 BPG on .465/.347/.663 shooting in 36 games (27.6 MPG) in 2022/23. Known as a strong defensive player, Walker was the eighth pick of last month’s draft.

The 19-year-old appeared in four Summer League games for Indiana in Las Vegas, averaging 14.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG in 30.1 MPG. While those all-around stats are quite solid, he struggled mightily with scoring efficiency, posting a .343/.179/.444 shooting line. It’s safe to assume his elbow was affecting him, considering he reportedly underwent surgery to correct the ailment.

Assuming no other major roster moves are made, Walker will likely be vying with Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith for the starting power forward job entering ’23/24. Nesmith spent much of last season as the small-ball starting four, but he’s only 6’5″ and the Pacers were obviously focused on adding talent at the position this summer.

Thunder Sign Mark Daigneault To Contract Extension

July 19th, 2023 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have signed head coach Mark Daigneault to a contract extension, the team announced today in a press release.

Oklahoma City didn’t provide any specific details on how long the new agreement will keep Daigneault under contract, simply referring to it as a “multiyear” deal.

Daigneault, 38, worked under Billy Donovan as a graduate student at Florida, then joined him as an assistant on the Gators staff from 2010-14 before making the move to OKC. He was the head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue – the Thunder’s G League affiliate – for several seasons while also serving as an assistant on Donovan’s staff with the NBA club in 2016 and again in 2019/20.

Following Donovan’s exit for Chicago in 2020, the Thunder promoted Daigneault to head coach. While his 86-150 (.364) record across three seasons doesn’t look great on paper, the rebuilding club has shown real signs of progress under Daigneault, particularly in 2022/23 — OKC went 40-42 during the regular season and won a play-in game in New Orleans before losing out on the No. 8 seed by dropping a second play-in contest in Minnesota.

Daigneault, who was the runner-up to Mike Brown in Coach of the Year voting this spring, will be tasked going forward with turning an ascendant team led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, Luguentz Dort, and Chet Holmgren into a legitimate contender.

Suns Sign Bol Bol

July 18th, 2023 at 6:16pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 18: The signing is official, according to the NBA transactions log.

JULY 16: The Suns have reached an agreement to sign free agent forward/center Bol Bol to a one-year contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), Bol’s deal with Phoenix will be fully guaranteed.

The move had been expected since last weekend, when reports indicated that the Suns were the frontrunners to sign Bol. The 23-year-old was waived earlier this month by Orlando, as the Magic opted to move on from him before his salary for 2023/24 became guaranteed.

A second-round pick in 2019, Bol was limited to 53 games in Denver during his first three years in the NBA due to injuries, but enjoyed his best season in 2022/23 with the Magic. The 7’2″ big man stayed on the floor for 70 games and averaged 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 21.5 minutes per night.

Given his modest $2.2MM salary and his unique skill set, it was a little surprising that the Magic decided to move on from Bol, but he struggled to consistently produce during the second half of last season. In his final 29 games, his playing time and shooting efficiency dropped off, as he scored double-digit points just three times and recorded averages of 5.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 0.7 BPG on .447/.098/.806 shooting.

The Suns agreed to trade Cameron Payne to San Antonio in order to open up a roster spot for Bol, who will sign a minimum-salary contract. Once both moves are official, the club will be carrying 13 players on guaranteed contracts, plus Jordan Goodwin and Ish Wainright on non-guaranteed deals.

Bol figures to compete for minutes in a frontcourt that includes big men Deandre Ayton, Drew Eubanks, and Chimezie Metu.

Morey Spells Out What He Wants In Potential Harden Deal

July 18th, 2023 at 3:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey says he’s trying to honor James Harden‘s trade request but won’t make a deal unless he can get a top-level player in return, or enough assets to acquire a difference-maker in a separate trade.

In a revealing radio interview on The Anthony Gargano Show, Morey discussed the Harden situation, as well as other roster issues. The quotes were posted by 975TheFanatic.com. Morey said he’s seeking a “running mate” for Joel Embiid in a potential Harden trade, though he’s still hopeful Harden will change his mind.

“I do have a long relationship with him, and I am attempting to honor that,” Morey said. “If we do look at a trade, it will be for one of two things. Either a player who helps us be right there like we were last year. Up 3-2 on one of the best teams in the East, the Celtics. Obviously, we didn’t get it done, but James is one of the reasons we were up 3-2. Or we are going to do it where we get enough draft picks so we can turn those into a player who can be a running mate with Joel. If we don’t get either – a very good player or something we can turn into a very good player – then we will just not do it.”

In regard to finding another top talent to pair with Embiid, Morey expressed hope that Tyrese Maxey could develop into that type of player.

Here are some other highlights from the interview:

Morey confirmed that the disconnect between Harden and the front office is due to the guard’s contract demands. Harden took a pay cut and signed a two-year deal last summer. He’s seeking a long-term deal, which Philly is reluctant to give him. “He is wishing for a different situation contractually,” Morey said. “That has been the main desire for looking for a new situation. At this point, if we can do something that is win–win, we will look at it. But if we can’t, then we won’t.” Harden picked up his option for next season prior to free agency.
Morey realizes that fans are weary of the team’s playoff flameouts and says he feels their pain. “Losing the way we did, the fact that this has happened over and over. I do nothing else but try to figure out how to get this team over the hump.”
Morey tried to calm down fans who are concerned about Embiid’s recent comments about wanting to win a championship “whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else.” He had some fun with that yesterday, that was a very Joel day yesterday. I spoke to him at length, he is very excited,” Morey said. “Coach (Nick) Nurse is planning to do some innovative things for training camp that Joel is excited about. ... He wants to win in Philly. That is the only place he wants to win. He was referencing the fact it is not totally in his control.”
With Harden and Tobias Harris on expiring contracts, the Sixers could be in the rare position of a contending team with plenty of cap space next summer. Morey plans to protect that cap space as much as possible. He’s hopeful of acquiring another star in that fashion: “What we are attempting to do is not just have the best team this season, but also have the ability to be a very unique team with the most cap room for a team that is as good as us. The new CBA next year will put massive constraints downwards on salaries in the league. So us being the only team with a top player, where another player can join, puts us in a very unique situation.”
That cap situation for 2024 is why the Sixers aren’t planning to extend Maxey this offseason, Mike Vurkonov of The Athletic tweets. “Because of the quirk of the CBA we will be able to add a significant player next year before we extend Maxey and he’ll be a cornerstone, once we do that, with the franchise for a very long time,” Morey said.

Nets Sign Armoni Brooks To Two-Way Contract

July 18th, 2023 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have signed free agent guard Armoni Brooks to a two-way contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) first reported the agreement.

Brooks, 25, has appeared in 74 games for the Rockets and Raptors since the start of the 2020/21 season, averaging 6.9 PPG and 2.3 RPG on .366/.330/.758 shooting. He was in camp with Atlanta last fall before being waived in October.

Although he hasn’t really shown it at the NBA level yet, Brooks is a solid outside shooter, having made 38.6% of his career three-pointers on 7.2 attempts per game in 86 G League contests. He also played well for the Nets’ Summer League team in Las Vegas this month, putting up 17.8 PPG on a scorching hot .500/.476/.875 shooting line.

Brooks and Jalen Wilson now occupy two of Brooklyn’s three two-way contract slots. RaiQuan Gray had also been on a two-way deal with the team, but was waived this afternoon, so the Nets still have one slot open.

Nuggets Re-Sign Collin Gillespie On Two-Way Deal

July 17th, 2023 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets have retained Collin Gillespie on a two-way deal, according to the NBA’s transactions log.

Gillespie suffered a lower left leg fracture last summer but still received a two-way contract and remained on Denver’s roster despite the injury. The Nuggets extended him a qualifying offer last month, making him a restricted free agent.

An undrafted guard out of Villanova, Gillespie averaged 15.6 PPG for the Wildcats in his final college season, shooting 41.5% from three-point range. Gillespie averaged 11.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.3 APG and 1.5 SPG in four Summer League contests last year before sustaining the injury.

He saw action in four Summer League games this month, averaging 7.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.4 steals in 29.7 minutes per game.

With Gillespie back in the fold, the Nuggets have filled their three two-way spots. Forward Braxton Key and center Jay Huff will reportedly take the other two spots, though those transactions aren’t yet official.

Thunder Sign Vasilije Micic To Three-Year Deal

July 17th, 2023 at 5:07pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 17: The Thunder have officially signed Micic, according to a team press release.

JULY 1: European star Vasilije Micic has agreed to a three-year, $23.5MM contract with the Thunder, agent Jason Ranne tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Micic traveled to Oklahoma City a few weeks ago to discuss a potential contract with the Thunder. A report last week from Christos Tsaltas of Sportal.gr stated that Micic was “determined” to play in the NBA in 2023/24, and now he’ll be coming stateside on a lucrative multiyear deal.

Micic, 29, was selected by Philadelphia with the 52nd overall pick in the 2014 draft. The Sixers traded his draft rights in 2020 to the Thunder, who have held them for the last three years.

The 6’5″ guard has been playing in Europe since 2010 and has been a member of Anadolu Efes since 2018. He won back-to-back EuroLeague championships with the club in 2021 and 2022 and was named the EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player in 2021. He and Anadolu Efes have also claimed Turkish League titles in 2019, 2021, and 2023, with Micic earning Finals MVP honors this year.

The Thunder already have several young guards on their roster, but they seem quite high on the Serbian veteran. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), several teams trade to acquire Micic’s rights during last month’s NBA draft, including the Jazz, but OKC decided to retain him.

Micic averaged 16.0 points, 5.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 31 EuroLeague contests last season, posting a .435/.357/.870 shooting line in 31 games (31.3 minutes).

The Thunder may have their room exception, which can now be used on signings of up to three years, earmarked for Micic.