Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Thunder Rumors

Thunder Sign Olivier Sarr To Two-Way Contract

February 21st, 2022 at 8:23pm CST by Rory Maher

The Thunder have signed Olivier Sarr to a two-way deal, the team announced in a press release. He previously spent time with the team via two 10-day hardship contracts. He appeared in two games with the Thunder for a total of 14 minutes, averaging 2 points and 2.5 rebounds.

Sarr, who just turned 23 on Sunday, spent four years in college — three with Wake Forest and then his senior season with Kentucky. He went undrafted this past summer after averaging 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds with the Wildcats.

Sarr has spent the majority of the season with the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue. Through 23 games with the Blue, he’s averaged 7.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 15.7 minutes per contest.

Both of Oklahoma City’s two-way slots are now filled. The team had one available after promoting Aaron Wiggins to its 15-man roster earlier in the month.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Sam Presti Receives High Praise From LeBron James

February 20th, 2022 at 9:31pm CST by JD Shaw
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Western Notes: Thunder, Jazz, Kings, Iguodala, Finney-Smith

February 14th, 2022 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

After mostly sitting out last week’s trade deadline – with the exception of a very minor deal involving KZ Okpala – the Thunder are still about $23MM below the $101.2MM salary cap floor for 2021/22, John Hollinger writes for The Athletic.

As Hollinger explains, the Thunder’s situation is a “very hot topic in the agent world,” since teams are required to either spend to the salary floor or pay the difference to their players. Assuming Oklahoma City doesn’t try to get to the floor by signing free agents to deals that include oversized first-year salaries, the team could end up paying about $1.5MM to each of its own players at season’s end.

Hollinger believes this latter scenario is more likely than the Thunder spending big on free agents in the next couple months. Recent European imports who have received big late-season free agent contracts, such as Gabriel Deck and Luca Vildoza, haven’t exactly worked out, and it’s not OKC will feel the need to be a major player on the buyout market.

More importantly, even if the team is required to pay its own players at the end of the season to reach the salary floor, those payments won’t count toward the cap. In other words, the Thunder could still take upwards of $31MM in cap room into draft night, giving them the ability to make trades in June that other clubs wouldn’t be able to accommodate.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

  • Howard Beck of SI.com is the latest reporter to suggest that the alleged tension between Jazz teammates Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell hasn’t exactly dissipated. “I think they’re in trouble, because this thing has run its course and we know there are some tensions that are in that locker room,” Beck said on The Crossover NBA Show podcast with Chris Mannix (hat tip to HoopsHype). “And I’ve been told recently that they might be a little worse than we’ve even been led to believe. And so if this doesn’t end well this postseason, and there’s no reason to think that it will… those ‘Donovan Mitchell wants out’ rumors are going to be starting, like, as soon as the season is over.”
  • General manager Monte McNair felt that the players the Kings acquired at the deadline – including Domantas Sabonis, Donte DiVincenzo, and Justin Holiday – are good fits both on and off the court. “We want competitors, toughness,” McNair said over the weekend, per Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. “We need to improve our rebounding and defense. And I think all these guys that we’ve brought are not just great players, good talents, all that type of stuff, but guys that are going to fit into that type of culture we’re trying to build here.”
  • Warriors swingman Andre Iguodala, who has played just once since January 20, went through the team’s shootaround today, but will remain sidelined until after the All-Star break, per head coach Steve Kerr (Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). Iguodala is dealing with lower back tightness.
  • Dorian Finney-Smith‘s new four-year extension with the Mavericks is worth the maximum amount he was eligible for ($55,560,960) and includes a trade kicker of 5%, Hoops Rumors has learned.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

February 14th, 2022 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Several NBA teams typically end up with newly-opened roster spots following the trade deadline. This happens for a variety of reasons. Some teams make two-for-one or three-for-one trades; some acquire players in cap-related deals and immediately cut them; others buy out or release players they weren’t able to move at the deadline.

Whatever the reason may be, there are plenty of available roster spots around the NBA, and it’s a good bet that most of them will be filled before the end of the regular season. Contending teams will want to fortify their depth for the playoffs, while lottery-bound clubs will take fliers on prospects willing to accept multiyear deals that aren’t fully guaranteed beyond this season.

Here, with the help of our roster counts page, is a look at the teams that have open roster spots as of February 14:

Teams with open 15-man roster spots:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics (3)
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Denver Nuggets *
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Houston Rockets
  • Miami Heat (2)
  • Milwaukee Bucks (3) *
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

* The Nuggets (DeMarcus Cousins) and Bucks (Greg Monroe) each have a player on a 10-day contract. We’re counting those roster spots as “open” because Cousins’ and Monroe’s deals will expire this week.

If we count the Nuggets, exactly half of the NBA’s 30 teams have at least one 15-man roster spot available. Twelve of those clubs have a single open roster spot, while the Celtics, Heat, and Bucks have multiple openings.

Since teams are only permitted to dip below 14 players on standard contracts for up to two weeks at a time, Boston, Miami, and Milwaukee will all have to get back to that league-mandated minimum before the end of the month.

The other teams on this list aren’t under immediate pressure to add a 15th man, and some may hold off for a little while for financial reasons — or just to wait to see who else becomes available on the buyout market in the next couple weeks.

Some of these clubs – including the Heat with Caleb Martin, the Pelicans with Jose Alvarado, and the Raptors with Justin Champagnie – might use their open roster spot to promote a player on a two-way contract who has earned regular minutes.

Teams with open two-way spots:

  • Boston Celtics
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Utah Jazz

The Celtics (Sam Hauser) and Thunder (Aaron Wiggins) have each promoted a two-way player to the 15-man roster since the trade deadline. The other three teams on this list released a two-way player in January, creating an opening.

In the past, teams haven’t been able to sign players to two-way contracts after January 15, but that restriction doesn’t exist this season, so I expect we’ll see some – if not all – of these teams fill their open two-way slots sooner or later.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Thunder Sign Aaron Wiggins To Four-Year Deal

February 12th, 2022 at 5:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:28pm: Wiggins’ new contract is official, the Thunder announced (via Twitter).

5:34pm: The Thunder will give two-way player Aaron Wiggins a four-year, $6.4MM contract, tweets Shams Charania of the Athletic. The fourth year will be a team option, and the deal was confirmed by Wiggins’ agent, Austin Walton.

Wiggins will receive $1MM for the rest of this season in addition to what he has already earned, Walton tells Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). That means the remaining three years will be worth the minimum.

Next season will be fully guaranteed, but 2023/24 is non-guaranteed. Wiggins is now the fourth highest-paid player from the second round of the 2021 draft, Mussatto adds.

After being selected with the 55th pick, the 23-year-old shooting guard signed a two-way contract shortly after the draft. He has appeared in 31 games, starting 18, and is averaging 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per night.

When the move becomes official, Oklahoma City will have a full 15-man roster with an open two-way slot.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Thunder Waive KZ Okpala

February 11th, 2022 at 4:35pm CST by Rory Maher

The Thunder have waived forward KZ Okpala, the team announced. Okpala was acquired via trade from the Heat earlier this week.

The 32nd overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Stanford, Okpala appeared in just 63 games across three seasons for Miami. In 2021/22, he has averaged 3.7 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 21 contests (11.6 MPG). Okapala hasn’t played since December due to a wrist injury.

If someone claims Okpala off waivers, he’ll eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end. Otherwise, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent once he clears waivers. By waiving Okpala, the Thunder clear a spot on their 15-man roster.

It’s possible they could ink Mamadi Diakite to a new deal, since they ended his 10-day contract a day early to complete the trade for Okpala. The trade was clearly about Miami’s future first-round pick that is owed to OKC, which was amended as part of the trade.

Instead of owing Oklahoma City their top-14 protected first-round pick in 2023, the Heat will now owe OKC their 2025 first-rounder (also top-14 protected).

That ’23 first-rounder would have been top-14 protected for three straight seasons before becoming unprotected in 2026. Now, the Heat’s ’25 first-rounder will be lottery-protected for just one year before becoming unprotected in ’26.

Essentially, the Thunder improved their odds of gaining a higher first-rounder by pushing the pick a couple years into the future (when the Heat could theoretically be less assured of having a playoff-caliber roster) and ensuring it has just one year of protection.

The 2026 second-rounder the Heat acquired in the trade will be the least favorable of the Thunder’s, Mavericks’, and Sixers’ second-rounders that year, according to the Heat’s announcement.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Thunder Sign Lindy Waters III To Two-Way Deal

February 10th, 2022 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

The Thunder have signed Lindy Waters III to a two-way deal, the team announced. To make room for Waters, OKC waived Paul Watson.

Waters is a native of Norman, Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma State in college. He went undrafted after his senior season in 2020. Through 25 games with the Blue this season, OKC’s G League affiliate, Waters has averaged 11.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, and 1.8 SPG on .548/.513/.941 shooting.

Watson, 27, has bounced around the past few years. He signed a 10-day contract with Atlanta in 2019/20 before catching on with the Raptors for a two-way deal. That deal was converted into a standard contract last season after Watson had a strong performance with the club, but he was waived in August 2021.

Through nine games with the Thunder this season, Watson averaged 3.4 PPG and 3.0 RPG. He struggled mightily with his shot, putting up a .343/.231/.500 shooting line in just 17.3 MPG.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Lakers, Warriors, Knicks, Bulls Among Teams Standing Pat At Deadline

February 10th, 2022 at 2:54pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The struggling Lakers, losers of seven of their last 10 games, opted not to make any moves leading up to the NBA trade deadline. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), Los Angeles will instead look to the buyout market to shore up their club.

Underperforming Lakers wing Talen Horton-Tucker, who had been considered L.A.’s most logical trade chip, will now remain on the roster through at least this season. At 26-30, the Lakers occupy the Western Conference’s ninth seed, a far cry from their expectations heading into the 2021/22 season. Russell Westbrook, who is in the midst of one of the worst seasons of his career, will also remain with the team.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that, given that the Lakers currently possess a full roster of 15 players, the team would need to waive a player to make room for a new addition. Reserves DeAndre Jordan and Kent Bazemore would seem to be the likeliest candidates for this.

Several other teams with postseason hopes opted to not make trades during deadline day:

  • Another team that had high hopes heading into 2021/22, the 24-31 Knicks, opted to stand pat today, reports Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The team made two trades earlier in the season, including acquiring Cam Reddish from Atlanta. Fred Katz of The Athletic notes (via Twitter) that, though New York may have possessed some trade-friendly contracts, the team was unable to find a willing partner.
  • A relatively loaded Warriors club elected not to make a deadline transaction, and currently boasts a 15-man roster identical to their opening night group, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Led by All-Stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins, plus a returning Klay Thompson and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jordan Poole, this revamped Golden State club has comfortably established itself as one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
  • The Bulls, a top seed in the East with a very injured roster, decided to also not make any trades during the season, and will instead look to the buyout market to improve their depth, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Johnson adds (Twitter link) that Chicago never really wanted to move on from second-year power forward Patrick Williams this season. Johnson notes that Williams, who has been hurt for all but five games this season, could be returning from his wrist fracture as soon as mid-March.
  • The surging Hawks, winners of seven of their last ten games, ultimately did not make any deadline-day moves, according to Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). The Reddish deal with New York ended up being their only move this season.
  • The Timberwolves had several conversations around the league but ultimately could not find a trade that worked for them, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. With an exciting core of All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, second-year shooting guard Anthony Edwards, and veteran point guard D’Angelo Russell, the team has developed into a frisky playoff contender. The front office will look to observe how the club wraps up the 2021/22 season. With a 29-26 record, the Timberwolves are the seventh seed in the West at present. Minnesota appears on track to make its first postseason berth since 2018.
  • The 38-18 Grizzlies, the third seed in the Western Conference, did not make any trades at the deadline, per Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian (via Twitter). Led by All-Star starter Ja Morant, Memphis is already a particularly deep club with several players signed to reasonable contracts.
  • In a bit of a surprise, the usually very-active Thunder are another team that decided to not make any compositional changes at the trade deadline this season, per the Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto (Twitter link). Oklahoma City is currently well below the salary cap and the minimum salary floor. The team’s cap space will still be in play in June before the new league year starts.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Northwest Notes: Ja. Green, Beasley, Jazz, Muscala

February 10th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets forward JaMychal Green, one of the team’s top remaining trade candidates, showed his value on Tuesday night, pouring in 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting in just 17 minutes, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Green and his $8.2MM cap hit could be necessary if Denver makes a move for a small forward, but the veteran suggested after Tuesday’s game that he’s not worried about being the subject of trade rumors.

“I’m still getting paid, man, first and the 15th,” Green said with a laugh, according to Singer.

Of course, Green has reason not to be concerned. The contract he signed in the offseason gives him the ability to veto a trade, and Singer has reported that the 31-year-old likely wouldn’t approve a move to a non-contender. That will increase the level of difficulty for the Nuggets as they consider their options today.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

  • Timberwolves wing Malik Beasley, the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks, said this week that his preference would be to stay in Minnesota. “I’m just working hard and doing what I gotta do, whether I’m here or anywhere else,” Beasley said (Twitter link via Dane Moore). “I’d rather be here, but it’s a business, so you can never know what can happen.”
  • Tony Jones of The Athletic takes a look at how Nickeil Alexander-Walker will fit in with the Jazz, writing that the third-year guard represents a low-risk, high-reward addition to the roster. Utah isn’t necessarily done dealing, but has been reluctant to add a first-round pick to its trade offers, according to Jones, who adds that it remains to be seen whether newly-acquired forward Juan Hernangomez will remain on the roster for the rest of the season.
  • Thunder big man Mike Muscala will be sidelined through the All-Star break due to a right ankle injury, per head coach Mark Daigneault (Twitter link via Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman). Muscala is knocking down 42.9% of his threes this year and could theoretically be a trade candidate, but his ankle issue will hurt his value and Oklahoma City seems to like having him around anyway. Muscala has been in OKC since 2019.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Heat Trade KZ Okpala To Thunder

February 9th, 2022 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

2:05pm: As part of the deal, the Heat have amended their future draft obligations to the Thunder, the Heat announced in a full press release and the Thunder confirmed in a release of their own.

Instead of owing Oklahoma City their top-14 protected first-round pick in 2023, the Heat will now owe OKC their 2025 first-rounder (also top-14 protected).

That ’23 first-rounder would have been top-14 protected for three straight seasons before becoming unprotected in 2026. Now, the Heat’s ’25 first-rounder will be lottery-protected for just one year before becoming unprotected in ’26.

Essentially, the Thunder improved their odds of gaining a higher first-rounder by pushing the pick a couple years into the future (when the Heat could theoretically be less assured of having a playoff-caliber roster) and ensuring it has just one year of protection. Miami could also now trade its 2022 or 2023 first-round pick without running afoul of the Stepien rule.

The 2026 second-rounder the Heat acquired in the trade will be the least favorable of the Thunder’s, Mavericks’, and Sixers’ second-rounders that year, according to the Heat’s announcement.

Oklahoma City ended Mamadi Diakite‘s 10-day contract a day early in order to complete the trade, per the team. It’s not yet clear if the Thunder plan to hang onto Okpala, tweets Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman.

1:50pm: The Heat have traded forward KZ Okpala to the Thunder in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, Miami announced today (via Twitter).

While the Thunder, who have a massive collection of future draft picks, can certainly afford to give up a ’26 second-rounder, we’ll have to wait for their official announcement to see if there are protections on the pick or if the Heat are sending out any cash in the deal, since Okpala’s trade value is presumably limited.

The 32nd overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Stanford, Okpala has appeared in just 63 games across three seasons for Miami. In 2021/22, he has averaged 3.7 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 21 contests (11.6 MPG). Okapala hasn’t played since December due to a wrist injury. He’ll be eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end.

By moving Okpala, the Heat, who had been right up against the luxury tax line, open a second spot on their 15-man roster and now should be in a comfortable position to promote Caleb Martin from his two-way contract.

Miami may wait until after Thursday’s trade deadline to make that move in order to maximize its roster and financial flexibility. But it’s a safe bet Martin will be added to the 15-man roster sooner or later. If they don’t make any other trades, the Heat could go shopping on the buyout market with their other roster opening.

Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts