Creighton’s Trey Alexander Signs Two-Way Deal With Nuggets

JULY 3: Alexander has officially signed his two-way contract with Denver, per NBA.com’s transaction log.


JUNE 27: Creighton guard Trey Alexander has agreed to sign a two-way deal with the Nuggets, sources tell Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports (via Twitter).

The 6’4″ guard was named a Big East All-Freshman with the Bluejays in 2021/22 and made the All-Big East Second Team in 2023/24. This past season, his best individually in college, the junior averaged 17.6 points per game on .446/.339/.824 shooting splits. He also chipped in 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per bout. Alexander started in all 72 games he played across his final two NCAA seasons.

Denver also agreed to a two-way deal with former Clemson center PJ Hall, a player whom the Nuggets projected as a first-round talent. The team now has just one of its three two-way slots available to be used on another free agent.

It has been an eventful day of roster activity in Denver, as word also broke that the Nuggets are on track to lock up starting point guard Jamal Murray to a four-season, $208MM+ extension once he’s eligible to sign in July.

Nuggets Notes: Caldwell-Pope, Braun, CBA, Westbrook

For the second straight summer, the Nuggets lost key pieces to free agency. In 2023, it was Bruce Brown and Jeff Green who departed for paydays after winning a championship with Denver. This offseason, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left the Nuggets for Orlando.

Losing Brown and Green eventually caught up to the 2023/24 Nuggets, who didn’t see their young bench pieces take the steps forward they’d hoped for. Losing Caldwell-Pope is a massive blow, as he’s proven to be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, Tony Jones of The Athletic writes.

While replacing Caldwell-Pope isn’t an easy task, it seems like the franchise is eyeing 2022 first round pick Christian Braun for that role. Braun is a solid defender, Jones notes, but he isn’t yet close to what Caldwell-Pope was as a shooter. Elevating 2023 first round pick Julian Strawther to the starting lineup instead while playing Braun starter minutes off the bench could be an option, but he’s not a good enough defender to stay on the floor for long as of yet.

In short, the Nuggets are in a similar place as last season, but have lost Caldwell-Pope and backup point guard Reggie Jackson, Jones observes. They’ll likely target help via the trade market or with small veteran contracts, but the Nuggets still need young players like Braun, Strawther, Peyton Watson, Hunter Tyson, Jalen Pickett and 2024 first rounder DaRon Holmes to show development sooner rather than later.

We have more on the Nuggets:

  • Braun might be ready to step into the starting lineup, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes. While he’s a different player than Caldwell-Pope, Braun is bigger, can hold his own in the post and could reasonably be on his way to being recognized in the same category of defender as KCP. Durando observes that Braun — a career 37.3% shooter from deep — is actually a solid above-the-break shooter, but in order to replace KCP offensively, he’ll have to specifically improve his corner outside shot.
  • Every team is navigating the new CBA landscape and Denver is no different. Speaking to reporters during free agency’s moratorium period, assistant general manager Tommy Balcetis cited the complications the new CBA provides. “I think it’s going to be a fun challenge for a lot of teams,” Balcetis said, via Durando. “We’re trying to be ahead of it in so many ways. I think that there’s going to be missteps along the way for every team really, to kind of start to calibrate where the CBA is going to lead us. … That’s why I think this particular free agency and draft period is a little different for everybody. Because all of a sudden, now there are going to be rules and regulations in place that are going to make teams find an edge that maybe they weren’t able to find before.
  • One option rumored in recent days for the Nuggets to shore up their point guard play would be a trade for Russell Westbrook, which Nikola Jokic has reportedly advocated for. Durando makes the case for Westbrook in a separate Denver Post story, writing that he fills a positional need and is affordable, though he doesn’t space the floor.

Celtics Re-Sign Drew Peterson To Two-Way Contract

The Celtics have re-signed forward Drew Peterson to a two-way contract, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

Peterson, 24, went undrafted in 2023 after spending two seasons at Rice and three at USC. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Miami and began the season in the fall with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s G League affiliate, before signing a two-way deal with Boston in December.

Although Peterson remained under contract with the Celtics for the rest of the season, he appeared in just three games at the NBA level, spending most of the year in Maine with Boston’s NBAGL team. In 51 total games for Sioux Falls and Maine, he averaged 15.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 34.3 minutes per contest, posting a shooting line of .474/.373/.836.

Peterson was among the players to receive a two-way qualifying offer ahead of Saturday’s deadline, making him a restricted free agent. He likely simply accepted that qualifying offer – equivalent to another one-year, two-way contract – rather than negotiating a new deal.

With Peterson back on the roster, the Celtics are poised to bring back at least 14 of the 17 players who finished the season on the 18-man roster. Only Oshae Brissett, Svi Mykhailiuk, and JD Davison are unsigned.

Stanley Johnson Joining Turkish Club Anadolu Efes

Former NBA forward Stanley Johnson has agreed to a contract with Anadolu Efes, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (Twitter link).

As Scotto observes, the Turkish club has won two of the last four EuroLeague championships, with former NBA players like Shane Larkin, Daniel Oturu, Vincent Poirier and Ante Zizic among the key contributors across that stretch.

Johnson spent last season in the G League with the Stockton Kings after having been in the NBA for the previous eight years. In 34 G League games in 2023/24, Johnson averaged 14.4 points per game and shot 39.5% from deep. Now, he’s heading overseas for the first time in his career.

The No. 8 overall pick in 2015, Johnson spent the first three-and-a-half years of his career with the Pistons. He bounced around the league after that, going through stints with the Pelicans, Raptors, Lakers and Spurs. In 449 career games (104 starts), the 28-year-old Johnson holds career averages of 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds.

Warriors Sign Reece Beekman To Two-Way Contract

JULY 3: Beekman’s two-way contract has been officially completed, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.


JUNE 27: The Warriors are signing former Virginia point guard Reece Beekman to a two-way contract, sources inform Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Last season, the 6’3″ senior posted averages of 14.3 points, 6.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per night while starting all of his 34 games.

The 22-year-old was twice named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year across his past two seasons with the Cavaliers, and was a three-time ACC All-Defensive player overall. He was named to the All-ACC Second-Team in 2024 and the All-ACC Third-Team in 2023.

However, Beekman’s jump shot could use some work. For his entire collegiate career, he averaged shooting splits of .429/.319/.767. Only once did he connect on at least 35% of his three-point tries, as a junior in 2022/23. That year, Beekman shot 35.1% from long range on a fairly modest 2.4 attempts per game.

After not making a pick on day one of the draft, the Warriors added Boston College center Quinten Post at No. 52 on day two before heading to the undrafted free agent market and reaching a deal with Beekman.

Mason Plumlee Signs One-Year Deal With Suns

JULY 3: Plumlee has officially signed with the Suns, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.


JUNE 30: The Suns have reached a one-year agreement with free agent center Mason Plumlee, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. He’ll be signing for the 10-year veteran’s minimum worth approximately $3.3MM, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Phoenix entered the market looking for frontcourt depth after Drew Eubanks declined his player option in order to test the free agent waters.

Plumlee will be playing for his seventh team since entering the league during the 2013/14 season. He has had stints with Brooklyn, Portland, Denver, Detroit, Charlotte and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Hornets dealt him to the Clippers at the 2023 trade deadline. This past season, Plumlee appeared in 46 games (11 starts) and averaged 5.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 14.7 minutes per game.

Plumlee is a traditional center who doesn’t venture outside the arc but he’s always been a solid rebounder, passer and screener. A notoriously poor free throw shooter, he’s improved in that aspect during the last two seasons. Plumlee sank 70.7% of his attempts last season.

Phoenix is operating over the second tax apron and can only offer minimum deals to free agents. The Clippers will now be looking for a replacement for Plumlee.

Timberwolves Sign Joe Ingles To One-Year Contract

JULY 6: The Timberwolves officially confirmed in a press release that they’ve signed Ingles.


JULY 3: Free agent forward Joe Ingles has an agreement in place with the Timberwolves on a one-year contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

While Wojnarowski doesn’t specify the financial details, Minnesota’s position relative to the second tax apron means the team an only offer the veteran’s minimum, so it’ll be a one-year, minimum-salary deal for Ingles.

Ingles spent last season in Orlando following eight years in Utah and one in Milwaukee. He averaged 4.4 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.1 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game across 68 appearances off the bench for the Magic in 2023/24, becoming an unrestricted free agent after the club declined his $11MM option on Saturday.

Ingles, who will turn 37 before opening night, is unlikely to play big minutes in Minnesota, but he brings value as a shooter (.410 career 3PT%), a secondary ball-handler and play-maker, and as a veteran leader who has the size to defend forwards and bigger wings.

That skill set made Ingles a top target for Tim Connelly and the front office with the team set to lose Kyle Anderson in free agency, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Moving to Minnesota will give Ingles the opportunity to reunite with Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert, his former teammates with the Jazz.

A minimum-salary contract will pay Ingles a salary of $3,303,771 in 2024/25 while the Wolves take on a cap hit of $2,087,519.

FA/Trade Rumors: Sixers, Heat, DeRozan, Warriors, Markkanen, Lakers, More

Signs are pointing toward Paul Reed being traded or waived rather than returning to the Sixers, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who notes that waiving Reed or using his pseudo-expiring $7.7MM contract as a trade chip would allow the team to maximize its cap room. Pompey adds that Philadelphia has had discussions with free agent forward Haywood Highsmith, while Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweets that the 76ers have also “poked around” on Caleb Martin.

Although the Heat remain in the mix for both of their free agents and could technically make Martin and Highsmith big offers, they’ve told people they don’t intend to surpass the second tax apron due to the roster-building restrictions that second-apron teams face, says Jackson (Twitter link). That limits Miami’s ability to make a competitive offer to either player.

Despite the Heat’s financial restrictions, Jovan Buha of The Athletic has heard from league sources that Miami is viewed as the “slight” favorite to land DeMar DeRozan. The team doesn’t have the spending flexibility to make it work without additional moves, but DeRozan likes the idea of playing for the Heat and the two sides have remained in touch, tweets Jackson.

Here are a few more rumors and notes related to the trade and free agent markets:

  • The Warriors and Spurs are considered the most serious suitors for Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (video link), who says Golden State has been the most aggressive team in its pursuit of Markkanen.
  • Appearing on SportsCenter on ESPN (Twitter video link), Adrian Wojnarowski said the Lakers aren’t interested in using their tradable draft picks just to move off contracts, but would be open to including draft assets for a quality player. However, they’re not pursuing a deal for a high-salary impact player, since they’re skeptical the three-star model is feasible under the new CBA, Wojnarowski explains.
  • While a report on Monday suggested the Nets are open to reuniting with Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, sources tell Brian Lewis of The New York Post that’s not expected to happen.
  • In an appearance on Sactown Sports 1140 (YouTube link), Sam Amick of The Athletic said that he’s skeptical the Kings will land Markkanen or Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, noting that Sacramento still appears to be taking a hard line in its desire to keep Keegan Murray off the table in trade talks. “I don’t know how long the list of guys is that they would give Keegan up for, but it’s not anybody currently available on the market,” Amick said.

Why Klay Thompson Left Warriors, Joined Mavericks

Several authors — including Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Sam Amick of The Athletic, and Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews of ESPN — have written recent stories about Klay Thompson‘s departure from the Warriors, with various sourced details from within the organization and those close to Thompson.

All three stories indicate there have been multiple incidents from both sides over the years that “splintered” the relationship, but perhaps most importantly was majority owner Joe Lacob spearheading a “cold, mostly uncommunicative approach to Thompson’s next contract in his three summers of extension eligibility,” a source tell Slater. While that may have been a common negotiating tactic for Lacob with key Warriors stakeholders over the years, the 34-year-old swingman “operates on his own wavelength,” as Slater writes.

According to Shelburne and Andrews, Thompson was “miserable” over the past year-plus for several reasons, including disappointing contract negotiations and a perceived disrespect that the Warriors had chosen to extend or re-sign players like Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Draymond Green but were unwilling to give him long-term security. It was also difficult for Thompson to reconcile with the fact that he was no longer physically able to be the same player after a pair of major injuries — a torn ACL and a torn Achilles tendon — cost him two-and-a-half seasons.

Thompson’s discontent was palpable throughout the 2023/24 season, which saw him benched at one point before he reclaimed his starting job to close the campaign. Sources tell ESPN that Thompson’s actions exasperated “even his loyalists in the locker room” last season. He also had several “emotional meetings” with head coach Steve Kerr, who said after the season ended he wanted to bring Thompson off the bench  and reduce his minutes in ’24/25, per Slater.

While it has been reported multiple times that the Warriors offered Thompson a two-year extension worth around $48MM last offseason, the team’s front office evidently did not keep that offer on the table during the season. According to ESPN’s duo, Thompson’s agents put “at least four” contract proposals on the table and each were declined, with the team saying it wanted to wait. The final offer came in at about $40MM over two seasons, per Shelburne and Andrews. The Warriors never made counteroffers, according to Amick.

Sources tell Slater that Thompson asked Stephen Curry not to put pressure on the front office and ownership to bring his longtime backcourt partner back, as Thompson wanted the team’s interest to come organically. ESPN’s authors hear that Thompson also spoke to Kerr and Green and told them similarly.

According to Slater, once it became clear that re-signing Thompson wasn’t a top priority for the Warriors and that they wanted him to be patient as they attended to other business, Thompson’s decision became “easy.” Thompson never received a formal offer from Golden State in free agency, but several sources tell Slater the 34-year-old unofficially decided to leave weeks prior.

Being heavily scrutinized in a large market weighed on Thompson, and he was looking for a “fresh start” with a new organization. He “loved watching” the Mavericks‘ run to the NBA Finals, and was also interested in playing for the Thunder and Lakers, per ESPN.

Dallas was Thompson’s top choice, both for his potential fit alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and for being in a media environment that is a little more laid back. Thompson played with former rival Irving on Team USA in the 2016 Olympics and the two were in regular contact about the possibility of teaming up in Dallas, according to Amick, who adds that Thompson viewed the Mavs as his best chance to win a fifth championship ring.

Oklahoma City had interest in Thompson but used its cap room to sign Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, Shelburne and Andrews note. Thompson had “positive” conversations with key Lakers stakeholders like LeBron James, J.J. Redick and Rob Pelinka, and L.A. was willing to offer him a four-year, $80MM contract as part of a sign-and-trade; however, sources tell Amick that offer was contingent on the Lakers convincing Golden State to take back D’Angelo Russell (he also could have been routed to a third team).

Ultimately, Thompson had reservations about the attention playing in Los Angeles would bring, thinking it would be too similar to the unhappy end to his tenure with Golden State, per ESPN’s authors. Despite offering less money (he’ll reportedly receive $50MM over three years in the sign-and-trade), Thompson liked the fit with the Mavs, who made him their top priority in a meeting led by GM Nico Harrison and VP of basketball operations Michael Finley, as Amick writes.

All three stories have more details on Thompson’s departure and decision to join the Mavericks and are worth reading in full.

Kemba Walker Returns To Hornets In Coaching Role

The Hornets have officially announced Charles Lee‘s staff for the new head coach’s first season in Charlotte, and the group includes one particularly notable name. According to a press release, former Hornets star Kemba Walker has been hired as a player enhancement coach.

Walker officially announced his retirement as a player on Tuesday and wasted no time transitioning into the next stage of his career. He hinted in Tuesday’s announcement that a new job in the NBA might be coming, writing, “Basketball will forever be a part of my life so this isn’t goodbye. I’m excited for what’s next.”

The ninth overall pick in the 2011 draft, Walker became the Hornets’ full-time starting point guard in his second NBA season and maintained that role through the 2018/19 campaign. He earned three All-Star berths and averaged 19.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 34.1 minutes per game across 605 total regular season games during his time in Charlotte before leaving for Boston in a sign-and-trade in 2019.

Lee is a former Celtics assistant, but his time in Boston didn’t overlap with Walker’s.

Most of the rest of Lee’s staff has been previously reported. It includes assistant coaches Lamar Skeeter, Josh Longstaff, Chris Jent, Blaine Mueller, Ryan Frazier, Matt Hill, and Jermaine Bucknor, the Hornets confirmed.

Zach Peterson has been hired as an assistant coach and director of player development, while Zeke Chapman has been named head video coordinator.