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Lakers Sign Blake Hinson, Armel Traore To Two-Way Deals

July 4th, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

July 4: The two-way contracts for Hinson and Traore are official, per NBA.com’s transactions log. Hinson received a two-year deal, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

June 27: The Lakers have reached two-way contract agreements with Pittsburgh’s Blake Hinson and French forward Armel Traore, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reports (Twitter links). Both players went undrafted.

Hinson, a 6’8” wing, played two seasons with the Panthers after a two-season stay at Ole Miss. He also spent some time at Iowa State but didn’t play there.

Hinson, 24, put up impressive stats in his senior year, averaging 18.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He shot 45.4% from the field and 42.1% on three-point attempts. The three-point shooting came at a high volume — he averaged 7.9 attempts per game.

Traore, 21, played for Ada Blois in the LNB Pro A league last season. He averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He posted 16 points, six rebounds, two steals and a block in a game against the G League Ignite last summer. Traore profiles as a potential three-and-D wing.

Sixers Sign Justin Edwards To Two-Way Contract

July 4th, 2024 at 12:54pm CST by Rory Maher

July 4: Edwards’ two-way deal is now official, the Sixers announced in a press release.

June 27: The Sixers are signing Kentucky wing Justin Edwards to a two-way contract, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

A former top high school recruit, Philadelphia native Edwards had an uneven freshman season for the Wildcats, averaging 8.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 0.9 SPG on .486/.365/.776 shooting in 32 games, including 30 starts (21.4 MPG).

Edwards was the top undrafted player on the open market following the 2024 draft, according to ESPN’s best available list. He had a second-round grade from ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony (No. 39).

Blazers’ Donovan Clingan Signs Rookie Scale Contract

July 4th, 2024 at 12:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Center Donovan Clingan, the No. 7 overall pick of last month’s draft, has officially signed his rookie scale contract, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release.

Assuming he signed for 120% of the rookie scale, which most first-rounders do, Clingan will earn $6,836,400 in 2024/25 and $31,085,018 over the next four seasons if his team options for years three and four are exercised.

Clingan, 20, is a native of Bristol, Connecticut. He won back-to-back national championships with UConn in his two college seasons. He averaged 13.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 2.5 BPG in 35 games last season for the Huskies (22.5 MPG).

Knicks, Nets Expanding Bridges Trade To Include Milton, Diakite, Bates-Diop

July 4th, 2024 at 11:18am CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks intend to sign-and-trade Shake Milton to the Nets as part of the blockbuster trade that will send Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn to New York, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). Milton will receive a three-year, $9MM contract, but only the first season is guaranteed.

New York will also be including Mamadi Diakite in the trade, league sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). The Knicks have been looking for ways to add salary to the original framework to avoid being hard-capped at the first tax apron ($178.1MM), Katz notes. By aggregating salaries, the Knicks will instead be hard-capped at the second apron ($188.9MM).

The Nets will be sending the Knicks Keita Bates-Diop as part of the expanded deal, per Charania.

As cap expert Yossi Gozlan explains (Twitter links), the Knicks can give Milton a $3.1MM salary for 2024/25 using his Non-Bird rights. They will also be partially guaranteeing Diakite’s contract, which is currently non-guaranteed, to make the math work to get to at least $23.3MM in outgoing salary (the equivalent of Bridges’ 2024/25 cap hit). Sending out less outgoing salary than Bridges’ incoming figure would’ve hard-capped New York at the first apron.

Teams aren’t permitted to aggregate two or more minimum-salary contracts in a trade for matching purposes during the offseason. Diakite is on a minimum deal, but Milton will be earning 20% above his minimum salary, allowing the Knicks to avoid that trade restriction.

The Knicks will not have to account for Bates-Diop’s incoming salary for matching purposes because he fits into the minimum-salary exception.

After the trade, Gozlan projects the Knicks to have approximately $172MM in salary committed to 11 players. That means they’ll be about $16.9MM below the second apron, giving the team the financial flexibility to use the taxpayer mid-level exception and potentially re-sign Precious Achiuwa, who is an unrestricted free agent.

Here’s a rundown of the full trade, at least what has been reported thus far:

Knicks to acquire Mikal Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop and a 2026 second-round pick.
Nets to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton (sign-and-trade), Mamadi Diakite, the Knicks’ 2025 first-round pick, the Bucks’ 2025 first-round pick (top-four protected), the Knicks’ 2027 first-round pick, the Knicks’ 2029 first-round pick, the Knicks’ 2031 first-round pick, the right to swap a 2028 first-round pick for the Knicks’ 2028 first-round pick, and the Nets’ 2025 second-round pick.

According to Gozlan, the Nets will create a $23.3MM trade exception (Bridges’ salary) if they absorb Bodganovic’s salary into an existing TPE worth $20.3MM (Twitter link). Using an exception from a previous season hard-caps a team at the first apron, but so does acquiring a player via sign-and-trade (Milton), so it seems safe to assume Brooklyn will use that preexisting TPE on Bogdanovic.

Milton, 27, was a productive bench player for Philadelphia for several seasons before signing with Minnesota last summer. The Wolves traded him to the Pistons before the February deadline, and he was subsequently waived, later signing a rest-of-season deal with the Knicks in early March as a free agent. He only appeared in four regular season games with New York.

Diakite, also 27, has bounced around the NBA over the course of his four seasons, suiting up for the Bucks, Thunder, Cavaliers, Spurs and Knicks on a variety of different contracts.

Bates-Diop, 28, has played for the Wolves, Nuggets, Spurs, Suns and Nets over the course of his seven years in the NBA. He exercised his player option for ’24/25 last month.

Hoops Rumors Cap/CBA Chat Transcript: 7/4/2024

July 4th, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

Happy Fourth of July to all of our American readers!

With a moment to step back and breathe after a busy first few days of free agency, Hoops Rumors hosted a live chat today to field questions about the NBA’s complex new Collective Bargaining Agreement that has loomed over the 2024 offseason and made it more challenging for clubs to complete major moves.

This chat was focused exclusively on questions related to the salary cap and CBA.

Click here for the transcript.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Chats

Atlantic Notes: Brissett, Springer, Walsh, Gordon, Knicks Rotation

July 4th, 2024 at 10:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics have one remaining roster spot after agreeing to re-sign Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman. The team has interest in bringing back wing Oshae Brissett, who declined his $2.5MM player option. However, Brissett is still seeking out another team that can offer more playing time, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports.

The Celtics still have the option to bring back Brissett on a veteran’s minimum deal or with Non-Bird rights.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

In the same story, Himmelsbach reports that Jaden Springer and Jordan Walsh are expected to be on the Celtics’ Summer League roster. Current two-way player Drew Peterson, former two-way player JD Davison, draft picks Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson, and possibly Neemias Queta could also participate.
Eric Gordon is playing for the Bahamas in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Spain. Gordon said his decision to sign with the Sixers on a minimum-salary deal was based partly on their chances of winning a title, Ben Istvan of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “Sixers fans should be happy,” the veteran guard said. “We’re going to be a team to be reckoned with, and we look forward to trying to win a championship next year.”
In a subscriber-only story, the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy takes a look at how the Knicks’ rotation might shake out with the addition of Mikal Bridges.

Southwest Notes: Green, Morris, Thompson, Sengun

July 4th, 2024 at 10:03am CST by Dana Gauruder

Klay Thompson‘s departure to Dallas broke up Golden State’s longtime big three. It almost happened last summer, according to Draymond Green. In an episode of his podcast (Twitter video link), Green revealed that he briefly thought he would be joining the Grizzlies as a free agent in 2023.

“I called Klay, and I called Steph (Curry), separate calls, and Steve (Kerr) and I was just telling them like ‘Yo, I’m leaving. I’m going to Memphis,’” he said.

Green wound up re-signing with the Warriors on a four-year, $100MM contract.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Free agent Markieff Morris hinted on Twitter (link) he’s planning to return to the Mavericks. “I’m coming back. I want bro to come with me,” he said in a reply to a fan urging him to re-sign with Dallas. His “bro,” naturally, is Marcus Morris, who is also a free agent. Markieff Morris, 34, appeared in 26 regular-season games and one postseason contest last season.
Thompson’s decision to join the Mavericks ends a lengthy history of the franchise falling short in its efforts to attract quality free agents, The Athletic’s Tim Cato opines. The reason why Thompson wanted to go there is that the franchise’s image has changed. There’s a newfound belief that Dallas offers a family atmosphere and comfort alongside its basketball success, Cato concludes.
The Rockets could follow the Sixers’ blueprint for creating max cap space, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes. If they forgo rookie scale extensions for Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun and keep cap holds on the duo next offseason as restricted free agents, Houston can make other roster moves to generate max or near-max cap space. The Rockets would have to decline team options on Fred VanVleet and Aaron Holiday and waive Jock Landale to do so, Hollinger writes. The Sixers put Tyrese Maxey‘s extension on hold until this summer and cleared as much space as possible. They wound up winning the Paul George sweepstakes.

Second-Round Pick Mogbo Agrees To Three-Year Deal With Raptors

July 4th, 2024 at 8:50am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors have agreed to a three-year, $6.11MM contract with forward Jonathan Mogbo, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (Twitter link).

It’s the maximum amount allowed under the current CBA’s second-round exception, as our breakdown shows. Mogbo will earn about $1.86MM as a rookie, which is equivalent to this year’s minimum salary for a player who already has one year of NBA experience. The third year will be a team option.

Mogbo played last season with San Francisco, averaging 14.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks. With the draft split into two rounds last month, Mogbo was the first pick of the second round.

Toronto resisted offers for the pick because they liked Mogbo’s versatility. He’s also a childhood friend of franchise player Scottie Barnes.

Under the previous CBA, over-the-cap teams would have needed to use a chunk of their mid-level exception to give a second-round pick like Mogbo a third year, as we outline in our glossary entry on the second-round pick exception.

Latest On Lauri Markkanen

July 4th, 2024 at 8:16am CST by Luke Adams

A report earlier this week indicated that the Warriors and Spurs are considered the most serious trade suitors for Lauri Markkanen, but they’re not the only teams in the running for the Jazz forward, as Tony Jones of The Athletic confirmed on Wednesday during an appearance on Sactown Sports 1140 (Twitter video link).

“Sacramento is very interested. Sacramento has what the Kings think is a strong offer on the board,” Jones said (hat tip to Bleacher Report). “But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is what the Jazz think. Utah’s stance on Lauri is the same and it has been the same for a long time: We don’t want to trade Lauri, so you’re going to have to make us trade him.”

In the latest episode of the No Cap Room podcast, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (YouTube link) also mentioned the Kings as a legitimate suitor for Markkanen.

“The Sacramento Kings, to my knowledge, earlier this week were close to a deal. I do think that, based off of conversations I’ve had,” Fischer said. “I can’t say more than that, but there were calls made to people around the NBA that would have indicated that talks have been legitimate there.”

Utah pursued Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn agreed to send him to New York and envisioned adding more impact talent in free agency if they were able to land the Nets’ standout three-and-D forward and pair him with Markkanen, according to Jones. But with Bridges off the board and no obvious opportunities left to upgrade the roster in the short term, Jones wouldn’t be surprised if Utah pivots to trying to keep its top-10 protected pick in a strong 2025 draft.

Still, that wouldn’t necessarily mean trading Markkanen. As Jones points out, even with the former All-Star on the roster, the Jazz project to be among the worst teams in a competitive Western Conference, so they could extend him while continuing to add and develop young talent around him.

Rival teams, recognizing that the Jazz could benefit long-term from leaning even further into their rebuild, are pursuing Markkanen in the hopes of convincing Utah to make a deal, but the price will be high. A previous report suggested the return would probably have to be similar in value to what Brooklyn got for Bridges (four unprotected first-round picks, an unprotected pick swap, and one more lightly protected first-rounder, with only expiring salary attached).

The Warriors and Kings aren’t in position to offer that many draft picks, but they have young players who could be included to strengthen their bids (though Sacramento reportedly remains resistant to including former No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray in any deal).

“There’s been a lot of noise the last few days and that’s because teams have ramped up,” Jones said. “They’ve actually put tangible offers on the table. Sacramento has a tangible offer on the table; the Golden State Warriors have a tangible offer on the table. The San Antonio Spurs, they’ve expressed a lot of interest.

“To my knowledge, 20 teams around the league have called one way or another about Lauri in the offseason for the Jazz. Interest obviously is there, obviously the noise is there. It’s just a matter of does it meet Utah’s threshold? And it’s going to be a very, very high threshold to have to meet to get the Jazz to trade him.”

Fischer agreed that actually prying Markkanen out of Utah will be difficult.

“I’ve still been told that Utah prefers to keep Lauri and renegotiate and extend him,” he said. “They can’t do that though until August 6, so why not spend the next month fielding offers, and telling the Kings, ‘Yeah, we’d do it if you give us Keegan Murray,’ and telling the Warriors, ‘Yeah, give us three picks and Podz (Brandin Podziemski) and whatever.’ … It doesn’t hurt to listen.

“I still don’t think he’s going to get traded. As someone told me (Jazz general manager) Justin Zanik told them, Utah is conducting their business with a 10% chance they’re going to move him.”

Eastern Notes: Cavs, Ott, Nets, Celtics, Hawks

July 3rd, 2024 at 11:21pm CST by Luke Adams

After spending the past two seasons as a Lakers assistant, Jordan Ott has agreed to join Kenny Atkinson‘s coaching staff with the Cavaliers, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Ott, who previously worked under Atkinson in Brooklyn, interviewed for Charlotte’s head coaching position this spring. According to Wojnarowski, Ott was a finalist in that process before the Hornets ultimately chose Charles Lee.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported that Ott was expected to land in Cleveland as an assistant if the Cavs decided to hire Atkinson.

Here are a few more notes from around the Eastern Conference:

Agents and league executives who have spoken to Brian Lewis of The New York Post don’t expect the Nets to opt for an extended rebuilding process that would see them slowly stockpile draft assets and sacrifice their projected 2025 cap room by taking on unwanted multiyear contracts. According to Lewis, the team is considered more likely to hang onto its biggest expiring contracts – including Ben Simmons‘ – and to pursue roster upgrades a year from now when could have upwards of $80MM in cap space.
Fred Katz of The Athletic takes a wide-ranging look at the Knicks‘ free agent and trade options to add a backup center, suggesting that Precious Achiuwa might be the top free agent candidate to end up in New York, even though he’s not the sort of “conventional” shot blocker and rim protector that head coach Tom Thibodeau would prefer.
In a pair of stories for MassLive.com, Brian Robb examines what the Derrick White contract extension means for the Celtics going forward – from both a roster and cap perspective – and notes that Boston will have a couple holes to fill on its coaching staff after the Hornets announced that former Blaine Mueller and Jermaine Bucknor are joining Charles Lee in Charlotte. Mueller coached the Maine Celtics last season, while Bucknor was a player development coach in Boston. Another Celtics assistant, Sam Cassell, was “heavily targeted” by rival teams seeking an experienced assistant, but appears likely to remain in Boston, Robb adds.
The Hawks are being sued by longtime executive and former team president Robert “Bob” Williams, who has accused the team of breach of contract and claims he’s owed a $660K bonus. Rosie Manins of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the details in a subscriber-only story.