NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Central Notes: Horton-Tucker, Bulls, Bucks, Pistons

September 5th, 2024 at 1:08pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent guard Talen Horton-Tucker will reportedly be signing with his hometown Bulls. According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the five-year veteran will sign an Exhibit 10 deal for training camp.

Shams Charania of The Athletic, who broke the news of both deals, said that Horton-Tucker and Mac McClung (Magic) received partially guaranteed contracts. From the players’ perspective, that’s not wrong in a sense — the Exhibit 10 language in their contracts makes them eligible for a bonus worth $77.5K (on top of their G League salaries) if they’re waived and spend at least 60 days with their clubs’ NBAGL affiliates.

It is misleading though, because for NBA teams, Exhibit 10 deals are one-year, minimum-salary contracts that are non-guaranteed. For example, if Horton-Tucker is immediately cut after the deal is official, the Bulls won’t carry any dead money toward the salary cap. That’s different than a player like Keon Johnson — if the Nets waive him today for whatever reason, they would owe him his full $250K partial guarantee while carrying an identical dead-money cap hit for 2024/25.

Here’s more from the Central:

In another story for NBC Sports Chicago, Johnson attempts to predict the Bulls‘ starting lineup and rotation. Despite the obvious defensive shortcomings, Johnson believes Josh Giddey, Coby White, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic is the “most logical” outcome for the starting five. However, only Ayo Dosunmu and free agent addition Jalen Smith seem like locks for rotation minutes off the bench, per Johnson.
Eric Nehm of The Athletic answers mailbag questions related to the Bucks, including whether they should reduce Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s workload during the upcoming season to try to keep him fresh ahead of a potential playoff run. Nehm also examines whether Taurean Prince could be used at power forward in small-ball lineups featuring Antetokounmpo at center.
Will the Pistons carry a 15th player on their standard roster to open the season? What about their remaining cap room — will they use it before the season starts or carry it over until the trade deadline? Keith Langlois of Pistons.com explores those questions.

And-Ones: Toscano-Anderson, Shackelford, Roberson, Beverley

September 5th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Juan Toscano-Anderson is playing for G League United at the third annual NBA G League Fall Invitational this month. The veteran wing is hoping for another NBA opportunity, he told Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle.

“I want to show teams that if they were to pick me up, I can enhance the team atmosphere as a player but also as a teammate in the locker room,” Toscano-Anderson said.

He appeared in 11 games with the Kings last season and spent much of the year playing for the Mexico City Capitanes.

We have more from around the international basketball world:

In other G League news, the Valley Suns received the returning player rights to guard Jaden Shackelford from the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G League team, in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick, the Suns’ G League team tweets. The Thunder signed and waived Shackelford last October and he spent the season with the Blue.
Former NBA swingman Andre Roberson has signed with the French club Cholet, according to Eurohoops.net. Roberson spent most of his NBA career with the Thunder and most recently played five games with Brooklyn in 2020/21. Earlier this year, he participated in an international tournament in Dubai with former NBA players and, in July, took part in the TBT tournament in Louisville.
Patrick Beverley is getting the superstar treatment with Hapoel Tel Aviv. The longtime NBA guard says he feels like LeBron James after appearing in a preseason game in Belgrade, Basketnews.com relays. “I know how LeBron feels. I leave games, and the guys that I play against want pictures. Coaches that I play against want pictures,” Beverley said on his podcast. “The fans that I go against, they boo me, I leave out and it’s 30 kids outside, and they all want pictures. And this is every country we go to.” Beverley agreed to play with the Israeli team in July after finishing last season with the Bucks.

Southwest Notes: Pelicans Arena, Rockets, Mavs, Johnson, Paul

September 5th, 2024 at 9:41am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans’ arena, Smoothie King Center, is in need of major renovations, per Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Most systems and equipment have reached or exceeded their usable life, according to an assessment report from an architecture firm and consulting company. The building’s sound and public address system are among the items that need to be replaced. The report’s findings shift the spotlight onto Pelicans owner Gayle Benson and Louisiana state officials to either fund a renovation of the nearly 25-year-old building or build a new arena, Clark adds.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

While some teams are holding training camp at faraway places, the Rockets are happy they’ll stay at home. They will hold training camp, beginning Oct. 1, at their new practice facility, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. In recent years, they’ve held camp in a variety of locations out of town. The $70MM basketball headquarters is about a 10-minute drive from the Rockets’ home arena, the Toyota Center.
How will Jason Kidd manage the minutes of Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford at the Mavericks’ center position? That’s one of the big questions for Dallas heading into training camp, according to Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. The need for Jaden Hardy to have a breakout season after Josh Green was traded is another intriguing element of this year’s camp.
Keldon Johnson wore No. 3 for the Spurs the last few seasons. He’s giving up that uniform number to Chris Paul, according to ESPN. Johnson will instead take No. 0. Paul, who signed a one-year contract with San Antonio, has worn No. 3 since entering the league in 2005.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Olympics, Oubre, Ingram

September 4th, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Along with winning a gold medal in his first-ever Olympics, Stephen Curry tells Natasha Dye of People Magazine that the experience was memorable because he got to team up with long-time rival LeBron James. Like many others, Curry was impressed by the intense work ethic James displayed with Team USA.

“All the battles we’ve had on the court and the back and forth, the fact that we actually got to be teammates, not just in any game like an All-Star game or whatever, but in high stakes basketball with a lot on the line … I think there’s a deepened respect and friendship there,” Curry said. “Hopefully, there will be more experiences in the future, even if we’re teammates or not.”

Curry added that he’s especially excited as the start of his 16th season with the Warriors draws near. He’s eager to prove that the team can stay in the hunt for a title without Klay Thompson, who left for Dallas during the offseason.

“I love the fact that people don’t think we can keep the pace with some of the other teams that they’re picking in the West,” Curry said. “And I just love that challenge of stepping into a training camp and being able to create your own success — that gets me going. And obviously coming off of this Olympic experience, I’m trying to channel that energy all year.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

During an appearance Tuesday on “The Today Show,” Curry expressed a desire to finish out his career with Golden State, relays Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area. Curry didn’t indicate that he plans to call it quits any time soon, but he said he wants to be remembered as a one-team player.
Michael Pina of The Ringer examines the Warriors’ chances of making another title run before Curry retires. He notes that the front office unsuccessfully attempted to trade for Paul George and Lauri Markkanen this summer, leaving Curry with no teammates capable of playing at an All-Star level. Pina observes that Curry’s one-year extension gives general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. more time to upgrade the roster, but it doesn’t ease the sense of urgency that exists with the team’s top star heading for his 37th birthday before the season ends.
Golden State’s cautious approach to roster building dates back to an ill-fated trade for Kelly Oubre in 2020, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. After Thompson was lost to a season-ending injury, owner Joe Lacob was “the driving force” behind acquiring Oubre despite objections from then-general manager Bob Myers and the coaching staff. Since then, Poole adds, the organization has concentrated on moves that complement the core of the team rather than trying to expand it. Through that prism, sources tell Poole that Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is viewed as too risky, and Poole describes the chances of an Ingram trade as “minuscule.”

Evan Fournier Says He Turned Down Offer From Wizards

September 4th, 2024 at 6:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Evan Fournier had an opportunity to extend his NBA career, but he reveals in an interview with the French media outlet L’Equipe that he declined a two-year offer from the Wizards, according to French journalist Maxime Aubin (Twitter link).

The full interview won’t be posted until Thursday, but Aubin reports that Fournier said he wasn’t interested in taking on a “mentoring role” or playing for “a losing team.” That’s the situation he found himself in after being sent to Detroit at last season’s trade deadline. Fournier wound up playing 29 games for the Pistons and averaging 7.2 PPG off the bench in 18.7 minutes per night while shooting 37.3% from the field and 27% from three-point range, both far below his career averages.

The 32-year-old guard opted to return to Europe, agreeing to a two-year contract with Olimpiacos over the weekend. After being stuck in Tom Thibodeau’s doghouse with the Knicks and seeing very limited playing time over the past two seasons, Fournier wanted a situation where he could “enjoy playing basketball again,” per Aubin.

Fournier was one of the league’s most productive shooting guards during his six-plus seasons with Orlando, and he had a strong first year with New York, starting all 80 games he played while averaging 14.1 PPG and shooting 38.9% from beyond the arc. He fell out of favor with Thibodeau the next season because of his defensive shortcomings, but the Knicks’ front office decided to hold onto him and his hefty contract in case it was needed for a major trade.

At last month’s Olympics, Fournier showed he can still play at a high level against some of the world’s best competition. He averaged 9.8 points in six games to help French capture the silver medal.

Fournier received a hero’s welcome from Greek fans when he arrived at the airport and posted a short video of their response on Twitter. He told L’Equipe that playing in Europe became his priority after the Olympics wrapped up, Eurohoops relays.

“I would have liked to experience more things in the NBA, I only made the playoffs five times,” Fournier said. “But you don’t control everything about your destiny there. After the Olympic Games, I told my agent that I was keen to (return to Europe). Olympiacos was my priority.”

Sixers Sign, Waive Jared Brownridge

September 4th, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 4: Brownridge has been signed and waived, a team spokesman told Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). He’s expected to return to Delaware for this season.

SEPTEMBER 3, 8:00pm: The deal is official, per RealGM’s transaction log.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2:01pm: The Sixers are signing veteran shooting guard Jared Brownridge to an Exhibit 10 contract, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The move will almost certainly be a procedural one, lining up Brownridge to earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K once he’s waived by Philadelphia and then spends at least 60 days with the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers’ G League affiliate.

Players who sign Exhibit 10 contracts are sometimes promoted to two-way deals before opening night or can even earn regular season roster spots if they impress in the preseason. But that’s not likely to be the plan for Brownridge, who has been a Delaware mainstay since 2018, spending the past six-plus seasons with the 76ers’ NBAGL team.

After winning a G League championship with the Blue Coats in 2023, Brownridge appeared in a career-high 50 Showcase Cup and regular season games last season, averaging 8.4 points, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game while posting a shooting line of .407/.417/.667.

Brownridge is known as a sharpshooter and floor-spacer, having made 39.3% of his career three-point attempts in the G League. The former Santa Clara standout ranks third all-time in NBAGL regular season three-pointers (603), behind only Andre Ingram (845) and Reggie Hearn (674).

The Sixers currently have 19 players officially under contract, so no corresponding roster move will be necessary to add Brownridge, since teams can carry up to 21 players during the offseason.

Magic To Sign Mac McClung To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 4th, 2024 at 4:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mac McClung has agreed to a deal with the Magic, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). It’s an Exhibit 10 contract, a source tells Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

The 25-year-old guard was named MVP of the G League last season, but he’s best known for winning the past two Slam Dunk Contests at All-Star Weekend. He has limited NBA experience, appearing in two games with the Sixers on a two-way deal after becoming the 2023 dunk champion and playing one game each with the Bulls and Lakers during the 2021/22 season.

McClung was also in training camp with Orlando last fall on an Exhibit 10 deal. He was waived before the start of the season and joined the Magic’s G League affiliate in Osceola, where he averaged 25.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 27 games.

Orlando already has 15 players with standard contracts, so it will be difficult for McClung to earn a spot on the 15-man roster. The team has a pair of two-way openings remaining, so that’s likely his best path back to the NBA.

McClung has received numerous NBA opportunities since going undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2021. He signed two contracts with the Lakers, a pair of 10-day deals with Chicago and spent time with Golden State before joining Philadelphia and Orlando.

If McClung fails to win a roster spot, the Exhibit 10 contract will allow him to earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with Osceola.

The signing will give the Magic 17 players on their training camp roster, four short of the league maximum.

Super-Max Candidates To Watch In 2024/25

September 4th, 2024 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA's Designated Veteran rule, as we explain in our glossary entry on the subject, allows players to qualify for a maximum salary worth 35% of the cap before they gain the required NBA service time.

Typically, a player is ineligible to receive a maximum contract that starts at 35% of the cap until he has at least 10 years of experience, but the Designated Veteran rule gives a player with between seven and nine years of experience the opportunity to do so if he meets certain performance criteria. This has become colloquially known as signing a "super-max" deal.

The performance criteria are as follows (only one of the following must be true):

The player was named to an All-NBA team and/or was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the most recent season, or in two of the last three seasons.
The player was named the NBA MVP in any of the three most recent seasons.

Since the NBA introduced the concept of the Designated Veteran contract in 2017, 13 players have signed them across eight offseasons. Celtics star Jayson Tatum became the latest player to join that group this summer when he signed a five-year extension projected to become the first $300MM+ contract in NBA history.

Tatum will be the only player who signs such a contract this offseason, but it's worth taking a peek down the road to see which players are the best candidates to join the list of super-max recipients in 2025.

Here are some players to watch during the 2024/25 season:

Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription

BENEFITS

Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Luke Adams
Join exclusive weekly live chats with Arthur Hill
Remove ads and support our writers.

Grizzlies Say GG Jackson Will Be Reevaluated In Three Months

September 4th, 2024 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies forward GG Jackson underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot, the team announced (via Twitter). The procedure had been expected after the club confirmed the injury last week.

According to the Grizzlies, Jackson will be reevaluated in approximately three months, which means he’s expected to miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season.

There’s also no guarantee that the 19-year-old will be ready to return at the time of the reevaluation, so it’s possible his absence will extend beyond that.

The timeline doesn’t come as a real surprise, given the nature of the injury. Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes (Twitter link) recently noted that players who have suffered similar injuries missed an average of about 42 games, which works out to roughly three months of the season. As Stotts observes, metatarsal injuries can occur in various ways and in various locations, so recovery times differ from case to case.

It’s an unfortunate setback for the Grizzlies and for Jackson, who enjoyed a promising rookie season after being selected with the 45th pick in the 2023 draft. The former South Carolina standout, who was the youngest player in the NBA last season, averaged 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 25.7 minutes per game across 48 outings (18 starts), posting a shooting line of .428/.357/.752.

Even with several players returning from injuries this fall, Jackson figured to play a regular role in the Grizzlies’ frontcourt to open the season. Instead, he’ll get a late start and may have to fight to reclaim minutes once he’s healthy enough to get back on the court.

Nets Promote BJ Johnson To Assistant GM

September 4th, 2024 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have formally announced a series of additions and promotions within their basketball operations department. Among those moves, the most notable is the promotion of BJ Johnson to an assistant general manager role.

Johnson, who initially joined the franchise in 2016, had served as Brooklyn’s senior director of college scouting and player evaluation for the past two seasons. General manager Sean Marks suggested in April that Johnson could be in line for a promotion following the departures of assistant GM Jeff Peterson and executive director of basketball and business operations Ryan Gisriel for new jobs in Charlotte.

In his new role, Johnson will lead and oversee all of the Nets’ amateur scouting efforts. Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who first reported the promotion, notes that Johnson has been credited for pushing the Nets to draft players like Nic Claxton (2019) and Jalen Wilson (2023) in the second round of their respective drafts.

Johnson will work directly under Marks and alongside fellow assistant GM Andy Birdsong, Lewis writes.

Here are some of the other additions and promotions announced today by the Nets:

Makar Gevorkian has been promoted to vice president of basketball operations alignment and strategic planning.
Glenn DuPaul has been promoted to VP of basketball analytics.
Former MLS executive Justin Bokmeyer has been hired as the director of basketball operations.
Former Kings assistant coach and director of player development Dutch Gaitley has been hired as an assistant coach.
Jim McDonnell has been promoted to head video coordinator.
Geoff Staton has been hired as head athletic trainer.

The full list of basketball operations moves can be found within the Nets’ press release.