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Monte Morris Signs With Suns

July 3rd, 2024 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 3: Morris’ one-year, minimum-salary contract is now official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

JULY 2: Free agent point guard Monte Morris intends to sign a contract with the Suns, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 had reported (via Twitter) earlier today that Morris appeared to be the club’s top option among free agent point guards.

Phoenix is limited to minimum-salary offers as a second-apron team, and Morris’ deal will be for one year, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. It’s a nice get for the Suns, who had been in the market for a reliable option at the point.

Morris is coming off a down year in which he missed the first half due to a quad injury, changed teams in a midseason trade, and took some time to get back into game shape. He averaged just 5.0 points and 2.1 assists in 14.4 minutes per game across 33 total appearances with Detroit and Minnesota.

However, the 29-year-old has a solid NBA track record as both a backup and a starter. Across five seasons in Denver and Washington from 2018-23, he averaged 10.5 PPG, 4.0 APG, and 2.5 RPG with a shooting line of .480/.392/.829 in 339 games (166 starts; 25.8 MPG).

With three ball-dominant stars in Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant, the Suns didn’t really use a traditional point guard much in 2023/24, and I wouldn’t expect Morris to crack the team’s starting lineup. But having a veteran ball-handler who can help organize the offense should provide new head coach Mike Budenholzer with more options in his first year at the helm.

According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), the Timberwolves had interest in re-signing Morris, but his return was considered a long shot after he didn’t have a role in the playoffs and the team acquired Rob Dillingham on draft night.

Kings Sign Isaiah Crawford, Isaac Jones To Two-Way Deals

July 3rd, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 3: Both signings are now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log. For now, all three Kings two-way slots are full, with Mason Jones occupying the third.

JUNE 27: The Kings plan to sign a pair of undrafted free agents to two-way contracts, according to reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links).

Louisiana Tech wing Isaiah Crawford, who is ranked No. 10 on ESPN’s best undrafted players list, will be heading to Sacramento, as will Washington State big man Isaac Jones, who is ranked No. 5 on ESPN’s list. Both players were viewed as fringe second-round picks heading into the 2024 draft, with Jones ranking No. 59 on ESPN’s big board and Crawford slotting in at No. 67.

Crawford had an impressive senior season for the Bulldogs in 2023/24, averaging 16.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.4 APG, 2.1 SPG and 1.7 BPG on .485/.414/.728 shooting in 32 games (32.9 MPG). The 6’5″ forward possesses a 7’0″ wingspan and has some 3-and-D upside, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

Jones, meanwhile, was one of the biggest risers in the pre-draft process even though he ultimately went undrafted, impressing at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and G League Elite Camp prior to being invited to the draft combine in Chicago. The 6’8″ forward/center is another prospect with excellent length, as he has a 7’3″ wingspan, per Givony.

Wizards Re-Sign Tristan Vukcevic To Two-Way Deal

July 3rd, 2024 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards have re-signed center Tristan Vukcevic on a two-way contract, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirmed the move (Twitter link).

Washington drafted Vukcevic with the 42nd pick in 2023, but he spent most of the season with KK Partizan in Serbia before joining the Wizards in March. He started four of the 10 games he played during his brief time in the NBA, averaging 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per night.

The Wizards held a $2.42MM team option on Vukcevic for the 2024/25 season and could have issued him a qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent after declining that option. However, neither move was necessary to bring him back on a more team-friendly contract.

While the Wizards traded away starting center Daniel Gafford at last season’s deadline, they should have no shortage of options at the five heading into 2024/25. The club drafted Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick and agreed to a three-year deal with Jonas Valanciunas in free agency. Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley are among the other big men on the roster, though neither is owed guaranteed money beyond this season, so they could be trade candidates.

Given Washington’s depth up front and Vukcevic’s two-way contract that allows him to be transferred freely back and forth from the G League, he could end up seeing a good deal of action for the Capital City Go-Go.

Jaylon Tyson Signs Rookie Contract With Cavaliers

July 3rd, 2024 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

Former Cal wing Jaylon Tyson has signed his rookie scale contract with the Cavaliers, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

Tyson, who spent his three college seasons at three different schools – Texas, Texas Tech, and Cal – had a breakout year in 2023/24 for the Golden Bears. He declared for the draft following a junior season in which he averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 34.3 minutes per contest (31 games), with a shooting line of .509/.360/.796.

As the 20th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Tyson should be in line for a contract that pays him about $3.3MM in his rookie year and $16.1MM for four seasons, assuming his third- and fourth-year team options are picked up down the road.

With Tyson signed, the Cavaliers are now carrying 12 players on standard contracts, including 10 fully guaranteed salaries (Craig Porter has a partial guarantee, while Sam Merrill‘s salary is non-guaranteed).

Hornets Waive Marques Bolden

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have waived center Marques Bolden, the team announced today (via Twitter). He had been occupying one of the team’s two-way slots.

An undrafted free agent in 2019 out of Duke, Bolden has bounced back and forth between the NBA and the G League over the past five years. In 2023/24, he began the season on a two-way contract with the Bucks. After being waived by Milwaukee, he signed a 10-day contract with the Hornets, then stayed with Charlotte on a two-year, two-way deal.

Bolden appeared in just 11 games at the NBA level last season, averaging 3.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per night. In 31 G League games for the Bucks’ and Hornets’ affiliates, the 26-year-old put up 12.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in 24.6 MPG with a solid shooting line of .548/.429/.769.

Bolden was listed on the Summer League roster recently announced by the Warriors (Twitter link), so this move had been anticipated. The Hornets now have a pair of open two-way slots, with Leaky Black filling the third.

Pistons Hire J.B. Bickerstaff As Head Coach

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:38am CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 3: The Pistons have officially confirmed that Bickerstaff will be the team’s new head coach, announcing the hiring in a press release (Twitter link).

“I am pleased to have J.B. joining our franchise and commend our front office team on leading an extensive search,” team owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “This is a pivotal time, and we need a leader who can immediately instill a culture of growth, development, and inspiration. After spending time with J.B., it’s clear he is a passionate teacher with a competitive spirit who knows what it takes to win in today’s NBA. He’s also a strong communicator, which provides great synergy with Trajan and the front office team we have assembled. He will be an outstanding partner in helping our players maximize their potential and compete consistently.”

JUNE 30: J.B. Bickerstaff will be the Pistons‘ next head coach, agreeing to a five-year contract with the team, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The first four seasons of the deal will be guaranteed, tweets James L. Edwards of The Athletic.

The 45-year-old coach lands his next job just weeks after being fired in Cleveland. He inherits a talented young roster, much like the one he had when he took over the Cavaliers in 2020.

Bickerstaff was one of three candidates who reportedly interviewed for the position in Detroit, as our head coaching search tracker shows. The competition thinned out on Friday when Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego opted to pull his name out of the search and remain in New Orleans.

Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney was the other finalist for the job, according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

The Pistons are looking for a new direction after a disastrous season under Monty Williams, who guided them to a franchise-worst 14-68 record before being dismissed earlier this month. New head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon made the decision to fire Williams, who still had five seasons remaining on his six-year, $78.5MM contract, along with general manager Troy Weaver.

The mission to turn the franchise around now belongs to Bickerstaff, who led the Cavs to playoff appearances in the past two seasons. He compiled a 170-159 record in four-plus years in Cleveland, but players reportedly expressed doubts behind the scenes about his “strategies, game management, practice habits and accountability measures.”

Bickerstaff, the son of longtime NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff, broke into the league in 2004 as an assistant with Charlotte. He moved onto assistant jobs in Minnesota and Houston, then was promoted to head coach of the Rockets early in the 2015/16 season. He wasn’t brought back despite posting a 37-34 record and reaching the playoffs. He moved onto Memphis as an assistant and later became head coach, compiling a 48-97 record.

Bickerstaff will be expected to build a winning team around Cade Cunningham, something the franchise has been unable to do since he was the overall No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft. The new coach will have a roster filled with recent lottery picks, including Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and this year’s first-round selection Ron Holland. The Pistons also have more than $58MM in cap room, allowing them to be aggressive when free agency gets underway this evening.

Lakers’ Bronny James Signs Standard Contract

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 3: James has officially signed a four-year contract with the Lakers, Charania confirms (via Twitter). According to Charania, it’s a $7.9MM deal, which means it’s almost certainly worth the rookie minimum — a four-year, minimum-salary deal for a rookie would work out to $7,895,796.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the first two years will be guaranteed, with a partial guarantee of $1.3MM in year three. The fourth year is a team option.

JULY 2: No. 55 overall pick Bronny James will sign a standard contract with the Lakers that includes multiple guaranteed seasons, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

This has been the expectation for James once it became clear that the Lakers were targeting him at No. 55 in last week’s draft. Reports ahead of the draft indicated that Rich Paul was focused on getting Bronny a guaranteed 15-man roster spot rather than a two-way contract, which the agent later confirmed on the record.

Additionally, as John Hollinger of The Athletic observes, it’s not uncommon for potential luxury tax teams to sign late second-round picks to standard contracts for money-saving purposes, since they only count for the rookie minimum (about $1.16MM this season) instead of the veteran’s minimum of $2.09MM.

The Lakers will almost certainly use the second-round pick exception to sign James to a contract that covers either three or four seasons. The deal will include a team option on the final year.

Lakers To Hire Nate McMillan, Scott Brooks As Assistant Coaches

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Rory Maher

The Lakers plan to hire a couple of veteran head coaches to be the top assistants on J.J. Redick‘s staff, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks are joining the team.

McMillan and Brooks are the first assistants confirmed to be joining Redick’s staff. The Lakers had been looking for experienced coaches as former NBA sharpshooter Redick is a first-time head coach. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin recently reported (via Twitter) that Dwane Casey, another longtime coach who is currently in a front office role with Detroit, withdrew from consideration for an assistant job with L.A., as he “did not want to uproot his family at this time.”

One of the NBA’s top perimeter defenders during his 12-year playing career with the Sonics, McMillan transitioned to coaching after he retired from playing, including multi-season head coaching stints with Seattle, Portland, Indiana and Atlanta. The 59-year-old holds a career regular season record of 760-668 (.532 win percentage) and 28-48 record in the postseason (.368%). McMillan took a year off to reportedly spend time with family after he was fired by the Hawks in 2023.

Brooks is another former NBA player turned coach, spending 10 years in the league as a backup point guard from 1988-98. He was the lead coach of the Thunder for seven seasons and the Wizards for five, compiling a 521-414 regular season record (.557%) and 49-48 mark (.505%) in the postseason. The 58-year-old has been an assistant with Portland the past three seasons.

Rajon Rondo, Sam Cassell, Jared Dudley, and Jacque Vaughn are among the other names that have been floated as possible candidates for Redick’s staff, though Cassell (Boston) and Dudley (Dallas) may not be available.

Bulls Sign Matas Buzelis To Rookie Contract

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

Rookie forward Matas Buzelis, the No. 11 pick in the 2024 draft, has signed his first NBA contract with the Bulls, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

A 6’10” forward who played for the G League Ignite in 2023/24, Buzelis averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 31.0 minutes per game across 34 NBAGL outings. While there’s optimism among NBA evaluators about his ability to improve as a shooter, he made a modest 45.3% of his field goal attempts and 26.1% of his three-pointers for the Ignite.

Viewed as a possible top-five pick, Buzelis slipped out of the top 10 and will head to a Chicago team that’s in the midst of retooling its roster. The Bulls have already traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey, are prepared to lose DeMar DeRozan in free agency, and are looking to move Zach LaVine.

As our breakdown of this year’s rookie salaries shows, Buzelis will earn approximately $5.2MM in his first NBA season and nearly $24MM over the course of four years, assuming he signed for the maximum allowable 120% of the rookie scale (which virtually every first-rounder does). The third and fourth years of the deal will be team options.

FA Rumors: DeRozan, Kings, Hield, Warriors, Martin, Heat, Hezonja

July 3rd, 2024 at 9:19am CST by Luke Adams

Assuming DeMar DeRozan doesn’t sign with a cap-room team, it will almost certainly require a sign-and-trade to land him, per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (video link). As Haynes explains, DeRozan has no interest in settling for a mid-level offer.

“For the teams that might be calling or gauging interest in DeMar taking a full mid-level exception, which is around $13MM, I’m told that is not even being considered right now,” Haynes said on Tuesday.

The Bulls won’t bring back DeRozan, but they’re open to working with him on a sign-and-trade to help him get where he wants, Haynes confirms. Still, negotiating that sort of deal will be a challenge, given that some of the forward’s suitors (like Miami) aren’t in a great financial position to make a sign-and-trade. I’d also expect Chicago will be reluctant to take back much salary, since the team projects to be about $13MM below the luxury tax line, though that number is fluid and would move up or down if other moves are made.

Appearing on ESPN’s NBA Today on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Marc J. Spears of Andscape identified the Kings as one “dark horse” suitor to watch for DeRozan. Sacramento has reportedly made Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and draft capital available in trade talks (in general, not for DeRozan specifically) as the team looks to upgrade its roster around Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox. Previous reporting has indicated that the Bulls like Huerter.

Here are a few more free agency updates from around the NBA:

Buddy Hield doesn’t have an agreement in place with the Warriors yet, but the two sides are “tracking toward” a deal, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links), who says that a sign-and-trade would likely see the Sixers receive second-round draft capital in return. If Golden State doesn’t send out additional salary, the club would have to absorb both Hield and Kyle Anderson into a trade exception created by sending Klay Thompson to Dallas, or complete all three of those moves as one multi-team mega-deal in order to maximize Thompson’s outgoing salary as a matching piece (John Hollinger of The Athletic briefly explored this more complex possibility on Tuesday night).
While Caleb Martin‘s return to the Heat is still considered unlikely, it shouldn’t be entirely ruled out, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang, who suggest in a pair of stories for The Miami Herald that the team’s interest in re-signing Martin hasn’t waned as long as the price is right. Jackson and Chiang also say that Miami remains in the mix to sign Haywood Highsmith, though his return is “far from guaranteed.”
The Heat had initial discussions with DeMar DeRozan on Tuesday and expect to follow up on Wednesday, but there have been no indications that the club will “move mountains” (ie. shed significant salary) in order to land him, Jackson tweets.
Although Real Madrid has officially announced its new five-year contract with Mario Hezonja, the veteran forward has an NBA-opt out until July 20 with a modest buyout figure and has received interest from “numerous” NBA teams, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. The 29-year-old, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, appeared in 330 NBA regular season games but has been out of the league since 2020.