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Heat Withdraw Two-Way Qualifying Offers To Swider, Williams

July 11th, 2024 at 12:48pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat have withdrawn their two-way qualifying offers to Cole Swider and Alondes Williams, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Both players are now unrestricted free agents instead of restricted.

Swider and Williams finished the 2023/24 season on two-way contracts with Miami before they were tendered qualifying offers. Those QOs were for two-way deals covering one year.

However, all three of the Heat’s two-way slots are currently occupied (by Keshad Johnson, Zyon Pullin and Dru Smith), and the team can’t sign another player to a standard contract without going over the second tax apron, notes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (via Twitter). Both Swider and Williams are playing for Miami’s summer league squad.

Swider, a 6’9″ forward, and Williams, a 6’4″ guard, went undrafted in 2022 out of Syracuse and Wake Forest, respectively. While neither player made much of an impact for the Heat in ’23/24, combining for a total of just 103 NBA minutes, both excelled playing for Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Williams was named the NBAGL’s Most Improved Player and was runner-up for the MVP award while earning a spot on the All-NBA G League First Team. Swider impressed with his long-distance marksmanship, averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists on .485/.471/.846 shooting in 21 Showcase Cup and regular season contests for the Skyforce (38.3 MPG).

It’s possible that Swider or Williams — or even both — could eventually re-sign with Miami on two-way deals if the team decides to make changes to those roster spots. Two-way contracts don’t count against the salary cap or luxury tax and players can be swapped in and out until late in the regular season.

Both players are 25 years old.

Heat Notes: Butler, Offseason, Johnson, Bryant, Two-Ways

July 11th, 2024 at 12:19pm CST by Rory Maher

If Jimmy Butler decides to leave the Heat when he becomes a free agent in 2025, he’ll still likely need the team’s help to join a viable contender, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

As Jackson explains, there are currently no playoff contenders who project to have enough cap room to sign Butler outright next summer. There are a few teams who could create enough space in 2025/26 if they make cost-cutting moves, but none fit the bill as of now.

Even a potential sign-and-trade would be tricky, Jackson observes, since an acquiring team would become hard-capped at the first tax apron, limiting further roster-building moves.

There’s no indication that Butler wants to leave Miami in the first place — the opposite has been reported multiple times. And the Heat also aren’t looking to trade Butler, a source tells Jackson.

Here’s more on the Heat:

In another story for The Miami Herald, Jackson examines what’s next for the Heat this offseason following a relatively quiet first wave of free agency. According to Jackson, the team plans to be patient and opportunistic as it waits for players to become available on the trade market. However, Miami has a fairly limited pool of assets, particularly in terms of future first-round picks, which will make acquiring a star-level talent difficult.
Rookie forward Keshad Johnson believes he’s a strong fit with the Heat and he made a strong impression in his third summer league game on Wednesday, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Johnson, who went undrafted before inking a two-way contract with Miami, racked up 21 points (on 8-of-14 shooting), eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks in 30 minutes during the Heat’s four-point victory. “I’m a Heat culture guy,” said Johnson. “Throughout my career, I just want to keep making an emphasis that I’m willing to do everything, that I’m gritty. I just want that to be my identity. I just want to make an example of how much of a Heat culture guy that I am.”
Veteran center Thomas Bryant tested unrestricted free agency by declining his player option, but he ultimately re-signed with the Heat on a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum. He recently discussed his free agency foray, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Me and my agent, we both talked and we thought just for us was just to look out the market and just see what was available,” Bryant said. “For us, it was never about any misfortune or anything like that. I love the Miami Heat, personally. I love the way their culture is, the coaching staff, the guys that they have around each other. It was just about, for myself as the player and everything, individually, of just what else might have been out there, what potentially could have been out there.”
Due to their proximity to the second apron, the Heat’s standard roster appears to be set for now, with 14 players under contract. However, as Winderman writes in a separate story, Miami’s three two-way spots could see some movement before the ’24/25 season begins. All three two-way slots are currently occupied, but the team also has two-way qualifying offers out to Cole Swider and Alondes Williams, Winderman notes.
[Update: The Heat have withdrawn their QOs to Swider and Williams.]

Atlantic Notes: Whitehead, Bridges, MacDonald, Embiid

July 11th, 2024 at 10:57am CST by Dana Gauruder

With Mikal Bridges joining the other New York City team, Nets forward Dariq Whitehead knows he could be in line for more playing time next season, Adam Zagoria of NJ.com writes. Whitehead has undergone foot and shin surgeries that limited him to two NBA appearances in his rookie year after getting selected with the No. 22 pick.

“I look at it as an opportunity for me to get on the court and a bunch of other young guys to grow our games and develop into who we want to be in the NBA,” Whitehead said. “And eventually be on their level, if not higher than where they were….and look it as an opportunity for us young guys.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Speaking of Bridges, he’s not worried about fitting in with his new Knicks teammates, some of whom played with him collegiately at Villanova, Zach Braziller of the New York Post relays. “I think it’s not going to be that hard honestly,” Bridges said. “I think it’s just knowing the brand we play here, and playing the right way is who I am. It’s like a natural thing. It’s kind of like going to [Team] USA, kind of the same thing where obviously, going to USA last year, the role’s going to change.”
The Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, have named Matt MacDonald their general manager, according to a press release. “We are excited to have Matt step into this role and lead our G League program with the Long Island Nets,” Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks said. “Since starting out in our front office, Matt has continually been elevated into a variety of positions spanning both player personnel and administration and has proven to have the acumen and diverse skillset required to thrive with each opportunity.” MacDonald was Long Island’s assistant GM for the last two seasons.
Sixers superstar Joel Embiid says any concern about him getting injured during Team USA’s Olympic run is overshadowed by his quest for a gold medal, according to Shaun Powell of NBA.com. “For me, being part of the Olympics was always the goal. It was an opportunity and a chance I couldn’t pass up. And I don’t think there is a big risk,” he said.

Yuta Watanabe Signs With Japan’s Chiba Jets

July 11th, 2024 at 10:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

Yuta Watanabe has officially signed with Japan’s Chiba Jets, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

The contract terms weren’t released but it is expected to exceed $5MM, which would be the highest in B.League history.

Watanabe’s decision to return to his home country was reported last month. Watanabe, who finished last season with the Grizzlies, declined his $2.65MM player option at the end of last month.

Watanabe, 29, was born and raised in Japan, then played his college ball in the U.S. at George Washington from 2014-18. The undrafted 6’9″ forward spent a pair of seasons with the Grizzlies from 2018-20 and two years in Toronto from 2020-22. He enjoyed his best NBA season in Brooklyn in 2022/23, averaging 5.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game off the bench while ranking among the league leaders in three-point percentage (44.4%).

Watanabe’s solid showing with the Nets earned him a two-year, minimum-salary contract from the Suns last summer, but he ended up not playing a major role in Phoenix, averaging just 13.2 minutes per game in 29 appearances before being traded to Memphis in February as part of the three-team deadline deal that sent Royce O’Neale and David Roddy to the Suns. He played just five games for the Grizzlies due to a wrist issue and personal reasons.

This summer, Watanabe is playing for Japan in the Paris Olympics.

Southwest Notes: Murray, Paul, Barnes, K. Thompson, Robinson, A. Thompson

July 11th, 2024 at 9:16am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans’ success next season will likely hinge on the partnership between newly acquired Dejounte Murray and incumbent franchise player Zion Williamson. Murray wants to make Williamson an ever bigger threat, according to Brett Martel of The Associated Press.

“I told him I’m going to push him,” said Murray, who was officially dealt to the Pelicans over the weekend. “If I see something I think he can be better at, if he sees something to me, we’re going to be open to that. … I’m excited to push him to the next level because there are a bunch of levels he can reach.”

Murray’s name was prominent in the rumor mill prior to last season’s trade deadline. He made it known through his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, that the Pelicans appealed to him.

“One of the things Rich said to us was, ‘You really need to go try to get Dejounte Murray,'” said Pelicans executive VP David Griffin, per Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “We sort of laughed. We said, ‘We tried to do that at the trade deadline. We weren’t able to make something happen that made sense for both sides.’ But when he shared for us the excitement Dejounte had for our situation, it was really an eye-opening thing. It was meaningful to us.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

After getting waived by the Warriors, Chris Paul chose the Spurs despite his lack of a championship ring. Paul will likely return to a starting role with San Antonio and that was a deciding factor, according to Andrew Lopez on ESPN. “I want to play more than anything,” he said. Newly-acquired Harrison Barnes had a 10% trade bonus that he waived in order to help facilitate the deal involving the Kings, Spurs and Bulls. Barnes called it “a pretty easy decision,” adding, “It’s funny, with the new CBA, the trade kicker became more of a play than I was expecting, but I think the opportunity just to come here and to be able play for Pop (Gregg Popovich) and play with this group I think is exciting.”
Klay Thompson said during his introductory press conference that the Mavericks are a perfect fit for him at this stage of his career, Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com relays. “Whether you play basketball or work in the corporate world, sometimes change can spur greatness and a new change of scenery can do wonders,” Thompson said. “And I’m very grateful for my time at Golden State. But I just felt like moving on could re-energize me and do something special for the rest of my career. … When I was watching the Mavs make a run for the championship, I just saw myself fitting in really well with this team. They looked like they had fun playing with each other and they played for each other. That was very attractive for me. That’s really all I needed to see.”
Former Heat big man Orlando Robinson is on the Rockets’ Summer League roster, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. Robinson was waived on July 7 before his $2.1MM contract became guaranteed. He cleared waivers on Tuesday. Robinson appeared in 36 contests for Miami in 2023/24, averaging 2.8 points on a .500/.533/.760 shooting line. Robinson also chipped in 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per night.
Rockets guard Amen Thompson, who is a member of the USA Select Team this summer, said Houston coach Ime Udoka is “reasonably hard” on his players, he told Sam Yip of HoopsHype. “He’s kind of similar to some coaches I’ve had in the past. The thing that’s different about him is he can get in the mix with us, like he’s a player,” he said. “I’ve never had a coach that played in the NBA. When he talks, I gotta listen because he’s been there. He’s reasonably hard on everybody. He doesn’t go crazy, but he’s reasonably hard.”

Tyus Jones, Gary Trent, Isaac Okoro Among Top Remaining FAs

July 11th, 2024 at 7:08am CST by Luke Adams

The 2024/25 league year began just 10 days ago, but our list of this year’s top 50 free agents has been picked pretty clean. Of those 50 players, 42 have either agreed to deals or officially signed new contracts, leaving just eight still on the board.

Here are those eight players:

Tyus Jones, G
Gary Trent Jr., G
Isaac Okoro, F (Cavaliers RFA)
Luke Kennard, G
Precious Achiuwa, F/C
Markelle Fultz, G
Cedi Osman, F
Gordon Hayward, F

Jones’ ongoing availability surprises me a little, given that he’s coming off a career year. Considered one of the league’s top backup point guards for several seasons, Jones got his first opportunity to be a full-time starter in 2023/24 and delivered — his .489 FG%, .414 3PT%, 12.0 PPG, and 7.3 APG were all career highs, and no one in the league is better at protecting the ball (his 1.0 turnover per game in ’23/24 was the worst mark of his career).

John Hollinger of The Athletic succinctly summed up Jones’ dilemma in free agency this week, writing, “(Jones) wants to be a starter and wants to do it for a team better than the Wizards, but he might have to settle for 50 percent of those goals.”

Of course, a lack of spending power and available roster spots around the NBA is also starting to become an issue for the top free agents left on the board. Only the Jazz and Pistons have significant cap room remaining, with Utah leading the way at about $35MM.

But the Jazz may end up needing about $24MM of that room in order to renegotiate Lauri Markkanen‘s salary up to his maximum next month in order to get an extension done with the star forward. If that’s the plan, they’re not in position to offer a free agent more than about $11-13MM (depending on what they do with a pair of partially guaranteed contracts).

The Pistons used up some of their cap room when they claimed Paul Reed‘s $7.7MM salary off waivers this week. If Detroit wants to free up more space, Reed could always be waived, since his salary is still non-guaranteed. As long as he’s the books, the team could get up to about $20MM by completing Malik Beasley‘s reported one-year, $6MM deal using the room exception instead of cap space.

There are plenty of teams around the NBA who still have the full $12.8MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception on hand, but most of those clubs won’t use it due to financial concerns. For instance, the Pacers haven’t touched their MLE and have an open roster spot, but they’re only about $2.5MM below the luxury tax line, so they’ll likely be inclined to stay out of tax territory. Virtually every other team that still has the full mid-level available is in a similar position and would become a taxpayer if they used their entire MLE.

Jones, Trent, and Okoro presumably all entered free agency hoping to easily exceed the non-taxpayer mid-level exception on their next contracts, but it’s getting harder to see how all of them will get there.

Okoro – a strong wing defender whose offensive game remains a work in progress – is perhaps the most interesting name left on the market. While there are still technically eight restricted free agents still on the board, Okoro is the only one who finished last season on a standard contract rather than a two-way deal, and he’s the only one who seems in line for a sizable payday this summer.

The Pistons were identified on June 30 as a potential suitor to watch for Okoro, who has spent his entire NBA career under new Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. If their interest is real, they’re in position to put some pressure on Cleveland with an aggressive offer sheet. The Cavaliers aren’t expected to balk at matching an offer in the $12-13MM range, but anything higher than that would put them well over the luxury tax line and potentially even over the first tax apron, so it wouldn’t be a no-brainer.

Trent and Kennard are reliable three-point threats, but don’t bring a whole lot else to the table, which has presumably limited their market. The Grizzlies still appear very interested in bringing back Kennard, whereas the door appears nearly closed for Trent’s return to the Raptors.

The Pistons looked like a potential fit for Trent at the start of free agency, but their deal with Beasley likely rules out the immediate need for another three-point gunner. Trent may have to find a team willing to bring him aboard using a portion of the mid-level exception or via sign-and-trade.

The most likely outcome for Achiuwa still seems to be a return to New York, given that the Knicks need help up front and hold his Bird rights. There hasn’t been much chatter about the remaining three free agents from our top 50 – Fultz, Osman, and Hayward – but I expect them to find NBA deals eventually.

Besides the players listed above, there are plenty of other veterans worth keeping an eye on in free agency, many of whom will likely end up on minimum-salary deals.

Teams in need of a point guard could look to Spencer Dinwiddie or Kyle Lowry, or perhaps to Patrick Beverley or Dennis Smith Jr. if they’re seeking a defense-first player. Sharpshooters like Seth Curry, Doug McDermott, Evan Fournier, and Davis Bertans are still available. So are solid backup wings like Justin Holiday, Lonnie Walker, Josh Okogie, Robert Covington, Jae Crowder, and Troy Brown. Both Morris brothers (Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris) remain unsigned as well, though Markieff appears likely to return to Dallas.

Our full list of available free agents can be found right here.

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Timberwolves Re-Sign Daishen Nix On Two-Way Contract

July 10th, 2024 at 10:24pm CST by Rory Maher

The Timberwolves have re-signed free agent guard Daishen Nix to a two-way contract, according to NBA.com’s official transactions log. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype was first to note the news (via Twitter).

A former McDonald’s All-American who went undrafted in 2021 after one season with the G League Ignite, Nix spent his first two NBA seasons with Houston. The Rockets waived him in June 2023 before his salary for the 2023/24 season became guaranteed.

Nix, 22, signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Timberwolves last September and then was converted to a two-way contract in October. He only appeared in 15 NBA games last season for a total of 50 minutes.

Nix appeared in 13 Showcase Cup and regular season games in ’23/24 for Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, putting up impressive averages of 22.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.5 steals in 36.3 minutes per contest. He struggled with scoring efficiency, however, posting a .397/.244/.643 shooting line.

As our tracker shows, Nix fills Minnesota’s third and final two-way spot, joining Jaylen Clark and Jesse Edwards.

Hornets Notes: Smith, Lee, Offseason, Simpson

July 10th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Nick Smith Jr., a first-round pick in 2023, is hoping to carve out consistent rotation minutes in 2024/25 under new Hornets head coach Charles Lee, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

The 20-year-old appeared in 51 games as a rookie last season, averaging 5.9 RPG, 1.4 RPG and 1.2 APG on .391/.432/.867 shooting in 14.3 MPG. He pointed to solid defense as his path to regular playing time.

“That’s what’s going to get you on the court,” Smith said. “I’m a guard, small guard, at that for the NBA. I’m 6-3 and have a long wingspan, but I’ve got to be able to guard the best guards in the country, and the best guards in the NBA, and the best wings at times. And I want my team to count on me to get those stops, because I want that challenge.

“And I’m pretty sure everybody knows I want that challenge, too. So, it’s just repping it each and every day, especially coming out here and just not taking any games lightly, it’s playing with the team. The team understands that winning comes first, defense comes first and Coach Lee has definitely preached that.”

Here’s more on the Hornets:

First-year head coach Lee is drawing rave reviews from his players even though he’s only been around the team for a handful of weeks, according to Boone. Lee decided to lead the summer league squad after finishing out last season as an assistant for the title-winning Celtics. “No. 1, I’m so excited to be part of this Hornets organization and also love the game, love to coach,” Lee told The Observer. “And I feel like I’ve been away from the guys as I went on that playoff run. And now’s my opportunity to start building with them, start learning some terminology, learning the players and also just create an environment of, ‘We’re all going to get down to work like nobody’s above anything.’ And so I was just ready to hit the ground running.”
The Hornets have been very active this offseason, making changes to the back end of the roster and agreeing to re-sign Miles Bridges to a three-year, $75MM contract. Those series of moves suggest that new head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson and new co-owners Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall are focused on improving the team’s talent pool rather than going with the status quo, Boone writes for The Observer.
Rookie guard KJ Simpson, the 42nd overall pick of last month’s draft, signed a two-way contract that covers two seasons, a league source tells Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). A two-time All-Pac-12 honoree during his three-season stint with the Colorado Buffaloes, the 6’0″ Simpson averaged 19.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.9 APG and 1.6 SPG in ’23/24.

Jontay Porter Pleads Guilty To Felony, Likely Facing Prison Time

July 10th, 2024 at 7:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Former Raptors big man Jontay Porter pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a federal felony charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, reports Jennifer Peltz of The Associated Press.

“I know what I did was wrong, unlawful, and I am deeply sorry,” said Porter, who was released on a $250K bond signed by his mother and wife, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Porter’s sentencing is set for December 18 in New York.

Prosecutors estimated that Porter could receive 41 to 51 months in prison, but the final say will come from a judge, who could impose no time or up to a maximum of 20 years. The 24-year-old is also likely to be docked “hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution and fines,” per Peltz.

Porter, who told the court he is in therapy and has received inpatient rehabilitation for a gambling addiction, was banned from the NBA in April following an investigation into betting-related irregularities.

Porter is tied to another federal case involving four men who are also charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The defendants are accused of profiting from prop bets based on the knowledge that Porter would exit a pair of games early. The complaint also alleges that Porter – who isn’t identified by name but fits the description of the player described – was supposed to receive a portion of the winnings. Porter was allegedly pressured by one of the defendants due outstanding gambling debts. The four defendants have yet to enter pleas.

In 26 games for Toronto in 2023/24, Porter averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 13.8 minutes per night. He earned $415K last season while on a two-way contract with the Raptors.

Hawks, Bruno Fernando Agree To Push Back Guarantee Date

July 10th, 2024 at 7:02pm CST by Rory Maher

For the second time this summer, the Hawks and Bruno Fernando have reached an agreement to push back his salary guarantee date, reports Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks (via Twitter).

The two sides originally postponed Fernando’s guarantee date from June 29 to July 10. According to Rowland, the new guarantee date is August 1.

Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier on Wednesday that the Hawks and Fernando were discussing postponing the deadline again.

Fernando has some incentive to give Atlanta more time with the decision if it increases his odds of remaining on the roster and earning his full $2.72MM salary for 2024/25. In 2023, Atlanta moved Fernando’s salary guarantee deadline from June 29 to July 10, then ultimately kept him on the roster, guaranteeing his full $2.58MM salary for ’23/24.

The 34th pick of the 2019 draft after two college seasons at Maryland, Fernando has appeared in 203 regular season games over the course of his five-year NBA career, having suited up for Atlanta, Boston and Houston. Most of those appearances (142) have come with the Hawks.

A 6’9″ center from Angola who possesses a 7’3″ wingspan, Fernando didn’t play much at all in the first half of last season, appearing in just 13 of Atlanta’s first 49 games for an average of 6.5 minutes per contest. However, he was thrust into a larger role down the stretch due to a series of frontcourt injuries, averaging 7.6 PPG and 5.2 RPG while shooting 59.4% from the floor and 70.1% from the line over his final 32 games (18.7 MPG).

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