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Heat Notes: Butler, Spoelstra, Herro, Richardson

September 30th, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Tristan Tucker

After the Heat fell in the first round of the 2024 playoffs to the Celtics, team president Pat Riley drew attention when he challenged star Jimmy Butler to miss fewer games and keep his mouth “shut” instead of trash-talking Boston. Riley was noncommittal about the idea a Butler extension and all eyes turned to the Heat’s six-time All-Star for a response.

That response came during Monday’s media day and Butler’s comments were nothing but professional and team-oriented, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.

“I always want to hoop, always want to compete with my guys,” Butler said. “I hear him. I see what he’s talking about. I’m going to play as many games as I can.”

As Jackson writes, Butler entered the offseason seeking a contract extension that would have given him a raise on his existing contract and added another year. But with the Heat not wanting to rush to complete that deal, Butler now intends to play out the rest of the season without an extension and turn down his player option next year. Butler confirmed today that he didn’t consider asking for a trade after Miami opted not to extend him.

“No, I’m good,” he said. “An extension is just a couple dollars. I’m cool, I’m telling you. I’ve made enough. I just want to play basketball and want to be available, like Pat was talking about. I plan on being that and plan on us winning a bunch of games and making everybody happy.”

We have more from the Heat:

Asked specifically about Riley’s “keep your mouth shut” comment, Butler downplayed it and suggested he didn’t take offense, Jackson writes. “Not too many things bother me nowadays,” Butler said. “I’m happy. I’m healthy. I’ve got a beautiful family. And I get to hoop. Not too much in the media is ever going to get to me.“
Head coach Erik Spoelstra, who has now spent five seasons with Butler, suggested that the two of them will need to be at their best and work together in order for the team to reach its potential, according to a report from ESPN. “When you get to that many years together, there’s a lot of unspoken understanding,” Spoelstra said. “He’s at a point now where he needs me to really coach this team at a high level. He needs me to coach him at a high level and push him to higher levels. And I need him to be at his highest level as a player and a leader.” Butler expressed similar sentiments, as relayed in Jackson’s story.
Tyler Herro spent the offseason bulking up after an injury-riddled year that limited him to 42 games last year, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald details. Herro gained 12 pounds this offseason and is aiming to be more available, which comes after Riley called him “fragile” in his 2023/24 season-ending presser. “Being able to stay healthy, I think that will help being more durable, having a little bigger frame throughout an 82-game season,” Herro said. “Then just taking care of my body recovery wise and truly being professional. I put the work in on the court and in the weight room. Now it’s all about staying healthy and putting that recovery work in, as well.“
Herro — who has started 107 games over the past two seasons but was named Sixth Man of the Year in ’21/22 — said he’s comfortable in whatever role the coaching staff has envisioned for him. “We’re going to let the best coach in the league decide, we’re going to let one of the best GMs and presidents ever to do this decide if I’m starting or coming off the bench,” Herro said, per Chiang. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win a championship.”
Josh Richardson is the only player who won’t be a full participant on the first day of training camp, Chiang adds in the same story. Spoelstra said Richardson will eventually participate in camp but he’s still recovering from his season-ending shoulder injury from February.

Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Rose, Jackson, Bane, Spencer, Konchar

September 30th, 2024 at 4:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is healthy and ready to go this fall after missing 85 of the team’s last 102 regular season games due to a pair of suspensions and a season-ending shoulder injury. While the last season-and-a-half have been pretty forgettable for fans in Memphis, Morant told reporters on Monday that he wants to remember “pretty much everything” he’s experienced during that time.

“Everything I’ve been through, I wanna remember that feeling I felt each time, no matter what situation it was,” he said, per Jason Munz of The Memphis Commerical Appeal. “I feel like it helped me a lot, it helped me grow more into a better Ja. Right now, you know, I’m probably the happiest I feel like I’ve been in a while. You know just having my family, my AAU team and the little things I was doing to keep me going and that makes me happy being able to do it this offseason – catching up with a lot of my family has been good.

“… I feel like a happy Ja is a scary Ja for a lot of people. So, long as I stay happy and healthy, it’ll be a great season.”

Morant wasn’t the only Grizzlies player to be affected by health problems last season. Nearly every one of the team’s rotation players missed time due to various injuries, but Morant and fellow cornerstones Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane are healthy this fall and the star point guard is bullish about the potential of the 2024/25 squad.

“I honestly feel like this is one of the best rosters we’ve had, you know, on paper, depth-wise,” Morant said. “And now being able to see the guys go out and when we’re playing and stuff, it gives me even more confidence. I feel like we’re pretty much loaded at every position. It’s gonna be interesting to see how it all pans out.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Derrick Rose‘s retirement wasn’t something the Grizzlies had expected this fall, but they were happy to accommodate him when he asked to be let out of his contract in order to call it a career, head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said on Monday, according to Munz. “First, congrats to Derrick Rose on his retirement. Really glad that Derrick was with us for a season,” Kleiman said. “We got a call – it was classic Derrick fashion. Completely respect Derrick, the person he is and the decision he decided to make. But, got a call out of left field from his agent last weekend. ‘He’s ready to ride off into the sunset.'”
Kleiman made it clear during his media session on Monday that Morant, Jackson, and Bane are the three players the Grizzlies are building around now and going forward, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. “I think that’s one of, if not the best three-man cores in the NBA,” Kleiman said. “I firmly believe that. We’ve spent years trying to think about what are the type of players that fit best around them, and I think every year we have trended more and more in that direction.”
Already without Vince Williams (leg) and GG Jackson (foot) for training camp, the Grizzlies are also missing two-way player Cam Spencer for now as he deals with an ankle sprain Kleiman described as “moderate,” according to Cole. “A little bit shorter-handed than we’d like to be,” Kleiman said. “… It’s next man up. Down to the two-ways. We feel strongly about each of the three two-ways on the roster. They’re guys who can potentially contribute.”
The Grizzlies are carrying just 13 players on standard contracts for now and could wait as late as two weeks into the regular season to add a 14th man if they so choose. Kleiman didn’t offer any real hints on Monday about who might fill that spot, as Cole notes. “I think realistically, you’ll see someone in the 14th spot before we start the regular season,” Kleiman said. “Don’t hold me to that. Not promising it. Over the course of training camp and preseason, we’ll evaluate.”
Reserve wing John Konchar said his goal in 2024/25 is to make at least 38% of his three-pointers, tweets Cole. Konchar was a 40.6% three-point shooter in his first three NBA seasons, but knocked down just 33.0% in the past two seasons.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Drummond, Bridges, Celtics

September 30th, 2024 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers center Joel Embiid told reporters at Monday’s media day that he has dropped “25 to 30 pounds” during the offseason and that staying healthy in 2024/25 is his number one goal entering this fall, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“I still got a ways to go. I still want to lose more, but it’s a process,” Embiid said. “As soon as we lost last year, I just texted (Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey) and I was like, ‘We got to do whatever it takes to make sure that in the postseason I’m healthy.’ So this year is all about (that).”

Embiid has made seven straight All-Star teams and five total All-NBA teams in addition to winning a pair of scoring titles and 2023’s Most Valuable Player award. While he has expressed pride in some of those accolades in the past, he made it clear on Monday that individual awards are far down his list of goals in 2024/25.

“There’s no agenda, there’s no All-Star, there’s no All-NBA, there’s none of that,” Embiid said. “It’s whatever it takes to make sure that I get to that point and I’m ready to go because … basically every single year in my career, I’ve been hurt in the playoffs. So that’s the goal, and it’s all about doing whatever it takes to get there.”

Adding a star like Paul George and so many other players to the roster will require an adjustment period this fall, so it’s not as if the Sixers can put Embiid in bubble wrap until the spring. Morey acknowledged on Monday that finding a balance between managing the star center’s minutes and making sure the new-look roster has plenty of opportunities to establish chemistry will be important.

“We’re going to be really smart about it,” Morey said. “Obviously, we’re very focused on April, May and June. That doesn’t mean that the time right now isn’t very important as well, but we’re going to be very smart about how we manage him through the season. There’s going to be a lot of information, as we learn about how everything’s working with the entire roster.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Appearing at the Sixers‘ media day on Monday, veteran center Andre Drummond reiterated his belief that he’s “the best rebounder to ever play the game,” as Sean Barnard of Fox Sports The Gambler in Philadelphia relays (via Twitter). As we noted last September when Drummond made a similar claim, his career rebounding percentage (25.1%) ranks first in NBA history.
Speaking on the most recent episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Bobby Marks says he doesn’t expect Knicks forward Mikal Bridges to sign a contract extension prior to the start of the season. “The indication I’ve gotten just from talking to people is that there is not going to be an extension, that he will wait until next year to look at what the extension,” Marks said (hat tip to RealGM). “… Because he’s limited as far as the six-month rule as far as what he can extend for. Next year, he can extend for four years. It just gives him more flexibility. That could certainly change by October 21st. Maybe this (Karl-Anthony Towns) trade does change that thinking. This was talking to people before this trade happened.” As Marks alludes to, the most lucrative extension Bridges can sign before this season is for two years and about $61MM. Next offseason, he could get up to $156MM over four years.
The Celtics‘ sale process is expected to begin accelerating this week, a source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. According to Himmelsbach, the banks facilitating the sale are set to contact a group of individuals that includes both potential buyers who have expressed interest in the team and “other qualified buyers who have been targeted by the sale facilitators.”

Bulls Notes: Giddey, Williams, Ball, LaVine

September 30th, 2024 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

New Bulls guard Josh Giddey told reporters on Monday that the ankle injury he suffered at the end of Australia’s run in the Paris Olympics was more serious than initially believed and that he spent the rest of the offseason recovering from it, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links).

According to Giddey, who said he was diagnosed with a ruptured ATFL (anterior talo-fibular ligament), he and the Bulls have been conservative with his rehab timeline, but he’s close to being ready to suit up. In fact, if there were a playoff game on the schedule tomorrow, Giddey could suit up, he said. The fourth-year guard expects to be “fine” for opening night.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Despite an ominous report last week about his recovery from February foot surgery, Bulls forward Patrick Williams has been playing 5-on-5 ball and is “ready to go” for training camp, Bulls head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said today. According to Johnson (Twitter link), the soreness Williams experienced in the offseason that was reference in last week’s report wasn’t related to his foot surgery.
Karnisovas said the goal for the Bulls this year won’t be to try to hang onto the top-10 first-round pick they owe the Spurs, but to define the identity and playing style of the new group, per Johnson (Twitter links). The veteran executive added that the current roster isn’t necessarily a “finished product” and that the front office is focused on building a team that’s “faster and more versatile.”
Lonzo Ball remains optimistic about where he’s at in his recovery from multiple knee surgeries and still hopes to play on opening night, though he acknowledged on Monday that back-to-backs are off the table for him this season and he’ll be on a minutes restriction. “I pretty much have a brand new knee,” the point guard said (Twitter links via Johnson).
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times wrote this week that rebuilding Zach LaVine‘s trade value and finding him a new home remains the No. 1 goal for the Bulls’ front office. However, speaking on Monday to reporters, LaVine offered a lengthy opening statement about his commitment to the Bulls, suggesting that he and the club have moved past any negativity from the past, tweets Johnson. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic passes along video of LaVine’s comments, via Twitter.
While Cowley believes LaVine’s future is the most significant storyline worth following in Chicago this season, he identifies a few more “secondary” storylines to watch, in a separate article for the Sun-Times.

Nets Notes: Simmons, Finney-Smith, Bogdanovic, Williams, Johnson

September 30th, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets only got 15 games from Ben Simmons last season, but he told reporters at Monday’s media day that he’s feeling good with training camp about to open, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Trainer Chris Brickley recently proclaimed that Simmons has fully overcome the back problems that have hampered him over the last three years and is ready to be an All-Star again. While Simmons didn’t make any promises, he seemed to agree with Brickley’s assessment.

“Yeah. I feel like when my body is healthy, that’s the confidence I always have, and that’s where I’m at right now,” he said. “I feel great and ready to go. … I’d have days where I’d have a tough day of playing. The next day I’d be locked up in my back. I haven’t had one of those setbacks since I’ve been back playing (over the summer).”

Simmons’ lack of availability combined with his huge contract have made him a liability in Brooklyn since he was acquired from Philadelphia in 2022. That contract is now a $40.3MM expiring deal, and Simmons understands that he has one last chance to make a positive impression before free agency next summer, Lewis adds (Twitter link).

“For me it’s important just to be healthy,” he said. “I want to play basketball I love and get the most I can out of my body. That’s the focus. The money’s nice and all that, but I want to play and play healthy.”

There’s more from Brooklyn’s media day:

After seeing Mikal Bridges get traded this summer, Dorian Finney-Smith knows there’s a strong chance he might not be with team all season, Lewis tweets. Finney-Smith holds a player option for 2025/26, and at age 31, he doesn’t fit the timeline of the rebuilding Nets. “It’s part of the business,” he said. “Nothing surprises me no more. I was with Mikal (when he got traded). There was a chance I may be moving, but all I could do was be professional and just come in ready to play.”
Bojan Bogdanovic confirmed that he hasn’t been cleared for 5-on-5 play, per Lewis (Twitter link). After undergoing offseason surgeries on his left foot and wrist, the veteran swingman said the wrist is fully healed but his foot needs more time.
Ziaire Williams is eager for a fresh start after being traded to Brooklyn in July, Lewis adds (Twitter link). The 2021 lottery pick felt like his career had stagnated in Memphis. “I feel like a loose bird let out its cage,” he said. “Some days I just felt like I was just trapped. So I definitely feel a lot more free, happy to be here.”
Cameron Johnson, who’s believed to be another strong trade candidate, has talked to general manager Sean Marks about his future with the team, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “The conversations, from my point, without going too deep into it was just letting him know that I understand the business first and foremost,” Johnson said. “For me, I said there’s never a hard feeling on anything that happens. I like Sean a lot and I appreciate Sean a lot. That won’t change if I was traded two months ago, two months from now, and if I remain a Net the rest of my career. I really appreciate Sean. After that, it’s just let me know what’s going on. I’d like to be in the loop of what can happen and what he’s thinking, and that’s that. He was very good to have that conversation with. He gave me a lot of good feedback as well.”

Sixers Sign Isaiah Mobley, Jordan Tucker To Exhibit 10 Deals

September 30th, 2024 at 12:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:33pm: In addition to confirming their deal with Mobley, the Sixers announced in a press release that they’ve officially signed free agent forward Jordan Tucker, who will fill the final spot on the team’s 21-man training camp roster.

Tucker, who played for Philadelphia’s Summer League team in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, has bounced around since going undrafted out of Butler in 2020, playing in the G League, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and France.

While the Sixers didn’t explicitly confirm it, it’s safe to assume Tucker also inked an Exhibit 10 deal.

9:55am: Isaiah Mobley has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Sixers, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).

The 25-year-old power forward spent the past two seasons on two-way deals in Cleveland, where he played alongside his younger brother, Evan. He appeared in 22 total games for the Cavaliers, averaging 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.1 minutes per night. He was selected with the 49th pick in the 2022 draft.

Mobley also has experience in the G League, where he played part of the last two seasons. The Exhibit 10 deal means he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived and spends at least 60 days with Philadelphia’s affiliate in Delaware.

The Sixers have 13 players with fully guaranteed contracts, along with Ricky Council on a non-guaranteed deal. The team’s two-way slots are filled by Justin Edwards, Jeff Dowtin and Lester Quinones, but Mobley might be able to compete for one of those with an impressive camp.

Mobley’s signing will bring Philadelphia’s roster to 20 players, one short of the offseason limit.

Alondes Williams Signs Camp Deal With Clippers

September 30th, 2024 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 30: Williams was included on the training camp roster officially announced today by the Clippers, signaling that his camp contract with the team is now official (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 17: Former Heat guard Alondes Williams is set to join the Clippers on a training camp contract, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required).

Williams, who played college ball for Triton College, Oklahoma, and Wake Forest, went undrafted in 2022 and spent his rookie season with the Nets and their G League affiliate in Long Island. Last August, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Heat and opened the season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, before signing a two-way contract with the Heat in February and finishing the season on their 18-man roster.

Although Williams has only played 21 total minutes across eight appearances for Brooklyn and Miami at the NBA level, he’s coming off a big year in the G League. In 43 Showcase Cup and regular season appearances for the Skyforce in 2023/24, he put up 20.3 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.3 rebounds in 37.4 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .499/.369/.742. The 25-year-old also helped the Heat win a Summer League title this summer, averaging 12.0 PPG and 4.8 APG with a .480 3PT% in five games in Las Vegas.

The Heat initially tendered Williams a two-way qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent, but they withdrew that QO in July after filling their two-way slots, freeing him up to sign outright with any team.

Williams will likely sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Clippers and could be a candidate to have it converted to a two-way deal, since Los Angeles has a two-way slot open alongside Jordan Miller and Trentyn Flowers.

Since Sioux Falls still controls Williams’ G League returning rights, he wouldn’t be eligible for a $77.5K Exhibit 10 bonus with L.A. unless the San Diego Clippers acquire his rights from the Skyforce.

NBA 2024 Offseason Check-In: Washington Wizards

September 30th, 2024 at 12:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2024 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the Washington Wizards.

Free agent signings

Jonas Valanciunas: Three years, $30,295,000. Third year non-guaranteed. Signed using Bird rights and acquired via sign-and-trade from Pelicans.
Saddiq Bey: Three years, $19,000,000. Includes an additional $1MM in unlikely incentives. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Anthony Gill: Two years, minimum salary ($4,784,366). Second year non-guaranteed. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
Leaky Black: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Kira Lewis: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Jaylen Nowell: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

Acquired the draft rights to Kyshawn George (No. 24 pick) from the Knicks in exchange for the draft rights to Dillon Jones (No. 26 pick) and the No. 51 pick in the 2024 draft.
Acquired Malcolm Brogdon; the draft rights to Carlton Carrington (No. 14 pick); either the Trail Blazers’, Celtics’, or Bucks’ 2029 first-round pick (whichever is second-most favorable); the Warriors’ 2028 second-round pick; and the Trail Blazers’ 2030 second-round pick from the Trail Blazers in exchange for Deni Avdija.
Acquired Jonas Valanciunas (sign-and-trade) from the Pelicans in exchange for the Bulls’ 2027 second-round pick (top-50 protected).

Draft picks

1-2: Alex Sarr
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $51,036,398).
1-14: Carlton Carrington
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $21,290,769).
1-24: Kyshawn George
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $14,336,172).

Two-way signings

Tristan Vukcevic

Departed/unsigned free agents

Jules Bernard (Cavaliers)
Tyus Jones (Suns)

Other moves

Signed Richaun Holmes to a two-year, $25,929,058 veteran extension that begins in 2024/25. Second year partially guaranteed ($250K).
Waived Landry Shamet.
Waived Eugene Omoruyi.

Salary cap situation

Operating over the cap ($140.6MM) and below the luxury tax line ($170.8MM).
Carrying approximately $161.1MM in salary.
Hard-capped at $178,132,000.
Approximately $6.4MM of non-taxpayer mid-level exception available; full bi-annual exception ($4.7MM) available.
Two traded player exceptions available (largest worth $12,402,000).

The offseason so far

When a new front office takes over an NBA team’s basketball operations department, that new group often has little attachment to the club’s incumbent players and looks to gradually fill the roster with its own guys. That’s especially true when the team is in rebuilding mode.

So while I didn’t necessarily expect the Wizards to move Deni Avdija this offseason, it wasn’t a huge surprise that top decision-makers Michael Winger and Will Dawkins decided to capitalize on Avdija’s career year in 2023/24 by cashing in on a player drafted by the previous regime whose value was at an all-time high.

We knew, based on reporting in the spring, that the Wizards, armed with the second and 26th overall selections in June’s draft, were looking to continue stockpiling picks — and specifically to add a third first-rounder for 2024. The Avdija deal helped them do just that. By sending the ascendant forward to Portland and taking on Malcolm Brogdon‘s $22.5MM expiring contract to help the Blazers get out of tax territory, Washington added two future second-round selections and a pair of first-rounders, including this year’s No. 14 overall pick.

It was a savvy trade by the Wizards, who may be able to flip Brogdon later this season for something of value. The veteran guard wasn’t a fit in a crowded Portland backcourt on a team with financial concerns, but he’s a career 39.1% three-point shooter who is just two years removed from winning a Sixth Man of the Year award. If he’s healthy, Brogdon should appeal to teams looking for backcourt help at this year’s trade deadline.

Using the No. 14 pick from that deal, the Wizards selected Pittsburgh guard Carlton Carrington, who flashed intriguing potential at the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 15.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in his five outings. Carrington joins No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr and No. 24 selection Kyshawn George (the Wizards gave up their No. 51 pick to move up two spots from No. 26 for George) to make up Washington’s 2024/25 rookie class.

Sarr was considered by several experts to be the top prospect in this year’s draft, and while he didn’t exactly light it up in Vegas like Carrington did (Sarr made just 9-of-47 shots from the field, or 19.1%), the rangy 19-year-old center has the potential to be a long-term defensive anchor in D.C.

At age 20, George is actually the oldest of the Wizards’ three first-rounders, but like Carrington, he was a one-and-done college player who is still very early in his developmental process. The 6’7″ swingman showed off an effective outside shot (.408 3PT%) during his freshman year at Miami and could become a solid shooter and play-maker on the wing, though he’s unlikely to make a significant impact as a rookie.

Having added three youngsters as potential long-term building blocks, the Wizards spent the rest of their offseason focused on filling out their roster with veteran contributors who could make life a little easier for those prospects.

Most notably, the team worked out a sign-and-trade deal with New Orleans to add veteran center Jonas Valanciunas on a three-year contract worth about $10MM annually. Having a steady vet like Valanciunas at the five will allow Washington to take things slow with Sarr. I wouldn’t expect Valanciunas to be part of the Wizards’ next playoff team, but he’s a perfectly fine stopgap starter, and his contract is team-friendly enough to make him a potential trade chip — LeBron James and the Lakers were said to have interest in him this summer, so that could be something worth revisiting down the road.

The Wizards further fortified their frontcourt by bringing back Richaun Holmes on a two-year, $25.9MM extension. It may look like an odd move on the surface for a player who hasn’t logged significant minutes over the past two seasons, but Holmes’ new deal (which begins in 2024/25) replaces a $12.88MM player option and is almost entirely non-guaranteed in year two.

In other words, the Wizards are essentially paying Holmes the same total salary they would have if he’d simply picked up that option, but now he has a slightly lower year-one cap hit and what amounts to a team option for 2025/26. I wouldn’t expect that ’25/26 salary to become guaranteed, but if he recaptures his 2019-21 form, you never know. At the very least, it gives Washington more flexibility with the big man going forward.

The Wizards’ other unorthodox summer signing was to bring in former Pistons and Hawks forward Saddiq Bey on a three-year contract worth $19MM (plus another $1MM in incentives). Bey will likely miss most or all of the 2024/25 season while recovering from an ACL tear, which is perfectly fine with a Washington team not interested in pushing for a playoff spot right away.

Assuming Bey is back to 100% for the start of the ’25/26 campaign, he could be a bargain on the wing in the final two years of his contract — while he had a down year before the injury last season, the former first-rounder showed off a promising three-and-D skill set early in his career.

Up next

The Wizards are carrying 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts, but have some others on non-guaranteed deals who could make cases for roster spots in training camp and during the preseason. Jared Butler, who spent last season on the roster, is in that mix, as are Exhibit 10 camp invitees Kira Lewis, Jaylen Nowell, and Leaky Black.

While Exhibit 10 signees are often simply ticketed for the G League, Lewis and Nowell have several years of NBA experience under their belts and are no longer eligible for two-way deals, so I could see them getting consideration for a 15-man spot.

Patrick Baldwin, a former first-round pick who has played limited minutes across 69 total appearances in his two NBA seasons, could be the odd man out if one of the 15 players on guaranteed deals doesn’t make the team. Another 2022 first-rounder, Johnny Davis, also has an underwhelming NBA résumé so far, though he at least played well in Vegas in July, whereas Baldwin’s Summer League performance was inconsistent.

The Wizards do have a two-way slot available as well — Black is the only camp invitee who could be directly converted to fill it, but the team could look outside of the organization. Butler would also be eligible, though he’d have to be waived and re-signed.

Corey Kispert isn’t the only Wizard who is extension-eligible this fall, but he’s probably the only legitimate candidate for a new deal. He and the team have until October 21 to attempt to work out a rookie scale extension.

Kispert has steadily improved over the course of his three NBA seasons, having made 40.2% of his three-point attempts over the past two years. He’s the sort of player who would fit nicely on a lot of teams and who could generate real interest if he reaches free agency in 2025, so it would be in the Wizards’ best interest to lock him up now if they can get him at a reasonable price.

It’s worth noting that Kispert is another player who was drafted by the previous front office, which may reduce the odds of the two sides reaching a deal in the coming weeks. But like Avdija, who signed a rookie scale extension last fall, Kispert would be a valuable trade chip down the road if he’s on a favorable long-term contract and the Wizards ultimately decide he’s not in their plans.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Bridges, Hart, Towns, Anunoby

September 30th, 2024 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks‘ three major trades in the past nine months — bringing in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns — were a result of seeking out the best possible players to complement Jalen Brunson, writes James L. Edwards of The New York Post. As Edwards points out, when the front office began to spend the collection of draft assets and young talent it had built up, it didn’t settle for just any 3-and-D wings or floor-spacing big men. It got three of the best players on the market.

“I haven’t really processed it,” Brunson responded at Monday’s media day when asked about how the team has been built around him. “Yeah, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but I just know that we have a lot of guys who are hungry and willing to do whatever it takes. I would never consider myself (a face of the franchise). There are definitely people on the outside who can say it if they want, but I’m a leader of this team, I want to lead this team and I’m grateful of the opportunity. I don’t take this for granted.”

The collection of talent in New York not only makes the Knicks a legitimate title contender for the first time in years, it could turn Brunson into a serious MVP candidate, Edwards notes. Bridges, his former teammate at Villanova, hasn’t been surprised by Brunson’s NBA success.

“I knew throughout college, but I really knew when he signed (with the Knicks),” Bridges said. “I knew what he was going to do, especially in the league we play in. Him having the ball and being able to be ball dominant … his efficiency is out of the roof. I knew what he was going to be able to do with the ball in hands here, more than what he was able to do in Dallas.”

There’s more from media day in New York:

Brunson talked about the difficulty of losing Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, who are being sent to Minnesota in the Towns trade, per Justin Tasch of The New York Post. “That was definitely tough. Thankful that Julius welcomed me with open arms here. That news, it was crazy,” Brunson said. “I’m really thankful for them and their friendships and everything and what they brought to this team. Really thankful I got to get a relationship with Julius. The memories we made together was really fun. Donte, he was a groomsman in my wedding. That should tell you everything you need to know about our relationship. Love him to death.”
Bridges brushed aside media day questions about a potential contract extension, but said he’s looking forward to teaming up with Towns once the trade is finalized, per Adam Zagoria (Twitter link). “I like KAT, man, I played against him for years,” Bridges said. “He can stretch the floor. You forget until you stand next to him just how tall he is. He’s tall as hell. Obviously a great player.”
Josh Hart is also ready to get the trade done so Towns can report to camp, saying, “We’re extremely excited with what we have — officially and unofficially, and we’re excited to get started,” Zagoria adds (Twitter link). Hart stated that being dealt to Minnesota is probably “difficult” for Randle because of the role he played in helping the Knicks become competitive again.
Anunoby, who got a new five-year, $212.5MM contract this summer, indicated that re-signing with the Knicks was his first choice all along, tweets Ian Begley of SNY. “I always wanted to be here, so it wasn’t a hard decision for me,” Anunoby said.

Raptors Notes: Brown, Barrett, Barnes, Walter, Chomche

September 30th, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Arthur Hill

Speaking to reporters at Monday’s media day, Raptors executive Masai Ujiri explained the decision to have Bruce Brown undergo arthroscopic surgery so late in the offseason, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Brown had the procedure done September 19 and is likely to miss most, if not all of the preseason.

“Bruce was cleared in the summer,” Ujiri said. “As he began to ramp up his knee flared up … all summer Bruce was good, he participated with the team (in off-season workouts). But when it flared up we made the decision collectively.”

Brown’s knee issues date back to last season, but he was hoping they would improve through a summer of rest and rehab. Brown has an expiring $23MM contract and could be a valuable trade piece by the deadline if the Raptors aren’t able to contend for a play-in spot.

There’s more from Toronto’s media day:

Head coach Darko Rajakovic is looking forward to a full training camp with RJ Barrett, who was acquired from New York last December, Grange adds (Twitter links). Rajakovic said Barrett adjusted to his new team very quickly after the deal, and the forward told reporters that he was eager to get back to his NBA responsibilities after Canada was knocked out of the Olympics. “Right after we lost, I was on the bus back to the hotel and called (Raptors assistant) Jama (Mahlalela) and got it figured out,” Barrett said. “… This is the Raptors, this my team, my home, I wanted to be there with my teammates. … I wanted to show that I’m all in.”
Scottie Barnes has been focused on improving his shot creation skills throughout the summer, according to Grange (Twitter link). Barnes added that individual accomplishments are a byproduct of winning and said he’s willing to be patient as the team rebuilds. “Taking our time, don’t get frustrated throughout that process,” he said. “Of course we want to win and we know we can win, but it takes time, so don’t get frustrated through the process.”
Rookie Ja’Kobe Walter will miss training camp with a shoulder sprain, but Ujiri doesn’t expect it to be a lingering issue, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link).
Ujiri also expressed excitement about rookie center Ulrich Chomche, who signed a two-way contract after being selected with the 57th pick in the draft, relays Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link).“Very intriguing young player,” Ujiri said. “I remember watching him the first time at BAL, he showed incredible instinct defensively. Also work ethic, playing hard, that mindset. Those Cameroonian guys, they fight hard, it’s pride for them.”

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