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International Notes: Stojakovic, Miller, Samanic, Petrusev, Wright

September 15th, 2024 at 9:08am CST by Arthur Hill

Former NBA stars Peja Stojakovic and Reggie Miller are among the new members of the FIBA Hall of Fame, according to Eurohoops. The Class of 2024 was inducted Saturday at a ceremony in Singapore on the night before the FIBA Intercontinental Cup Final.

Stojakovic played for five teams during his 12 NBA seasons, but he’s best known for his time with the Kings in the early 2000s. The three-time All-Star won a championship with Dallas in 2011 and is also a member of the Greek Hall of Fame. Miller is one of the best shooters in NBA history and was named to the league’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

“If I had to say something to the young kids who are starting to play basketball, it’s this: whatever you are, no matter the circumstances you are in, don’t be discouraged,” Stojakovic told the crowd. “If you really love the game, keep working hard because probably someone is watching.”

The other new Hall of Fame members are Miao Lijie (China), Danira Nakic-Bilic (Croatia), Kirk Penney (New Zealand), Romain Sato (Central African Republic) and Skaidrite Smildzina-Budovska (Latvia). Dan Peterson (USA), who coached extensively in Italy, was also recognized.

There’s more international news to pass along:

Fenerbahce has parted ways with former NBA big man Luka Samanic, but will retain his rights through the end of the upcoming season, another Eurohoops story states. Samanic signed a one-year deal in August, but left the team to return home to Croatia in a mutual decision. Fenerbahce added Khem Birch this week as his replacement.
There’s no chance that Filip Petrusev will be returning to Crvena Zvezda this season, BasketNews relays. Petrusev, who had brief appearances with the Sixers and Kings last season, is under contract with Olimpiacos. There was a report earlier this month that he might be loaned out to Crvena Zvezda, but team president Nebojsa Covic quashed that speculation. “This saga has been ongoing for months,” he said. “There was interest from both sides, but Petrusev is an Olympiacos player. These rumors have gone too far. As of now, Zvezda remains with the current roster.”
Moses Wright, who spent time in the NBA during the 2021/22 season, may be headed to Cyprus, according to a BasketNews report. He’s also interested in becoming a citizen and playing for the national team.

Isaiah Thomas Discusses Desire For Another NBA Comeback

September 14th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Thomas has been overcoming long odds throughout his NBA career, so he’s not going to let his age and injury history spoil his hopes of another comeback, writes Dylan Ackerman of Cronkite News. The 35-year-old guard, who participated in workouts with the Kings last month, talked about what motivates him to keep going during a recent appearance with some other NBA stars at the ZekeEnd Tournament in Tacoma, Washington.

“I just enjoy the process, but I know what I’m fighting against,” Thomas said. “I understand it, but I’ve had that same fight my whole life. This is just normal to me. It’s just another stage I have to get by. I really want to just play two or three more years and then focus on my kids. That’s the ultimate goal and we’re just going to keep fighting until the end.”

Thomas has already put together a remarkable career for a 5’9″ guard who wasn’t selected until the final pick of the 2011 draft. After three years in Sacramento and a half-season in Phoenix, Thomas found stardom after being traded to the Celtics in 2015. He made his first All-Star appearance during the 2015/16 season, averaging 22.2 points and 6.2 assists per game. He was even better the following year, earning second-team All-NBA honors and finishing fifth in the MVP voting while putting up 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per night.

However, a hip injury in that year’s playoffs caused his career to spiral as quickly as it ascended. He was sent to Cleveland during the offseason as part of a Kyrie Irving trade, but only appeared in 15 games before being shipped to the Lakers at the trade deadline.

Thomas has spent time with eight teams since the injury, but has only cracked the 40-game mark with one of them. That happened with Washington in 2019/20, which Ackerman notes is the last time Thomas has been able to land a contract before the start of a season.

Thomas earned two 10-day deals with the Suns last season and signed a standard contract in April that made him eligible for the playoffs. However, he only appeared in six games with Phoenix and made one brief postseason appearance.

“Basketball has been my life,” Thomas said. “I’ve focused on one thing my whole life. Most don’t really focus on one single thing that long. I’ve loved the game of basketball, and it’s done wonders for my life. I’ve been across the world, I made tons of money around basketball. I just love it. I love everything about the game. I love the process. I love the good, the bad. I’m still at an age where I can still play at a high level. I always say that I have the same feeling going to the gym now that I did when I was a kid. I know when that goes away, it’s time to just try to find something else.”

It’s not clear if Thomas made a strong impression on the Kings during his workouts or if the team ever considered signing him. Sacramento has one spot open on its training camp roster and just 12 players with fully guaranteed contracts. Thomas also worked out for Milwaukee in July, but the Bucks have a full roster and there’s never been any indication that they made him an offer.

Regardless of whether he winds up in somebody’s training camp, Thomas is determined to keep pursuing his NBA dream.

“I believe in myself more than anybody would,” he said. “I just feel like why not keep going and why not show the world what perseverance looks like, what fighting through adversity looks like. Then being able to do it with a smile on your face.”

Family Rift Over Payroll Reportedly Led To Decision To Sell Celtics

September 14th, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

A family disagreement over the Celtics‘ rising payroll was behind Wyc Grousbeck’s decision to put the majority stake in the team up for sale, sources tell Josh Kosman and Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Ninety-year-old Irving Grousbeck controls about 20% of the franchise and is unwilling to absorb the projected financial losses that will be necessary to keep the team in title contention, according to Kosman. After winning the championship in June, Boston handed out several new contracts that will bring the total cost of the roster for the 2025/26 season to about $500MM in salary and tax payments.

“That’s what happens when dad puts in most of the money,” a source told Kosman.

Kosman cites another source close to the sale process who says the team is projected to lose about $80MM this season. That amount will be much higher in the following season when repeater tax penalties become harsher.

The Celtics handed out a record-setting contract to Jaylen Brown last summer, and then topped that with a five-year, $314MM super-max extension for Jayson Tatum in July. Jrue Holiday also received an extension and several players were re-signed, pushing the total 2025/26 team salary north of $225MM and setting up a projected $280MM luxury tax payment.

“Wyc says we’ll spend whatever it takes, but dad wasn’t into losing money,” another source told Kosman, who hears that the team barely broke even last season while winning its 18th NBA title.

The Grousbeck family claimed it was unloading its share of the team for “estate planning purposes” when the surprise announcement was made in early July. Wyc Grousbeck reiterated that stance in a statement to Kosman.

“The Grousbeck family is selling the team for estate and family planning considerations. To say the sale is in any way related to losses is completely incorrect,” he stated. “There has not been a capital call from ownership, or any additional investment of any kind, in the 22 years since Boston Basketball Partners bought the team and we don’t anticipate there being one.”

The NBA is hoping to have the Celtics valued at a record-setting $6 billion for the sale, but there are complications in reaching that figure. Sources tell Kosman that the team’s projected losses and the fact that it doesn’t own TD Garden to provide revenue from other events could make prospective buyers reluctant to bid that high.

The Grousbecks are hoping to sell a 51% stake either later this year or early in 2025 and then continue to run the team until the full sale is completed in 2028.

There has been little movement toward a sale in the two-and-a-half months since the Grousbecks announced that the team was available, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Banks helping with the transaction are still reviewing the team’s assets and liabilities to provide an accurate report for interested buyers, which Himmelsbach says is typical in this type of transaction.

Yuri Collins Returning To Warriors On Training Camp Contract

September 14th, 2024 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors have signed point guard Yuri Collins to a deal for training camp, a source tells Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).

Collins was also in camp with Golden State last fall, but he was waived before the start of the season. He played for the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, averaging 3.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 16 games as a reserve.

Collins was also part of the Warriors’ Summer League team in July, appearing in six total games between the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League.

Collins, 23, got an opportunity with Golden State after going undrafted out of St. Louis in 2023. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract and will likely get a similar deal this time, making him eligible for a $77.5K bonus if he spends at least 60 days with Santa Cruz.

Collins’ signing will bring the Warriors to 19 players on their offseason roster, two short of the limit for training camp.

Nuggets Notes: Westbrook, Watson, Braun, Murray, Gordon

September 14th, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Russell Westbrook was already a hero to many of the young Nuggets players before he joined the team in free agency this summer, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. While they were learning to play the game, Westbrook was a star in Oklahoma City, displaying an intensity and competitiveness that was easy to admire.

“He was just a huge inspiration for me from the passion he plays with,” Peyton Watson said, “being himself unapologetically, and just being somebody who I feel like always leaves it out there on the floor. … As far back as I can remember watching basketball, really, I’ve been watching the energy and the passion that he played with, knowing that he came from damn near down the street from where I’m from (in Long Beach, California).”

Christian Braun also cites Westbrook as an important influence on his basketball development. Westbrook has already shown himself to be a good teammate to Braun on one important issue, according to Durando, agreeing to take No. 4 as his uniform number instead of asking for Braun’s No. 0 and imploring fans to “leave our young star alone.”

“Downhill. Athletic. Tough. Mean. In-your-face,” Braun says of Westbrook’s playing style. “… Those are the type of guys I loved, and I learned from.”

There’s more from Denver:

Kevin Pelton of ESPN declined to give a grade to Jamal Murray‘s new four-year max extension, but he speculates that the Nuggets must have encouraging information about Murray’s health to agree to the deal. The contract is projected to be worth nearly $208MM and will run through the 2028/29 season. Pelton notes that it eliminates worries about Murray leaving in free agency next summer and states that it will be a wise investment if he continues to produce at the level he did last season.
After finalizing the deal with Murray, the next step should be a long-term contract for Aaron Gordon, contends Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. Keeler sees Gordon as a perfect complement to Murray and Nikola Jokic, providing much-needed athleticism and a strong defensive presence as well as a high basketball IQ. Gordon has a $22.8MM player option for the 2025/26 season, and Keeler advises the Nuggets to work out an extension before he has the chance to test free agency.
Denver’s media day could be among the most interesting in the league, Marc Stein states in his latest Substack article (subscriber only). In addition to Murray’s extension, topics should include how much help Westbrook can provide at this point in his career and coach Michael Malone‘s rumored dissatisfaction with the front office after losing Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency in consecutive summers.

Landry Shamet Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks

September 14th, 2024 at 3:18pm CST by Tristan Tucker

3:18pm: Shamet signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract with New York, the team announced (via Twitter).

9:29am: Free agent guard Landry Shamet agreed to a one-year contract with the Knicks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

It’s unclear exactly what type of deal Shamet is signing with the Knicks, but I’d be somewhat surprised if it was fully guaranteed. New York signed Chuma Okeke to a non-guaranteed one-year deal earlier this season. Shamet, Okeke and perhaps other players seem poised to battle it out for New York’s final standard spot on the 15-man roster.

Shamet, 27, has spent time with the Sixers, Clippers, Nets, Suns and Wizards in six NBA seasons. He holds 348 games of NBA experience after being the 26th overall pick by Philadelphia in 2018.

The Wichita State product is a career 38.4% three-point shooter, averaging 4.9 attempts per game. He also holds averages of 8.7 points and 1.7 rebounds per contest, with 97 career starts under his belt.

Shamet has been involved in several blockbuster trades throughout his career. In his rookie season, he was part of the trade that brought Tobias Harris to Philadelphia. In the following year, he was moved in a three-team deal involving Bruce Brown. Then, in 2023, he was part of the trade that sent Bradley Beal from Washington to Phoenix.

The Knicks have 14 players on standard guaranteed deals. Kevin McCullar, Ariel Hukporti and Jacob Toppin hold two-way deals while Okeke and Alex O’Connell are on training camp deals. Shamet seems likely to be part of that latter group.

Knicks Notes: Shamet, Randle, Backup Center, Trade Targets

September 14th, 2024 at 1:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran guard Landry Shamet has agreed to a one-year deal with the Knicks. The opportunity to be in a “winning environment” was a key factor in his decision to sign with New York, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).

According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link), Shamet had two other teams vying for his services. The 27-year-old is expected to make New York’s regular season roster, Bondy adds, which suggests Shamet may have received at least a partially guaranteed contract.

If Bondy’s reporting is accurate, Shamet would be the 15th and final player on the Knicks’ standard roster, with 14 players already on guaranteed contracts. Trades could change that number, but that’s where the roster currently stands.

Both Begley and Bondy point out that Shamet played with Mikal Bridges in Phoenix. The Knicks acquired Bridges this summer in a blockbuster trade with Brooklyn.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

In a mailbag for SNY, Begley states that All-Star power forward Julius Randle is willing to take on “any role” he’s assigned this season “if it leads to winning.” Asked about the possibility of Randle playing some center in 2024/25, Begley said he isn’t sure if that will happen, but he does think a smaller lineup (Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo or Josh Hart, Bridges, OG Anunoby and Randle) would be very difficult for opposing defenses to stop.
Randle will earn $28.9MM this season and could hit free agency next summer if he declines his $30.9MM player option for ’25/26. He’s also eligible for a veteran extension. According to Begley, Randle wants to remain with the Knicks, but there hasn’t been any traction on an extension before training camp, and that seems unlikely to change before the season begins.
In the same story, Begley addresses the Knicks’ backup center situation, with Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims likely behind Mitchell Robinson on the depth chart. Given Robinson’s lengthy injury history (he was limited to 31 games last season and is coming off ankle surgery), the position looks a little shaky. Begley lists Nick Richards, Walker Kessler and Robert Williams as potential trade targets to monitor, and says the Knicks discussed a deal with the Hawks involving Clint Capela this offseason.

Pacific Notes: Wiggins, Kuminga, Davis, Lakers, Suns

September 14th, 2024 at 11:52am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Warriors explored a handful of blockbuster moves this offseason, including potential acquisitions of Lauri Markkanen and Paul George. With neither of those deals coming to fruition, the 2024/25 Warriors season relies in part on Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga taking a leap to All-Star levels, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes.

Wiggins performed at an All-Star level previously when the Warriors won the 2022 title, but his production has dipped since then. Kuminga enjoyed a modest breakout last season, averaging 16.1 points per game compared to the 9.6 PPG he registered in his first two seasons, but he hasn’t yet turned into a star level player.

Both players have star-level potential and the Warriors could submit another 50-win season if either of them erupts this year.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Lakers star Anthony Davis is poised to yet again be one of the top defensive players in the league. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Davis has made clear to the Lakers that he wants to play alongside another big man more often. With Christian Wood injured to begin the season, Jaxson Hayes and Colin Castleton are the only healthy true bigs on the roster.
While Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt are dealing with injuries, Gabe Vincent, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Cam Reddish will all be healthy and ready to compete for minutes from the start of the season, McMenamin writes in the same story. McMenamin tackles several other topics in the story, including LeBron James‘ three-point shooting, Bronny James‘ minutes and potential trades.
Bradley Beal only played 53 games for the Suns last year, and the health of the big three composed of Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant is an area of concern for Phoenix heading into 2024/25, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports writes. The Suns ultimately underperformed last year but added Tyus Jones among others while keeping Royce O’Neale. Still, point of attack and wing defense is another reason for concern, Bourguet opines.

Checking In On Early 2024/25 Roster Battles

September 14th, 2024 at 11:03am CST by Tristan Tucker

Each year, a handful of teams prefer to bring in players to battle it out for the last remaining spots on a given roster. Let’s take a look at a few training camp battles that are already brewing ahead of October.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have been busy in recent weeks, filling out their training camp roster with proven talent. The Bulls have 15 players on standard contracts, but Onuralp Bitim‘s deal is non-guaranteed. In addition, Chicago has two open two-way slots. The Bulls have four players — Talen Horton-Tucker, Kenneth Lofton Jr., E.J. Liddell and Marcus Domask — signed to training camp deals.

Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted to two-way contracts at any time. Horton-Tucker is the only player of that batch who is ineligible for a two-way contract, since he is at five years of NBA service. That gives the Bulls a handful of options for their opening night roster.

In essence, Bitim and Horton-Tucker seem to be battling it out for the Bulls’ 15th roster spot, while Lofton, Liddell and Domask all appear to be candidates for the team’s open two-way slots. Of course, if the Bulls opt to move on from Bitim on a standard deal, they could attempt to re-sign him to a two-way deal. They could also just carry 14 players on the standard roster to begin the year.

New York Knicks

As we detailed Saturday morning, Landry Shamet and Chuma Okeke appear to be battling for the Knicks’ 15th roster spot. Of course, there’s no guarantee that either player will make the roster, but each has a decent case to make the team.

Shamet is a proven three-point shooter while Okeke is a versatile forward who is a previous 16th overall pick. The Knicks will likely assess in training camp what their biggest need is and keep the player who best fits that niche heading into the year.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers have a handful of players on non-guaranteed or partially contracts heading into the season. However, previous reporting seems to indicate that the team’s final roster spot will come down to either Kendall Brown or Cole Swider.

Brown is an athletic forward who was the 48th overall pick in the 2022 draft. He has spent the last two seasons with the Pacers but has also appeared in just 21 total games. Meanwhile, the Pacers signed Swider to a training camp contract this offseason that doesn’t include Exhibit 10 language. Swider is a known three-point shooter who spent last season with the Heat and helped Miami to a summer league championship this offseason.

James Wiseman and James Johnson each have partially guaranteed salaries with the Pacers.

The others

Other teams across the league are poised to either carry just 14 players on standard deals to begin the year or already have their 15-man rosters determined. However, some of those teams have unsettled two-way roster slots.

The Heat have their standard roster filled out, but summer standout Isaiah Stevens is on an Exhibit 10 deal. It seems like Stevens will battle Dru Smith — who currently holds a two-way deal — outright for that spot.

The Hornets have Moussa Diabate and KJ Simpson on two-way deals but have another spot open. Keyontae Johnson could be an option for that spot. Charlotte also has a potential opening on the 15-man roster, with four players signed to Exhibit 10 deals and another agreed to.

The Wizards also have an open two-way slot. Washington signed Leaky Black, Kira Lewis and Jaylen Nowell to Exhibit 10 contracts, but only Black is eligible for a two-way deal. The Wizards also have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, with Jared Butler and his non-guaranteed deal possibly on the outside looking in unless they make a trade.

The Clippers have RayJ Dennis, Kai Jones and Elijah Harkless signed to Exhibit 10 deals. The team also has an agreement with Kevon Harris for another such spot. With only Jordan Miller and Trentyn Flowers on two-way contracts, all of Dennis, Jones, Harkless and Harris are eligible for the team’s third.

Lakers Frontrunners To Sign Christian Koloko

September 13th, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are the frontrunners to sign free agent big man Christian Koloko, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links). According to Charania, Koloko is also drawing interest from the Clippers, the Spurs, and his former team, the Raptors.

Koloko, who is still finalizing his decision on where he’ll sign, is on the comeback trail after missing all of the 2023/24 season due to a blood clot issue.

Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy reported in July that the seven-footer had received medical clearance to resume playing, while agent Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports said last month that his client had a “major breakthrough” with his blood clot issue, which was addressed via corrective surgery.

Koloko held a workout for potential suitors during the Las Vegas Summer League in July and has been able to participate in five-on-five, full-contact drills this offseason as he attempts to get back to 100% health. Chris Johnson, a trainer who has worked with a number of NBA players, posted a YouTube video in August of Koloko taking part in a scrimmage alongside Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jalen Johnson, Jordan Clarkson, Delon Wright, and several other active NBAers.

Although Koloko is still awaiting formal clearance from the NBA’s Fitness-to-Play panel, it sounds like he continues to trend in the right direction. And according to Charania, the 24-year-old is technically eligible to sign with a team before being cleared by that panel.

The 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Koloko appeared in 58 games for the Raptors as a rookie, averaging 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 block in 13.8 minutes per game across 58 appearances (19 starts). He was the Pac 12’s Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player in his final college season at Arizona in 2021/22

The Lakers will be without center Christian Wood this fall after the big man underwent knee surgery this week that is expected to sideline him for at least eight weeks, so they could use more depth in their frontcourt. However, Los Angeles is currently carrying 15 players on fully guaranteed standard contracts and is narrowly operating below the second tax apron.

It’s unclear if the Lakers’ plan would be to sign Koloko to a standard deal or perhaps to bring him on a two-way contract. Inking him to a two-way pact would require waiving one of Armel Traore, Blake Hinson, or Colin Castleton, who currently occupy L.A.’s two-way slots.

The Clippers and Spurs also have 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, while the Raptors have 14 players on guaranteed deals, plus Bruno Fernando on a non-guaranteed salary. The Clippers have a two-way slot open; San Antonio and Toronto don’t, for now.