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Suns Waive Keon Johnson

October 23rd, 2023 at 4:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

OCTOBER 23: As expected, Phoenix has officially waived Johnson, head coach Frank Vogel confirmed today (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).

“Hope to be able to coach him again someday,” Vogel said of Johnson.

OCTOBER 22: The Suns plan to waive third-year shooting guard Keon Johnson as they deal with roster crunch, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Cutting the 21-year-old will allow the team trim its standard roster to the required league maximum of 15 players on standard contracts, Woj adds. Johnson was acquired in the club’s three-team deal with the Trail Blazers and Bucks that landed Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen in Phoenix.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Johnson had two years remaining on his deal, though his contract for the 2024/25 season was a team option. Should he clear waivers without being claimed by a rival team, Phoenix will be on the hook to the tune of a $2.8MM cap hit.

Johnson would be eligible for a two-way contract with a new team, but not with the Suns, since his contract was guaranteed for more than $75K (the maximum two-way protection amount).

The 6’5″ swingman out of Tennessee was selected with the No. 21 pick in the 2021 draft, and his rights were acquired by the Clippers in a draft-night trade agreement. Across 77 career NBA games logged between L.A. and Portland, Johnson boasts career per-game averages of 5.9 points, 1.8 assists, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.6 steals, with a shooting line of .362/.343/.659.

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Spurs Convert Charles Bediako To Two-Way Deal

October 23rd, 2023 at 4:15pm CST by Luke Adams

4:15pm: The conversion is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

3:53pm: As expected, the Spurs are converting Charles Bediako‘s Exhibit 10 contract to a two-way deal ahead of the regular season, agent Daniel Green tells Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link).

A seven-foot center, Bediako spent two college seasons at Alabama, starting 67 of the 70 games he played for the Crimson Tide. In 2022/23, he averaged 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 20.7 minutes per games (37 games), earning a spot on the All-SEC Defensive Team.

Bediako joined the Spurs for Summer League this July, appearing in seven total games for the club in Las Vegas and Sacramento. The 21-year-old subsequently signed an Exhibit 10 contract with San Antonio and played limited minutes in a pair of preseason games.

When the Spurs kept Bediako on their roster beyond Saturday – which is when most players on Exhibit 10 contracts were cut for financial reasons – it was a strong indication that they planned to convert him to a two-way deal. With Dominick Barlow and Sir’Jabari Rice also on two-way contracts, San Antonio had one open two-way slot, so no corresponding move will be required.

Once the move is official, the Spurs will have 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-ways, making their roster ready for the regular season.

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Extension Details: Avdija, Nnaji, Nesmith

October 23rd, 2023 at 4:10pm CST by Rory Maher

Deni Avdija‘s new four-year, $55MM extension with the Wizards features a declining structure, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who passes along details on a couple other recently-signed rookie scale extensions as well (All Twitter links).

Avdija will make $15,625,000 (11% of the projected salary cap) in 2024/25, which is when the deal kicks in, but that figure declines to $11,875,000 (7.2% of the projected cap) by ’27/28. As previously reported, the contract is fully guaranteed, with no team or player options.

Nuggets big man Zeke Nnaji‘s four-year, $32MM extension also descends over time, according to Marks. The deal starts at $8,888,889 in ’24/25 and Nnaji will carry identical $7,466,667 cap hits in the third and fourth years of the deal, with the fourth being a player option.

Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith, on the other hand, will receive a flat $11MM each season from 2024-26, for a total of $33MM over three years, Marks adds.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Nesmith said he was “very happy” with the agreement (Twitter video link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star).

“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “I’m happy to be here, I wanted to be here. I’m very happy for the opportunity to be here for the next four years. It’s awesome. I’m excited.“

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Wizards Cut Taj Gibson, Xavier Cooks

October 23rd, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards have reduced their roster from 17 players on standard contracts to 15 by waiving big man Taj Gibson and forward Xavier Cooks, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Washington faced a roster crunch this fall, with all 17 of their players on standard contracts owed fully guaranteed salaries in 2023/24. Neither Gibson nor Cooks projected to have a significant rotation role in D.C. and neither one was owed any guaranteed money beyond this season, making them logical candidates to be the odd men out.

Gibson, who has 14 years of NBA experience under his belt, spent last season with the Wizards, averaging 3.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in a career-low 9.8 minutes per game across 49 appearances. After reaching unrestricted free agency, the 38-year-old earned a new one-year, minimum-salary contract from Washington, but was unable to claim a regular season spot.

Assuming Gibson goes unclaimed on waivers, the Wizards will remain on the hook for his $2,019,706 cap charge and the forward/center will earn his full $3,196,448 salary.

As for Cooks, the Australian-born forward had spent most of his professional career playing for the Sydney Kings after going undrafted out of Winthrop in 2018. After helping lead the Kings to a National Basketball League title earlier this year, Cooks signed a four-year contract with the Wizards in March that included two guaranteed seasons — last year and this year.

Cooks’ $1,719,864 salary will remain on the Wizards’ books for 2023/24, but the team won’t have to pay his $2,019,699 salary for 2024/25 or his $2,187,451 team option for ’25/26.

Having signed center John Butler to a two-way contract earlier today, Washington now has a full 18-man roster entering the regular season — 15 players on standard deals and three on two-ways.

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Sixers Waive Montrezl Harrell

October 23rd, 2023 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

3:44pm: The Sixers have officially waived Harrell, the team confirmed in a press release.

3:02pm: The Sixers are waiving big man Montrezl Harrell in order to reach the regular season roster limit, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Philadelphia had been carrying 16 players on standard contracts and needed to get down to 15 before opening night. Harrell was one of 14 Sixers players whose salary for 2023/24 is fully guaranteed, but he underwent knee surgery in August after tearing his right ACL and medial meniscus, making him an obvious candidate to be released.

Harrell wasn’t a significant part of Philadelphia’s rotation last season, averaging 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in just 11.9 minutes per game across 57 appearances.

That made it a bit of a surprise when the 29-year-old re-signed with the 76ers on a one-year, minimum-salary deal this summer, especially since the club also added Mohamed Bamba and Filip Petrusev to its frontcourt while retaining restricted free agent Paul Reed.

It’s possible that Harrell anticipated the team’s head coaching change could create an opportunity for more minutes. In his previous five seasons, he had put up 14.5 PPG and 5.9 RPG in 361 games (23.3 MPG), earning Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2020.

Although an ACL tear is an injury that has sidelined a handful of NBA players for a full year – or longer – in recent seasons, Harrell is hoping to return sometime after the All-Star break, according to Charania. That’s an aggressive recovery timeline — we’ll have to wait and see if he can achieve that goal. For what it’s worth, the 76ers will continue to support Harrell in his rehab and recovery plan, Charania adds (via Twitter).

Assuming Harrell goes unclaimed on waivers, which is a safe bet, the veteran forward/center will earn $2,891,467 while Philadelphia carries a dead-money cap hit of $2,019,706. The move clears a path for Petrusev and Danny Green – neither of whom has a fully guaranteed salary – to make the Sixers’ 15-man regular season roster.

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Cole Anthony Signs Three-Year Extension With Magic

October 23rd, 2023 at 3:43pm CST by Luke Adams

3:43pm: Anthony’s extension is official, the Magic announced (Twitter link via Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel). Bobby Marks of ESPN shares the structure of the contract, tweeting that it’s technically worth $39.1MM and features a third-year team option.

2:34pm: The flurry of rookie scale extensions ahead of Monday’s deadline continues, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that the Magic and guard Cole Anthony have reached an agreement on a three-year deal. The extension will be worth $39MM, agents Jeff Schwartz and Javon Phillips tell Wojnarowski.

Anthony, the 15th overall pick in the 2020 draft, has spent his first three years in the NBA in Orlando, appearing in 172 total regular season games during that time.

While he started 99 of 112 games in his first two seasons, Anthony came off the bench almost exclusively in 2022/23 and enjoyed his best year in terms of shooting effiency, boosting his rates to a career-best .454/.364/.894. In 60 games (25.9 MPG) last season, he averaged 13.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 3.9 APG.

The Magic project to have a crowded backcourt in 2023/24, with other recent lottery picks like Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, and Jett Howard all vying for minutes. However, this investment in Anthony suggests Orlando envisions him continuing to play a substantial role in the rotation going forward.

Anthony’s deal is right in the range of the deal signed by another young guard, Coby White, who was a restricted free agent this summer. The Bulls guard received a three-year, $36MM contract that can be worth up to $40MM with incentives. It remains to be seen whether Anthony’s extension features any incentives or options.

Based on the reported terms of Anthony’s deal, Orlando still projects to have at least $30MM in cap room in 2024, notes Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Anthony is the 12th players to agree to terms on a rookie scale extension so far in 2023, with the deadline just hours away. The previous record for most rookie scale extensions in a single season was 11, set in 2021 and matched in 2022, so that record is on track to be broken today.

The full list of rookie scale extension recipients can be viewed right here, while the remaining candidates are listed here.

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Grizzlies Exercise 2024/25 Team Options On Four Players

October 23rd, 2023 at 3:09pm CST by Rory Maher

The Grizzlies have exercised their 2024/25 rookie scale team options on Ziaire Williams, Santi Aldama, Jake LaRavia and David Roddy, the team announced on Monday (via Twitter).

After having their fourth-year options picked up, Williams (10th overall pick in 2021) and Aldama (30th in ’21) will now be eligible for rookie scale extensions in 2024. Williams will earn $6,133,005 next season, while Aldama will make $3,960,531.

LaRavia (19th pick in ’22) and Roddy (23rd pick in ’22), on the other hand, had their third-year options exercised. They’ll make $3,352,680 and $2,847,240 in ’24/25, respectively.

After a solid rookie campaign in 2021/22, Williams struggled with injuries and inconsistency last season. However, he started at small forward in a couple of preseason games, including the team’s finale on Friday (Twitter link via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal), and is looking to bounce back with a strong season in ’23/24.

A 6’10” big man with a versatile skill set, Aldama didn’t play much as a rookie but had a productive sophomore campaign in ’22/23, averaging 9.0 PPG and 4.8 RPG on .470/.353/.750 shooting in 77 games (21.8 MPG). He should be in line for a larger role in year three with Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams unfortunately sidelined with major injuries.

Roddy was selected a few picks after LaRavia, but he saw the court much more frequently as a rookie last season for the Grizzlies, appearing in 70 games for an average of 18.0 MPG). LaRavia appeared in 35 games while averaging 11.8 MPG in ’22/23.

The full list of ’24/25 rookie scale team option decisions can be found right here.

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Wizards Sign Deni Avdija To Four-Year Extension

October 23rd, 2023 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 23: Avdija’s extension is now official, the team announced today in a press release.

“Deni has many of the characteristics that we value in the players who represent our organization. He has a team-first mentality, works hard on his craft, competes with toughness, and is committed to improving the community,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said in a statement. “That hard work has resulted in the year-to-year development of his overall game and we’re excited to have him continue that progress as a Wizard.”

OCTOBER 22: The Wizards and forward Deni Avdija have agreed to a contract extension, agents Doug Neustadt and Matan Siman-Tov tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the deal will be worth $55MM over four years and is fully guaranteed.

There are no incentives or options in the deal, adds Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter links).

The No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Avdija has appeared in 212 games for Washington over the last three seasons, averaging 8.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 24.8 minutes per game during that time and posting a career shooting line of .431/.310/.734.

Given that his numbers haven’t increased substantially since his rookie year (his .297 3PT% in 2022/23 was a career worst) and the Wizards have overhauled their front office since drafting him, Avdija didn’t look like one of the top candidates to receive a rookie scale extension in 2023. However, he and the team came to an agreement ahead of Monday’s deadline, making him the ninth player to agree to a rookie scale extension so far this year.

Avdija’s new deal is nearly exactly in line with the value of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Based on the NBA’s latest cap projection for 2024/25 (a 4.4% increase), a full four-year MLE deal next season would be worth $55.69MM.

When our Rory Maher explored Avdija’s case for an extension back in July, he used the MLE as a point of reference, writing that the forward probably wasn’t in position to get more than the mid-level on the open market.

The contract will cut into Washington’s projected cap room for the 2024 offseason, but the club should still be in position to create at least $22MM in space, and potentially more than that, tweets Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype.

After missing the first two games of the preseason due to back tightness, Avdija appears good to go for the regular season and may be part of the Wizards’ starting five alongside Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Kyle Kuzma, and Daniel Gafford. If the team instead opts to start rookie forward Bilal Coulibaly, Avdija would be one of the first players off the bench.

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Spurs Exercise 2024/25 Options On Sochan, Branham, Wesley

October 23rd, 2023 at 1:05pm CST by Rory Maher

The Spurs have exercised their third-year team options on the rookie scale contracts of Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, the team announced today.

While the moves won’t impact the players this season, the trio now have their 2024/25 salaries guaranteed. Sochan will make $5,570,040 next season, Branham will carry a $3,217,920 cap hit, and Wesley will earn $2,624,280.

The Spurs will have until the end of October 2024 to decide whether or not they want to pick up the fourth-year options of Sochan, Branham and Wesley.

The No. 9 overall pick of the 2022 draft, Sochan earned a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team last season after averaging 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 56 games, including 53 starts (26.0 minutes per contest). He posted a .453/.246/.698 shooting line.

Head coach Gregg Popovich previously stated that the 6’9″ Sochan would be the de facto point guard of the Spurs’ super-sized starting lineup to open ’23/24. However, on Friday, he cast some uncertainty on whether that five-man group would remain the long-term starters, as Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News relays (Twitter links).

Branham, a 6’5″ guard who was the No. 20 overall pick in 2022, averaged 10.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists on .440/.302/.829 shooting in 66 games last season (23.5 minutes).

Wesley, meanwhile, was the No. 25 pick last year. He averaged 5.0 points, 2.7 assists and 2.2 rebounds on .321/.381/.591 shooting in 37 NBA games in ’22/23 (18.1 minutes). The 6’5″ guard also spent some time in the G League last season.

The full list of ’24/25 rookie scale team option decisions can be found right here.

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