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Olympic Notes: Quarterfinalists, Canada, Australia, Japan

July 31st, 2024 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

While not every men’s basketball team at the Paris Olympics has even played two games yet, three of the eight quarterfinal clubs have been set. As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press details, Germany, France, and Canada have clinched their spots in the single-elimination stage of the tournament.

Germany and France are 2-0 in Group B play, having each won their games against Brazil and Japan, while Canada is the only 2-0 team in Group A. None of those teams will finish pool play with a record worse than 2-1, which is out of reach for Brazil, Japan, and Greece (also 0-2). And since at least five teams from Groups A and B must advance to the quarterfinals (the top two teams in each group, plus at least one third-place finisher), Germany, France, and Canada are assured of finishing among those five, even if they don’t win their respective groups.

Australia and Spain, each 1-1, would clinch quarterfinal berths with wins on Friday over Greece and Canada, respectively. If either team loses, it could open the door for one of the current 0-2 clubs to advance via tie-breaking rules.

The winner of the USA/South Sudan game on Wednesday will become the fourth team to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals, Reynolds notes.

Here’s more on the Olympics:

  • RJ Barrett‘s strong second-half performance with the Raptors during the 2023/24 season has carried over to the Olympics so far, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, who suggests that Barrett has been the biggest beneficiary of Andrew Wiggins‘ exit from Team Canada. Barrett has scored a team-high 47 points on 16-of-27 (59.3%) shooting through two games. “I’ve been playing with RJ for a long time, and RJ’s a dog,” teammate Luguentz Dort said. “He’ll always show up, he’ll always be aggressive. We need him to play like that, so he’s been doing a great job.”
  • Kane Pitman and Olgun Uluc of ESPN share their takeaways from Australia’s Tuesday loss to Team Canada, evaluating Dante Exum‘s return from a finger injury and exploring what the Boomers’ go-to five-man lineup should look like.
  • Japan wasn’t able to pull off the upset over France on Tuesday, but their ability to push the host nation to overtime reflected the growth of the country’s basketball program, writes Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. “We’ve been on a mission to show that Japan plays good basketball,” national team head coach Tom Hovasse told Urbonas. “We had a good run in the World Cup, and the Japanese fans are really behind us. … I’m glad we could showcase our talents on the world stage so a lot more fans could see it. Japan basketball is definitely on the rise, and I hope it becomes one of the top two (sports) in Japan. That would have seemed impossible ten years ago, but we have a chance now.”
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And-Ones: Bailey, Broadcasting Deal, 3×3 Event, Fredette, Budinger

July 30th, 2024 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

In HoopsHype’s first aggregate mock draft of 2025, Duke’s Cooper Flagg is ranked No. 1. However, an anonymous NBA executive believes Ace Bailey — ranked No. 2 — could eventually move past Flagg in the rankings.

“I could see Bailey supplanting Flagg for No. 1,” the executive told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “I think Bailey is more talented with the ball than Flagg at this point, but I think Flagg is a better overall player than Bailey now.”

Another executive compares Bailey to Paul George if he “hits his ceiling.” Dylan Harper, Bailey’s teammate at Rutgers, is ranked No. 3.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • XFinity subscribers will be able to watch their local NBA teams again this coming season, if they’re willing to fork up more money. Diamond Sports Group, which has gone through a lengthy bankruptcy process, and Comcast announced Monday they had reached a deal that makes 15 Bally-branded channels available again to Xfinity subscribers, The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reports. However, those fans will have to purchase the Ultimate TV package plan, which costs an additional $20 per month.
  • The United States’ debut in Olympic 3×3 basketball was a flop, according to Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press. The Americans lost to Serbia 22-14 on Tuesday in Paris. Former NBA player Jimmer Fredette was limited to four points. The U.S. team failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
  • Chase Budinger, a seven-year NBA forward, won his opening match in beach volleyball at the Paris Olympics. Budinger and his partner, Miles Evans, beat a French duo in straight sets, Jimmy Golen of the Associated Press relays. “It took me six years. It took me a long time to finally achieve this goal and I am here competing at the Olympics,” Budinger said. “And there is no better feeling.”
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Northwest Notes: Bediako, Westbrook, Blazers’ Centers, Jordan

July 30th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grand Rapids Gold, the Nuggets‘ G League team, acquired the returning rights to center Charles Bediako in a deal with the Austin Spurs, according to OurSportsCentral.com. The Spurs‘ affiliate received the returning player rights of Jamorko Pickett and Reggie Kissoonlal.

Bediako went undrafted last year and had a two-way deal with San Antonio. He was waived by the Spurs in late December after suffering a left meniscus tear. Bediako played 11 games and averaged 7.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game before the injury. He most recently played for the Magic in the Summer League, where he averaged 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups believes Russell Westbrook will be a good fit with the Nuggets, adding toughness and a mentality that will make the team better, he told Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. “Russ does help that (depth),” Billups said. “He helps bring some of those things. Obviously, (he and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are) totally different players. But, yeah, losing KCP was — I’m happy and proud of him for getting to capitalize (financially) on the great years that he had here — but it’s a substantial loss.”
  • Deandre Ayton will be the Trail Blazers’ starting center, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report, but the distribution of minutes for the post reserves is up in the air. Lottery pick Donovan Clingan will definitely soak up some of those minutes but Duop Reath is also deserving of playing time. It’s uncertain where Robert Williams III fits in, even when he finishes rehabbing from his latest knee injury.
  • DeAndre Jordan‘s one-year contract with the Nuggets is worth the minimum salary, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Jordan’s deal was originally reported to be worth $3.6MM, which would have been possible if he were re-signed using his Early Bird rights, but it’s simply a veteran’s minimum contract, which will pay the veteran center approximately $3.3MM.
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Olympic Notes: Curry, Giannis, Dort, Barrett, France, Germany

July 30th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

While Steve Kerr‘s decision to not play Jayson Tatum in Team USA’s Olympic opener grabbed the headlines, the head coach has a bigger task heading into Wednesday’s matchup with South Sudan — he needs to get his Warriors’ superstar going, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick.

Stephen Curry was underwhelming on Sunday against Serbia, scoring eight of his 11 points when the game was well in hand. He added three assists, three rebounds and one turnover in 21 minutes.

“A slow start for Steph (against Serbia),” Kerr admitted. “But you see the impact he makes. He comes flying off a double (team), and LeBron (James) throws it into Jrue Holiday for a layup because they’re terrified of Steph. So the beauty of Steph is that whether he makes shots or not, he impacts the game because he scares the other team. Just the threat of Steph impacts the game.”

We have more on the Olympic tournament:

  • Greece is 0-2 in the tournament after losing to Spain and Giannis Antetokounmpo left the arena without speaking to the media, Amick writes. Antetokounmpo missed a potential tying 3-pointer in the final minute. He finished with 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting, 11 rebounds and three assists. Greece needs to beat Australia on Friday to even have a chance to reach the knockout round.
  • The Boomers are 1-1 in pool play after falling to Team Canada, 93-83. Following the loss, Australia’s coach, Brian Goorjian, compared the NBA-laden Canadian squad to the tourney favorite. “To me, [Canada] are a version of Team USA,” Goorjian said, per BasketNews. “They play differently than the Europeans and than what we played against Spain. There’s a lot more one-on-one, there’s a lot more spread game, a lot more going at the weak defender and bringing them to the on-ball and spread. Then the physicality defensively was a level that we haven’t played against so far on all of these teams that we’ve played to date. Multiple guys are coming in that can put heat and pressure on the ball. And I thought that was the difference in the game tonight.”
  • Luguentz Dort and RJ Barrett lifted Team Canada to Tuesday’s win, according to The Athletic’s Eric Koreen. Dort, a surprise starter on the team, was a defensive pest while posting 11 points and three steals. Another mild surprise has been Barrett’s offensive output — he has led the team in scoring in both of its wins.
  • The host nation barely survived against Japan, capturing an overtime win. Team France is now 2-0 in the tournament. “It’s the Olympics. It’s the 12 best teams in the world, so it’s no easy game. You can see that from the beginning; there’s no blowout, except for the USA team. But pretty much every game is close. That’s why you love the Olympics, why you love basketball—to play those games. It was fun tonight,” Nicolas Batum said, per Aris Barkis of Eurohoops.net.
  • France’s next opponent is Germany, which is also 2-0. Germany topped Brazil, 86-73, led by Dennis Schröder, who had 20 points and six assists, and Franz Wagner, who supplied 17 points.
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Yuki Kawamura Has Exhibit 10 Agreement With Grizzlies

July 30th, 2024 at 6:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Guard Yuki Kawamura, a member of Japan’s National Team, has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Grizzlies.

Kawamura’s agreement was announced in a press release by the Yokohama B-Corsairs, his current team.

Kawamura is scheduled to sign the NBA contract with the Grizzlies in September. He’ll continue to play for the Japanese team until he signs the contract. He averaged 20.9 points and 8.0 assists per game for the Yokohama B-Corsairs last season.

Kawamura, 23, had a stellar game in the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, posting 29 points, six rebounds and six assists in Japan’s near-upset of France. The 5’8” Kawamura was whistled for a controversial foul call which led to Matthew Strazel‘s four-point play in the closing seconds of regulation. France won in overtime, 94-90.

Exhibit 10 deals, which are non-guaranteed, can be converted to two-way contracts. They can also ensure a player receives a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived before the regular season begins and then spends at least 60 days with his club’s G League affiliate.

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Knicks Re-Sign Precious Achiuwa On One-Year Contract

July 30th, 2024 at 4:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks have re-signed Precious Achiuwa, according to a team press release.

Achiuwa signed a one-year, $6MM contract, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. He qualified for a no-trade clause upon re-signing a one-year deal but agreed to give up that right, Katz adds (Twitter link).

Achiuwa became a free agent when the Knicks failed to extend him a $6.3MM qualifying offer. They wound up re-signing him for slightly less than that amount.

New York was motivated to pass on the qualifying offer because it may have affected its hard cap situation as it tried to work out the details of the trade to acquire Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn.

The Knicks acquired Achiuwa in late December as part of the OG Anunoby deal. He wound up playing a significant role amid long-term injuries to Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson, among others. Achiuwa appeared in 49 games after the trade, making 18 starts and averaging 7.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per night.

Following the free agent departure of Isaiah Hartenstein, Achiuwa and Jericho Sims are the top options to back up Robinson.

Re-signing Achiuwa to a $6MM salary keeps the Knicks below the second tax apron, which represents their hard cap. His willingness to give up the no-trade clause could facilitate a deal down the road. As a first apron team, the Knicks are not allowed to acquire more salary than they send out in a trade. If they had re-signed him at a lower figure, it would have reduced the pool of players they could acquire for him.

New York now has 13 players on guaranteed standard contracts and another on a partial guarantee — Sims’ $2.1MM contract becomes guaranteed if he on the roster past Aug. 16, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link).

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2024/25 Non-Guaranteed Contracts By Team

July 30th, 2024 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

As the NBA regular season approaches and teams reduce their rosters from the 21-player offseason limit to the 15-man regular season max, the best way to determine which players will survive preseason cuts is to consider their contracts. Players with guaranteed salaries for 2024/25 are far more likely to earn spots on 15-man rosters than players whose contracts aren’t fully guaranteed.

Keeping that in mind, we’re using the space below to keep tabs on the players on each NBA team who don’t have fully guaranteed contracts. The players listed here have non-guaranteed salaries, partially guaranteed salaries, or Exhibit 9 or Exhibit 10 contracts, which essentially function like non-guaranteed deals.

Unless otherwise noted, these players are on minimum-salary contracts. Some players on this list have partial guarantees, which we’ve also mentioned below.

Not all of these players will be waived before the regular season begins, so we’ll maintain this list for the next several months, up until January 10, 2025. That’s the day that all players still under contract will have their salaries fully guaranteed for the rest of the 2024/25 season.

[RELATED: Early NBA Salary Guarantee Dates For 2024/25]

Only players who have formally signed contracts are listed below, so if a player has reportedly reached an agreement with a team on a non-guaranteed deal, we’ll add him to our list when that deal becomes official and we confirm the details.

Without further ado, here’s the full list of players without fully guaranteed salaries for 2024/25, broken down by team:

Updated 9-24-24 (6:32am CT)

Note: Players on Exhibit 10 contracts are marked with an asterisk (*).

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Hornets

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

Denver Nuggets

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

Philadelphia 76ers

Phoenix Suns

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

San Antonio Spurs

Toronto Raptors

Utah Jazz

Washington Wizards

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Hawks Waive Bruno Fernando

July 30th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

2:28pm: The Hawks have officially cut Fernando, according to a press release from the team.

1:08pm: The Hawks are waiving big man Bruno Fernando, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The move will let Atlanta off the hook for Fernando’s $2,717,391 salary for the 2024/25 season. That money was set to become fully guaranteed if the 25-year-old remained under contract through this Thursday. By waiving him before then, the Hawks will be able to remove it all from their cap, taking the team’s salary below the luxury tax line.

Fernando’s salary guarantee date was originally set for June 29. He and the Hawks reached an agreement to move it back to July 10, then pushed it back again to August 1.

Given that Atlanta likely would have waived him on June 29 or July 10 if he hadn’t agreed to move back his guarantee date, Fernando had some incentive to play ball in the hopes of receiving his full salary, like he did a year ago after the team postponed his guarantee deadline, then ultimately hung onto him.

It looks like it won’t work out for him this year though, and it may be more difficult for him to find a new NBA home this late in the offseason, with fewer roster spots available around the league. Still, the free agent market for centers has been picked pretty clean, so he should immediately become one of the most intriguing options available.

A five-year veteran who was a second-round pick in 2019, Fernando began his NBA career with the Hawks and was traded back to Atlanta in February 2023.

After playing eight games for the Hawks down the stretch of the 2022/23 season, he didn’t play much at all in the first half of ’23/24, 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 in the second half 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).

Assuming the Hawks officially waive Fernando before 4:00 pm CT on Tuesday, he’ll be on track to clear waivers on Thursday. A team interested in placing a claim would have to commit to guaranteeing his 2024/25 salary.

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Nuggets Sign Spencer Jones To Two-Way Contract

July 30th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 30: The Nuggets have officially signed Jones to a two-way contract, they confirmed today in a press release.

JULY 19: The Nuggets will fill their open two-way contract slot by signing undrafted rookie free agent Spencer Jones to a two-way deal, reports Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link).

A 6’7″ forward, Jones spent all five of his college seasons at Stanford from 2019-24, starting 139 of his 146 games during that time. As a super-senior last season, he averaged 11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals in 29.1 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .438/.409/.645.

Jones was a 39.7% three-point shooter on 5.4 attempts per contest across his five seasons with the Cardinal, setting a school record with 315 career made three-pointers. Denver likes his combination of size, skill, and shooting, according to Durando.

Jones was on the Trail Blazers’ Summer League roster in Las Vegas. He came off the bench in Portland’s first game last Saturday, but was ruled out for Monday’s contest due to an illness and hasn’t played since.

Denver filled its other two-way slots earlier this month by signing two other undrafted rookies, Trey Alexander and PJ Hall. Once they complete their reported signings of Jones, Russell Westbrook, and DeAndre Jordan, the Nuggets will have 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts and three on two-way deals, so they’ll essentially be set for the regular season.

A player who spends the entire 2024/25 season on a two-way deal will be eligible to appear in up to 50 NBA regular season games and will earn a salary of $578,577.

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Hawks Sign Dominick Barlow To Two-Way Deal

July 30th, 2024 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

4:41pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

2:18pm: The Hawks and free agent forward Dominick Barlow have agreed to terms on a two-way contract, agent Todd Ramasar tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Barlow, 21, spent most of the past two seasons on two-way contracts with the Spurs, earning a promotion to San Antonio’s standard roster in early March. The Spurs signed Barlow to a rest-of-season contract that expired this summer and then didn’t issue him a qualifying offer in June, so he became an unrestricted free agent.

Barlow appeared in 61 NBA games with the Spurs across his two seasons with the club, averaging 4.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 13.6 minutes per contest. The former Overtime Elite prospect impressed at the G League level, putting up 23.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 1.7 APG with a .569 FG% in 19 Showcase Cup and regular season games (33.2 MPG) for the Austin Spurs in 2023/24.

The Hawks previously signed Seth Lundy and Keaton Wallace to two-way deals, so Barlow will fill the lone remaining opening.

While there’s nothing to stop Atlanta from moving players in and out of those two-way slots up until (and beyond) the start of the regular season, for the time being there’s no room for second-round pick Nikola Djurisic, who underwent foot surgery last week.

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