Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Frank Jackson Waived By Suns

October 11th, 2022 at 5:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns have waived guard Frank Jackson, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Jackson signed a non-guaranteed contract with Phoenix last month. He appeared in two preseason games.

Jackson, 24, has five years of NBA experience, though he missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury. He was an early second-round pick in 2017 and spent his first three NBA seasons with the Pelicans. He played the last two seasons with the Pistons.

Jackson averaged 9.8 PPG in 40 games during his first season in Detroit and made 40.7% of his 3-point tries. He averaged a career-best 10.6 PPG in 53 games last season but his 3-point shooting cratered to 30.8%.

Jackson became a free agent in late June when Detroit declined its $3.15MM option on his contract. He’ll return to the open market later this week, assuming he clears waivers.

Pacific Notes: Ayton, Williams, Suns, Lakers, Roberts

October 11th, 2022 at 3:09pm CST by Rory Maher

After Suns head coach Monty Williams downplayed what from the outside appeared to be a somewhat contentious relationship with Deandre Ayton – the two hadn’t spoken for months during the offseason after Ayton was benched in a Game 7 blowout to Dallas and then entered restricted free agency – the center says he’s communicating with his coach again.

“I mean, we talk, man,” Ayton said, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscription required, hat tip to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports). “At the end of the day, it’s like we’re trying to contribute to a win. Everything is back to normal. Nothing has changed to be honest.

“Yeah, I may have come to media day just bland, but I wasn’t trying to give nobody no damn story or nothing, but it flipped on me. So, I can’t really say nothing. Just let everybody run away with it. All I know is we’ve been in here working. We’ve been battling each other, beating up each other in training camp. Coach has been loving it.”

Of course, it would be strange if Ayton and Williams hadn’t resumed speaking considering they have to interact with each other regularly, but calling these answers — and his demeanor — “bland” (video link) is a little disingenuous, since his replies were curt and he certainly looked like he’d rather have been anywhere else at the time.

Still, he’s under contract for four more years and can’t be traded until January 15, and Williams signed a long-term extension over the summer, so the two will have to work together for at least a few more months, if not longer, so it’s only natural to try and make the best of the situation. Evidently that’s what Ayton is trying to do.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

John Hollinger of The Athletic questions whether it was the right decision for the Suns to essentially run things back two years in a row, especially after a disappointing second-round playoff exit, and expresses skepticism about the team’s depth. He also thinks Phoenix might find it difficult to land a “win-now” replacement for Jae Crowder, which could further compromise the depth chart. Ultimately, Hollinger believes the Suns will take a significant step back from last season’s league-leading 64 wins, predicting that they’ll finish with a 50-32 record, tied for the fourth seed in the West.
In another article for The Athletic, Hollinger previews the Lakers‘ 2022/23 season. He thinks that Kendrick Nunn‘s return to action will be a boon for L.A., and believes they made some decent moves around the edges, but a lot of things will have to go right for them to return to contention. Hollinger predicts the Lakers will go 40-42 this season and finish as the ninth seed in the West.
Former Warriors assistant coach Joe Roberts has passed away at age 86, the team announced (via Twitter). A former NBA and ABA player, Roberts coached the Warriors from 1974-79, including the team’s first championship-winning club in 1975. Roberts served as head coach for the final 44 minutes of the series-clinching Game 4 after Alvin Attles was ejected, the Warriors noted in their press release. We send our condolences to Roberts’ friends and family.

Hawks Have Interest In Jae Crowder

October 10th, 2022 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks have emerged as a potential suitor for Suns forward Jae Crowder, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (video link). Crowder has been away from the Suns this preseason as the team looks to trade him.

According to Charania, the Hawks and Suns have had some discussions about Crowder in recent weeks and months, with Atlanta exploring whether there’s a way to add the veteran as a complementary piece to a core headlined by the star backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.

An Atlanta package for Crowder, who has an expiring $10.18MM contract, could begin with Justin Holiday, whose own expiring deal is worth $6.29MM. Because their team salary is right around the tax line, the Hawks would have to add at least one more player for salary-matching purposes.

However, minimum-salary veterans Aaron Holiday and Frank Kaminsky aren’t trade-eligible until December 15, Vit Krejci can’t be rerouted in a trade that aggregates his salary until November 27, and the club would presumably be reluctant to part with 2021 first-round pick Jalen Johnson or 2022 first-rounder AJ Griffin.

There are other ways Atlanta could make a deal work, but those structures would require the team to move a more valuable rotation player, such as De’Andre Hunter or Bogdan Bogdanovic.

The Hawks are hardly the only Eastern Conference playoff contender with interest in Crowder. Previous reports have indicated that the Bucks and Heat are potential suitors for the 32-year-old, and Zach Lowe of ESPN confirmed as much last Thursday. The Cavaliers are also rumored to be interested.

During the first week of training camp, Suns head coach Monty Williams told reporters that it would be good to have the Crowder situation resolved by opening night if possible. As Marc Stein writes today at his Substack, Phoenix would like to acquire a player who can immediately step into the rotation rather than settling for future assets.

Monty Williams Had Eye Surgery; Josh Okogie Hopes To Play In Preaseason

October 8th, 2022 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns coach Monty Williams underwent lens replacement surgery after it was strongly suggested by Chris Paul‘s mother, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I was talking to my brother the other day, he was watching the game and said it was actually weird to see Monty not squinting,” Paul said. “It is crazy to see him not squinting, but we’ve been talking to him about that for years.”
Suns guard Josh Okogie is dealing with a strained left hamstring, but he hasn’t given up hope of playing before the preseason ends, Rankin tweets.

Pacific Notes: C. Johnson, Payne, Kings, Schröder, Wall

October 7th, 2022 at 4:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns will be without a pair of rotation players for the rest of the preseason, the team announced today (Twitter link via Kellan Olson of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM). Cameron Johnson is out with a right thumb sprain, while Cameron Payne is dealing with a right finger sprain. Both Johnson and Payne will be reevaluated in a week, per the Suns, so it’s unclear at this point whether they’ll be ready to for the start of the regular season.

Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific:

Kevin Huerter is expected to be the Kings‘ starting shooting guard when the regular season tips off, but the starting power forward job remains up for grabs, head coach Mike Brown told reporters today (Twitter link via Sean Cunningham of FOX40 Sacramento). KZ Okpala and No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray appear to be the top contenders for that spot.
According to Cunningham, the Kings aren’t expected to make any cuts until after their second preseason game on Sunday. The team has just 12 players on guaranteed contracts, with five veterans and rookie Chima Moneke in camp on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deals, vying for back-end roster spots.
Dennis Schröder‘s arrival stateside has been delayed due to a visa issue, but he’s scheduled to fly from Germany to Los Angeles this weekend to report to the Lakers, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Head coach Darvin Ham previously stated that he doesn’t expect it to take long for Schröder to find his rhythm once he joins the team.
John Wall is embracing the opportunity to play a secondary role alongside Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this season after years of being a go-to option in Washington, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. “Like I told (George) and Kawhi when I came here, my job is to make the game easier for them so when the fourth quarter comes around they’re not having to waste all that energy to make all the plays,” Wall said.

Pistons Notes: Bogdanovic, Casey, Cunningham, Ivey

October 7th, 2022 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Bojan Bogdanovic is 33 years old and entering a contract year with the rebuilding Pistons, but he still may have a future with the team, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. After being acquired from the Jazz last month, Bogdanovic has made an immediate impact as both a player and a veteran leader, and coach Dwane Casey hopes he’ll be re-signed next summer.

“I’d love to have him back,” Casey replied. “He’s a free agent. Hopefully, he has a good experience with us and finds a good home with us. Everybody needs a guy like that who knows how to play and can shoot the ball. Hopefully, we can entice him to stay. If he doesn’t, he helps us, and we help him. He’s a pro. He’ll have a big role for us this year.”

Utah had serious trade talks with multiple teams before reaching a deal with Detroit. Sources tell Scotto that the Suns discussed offering Jae Crowder, Dario Saric and draft compensation, and the Lakers discussed a deal that involved Russell Westbrook and unprotected first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, along with several others that included Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley and a combination of Malik Beasley and Rudy Gay.

Bogdanovic wasn’t ready to answer questions about his future, but he told Scotto that the Pistons’ interest is flattering.

“I’m here only for a couple of days, but if they’re open for that, we’ll see what’s going to happen,” he said.

There’s more from Detroit:

Casey wasn’t discouraged by the Pistons’ 21-point loss to the Knicks in Tuesday’s preseason opener, according to Mike Curtis of The Detroit News. With the regular season less than two weeks away, Casey is more concerned with player development than trying to win. “What exhibition season does, it tells us what we need to work on,” he said. “In exhibition, I don’t get caught up in losses. I get caught up in what you put on video. It gives us a lot of teaching points to look at on the video in exhibition.”
An ankle injury forced Cade Cunningham to miss the preseason as a rookie, but he’s healthy and focused this time around, Curtis adds in a separate story.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic breaks down Jaden Ivey‘s 16-point performance in his first game. The No. 5 pick in this year’s draft was able to put constant pressure on New York’s defense and made good decisions with the ball, but he needs to improve defensively to stay in front of NBA guards, Edwards states.

Suns Notes: Ayton, Williams, Sale Price, Crowder, Preseason Loss

October 4th, 2022 at 5:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns center Deandre Ayton raised a lot of eyebrows when he said at the start of training camp that he hadn’t spoken to Monty Williams since the team’s playoff flameout last season. The Suns coach calls it a non-issue, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets in a video clip.

“I coach him hard every day in practice,” Williams said. “You see he’s here getting his work in and that’s what we expect of our guys. … We don’t need to air anything out. That’s my point. I’m not going to keep addressing that. He’s the player, I’m the coach.”

We have more on the Suns:

Joe Tsai bought the Nets for an NBA-record $2.35 billion in 2019 and an investment banker that spoke with ESPN’s Baxter Holmes believes the Suns will sell for higher price. Suspended owner Robert Sarver has begun the process of selling the team. Some of the factors that could drive up the price include the warm-weather climate and proximity to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the Bay Area, as well as the team’s new practice facility and renovated arena. In recent days, Suns executive VP and CFO Jim Pitman relayed to team employees that a fully executed sale of the team could take 6-9 months, Holmes adds.
Experts that spoke to Marc Stein said the Suns’ sale price could reach the $4 billion threshold, he reports in a Substack post. That’s potentially 10 times the $401MM purchase price that Sarver’s ownership group paid in April 2004.
A source told Stein over the weekend that the trade chatter regarding the Suns’ Jae Crowder being swapped for the Cavaliers’ Cedi Osman isn’t much more than that. Crowder is sitting out training camp while awaiting a trade.
The Suns lost an exhibition game to the Adelaide 36ers and Rankin notes that the team lacked energy and enthusiasm. The defense was especially poor, as it surrendered 134 points.

Suns Notes: Bridges, C. Johnson, Landale, Okogie, Shaq

October 1st, 2022 at 8:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mikal Bridges will be running the Suns‘ offense more often and Cameron Johnson will see time in that role as well, writes Dana Scott of The Arizona Republic. Coach Monty Williams believes Chris Paul was worn down by the end of last season and sees this as a way to save wear and tear on his 37-year-old point guard.

“Those guys have the ability to facilitate, and I just haven’t given them the chance,” Williams said. “We’ve talked about being comfortable with uncomfortable change. There’s gonna be times where it doesn’t look great, but I think that’s where they’re gonna grow. … They both have the capability to expand the offense that way and that part is exciting when you think about those opportunities.”

Bridges, who finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, welcomes the opportunity to add another dimension to his game. He hasn’t missed a single contest in his first four NBA seasons, and Johnson said they worked out together every day during the summer at the Suns’ practice facility.

“I think he’s just improved all around,” Johnson said. “I mean ball-handling, shooting, being able to create, getting stronger in the weight room. It wasn’t that we’re going to get better at one specific thing. I thought we got better as basketball players, and he’s playing really well right now.”

There’s more from Phoenix:

After being traded twice this offseason, Jock Landale is confident that he’s found a home with the Suns, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Phoenix acquired the 26-year-old center from the Hawks in July for cash considerations. “It’s a hell of an organization,” Landale said. “The people in here are high character people and as far as finding enjoyment, I always go home and talk with my fiancée and my parents and mates about the level of passion and commitment and joy I’m getting out of the game right now is beyond anything I’ve ever experienced before.”
Josh Okogie will likely miss the entire preseason with a strained left hamstring, Rankin adds. Okogie, who signed as a free agent after spending the past four years in Minnesota, will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal tells TMZ Sports that he would be interested in partnering with Jeff Bezos if the Amazon founder decides to make a bid for the Suns.

Jae Crowder Wanted Contract Extension From Suns

September 30th, 2022 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

The divide between Jae Crowder and the Suns began when the veteran forward let the team know he was seeking a contract extension, according to Stein, who says the Suns essentially responded by telling the 32-year-old that he was no longer a lock to start or finish games ahead of Cameron Johnson. Crowder remains away from the team as Phoenix attempts to find a suitable trade.

Contract Details: Lakers, Galloway, DSJ, McCollum, More

September 30th, 2022 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

When the Lakers signed Matt Ryan and Dwayne Bacon to non-guaranteed training camp contracts earlier this month, both players received Exhibit 9 clauses in their new deals, but not Exhibit 10s, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Exhibit 9 contracts are non-guaranteed camp deals that don’t count against the cap during the preseason and offer teams some protection in the event of an injury. Exhibit 10s are similar, but also allow teams to convert the player to a two-way deal (if he’s eligible) or to give him a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate.

As a general rule, a player who signs a training camp contract without an Exhibit 10 clause is usually just competing for a spot on his team’s 15-man regular season roster and won’t end up playing for the club’s G League affiliate if he doesn’t make the cut.

Langston Galloway (Pacers), Dennis Smith Jr. (Hornets), LiAngelo Ball (Hornets), Cody Zeller (Jazz), Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Suns), and Wes Iwundu (Trail Blazers) are among the other recently signed free agents who signed Exhibit 9 – not Exhibit 10 – contracts.

Here are a few more contract details from around the NBA:

The exact cap hits on CJ McCollum‘s new extension with the Pelicans are $33,333,333 for 2024/25 and $30,666,666 for ’25/26, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. The deal is fully guaranteed, with no options or bonuses.
Veteran players who recently signed Exhibit 10 contracts include Justin Anderson (Pacers), Norvel Pelle (Pacers), Jalen Harris (Knicks), Kostas Antetokounmpo (Bulls), PJ Dozier (Timberwolves), Brodric Thomas (Celtics), Juwan Morgan (Clippers), Zylan Cheatham (Pelicans), Zavier Simpson (Magic), and Aleem Ford (Magic), Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Anderson and Pelle were subsequently waived by Indiana.
RaiQuan Gray (Nets), Justin Bean (Grizzlies), Jacob Gilyard (Grizzlies), Jules Bernard (Pistons), Stanley Umude (Pistons), John Butler (Pelicans), Garrison Brooks (Knicks), and Nuni Omot (Knicks) are among the rookies who recently signed Exhibit 10 contracts with their respective teams, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Brooks and Omot have since been waived by New York.