Charles Bediako Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Spurs’ McDaniels Among Wednesday’s Cuts

October 17th, 2024 at 9:37am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs waived forward Jalen McDaniels on Wednesday, according to the NBA’s transactions log.

San Antonio acquired McDaniels earlier this week from the Kings in a salary dump. The deal sent McDaniels, cash, and the Kings’ unprotected 2031 second-round pick to San Antonio in exchange for the Bulls’ top-55 protected 2025 second-round pick.

At the time of the deal, it was reported the Spurs did not intend to keep McDaniels. San Antonio will be on the hook for McDaniels’ $4.74MM expiring contract, which it absorbed using its $8MM room exception. The Spurs have one of the lowest team salaries in the NBA and still have plenty of room below the tax line after eating his contract.

We have more waiver moves from Wednesday:

The Nuggets waived Andrew Funk, Will Richardson and Charles Bediako. That trio was signed to Exhibit 10 deals last week. They’ll each earn a bonus worth $77.5K if they join Denver’s G League club, the Grand Rapids Gold, and remain with the team for at least 60 days.
The Bucks waived guard James Akinjo. He was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract in late August. The guard split time last season between the Stockton Kings and Wisconsin Herd. He’ll be eligible for $77.5K bonus if he rejoins the Herd and remains with them for at least 60 days.

Nuggets Sign Richardson, Funk, Bediako To Exhibit 10 Deals

October 8th, 2024 at 5:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets have signed Will Richardson, Andrew Funk and Charles Bediako, according to a team press release. All three players signed Exhibit 10 deals, according to the Denver Gazette’s Vinny Benedetto (Twitter link).

The Nuggets made room for the trio by waiving Gabe McGlothan, Jaylin Williams, and Jahmir Young.

Richardson went undrafted in 2023 before signing with the Grand Rapids Gold last season. The former Oregon guard averaged 7.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 17.8 minutes per contest for Denver’s G League affiliate.

Funk also went undrafted last year before joining the Nuggets during training camp. Funk, who played college ball at Bucknell and Penn State, also appeared in four of the Nuggets’ Summer League games in 2023. He eventually signed a two-way contract with the Bulls in February, but was waived in July.

The seven-foot Bediako played two college season at Alabama. Bediako, who was also undrafted in 2023, has appeared in Summer League games for both the Spurs and the Magic. Denver’s intent to sign Bediako was previously reported.

It’s likely all three will be waived. They’ll each be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if they join the Gold and remain with the G League club for at least 60 days.

Charles Bediako Signing With Nuggets

October 6th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Free agent center Charles Bediako is signing a contract with the Nuggets, Bediako’s agent Daniel Green informs Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The terms of the deal have yet to be divulged. But given the timing – and the fact that Denver is carrying 15 players on guaranteed contracts and three on two-way deals – it’s likely to be a training camp contract, probably with Exhibit 10 language. The Nuggets don’t have an open roster spot, so someone will need to be cut to make room for Bediako.

Bediako went undrafted out of Alabama in 2023, but ultimately latched on with the Spurs on a two-way deal for the 2023/24 season. However, he was cut near the end of December after tearing his meniscus.

The raw seven-footer didn’t appear in any NBA games for San Antonio, but did play in a total of 17 Showcase Cup and regular season bouts for the club’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.

Across six regular season matchups with Austin after returning from his knee injury, Bediako averaged 1.3 points and 1.7 rebounds while playing just 4.2 minutes per game. Prior to the injury, he put up 7.7 PPG and 6.9 RPG in 19.0 MPG across 11 Showcase Cup outings.

Most recently, the 22-year-old spent his Summer League this past July suiting up for the Magic.

Denver is almost certainly bringing on Bediako with an eye toward having him play for the team’s G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold. The Gold acquired Bediako’s NBAGL returning rights from Austin in July.

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.

Charles Bediako Tears Meniscus, Cut By Spurs

December 29th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

4:00pm: Bediako’s agent Daniel Green has revealed that the big man tore his left meniscus and is now slated to be on the shelf for the next six-to-eight weeks, per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).

3:11pm: Two-way center Charles Bediako has been cut by the Spurs, according to a team press release.

San Antonio initially inked the seven-footer to a two-way contract after he went undrafted out of Alabama this past summer. He averaged 7.7 PPG and 6.9 RPG for San Antonio’s Austin NBAGL affiliate across 11 games.

Bediako was an All-SEC Tourney and SEC All-Defense honoree, averaging 6.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG,, 1.7 BPG, 0.7 APG and 0.6 SPG in two years for the Crimson Tide.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, salaries for two-way players are not fully guaranteed until January 7.

Bediako’s departure now leaves a two-way slot open on the Spurs’ roster next to shooting guard David Duke Jr. and power forward Dominick Barlow. How San Antonio opts to move forward with that opening remains to be seen.

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.

Evaluating NBA’s Open Two-Way Contract Slots

October 16th, 2023 at 5:53pm CST by Tristan Tucker

As our two-way contract tracker shows, 81 of the 90 available two-way slots available around the NBA are currently occupied, with nine still open as of Friday afternoon.

With the start of the season rapidly approaching, teams will begin cutting down their rosters en masse around October 21, which ensures players clear waivers before the start of the season on October 24. One way teams will manage their rosters before the season is by converting certain Exhibit 10 players to two-way contracts.

Let’s take a look at each open two-way spot on a team-by-team basis and consider who could potentially fill those spots.

Brooklyn Nets

Open two-way spots: 1

The Nets are an interesting case because they don’t currently have anyone signed to the roster that makes sense as a two-way option.

They are reportedly signing Patrick Gardner to an Exhibit 10 deal, though that has yet to happen. Harry Giles, while technically eligible for a two-way deal, is not an option because he is signed to only an Exhibit 9 contract, which are ineligible to be converted if they don’t also include Exhibit 10 language.

For now, it seems as though Brooklyn will either keep the slot open to begin the year, claim someone on waivers from another team, or sign an outside option.

Dallas Mavericks

Open two-way spots: 2

Dallas waived Mike Miles on Saturday, giving them two open two-way contract spots. Two logical options to fill those spots, as we wrote, are training camp invitees Greg Brown and Dexter Dennis. Brown is still just 22 with two NBA seasons under his belt and was a consensus five-star prospect out of high school. Dennis averaged 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds with Texas A&M in his final collegiate season.

The Mavericks also signed Taze Moore to a camp deal on Monday, who averaged 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals in his final collegiate season with Houston. All three appear to be in play for those final spots, though outside options are always possible.

Detroit Pistons

Open two-way spots: 1

The Pistons have one open standard spot, as well as their open two-way slot. It’s unclear what their plans are with those spots, but it’s possible they give both to players currently on their training camp roster. Stanley Umude, Tosan Evbuomwan, Buddy Boeheim, Zavier Simpson and Jontay Porter are signed to Exhibit 10 deals with Detroit.

Umude appears to have the inside track to a roster spot, whether standard or a two-way deal, given his play in the preseason. However, the Pistons are in a good position to claim a young player on waivers from another team if they chose to, so I’d expect them to at least explore that option.

New Orleans Pelicans

Open two-way spots: 1

The Pelicans also have one open standard spot in addition to their open two-way spot, but given their proximity to the tax, I’d expect them to keep their 15th standard spot open.

That leaves one two-way spot, and they have five players currently signed to Exhibit 10 deals in Jalen Crutcher, Izaiah Brockington, Trey Jemison, Tevian Jones and Malcolm Hill. Jemison, who was once reportedly eyed for a two-way with Phoenix, has been impressive in the preseason and a promotion to a two-way deal wouldn’t be surprising.

Orlando Magic

Open two-way spots: 1

Orlando has a talented crop of players signed to Exhibit 10 deals, including last year’s dunk contest champion Mac McClung. Joining McClung are Trevelin Queen, Brandon Williams and Miye Oni, all of whom have NBA experience.

The Magic traded for the G League rights to McClung and Williams earlier this offseason, which could indicate they don’t plan to convert either given that they have secured their potential G League services However, I expect both to have a chance to make the roster.

Phoenix Suns

Open two-way spots: 1

The Suns don’t have any players currently signed to training camp deals, so it’s hard to predict what they’ll do with these slots. Historically, Phoenix has used their two-way spots to sign players who are older and/or have NBA experience. Ish Wainright and Duane Washington are two such examples and they have Udoka Azubuike and Saben Lee already on board who both fit that bill.

Given that Phoenix is the only team without a G League affiliate for the upcoming season, it’d track that whoever they sign to fill that spot, if any player, would also fulfill that criteria.

San Antonio Spurs

Open two-way spots: 1

Charles Bediako is the only player the Spurs have signed to an Exhibit 10 deal as of Friday afternoon, so he could be a logical option to fill San Antonio’s last two-way contract. Bediako was ESPN’s fifth-best ranked undrafted free agent after the 2023 draft and eight of the top 10 signed two-way deals following the draft (Miles was later waived).

Washington Wizards

Open two-way spots: 1

The Wizards are in the process of cycling through Exhibit 10 players, so I’m not 100% convinced they move either Jules Bernard or Michael Foster Jr., their two current Exhibit 10 signees, to two-way slots. Bernard isn’t a bad bet though — he averaged 15.3 points for Washington’s affiliate Capital City Go-Go last season.

It’s also important to note that every player currently signed to a two-way deal isn’t necessarily a lock to make their team. With a modest contract guarantee, teams often swap out two-way players either before the season or during the course of the year. For example, Miles was waived earlier this week by the Mavericks despite holding a two-way deal.

Potential situations to monitor include Jay Scrubb of the Celtics, who is on a one-year two-way deal but is out for the season with a torn ACL; and Dru Smith of the Heat, whom Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel identified as a possible odd man out, though head coach Erik Spoelstra has spoken highly of him.

Spurs Sign Charles Bediako

October 1st, 2023 at 4:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Spurs have officially signed free agent rookie center Charles Bediako, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).

Bediako’s agreement with San Antonio was initially reported soon after the draft. Terms of the agreement have not yet been disclosed, though an Exhibit 10 training camp deal seems likely.

The seven-footer enjoyed a decorated NCAA run at Alabama. He was a 2023 SEC All-Defense and All-SEC Tourney honoree as a sophomore. During his two years with the program, Bediako posted averages of 6.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 0.7 APG and 0.6 SPG in 19.3 MPG.

Assuming Bediako has signed an Exhibit 10 deal, he could see that agreement converted to a two-way contract or, more likely, be waived by the club ahead of the regular season. He would then become eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K should he log 60 days or more with the Spurs’ NBAGL affiliate, the Austin Spurs.

Spurs To Sign Charles Bediako, Setric Millner Jr.

June 23rd, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Spurs are reportedly adding two new undrafted prospects to their comprehensive haul this week.

Former Alabama center Charles Bediako will sign a one-year deal with the Spurs, agent Daniel Green informs Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Terms of the agreement aren’t known, but it’ll likely be non-guaranteed, perhaps with Exhibit 10 language.

Ex-Toledo senior small forward Setric Millner Jr. is inking an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, sources tell Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress (via Twitter).

Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted to two-way deals or can put a player on track to receive a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived before the regular season and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate.

During a two-year college career, the seven-foot Bediako was named to the 2023 All-SEC Tourney and SEC All-Defense teams. Across his two college seasons with the Crimson Tide, he averaged 6.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 0.7 APG and 0.6 SPG during 19.3 MPG.

Millner averaged 15.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.7 APG, and 1.1 SPG during 2022/23. He was a two-time All-MAC and a 2023 All-MAC Tourney honoree. Chepkevich notes that the 6’6″ wing number among 64 seniors brought to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this spring.

San Antonio was of course the headliner in this week’s draft, as the team had the opportunity to select a potential generational talent, French big man Victor Wembanyama, with the top pick. The Spurs also added G League Ignite guard Sidy Cissoko in the second round.

Eastern Notes: Hornets, Hawks, Nets, Knicks, Embiid

June 4th, 2023 at 8:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Adama Sanogo, the starting center on UConn’s national championship team, and Julian Strawther of Gonzaga were among the six draft prospects who worked out for the Hornets on Sunday, the team’s PR department tweets. Memphis’ Kendric Davis, Kent State’s Sincere Carry, Butler’s Manny Bates and Marquette Olivier-Maxence Prosper joined that duo. The latter is currently ranked No. 29 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

Alabama center Charles Bediako and Gonzaga big man Drew Timme are among the six draft prospects who will visit the Hawks on Monday, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. They’ll be joined by Miami’s Jordan Miller, Virginia’s Kihei Clark, DePaul’s Javan Johnson and Washington State’s Justin Powell.
Nets GM Sean Marks has a history of making aggressive moves either leading up to the draft or on draft night, Brian Lewis of the New York Post notes. Brooklyn has back-to-back picks in the first round at No. 21 and 22. If Marks decides to keep them, South Carolina freshman G.G. Jackson, G League Ignite’s Leonard Miller and Frenchman Bilal Coulibaly could be among the players who will get serious consideration.
The Knicks are crossing their fingers that the Sixers will eventually implode and Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid will look to be dealt, Tim MacMahon of ESPN said on The Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly). “They’re not hoping for patience, they’re hoping for The Process. I don’t know if that’s coming, but they’ve looked at that situation in Philly and there’s been a hope in New York that stuff in Philly will go haywire to the point where Embiid will ask out,” MacMahon said. “I don’t know the percentage odds on that, I would say they are slim, but that’s been the hope.”