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Sixers Notes: Gordon, Martin, Embiid, George, Nurse

October 29th, 2024 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Tyrese Maxey led the way in the Sixers‘ overtime win over Indiana on Sunday, with a game-high 45 points in his 48 minutes of action. But the team likely wouldn’t have gotten its first victory of the season if not for a pair of offseason additions, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who highlights the contributions of Eric Gordon and Caleb Martin.

Gordon scored 15 points and was a plus-17 in 32 minutes off the bench, while Martin had a double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds) in 37 minutes.

Joel Embiid and Paul George will be back in the 76ers’ lineup at some point, but it won’t happen on Wednesday vs. Detroit. As Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports tweets, while the two stars participated in portions of practice on Tuesday, they’ve been ruled out for tomorrow’s game and will be reevaluated again later this week.

With or without those stars healthy, the club will need major contributions from its role players, Pompey writes. Sunday’s win showed what that could look like, and Gordon is confident that Philadelphia’s supporting cast will only improve as the season progresses.

“We are going to continue to get better,” Gordon said. “This is the worst, you know? You can never panic in this league. There’s too many games, an 82-game season. It’s too early. And we’re going to continue to get better and better. We’ve got guys with great attitudes who are wanting to win.”

Here’s more on the Sixers:

  • No team brought back fewer players from last season’s roster (seven) than the 76ers. That – along with Embiid’s and George’s absences – has created an early-season challenge for head coach Nick Nurse, who is still getting accustomed to his new-look squad and determining the strengths and weaknesses of certain lineups, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’ve got to learn what’s going on with this team,” Nurse said during Sunday’s post-game media session. “… I’m trying to learn what looks good, and what doesn’t.”
  • Embiid hasn’t suited up for a game yet this fall, but he’s already been hit with his first technical foul of the season. According to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link), the league announced on Monday that Embiid was assessed a technical for waving a towel on the bench while Andrew Nembhard was shooting free throws on Sunday.
  • Patrick McCaw, Marcus Bagley, and Isaiah Mobley are among the notable names on the training camp roster announced on Monday (via Twitter) by the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s G League affiliate. McCaw won three NBA championships with Golden State and Toronto during the first three years of his playing career, while Bagley and Mobley are the brothers of established NBA players (Marvin Bagley III and Evan Mobley).
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Sixers Waive Four Players

October 16th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers made four roster cuts after Wednesday’s preseason game, waiving Jordan Tucker, Isaiah Mobley, Judah Mintz and Max Fiedler, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

All four players were on Exhibit 10 contracts and are likely to wind up with the team’s G League affiliate in Delaware, where they can earn bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they remain there for at least 60 days.

Tucker and Mobley signed in late September, just before the start of training camp. Tucker was in the LNB Pro A League in France last season and has played in the G League and internationally since going undrafted out of Butler in 2020. Mobley, the brother of Cavaliers star Evan Mobley, had been with Cleveland on two-way deals the past two seasons.

Mintz, a former standout guard at Syracuse, inked an Exhibit 10 contract in early September, while Fielder, a rookie big man out of Rice, signed in late August.

The moves bring Philadelphia’s roster down to 17 players ahead of the upcoming cutdown date. The team has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, along with Ricky Council, whose $1.9MM salary for this season and $2.2MM for 2025/26 are both non-guaranteed.

Although there’s still a few days for the Sixers to make last-minute moves, it’s possible that the roster is set heading into the October 23 opener against Milwaukee.

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Sixers Sign Isaiah Mobley, Jordan Tucker To Exhibit 10 Deals

September 30th, 2024 at 12:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:33pm: In addition to confirming their deal with Mobley, the Sixers announced in a press release that they’ve officially signed free agent forward Jordan Tucker, who will fill the final spot on the team’s 21-man training camp roster.

Tucker, who played for Philadelphia’s Summer League team in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, has bounced around since going undrafted out of Butler in 2020, playing in the G League, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and France.

While the Sixers didn’t explicitly confirm it, it’s safe to assume Tucker also inked an Exhibit 10 deal.

9:55am: Isaiah Mobley has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Sixers, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).

The 25-year-old power forward spent the past two seasons on two-way deals in Cleveland, where he played alongside his younger brother, Evan. He appeared in 22 total games for the Cavaliers, averaging 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.1 minutes per night. He was selected with the 49th pick in the 2022 draft.

Mobley also has experience in the G League, where he played part of the last two seasons. The Exhibit 10 deal means he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived and spends at least 60 days with Philadelphia’s affiliate in Delaware.

The Sixers have 13 players with fully guaranteed contracts, along with Ricky Council on a non-guaranteed deal. The team’s two-way slots are filled by Justin Edwards, Jeff Dowtin and Lester Quinones, but Mobley might be able to compete for one of those with an impressive camp.

Mobley’s signing will bring Philadelphia’s roster to 20 players, one short of the offseason limit.

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Stein’s Latest: Bahamas, Gordon, Thompson, Jones, Giannis

August 28th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

The Bahamas just had its most successful international run ever, winning a pre-qualifying tournament — and eliminating Argentina in the process — to have a shot at making next summer’s Olympics if the national team can win another six-team tournament.

FIBA drew some criticism for allowing veteran guard Eric Gordon to compete with the Bahamas, as he previously played for Team USA at the 2010 World Cup. However, as Marc Stein writes at Substack, Gordon does have a legitimate tie to the Bahamas — his mother was born and raised in the island nation, and the U.S. granted him permission to switch allegiances, likely due to his advanced age (he’s 34).

Here’s more from Stein:

  • Stein hears the Bahamian national team isn’t finished recruiting NBA players, with Evan Mobley, Isaiah Mobley and Naz Reid all eligible to represent the country. Stein also wonders if the team will recruit Klay Thompson, whose father, former top overall pick Mychal Thompson, is from the Bahamas.
  • Like Gordon, Klay Thompson would have to become a naturalized citizen in order to compete for the Bahamian team, and only one such slot is available in FIBA events. Thompson has already won a pair of gold medals with Team USA. His father neither confirmed nor denied that his son might attempt to compete for the Bahamas in the future, simply telling Stein, “We’ll see.”
  • Derrick Jones Jr. considered signing with the Heat in free agency, league sources tell Stein. The veteran forward, who played two-plus seasons in Miami, instead signed a one year, minimum-salary deal with the Mavericks.
  • The Lakers and Knicks are among the teams that may intrigue Giannis Antetokounmpo if he were to leave the Bucks in the future, according to Stein. The two-time MVP recently expressed a desire to keep winning championships, wherever that may take him. Antetokounmpo can become a free agent in 2025.
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Central Notes: Dosunmu, Jones, I. Mobley, Pistons

July 21st, 2023 at 7:41pm CST by Rory Maher

Re-signing restricted free agent guard Ayo Dosunmu to a three-year, $21MM contract was a shrewd business decision by the Bulls, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

The Bulls like Dosunmu’s aggression, competitiveness and work ethic, according to Johnson, and bringing him back at $7MM per year could be valuable if Chicago decides to make moves in the future, as mid-sized deals can come in handy when negotiating trades. That isn’t to imply the team wants to deal away a player it is retaining — it’s just a reality of the business.

With Zach LaVine, Coby White, Alex Caruso, Jevon Carter, Dosunmu, Dalen Terry and the injured Lonzo Ball already in the backcourt, Johnson believes Carlik Jones will likely be released. Jones’ deal is currently non-guaranteed, but becomes partially guaranteed for $250K if he makes the Bulls’ opening night roster. The team’s next free agent addition will “almost certainly” be a frontcourt player, Johnson adds.

Here’s more from the Central:

  • He may not be as well-known as his younger brother, but Cavaliers big man Isaiah Mobley, who is on a two-way deal with Cleveland, made his mark during Las Vegas Summer League, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). Mobley hit an overtime game-winner in the team’s fifth game against Brooklyn, with the Cavs going on to finish 6-0 and leaving with a championship. He averaged 17.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.5 BPG and 1.0 SPG on 49.3% from the field in 28.3 MPG in Vegas. Mobley is the older brother of Evan Mobley, who finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting this past season.
  • James L. Edwards of The Athletic recently took a stab at projecting the Pistons‘ depth chart entering 2023/24, with a possible 10-man rotation of starters Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, alongside reserves Monte Morris, Alec Burks, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Livers and Marvin Bagley III. Notably, that group does not include James Wiseman, with Edwards writing that Bagley is the superior screener and roller and better at creating his own shot. It also doesn’t include Killian Hayes or Joe Harris. That said, with the obvious caveat that it’s only July, I agree with Edwards.
  • In another article for The Athletic, Edwards evaluates trade proposals from readers. One fake trade was a complex four-team deal where the Pistons receive Tobias Harris; the Clippers receive James Harden and a 2029 first-round pick (from Philly); the Sixers receive Bogdanovic, Norman Powell, Marcus Morris, Danilo Gallinari and 2028 and ’29 first-rounders (from the Clips); and the Wizards receive Bagley and a 2024 second-rounder (from L.A.). Edwards thinks the Sixers would decline that proposal, and likely the Wizards too, though the latter might be more interested if another second-round pick or two were added.
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Cavs Sign Isaiah Mobley, Craig Porter To Two-Way Deals

July 4th, 2023 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have filled two of their three two-way slots for the 2023/24 season by signing forward Isaiah Mobley and guard Craig Porter to two-way contracts, per NBA.com’s official transaction log.

Neither move comes as a surprise. Mobley was on a two-way deal last season and received a two-way qualifying offer last week that made him a restricted free agent. As for Porter, his agreement with Cleveland was reported shortly after he went undrafted on June 22.

Mobley, the older brother of rising Cavs star Evan Mobley, appeared in just 12 games and logged 84 total minutes at the NBA level last season after being drafted 49th overall out of USC. He played a much bigger role for the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate, averaging 21.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists with a .517/.353/.730 shooting line in 33.2 minutes per game across 22 regular season contests.

Porter, who went undrafted out of Wichita State, was a fifth-year senior who played three seasons with the Shockers after transferring from Vincennes. He had by far his best year in 2022/23, averaging 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 31 games (33.6 MPG) and earning third-team All-AAC honors.

The Cavs have one open two-way slot left and it’s not yet clear who will fill it. Last season’s other two-way player, Mamadi Diakite, didn’t receive a qualifying offer, so No. 49 pick Emoni Bates looks like the leading candidate, unless he earns a spot on the standard 15-man roster.

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Wolves’ Garza, Ryan Among Players Receiving Two-Way QOs

June 29th, 2023 at 6:48am CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves forward Luka Garza and wing Matt Ryan are among several players on two-way contracts who received qualifying offers on Wednesday, according to the official transaction log at RealGM.com.

Besides Garza and Ryan, the following two-way players were issued qualifying offers, making them restricted free agents:

The default qualifying offer for a player on a two-way contract is another one-year, two-way deal, with a small partial guarantee.

A player who has four years of experience or who has spent the last two seasons on a two-way contract with the same time becomes eligible for a QO equivalent to a standard, minimum-salary deal. However, none of these seven players fit that bill.

These two-way restricted free agents will have the option of accepting their qualifying offers or trying to negotiate new contracts. They’re all technically eligible to sign offer sheets with new teams, which their current clubs would have the ability to match. However, that outcome has been a rarity for players coming off two-way deals.

While Garza, Ryan, Mobley, Rhoden, Quinones, and Green all finished the 2022/23 season under contract with their respective teams, Mannion has been out of the NBA since 2021 and recently signed with Baskonia in Spain. Having issued him a qualifying offer in each of the last three seasons, Golden State continues to retain Mannion’s RFA rights in the event that he eventually returns stateside.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Warriors aren’t expected to tender qualifying offers to Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome (two-way). The team still has some level of interest in re-signing one or both players, but that interest may hinge on how the free agent market plays out, Slater explains.

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Craig Porter Jr. Joining Cavaliers On Two-Way Deal

June 23rd, 2023 at 1:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Craig Porter Jr. has reached an agreement with the Cavaliers on a two-way contract, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

The Wichita State point guard conducted workouts with at least 10 teams and had been considered a possible late second-round pick. Instead, he will try to earn a roster spot with Cleveland through the two-way route.

Porter, 23, is a fifth-year senior who played three seasons with the Shockers after transferring from Vincennes. He had by far his best season in 2022/23, averaging 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 31 games and earning third-team All-AAC honors.

Mamadi Diakite and Isaiah Mobley finished this season as Cleveland’s two-way players. Mobley will likely return for another season on a two-way contract, and the Cavs may sign second-round pick Emoni Bates to a two-way deal with the intent of keeping him in the G League for most of his first season, Fedor adds in a full story.

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NBAGL Announces 2022/23 All-League Awards

April 13th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA G League named the recipients of its All-League, All-Rookie, and All-Defensive teams on Thursday (all Twitter links found here). Many of the honorees are on standard NBA or two-way contracts.

Here’s the full list:

All-NBA G League First Team

All-NBA G League Second Team

All-NBA G League Third Team

NBAGL All-Defensive Team

NBAGL All-Rookie Team

  • Kenneth Lofton
  • Lester Quinones – Santa Cruz Warriors *
    • Note: Quinones placed second in ROY voting.
  • Darius Days
    • Note: Days placed third in ROY voting.
  • Jamaree Bouyea
  • Moussa Diabate

(^ denotes standard NBA contract)

(* denotes two-way contract)

(# Bouyea signed 10-day deals with the Heat and Wizards, but is now an NBA free agent)

Both Dunn and Samanic signed standard contracts with the Jazz, while Harrison signed with the Lakers at the very end of the season after playing with Portland on a 10-day deal. Duke and Lofton recently had their two-way contracts converted into standard deals.

Cooper, Chiozza and Anderson all hold NBA experience as well. Cooper spent 2021/22 — his rookie season — on a two-way deal with the Hawks; Chiozza has played for the Rockets, Nets and Warriors, and recently signed with a Spanish team; Anderson has appeared in 242 NBA games with six teams in as many seasons.

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Injury Notes: Brunson, Bulls, Cavaliers, KAT, Grizzlies

March 27th, 2023 at 6:43pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Knicks starting point guard Jalen Brunson will miss his second straight game on Monday with a sprained right hand, the team has announced (Twitter link).

The 6’1″ Brunson is enjoying a career season with his new club. Across 65 healthy games, he’s averaging 23.8 PPG on .489/.411/.833 shooting. The 26-year-old is also averaging 6.2 APG, 3.6 RPG and 0.9 SPG for New York.

Reserve guard Derrick Rose, who has been out of the rotation since the calendar rolled over to 2023, will also be inactive for this evening’s bout against the Rockets due to an illness, the Knicks add.

Here are some more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

  • Bulls forward Javonte Green, who continues to recover from a January knee surgery after making a brief return to the lineup last week, will be out tonight against the Clippers, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). Johnson adds that veteran Chicago guard Alex Caruso is considered questionable to play.
  • Several Cavaliers players comprise the club’s injury report ahead of the team’s game Tuesday against the Hawks, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter links). Starting center Jarrett Allen is questionable with a groin strain, while starting small forward Isaac Okoro is also questionable due to a sore knee. Swingman Danny Green and point guard Raul Neto will not play. Wing Dean Wade is doubtful to play through an illness. Isaiah Mobley, Sam Merrill and Dylan Windler are all going to be working with Cleveland’s NBAGL affiliate, the Cleveland Charge.
  • Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns will sit out tonight’s game against the Kings as he manages his right calf strain injury on the second night of a back-to-back, the team has announced (Twitter link). Two-way player Matt Ryan is out with an illness. All-Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards is questionable due to a sprained right ankle. Guard Jaylen Nowell is also questionable with a left knee tendinopathy.
  • At least five Grizzlies players will be shelved for Tuesday’s contest against the Magic, Memphis has announced (via Twitter). Beyond Brandon Clarke, who’s out for the year with a left Achilles tear, Ziaire Williams, Vince Williams, Jake LaRavia and Steven Adams are all also sidelined. All-Star point guard Ja Morant is considered doubtful to play due to a sore right thigh.
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