Langston Galloway

Suns Notes: Galloway, Carter, Saric, Crowder

Langston Galloway wanted to join a playoff contender, which is one of the big reasons he chose the Suns in free agency, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.

“The reason why I picked Phoenix, it’s a young, up-and-coming team that’s really on the move and can really help me going forward,” he said. “I really want to experience the playoffs and try to win a championship and I think this is the right organization to be with.”

Galloway, who averaged 10.3 PPG with the Pistons last season, signed a veteran’s minimum contract.

Detroit coach Dwane Casey was sad to see Galloway depart. “Langston is a leader, he sets the tone in practice, he’s a shooter and he’s a competitor,” he said. “He’s a quiet competitor.”

We have more on the Suns:

  • Phoenix gave restricted free agent Jevon Carter a three-year, $11.5MM deal to stay put and that made him feel like a valued member of the team, as he described to Rankin in a separate story. “I felt like I was wanted here,” Carter said. “Even when I went through those stretches when I wasn’t playing, it never felt like they didn’t want me here.” A 6’1” guard, Carter appeared in 58 games last season, averaging 4.9 PPG in 16.3 MPG.
  • Another restricted free agent that the Suns retained, forward Dario Saric, admitted to Rankin (Twitter link) that he was filled with uncertainty when free agency began. “I was like waking up saying, ‘Did anybody text me? Did my agent have anything to say to me?’ It was a couple of nervous days for me,” he said. “Everything ended up the right way for me.” Saric signed a three-year, $27MM contract.
  • Head coach Monty Williams wouldn’t elaborate on Jae Crowder‘s status during the first day of full practice Monday, Rankin reports. “I can’t comment on Jae’s situation,” Williams said. “I’m just going to leave it at that.” Crowder was a big “get” for Phoenix in free agency, as he left the Heat and signed a three-year, $30MM contract.
  • In case you missed it, B.J. Johnson was expected to join the Suns in training camp but he instead signed with the Heat.

Suns Sign Langston Galloway

NOVEMBER 29: The move is official, according to the RealGM Transactions Page.


NOVEMBER 23: The Suns have reached a contract agreement with free agent guard Langston Galloway, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). It’s a minimum-salary deal for Galloway, reports John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (via Twitter).

Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link) reported earlier this afternoon that Phoenix had interest in signing Galloway.

Galloway flew somewhat under the radar in 2019/20 as part of a Pistons team that was never in the playoff hunt. However, he enjoyed arguably the best individual season of his career, with 10.3 PPG on .435/.399/.859 shooting in 66 games (25.8 MPG).

In Phoenix, Galloway will provide extra depth in a talented backcourt that already features Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and E’Twaun Moore. He and Moore figure to give the Suns some scoring punch off the bench.

Celtics Notes: Free Agency, Theis, Green, Drummond

The playoffs showed that the Celtics could use more scoring off their bench, and Jared Weiss of The Athletic has a few suggestions that should fit into Boston’s budget. If Gordon Hayward and Enes Kanter both opt in for next season, the team will be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception, which should be about $5.7MM.

Weiss’ first choice is Langston Galloway, who averaged 10.3 points per game and shot 39.9% from 3-point range this year with the Pistons. Weiss notes that Galloway also handles the ball well enough to be considered a combo guard and would be a step up from Brad Wanamaker. Two other veteran possibilities he brings up are Orlando’s D.J. Augustin and Atlanta’s Jeff Teague, who may want to wrap up their careers on a team that can compete for a title.

Weiss also throws in point guard Jordan McLaughlin, who played 30 games for the Timberwolves this year after a sensational performance in the G League. However, the 24-year-old is a restricted free agent and Minnesota has expressed a desire to keep him, so the Celtics would likely have to go above his market value to have a chance.

There’s more from Boston:

  • Center Daniel Theis had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee Tuesday that included removal of a loose body, the team announced on Twitter. The surgery was successful and he is expected to be ready when training camp opens (Twitter link). Theis had surgery on the same knee in 2018, notes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston (Twitter link).
  • In a full story, Forsberg looks at Carsen Edwards, Javonte Green and Vincent Poirier and examines whether any of them have a future in Boston. Edwards was a second-round pick who is under contract for $1.78MM next season, so he’ll likely return. Green made his NBA debut at age 26 this season after several years of playing overseas, but he has a non-guaranteed contract for 2020/21 that nearly doubles his salary to $1.5MM. Poirier will make $2.6MM next season, and Forsberg expects the Celtics to look for someone to take that salary off their hands to ease their tax situation.
  • The Celtics are monitoring the Andre Drummond situation in Cleveland and could be a potential trade partner if the Cavaliers decide to move him, sources tell Evan Dammarell of Forbes. Drummond is expected to opt into the the final year of his contract at $28.7MM, which would make him a free agent next summer. Dammarell mentions the Clippers and Spurs as other possibilities.

NBA’s Bottom Eight Teams Gearing Up For Group Workouts

Monday, September 14 marks the first day of the three-week offseason workout window for the NBA’s bottom eight teams. The first phase of these de facto training camps will last for one week, through next Monday. During that time, activities will continue to be limited to individual workouts, as participants begin being tested daily for the coronavirus.

After one week, once participating players have returned multiple negative COVID-19 tests – or have been quarantined if they test positive – the second phase of the camps will take place in bubble-type environments. Group workouts, including practices and intra-squad scrimmages, will be permitted during the next two weeks as coronavirus testing continues.

The eight teams not invited to Orlando – the Warriors, Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Hawks, Knicks, Pistons, Bulls, and Hornets – won’t congregate at a single site like the top 22 teams did at Walt Disney World. Their “bubbles” will be created in their respective markets.

[RELATED: Eight Teams Left Out Of Restart To Conduct Workouts At Home Sites]

For instance, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes, the Bulls will stay at a downtown hotel and will be transported back and forth between there and the Advocate Center. The Hawks, meanwhile, are working to secure their players a hotel that has not yet opened to help avoid any outside contact, per Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The other clubs will make similar arrangements.

These workouts – both the individual sessions this week and the group activities beginning next week – are entirely voluntary. However, since these players have been unable to take part in organized basketball activities with teammates since March and are likely itching to get back on the court, there’s an expectation that attendance will be robust for most clubs.

Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports, for example, that the Hawks anticipate all their core players – including Clint Capela – will take part in the camp. Jeff Teague is one of the only players not expected to participate, per Spencer, who notes that the veteran point guard is ticketed for free agency.

The Pistons are in a similar situation — James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports that free-agent-to-be Langston Galloway isn’t expected to be in attendance, but most of the rest of the team’s players will participate.

There are some cases where players who could reach free agency in the coming months will take part in workouts. For instance, Marc Berman of The New York Post says that Bobby Portis and Taj Gibson will likely be in attendance for the Knicks. Portis has a pricey team option for 2020/21, while only $1MM of Gibson’s $9.45MM salary is guaranteed, so both vets could be let go by the team this fall.

Berman does caution that some veteran Knicks players intend to participate in individual workouts but won’t join the rest of the club in the “bubble.”

Teams that want to fill gaps on their roster and make sure they have enough players to hold intra-squad scrimmages will be able to invite players who suited up for their G League affiliates this past season. For example, Lindell Wigginton and Canyon Barry of the Iowa Wolves will join Minnesota for the team’s mini-camp at Mayo Clinic Square, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.

With these offseason camps set to end on October 6 and the NBA Finals likely to wrap up shortly thereafter, the next time clubs meet for organized activities will presumably be for training camps at the start of the 2020/21 season.

Pistons Notes: Galloway, Weaver, Draft, Wood

New Pistons general manager Troy Weaver remains excited about Detroit’s prospects in the 2020 draft, despite the team falling two slots from its pre-lottery position to No. 7, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Weaver is confident in the depth of this season’s draft lottery prospects.

“From three to 13, it’s going to be a scramble,” he said. “We have to continue to do our work and be disciplined and be ready, because this is a draft where you don’t know.”

There’s more out of the Motor City:

  • Pistons free agent guard Langston Galloway and his wife Sabrina have continued to represent the Pistons for charitable events within the community this year despite 28-year-old’s impending free agency, writes Vince Ellis of Pistons.com. The 6’1″ Galloway, a sharpshooting combo guard, signed a three-year, $21MM contract with the Pistons in the summer of 2017.
  • Though the Pistons fell out of the running for likely top picks LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman, the team should still have a shot at a prospect with a high ceiling, opines Keith Langlois of Pistons.com in a separate piece. Langlois mentions that current All-Star forwards Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Giannis Antetokounmpo were all drafted at or below the No. 10 pick in their respective drafts.
  • Promising Pistons power forward Christian Wood, a free agent this summer, could be used in a sign-and-trade if he wants to join a team without salary cap space, as we relayed earlier this week. The 24-year-old stepped into a full time starting role with the team soon after Detroit traded former All-Star center Andre Drummond.

Central Notes: Reynolds, Porter, Lamb, Leaf, Galloway

When the NBA announced the official rosters for the summer restart on Monday, Cameron Reynolds‘ name didn’t show up on the Bucks‘ squad. Asked about Reynolds’ omission, head coach Mike Budenholzer explained that the limitations placed on the team’s overall traveling party – including coaches and trainers – resulted in Milwaukee leaving its second two-way player at home.

“It’s really hard not to bring him,” Budenholzer said, per Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “But at some point … you start thinking, ‘How do we make sure that, whether it be the top eight, nine, 10, 11 guys, have the best health from our sports performance, whether it be a massage person, a physical therapist, strength and conditioning coaches.’ … We felt like 16 players was the right decision and all the staff that we brought from sports performance and assistant coaches gave us our best group.”

Reynolds’ absence in Orlando doesn’t mean he’s no longer under contract with the Bucks. His two-way deal with the team will expire in October, and Milwaukee will have an opportunity to re-sign him at that point.

Here’s more from out of the Central:

Eastern Notes: Raptors Draft, Galloway, McConnell, Bulls

With the potential loss of Fred VanVleet in free agency and Kyle Lowry turning 34 this year, the Raptors could be in the market for a point guard in this year’s draft. With that in mind, Blake Murphy of The Athletic takes a look at floor leaders that the club could target with its late first-round pick. Duke’s Tre Jones, Stanford’s Tyrell Terry and Arizona’s Nico Mannion are some of the prospects that Murphy examines.

We have more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Pistons guard Langston Galloway, who is headed into unrestricted free agency, has “no regrets” about this season regardless of whether his team gets to play again, he told Rod Beard of the Detroit News. Galloway was the only player on the team to appear in every game and established himself as a solid second-unit shooter. “If we didn’t get to finish, I would say I had a great season and move on to the summer workouts,” he said. “I played in every single game, so I put my work on display every single game and the work I continue to put on display. I have no regrets going into the summer.”
  • Free agents T.J. McConnell, Justin Holiday and Alize Johnson are likely to remain with the Pacers next season, Scott Agness of The Athletic opines. McConnell and Holiday are solid reserves, while Johnson still has some upside. JaKarr Sampson is the only free agent that Indiana probably won’t re-sign, Agness adds.
  • The Bulls’ lottery chances could be jeopardized if they’re included in plans to resume the season, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago opines. Chicago is currently seventh in the draft lottery standings, giving the team a 32% chance at a top-four pick and a 7.5% chance at the No. 1 pick, Johnson notes. If the Bulls got hot during the resumption of play and even advanced in a revised playoff format, those odds would drop.

Pistons Notes: Drummond, Rose, Wood, Kennard, More

After a report on Thursday morning suggested the Pistons would likely hang onto center Andre Drummond, the team ended up making a deal just hours later, sending the longtime Piston to Cleveland for a modest package that included a pair of expiring contracts and a future second-round pick. Drummond, perhaps having expected to remain in Detroit, immediately responded to the trade on Twitter.

If there’s one thing I learned about the NBA, there’s no friends or loyalty,” Drummond tweeted. “I’ve given my heart and soul to the Pistons , and to have this happen with no heads-up makes me realize even more that this is just a business!”

Speaking today to reporters about the deal, head of basketball operations Ed Stefanski said that Drummond and his representatives knew he was being discussed in trade talks, but acknowledged that the Cavs emerged as an option at the 11th hour, pretty close to the deadline.

“The worst thing in the world is have to trade someone who’s been here (for a long time),” Stefanski said, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “This is the only place he’s been in. Emotions are raw. ‘Dre knew he was in trade talks and I was talking to his representatives about different things. Cleveland came in late. I guess you’d have to talk to ‘Dre what exactly he meant. But again, emotions are raw when this stuff happens. I understand that.”

While many NBA observers were surprised at how little the Pistons received for Drummond, Stefanski suggested there weren’t stronger offers out there, pointing out that the center position isn’t valued “like it once was” (Twitter links via James Edwards III of The Athletic).

Here’s more on the Pistons:

  • Strong offers didn’t really materialize for Derrick Rose, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press, who tweets that potential suitors may have been scared off by Detroit’s high asking price and Rose’s desire to stick with the Pistons.
  • Langston Galloway and Markieff Morris, who are both on expiring contracts, didn’t generate much serious interest around the NBA, sources tell James Edwards III of The Athletic. Stefanski suggested today that Detroit probably couldn’t have gotten more than a draft pick in the 50s for those players, Edwards tweets. The Pistons preferred to finish the year with their veterans.
  • Edwards, who reported on Thursday that the Pistons turned down a Celtics offer for Christian Wood, notes that Wood has interest in re-signing with Detroit this summer.
  • The Pistons started talking in earnest about a rebuild after injuries derailed their playoff chances this season, since the team doesn’t want to be stuck in the middle of the pack anymore, per Stefanski (Twitter links via Edwards). We are looking to rebuild,” Stefanski said. “What the future holds will be interesting. We haven’t had the luxury of having cap space since we’ve been here — do you use it in free agency, collecting assets or making trades? We have to use it wisely.”
  • Stefanski declined to specifically address the rumored Luke Kennard trade talks, but said the young shooting guard is “well-liked by other NBA teams.” The Pistons are happy to keep Kennard and make him part of their rebuild, according to Stefanski, who adds that the 23-year-old may be ready to return from his knee injury after the All-Star break (all Twitter links via Edwards).
  • The Pistons haven’t discussed a potential buyout for Reggie Jackson, according to Stefanski (Twitter link via Beard).

Pistons Unlikely To Trade Drummond Or Rose

It appears the Pistons‘ top two trade candidates will remain in Detroit past today’s deadline. There’s an “increased likelihood” that an Andre Drummond deal won’t materialize, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, while Derrick Rose is expected to stay unless the team gets an unexpected offer, writes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.

The Pistons have been trying for weeks to find a taker for Drummond, with the Hawks and Knicks being prominently mentioned. However, interest from both teams cooled because of Detroit’s asking price and the expectation that Drummond will opt out of his $28.75MM salary for next season, making him a short-term rental if his new team isn’t ready to heavily invest long-term.

Sources tell Goodwill that the Pistons will consider moving Rose if they receive a lottery pick in return, but it’s hard to imagine that a non-contender would give up a high draft choice for the 31-year-old guard. The Lakers, Clippers and Jazz all inquired about Rose, Goodwill adds, but none of them has the draft capital the Pistons are looking for.

Rose has said he likes playing in Detroit and doesn’t want to be traded, even though the Pistons are a disappointing 19-34 and four games out of a playoff spot. Rose signed a two-year deal over the summer and will make $7.68MM next season.

With major deals apparently off the board, the Pistons will shift their focus to trying to move Markieff Morris and Langston Galloway, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News (Twitter link). However, he notes that many of the contending teams have already completed trades, so the Pistons may not get the assets they want in return (Twitter link).

Detroit turned down an offer from the Celtics for Christian Wood, tweets James Edwards III of The Athletic. Wood, who has an expiring $1.6MM contract, may be the long-term replacement at center if Drummond leaves.

Sixers Express Interest In Galloway, Kennard, Green

The Sixers, reeling from a recent injury to center Joel Embiid and still missing departed 2019 free agent wings Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick, are apparently seeking reinforcements this season.

Philadelphia has “expressed interest” in Pistons wings Luke Kennard and Langston Galloway, plus free agent forward Jeff Green, multiple league sources tell Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kennard, currently out with a minor knee injury, has blossomed into the sharpshooter the Pistons were dreaming the ex-Dukie could be when they drafted him at No. 12 in 2017 this season. The 6’5″ swingman is averaging 15.8 PPG while shooting 44.2% from the field, 39.9% from deep on 6.5 shots taken per night, and 89.3% from the free-throw line. Kennard is earning $3.8MM this season in the third year of his rookie deal and is owed $5.3MM in 2020/21.

Galloway, in the final year of a three-season, $21MM contract he inked with Detroit in 2017, is converting 39.9% of his 5.2 attempts from three-point range and 87.7% from the charity stripe. Both Pistons players could improve the Sixers’ floor spacing. The 25-14 Sixers are currently seeded fifth in a tough Eastern Conference.

The oft-traveled Green, 33, has played for eight NBA teams across 12 NBA seasons and appeared in 30 games for the Jazz on a $2.6MM veteran’s minimum salary this season before being waived on December 23. He logged 23.8 MPG and was a key defensive cog in the Cavaliers’ most recent trip to the NBA Finals in 2018. The 6’8″ Green is averaging 7.8 PPG and 2.7 RPG and shooting a decent 32.7% from three-point range this season. He could help spell injured Sixers All-Star Embiid in line-ups alongside Al Horford.