Matt Ryan Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: Ryan, Hart, Brunson, Sims, Rose

October 22nd, 2024 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks appear poised to enter the regular season with just 12 players on standard contracts, but they’re only permitted to carry fewer than 14 players for up to two weeks at a time, meaning they’ll have to add two players to their standard roster by November 5.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link), one potential target on their radar is free agent sharpshooter Matt Ryan.

The Knicks had been preparing to hang onto veteran guard Landry Shamet before he dislocated his shoulder in a preseason game last week, and Ryan could provide the same sort of floor spacing and outside shooting off the bench that Shamet would have. In 63 career NBA games, the 27-year-old Ryan has converted 41.1% of his three-point attempts.

Besides being permitted to carry fewer than 14 players for no more than two weeks at a time, teams are also limited to 28 total days in a season with fewer than 14 players on standard contracts. Given the Knicks’ extremely limited flexibility below their hard cap, they’ll likely want to take advantage of all 28 of those days at some point this season, but if they use the first 14 in the next two weeks, it’s unclear when they’ll plan to use the remaining 14.

Theoretically, New York could add two players on non-guaranteed contracts for one day on Nov. 5, then waive them and spend two more weeks with just 12 players on standard deals, reaching that 28-day limit early in the season. But the Knicks could also promote Ariel Hukporti from his two-way contract to the standard roster and sign a free agent like Ryan to a non-guaranteed contract in early November, preserving those last 14 days for later in the season.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Even before Shamet’s injury, Ryan had been on the Knicks’ radar as a possible two-way target, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. That would be another potential path for New York to take — if Hukporti is elevated to the standard roster in November, Ryan could take the newly opened two-way slot, allowing the team to add another veteran on a standard minimum-salary contract.
It was a rough preseason for Knicks forward Josh Hart, who struggled to find his fit in the team’s new-look starting five. Jalen Brunson took responsibility for Hart’s discomfort, according to Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “I have to be a better leader and make sure he’s ready to go by game one,” Brunson said. “It’s on me.”
Knicks big man Jericho Sims figures to play rotation minutes in the early part of the 2024/25 season, with Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa unavailable due to injuries. Head coach Tom Thibodeau expressed confidence in Sims’ ability to handle an increased role, praising his rebounding and suggesting that he can impact a game beyond the box score. “He has the ability, because of his athleticism, to play very well,” Thibodeau said, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “So you play the ball, stay below the roller, get back, make a decision in the restricted — those are things that are hard to measure but because of his athleticism, it’s what he’s good at.”
After taking a patient roster-building approach for his first several years in New York, Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose took a couple big swings this summer by sacrificing draft assets and roster depth to acquire Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. Rose has a lot riding on the new-look squad, as Bondy writes in a subscriber-only story for The Post.

Pelicans Waive Matt Ryan, Adonis Arms

October 10th, 2024 at 4:54pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Pelicans have waived both guards Matt Ryan and Adonis Arms, according to the NBA’s official transaction log (hat tip to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype).

Both players were on non-guaranteed training camp contracts, so the Pelicans won’t carry any dead money as a result of waiving them.

The decision to waive Ryan is a notable one. The three-point marksman was an instrumental reserve for New Orleans at times last season, averaging 5.4 points per game while shooting 45.1% from deep. He was originally on a two-way contract with the Timberwolves ahead of the 2023/24 season, but was waived last October and was claimed by the Pelicans.

Ryan parlayed his strong play into a standard contract in April. However, he was waived from that standard deal in August after the team signed Javonte Green. The Pelicans, who are operating slightly above the luxury tax line, brought Ryan back on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract but presumably want to start the season with just 14 players on standard deals in order to avoid going deeper into the tax.

Keith Langlois of Pistons.com speculates Detroit could be a landing spot for Ryan if he winds back up on an NBA roster this season (Twitter link). New Pistons head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon was the general manager in New Orleans when the team claimed Ryan last fall. The Pistons are also first in waiver order if they choose to put in a claim for him and they have an open spot on their 15-man roster while being comfortably below the salary cap.

Because Ryan was signed to an Exhibit 9 deal that didn’t include Exhibit 10 language, he’s not eligible for a bonus if he were to join the Pelicans’ G League affiliate Birmingham Squadron. Ryan holds career averages of 4.4 points on 41.1% shooting from three in 63 career appearances with the Pels, Wolves, Lakers and Celtics.

As for Arms, the Pelicans signed him to an Exhibit 10 deal at the beginning of the month. The plan is presumably for him to suit up for the Squadron, where he will be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days in Birmingham.

Arms went undrafted last season after attending Texas Tech. He played for the Memphis Hustle last season, averaging 16.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He was impressive in Summer League this season, averaging 20.7 points and 6.7 rebounds for the Kings.

Matt Ryan Re-Signs With Pelicans On Camp Deal

August 27th, 2024 at 4:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

AUGUST 27: Ryan’s new deal with the Pelicans is now official, as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Ryan’s non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract includes Exhibit 9 language (protecting the team in the event of a preseason injury), but not Exhibit 10 language, Hoops Rumors has learned.

That means it can’t be converted into a two-way deal and won’t award Ryan a bonus if he’s waived and then spends time with the Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G League team.

AUGUST 26: The Pelicans are re-signing Matt Ryan on a reworked one-year contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Ryan was waived on Friday.

Ryan, 27, appeared in 28 games for New Orleans in 2023/24, averaging 5.4 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 45.1% from three-point range in 13.9 minutes per contest. He missed several weeks of action last season due to a right calf strain and a right elbow injury, which required surgery in December.

New Orleans claimed Ryan off waivers last October, inheriting the two-way contract he signed with Minnesota shortly before the start of training camp. He also had brief stints with the Celtics and Lakers earlier in his career.

The Pelicans converted Ryan to a standard contract at the very end of last season, making him playoff-eligible. However, his three-year deal — which featured a significant end-of-season payday in ’23/24 — was non-guaranteed for the ’24/25 and ’25/26 seasons.

Ryan’s salary for ’24/25 would have become guaranteed if he had remained under contract through the start of the regular season. While we don’t know the details of the new contract yet, it’s likely another minimum-salary deal that won’t become guaranteed until the league-wide date of January 10. It should also have a cap hit of $2,087,519 instead of $2,196,970.

The Pelicans now have 15 players on standard contracts, with 13 players on guaranteed salaries.

Pelicans Waive Matt Ryan

August 23rd, 2024 at 9:03pm CST by Rory Maher

9:03pm: The Pelicans officially waived Ryan on Friday, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

1:19pm: The Pelicans plan to waive sharpshooter Matt Ryan, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Ryan, 27, appeared in 28 games for New Orleans in 2023/24, averaging 5.4 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 45.1% from three-point range in 13.9 minutes per contest. He missed several weeks of action last season due to a right calf strain and a right elbow injury, which required surgery in December.

New Orleans claimed Ryan off waivers last October, inheriting the two-way contract he signed with Minnesota shortly before the start of training camp. He also had brief stints with the Celtics and Lakers earlier in his career.

The Pelicans converted Ryan to a standard contract at the very end of last season, making him playoff-eligible. However, his three-year deal — which featured a significant end-of-season payday in ’23/24 — was non-guaranteed for the ’24/25 and ’25/26 seasons. That means the Pels won’t carry a dead-money cap hit by cutting Ryan loose.

Ryan’s salary for ’24/25 would have become guaranteed if he had remained under contract through the start of the regular season.

After officially signing Javonte Green, the Pelicans had 15 players on standard contracts, with 13 players on guaranteed salaries. They’re back down to 14 players now, with Jose Alvarado holding the lone non-guaranteed deal.

The Pelicans are still about $1.6MM over the luxury tax line after releasing Ryan, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks, with a tax distribution to non-taxpaying teams projected to be a record high of $18.2MM. 13 teams are presently over the tax threshold, Marks adds.

If Ryan clears waivers in a couple days, he will become an unrestricted free agent. As a three-year veteran, he remains eligible for a two-way contract covering one season.

Pelicans Notes: Murphy, Alvarado, Valanciunas, Draft, Arena

May 22nd, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

A rookie scale extension for Trey Murphy will be one of the Pelicans‘ offseason priorities, but it will take a significant offer to make it happen, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Clark sees a new contract for Murphy falling somewhere between the four-year, $94.5MM deal that Brooklyn gave Cameron Johnson last summer and the five-year pact Devin Vassell signed with San Antonio that includes $135MM in guaranteed money.

Murphy came off the bench in 34 of the 57 games he played this season, but Clark points to an April matchup with Golden State as evidence that he can handle a full-time starting role. With Brandon Ingram sidelined by an injury, Murphy scored 24 points and sank six three-pointers, three of which were from 30 feet or longer.

New Orleans reportedly plans to explore trades involving Ingram this summer, creating an opportunity for Murphy to replace him in the starting lineup. Clark views Murphy as a better fit alongside Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones, adding that all three will be under long-term deals if Murphy signs an extension.

There’s more from New Orleans:

The Pelicans are very likely to pick up their $1.99MM team option on Jose Alvarado, Keith Smith of Spotrac states in an offseason overview of the team. Option decisions on Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($2.2MM) and Matt Ryan ($2.4MM) are less certain, but Smith expects New Orleans to keep both players unless the front office decides it needs to open a roster spot. The more difficult choices, according to Smith, are what to do with center Jonas Valanciunas and small forward Naji Marshall, who will both be unrestricted free agents if they don’t agree to extensions by late June. Smith expects a one- or two-year deal for Valanciunas if he’s brought back, while Marshall seems likely to wind up elsewhere.
The Pelicans need to find a big man in the draft, and there should be plenty of decent options when they pick at No. 21, Smith adds, listing Zach Edey, Yves Missi, DaRon Holmes II and Kel’el Ware as players who could still be on the board. Smith expects New Orleans to defer the first-round pick that it’s owed from the Lakers, which is at No. 17, and take L.A.’s first-rounder next year instead.
The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District voted to delay planned improvements to Smoothie King Center because Pelicans owner Gayle Benson, who also owns the NFL’s Saints, is delinquent on payments for upgrades to the Superdome, Clark and Jeff Duncan write in a separate story. ASM Global, which manages the Superdome, contends the Saints are $11.5MM behind and haven’t made a payment since December. The NFL team issued a statement (via Twitter) saying it has no problem paying the $11.5MM — or its $41MM share of the $58MM project — but added, “We have, however, asked for certain documentation over an extended period and we have not received that documentation.” Last year, the Pelicans extended their lease at the arena through June of 2029.

Southwest Notes: Ryan, Morant, Grizzlies, Gafford, Mavs

April 26th, 2024 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Pelicans converted Matt Ryan from his two-way deal to a standard contract on the day before their regular season finale, they used their mid-level exception to sign him to a three-year deal that paid him $1.5MM in guaranteed money for the final two days of this season, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

In exchange for that substantial end-of-season payday, Ryan gave the Pelicans two additional years of low-cost control — he’s under contract for a non-guaranteed minimum salary ($2,196,970) in 2024/25, with a non-guaranteed minimum-salary team option ($2,381,501) for ’25/26.

Ryan’s salary for ’24/25 would become guaranteed if he remains under contract through the start of the regular season, but there are no trigger dates before that point, so New Orleans won’t necessarily need to make a decision on him until the fall.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is now being represented by Lift Management, according to a tweet from the agency. Morant reportedly parted ways with longtime agent Jim Tanner earlier this spring. The two-time All-Star has seen his stock drop following multiple suspensions for his off-court behavior, along with a shoulder injury that cost him nearly all of the 2023/24 season, but his maximum-salary contract runs for four more seasons.
Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal takes a look at what the Grizzlies want to see from their young players this summer, including projected Summer League participants like GG Jackson and Scotty Pippen Jr. As Cole observes, it’ll also a big offseason for Jake LaRavia, who will be entering his third NBA season, but it’s rare for former first-round picks to return for a third year of Summer League.
With center Daniel Gafford listed as questionable for Game 3 vs. the Clippers on Friday due to back spasms, the Mavericks could be forced to make a change to their starting lineup, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Dereck Lively would likely be the top candidate to move into the starting five, though Maxi Kleber – who has averaged 27.0 minutes per game so far in the series – would also play a major role. Dwight Powell and Markieff Morris are also in the mix as depth options.

Matt Ryan Gets Standard Contract From Pelicans

April 13th, 2024 at 4:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans have converted Matt Ryan‘s two-way contract to a standard deal, the team announced (via Twitter).

No details were provided on whether Ryan’s new contract will extend beyond the rest of this season, but the signing makes him eligible for postseason play. New Orleans had been carrying an open roster spot, so no corresponding move was necessary.

The 26-year-old forward has appeared in 27 games in his first season with the Pelicans, averaging 5.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per night while shooting 43.4% from the field and 45.1% from three-point range. He underwent elbow surgery in December that sidelined him for a significant part of the season.

New Orleans claimed Ryan off waivers in October, inheriting the two-way contract he signed with Minnesota shortly before the start of training camp. He also had brief stints with the Celtics and Lakers earlier in his career.

The move leaves the Pelicans with a full 15-man roster, along with Dereon Seabron and Malcolm Hill as two-way players. The deadline for signing two-way contracts was in March, so New Orleans won’t be able to fill Ryan’s spot.

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Udoka, Brooks, Eason, Ryan

January 20th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The injuries that have short-circuited the Grizzlies‘ season are providing more minutes for their young players and giving management a chance to evaluate them for the future, writes Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. With Ja Morant out for the rest of the season and Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart not expected back until late February, Memphis is relying on some unfamiliar names in an effort to remain competitive.

“It’s an opportunity for us young guys to develop and to try to win games, too,” said second-year power forward David Roddy. “It’s something we’re going to rely on in years to come, these pivotal games and this pivotal point in the season for our development. Just make it simple. Share the ball as much as we can, attack the rim and the paint. Be calm, relax and have fun.”

Among those getting an opportunity is 19-year-old rookie G.G. Jackson, who started the season in the G League but recently became the second-youngest player in league history with back-to-back 20-point games. Coach Taylor Jenkins said he’s still determining the best way to use the 6’9″ Jackson, who’s versatile enough to handle several positions.

“Figuring out what position he’ll play will come in time,” Jenkins said. “We want to continue to challenge him to be a better defender and rebounder. But the fact he’s super coachable, loves the game and wants to get better each day, I’m excited to see what transpires moving forward.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Rockets held their first practice session of 2024 on Friday as they try to fix the defensive issues that led to a 1-5 road trip, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Coach Ime Udoka emphasized to his players that they need to concentrate on what worked earlier this season. “With a younger team, you want to keep giving them reminders of what made us successful early, and the chance to get through and walk through some things and bang around a little bit, it was good for us,” Udoka said. “It felt just normal to what we were doing earlier and that’s why we had the success.”
Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason weren’t available for Friday’s practice, Lerner adds, and while Brooks is playing tonight against Utah, the Rockets will have to survive a while longer without Eason, who is missing his 10th straight game. “No setback,” Udoka said. “He just is on the timeline where we’re giving him the time to operate and try to get healthy. And you know, the pain tolerance is a thing. Like I said, he was playing through some pain and we want to make sure that’s gone before he comes back. So an extended amount of time is what has been diagnosed for him.”
Pelicans forward Matt Ryan said he feels “92%” recovered after undergoing elbow surgery last month, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. Ryan adds that his shot feels fine and he’s working toward his return.

Matt Ryan Undergoes Procedure On Elbow, Out 6-8 Weeks

December 12th, 2023 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans sharpshooter Matt Ryan will remain sidelined until well into the new year, as the team announced today in a press release that he underwent an arthroscopy on Tuesday morning to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.

According to the Pelicans, Ryan’s timeline for a return to action is about six-to-eight weeks.

Ryan, who is on a two-way contract with New Orleans, got off to a hot start this season after being claimed off waivers from Minnesota at the end of the preseason. He averaged 9.3 points on .458/.471/.929 shooting in his first 13 games as a Pelican, logging 22.9 minutes per night.

However, Ryan sustained a calf strain on November 18, which sidelined him for the next couple weeks. Just when it appeared he might be nearing a return from that injury, he was affected by another ailment — on December 2, he started being listed on the injury report as out due to elbow soreness. That diagnosis was eventually updated to an elbow strain and now he has had to undergo a procedure to address the issue.

As a two-way player, Ryan wasn’t exactly an irreplaceable piece in the Pelicans’ rotation, but he was one of the team’s few reliable outside shooters and provided floor spacing, especially prior to Trey Murphy‘s season debut. As Christian Clark of NOLA.com observes (via Twitter), despite not having played for three-and-a-half weeks, Ryan still ranks second on the club in total three-pointers made this season, behind only rookie Jordan Hawkins.

Injury Notes: McCollum, James, Reddish, Murray, Markkanen, Durant, Connaughton

November 28th, 2023 at 10:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans guard CJ McCollum has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s game against Philadelphia, the team’s PR department tweets. McCollum has been out since Nov. 4 after being diagnosed with a collapsed lung. McCollum has missed New Orleans’ last 12 games.

Trey Murphy III (knee) and Matt Ryan (calf) have been upgraded to doubtful. Murphy, a starter most of last season, has yet to make his season debut. Ryan hasn’t played since Nov. 18.

We have more injury-related updates:

Lakers star LeBron James is listed as questionable to play against Detroit on Wednesday due to a left calf contusion, according to the team’s PR department (hat tip to Orange County Register’s Khobi Price). Cam Reddish (left groin strain) and Anthony Davis (left adductor) are listed as probable, while Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt will not play.
Jamal Murray has been upgraded to questionable for the Nuggets’ game against Houston on Wednesday, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. Murray has been out since Nov. 4 due to a hamstring strain.
Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen will miss at least two more games due to a left hamstring strain, Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets. He’ll be reevaluated after the team returns from its two-game road trip.
The Suns have listed Kevin Durant (right foot contusion) and Grayson Allen (illness) as questionable to play Wednesday against Toronto, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.
Pat Connaughton exited the Bucks’ game on Tuesday early with a right ankle sprain, the team tweets.