- The longtime trainer of Kings guard De’Aaron Fox is now his agent, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. Chris Gaston is newly certified as an agent and has launched the “Family First Sports Firm.” Knicks guard Damyean Dotson has also hired Gaston to co-represent him, Haynes adds.
Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Pacific Division:
DeMarcus Cousins, Warriors, 28, C (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $5.3MM deal in 2018
Everyone was curious to see how healthy Cousins would look after returning from the Achilles injury and whether he’d fit in with the star-laden Warriors. So far, so good. Other than getting a couple nights off on back-to-backs, Cousins hasn’t had any physical setbacks. He’s settling in as a third or fourth option in the attack, averaging 23.3 PPG over the last three games. He’s also given the Dubs a defensive presence in the middle. Cousins may not find a max deal this summer but he’ll get something close to it from one of the teams with ample cap space.
Garrett Temple, Clippers, 32, SG (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $24MM deal in 2016
The defensive specialist didn’t move the needle as a starter with the Grizzlies and he was dealt to the Clippers just before the trade deadline. Temple is the No. 5 option when he’s on the court but he hasn’t made the most of his limited opportunities, shooting 33.9% from deep after knocking down a career-high 39.2% of his long-distance shots last season in Sacramento. Temple’s age will work against him in the open market. Forget about an $8MM average in his next contract. He’ll be shopping for the veteran’s minimum this time around.
Rajon Rondo, Lakers, 33, PG (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $9MM deal in 2018
A strong argument can be made that Rondo’s decision to sign with the Lakers ruined the season for two franchises. With Rondo at the point, the Pelicans reached the second round of the Western Conference playoffs last season. They wanted him back but he jilted them to join Los Angeles. New Orleans’ season went sour, leading to Anthony Davis‘ trade demand. Rondo has been a poor fit with the Lakers and his PER is a well-below-average 11.7. He’s played heavy minutes during the Lakers’ recent slide, including a 1-for-10, four-assists, two-turnover stinker against Phoenix on Saturday.
Troy Daniels, Suns, 27, SG (Down) — Signed to a three-year, $10MM deal in 2016
Daniels is essentially a one-trick pony and he hasn’t been allowed to perform it as often as he did last season. Daniels, who is playing for his fifth team, has seen his minutes drop to an average of 13.3 per game under first-year coach Igor Kokoskov with quite a few DNPs mixed in. His 3-point shooting hasn’t suffered — his 40% average mirrors what he did last season when he appeared in 79 games and averaged 20.5 MPG. Daniels’ shooting ability should keep him in the league a few more years but he may have to settle for one-year deal or a partially guaranteed two-year contract this summer.
Alec Burks, Kings, 27, SG (Down)– Signed to a four-year, $42MM deal in 2015
Burks was better off playing regularly on a bad team than spot minutes on an improving club in the playoff hunt. Burks flourished with Cleveland after getting dealt by Utah early in the season. He posted averages of 11.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 2.9 APG in 28.8 MPG with the Cavs, who then shipped him to the West Coast in a three-team swap. Burks has done next to nothing with Sacramento, scoring 2.6 PPG in 12.1 MPG through seven games. Burks has only attempted five 3-pointers since the deal and missed all of them. Burks needs a strong finish to reestablish his value in unrestricted free agency.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Kings came into the 2018/19 season projected to be a 25-win team. They’ve already blown past that projection and continue to vie for a playoff spot in a competitive Western Conference. And in the view of head coach Dave Joerger, the club’s success this season is just the start of something special in Sacramento, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee details.
“We’re playing hard and we don’t quit,” Joerger said. “What we’re building here, we will reap the rewards of this for many years to come — not many years from now, but going forward. If this is who we are, and I believe it is, we’re a tough out (in a playoff series) and Sacramento is a tough place to play if you’re a visiting team. We’ll keep coming at you.”
If the Kings’ young players continue to make positive strides, Joerger is right that things should only get better for the franchise moving forward. De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley, Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Harry Giles are all in their first, second, or third NBA season, and none are over 26 years old.
Let’s round up a few more notes from around the Pacific…
- Speaking to Kerith Burke of NBC Sports Bay Area, Warriors star Kevin Durant offered a couple interesting answers in a Q&A, suggesting that he won’t be thinking about his legacy when he makes his free agency decision this summer. He also indicated that he doesn’t feel the need to “build something” somewhere. “I don’t need anything in this basketball world to fulfill anything in me. The NBA is never going to fulfill me,” Durant said. “It’s going to make me feel good about all of the work that I’ve put in, but I think those days of me wanting to prove something to anybody or walk around with a huge chip on my shoulder is not my thing.”
- While Kevon Looney is probably still the Warriors‘ more trusted option, he and Jordan Bell have been trending in opposite directions lately, with Bell taking some of Looney’s minutes, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Both players are eligible for free agency in 2019, so they’ll be looking to finish the season strong.
- Despite trading away their leading scorer at each of the last two deadlines (Blake Griffin in 2018 and Tobias Harris in 2019), the Clippers remain in the playoff mix and have managed to pull off the enviable feat of retooling their roster without bottoming out, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. Armed with young players, some draft assets, and cap flexibility going forward, the Clips are in position to make a splash this offseason.
Here are Friday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Lakers recalled rookie wing Isaac Bonga from the G League in advance of Friday’s game against Milwaukee, the team announced (via Twitter). Bonga was held to just three points on 1-of-6 shooting in South Bay’s loss on Thursday.
- The Kings have recalled forward Caleb Swanigan from their G League affiliate, according to a press release. Swanigan, acquired in a deadline deal last month, has yet to appear in a game for Sacramento, having instead earned playing time for the Stockton Kings.
- After posting a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) in a triple-overtime win for the Greensboro Swarm on Thursday, Dwayne Bacon was recalled from the G League today by the Hornets, the team announced in a press release.
- The Spurs have recalled rookie Chimezie Metu from the G League, per an announcement from the club. Metu played for the Austin Spurs on Thursday, recording 15 points and 10 boards off the bench.
- Rookie shooting guard Melvin Frazier was recalled from the G League by the Magic, the team announced (via Twitter). Frazier has appeared in 16 games for Orlando’s affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, this season, most recently posting 14 points, eight rebounds, and four steals for the squad on Tuesday.
- The Jazz recalled little-used second-year center Tony Bradley from the Salt Lake City Stars today, according to the team. The 2017 first-round pick has appeared in just one game for Utah this season.
- Veteran forward Corey Brewer appears to have found a home with the Kings, with the 32-year-old explaining that Sacramento is his top option right now. “This is option No. 1 right now,” Brewer said, as relayed by Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “I like it here. I love it here. I’m having a great time.” Brewer signed a rest-of-season contract with the Kings today after inking a pair of 10-day deals.
3:58pm: Brewer’s new deal with the Kings will be worth $2MM, per Shams Charania of The Athletic, who notes that the club had competition to keep the veteran today (Twitter links). That means that Sacramento is using its room exception to lock up Brewer, rather than just doing a minimum salary deal.
2:16pm: The Kings have made it official, announcing Brewer’s new rest-of-season deal in a press release.
1:10pm: The Kings plan on signing veteran swingman Corey Brewer to a rest-of-season contract, reports James Ham of NBC Sports California (Twitter link). Brewer’s second 10-day deal with Sacramento expired overnight, so he’s technically a free agent until he inks a new deal with the Kings.
Brewer, who appeared in seven games on a pair of 10-day contracts for the Sixers earlier this year, didn’t play during his first 10 days with Sacramento. However, he has emerged as a rotation piece during the Kings’ last few contests, averaging 16.3 MPG in three games, including 20 minutes during Wednesday’s loss to Milwaukee. Brewer averaged 8.3 PPG on .444/.364/.714 shooting in those games.
As a strong defender and high-energy player, Brewer has fit in nicely for the Kings, who traded away a pair of small forwards at the deadline, in Iman Shumpert and Justin Jackson. Harrison Barnes has assumed most of those newly-opened minutes, but the club has found playing time for Brewer recently too.
No corresponding roster move will be required to re-add Brewer, whose signing will give the Kings 14 players on NBA contracts. That leaves one open roster spot if the team wants to add any reinforcements during its playoff push.
If he signs today, Brewer’s new contract would carry a cap hit of about $359K, assuming it’s worth the minimum.
After watching Marvin Bagley III leave Wednesday’s game with a left knee injury, the Kings got some good news on Thursday. According to the team, an MRI didn’t show any major damage to Bagley’s knee, confirming the original diagnoses of a sprain. The rookie big man will be re-evaluated in about a week or two, per the announcement.
Bagley, who will turn 20 in March, has enjoyed a successful rookie year so far, averaging 13.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 1.0 BPG in 47 games (24.8 MPG). The former Duke star has played some of his best ball this month — in the five games before his injury, he was averaging 23.0 PPG and 9.0 RPG with a shooting line of .534/.444/.767.
While the Kings will miss Bagley during their playoff push, today’s announcement suggests that he could return in mid-March for the final month of the regular season. As long as he’s on the shelf, Willie Cauley-Stein, Nemanja Bjelica, and Harry Giles are among the players who could be leaned on more heavily. Kosta Koufos is also a candidate to re-enter the rotation, as he did during Bagley’s absence earlier in the season.
The Kings have an open spot on their roster which could be used to add another frontcourt player for depth, but I wouldn’t expect the team to rush out and make a move.
- Corey Brewer still isn’t sure what’s going to happen when his second 10-day contract with the Kings expires tonight, tweets James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area. His preference is to remain with Sacramento, but the Kings would have to sign him for the rest of the season. Brewer, who has played in three games during his time with the team, plans to talk to his agent tomorrow to see what Sacramento’s front office has planned. He has already gone through two 10-day contracts with the Sixers this season.
Harrison Barnes, one of the few NBA players to get traded during a game, talked about the experience and life with the Kings during an interview with Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
The image of Barnes remaining on the bench and cheering for his ex-Mavericks teammates after learning about the deal is one of the enduring pictures of this year’s frenzied trade deadline. The seventh-year forward lets fans in on the whirlwind experience that happened after he left the arena.
“I went home that night. I was talking to my wife. Phone is blowing up. All of a sudden, I hear from my agent. Boom. You’re on a flight the next morning at 9 a.m.,” Barnes said. “You land. Boom. You do physicals. Friday morning I’m in the shootaround with the Sacramento Kings. That night, I’m playing the game. I’m playing at the end of the game and I don’t know the plays. I’m just playing hard. I’m running around. That’s just how quick things can change in 48 hours. One night I’m in Dallas and then the next night I’m in a Sacramento Kings uniform.”
Barnes addresses several other topics during the discussion, including:
- Being traded into a playoff race: “The biggest takeaway from it is that things happen in this league. Bizarre things happen. The biggest thing that I’m excited about now is that I’m playing for a team that has a chance to make the postseason. The last couple years it’s been difficult not being a part of the postseason. What’s exciting now is that every game there is so much on the line to make the postseason. That’s where my energy is right now.”
- What the playoffs would mean for the Kings, who are a game out of eighth place entering tonight: “For the young guys that can see their careers catapulted, just experiencing what that postseason would be like. What it means to really get to that next level and to be an opportunity. The second thing is when an organization like this has been through a lot of turmoil, who hasn’t been to the playoffs since ’06, that would mean a lot, just for all of the sacrifices that the organization and team has made to get to where it is, the coaches. Everyone’s put in the work.”
- His memories from two and a half years with the Mavericks: “Dallas was a chance to learn under a championship pedigree. Learning underneath Rick Carlisle, to be around Dirk [Nowitzki] and to learn from him, to have a chance to have a bigger role and to see what I can do on the court to produce at a high level, I’m definitely appreciative of the opportunity that I had there.”
Several teams around the NBA signed new players last week in order to get back to the league-mandated roster minimum of 14 players after slipping below that number at the trade deadline. While those clubs are complying with NBA rules for the time being, many of them just signed players to 10-day contracts and will have to consider additional moves once those deals expire.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors’ 10-Day Contract Tracker]
At the moment, there are 11 active 10-day contracts around the league, with one more – B.J. Johnson to the Hawks – reported but not yet official. Eight of those 11 active deals are set to expire by the end of this weekend, so here’s a quick look at each of those situations:
February 27
- Corey Brewer (Kings)
- Brewer’s 10-day contract, his second with the Kings, will expire after Sacramento’s Tuesday matchup against Milwaukee. So, as of tomorrow, the team will have to decide whether to re-sign him for the rest of the season or let him go. If the Kings don’t bring back Brewer, who has appeared in two of their last three games, they’d be down to 13 players and would have two weeks to get back up to 14.
March 1
- Henry Ellenson (Knicks)
- Ellenson played a key role in the Knicks‘ comeback win over Orlando on Tuesday, filling the box score with 13 points, nine boards, five assists, and two steals. He’s still on his first 10-day deal, and the Knicks would dip to 13 players without him, so I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get a second contract from the club.
- Jordan Sibert (Hawks)
- The Hawks are reportedly poised to sign B.J. Johnson to a 10-day contract, which would keep them at 14 players even if they don’t bring back Sibert. Sibert has yet to play in a game for Atlanta, so it’s hard to get a sense of which way the team is leaning on a possible second 10-day deal.
- Emanuel Terry (Heat)
- The Heat are flirting with the luxury tax line, which is probably bad news for Terry. Miami figures to be very careful about not signing players earlier than they have to for the rest of the season, which means Terry may not be re-signed right away – or at all – once his first 10-day contract expires this Friday night.
- Jodie Meeks (Raptors)
- Meeks has come out firing in his first two games with the Raptors, putting up 13 shot attempts in just 24 minutes. Toronto’s production from beyond the arc has been inconsistent this season, so Meeks’ outside shot may earn him a longer look from the team. However, like Terry in Miami, he may not be re-signed immediately when his first 10-day contract expires, since the Raptors will want to do all they can to minimize their tax bill.
March 2
- Ray Spalding (Suns)
- For a lottery-bound team like the Suns, it makes sense to use their open roster spots to audition young prospects who might prove worthy of sticking around on next season’s team. It’s not clear if Spalding, who is on his first 10-day contract, fits that bill, since he hasn’t seen any action so far. If Phoenix doesn’t re-sign him, the roster count will be at 13 players, and the club would be required to add someone eventually.
March 3
- Chris Chiozza / Terrence Jones (Rockets)
- Like the Heat and Raptors, the Rockets are very aware of where their team salary is in relation to the tax line, and will likely avoid carrying more players than they have to. When Choizza’s and Jones’ deals expire on Sunday night, Houston may be happy to drop below the roster minimum for a little while again before getting back up to 14 later in the month.
The other three active 10-day contracts around the league belong to Isaiah Canaan (Bucks), Tahjere McCall (Nets), and Cameron Reynolds (Timberwolves). Those deals will run through March 6, March 7, and March 8, respectively.
Meanwhile, it’s also worth keeping an eye on the Thunder, who have been carrying 13 players since Scotty Hopson‘s and Richard Solomon‘s 10-day contracts expired on Saturday night. Oklahoma City projects to be the NBA’s biggest taxpayer this year, and will likely be patient when it comes to filling that 14th roster slot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.