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Kings Sign Terry Taylor To Training Camp Deal

September 23rd, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

SEPTEMBER 23: The signing is official, KTXL’s Sean Cunningham tweets.

SEPTEMBER 6: The Kings are signing free agent forward Terry Taylor to a training camp contract, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Exact terms of the agreement have not been reported, but it seems likely to be an Exhibit 10 deal.

Taylor, 24, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Bulls, where the 6’5″ vet played as an undersized small forward.

After going undrafted in 2021, Taylor began his pro career as an affiliate player for the Pacers’ NBAGL team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He inked a two-way deal that December with the Pacers, who converted his contract to a standard deal in April of that same season. Indiana eventually waived him in February 2023.

Taylor was quickly snatched up by the Bulls, on a two-way deal. Ahead of the 2023/24 season, his agreement was converted into a standard contract.

Last year with Chicago in a deep-bench role, Taylor averaged just 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds across 31 games in 2023/24.

The Kings have 14 players on their standard roster, and all three of their two-way slots occupied. Power forward/center Skal Labissiere and guard Boogie Ellis are currently signed to training camp agreements for Sacramento.

If waived and then signed by a club’s G League affiliate, players who ink Exhibit 10 contracts are eligible for bonuses worth up to $77.5K should they stick around with those affiliate squads for at least 60 days.

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Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Pacific Division

September 23rd, 2024 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and/or cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Pacific Division. Let’s dive in…

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors are hard-capped at the first tax apron and are currently less than $1MM away from that threshold, so carrying a full 15-man standard roster won’t be an option to start the season. That doesn’t mean roster changes aren’t possible, since either Santos or Waters could be replaced with a minimum-salary player. However, recent reporting suggested that Golden State will probably stick with those two for opening night, despite recently working out several veteran free agents.

The Warriors have been in the process of shuffling Exhibit 10 players on and off the roster, having waived Donta Scott, Yuri Collins, and Javan Johnson within the last few days. That process figures to continue.

One key outstanding question in Golden State is which two-way player will be cut to make room for Post — the No. 52 overall pick is expected to receive a two-way contract of his own, but either Beekman, Plowden, or Spencer will have to be waived to open up a spot.

Two-way players who are holdovers from the prior season are generally more in danger of losing their roster spots than newly signed players, which is why I’d long viewed Spencer as the Warriors’ most likely release candidate. However, the fact that the College Park Skyhawks recently surrendered a G League draft pick in a trade for Plowden’s returning rights is a signal that he could be the odd man out. Complicating matters further? Beekman was easily the trio’s least effective performer in Summer League play. I wouldn’t necessarily assume that any one of these three players is entirely safe.

Los Angeles Clippers

With 15 players on standard guaranteed contracts, the Clippers‘ standard roster looks pretty set for opening night. They’d probably like to find a taker for Tucker’s expiring contract, but I wouldn’t count on that happening before the season begins.

There’s still work to be done with the Clippers’ two-way contracts though. Even if Flowers and Miller keep their spots, the club will almost certainly add a third player to that group prior to the start of the regular season. Of the camp invitees on Exhibit 10 contracts, Jones – the 19th overall pick in 2021 – looks like the most intriguing option for that final two-way slot.

Meanwhile, the reporting on Williams’ alleged agreement with the Clippers was somewhat vague and has yet to be corroborated, so it’s unclear if and when that signing will be finalized and what kind of contract he’ll get. It’s possible Williams could be among the players in the mix for the final two-way spot.

Los Angeles Lakers

Like the Clippers, the Lakers have one or more potential salary-dump candidates among their 15 guaranteed players on guaranteed contracts, but those trade opportunities are more likely to materialize during the regular season than during the preseason. I’d expect the 15 players on standard contracts listed above to be the ones on the Lakers’ opening night roster.

The Lakers have shown already this offseason that they don’t mind shaking up their two-way spots — they signed Blake Hinson to a two-year, two-way contract in July, only to waive him a couple months later in favor of Koloko. It’s possible the team will make another change to that group (Goodwin, notably, is eligible to converted). Otherwise, we should just expect minor Exhibit 10 signings and cuts in the coming weeks.

Phoenix Suns

This is the first time in a few years that the Suns have had a G League team of their own, so we’ll see just how many affiliate and returning-rights players they sign to Exhibit 10 contracts prior to the season. If they complete their reported deals with Buie, Diakite, and Samuel, they’ll be at the 21-man roster limit, but more transactions are certainly a possibility.

The Suns, who had been carrying 16 players on guaranteed contracts, opened up a spot on their projected 15-man regular season roster by waiving both Nassir Little and E.J. Liddell last month. Given that they stretched both players’ salaries in an effort to reduce their projected tax bill, I imagine they aren’t all that eager to fill that 15th spot with a new addition right away — that may not happen until later in the season.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings are in a similar spot to the Warriors. With just 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts, plus two more without full guarantees, Sacramento theoretically has some room to make changes at the back of its roster. But adding a 15th man would push the team’s salary into luxury tax territory. Plus, Keon Ellis should have a rotation role and Robinson has a $500K partial guarantee, so neither looks like a great candidate to be cut before opening night.

While Sacramento could carry a 15th man into the season and worry down the road about ducking out of the tax, I don’t expect that to be the plan unless the club is hit hard by injuries in the preseason. For what it’s worth, the Kings are already dealing with one injury — Carter is expected to be sidelined until at least January as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

Even if they were to finalize the Labissiere and Taylor signings today, the Kings would still have an open spot on their 21-man preseason roster, so more Exhibit 10 signings (and cuts) are likely coming. We’ll see if any of those players, including Boogie Ellis, get a shot to unseat Crawford or the Joneses for a two-way spot or whether Sacramento is content to carry its current two-way players into the season.

Previously:

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Western Notes: Gordon, Rockets Roster, Divac, Doncic, Kennard

September 22nd, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Aaron Gordon becomes eligible for a four-year contract extension later this week and that will be one of the big storylines at the Nuggets’ training camp, Bennett Durando of the Denver Post writes. Gordon has a player option for the 2025/26 season but could replace that with the first year of a new deal as part of an extension agreement.

Jamal Murray‘s health and the way Russell Westbrook fits into the Nuggets’ rotation are among the other storylines to watch in Denver, according to Durando.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • With the Rockets buying out and waiving forward AJ Griffin, they have an open spot on the official roster. How will it be filled? It could turn into a competition among players on two-ways and training camp deals, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Jeenathan Williams, Nate Hinton, N’Faly Dante, Jermaine Samuels and Jack McVeigh comprise that group. Houston could also opt to leave that spot open or sign a free agent.
  • Former Kings general manager Vlade Divac made one of the biggest draft blunders in recent years when he passed on Luka Doncic in favor of Marvin Bagley in 2018. Divac admits he made a mistake but explained that he already had a talented floor leader in De’Aaron Fox.  “I could’ve taken Luka, but then I would’ve had to trade Fox,” he said in an interview with Index, a Croatian outlet (hat tip to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Sports Journal).
  • Grizzlies players have been competing in 5-on-5 scrimmages for over a month and Luke Kennard is impressed by the team’s competitiveness and attention to detail. “Something I haven’t really seen before,” Kennard told Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “We’re really pushing each other and competing really hard. I think that’s going to go a long way. We start that right now. We’re getting a few steps ahead until the season starts.”
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NBA 2024 Offseason Check-In: Sacramento Kings

September 21st, 2024 at 1:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2024 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the Sacramento Kings.

Free agent signings

  • Malik Monk: Four years, $77,975,308. Fourth-year player option. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
  • DeMar DeRozan: Three years, $73,710,000. Includes an additional $3MM in unlikely incentives. Third year partially guaranteed ($10MM). Signed using Bird rights and acquired via sign-and-trade from Bulls.
  • Alex Len: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception. Waived right to veto trade.
  • Jordan McLaughlin: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Orlando Robinson: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($500K). Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Boogie Ellis: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.

Trades

  • Acquired Jalen McDaniels from the Raptors in exchange for Davion Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov, the draft rights to Jamal Shead (No. 45 pick), and the Trail Blazers’ 2025 second-round pick.
  • Acquired DeMar DeRozan (sign-and-trade) from the Bulls in a three team-trade in exchange for Harrison Barnes (to Spurs), Chris Duarte (to Bulls), the Kings’ 2025 second-round pick (to Bulls), the Kings’ 2028 second-round pick (to Bulls), the right to swap 2031 first-round picks (to Spurs), and cash (to Bulls).

Draft picks

  • 1-13: Devin Carter
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $22,141,696).

Two-way signings

Departed/unsigned free agents

Salary cap situation

  • Operating over the cap ($140.6MM) and below the luxury tax line ($170.8MM).
  • Carrying approximately $169.7MM in salary.
  • Hard-capped at $178,132,000.
  • Full mid-level, bi-annual exceptions available.
  • Three traded player exceptions available (largest worth $6,341,464).

The offseason so far

Entering the offseason, there were two notable NBA free agents whose Early Bird rights were considered potentially insufficient to retain them. One of those was Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed a three-year, $87MM contract with the Thunder that the Knicks were unable to match using the Early Bird exception. However, the second of those two free agents, Malik Monk, reached an early deal with the Kings, agreeing to accept Sacramento’s best possible offer well ahead of the start of July.

To be clear, it’s not as if Monk magnanimously accepted a deal way below his market value. His new four-year, $78MM contract is easily the most lucrative of his career, and the $19.5MM annual salary represents an entirely reasonable rate for an effective, offense-first sixth man.

Still, there was a belief that he might’ve been able to secure an even bigger payday on the open market, so the Kings benefited from new NBA rules that permitted them to begin contract talks with Monk immediately after the Finals ended, rather than having to wait until the end of June to open those negotiations.

Having agreed to terms early with Monk, the Kings were able to approach the rest of the summer with the knowledge that their top free agent would be back, and their subsequent roster moves accounted for that. With Monk returning, for instance, Sacramento needed to shed some salary in order to stay out of luxury tax territory, so the club sent Sasha Vezenkov and Davion Mitchell to Toronto, along with two second-round picks, in exchange for Jalen McDaniels.

Vezenkov ended up agreeing to give up his entire $6.66MM salary for the 2024/25 season in order to get out of his contract. If the Kings had known he’d be willing to do that, trading him wouldn’t have been necessary, but it’s possible he only finalized that decision when faced with the prospect of moving to a new country for the second time in two years.

It’s also unfortunate that Sacramento had to give up on Mitchell, a 2021 lottery pick, but his offensive game never really developed and he found himself surpassed on the depth chart last season by undrafted free agent Keon Ellis. While that No. 9 overall pick was a miss for the Kings, they can take some solace in the fact that the teams right behind them in the 2021 draft didn’t do any better — Ziaire Williams, James Bouknight, Joshua Primo, and Chris Duarte were the four players selected right after Mitchell (though Corey Kispert, Alperen Sengun, Trey Murphy, and Jalen Johnson all went later in the top 20).

Speaking of Duarte, he was a throw-in salary-matching piece in the Kings’ biggest move of July, a sign-and-trade deal for six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan. Duarte was packaged with Harrison Barnes (sent to San Antonio), a pair of second-round picks, a 2031 first-round pick swap, and cash in order to bring DeRozan aboard on a three-year contract without adding any salary to the team’s books for 2024/25.

A two-way forward probably would’ve been a better all-around fit for the Kings’ lineup, and it’s not as if Sacramento hadn’t been trying to acquire that sort of player — the team reportedly pursued both OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam last season before the Raptors traded them elsewhere. But DeRozan was the only impact player available this summer at the price Sacramento was willing to pay, both in terms of the trade package and the contract.

While the Kings will have no shortage of offensive firepower in 2024/25, head coach Mike Brown – who has preached defense since arriving in Sacramento – may not have the personnel for an above-average defense after swapping out Barnes for DeRozan. Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox aren’t bad on that end of the court, but neither is a top-tier defender; DeRozan and Monk certainly aren’t either. The pressure will be on 2022 lottery pick Keegan Murray to continue making defensive strides and to try to slow down opponents’ top wings while the Kings’ top scorers are simply asked to play solid team D within Brown’s scheme.

The Kings’ other veteran offseason additions were minimum-salary free agent signings — Alex Len will return for a fourth season, with Orlando Robinson joining him in the frontcourt and Jordan McLaughlin signed for backcourt depth. Robinson’s salary isn’t fully guaranteed, so Sacramento could swap him out for a new addition at some point if he doesn’t impress.

In addition to signing McLaughlin, the Kings used their lottery pick to select Devin Carter, a former Providence guard who looked like he might be able to step into an immediate role in the backcourt after a huge year for the Friars in 2023/24. Unfortunately, Carter underwent a shoulder surgery in early July that is expected to sideline him for six months.

It’s possible we’ll see Carter on the court in Sacramento during the season’s second half, but it’s probably unfair for the club to expect anything from him as a rookie, since he wasn’t able to take part in Summer League and won’t be a full participant in training camp or the preseason.

Up next

The Kings are currently carrying just 14 players on standard contracts, with neither Ellis nor Robinson on a fully guaranteed deal, so they have the ability to make some changes at the back of their projected regular season roster, including bringing in a 15th man.

Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this is the group that the team sticks with for opening night. Ellis isn’t going anywhere, Robinson has a partial guarantee, and adding a 15th man would push Sacramento’s team salary into luxury tax territory. As long as the roster stays relatively healthy, there’s probably no need to take on another player who won’t see rotation minutes, especially when the club is so close to the tax line.

The Kings’ prime preseason extension candidate is Fox, who is eligible for a new deal worth up to the maximum that would tack on three years to the two left on his current contract. However, reporting in June indicated that the star guard had decided not to sign an extension this offseason, preferring to put off those talks until 2025.

If Sacramento has a disappointing season in 2024/25, Fox’s contract situation might become a cause for concern, but the team shouldn’t be worried about it at this point. The 26-year-old could qualify for a super-max extension if he makes an All-NBA team next spring, which is reason enough for him to wait a year. Even if he misses out on the super-max, Fox would be eligible to sign a slightly longer-term deal beginning next July.

Kevin Huerter is the only other King who is currently extension-eligible. I wouldn’t expect Huerter to get a new deal at this point after he saw his minutes cut back to a career-low 24.4 per game last season.

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Atlantic Notes: DeRozan, Raptors, Ujiri, Simmons, Dolan

September 20th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked this week during a radio appearance on Sportsnet 590 The Fan in Toronto whether he’s interested in eventually returning to the Raptors to finish his NBA career, DeMar DeRozan expressed interest in the idea, though he made it clear that he doesn’t want to spend his final season as a benchwarmer in Toronto.

“You always want a poetic ending (in) that way,” DeRozan said. “Granted, most people don’t get to write their own ending. But what a better ending than being able to end where you start. Not just end, by just putting on the jersey. It has to be in a sense of me still being myself. I wouldn’t want to come back and be (Hakeem) Olajuwon (who spent an underwhelming final season in Toronto after 17 years in Houston). It has to just make sense. You kind of want to go out like you came in. That’s what people kind of remember you as.”

DeRozan, who was drafted ninth overall by the Raptors in 2009, spent his first nine seasons with the club before being sent to San Antonio in 2018’s Kawhi Leonard blockbuster trade. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in points (13,296) and games played (675), among other statistical categories.

DeRozan is under contract with the Kings for the next three seasons after joining the team via sign-and-trade this offseason.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • What does it mean for Masai Ujiri‘s future in Toronto that Rogers has bought out Bell’s stake in the Raptors and gained majority ownership control? Eric Koreen of The Athletic explores that question, noting that Rogers chairman Edward Rogers III and Ujiri, the team’s longtime president of basketball operations, have had a “strained relationship” in the past. Rogers reportedly opposed the terms of the contract extension that Ujiri signed with the club in 2021, which has two years left on it.
  • Nets guard Ben Simmons, who underwent back surgery in March, is on track to fully participate in training camp next month, agent Bernie Lee tells veteran NBA reporter Chris Haynes (Twitter link). “Ben is fully cleared and is a full participant for the start of camp,” Lee said. “He is excited to get started.”
  • A U.S. District Court judge in California has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a woman who accused Knicks team owner James Dolan of sexual assault, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN. The suit, which was filed in January, referenced incidents that took place in 2013 and 2014 allegedly involving Dolan and former Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein. A Dolan spokesperson referred to the suit as “a malicious attempt to assert horrific allegations by an attorney who subverts the legal system for personal gain,” while the accuser’s attorneys said they’ll be appealing the court’s decision and will continue to pursue their client’s sexual battery claims against Dolan and Weinstein.
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Southwest Notes: Jones, DeRozan, Rose, Pippen Jr., Thompson

September 17th, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tre Jones has started 113 games for the Spurs at the point over the past two seasons. He’ll likely be relegated to the second unit this season with the free agent addition of Chris Paul. Jones isn’t upset about losing his starting job to a future Hall of Famer, as he told Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.

“It was extreme excitement right away,” Jones said of the Spurs signing Paul. “To be able to learn from a generational point guard like that, it’s something I’ll never take for granted.”

Jones looks at the upcoming season as a learning experience.

“He’s a guy who thinks the game at such a high level,” he said. “He’s been on some of the best teams and been around some of the greatest to play the game. He’s gone to the Finals. He’s been in huge moments in the playoffs. Just being able to pick his brain and learn from him all year – I’m going to take full advantage of that.”

It’s a crucial season for Jones — he’s entering his walk year and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • The Spurs showed some interest in bringing free agent wing DeMar DeRozan back to San Antonio, Sam Amick of The Athletic reports. At the same time, the Spurs made it clear they would be willing to help him get to the team of his choice by helping facilitate a three-team trade. And that’s exactly what happened, as DeRozan was dealt by the Bulls in a sign-and-trade transaction to the Kings in a three-team swap. Harrison Barnes was sent to San Antonio as part of that trade.
  • The backup point guard spot is the biggest question hovering over the Grizzlies, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Derrick Rose and Scotty Pippen Jr. are the top candidates for the job, but Rose has struggled with injuries in recent seasons and only appeared in 24 games last season. Pippen played well in the second half of the season but didn’t play much with the team’s biggest stars due to the team’s injury issues. If neither of them emerges, Memphis may have to lean on non-traditional options like Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane to back up Ja Morant at the point, Cole writes.
  • Amen Thompson‘s versatility makes it difficult to pinpoint what position he’s best suited to play, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle notes. When Thompson was at his most impactful last season, he defended point guards, but offensively was more of a rim-running center, according to Feigen. However, Rockets coach Ime Udoka said he plans to have Thompson back up Fred VanVleet at the point this season.
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2024/25 NBA Over/Unders: Pacific Division

September 17th, 2024 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2024/25 NBA regular season set to tip off next month, we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.

With the help of the lines from a series of sports betting sites – including Bovada and BetOnline – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

In 2023/24, our voters went 16-14 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’24/25?

We’ll wrap up our series today with the Pacific Division…

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Clippers

Previous voting results:

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics (58.5 wins): Over (69.7%)
  • New York Knicks (53.5 wins): Over (58.8%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (52.5 wins): Under (51.7%)
  • Toronto Raptors (30.5 wins): Under (58.7%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (19.5 wins): Over (54.3%)

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks (49.5 wins): Over (78.0%)
  • Memphis Grizzlies (47.5 wins): Under (65.6%)
  • New Orleans Pelicans (46.5 wins): Under (60.6%)
  • Houston Rockets (43.5 wins): Under (51.4%)
  • San Antonio Spurs (36.5 wins): Under (52.9%)

Southeast

  • Orlando Magic (47.5 wins): Over (57.1%)
  • Miami Heat (44.5 wins): Under (63.1%)
  • Atlanta Hawks (35.5 wins): Under (66.4%)
  • Charlotte Hornets (29.5 wins): Under (63.1%)
  • Washington Wizards (20.5 wins): Under (56.6%)

Northwest

  • Oklahoma City Thunder (56.5 wins): Over (68.1%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (52.5 wins): Over (65.2%)
  • Denver Nuggets (51.5 wins): Over (54.3%)
  • Utah Jazz (29.5 wins): Under (60.1%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (22.5 wins): Under (54.7%)

Central

  • Milwaukee Bucks (50.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (48.5 wins): Under (51.6%)
  • Indiana Pacers (47.5 wins): Over (57.2%)
  • Chicago Bulls (28.5 wins): Under (61.9%)
  • Detroit Pistons (24.5 wins): Over (60.2%)
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Nassir Little Auditioning For Celtics, Warriors, Heat

September 16th, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Several teams have worked out or plan to work out free agent forward Nassir Little, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets.

That group includes the defending champion Celtics, Warriors and Heat. The Athletic reported earlier in the day that Little is also among a trio of forwards who is working out for the Kings.

Little would seemingly have a greater chance of hooking on with the Kings and Warriors than the other two squads. As our roster counts display, Sacramento has 14 players signed to the official roster (not counting two-way deals) but only 12 have fully guaranteed contracts. Golden State has 15 players on the official roster but just 12 have fully guaranteed deals.

Boston and Miami have 14 players apiece on fully guaranteed deals, plus others on training camp or non-guaranteed contracts. Both also have major luxury tax considerations — the Celtics are operating well above the second tax apron, while the Heat would surpass that second apron threshold by carrying a 15th man.

Little, 24, has been a free agent since Phoenix waived him late last month. The combo forward appeared in 45 games for the Suns last season, making two starts and posting 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per night. He spent his first four NBA seasons in Portland before coming to Phoenix in a three-team trade last September.

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Kings Officially Sign Rookie Guard Boogie Ellis

September 16th, 2024 at 4:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings have officially signed Boogie Ellis, according to a press release from the team.

Sacramento’s intention to sign the former USC guard was first reported in late July. Terms of the contract have not been reported or announced, but it’s most likely an Exhibit 10 deal.

Ellis played for Sacramento’s Summer League team after going undrafted. He averaged 11.2 PPG in five games in July while shooting 51.3% from the field and 54.5% from 3-point range.

Ellis began his college career at Memphis in 2019 before transferring to USC two years later. He earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors last season while averaging 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29 games with the Trojans. In his three seasons at USC, Ellis averaged 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 95 career games.

An Exhibit 10 contract would allow Ellis to receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K (on top of his standard G League salary) if he’s waived by Sacramento and then spends at least 60 days with the Stockton Kings. He would also be eligible to have the contract converted into a two-way deal before the season, but the Kings don’t currently have an open two-way slot.

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T.J. Warren, Nassir Little Working Out For Kings

September 16th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

T.J. Warren is among several veteran players working out for the Kings this week, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team is also auditioning Nassir Little and Jae Crowder, whose workout was reported earlier.

Warren, 31, was out of the NBA for most of last year before landing a pair of two-way contracts with the Timberwolves in March and eventually signing for the rest of the season. He got into 11 games with Minnesota, averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per night, but made just three brief appearances during the playoffs.

Warren hasn’t played a full season with anyone since he suffered a left foot injury that caused him to miss the entire 2021/22 campaign. He spent most of his career with the Suns and Pacers and was a star with Indiana in the Orlando “bubble” after the 2020 hiatus ended.

Little, 24, has been a free agent since Phoenix waived him late last month. The combo forward appeared in 45 games for the Suns last season, making two starts and posting 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per night. He spent his first four NBA seasons in Portland before coming to Phoenix in a three-team trade last September.

Crowder, 34, played the past year and a half with the Bucks and averaged 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 50 games last season while making 25 starts.

The Kings already have 14 players on standard contracts and would move into luxury tax territory by filling their 15th roster spot. However, two of those contracts aren’t fully guaranteed, so they will have options if somebody is impressive in a workout.

Keon Ellis seems safe on a non-guaranteed contract, but Orlando Robinson only has a $500K partial guarantee. Their contracts won’t become fully guaranteed until January 10, the league-wide guarantee date.

With 20 players currently on its offseason roster, Sacramento can make one more addition before the start of training camp.

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