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Latest Details On NBA G League Bubble

December 24th, 2020 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Seventeen teams have indicated that they plan to participate in the NBA G League bubble, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, who notes that the G League Ignite select team will be the 18th squad.

While we don’t yet have a full, official list of the teams participating in the G League bubble, Ridiculous Upside has done a good job passing along reports (including some of ours) and providing new details on which clubs are in and out. Their list includes 13 teams believed to be in, not counting the Ignite, as follows:

Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario (Clippers)
Austin Spurs (Spurs)
Canton Charge (Cavaliers)
Delaware Blue Coats (Sixers)
Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Pacers)
Lakeland Magic (Magic)
Long Island Nets (Nets)
Memphis Hustle (Grizzlies)
Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder)
Raptors 905 (Raptors)
Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz)
Santa Cruz Warriors (Warriors)
Westchester Knicks (Knicks)

G League expert Adam Johnson says the Greensboro Swarm (Hornets), Iowa Wolves (Timberwolves), and Erie BayHawks (Pelicans) are also expected to take part (Twitter link).

The G League reportedly asked for teams to volunteer to opt out, since bringing 29 franchises to the bubble wouldn’t have been logistically possible, so the clubs passing on the bubble aren’t necessarily doing so because they’re not interested in participating.

Teams opting out of the bubble who signed players to Exhibit 10 contracts before the season will be given the option to loan or “flex” those players to another G League team for the bubble and will be responsible for paying all expenses for those players, Givony explains.

The Wizards, for example, aren’t expected to have the Capital City Go-Go play in the bubble, but will likely use the Pelicans’ affiliate – the BayHawks – as their temporary affiliate for their former Exhibit 10 players, such as Caleb Homesley, Marlon Taylor, and Yoeli Childs, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.

A G League draft would take place in January, according to Givony, who reports that players whose returning rights are held by non-bubble teams would temporarily be dispersed to other clubs in that draft. If non-bubble teams don’t want to “flex” their former Exhibit 10 players to G League teams participating in the bubble, those players will also enter the draft pool, says Givony.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News reported earlier this week that the tentative start date for the G League season is February 8. Adam Zagoria of Forbes (Twitter link) shares a more detailed breakdown of the proposed timeline, which would see G League players and staffers begin an “at-home” quarantine period on January 13.

Givony confirms that teams participating in the bubble still expect to play a minimum of 12 games apiece (not including the playoffs), as was reported in November.

Finally, Givony reports that the G League is making adjustments to its roster rules to make it easier for NBA teams to recruit and sign veterans with five or more years of NBA experience. Each team will be able to designate an “NBA Vet Selection” who fits that bill, and won’t have to navigate the NBAGL’s complicated waiver process to add that player, per Givony.

As Johnson tweets, the rule will be a one-off for this season and will allow – for instance – the Warriors to add Jeremy Lin to their Santa Cruz affiliate, like they wanted to.

Raptors Notes: Anunoby, Tampa, Harden, Watson, Davis

December 23rd, 2020 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

After signing a four-year contract extension with the Raptors on Monday, OG Anunoby said that he decided to prioritize long-term security over attempting to maximize his potential earnings with a strong contract year.

“Just not knowing what the future holds and just securing something,” Anunoby said in explaining his motivation, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). “Risk, reward… We definitely thought about it. We considered it. We went back and forth, for sure.”

Anunoby, who is already an excellent defender, said on Tuesday that he believes he’s capable of more on offense than he has shown, tweets Lewenberg. If that’s the case, his four-year, $72MM contract could end up being a steal for the Raptors. Either way, the deal won’t prevent the team from opening up enough cap room to pursue an impact player or two during the 2021 offseason, as Lewenberg writes at TSN.ca.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Blake Murphy of The Athletic takes an interesting and in-depth look at the steps the Raptors took to relocate the team from Toronto to Tampa for the start of the 2020/21 season.
Does it make sense for the Raptors to pursue a trade for James Harden? Murphy and Eric Koreen of The Athletic weigh the pros and cons, and debate what a Raptors offer might look like.
Steven Loung of Sportsnet.ca examines the long, winding road taken to a spot on an NBA roster by Paul Watson, who was promoted from a two-way contract to Toronto’s 15-man squad over the weekend.
Terence Davis‘ lawyers and Manhattan assistant district attorney Mellisa Reilly are “very hopeful” that they’ll soon be able to resolve the criminal case involving the Raptors guard, Loung writes elsewhere at Sportsnet.ca. Davis’ next adjournment date is set for February 19, but a deal may be reached before then.

James Harden’s Availability For Tonight’s Opener In Jeopardy?

December 23rd, 2020 at 9:38am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA office and Rockets officials are reviewing a social media video of James Harden at a strip club to determine the date it occurred, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. If it is found to be recent, it could be considered a violation of COVID-19 protocols and Harden may not be allowed to play in tonight’s season opener.

MacMahon adds that the NBA’s health and safety protocols state that “failure or refusal to comply with the protocols may subject players and team staff to disciplinary action by the NBA or his or her team which may include a warning, fine, and/or suspension” (Twitter link). A suspension for Harden would cost him $284,517 per game, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.

It’s the latest controversy for the former MVP, whose desire to be traded has been the dominant story of Houston’s offseason. Harden was late reporting to camp as images surfaced of him partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas, and a report surfaced Tuesday of tension between Harden and his teammates, including an incident where he reportedly threw a basketball at Jae’Sean Tate.

Harden first issued a trade request during the offseason, indicating that he had lost confidence in the organization’s ability to build a championship contender around him. Since arriving at camp, he has brushed aside questions about a possible deal, but hasn’t relented in his desire to leave the Rockets.

According to reports, Houston hasn’t been able to reach any traction in trade talks with a number of teams. The Heat pulled out of discussions this week and the Nuggets weren’t willing to part with Jamal Murray or Michael Porter Jr.

Marc Stein of The New York Times wrote in his newsletter this week that it has “recently become known” that the Celtics and Raptors have had exploratory talks about Harden, but it’s not clear if Stein is reporting – or confirming – that himself, or referring to other unconfirmed reports.

The Rockets have been steadfast in saying they won’t part with Harden unless they get a young star and a package of draft picks in return. We’ll see if this latest incident affects their asking price.

Raptors Sign OG Anunoby To Four-Year Extension

December 21st, 2020 at 5:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

5:34pm: Anunoby’s extension is now official, the Raptors announced in a press release.

“OG is the epitome of the skilled, powerful, determined player we want in our organization long-term. Remember, he doesn’t shoot to miss,” general manager Bobby Webster said in a statement. “We’re really pleased that OG will be with us for seasons to come.”

4:52pm: The Raptors have agreed to sign forward OG Anunoby to a four-year contract extension worth $72MM, agent Omar Wilkes tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

The final year of Anunoby’s new deal will feature a player option, Wojnarowski adds. According to Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter link), the extension is structured to increase by the maximum 8% annually to allow Toronto to maximize its 2021 cap room. It won’t include any bonuses or a trade kicker, Murphy adds (via Twitter).

While the extension will cut into the Raptors’ projected cap space to some extent, the difference in minimal, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who notes (via Twitter) that Anunoby would have had a $11.7MM cap hold as a restricted free agent. Instead, he’ll have a starting salary of $16.1MM, reducing Toronto’s space by just over $4MM.

The Raptors have now locked up three key young pieces for the next several seasons. Pascal Siakam‘s extension kicks in this season and keeps him under contract through 2023/24. Fred VanVleet was re-signed this offseason for four more years, with the last one including a player option.

Anunoby’s extension could turn out to be a bargain if he continues to improve, and the Raptors will still have cap flexibility next summer, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports notes (Twitter link).

Anunoby averaged a career-best 10.6 PPG and 5.3 RPG in 29.9 MPG as a starter last season. He’s also considered a defensive stalwart and averaged 1.4 SPG.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Watanabe Gets Two-Way Deal From Raptors; Watson Promoted To Main Roster

December 20th, 2020 at 11:06am CST by Arthur Hill

11:06am: Watson’s new contract is a two-year, minimum-salary deal with a $350K partial guarantee in year one, tweets Blake Murphy of The Athletic.

8:55am: The Raptors have converted Yuta Watanabe‘s camp contract to a two-way deal, according to NBA.com’s transactions page. Paul Watson, who joined the team on a two-way contract last season, has been promoted to the main roster.

Watanabe, 26, saw minimal playing time with the Grizzlies over the past two years, playing mostly in the G League. The small forward appeared in 33 total games for Memphis, and averaged 2.0 PPG in 18 games last season.

Watson, a 25-year-old shooting guard, played 10 NBA games in 2019/20. He signed with Toronto in January, one day after being waived by the Hawks.

Both players performed well during the Raptors’ three preseason games, sealing their spots on the regular season squad. Watanabe put up 14 points and 11 rebounds in 30 total minutes, while Watson had 11 points, five boards, and three blocked shots in 29 total minutes.

The Raptors’ roster, which includes 15 players on standard contracts and two – Watanabe and Jalen Harris – on two-way deals, is now set for the regular season.

Raptors Sign, Waive Breein Tyree, Tres Tinkle, Dewan Hernandez

December 19th, 2020 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors signed and waived guard Breein Tyree, forward Tres Tinkle, and big man Dewan Hernandez earlier today, according to Blake Murphy and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Those moves were all made with an eye toward securing G League rights for the Raptors 905 and have no impact on Toronto’s regular season roster, Murphy confirms. The Raptors’ G League affiliate is expected to participate in the proposed NBAGL bubble, and it sounds like Tyree, Tinkle, and Hernandez will suit up for the team.

Tyree, who spent all four years of his college career at Mississippi, averaged 19.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 2.5 APG on .427/.360/.822 shooting in 31 games (34.6 MPG) as a senior in 2019/20. He competed in training camp for a two-way deal with the Heat, but was released on Wednesday.

Tinkle, 24, averaged 18.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 3.2 APG in 31 games (34.5 MPG) as a redshirt senior for Oregon State last season. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers (and was subsequently waived) after going undrafted, but L.A.’s G League team isn’t expected to take part in the G League bubble, so joining the Raptors 905 will give Tinkle a chance to play — and to potentially earn a $50K bonus.

Hernandez, meanwhile, was drafted 59th overall by the Raptors in 2019 and spent his rookie season with the club, recording 14 points and 14 rebounds in 28 total minutes across six NBA games. The former University of Miami standout also appeared in nine G League games for the Raptors 905, averaging 13.4 PPG and 9.6 RPG. However, he was sidelined for much of the season by an ankle injury and was cut last month.

Raptors Cut Oshae Brissett, Alize Johnson, Henry Ellenson

December 19th, 2020 at 8:36am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have waived forward Oshae Brissett, forward Alize Johnson, and big man Henry Ellenson as they move closer to setting their regular season roster, the team announced today.

Brissett, who went undrafted out of Syracuse in 2019, spent his rookie year on a two-way contract with Toronto, appearing in 19 games for the NBA team and 30 for the Raptors 905 in the G League. He averaged 14.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 30 games (27.8 MPG) at the NBAGL level.

Since Brissett’s new multiyear deal with the Raptors had a $300K partial guarantee in year one, the club will remain on the hook for that money unless he’s claimed off waivers on Monday.

Johnson was the 50th overall pick in the 2018 draft and spent his first two professional seasons under contract with the Pacers. The 24-year-old logged just 182 total minutes in 31 games at the NBA level over those two years, but posted big numbers for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the G League, with 19.5 PPG, 13.4 RPG, and 3.7 APG on .514/.363/.699 shooting in 50 career NBAGL contests.

The 18th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Ellenson has bounced around from Detroit to New York to Brooklyn since entering the league, appearing in just 81 total games over four seasons. The former Marquette standout, who is still just 23 years old, started last season on a two-way contract with the Nets but was waived in January.

Both Johnson and Ellenson were training camp invitees who always looked like long shots to make the Raptors’ regular season roster. Johnson’s deal was non-guaranteed, while Ellenson had a modest $50K guarantee.

The Raptors are now down to 15 players on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals, but will likely make a couple more roster moves before their regular season squad is locked in. According to Kelsea O’Brien of BasketballNews.com (Twitter link), current two-way player Paul Watson is expected to be promoted to the standard roster. Camp invitee Yuta Watanabe appears likely to fill Watson’s two-way contract slot, notes Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Raptors Notes: Anunoby, Lowry, Arena Plans, Bembry

December 17th, 2020 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Now that Giannis Antetokounmpo is no longer on track to reach free agency in 2021 and preserving as much cap room as possible for next summer may no longer been as high a priority for the Raptors, a rookie scale extension for three-and-D wing OG Anunoby before Monday’s deadline looks like a more realistic possibility.

According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, Anunoby’s camp is thought to be seeking a deal similar to the one Fred VanVleet just signed (four years, $85MM), while the Raptors will likely counter with an annual salary closer to $15MM per year. Lewenberg wonders if the two sides might ultimately agree to something in the $17-18MM range.

Although the Raptors view Anunoby as a big part of its future, there’s no guarantee that will find common ground in the coming days. If the 23-year-old doesn’t sign a new contract on or before Monday, he’ll become a restricted free agent during the 2021 offseason.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Kyle Lowry is also entering a contract year, but he said today that he hasn’t spoken to the front office about his future beyond this season (Twitter link via Lewenberg). “My goal is to stay focused on trying to win a championship for the Raptors,” Lowry said. “I’ll let the other stuff play itself out.” Unlike Anunoby, Lowry isn’t currently eligible to sign an extension.
Despite not playing in their home city to start the 2020/21 regular season, the Raptors will be one of a handful of NBA teams hosting fans in their arena. The club issued a press release earlier this week announcing plans to host 3,800 fans for regular season games in Tampa. According to the Raptors, no seats within 30 feet of the court will be available, and a number of other safety measures will be in place, including fans being required to wear masks and practice physical distancing while in the building. Fans will also be screened when they enter the arena and will be prohibited from bringing in bags.
DeAndre’ Bembry is making a strong impression on Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, who said that it’s “hard to keep (him) off the floor,” per Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter link). The newly-signed swingman sounds like a good bet to be one of the first players off the bench for the club.

Bembry Could Have Big Effect On Raptors

December 15th, 2020 at 10:07pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Newly-added 26-year-old Raptors forward DeAndre’ Bembry could be an X-factor for the team this season, thanks especially to his multifaceted defense, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN. “I’ve always brought an edge to the game and just a hunger,” Bembry said. “And then I can guard one through three, I can play one through three, I can get in the paint, make some plays in the paint.”

Next Steps For Masai After Giannis Stays With Bucks

December 15th, 2020 at 5:45pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Now that Antetokounmpo will be forgoing free agency for the immediate future, Raptors team president Masai Ujiri will have to get creative when it comes to team-building, per Eric Koreen of the Athletic. Using a bevy of assets towards a trade for Rockets guard James Harden or Wizards guard Bradley Beal could make sense for Toronto. Ujiri’s contract with the Raptors will expire this offseason, and Koreen wonders if the loss of Antetokounmpo as a free agent prospect could affect Ujiri’s decision to remain with the Raptors long-term.