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Heat Sign Cole Swider To Camp Contract

AUGUST 11: The Heat have officially signed Swider, the team tweets.


AUGUST 6: The Heat have reached an agreement with free agent forward Cole Swider, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Swider’s contract will be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Swider went undrafted out of Syracuse in 2022, but latched on with the Lakers for the 2022/23 season on a two-way deal.

The 24-year-old suited up for just seven games during his rookie season with Los Angeles, averaging just 5.9 MPG. Across 27 bouts with the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, Swider averaged 17.1 PPG on .506/.436/.838 shooting, along with 4.8 RPG, 1.8 APG and 0.8 SPG.

Miami has 12 players currently signed to guaranteed deals on their current 15-man standard roster, plus center Orlando Robinson inked to a non-guaranteed contract.

Heat Sign Drew Peterson, Caleb Daniels To Camp Deals

AUGUST 11: The signings of Peterson and Daniels are official, the team tweets.


JUNE 23: The Heat are set to sign training camp deals with a pair of undrafted NBA hopefuls.

Sources inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) that Miami will ink ex-USC forward Drew Peterson to an Exhibit 10 contract. Woj adds (via Twitter) that former Villanova shooting guard Caleb Daniels has agreed to a training camp contract with the Heat.

Wojnarowski’s tweet does not explicitly call Daniels’ deal an Exhibit 10, but it sounds like that will most likely be the case. As a reminder, under the NBA’s new CBA, Exhibit 10 bonuses can be worth up to $75K instead of $50K starting this offseason.

Peterson, a 6’8″ fifth-year senior, was a two-time All-Pac-12 honoree while with the Trojans. Across 33 games in 2022/23, he averaged 13.9 PPG on .442/.358/.752 shooting splits. He also pulled down 6.2 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.1 SPG and 0.8 BPG.

The 6’4″ Daniels was named to an NCAA All-Region Team during an extended college run. He spent his first two NCAA seasons with Tulane. Daniels redshirted his first year with Villanova in 2019/20, and then suited up for three more seasons as a Wildcat, enjoying a bonus year of college eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 34 games last season, Daniels averaged 14.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 1.0 SPG.

Jamal Cain Accepts Qualifying Offer, Takes Two-Way Deal With Heat

2:49pm: The signing is official, the team tweets.


2:04pm: Jamal Cain is signing his qualifying offer and returning to the Heat on a two-way contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Cain was searching for a standard deal, which Miami had been reluctant to offer. Cain didn’t have a lot of leverage as a restricted free agent, as Miami had the right to match any offer.

The deadline to rescind the two-way offer passed in July, so Cain had the opportunity to accept the qualifying offer at any time.

The 24-year-old power forward appeared in 18 NBA games as a two-way player last season. He averaged 5.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.3 minutes in those appearances. He started 15 games for Miami’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls, averaging 22.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per contest.

The Oakland (Mich.) University product, who also played for Marquette, fills the last of the Heat’s two-way slots. Guards Dru Smith and Jamaree Bouyea hold the other two-way slots.

If the Heat finally pull off a trade for Damian Lillard, spots on the 15-man roster could open up for Cain and the other two-way players.

Heat Sign Alondes Williams To Camp Contract

2:51pm: The signing is official, the team tweets.


1:51pm: The Heat have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with guard Alondes Williams, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Williams went undrafted last year and spent most of the season with the NBA G League Long Island Nets. He appeared in 24 games at that level, including 12 starts, and averaged 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 27.6 minutes per game. He also played one game for the Brooklyn Nets in December.

In late July, the Long Island Nets dealt the returning player rights for Williams to the Heat’s NBA G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, in exchange for the returning player rights of shooting guard D.J. Stewart.

The Heat have agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with a handful of players this summer, but have yet to begin finalizing those contracts.

Williams could earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Skyforce. He could also be a candidate for a two-way contract, as the Heat have an open slot.

Warriors To Add Jayce Johnson On Exhibit 10 Deal

The Warriors are signing center Jayce Johnson to an Exhibit 10 contract, Shams Charania reports (Twitter link). Johnson spent the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League with the Warriors, averaging 5.6 points and 6.8 rebounds across those two events.

Johnson, a 7’0″ center out of Marquette, went undrafted in 2020. He spent a year in Romania and later joined the Santa Cruz Warriors for the 2022/23 season. Johnson averaged 8.6 points and 11.9 rebounds in 43 G League appearances, leading the G League in rebounds.

According to Charania, Johnson will compete for a two-way spot in Warriors training camp. Golden State currently has two open two-way contract spots, with Lester Quinones occupying one. Javan Johnson and Jerome Robinson are reportedly set to join the Warriors in training camp on Exhibit 10 deals, but those haven’t yet been made official.

If Johnson is waived by the Warriors, he will also be able to earn a bonus of up to $75K by re-joining the Santa Cruz Warriors and spending at least 60 days with that NBAGL club.

Knicks Sign Josh Hart To Four-Year Extension

AUGUST 10: Hart’s extension is official, the Knicks announced (via Twitter).

“Josh’s immediate impact on our team last season — both on and off the court — cannot be understated. … The leadership and competitiveness Josh brings fits perfectly with the culture we are building,” president Leon Rose said.


AUGUST 9: The Knicks and forward Josh Hart are finalizing a four-year contract extension worth $81MM, his agents at CAA Basketball tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Hart, who was traded from Portland to New York on February 9, was ineligible to sign an extension that tacked on more than two years to his expiring contract until at least six months after he was dealt. He and the Knicks are wasting no time in getting something done.

According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the two sides are working through the final details of an agreement, which can be officially completed as soon as Thursday.

Hart had the opportunity to reach unrestricted free agency this summer by turning down a $12.96MM player option but decided to pick up that option, creating some extra short-term spending flexibility for the Knicks, who took advantage by signing Hart’s former Villanova teammate Donte DiVincenzo in free agency.

While the Knicks and Hart may not have had a formal agreement in place at the time he exercised his option, there was likely an understanding that they’d work out a longer-term contract once he became eligible to sign one.

The NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement allows Hart to receive a raise of up to 40% on his current salary, with subsequent 8% annual increases. That would work out to a maximum starting salary of $18,144,000 and a four-year total of $81,285,120, which lines up with Wojnarowski’s reporting. We’ll have to wait to see whether the deal is fully guaranteed or includes any options.

Hart averaged 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals in 30.0 minutes per game across 25 regular season appearances after being acquired by the Knicks at February’s trade deadline. He was also an important part of the club’s playoff rotation, starting five of 11 games and averaging 32.1 minutes per night.

The 51.9% three-point percentage that Hart posted after the trade is unsustainable, but he’s capable of knocking down an outside shot (.350 career 3PT%) and is a talented, versatile defender who is a strong rebounder for his position and size (6’5″). The 28-year-old is considered a good fit for head coach Tom Thibodeau‘s system, so it’s no surprise that the team was eager to lock him up for the long term.

Hart was the only member of Team USA’s 12-man roster that didn’t play in Monday’s exhibition game against Puerto Rico, but he’ll likely see some action once he officially signs his new contract. The U.S. team has tune-ups against Slovenia and Spain on tap this weekend, followed by exhibition contests vs. Greece and Germany next week before the World Cup officially tips off later in the month.

Hart’s extension will make him ineligible to be traded for six months. That trade restriction won’t expire until after this season’s deadline, as we detailed on Tuesday.

Kings Re-Sign Neemias Queta On Standard Contract

9:40pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.


7:35pm: The Kings are re-signing Neemias Queta to a standard contract, James Ham of The Kings Beat tweets.

Queta has been on Sacramento’s roster the past two seasons, appearing in a total of 20 NBA games. The 7’0” Queta was a second-round pick in 2021 out of Utah State.

Queta entered the summer as a restricted free agent after finishing last season on a two-way deal. He was eligible for another two-way contract but ineligible for a two-way qualifying offer after having played on a two-way with the Kings for consecutive seasons.

As a result, Queta’s qualifying offer was equivalent to a one-year, minimum-salary contract with a $75K partial guarantee. It’s unclear whether he’s accepting that QO or if he negotiated different terms with Sacramento.

Queta’s health is a question mark. He was diagnosed with a stress reaction and a metatarsal capsule sprain in his right foot last month. That injury occurred during a Summer League game against the Clippers.

Queta only appeared in five NBA games for Sacramento last season, but thrived at the G League level, earning a spot on the All-NBAGL First Team and finishing second in MVP voting. He averaged 16.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.9 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game across 29 regular season appearances for the Stockton Kings.

Prior to the agreement with Queta, Sacramento had 13 players on guaranteed deals and another — Nerlens Noel — on a partially guaranteed contract.

Suns Sign Udoka Azubuike To Two-Way Deal

AUGUST 8: The signing is official, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets via a team press release.

“Udoka possesses imposing size and the ability to finish around the rim,” GM James Jones said in a statement. “His strength and physicality help add to our team’s depth.”


JULY 31: Free agent center Udoka Azubuike has agreed on a two-way contract with the Suns, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

The 23-year-old out of Kansas spent his first three seasons with the Jazz. He appeared in 36 games last year, including four starts, averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game.

Overall, he’s appeared in 68 NBA games and has never scored more than 13 points. His career shooting percentage is 76.9%, with most of his buckets coming on layups, dunks and putbacks. The 6’10” Azubuike has never attempted a 3-pointer.

A former first-round pick (No. 27 overall in 2020), Azubuike has dealt with multiple significant ankle injuries, which has impacted his development. Utah declined its fourth-year team option on him before last season started, which is how he wound up in the free agent market.

He played for the Celtics’ Summer League squad this month.

The Suns had two openings for two-way players. Guard Saben Lee occupies the other two-way slot.

Azubuike will have to work his way up the depth chart with the NBA club. He’ll be behind starter Deandre Ayton, Drew Eubanks, Bol Bol and Chimezie Metu.

Pistons Sign Stanley Umude To Camp Contract

The Pistons have officially signed free agent guard Stanley Umude, per RealGM’s transaction log. According to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link), it’s a non-guaranteed training camp contract.

Umude, who went undrafted out of Arkansas in 2022, signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Detroit last September and was waived before the regular season began. He spent most of his rookie year as an affiliate player for the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons’ G League team, earning a brief NBA call-up when he signed a 10-day contract with Detroit in February.

Umude appeared in just one NBA game, but was a rotation regular for the Cruise throughout the NBAGL’s Showcase Cup and regular season. He played in 43 total games for Motor City, averaging 15.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .414/.369/.775.

The Pistons are carrying 14 players on guaranteed standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals, so it’s possible Umude will given the opportunity to compete for the final 15-man or two-way spot on the regular season roster. If he’s waived before the season begins, the 24-year-old looks like a good candidate to rejoin the Cruise as a returning rights player.

Mavs Agree To Camp Deals With Greg Brown, Joe Wieskamp

Free agent forward Greg Brown and wing Joe Wieskamp have agreed to sign training camp contracts with the Mavericks, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The 43rd overall pick in the 2021 draft, Brown spent his first season-and-a-half as a pro in Portland, appearing in 64 games for the Trail Blazers during that time. He didn’t establish himself as a regular rotation player, averaging just 4.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per night with a shooting line of .422/.294/.636.

Because the Blazers didn’t have a G League affiliate of their own during Brown’s time with the team, they couldn’t send him to their own NBAGL program for developmental purposes. The 21-year-old ended up being waived in February to accommodate Portland’s trade deadline moves, then finished the season with the Ontario Clippers in the G League.

Wieskamp was drafted two spots ahead of Brown in 2021 and appeared in 29 games for the Spurs as a rookie, but he wasn’t retained for a second season in San Antonio. He inked a pair of 10-day contracts with the Raptors in January of this year, then signed a multiyear deal in February. That contract was only guaranteed for the rest of the 2022/23 season though, so he was waived by Toronto last month before his 2023/24 salary became guaranteed.

Wieskamp, who will turn 24 later this month, has only made 30.9% of his 55 three-point shots at the NBA level in 38 appearances, but has shown his ability to stretch the floor at the G League level, hitting 38.0% of 237 attempts across 32 NBAGL regular season contests.

Dallas currently has 14 players on guaranteed standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals, so adding Brown and Wieskamp on camp deals would bring the team’s total roster count to 18 players, leaving three open spots.