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Magic To Sign Trevelin Queen

August 18th, 2023 at 6:54pm CST by Rory Maher

The Magic are signing free agent guard Trevelin Queen to a one-year contract, his agent Daniel Hazan tells Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report (Twitter link).

Queen went undrafted in 2020 out of New Mexico State. He has spent most of his three pro seasons playing in the NBA G League, winning the NBAGL’s MVP award in 2021/22.

The 26-year-old signed with the Sixers last summer, but was waived during the preseason and caught on with the Pacers on a two-way deal a few days later. He spent most of 2022/23 with Indiana, but was waived at the end of March.

Queen has appeared in a total of 17 NBA games while on two-way contracts with the Rockets and Pacers over the past two seasons. He holds modest averages of 3.8 points and 1.9 rebounds on .355/.282/1.000 shooting in 8.5 minutes per contest.

Queen once again put up big numbers at the G League level in ’22/23, including averages of 23.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game in 11 Showcase Cup contests (35.7 MPG) for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. In 24 NBAGL regular season games, he put up 22.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, and 2.1 SPG. He was named as a participant in the Next Up Game at All-Star weekend.

However, Queen did have some issues with three-point shooting (26.5% on 7.1 attempts per regular season game) and turnovers (3.8 per game) in the G League this season. He also earned a one-game suspension in March for “directing threatening language” toward a referee, which may have been a factor in the Pacers’ decision to release him.

While the terms of Queen’s contract are currently unknown, it seems unlikely that it will contain much — if any — guaranteed money. The Magic have 15 players on standard contracts (14 guaranteed), including Jonathan Isaac, whose $17.4MM contract is partially guaranteed for $7.6MM. Orlando also has an open two-way slot.

Perhaps Queen’s deal will feature Exhibit 10 language. In that scenario, if he’s released before ’23/24 starts, he could receive a $75K bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Osceola Magic. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals.

Thunder Sign Lindy Waters III To Two-Way Deal

August 18th, 2023 at 5:57pm CST by Rory Maher

5:57pm: Waters’ two-way deal is now official, the Thunder announced.

5:08pm: Lindy Waters III is rejoining the Thunder on a two-way contract, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Waters, who grew up in Norman and played college ball at Oklahoma State, initially signed a two-way deal with Oklahoma City in February 2022. He was promoted to a multiyear standard contract in February of this year, but his team option for 2023/24 was declined at the end of June, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The 26-year-old has split the past two seasons playing for the Thunder and the team’s G League affiliate, the OKC Blue. In 66 NBA games (15.1 MPG), the 6’6″ wing holds career averages of 6.3 PPG and 2.2 RPG with a .399/.360/.800 shooting line. He has averaged 13.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.4 APG and 1.7 SPG on .498/.427/.929 shooting in 29 regular season games (29.8 MPG) with the Blue since 2021.

Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman previously identified Waters as a “strong candidate” to fill one of the team’s two-way slots. As our tracker shows, the Thunder currently have a pair of two-way openings.

However, they were prevented from signing Waters because they had 21 players — the offseason maximum — under contract, including 20 on standard deals. That changed this afternoon, as the Thunder decided to waive TyTy Washington Jr.

Mavericks Sign Derrick Jones Jr.

August 18th, 2023 at 4:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

August 18: Jones is officially a Maverick, the team announced.

“We are excited to welcome Derrick to Dallas,” said GM Nico Harrison. “Derrick has always showcased a team-first approach with his ability to adapt his game to complement his teammates. His versatility on both ends of the floor will allow us to utilize his skillset and athleticism in a variety of different lineups.”

August 9: Free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. has reached an agreement with the Mavericks, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. It’s a one-year deal with a full guarantee, agent Aaron Turner tells Charania.

No other details on the new contract have been released, but Dallas still has $5.4MM of its non-taxpayer mid-level exception remaining, along with its $4.5MM bi-annual exception. Given the lack of information provided by Turner, a veteran’s minimum deal may be more likely.

Jones, 26, became a free agent when he declined his $3.36MM player option with the Bulls in June. He was the last remaining player on the open market who turned down his option for the upcoming season.

Chicago acquired Jones in a three-team trade in 2021 and re-signed him to a two-year, $6.56MM contract last summer that included the option. He appeared in 64 games last season, all off the bench, and averaged 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 14 minutes per night.

Jones may find a greater opportunity with the Mavericks, who have revamped their roster this summer with an emphasis on upgrading their defense.

When Jones’ signing becomes official, he will be team’s 15th standard guaranteed contract. Dallas also has two of its three two-way slots filled, with potential training camp contracts looming for Greg Brown, Joe Wieskamp and Jordan Walker.

Thunder Waive TyTy Washington Jr.

August 18th, 2023 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have waived guard TyTy Washington Jr., the team announced today. Washington will clear waivers and become a free agent on Sunday, assuming he goes unclaimed.

The 29th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Washington appeared in 31 games as a rookie with the Rockets last season, averaging 4.7 points, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in 14.0 minutes per night. He put up an underwhelming shooting line of .363/.238/.556 in those 31 games.

The former Kentucky standout was more effective at the G League level, averaging 23.0 PPG, 6.0 APG, and 4.6 RPG in 18 Showcase Cup and regular season games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. However, he still struggled to score efficiently, making 44.2% of his shot attempts from the field and just 31.7% from beyond the three-point line.

The Rockets, apparently viewing Washington as expendable with so many other promising young players on their roster, included him as an outgoing salary-matching piece in the five-team trade that sent Dillon Brooks to Houston via sign-and-trade. The 21-year-old was sent to Atlanta in that deal, then was flipped to Oklahoma City in a salary-dump trade that made Patty Mills a Hawk.

Washington had been a long shot to make the Thunder’s roster, since the team was carrying 20 players on standard contracts and needed to trade or waive at least five of those players before opening night. The fact that OKC has already cut Washington – who was owed a guaranteed $2.32MM salary in 2023/24 – suggests there were no good options for him on the trade market.

While it’s not out of the question that a team will claim Washington on waivers, it seems unlikely, given his negative trade value this summer. A club interested in placing a claim would need to have cap room or a trade exception available to absorb his salary, which eliminates much of the league.

Assuming Washington becomes a free agent, the Thunder would owe him his 2023/24 salary but would be off the hook for the $2.43MM and $4.39MM team options on his contract for ’24/25 and ’25/26. Washington would be eligible for a standard contract with any team except Atlanta and a two-way deal with any team except the Hawks or Thunder.

Oklahoma City now has 20 players under contract — 16 on guaranteed salaries, three (Jack White, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe) on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deals, and Keyontae Johnson on a two-way pact.

Hornets, Tre Scott Agree To Exhibit 10 Contract

August 17th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets are signing free agent forward Tre Scott to an Exhibit 10 contract, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Scott, who went undrafted out of Cincinnati in 2020, signed with French club Fos Provence Basket last summer. However, after he struggled to find success overseas, averaging modest totals of 7.0 PPG and 3.8 RPG on a poor .381/.169/.784 shooting line in 21 LNB Pro A games (20.1 MPG), the 26-year-old returned stateside and finished out 2022/23 with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s NBA G League affiliate.

The 6’8″ forward played much better with the Swarm, averaging 17.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 2.8 APG on .538/.340/1.000 shooting in 10 regular season games (34.5 MPG). Scott spent most of his first two professional seasons in the NBAGL, playing for the Salt Lake City Stars, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, and the Cleveland Charge.

Scott also made a brief NBA appearance with the Cavaliers during the COVID-19 outbreak in December 2021. He signed a 10-day hardship contract and got in two games, scoring six points and grabbing a couple rebounds in 11 total minutes of action.

The most likely outcome is that Scott will be waived by the Hornets before the 2023/24 season begins. In that scenario, he could receive a bonus worth up to $75K if he spends at least 60 days with the Swarm.

The Hornets have a lot of roster uncertainty at the moment. While they only have 12 players on guaranteed standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals, they also have three players on non-guaranteed deals (JT Thor, Kobi Simmons, and Frank Ntilikina), an unsigned draft pick (James Nnaji) and a pair of restricted free agents (P.J. Washington, Theo Maledon) who have yet to sign new contracts.

Hawks Waive Vit Krejci

August 16th, 2023 at 4:34pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hawks have waived guard/forward Vit Krejci, the team confirmed in a press release. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) first reported the move.

As Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets, Krejci was on a non-guaranteed contract worth $1.84MM (the veteran’s minimum) in 2023/24. The Hawks, meanwhile, have 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, making Krejci the odd man out, notes John Hollinger of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Hollinger believes Krejci could be a solid choice for a two-way contract if he clears the waiver wire. Several teams have open two-way slots, as shown by our tracker.

Krejci, 23, was the 37th overall pick of the 2020 draft. The Czech native spent his first post-draft season rehabbing a torn ACL. He signed a multiyear contract with the Thunder prior to the 2021/22 season, playing 30 games for the club as a rookie.

Oklahoma City traded Krejci to Atlanta last September in a move that was mostly about finances for the Hawks. He appeared in 29 games this past season for Atlanta, averaging a modest 5.3 MPG.

The Hawks now have 17 players on their roster — the aforementioned 15 on standard deals, and a pair — Seth Lundy and Miles Norris — on two-way deals. They also have a two-way qualifying offer on the table for Trent Forrest, who remains a restricted free agent.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), the Hawks are approximately $9.7MM below the luxury tax line and still have access to their non-taxpayer mid-level exception as well as their bi-annual exception.

Pacers, Darius McGhee Agree To Exhibit 10 Deal

August 15th, 2023 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have agreed to sign undrafted rookie free agent Darius McGhee to an Exhibit 10 contract, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).

McGhee is an undersized guard at 5’9″, but he became one of the most dangerous outside shooters in the NCAA during his five college seasons at Liberty. Over the last three years, he made 4.1 three-pointers per game at a 39.6% clip, averaging 21.3 PPG in 98 games (32.0 MPG) during that time.

A three-time ASUN Player of the Year, McGhee caught on with Indiana’s Summer League team last month. Although he logged just 12.8 MPG in a pair of appearances in Las Vegas, the Pacers apparently want to see more from the 24-year-old.

An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal before the season, but all three of the Pacers’ two-way slots are currently full. That means the likeliest next step for McGhee may be joining the Fort Wayne Mad Ants as a G League affiliate player. His Exhibit 10 contract would put him in line for a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived by Indiana and then spends at least 60 days with the Mad Ants.

Indiana currently has 18 players under contract — 15 on guaranteed standard deal and three on two-way pacts.

Bulls Re-Sign Forward Terry Taylor

August 14th, 2023 at 7:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have signed restricted two-way free agent Terry Taylor to a standard contract, the team tweets.

Taylor had been just one of four restricted two-way free agents who remained unsigned, as our free agent tracker shows.

The 23-year-old was waived by the Pacers after being thrown into the four-team Kevin Durant blockbuster at February’s trade deadline. The Bulls signed him to a two-way deal later that month.

Taylor appeared in 59 games with Indiana over the past two seasons, including nine starts, after going undrafted in 2021 out of Austin Peay. The 6’4” player, listed as a forward despite his height, came off the bench in five games for Chicago. Overall, he has averaged 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.3 minutes during his 64-game NBA career. He also appeared in eight G League contests last season.

The addition of Taylor gives the Bulls 15 players on standard contracts, though Carlik Jones has a non-guaranteed contract and Taylor’s deal also seems unlikely to be fully guaranteed.

Mavericks Sign Greg Brown, Jordan Walker, Joe Wieskamp

August 14th, 2023 at 2:44pm CST by Rory Maher

The Mavericks have signed a trio of players, announcing in a press release (via Twitter) that Greg Brown, Jordan Walker and Joe Wieskamp are all officially under contract.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last week that Brown, a forward, and Wieskamp, a wing, would be receiving training camp deals. Both players were 2021 second-round picks and hold some NBA experience: Brown spent his first season-and-a-half with Portland prior to being waived last February, while Wieskamp played for the Spurs and Raptors over his first two NBA seasons.

Walker, on the other hand, went undrafted in June out of UAB. The 5’11” guard quickly reached an agreement with Dallas and averaged 13.0 points and 3.5 assists in four Summer League games with the Mavs. The terms of his contract aren’t yet known.

The Mavs do have one two-way slot available, but they didn’t say anything about Walker receiving a two-way contract. It seems more likely he received an Exhibit 10 deal, which would put him in line to receive a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived and spends up to 60 days with Dallas’ G League affiliate, the Texas Legends. Exhibit 10 deals can also be converted into two-way contracts.

The Mavericks currently have 14 players signed to guaranteed standard contracts, and will reportedly sign Derrick Jones, but his contract has yet to be officially announced. Once Jones’ deal is official, Dallas will have 20 players under contract, one shy of the offseason limit.

Sixers Sign Javonte Smart To Exhibit 10 Contract

August 13th, 2023 at 3:26pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

AUGUST 13: The signing is now official, per a Sixers press release.

AUGUST 12: The Sixers are signing free agent point guard Javonte Smart to an Exhibit 10 training camp contract, sources inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

As Wojnarowski notes, Smart was previously signed to two-way contracts with the Heat and Bucks during the 2021/22 season. He spent ’22/23 playing for the Pelicans’ NBA G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron.

The 6’4″ point guard out of LSU appeared in a grand total of 17 games during his stints with Milwaukee and Miami. He posted averages of 3.0 PPG, 1.4 RPG and 0.9 APG.

Across 57 games in two G League seasons with the the Squadron and the Heat’s NBAGL affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Smart boasts averages of 16.9 PPG (on .427/.360/.939 shooting), 3.1 APG, 2.8 RPG and 0.9 SPG.

It could be an uphill battle for Smart to make Philadelphia’s roster, given that the team has all three of its two-way spots filled and has 14 of its 15 standard roster spots occupied.

Assuming Smart is ultimately cut during training camp but gets rostered with the Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, he could earn a bonus that would pay him up to $75K — assuming he spends 60 or more days with Delaware.