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Knicks Waive Moses Brown, Re-Sign Trevor Keels

March 12th, 2023 at 7:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks are waiving center Moses Brown, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. They’ll replace him by bringing back guard Trevor Keels on a two-way contract, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.

The Knicks have made the moves official, announcing them in a press release, Popper adds in a separate tweet.

Keels appeared in two games with the NBA’s Knicks this season, most recently on March 1. Keels was on a two-way contract with New York, then was signed to a standard 10-day contract on Feb. 23.

Brown was signed to a two-way contract on Wednesday. Brown appeared in one game for the G League’s Westchester Knicks, where he enjoyed an 18-point, 17-rebound game.

Keels has spent most of the season with the Westchester club. The second-round pick out of Duke has averaged 15 points and 3.4 assists in 22 games with the NBAGL squad.

Brown, a 23-year-old center, began this season on a two-way contract with the Clippers. He appeared in 34 games, averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per night, before being waived on February 17.

Brown began his NBA career with the Trail Blazers in 2019 after going undrafted out of UCLA. He also had short stays with the Thunder, Mavericks and Cavaliers.

The Knicks had a two-way slot open after promoting DaQuan Jeffries to a 10-day contract a week ago.

Moses Brown Signs Two-Way Deal With Knicks

March 8th, 2023 at 5:08pm CST by Arthur Hill

6:00pm: The signing is official, the team announced (via Twitter).

5:08pm: The Knicks will sign Moses Brown to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The 23-year-old center began this season on a two-way contract with the Clippers. He appeared in 34 games, averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per night, before being waived on February 17.

New York will be the sixth team for Brown, who began his NBA career with the Trail Blazers in 2019 after going undrafted out of UCLA. He also had short stays with the Thunder, Mavericks and Cavaliers.

The Knicks had a two-way slot open after promoting DaQuan Jeffries to a 10-day contract on Sunday.

Bucks Sign Lindell Wigginton To Two-Way Contract

March 7th, 2023 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have promoted guard Lindell Wigginton from their G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, announcing today in a press release that Wigginton has signed a two-way contract with the NBA team.

Milwaukee opened up one of its two-way slots last week by waiving Sandro Mamukelashvili, so no corresponding move was necessary to add Wigginton.

Wigginton, who will turn 25 later this month, appeared in 19 games as an NBA rookie for Milwaukee last season while on a two-way contract, averaging 4.2 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 10.5 minutes per contest. The Canadian point guard spent most of last season with the Herd and rejoined the G League club in 2022/23 after being waived by Milwaukee at the end of the preseason.

Wigginton has played in 35 NBAGL games for the Herd so far this season — 18 in the Showcase Cup and 17 in the regular season. In those 35 appearances, he has put up 18.6 PPG, 5.8 APG, and 3.9 RPG in 33.5 MPG. He will likely continue to see action for Wisconsin down the stretch, since there’s no clear path to regular minutes in Milwaukee.

At one point last week, the Bucks had three open spots on their 17-man roster, but they’ve since filled all three by re-signing Meyers Leonard to a second 10-day deal, adding Goran Dragic off the buyout market, and now bringing back Wigginton.

Bulls Re-Sign Justin Lewis To Two-Way Contract

March 7th, 2023 at 9:15am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have officially brought back undrafted rookie forward Justin Lewis on a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release. The signing became official on Monday, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

A former Marquette standout, Lewis had a breakout sophomore season in 2021/22, averaging 16.8 PPG and 7.9 RPG in 32 games (32.2 MPG) for the Golden Eagles. Although he wasn’t selected on draft night, he quickly caught on with the Bulls on a two-way contract and played for Chicago’s Summer League team in Las Vegas in July.

However, Lewis suffered a knee injury during an August workout that was later diagnosed as an ACL issue requiring surgery. The 20-year-old stayed under contract with the Bulls until the end of the preseason, at which point he was waived to make room for new two-way signee Kostas Antetokounmpo. Reporting at the time indicated that Lewis would remain around the team while he went through his rehab process, using Chicago’s facilities.

Now, with just over a month left to go in the 2022/23 regular season, Lewis is back under contract with the Bulls. It has been less than seven months since he went under the knife following his ACL injury, so it’s unclear whether the 6’8″ forward is actually ready to suit up for Chicago or the team’s G League affiliate (the Windy City Bulls) down the stretch.

However, the fact that the Bulls brought back Lewis for the final few weeks of this season suggests that the organization remains high on him, so he could be in the team’s future plans. We don’t know yet whether his two-way deal will just be for the rest of this season or whether it will cover 2023/24 as well.

Chicago recently promoted two-way player Carlik Jones to its standard roster, so Lewis will fill the open spot previously occupied by Jones.

Nets Sign Nerlens Noel To 10-Day Contract

March 6th, 2023 at 9:32am CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 6, 9:32am: Noel’s signing is official, the Nets announced (via Twitter).

MARCH 4, 9:38am: Noel is expected to receive a 10-day contract from the Nets, Wojnarowski writes in his full story on the agreement.

Brooklyn may wait until Sunday to officially complete the signing to ensure that Noel is available for the team’s next six games instead of five. Noel would earn $151,821 on a 10-day deal, with $105,522 counting against the Nets’ cap.

MARCH 4, 7:18am: Veteran center Nerlens Noel has reached an agreement to sign with the Nets, agent George Langberg tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Brooklyn has had an open spot on its 15-man roster since the trade deadline, so no corresponding move will be needed to create an opening for Noel, who became a free agent on Wednesday after clearing waivers. He finalized a buyout agreement with the Pistons earlier in the week.

The sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Noel has established a reputation as a talented, versatile defender with a limited offensive game.

After beginning his career with the Sixers, Mavericks, and Thunder, Noel thrived in New York in 2020/21, averaging 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in just 24.2 minutes per game for the league’s fourth-best defense. That performance helped earn him a three-year, $28MM contract from the Knicks, but he was slowed by injuries in ’21/22, appearing in just 25 games.

The Knicks sent Noel to Detroit in a salary-dump trade last offseason and he played sparingly for his new team as the Pistons evaluated younger players. Before agreeing to a buyout, the 28-year-old only appeared in 14 contests, averaging 2.3 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 10.9 MPG.

The Nets have been on the lookout for months for a reliable frontcourt player to back up starting center Nic Claxton — Noel is as good as an option as they’ll find on the buyout market.

Following last month’s trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn no longer looks like a team with championship potential, but the club remains firmly in the playoff race and still appears invested in upgrading this year’s roster. The Nets’ 35-28 record currently gives them a 2.5-game lead over Atlanta for the sixth seed in the East.

Brooklyn still has a portion of its mid-level exception available, but a rest-of-season, minimum-salary contract is probably the likeliest outcome for Noel. If he were to officially sign a minimum deal on Saturday, the big man would earn about $562K, while the Nets would take on a cap hit of approximately $390K.

Knicks Sign DaQuan Jeffries To 10-Day Contract

March 5th, 2023 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Two-way player DaQuan Jeffries has signed a 10-day contract with the Knicks, the team announced (via Twitter).

The 25-year-old swingman had been playing for New York’s G League affiliate since agreeing to a two-way deal in late November. He’s averaging 20.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 20 games with Westchester.

Jeffries has been trying to find a regular role in the NBA since going undrafted out of Tulsa in 2019. He has appeared in 47 total games with the Kings, Rockets and Grizzlies and has spent time with the Magic, Spurs and Hawks as well. He was in training camp with the Knicks last fall, but was waived before the start of the regular season.

As a fourth-year player, Jeffries will earn $109,318 during his 10-day deal. He will be eligible to sign another one when it ends on March 15.

The Knicks had two roster openings following the expiration of Trevor Keels‘ 10-day deal on Saturday night, so they didn’t need to make another move before signing Jeffries.

Goran Dragic Signs With Bucks

March 4th, 2023 at 11:03pm CST by Luke Adams

11:03pm: The signing is official, the Bucks announced in a press release.

12:14pm: Free agent guard Goran Dragic is meeting with the Bucks in Milwaukee this afternoon and intends to sign with the team for the rest of the season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Wojnarowski first reported on Thursday that the Bucks were the frontrunners to sign Dragic, and it seems no rival suitors have jumped the line since then. According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), Dragic would have welcomed an offer from the Heat, but Miami isn’t in the market for another point guard.

Dragic, who will turn 37 in May, began this season on a minimum-salary contract with Chicago and was part of the Bulls’ rotation at point guard. However, while he appeared in 51 games, Dragic was only averaging 15.4 minutes per night, his lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2008/09. After the Bulls added Patrick Beverley on the buyout market, Dragic was the odd man out, resulting in his release.

Dragic is no longer the player he was in 2017, when he averaged 20+ points per game, or 2018, when he earned his lone career All-Star berth, but he was somewhat productive in Chicago this season, averaging 6.4 PPG and 2.7 APG on .425/.352/.659 shooting.

He’ll join a Bucks team that starts Jrue Holiday at the point, with Jevon Carter backing him up. As long as Milwaukee is healthy, it seems unlikely that Dragic will have much of a role, especially once the playoffs begin. But he’ll provide some reliable veteran depth at a position that wasn’t especially deep for the Bucks.

If Dragic signs his minimum-salary contract on Saturday, he’ll earn $617,911 the rest of the way, with the Bucks taking on a $390,433 cap charge. Even after re-signing Meyers Leonard to a 10-day contract, Milwaukee has an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary.

Jazz Sign Kris Dunn To Second 10-Day Contract

March 4th, 2023 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

11:07am: Dunn’s second 10-day deal with the Jazz is now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log. It will cover Utah’s next five games.

7:09am: Kris Dunn‘s 10-day contract with the Jazz expired after Friday’s game, but the veteran guard isn’t going anywhere. Utah intends to sign Dunn to a second 10-day deal, sources with knowledge of the situation tell Sarah Todd of The Deseret News (Twitter link).

Dunn, who joined the Jazz following a stint in the G League, immediately claimed a spot in the rotation during his first 10 days with his new team, helping to fill in for injured guards Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson.

The former fifth overall pick averaged 12.0 points, 4.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 22.3 minutes per night across four appearances. A career 42.0% shooter from the floor entering this season, Dunn has scored more efficiently in his first few games in Utah, making 52.5% of his field goal attempts.

A player is permitted to sign up to two 10-day contracts with the same team in a given season, so at the end of his second 10-day deal, Utah will have to decide whether to sign Dunn for the rest of the season or let him walk.

Frank Jackson‘s 10-day contract with the Jazz also expired following Friday’s game, but the team’s plans for him aren’t yet clear. Unlike Dunn, Jackson didn’t play a regular role on his first 10-day deal, logging just five minutes in a single appearance.

Even after re-signing Dunn, Utah will have two openings on its 15-man roster, giving the club plenty of flexibility to audition other players 10 days at a time.

Meyers Leonard Signs Second 10-Day Deal With Bucks

March 4th, 2023 at 11:05am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

MARCH 4: Leonard has officially signed a new 10-day deal with the Bucks, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. It will run through March 13, making Leonard eligible for six more games.

MARCH 2: Veteran big man Meyers Leonard is signing a second consecutive 10-day contract with the Bucks, sources inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The seven-foot center’s first 10-day deal will expire on Friday night.

Newly-anointed Eastern Conference coach of the month Mike Budenholzer had high praise for his new bench big, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets.

“Just to bring his size and physicality, I think it’s an area that maybe the roster, is one of the things it doesn’t have and he fills that need and still has the ability to make threes and spread the court,” Budenholzer said, per Nehm. “He just has a lot of basketball characteristics that fit us. The human’s been great. He’s fit in quickly with the locker room.”

Leonard, a career 39.1% three-point shooter, signed his first 10-day deal with the Bucks late last month. Through four games, the 30-year-old is averaging 2.8 PPG and 2.0 RPG for Milwaukee. Those four contests represent the big man’s first NBA action since March 2021.

A combination of personal controversy and ankle and shoulder surgery recoveries have kept him sidelined in the intervening seasons. Leonard was flipped from the Heat to the Thunder after using an antisemitic slur during a video game live stream. Oklahoma City subsequently released him, and he had not been rostered since.

Bulls Convert Carlik Jones To Standard Contract

March 3rd, 2023 at 8:56pm CST by Rory Maher

8:56pm: The Bulls have officially signed Jones to his standard contract, the team announced in a press release.

7:12pm: The Bulls plan to convert Carlik Jones‘ two-way deal into a standard contract that covers the rest of 2022/23, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes (via Twitter), Jones will fill the opening that was created when the team waived veteran guard Goran Dragic. The Bulls will have an open two-way slot once Jones is officially promoted to the standard roster.

Jones, 25, was a rookie last season after going undrafted out of Louisville. He appeared in five NBA games in 2021/22 on 10-day hardship deals with the Mavericks and Nuggets, but spent most of his rookie year playing with the Texas Legends, the Mavs’ G League affiliate.

Jones played for the Bulls’ Summer League team in 2022 and was later signed to an Exhibit 10 deal, but was waived before the season started. He signed a two-way deal with Chicago in December, appearing in two games for a total of 23 minutes.

The second-year guard has spent the majority of ’22/23 with Chicago’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, averaging an impressive 26.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 7.4 APG and 1.4 SPG on .489/.356/.800 shooting through 16 regular season games (39.3 MPG). He was on our list of five G League players making bids for NBA call-ups due to their strong performances, and now that has come to fruition.

Jones competed in the G League’s Next Up Game last month, which was essentially its version of the All-Star Game.