Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wizards Trade Rui Hachimura To Lakers

January 23rd, 2023 at 5:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

5:23pm: The Lakers have officially announced the addition of Hachimura in a press statement.

12:15pm: The agreement has been finalized, Wojnarowski tweets. The Wizards will receive the Bulls’ second-round pick this year, the Lakers’ second-rounder in 2029 and the least favorable of the Wizards’ and Lakers’ second-rounders in 2028.

The Lakers had acquired the Wizards’ 2028 second-round pick in a prior trade.

11:42am: The Lakers are in advanced talks to acquire Rui Hachimura from the Wizards, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The price will be guard Kendrick Nunn and multiple second-round picks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports that L.A. offered Nunn and two second-rounders to Washington on Friday, but the Wizards turned it down in hopes of getting a first-round pick for Hachimura, who was drafted ninth overall in 2019 (Twitter link). An agreement was reached Monday when the Lakers added another second-rounder to their offer.

The trade is expected to be finalized this afternoon, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Specifics on the picks involved haven’t been released, but Bobby Marks of ESPN points out (via Twitter) that L.A. has seven second-rounders available, including its own and Chicago’s in this year’s draft.

Hachimura never developed into a star in Washington, but the 24-year-old forward has been a solid rotation player throughout his entire time with the Wizards. In 30 games this season, all as a reserve, he’s averaging 13.0 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 48.8% from the field and 33.7% from three-point range.

The Wizards didn’t sign Hachimura to a rookie scale extension before the October deadline, so he’ll be a free agent this summer. The Lakers can make him restricted, giving them the right to match any offer he receives, by issuing a qualifying offer likely to be worth about $7.74MM.

Basketball reporter Marc Stein hears that Washington was willing to part with Hachimura because of increased confidence that the team will be able to re-sign Kyle Kuzma in free agency after he turns down his player option (Twitter link).

After signing with the Lakers as a free agent in 2021, Nunn missed his entire first season due to a knee injury. He has appeared in 39 games this year, making two starts, and is averaging 6.7 PPG in 13.5 minutes per night. The 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent in July.

Suns Sign Saben Lee To Second 10-Day Deal

January 21st, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

JANUARY 21: As expected, the Suns have signed Lee to a second 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release.

JANUARY 20: Saben Lee‘s first 10-day contract with the Suns hasn’t technically expired yet, but it will do so before Saturday’s game, so he’ll need to be re-signed if the team wants him available for that contest — and beyond. That’s expected to happen, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who says Lee is on track to ink a second 10-day deal with Phoenix.

Lee, 23, has been the only 10-day signee so far this season to immediately step into a regular role upon joining his new team. The former second-round pick has averaged 11.3 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game during four appearances with the Suns.

Lee’s best game came on Thursday, when he played a season-high 29 minutes, scoring 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting and dishing six assists in a Phoenix victory.

Assuming Lee officially signs a new contract with the Suns on Saturday, his contract would run through January 30, making him eligible to play in the club’s next six games. As was the case on his first 10-day deal, he would earn approximately $106K for his 10 days of work, as our chart shows.

After his second 10-day contract expires, Lee wouldn’t be able to sign a third with the Suns, so the team would have to either sign him for the rest of the season or let him walk.

Spurs Sign Gorgui Dieng To Second 10-Day Contract

January 20th, 2023 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

10:41am: The signing is now official, the Spurs confirmed in a press release.

10:08am: The Spurs are bringing back big man Gorgui Dieng, having agreed to sign him to a second 10-day contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Dieng’s initial 10-day deal with San Antonio expired on Tuesday night following the team’s win over Brooklyn. However, there was no rush to get him re-signed immediately, since the Spurs were off on Wednesday and Thursday. If Dieng officially signs his second contract before Friday’s contest, it will run through January 29, making him eligible for the club’s next five games.

Dieng, who turned 33 on Wednesday, signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with San Antonio during the 2022 offseason. The former Louisville standout played sparingly for the team in the first half, averaging 4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 13 appearances (11.6 MPG), and was perhaps valued more for his veteran leadership in the locker room than his contributions on the court.

He was waived earlier this month when San Antonio acquired Noah Vonleh from Boston in a salary-dump trade, but returned to the team on a 10-day deal after Vonleh was cut. Dieng only appeared in one game during his first 10-day contract, logging 74 seconds, but it appears the Spurs still want him in their locker room and on their bench, providing frontcourt depth.

After Dieng’s second 10-day pact expires, the Spurs won’t be eligible to sign him to a third one, so they’ll have to decide whether or not to offer him a new rest-of-season contract. With the trade deadline looming and San Antonio likely to be active, I could see the team putting off a decision on Dieng until after February 9 in order to maximize its roster flexibility.

Kings Sign PJ Dozier To Second 10-Day Contract

January 19th, 2023 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

3:30pm: Dozier’s second 10-day deal is now official, the Kings announced in a press release.

6:49am: The Kings will sign guard PJ Dozier to a second 10-day contract, agent Kevin Bradbury tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Dozier’s first 10-day deal expired on Wednesday night following Sacramento’s win over the Lakers.

Dozier didn’t play much during his first 10 days with Sacramento. He logged just under seven total garbage-time minutes in three blowout victories last week, then didn’t play on Sunday or Wednesday. Still, the Kings – who had lost three of four games before signing Dozier – won all five games with him on the roster, so perhaps the team just doesn’t want to change what seems to be working.

Dozier, 26, appeared in 105 games across five seasons for the Thunder, Celtics, and Nuggets from 2017-21, recording averages of 6.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 18.0 minutes per night during that time. He’s just returning from an ACL tear that he suffered in December 2021.

The Kings will take on another $105,522 cap hit for Dozier’s second 10-day contract, while he’ll earn $122,602. Sacramento could officially complete the signing later today or wait until Friday — in either scenario, he’d be available for the team’s next five contests.

Wizards Waive Guard Devon Dotson

January 17th, 2023 at 4:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Wizards have waived Devon Dotson, the team’s PR department tweets.

Dotson was on a two-way contract, suggesting the club has another player in mind to take that spot.

Dotson averaged 8.8 MPG in six appearances with Washington. He has spent most of the season with the Capital City Go-Go in the G League. Dotson has averaged 13.5 PPG and 6.2 APG in 12 starts with the Go-Go this season.

Dotson was signed to a two-way contract on Nov. 20. The 6’2″ guard went undrafted out of Kansas in 2020. He then signed two-way deals with his hometown Bulls for the 2020/21 and ’21/22 seasons. Across 22 NBA games for Chicago, Dotson averaged 2.4 PPG on 50% shooting from the floor in 6.1 MPG.

Jordan Goodwin holds Washington’s other two-way deal.

Raptors Sign Joe Wieskamp To Second 10-Day Deal

January 17th, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

Following the expiration of Joe Wieskamp‘s first 10-day contract with the Raptors on Monday night, the team has wasted no time signing the swingman to a second 10-day deal, announcing the move today in a press release.

Wieskamp didn’t appear in an NBA game during his first 10 days as a Raptor, though he did play in one contest for Toronto’s G League affiliate, the Raptors 905. He scored 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting in that game, with seven rebounds and four 3-pointers.

Wieskamp was drafted 41st overall in 2021 by the Spurs and spent most of his rookie season on a two-way contract with San Antonio. The 23-year-old re-signed with the Spurs in August on a two-year deal that included a guaranteed $2.175MM salary for 2022/23, but was the victim of a roster crunch in San Antonio and was waived in October just before the regular season tipped off.

As our 10-day contract tracker shows, Wieskamp is the first player this season to a receive a second 10-day deal from a team. Because players aren’t permitted to sign more than two standard 10-day contracts with the same club in a given season, Toronto will have to let Wieskamp go or sign him to a rest-of-season contract when his new deal expires.

Wieskamp will be available for the Raptors’ next five games and will earn $94,136 on his 10-day pact.

Hawks Sign Donovan Williams To Two-Way Deal, Cut Jarrett Culver

January 17th, 2023 at 10:13am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

JANUARY 17, 10:13am: The Hawks have officially signed Williams to a two-way contract, as expected, the club confirmed in a press release.

JANUARY 14, 4:13pm: The Hawks have requested waivers on Culver, the team announced in a press release.

JANUARY 14, 1:16pm: Free agent swingman Donovan Williams is set to sign a two-way deal with the Hawks, sources inform Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). To make room, Atlanta will waive two-way shooting guard Jarrett Culver. Point guard Trent Forrest remains with the Hawks in the team’s other two-way slot.

Williams is currently with the Brooklyn’s NBAGL Long Island affiliate. The UNLV alum had been averaging 15.6 PPG for the Long Island Nets this year, per Charania.

According to Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link), the Hawks view Williams as more of a project, but one possessing potentially higher upside than Culver. John Hollinger of The Athletic tweets that Williams showed what he was capable of during this season’s G League Winter Showcase, when he had two of his best games of the season.

In 10 games with the Hawks, including one start, Culver averaged 4.4 PPG and 3.8 RPG in just 13.7 MPG. The 23-year-old out of Texas Tech will now look to join his fourth NBA team in as many seasons, following prior stints with the Timberwolves and Grizzlies.

Nets Sign Dru Smith To Two-Way Contract

January 13th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

11:48am: The Nets have officially signed Smith to a two-way deal, the team confirmed in a press release.

10:34am: After waiving Alondes Williams on Thursday, the Nets are wasting no time in filling their open two-way contract slot. Brooklyn has agreed to sign G League guard Dru Smith to a two-way deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Since going undrafted out of Missouri in 2021, Smith has played primarily for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s G League affiliate. The 25-year-old got a chance to make his NBA debut earlier this season when he earned a two-way deal with Miami, but he was waived in favor of Orlando Robinson, first in November and then again in December.

Although he only logged 67 total minutes in five NBA games in the fall, Smith has been a standout at the G League level for Sioux Falls. In 15 total NBAGL appearances (Showcase Cup and regular season) with the Skyforce, he has averaged 17.8 points, 5.7 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 33.9 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .485/.368/.750.

Players who sign two-way contracts before the season can be active for up to 50 games, but that limit is prorated for players who sign during the season. We’re at the halfway point of the 174-day NBA season, so if Smith signs within the next day or two, he’ll be eligible to be active for up to 25 games with Brooklyn. He also figures to spend time in the G League with the Long Island Nets.

January 20 is the date when all two-way contracts become guaranteed for the season, so Smith will lock in his rest-of-season salary (approximately $254K) if he remains with the Nets for more than a week.

Nets Waive Alondes Williams

January 12th, 2023 at 11:15am CST by Rory Maher

The Nets have waived rookie guard Alondes Williams, the team announced.

Williams won ACC Player of the Year in 2021/22 for Wake Forest, but went undrafted this past June. He caught on with the Nets shortly after the draft, signing a two-way contract.

The 23-year-old only made one NBA appearance for a total of five minutes. However, he was a regular for the team’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, averaging 9.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 APG in 11 games (26.2 MPG) during the Showcase Cup.

Williams struggled with turnovers (2.5 per contest) and efficiency (.368/.341/.625 shooting line) during the Showcase Cup, which may have played a factor in his release. The Nets have a full 15-man standard roster, but now have a two-way opening.

Suns Sign Saben Lee To 10-Day Contract

January 11th, 2023 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

4:35pm: Lee’s deal is now official, the Suns announced (via Twitter).

10:35am: The Suns have reached a contract agreement with guard Saben Lee and will sign him to a 10-day deal, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The 38th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Lee spent his first two NBA seasons with the Pistons, first on a two-way pact and then on a standard contract. He appeared in 85 total games for the team, averaging 5.6 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .434/.265/.731.

Lee was traded from Detroit to Utah in September’s Bojan Bogdanovic deal and was subsequently released by the Jazz. After clearing waivers, he signed a training camp contract with the Suns, but his initial stint in Phoenix was short-lived — he was cut by the team during the preseason.

Since the start of the regular season, Lee has had two separate stints in the G League with the Raptors 905, sandwiching a one-month stay in Philadelphia on a two-way contract with the Sixers. In 15 total appearances in the NBAGL’s Showcase Cup with the Raptors’ and 76ers’ affiliates, he averaged 23.3 PPG on an impressive .531 FG% while also contributing 6.5 APG, 4.6 RPG, and 1.5 SPG.

Lee will help fortify a Phoenix backcourt that has been bitten by the injury bug in recent weeks. Devin Booker remains sidelined due to a left groin strain, Cameron Payne is out with a right foot sprain, and Chris Paul and Landry Shamet both missed Tuesday’s game due to hip problems (it was Paul’s second consecutive missed game).

No corresponding move will be necessary for the Suns, who have an open spot on their 15-man roster. As a result of his two years of NBA experience, Lee will earn approximately $106K on his 10-day deal with Phoenix, as our chart shows.