Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Thunder Trade Vit Krejci To Hawks For Maurice Harkless, Pick

September 27th, 2022 at 9:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

9:02pm: The trade is official, according to a Hawks press release. While also confirming the trade in their own press release, the Thunder provided more details regarding the picks involved.

The second-rounder headed to Oklahoma City is Atlanta’s 2029 pick. The Thunder will also receive amendments on the conditions of a previously traded 2025 second-round pick from the Hawks. The amended 2025 second-round pick will now be top-40 protected. Previously that pick was top-55 protected.

4:31pm: The Thunder are trading Vit Krejci to the Hawks in exchange for Maurice Harkless and a second-round pick, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

After signing a multiyear contract ahead of the 2021/22 NBA season, Krejci appeared in 30 games in his first NBA season, averaging 6.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 1.9 APG. He posted shooting splits of .407/.327/.864.

An early 2020 second-round pick, Krejci underwent an arthroscopic knee procedure in April. His $1,563,518 salary for the coming season is only 50% guaranteed for now.

The 6’8” Krejci, who turned 22 in June, could work his way into a rotation spot with Atlanta. However, the deal is primarily a cost-cutting move for the Hawks. The team drops from $1.7MM over the luxury tax line to $1.3MM below it by swapping Harkless for Krejci, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype tweets.

The Hawks will also create a trade exception worth $4,564,980, the amount of Harkless’ outgoing salary.

Harkless, 29, has been in the league since the 2012/13 season. He spent last season with the Kings, appearing in 47 games (24 starts) while averaging 4.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG. He has also played for Orlando, Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers, New York and Miami. Overall, Harkless has appeared in 621 NBA games and averaged 6.9 PPG and 3.5 RPG in 22.6 MPG.

Harkless, who has an expiring contract, was traded from Sacramento to Atlanta in the Kevin Huerter deal earlier this offseason. It’s uncertain whether the Thunder plan to keep him or waive him.

Oklahoma City applied for a disabled player exception in late August worth $4.95MM in the wake of Chet Holmgren‘s season-ending injury. Harkless’ contract will slot into that exception, which was granted last week, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. That allows the Thunder to complete the deal without matching salaries, since Krejci’s $1.56MM cap charge isn’t big enough to match Harkless’ $4.56MM salary.

Dean Wade Signs Three-Year Extension With Cavaliers

September 27th, 2022 at 9:34am CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 27: Wade’s extension is now official, the Cavaliers announced today (via Twitter).

SEPTEMBER 24: The Cavaliers will sign forward Dean Wade to a three-year extension worth $18.5MM, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wade, who will make $1.93MM this season, had been on track to become a free agent next summer, so the extension will begin in 2023 and will keep him under contract through the end of 2025/26. The agreement was confirmed by Wade’s agents, Austin Walton and Adam Papas, according to Woj.

Wade, a 25-year-old small forward, has been with Cleveland for the past three seasons after earning a two-way contract in 2019. Much of his first year was spent in the G League, but he has been a part of the rotation the last two years and may be in contention for a starting spot heading into training camp.

Wade appeared in 51 games last season, making 28 starts, and averaged 5.3 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 45.6% from the field and 35.9% from three-point range. He underwent meniscus surgery in March, but he was cleared to resume basketball activities in early May.

The extension fully guarantees Wade’s contract for the upcoming season and gives Cleveland 14 players with guaranteed deals, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.

Nets Re-Sign RaiQuan Gray

September 27th, 2022 at 7:47am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have officially set their training camp roster by re-signing 2021 second-round pick RaiQuan Gray, the team announced in a press release late on Monday night.

The No. 59 overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Florida State, Gray signed a G League contract last fall and spent his first professional season with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s affiliate. In 26 regular season NBAGL games (22.8 MPG), the 6’8″ forward averaged 6.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 3.0 APG on .441/.240/.821 shooting.

Brooklyn initially signed and then waived Gray earlier this month. The team did the same thing with another 2021 second-rounder, Marcus Zegarowski, and has now brought back both players on training camp deals.

There has been no word from the Nets on what their plans for Gray and Zegarowski are, but our best guess is that the team reached a compromise with the duo — if they agreed to return to Long Island for a second year, the Nets would forfeit their exclusive NBA rights to the two players and re-sign them to Exhibit 10 contracts, ensuring they’ll receive bonuses worth up to $50K if they spend at least 60 days with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate.

Again, that’s just speculation, so we’ll see how things play out in the coming weeks, but it would be an uphill battle for Gray or Zegarowski to claim a spot on Brooklyn’s 15-man regular season roster. The team is carrying 12 players on fully guaranteed salaries, with Markieff Morris and Edmond Sumner looking like good bets to join those 12 on the regular season squad.

The Nets may leave their 15th spot open when the season begins to maximize their flexibility and avoid further increasing their tax bill. If they do carry a 15th man, Yuta Watanabe may be the favorite to claim that spot.

Jazz Trade Bojan Bogdanovic To Pistons

September 26th, 2022 at 9:00pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 26, 9:00pm: The Jazz and Pistons both issued press releases on Monday evening confirming the trade, which signals that all the required physicals have been completed.

As previously reported, Utah received $1,752,638 in cash along with Olynyk and Lee, which is the exact amount of Lee’s 2022/23 salary.

SEPTEMBER 22, 5:00pm: The trade is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. In addition to Olynyk and Lee, the Jazz acquired cash in the deal, per RealGM’s transaction log.

SEPTEMBER 22, 8:39am: The Pistons and Jazz are finalizing a trade that will send forward Bojan Bogdanovic to Detroit, sources tell Shams Charania and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter links). According to Charania and Edwards, Utah will receive big man Kelly Olynyk and guard Saben Lee in the deal.

Bogdanovic is set to earn $19.55MM in the final year of his contract after averaging 18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in 69 appearances (30.9 MPG) for the Jazz in 2021/22. A strong frontcourt scorer and shooter, Bogdanovic has made his 39.2% of his career three-point attempts, including 40.3% over the last five seasons.

With the Jazz in the process of tearing down their roster, Bogdanovic was widely viewed as a strong candidate to be moved before the start of the season. On Wednesday, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune cited a source close to Bogdanovic who said the forward expected to be traded soon.

Still, while a trade had been anticipated, Bogdanovic’s destination comes as a surprise. Teams like the Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, and Knicks had been cited as possible suitors for the 33-year-old, but it will be the retooling Pistons who land him. Bogdanovic’s ability to stretch the floor and hit outside shots should help create more room in the paint and play-making opportunities for Detroit’s dynamic young guards, Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.

The Pistons will take advantage of their leftover cap room in acquiring Bogdanovic, sending out only Olynyk ($12.8MM) and Lee ($1.75MM) in the deal. The move will also help clear a roster logjam in Detroit — the club had 17 players on fully guaranteed salaries, but will have just 16 after completing the trade for Bogdanovic. Buyout candidate Kemba Walker is expected to be the odd man out.

As for the Jazz, they’re trading yet another productive veteran after having already found takers this offseason for Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Royce O’Neale. It appears they won’t continue to add to their collection of future draft assets in the Bogdanovic swap, but they’ll add a much-needed center in Olynyk to their roster, will take a shot on the 23-year-old Lee, and will create some additional breathing room below the luxury tax line.

As Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype observes (via Twitter), the trade should move Utah from about $2MM below the luxury tax threshold to $7MM below the tax line. The team also should create a trade exception worth about $6.75MM in the deal.

While they’ll reduce this year’s team salary, the Jazz will now be on the hook for Olynyk’s $3MM partial guarantee in 2023/24. They’d owe the big man that $3MM, instead of his full $12.2MM salary, if they waive him before next year’s free agent period. Lee, meanwhile, has a $1.9MM team option for ’23/24.

The Jazz will now have 18 players on guaranteed contracts, so they’ll have to trade or release three players before opening night to get their roster down to 15.

Lakers Sign Matt Ryan, Dwayne Bacon

September 26th, 2022 at 7:40pm CST by Luke Adams

7:40pm: The Lakers have officially signed both Ryan and Bacon, the team tweets.

7:03am: The Lakers intend to sign free agent swingman Matt Ryan to a non-guaranteed contract, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, the team is also working toward an agreement on a camp deal with free agent wing Dwayne Bacon.

Ryan, 25, signed a two-way contract with the Celtics in February and finished the season with the team. While he only appeared in a single regular season game for Boston, the former Chattanooga sharpshooter had a big year at the G League level, averaging 19.4 PPG on .469/.413/.860 shooting in 30 total regular season games (33.5 MPG) for the Grand Rapids Gold and Maine Celtics.

Ryan also made a strong impression at the Las Vegas Summer League this July, putting up 19.0 PPG on .550/.526/1.000 shooting in two appearances (22.9 MPG) for Boston before suffering an ankle sprain.

As for Bacon, the 2017 second-round pick has appeared in 207 regular season games for Charlotte and Orlando since making his debut five years ago, but didn’t play in the NBA last season after being waived by the Knicks in October. Bacon signed with AS Monaco shortly after being cut by New York and competed in France’s top basketball league in 2021/22.

The Lakers currently have two openings on their 20-man training camp roster, so they could add Ryan and Bacon without making any cuts.

Andre Iguodala Returns To Warriors For One More Season

September 26th, 2022 at 3:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 26: The Warriors have officially re-signed Iguodala, the team announced today in a press release.

SEPTEMBER 23: Andre Iguodala will play his 19th and final NBA season with the Warriors, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Iguodala made the announcement on his Point Forward podcast (video link).

Golden State had been keeping a roster spot open in hopes that Iguodala would return. His decision gives the team a full complement of 20 players heading into camp.

Iguodala played an important role in the Warriors’ ascension into title contenders in the latter part of the last decade. He was traded in 2019 to help clear salary, but he returned to the team as a free agent last summer after spending two seasons with Miami.

Iguodala, who remains one of Golden State’s most reliable perimeter defenders, appeared in 31 games last season, averaging 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 19.5 minutes per night. He saw only minimal playing time in seven postseason games during the Warriors’ title run.

The Warriors will presumably sign Iguodala to a guaranteed minimum-salary contract. Such a deal would make him the 14th Golden State player with a guaranteed salary for the 2022/23 season.

The team could carry one more player when the regular season begins, but may opt to keep that 15th spot open to maintain flexibility and avoid pushing its record-setting luxury tax bill any higher.

Pistons Pick Up Options For Cunningham, Hayes, Stewart, Bey

September 26th, 2022 at 12:45pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pistons have exercised their 2023/24 team options for Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey, the team announced (via Twitter). The moves were expected, as all four players have been productive in different aspects of the game on their rookie contracts.

Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick of last year’s draft, finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in ’21/22 after averaging 17.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.6 APG and 1.2 SPG on .416/.314/.845 shooting in 64 games (32.6 MPG). He put up big counting stats post-All-Star break, averaging 21.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 6.5 APG and 1.1 SPG, though his three-point percentage dipped (.457/.275/.833 shooting line). ’23/24 will be Cunningham’s third season, and he’ll earn $11,055,360.

Hayes was the only player of the group who might not have been viewed as a lock to have his team option picked up, as he’s dealt with injuries (he’s appeared in 92 of 154 games) and has struggled to score (6.8 PPG on .374/.268/.780 shooting) through two seasons. However, he’s a solid play-maker (6.4 assists per 36 minutes) and an above-average defender for a guard, plus he was the No. 7 overall pick in 2020 and is only 21 years old, so it’s not like the Pistons were in a rush to give up on him. Hayes will earn $7,413,955 in his fourth season.

Stewart, the No. 16 overall pick in 2020, started all 71 of his games last season (25.6 MPG), averaging 8.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 1.1 BPG on .510/.326/.718 shooting. A tenacious offensive rebounder, Stewart will earn $5,266,713 in year four, making him a relative bargain.

Bey, the No. 19 overall pick in 2020, appeared and started in all 82 games (33.0 MPG) for Detroit in ’21/22, averaging 16.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 2.8 APG on .396/.346/.827 shooting. He had a memorable 51-point outburst in a win over Orlando in March and will make $4,556,983 in the final season of his rookie deal.

Nuggets Sign Grant Golden To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 26th, 2022 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have filled their 20-man roster by signing undrafted rookie forward Grant Golden to an Exhibit 10 contract, a source tells Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link).

Golden, who spent his entire college career at Richmond, averaged 13.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 2.9 APG on .506/.280/.706 shooting in 37 games (27.6 MPG) as a “super senior” in 2021/22. After going undrafted, the 6’10” forward played for the Hawks’ Summer League team in Las Vegas, logging limited minutes in four appearances.

Golden will take the spot on the Nuggets’ roster that opened up when the team waived Justin Tillman. It’s unclear whether he’ll be a full participant in training camp or whether his time under contract in Denver will be more short-lived.

Signing Golden to an Exhibit 10 contract ensures that the Nuggets will have his G League rights and means he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived and subsequently spends at least 60 days with Denver’s NBAGL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold.

PJ Dozier Signs With Timberwolves

September 26th, 2022 at 11:35am CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 26: The Timberwolves have officially signed Dozier, finalizing their training camp roster, the team announced in a press release.

SEPTEMBER 17: Free agent swingman PJ Dozier is signing a contract with the Timberwolves, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

The former Nuggets wing tore his ACL in December. He was cleared for full basketball activities in mid-June.

Noted for his defense, Dozier emerged as a key reserve for Denver in recent years, appearing in 97 games from 2019-21. He averaged 6.7 PPG and 3.1 RPG on .408/.321/.676 shooting in 19.0 minutes per contest.

After Dozier was injured, he was traded from the Nuggets to the Celtics in January, then to the Magic at the February trade deadline. Orlando waived him shortly after acquiring him, making him an unrestricted free agent.

New Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly is naturally quite familiar with Dozier since he was Denver’s top exec up until this offseason.

Minnesota already had 19 players on its roster — 12 with fully guaranteed salaries, three with partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed standard contracts, two on Exhibit 10 deals, and two more on two-way pacts. Dozier will fill the 20th spot for now.

Terms of Dozier’s contract were not disclosed, but it’s likely to be a non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contract, giving him the opportunity to fight for a spot on the 15-man opening day roster.

Kostas Antetokounmpo Joins Bulls On Training Camp Deal

September 26th, 2022 at 10:48am CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 26: The Bulls have officially announced their 20-man camp roster and Antetokounmpo is on it, signaling that his deal with the team is now official.

SEPTEMBER 18: The Bulls will sign Kostas Antetokounmpo to a training camp contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Antetokounmpo will be given a chance to compete for a two-way roster spot, sources tell Charania. Those slots are currently filled by Justin Lewis, who recently suffered a torn ACL, and Malcolm Hill.

Antetokounmpo, 24, hopes to return to the NBA after spending last season with the French team ASVEL in the EuroLeague. After being selected with the final pick in the 2018 draft, he earned two-way contracts with the Mavericks and Lakers and won a championship ring in 2020. Antetokounmpo appeared in 22 total games over three seasons, averaging 1.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in four minutes per night.

Chicago has an open spot remaining on its 20-man offseason roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to add Antetokounmpo.