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Blazers Waive Devontae Cacok, Wes Iwundu, Brandon Williams

October 7th, 2022 at 2:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers have opened up three spots on their 20-man preseason roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived forward Devontae Cacok, swingman Wes Iwundu, and guard Brandon Williams.

Cacok and Iwundu had been on non-guaranteed training camp contracts, while Williams was on a two-way deal. Portland now has 17 players under contract — 14 on standard guaranteed deals and three on Exhibit 10 pacts. That means both of the Blazers’ two-way slots are now up for grabs.

Cacok, who will celebrate his 26th birthday on Saturday, has appeared in 36 total NBA games, including 15 for the Spurs last season. His contract included Exhibit 10 language, but since Portland doesn’t have a G League team, Cacok won’t have the option of reporting to the Blazers’ affiliate and earning a $50K bonus.

Iwundu, who had been vying for a spot on the Blazers’ 15-man roster, has played in 226 total NBA games, though he only appeared in three last season while on a 10-day contract with Atlanta.

Williams, whose two-year, two-way contract began last February, averaged 12.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 3.1 RPG in 24 games (26.7 MPG) for Portland down the stretch. He shot just 37.2% from the field, including 29.2% on threes.

All three players will clear waivers on Sunday, assuming they go unclaimed.

Trail Blazers Exercise 2023/24 Option For Keon Johnson

October 6th, 2022 at 2:55pm CST by Rory Maher

2:55pm: The Blazers have officially picked up Johnson’s option, per the team.

2:12pm: The Trail Blazers are exercising their third-year team option on guard Keon Johnson, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Johnson’s $2,808,720 salary for the 2023/24 season will now be guaranteed.

The No. 21 overall pick of last year’s draft after one season at Tennessee, Johnson was technically drafted by the Knicks, who traded his rights to the Clippers for No. 25 overall pick Quentin Grimes and a 2024 second-rounder (via Detroit). Johnson was later sent to Portland in February as part of the deal that saw Robert Covington and Norman Powell head to Los Angeles.

An explosive athlete who broke the combine records for both the standing vertical (41.5 inches) and max vertical leap last year (48 inches), Johnson didn’t see much playing time as a rookie for the Clippers, appearing in just 15 games for a total of 135 minutes. However, he got more playing time for the Blazers who went in full-blown tank mode after injuries to Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic decimated the roster, averaging 9.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.9 APG and 1.0 SPG in 22 games (25.5 MPG).

Many talent evaluators thought Johnson would be a top-10 pick last year but he wound up falling mostly due to concerns about his shooting and overall skill level. He struggled mightily with his shot in ’21/22, posting an overall slash line of .353/.340/.804 (.453 true shooting percentage).

With Lillard and Simons back healthy, and the additions of Josh Hart (trade deadline), Gary Payton II (free agent) and Shaedon Sharpe (No. 7 overall pick in June), Johnson might struggle to crack Portland’s rotation in year two.

Hornets Sign Xavier Sneed To Exhibit 10 Contract

October 6th, 2022 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets are signing veteran free agent forward Xavier Sneed to an Exhibit 10 contract, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).

Sneed, 24, went undrafted out of Kansas State in 2020 and has since played a regular role for the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate. His solid play in the NBAGL earned him a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies last December and a two-way deal with Utah in February. Sneed appeared in nine games with the two teams last season at the NBA level, logging just 39 total minutes.

While Sneed’s two-way contract with the Jazz included a second season, Utah opted to waive him last month. Based on his new agreement with the Hornets, it seems likely that Sneed will head back to Greensboro as a returning rights player this season — his Exhibit 10 deal will put him in line for a bonus worth up to $50K on top of his G League salary if he spends at least 60 days with the Swarm.

As we noted earlier today, the Hornets have waived camp invitee Isaiah Whaley, so they have an open spot on their 20-man preseason roster for Sneed.

Hornets Waive Isaiah Whaley

October 6th, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have waived rookie forward Isaiah Whaley, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The move opens up a spot on Charlotte’s 20-man preseason roster.

Whaley signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Hornets this offseason after going undrafted out of UConn. In five seasons with the Huskies, he appeared in a total of 138 games for the Huskies, including 32 in 2021/22, when he averaged 7.7 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 28.5 MPG as a full-time starter.

Although Whaley wasn’t a major offensive threat at UConn, he earned a reputation as a talented defender. He averaged 2.4 blocks per contest across his final two college seasons, and was the co-winner of the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021.

Whaley will likely be headed for the Greensboro Swarm – Charlotte’s G League team – as an affiliate player after being waived by the Hornets. He’ll earn a $50K bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the Swarm.

Jalen Crutcher, Jaylen Sims, and Anthony Duruji remain on the Hornets’ roster on Exhibit 10 deals. They could be in the mix for the team’s open two-way slot.

Rockets To Exercise 2023/24 Options On Four Players

October 5th, 2022 at 7:12pm CST by Rory Maher

The Rockets plan to exercise their third-year team options on all four of their 2021 first-round draft picks, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). The four players, whose salaries are set to be guaranteed for 2023/24, are Jalen Green ($9,891,480), Alperen Sengun ($3,536,280), Usman Garuba ($2,588,400) and Josh Christopher ($2,485,200).

As Feigen writes, it’s normally a formality that teams pick up the rookie scale options after first-rounders have played one season, but exercising Garuba’s after an injury-played campaign limited him to 24 appearances in ’21/22 was a little less certain. However, the No. 23 overall pick of 2021 had a strong offseason and training camp and showcased solid play at EuroBasket, helping Spain win the gold medal, Feigen notes.

Green, the No. 2 overall pick last year, averaged 17.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 2.6 APG on .426/.343/.797 shooting in 67 games (31.9 MPG). The 20-year-old had a slow start in ’21/22 but an excellent second half, averaging 22.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 3.2 APG on .476/.387/.756 shooting in 24 games (34.6 MPG) after the All-Star break. He was named to the All-Rookie First Team.

Sengun, who is set to become a full-time starter in ’22/23, had a productive rookie season on a per-minute basis but struggled with fouls, which is typical for young big men. The Turkish center averaged 9.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.8 SPG and 0.9 BPG on .474/.258/.711 shooting in 72 games (13 starts, 20.7 MPG). He was the No. 16 overall selection.

Christopher, the No. 24 overall pick of last year’s draft, also had a solid rookie campaign, averaging 7.9 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 2.0 APG on .448/.296/.735 shooting in 74 games (18.0 MPG). The combo guard is looking to improve as a decision-maker entering year two.

Kings Pick Up Davion Mitchell’s Option For 2023/24

October 5th, 2022 at 5:53pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings have picked up their 2023/24 team option for guard Davion Mitchell, tweets Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Mitchell will earn a guaranteed $5,063,640 in ’23/24, his third season.

The No. 9 overall pick in 2021 after helping Baylor win the NCAA Tournament, Mitchell had a big role as a rookie, averaging 11.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG and 4.2 APG on .418/.316/.659 shooting in 75 games (19 starts, 27.7 MPG). He ranked 10th among rookies in both PPG and MPG, and fifth in APG, the team noted in its press release (Twitter link via James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com).

A talented defensive player, Mitchell also posted a solid 2.75-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in ’21/22. He is part of a revamped backcourt that includes De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk, with the latter two being offseason acquistions (via trade and free agency, respectively).

The Kings are trying to break their 16-season playoff drought, which is an NBA record. They have some talented players on the roster to aid in that effort, including the aforementioned backcourt rotation, this year’s No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray, veteran Harrison Barnes, and two-time All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis.

Warriors Sign Ty Jerome, Anthony Lamb To Camp Deals

October 5th, 2022 at 2:22pm CST by Rory Maher

OCTOBER 5: Lamb’s deal is also now official, the Warriors announced (via Twitter).

OCTOBER 4: Jerome’s deal is now official, according to the Warriors (Twitter link). As we noted on Monday, McClung and Trevion Williams have been waived to create room on the roster for the incoming players.

OCTOBER 3: The Warriors are waiving Mac McClung in order to sign Ty Jerome to a training camp deal once he clears waivers later today, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).

Golden State will also sign Anthony Lamb to a training camp contract and he’ll be given a chance to compete for a roster spot, sources tell Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The team will have to waive another player to make room for Lamb, as the 20-man roster is currently full.

The 24th pick of the 2019 draft, Jerome spent his rookie season with the Suns before being sent to the Thunder as part of the Chris Paul trade. He spent the last two seasons with Oklahoma City, but was part of the eight-player deal that sent Derrick Favors to Houston, and was subsequently waived by the Rockets.

Jerome, a 6’5″ guard who helped Virginia win an NCAA championship in 2018/19, averaged a combined 8.6 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 2.6 RPG on .410/.353/.790 shooting with in 81 games with the Thunder (19.6 MPG). Slater and Charania reported on Sunday that the Warriors were talking to Jerome about joining the defending champions on a camp deal.

Lamb went undrafted out of Vermont in 2020 and signed a two-way contract with the Rockets during the ’20/21 season, appearing in 24 games (17.3 MPG) while averaging 5.5 PPG and 2.9 RPG on .390/.324/.857 shooting. He spent most of last season in the G League with Houston’s affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, averaging 17.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 4.8 APG and 1.3 BPG on .466/.390/.757 shooting in 31 regular season games (34.4 MPG).

The 24-year-old wing made two brief appearances with the Spurs on a 10-day hardship deal in January and Houston gave him another two-way contract at the end of March, but didn’t extend him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. Lamb most recently competed with Team USA at the Americup tournament, finishing in third place after falling to Argentina, the eventual champions, in the semifinal.

McClung was an undrafted rookie in 2021. He signed a couple of 10-day hardship contracts with the Bulls in December and January, but only appeared in one NBA game for just three minutes. He also played one game for the Lakers at the end of his rookie season on a two-way deal, but wasn’t extended a qualifying offer.

The 23-year-old guard spent the majority of last season in the G League with the Lakers’ affiliate, South Bay, where he was named NBAGL Rookie of the Year. He appeared in Summer League action for the Warriors a few months ago, averaging 13.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 4.8 APG and 1.0 SPG on .456/.500/.818 shooting in five games (24.4 MPG), per RealGM.

Golden State has 14 players on guaranteed contracts after the return of Andre Iguodala and is expected to keep its 15th slot open due to luxury tax concerns. Jerome and Lamb are likely competing for two-way contracts, and those are currently held by Lester Quinones and Quinndary Weatherspoon.

Clippers Sign Malik Fitts, Nate Darling

October 5th, 2022 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have signed forward Malik Fitts and guard Nate Darling, the team announced on Wednesday. Terms of the deals weren’t disclosed, but they’re likely non-guaranteed training camp contracts with Exhibit 10 language included.

Fitts, 25, spent time in 2020/21 with the Clippers and their G League affiliate after going undrafted out of Saint Mary’s. Last season, he appeared in 15 total games for Utah and Boston, but played a very minimal role for both teams, logging just 63 total minutes. After finishing the season with the Celtics, Fitts had a non-guaranteed salary for ’22/23, but was traded to Indiana in the Malcolm Brogdon deal and was subsequently waived by the Pacers.

Darling, meanwhile, went undrafted out of Delaware in 2020 and spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with Charlotte, appearing in seven games for the Hornets. Last season, he was a fixture in the backcourt for the Clippers’ G League team, averaging 17.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 3.1 APG in 31 NBAGL appearances (32.4 MPG).

Both Fitts and Darling look like good bets to be waived before opening night and eventually join the Ontario Clippers in the G League. It’s also possible one or both will be in the mix for L.A.’s open two-way slot.

The Clippers, who made three cuts on Tuesday, now have 19 players on their training camp roster.

Nets Waive Brandon Rachal

October 5th, 2022 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have waived guard Brandon Rachal, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. Because the move was technically completed on Monday, Rachal is on track to clear waivers later today, assuming he goes unclaimed.

Rachal, who went undrafted out of Tulsa in 2021, spent his first professional season with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate. He averaged 13.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.8 SPG in 28 appearances (27.3 MPG), posting a shooting line of .542/.233/.569.

Since the Nets already held Rachal’s NBAGL rights, the purpose of signing him to an Exhibit 10 deal and then waiving him was presumably to ensure that he receives a $50K bonus for returning to Long Island this season and spending at least 60 days with the G League club.

Brooklyn has one open spot on its 20-man training camp roster.

Bulls Exercise Patrick Williams’ Option For 2023/24

October 5th, 2022 at 7:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have picked up their 2023/24 team option on forward Patrick Williams, according to RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions.

The move locks in the cap hit for the fourth year of Williams’ rookie scale contract, ensuring that his $9,835,881 salary for the ’23/24 season will be guaranteed. He had already been assured of receiving his $7,775,400 salary for the coming ’22/23 season.

Williams, 21, missed most of last season while recovering from wrist surgery. He appeared in a total of 17 regular season games, averaging 9.0 PPG and 4.1 RPG on .529/.517/.732 shooting in 24.8 minutes per contest.

Further development and growth for Williams could be crucial for the Bulls as they look to build on last year’s 46-win season. The former fourth overall pick is one of the team’s most talented defenders and has the potential to be a two-way force if he continues to improve.

With his fourth-year option now exercised, Williams will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2023 offseason.