Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Keldon Johnson Signs Four-Year Extension With Spurs

July 18th, 2022 at 3:14pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 18: The Spurs have officially announced Johnson’s new deal, issuing a press release to confirm the move.

JULY 15: Keldon Johnson is signing a four-year, $80MM extension with the Spurs, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Johnson was the 29th pick of the 2019 draft. As a former first-round pick entering his fourth season, he was eligible for a rookie scale extension, and he has agreed to a lucrative deal to remain with San Antonio.

Johnson spent most of his rookie season in the G League, but emerged as a potential building block during the team’s run in the Orlando bubble. He started to put things together nicely during his second season in 2020/21, showing glimpses of upside while averaging 12.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 1.8 APG on .479/.331/.740 shooting in 69 games (28.5 MPG).

The 22-year-old was one of San Antonio’s best players last season, appearing in 75 games (31.9 MPG) with averages of 17.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 2.1 APG on .466/.398/.756 shooting. Nicknamed “Big Body” for his strong frame and hard drives to the rim, Johnson showed improvement as an outside shooter in ’21/22, with his three-point percentage increasing by nearly seven percent.

The young small forward figures to see an increased role during the upcoming season after All-Star Dejounte Murray was traded to the Hawks for first-round picks.

For the sake of comparison, Johnson’s extension is in between what a couple of other small forwards received for their rookie extensions: OG Anunoby got $72MM over four years from the Raptors in 2020 (the last year being a player option), while Mikal Bridges received $90MM over four years from the Suns last summer. Johnson hasn’t been the defender that either of those two were through their third seasons, but he’s been a more productive offensive player — part of that is due to opportunity, but he’s still a talented player with plenty of room for improvement.

Johnson’s extension will kick in during the ’23/24 season. As our extension tracker shows, he is the first player to receive a rookie scale extension that isn’t a maximum-salary deal.

Bucks Sign Pat Connaughton To Three-Year Extension

July 18th, 2022 at 3:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

JULY 18: Connaughton’s extension is now official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

The deal has matching annual cap hits of $9,423,869, for a three-year total of $28,271,607, Hoops Rumors has learned. As noted below, the final year is a player option.

JULY 12: The Bucks and swingman Pat Connaughton are finalizing a three-year contract extension, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The deal will lock up Connaughton through the 2025/26 season.

The extension will be worth $28.5MM and includes a player option, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who tweets that the two sides have reached an agreement.

Last month, Connaughton chose to put off free agency by opting in to the last year of his current contract. He’ll make $5,728,393 next season.

His option decision was somewhat surprising at the time but an extension was apparently already in the works. He was eligible to sign a contract extension for up to four years and approximately $58MM after opting in, so Milwaukee managed to secure his services for a lesser amount.

Connaughton, 29, had the best season of his seven-year career in 2021/22, averaging 9.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in 65 appearances (26.0 MPG). He also established new career highs in three-pointers per game (2.2) while knocking them down at a 39.5% clip.

Celtics Sign Mfiondu Kabengele To Two-Way Deal

July 16th, 2022 at 9:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

9:45pm: The signing is official, the Celtics announced in a press release.

9:29pm: Center Mfiondu Kabengele will sign a two-way contract with the Celtics, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

Kabengele, 24, earned the opportunity with a strong showing for Boston’s Summer League team. He averaged 14.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in five games in Las Vegas while shooting 58.7% from the field.

The Canadian big man was taken with the 27th pick in the 2019 draft and spent his first season and a half with the Clippers. At the 2021 deadline, he was traded to the Kings, who immediately waived him, and finished the season with the Cavaliers.

Kabengele played last season with Rio Grande in the G League, averaging 17.5 points and 9.3 rebounds in 25 games. He could provide some front court depth for the Celtics, who sent Daniel Theis to the Pacers in the Malcolm Brogdon trade.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Signs Two-Year Extension With Nuggets

July 16th, 2022 at 8:59pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 16: Caldwell-Pope’s extension is now official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.

JULY 13: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is signing a two-year, $30MM extension with the Nuggets, with the second year being a player option, his agent Rich Paul tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, Caldwell-Pope was eligible for an extension despite recently being traded to Denver as long as the total length of the new contract did not exceed two years and the salary increase did not exceed 5%. He was on an expiring deal worth $14MM in 2022/23, so the extension will keep him under contract for at least one more season.

Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith were sent to the Nuggets from the Wizards in exchange for Monte Morris and Will Barton. Mike Singer of The Denver Post reported at the time of the deal that Denver had been targeting Caldwell-Pope for some time and had interest in retaining him beyond next season, which is now coming to fruition.

Singer notes (via Twitter) that the Nuggets had no intention of trading away two starters from last season unless the team was confident it could sign Caldwell-Pope to an extension.

Caldwell-Pope, known colloquially as KCP, had a solid first season with Washington in ’21/22, averaging 13.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.9 APG and 1.1 SPG on .435/.390/.890 shooting. The Nuggets reportedly value his championship experience and solid defense.

The 29-year-old shooting guard was the Lakers’ third-best player when they won the title in 2020 and has become a much more reliable outside shooter in recent years. At 6’5″, he’s capable of defending both guard positions and is also an active off-ball cutter, which should pair well with the incredible vision and passing of Nikola Jokic.

KCP’s skill set is always in-demand in the NBA because he doesn’t need the ball to be effective on offense and is a pretty good defender. The Nuggets, in particular, are always looking for role players in that mold to complement their stars, but he’d be a decent fit on most teams.

The Nuggets now project to have their entire starting lineup under contract through at least ’23/24. With the impending returns of Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray, plus the back-to-back MVP in Jokic, Denver has championship aspirations for the upcoming season.

Heat Sign Garrett, Days To Two-Way Deals; Waive Smart, Mulder

July 16th, 2022 at 12:36pm CST by JD Shaw

The Heat have signed Marcus Garrett and Darius Days to two-way contracts, the team announced in a press release. Miami had to waive Javonte Smart and Mychal Mulder to create space for Garrett and Days, who signed ahead of the club’s final summer league game.

Garrett, a defensive-minded guard, has impressed the Heat with his effort and athleticism. Miami signed him to a two-way contract after last year’s summer league, then waived the 23-year-old in January.

Days, 22, went undrafted this year after spending four seasons at LSU. He averaged 13.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in his senior year. At 6’7″ and 245 pounds, he possesses the size to play and defend multiple positions for Miami.

Days had been playing summer league with the Spurs, and a report last month indicated that he had reached an agreement to sign San Antonio. Either their deal was only for summer league, or Days decided to take a two-way offer from Miami over an Exhibit 10 contract from the Spurs.

Smart struggled during the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League, but he is only 23 years old. Mulder, 28, is a proven three-point specialist who shot 40% from deep with the Warriors in 2020/21.

The Heat remain in the hunt for Nets superstar Kevin Durant and Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, both of whom would require Miami to part with several young assets. The team appears eager to examine two young players as the possibility of a blockbuster deal looms.

Hawks Sign Second-Rounder Tyrese Martin

July 16th, 2022 at 10:10am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hawks have signed second-round draft pick Tyrese Martin, the team announced in a press release.

It’s a two-year contract, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.

Martin, the No. 51 overall pick, was acquired with a draft-night trade with the Warriors. Martin was dealt to Atlanta, along with cash considerations, in exchange for the draft rights to Ryan Rollins, the No. 44 pick.

Through four Summer League contests, the former UConn swingman is averaging 12.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 1.8 APG in 24.2 MPG. He had a game-high 21 points on 9-for-14 shooting from the floor in Atlanta’s 95-88 win over Miami on July 12.

Martin saw action in 29 games for the Huskies last season, averaging 13.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 1.9 APG in 32.1 MPG. He transferred to UConn following a two-year stint at Rhode Island.

Martin is the 14th Hawk to receive a standard contract for 2022/23.

Heat Sign Jamal Cain To Exhibit 10 Contract

July 15th, 2022 at 5:31pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat have signed undrafted rookie Jamal Cain, the team announced. According to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, Cain received an Exhibit 10 contract.

Cain spent four seasons with Marquette, averaging 5.2 PPG and 3.9 RPG in 18.3 MPG across 120 games (31 starts). After graduating, he transferred to Oakland University, where he had a breakout season in 2021/22.

The 6’7″ forward averaged 19.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 1.8 SPG on .499/.298/.841 shooting in 30 games (35 MPG) for Oakland, earning first-team All-Horizon honors and Horizon League Player of the Year. He’s appeared in three total games with the Heat’s Summer League squad, averaging 7.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 2.3 SPG.

As Jackson and Chiang detail, Cain had to isolate for six days in a San Francisco hotel after contracting COVID-19, causing him to miss some Summer League action. He said the Heat “like how I can guard multiple positions, the way I can defend, the way I can rebound, the way I can kind of be all over the floor. Just play to my strengths, trying to be athletic on the rim, trying to take advantage of mismatches and stuff like that.”

Cain has also spoken to Kendrick Nunn, a former Heat guard and Oakland University product, about his experience with Miami and what it takes to be successful there, per Jackson and Chiang.

While Cain is probably a long shot to earn a spot on Miami’s 15-man regular season roster, an Exhibit 10 contract can be converted to a two-way contract before the regular season begins. It also makes a player eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived before the season and then joins his team’s G League affiliate.

Jazz Add Johnny Juzang Via Two-Way Deal

July 15th, 2022 at 2:05pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

JULY 15: The Jazz have officially signed Juzang, the team announced.

JUNE 24: The Jazz will sign undrafted former UCLA wing Johnny Juzang to a two-way deal, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

Following a 2019/20 freshman season with Kentucky, Juzang transferred to his hometown UCLA. While with the Bruins, the 6’6″ swingman was named Second-Team All-Pac-12 in 2021 and First-Team All-Pac 12 in 2022. For his contributions to UCLA’s NCAA Final Four run in 2021, Juzang was honored as an NCAA All-Tourney selection. The 21-year-old was also voted onto the All-American Third-Team during what wound up being his final collegiate season.

During his junior season, Juzang averaged 15.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 APG and 0.7 SPG through 30 games, including 29 starts. He posted a slash line of .432/.360/.835.

Utah went without a pick in this year’s draft.

Pacers Waive Duane Washington, Three Others

July 14th, 2022 at 7:18pm CST by Rory Maher

7:18pm: The four cuts are now official, according to a press release from the Pacers.

3:15pm: The Pacers are waiving Duane Washington and using the waive-and-stretch provision on Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan and Nik Stauskas in order to create the necessary cap space to sign Deandre Ayton to a maximum-salary offer sheet, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Washington, 22, went undrafted last year after three college seasons with Ohio State. He signed a two-way contract with the Pacers and had a productive rookie season, appearing in 48 games (20.2 MPG) while averaging 9.9 PPG, 1.7 RPG and 1.8 APG on .404/.377/.754 shooting. More than half of his field goal attempts came from beyond the arc.

Washington received a promotion at the end of the season when his two-way deal was converted to a standard contract, but his salary for next season was non-guaranteed. He and the team previously agreed to push back his guarantee date from July 6 until July 15, so he’ll be released one day in advance of that deadline.

Fitts, Morgan and Stauskas were all sent to Indiana for salary-matching purposes as part of the trade that saw Malcolm Brogdon head to Boston. Each of the three players received significant guarantees on their minimum-salary contracts in order to complete the trade, but obviously none of them were part of Indiana’s long-term plans.

The stretch provision allows teams to pay players they waive over multiple years. In this case, the three salaries will be spread out over three seasons, because they were all waived between July 1 and August 31 and only had one year on their contracts.

Of the four players being waived, Washington seems like the best bet to immediately find a new team, whether it’s via waiver claim or a new deal after clearing waivers. Despite being a rookie, he had the most productive season in 2021/22, even if it was due in part to Indiana’s disappointing season that saw the team finish with a 25-57 record.

Heat Sign Jamaree Bouyea To Exhibit 10 Contract

July 14th, 2022 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 14: Bouyea’s deal with the Heat is now official, the team announced in a press release.

JULY 13: The Heat will bring rookie free agent guard Jamaree Bouyea to training camp, where he’ll have a chance to compete for a roster spot, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link), Bouyea is signing an Exhibit 10 contract.

Bouyea wasn’t selected in the June 23 draft after spending five years at the University of San Francisco. In his last two college seasons, he averaged 17.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, and 1.7 SPG with a solid shooting line of .483/.368/.755 in 59 games (35.1 MPG).

After going undrafted, Bouyea has suited up for the Heat at both the California Classic Summer League and the Las Vegas Summer League.

While Bouyea is probably a long shot to earn a spot on Miami’s 15-man regular season roster, an Exhibit 10 contract can be converted to a two-way contract before the regular season begins. It also makes a player eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived before the season and then joins his team’s G League affiliate.