Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers’ Russell Westbrook Picks Up Option For 2022/23

June 29th, 2022 at 6:15am CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 29: Westbrook has officially exercised his option, according to RealGM’s transactions log.

JUNE 28: Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook will exercise the player option on his contract for 2022/23, according to reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links). The move, which had long been expected, will lock in Westbrook’s $47,063,478 salary for next season.

Acquired by the Lakers during the 2022 offseason, Westbrook was meant to be the final piece of a Big Three that would lead L.A. back to title contention. However, as fellow stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis battled injuries, Westbrook struggled to fit in with his new team.

Westbrook’s scoring average (18.5 PPG) was his lowest mark since 2009/10, and his 29.8% shooting percentage on three-point attempts was below his career rate. Although Westbrook started all 78 games he played for the Lakers, the team was more effective when he was off the court (-1.6 net rating) than when he was on it (-4.0).

Westbrook’s up-and-down performance was far from the only factor in the Lakers’ disappointing season, but it negatively impacted his value, making it a lock that he would opt into the final year of his maximum-salary contract rather than trying his luck on the open market.

It also makes the 33-year-old an unlikely trade candidate, since L.A. would have to attach assets and/or take on unwanted long-term contracts to move his $47MM+ salary, though the team will likely reassess its options on the trade market now that he is officially opting in.

New head coach Darvin Ham and general manager Rob Pelinka have both spoken about Westbrook returning to the Lakers next season and embracing a defense-first philosophy, suggesting that the organization is hopeful Ham can connect with Westbrook and get more out of him than former head coach Frank Vogel did.

Westbrook is now on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2023.

Kings Exercise Trey Lyles’ Team Option

June 29th, 2022 at 6:10am CST by Rory Maher

JUNE 29: The Kings have officially picked up Lyles’ option, per RealGM’s transactions log.

JUNE 28: The Kings are expected to exercise Trey Lyles‘ $2.625MM team option for 2022/23, a league source tells James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat (Twitter link).

The 12th overall pick of the 2015 draft, Lyles has bounced between five different teams in his seven NBA seasons, and never really lived up to his status as a former lottery pick. However, he had arguably his best overall season in ’21/22, averaging 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds on .466/.321/.802 shooting across 75 games (20.5 minutes) split between Detroit and Sacramento, so picking up his modest team option was likely an easy decision for the Kings.

Lyles, 26, appeared in 24 games for the Kings last season, including 20 starts, posting a very respectable .489/.365/.851 shooting slash line. He also got to the line at a career-best rate, averaging 3.2 attempts per game on the season in a fairly limited role.

Lyles was part of the trade that sent Marvin Bagley III to the Pistons and Donte DiVincenzo to the Kings at the trade deadline in February. Bagley received a qualifying offer from Detroit earlier today, making him a restricted free agent, but we’re still awaiting word on whether Sacramento plans to tender DiVincenzo a QO.

Sacramento drafted Keegan Murray with the fourth overall pick of the draft last week, and the Kings have Harrison Barnes for the other forward spot, so Lyles is likely to be in a reserve role next season. Given his age and solid production, the power forward should be a decent depth piece as the team attempts to break its long streak of missing out on the postseason.

Lyles will be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 once the Kings officially pick up the option.

Bulls Center Tony Bradley Opts In For 2022/23

June 29th, 2022 at 6:09am CST by Dana Gauruder

JUNE 29: Bradley’s opt-in is official, according to RealGM’s transactions log.

JUNE 28: Bulls center Tony Bradley is exercising his $2MM player option for next season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Bradley’s decision has some cap implications, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains (Twitter link). Chicago now has 11 players on guaranteed contracts totaling $103MM.

However, Zach LaVine‘s $29.25MM cap hold moves the Bulls over the salary cap threshold. Assuming LaVine re-signs on a maximum-salary deal, the Bulls would have the full $10.5MM mid-level exception available, but using all of it would likely push them into luxury tax territory.

Bradley’s exact opt-in salary is $2,036,318, less than the projected minimum of $2,104,726 he could receive if he declines the option and signs a new deal. That suggests Bradley wasn’t confident about receiving another guaranteed contract in free agency.

Bradley, who entered the league during the 2017/18 season, appeared in 55 regular season games last season, including seven starts. He averaged 3.0 PPG and 3.4 RPG in 10.0 MPG.

Clippers Sign Ivica Zubac To Three-Year Extension

June 28th, 2022 at 8:37pm CST by Luke Adams

8:37pm: The Clippers have officially announced their extension with Zubac, issuing a press release to confirm the move.

“For four seasons, Zu has been a pillar of our team, durable and dependable,” president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “He does whatever is needed: setting screens, rolling to the rim, anchoring the interior of the defense. He is a reliable teammate and a consistent pro, just entering the prime of his career. We are excited to continue growing with him.”

4:12pm: The Clippers and Ivica Zubac have agreed to a contract extension that will cover the next three years and will be worth $33MM, agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

The Clippers held a team option on Zubac for the 2022/23 season worth $7,518,518, but will decline that option as part of the extension agreement, Wojnarowski reports.

The new deal, which will run through the 2024/25 season, won’t include any options, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).

Zubac, 25, was the Clippers’ starting center in 2021/22, appearing in a career-high 76 games and starting all of them. He also established new career highs in PPG (10.3), RPG (8.5), APG (1.6), and BPG (1.0) in 24.4 minutes per contest.

Zubac will be the second Clippers player to receive an extension between the end of the regular season and the start of the NBA’s 2022/23 league year, joining Robert Covington.

Los Angeles now has more than $171MM in guaranteed money on its books for next season without accounting for their reported agreement with John Wall – rumored to be worth the taxpayer mid-level exception – or possible new deals for free agents like Nicolas Batum, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Amir Coffey. The team’s tax bill projects to be worth at least $80MM, assuming a taxpayer MLE contract for Wall, tweets Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype, and that number could continue to grow.

Zubac won’t be eligible to be traded for six months once he officially signs the extension, since it exceeds the extend-and-trade limits.

Pistons To Decline Options On Garza, Edwards

June 28th, 2022 at 4:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons will not pick up the team options of center Luka Garza and guard Carsen Edwards, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets.

The option on Garza, a second-r0und pick last season, is worth $1,563,518. The option figure for Edwards, who joined the Pistons late last season, is $1,815,677.

Edwards also confirms that Detroit will decline the $3,150,000 option on Frank Jackson‘s contract, which he previously reported was likely.

Technically, Detroit could make Garza and Edwards restricted free agents by extending qualifying offers, but that’s unlikely given the team could have retained either player at a low-cost figure. The Pistons are projected to have more cap space than any other team in free agency and these moves open up a little more room to make a splash.

Garza, who starred at Iowa, appeared in 32 games (five starts) last season, averaging 5.8 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 12.2 MPG. The addition of lottery pick Jalen Duren increased the possibility that Garza would be let go.

Edwards spent the bulk of last season in the G League before appearing in four games with Detroit in April.

Sixers Pick Up Shake Milton’s Team Option

June 28th, 2022 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 28: The Sixers have officially exercised Milton’s team option, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com.

JUNE 15: The Sixers are expected to exercise their team option on Shake Milton for 2022/23, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). If and when it’s officially picked up, the option will lock in Milton’s $1,997,718 salary for next season.

The 54th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Milton has spent his first four NBA seasons in Philadelphia and has been a regular contributor for the last three years. After averaging 13.0 PPG and 3.1 APG on .450/.350/.830 shooting in 63 games (23.2 MPG) in 2020/21, Milton took a step backward this past season, as his numbers dipped to 8.2 PPG and 2.5 APG on .429/.323/.836 shooting.

Still, based on his NBA résumé to date, Milton is a relative bargain on what is essentially a minimum-salary contract. So it came as a bit of a surprise when Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote earlier today of a belief around the league that the 76ers would decline his ’22/23 option. Scotto’s report suggests that belief is misguided.

Pompey’s story was especially perplexing because declining Milton’s option would make him ineligible to be traded outside of a sign-and-trade structure, and Pompey’s sources indicated the team has been gauging the 25-year-old’s value on the trade market. Milton would be trade-eligible once his option is officially exercised.

Team option decisions for 2022/23 are due by June 29. Our tracker can be found right here.

Hornets Pick Up Jalen McDaniels’ 2022/23 Option

June 28th, 2022 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have exercised their team option on forward Jalen McDaniels for the 2022/23 season, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The option is worth $1,930,681.

The decision doesn’t technically lock in that $1.93MM salary for McDaniels, since his contract remains non-guaranteed even with the option picked up. But as long as the 24-year-old remains under contract through August 1, he’ll receive his full guarantee.

A former second-round pick, McDaniels has emerged as a regular part of Charlotte’s rotation over the last two seasons. He has averaged 6.7 PPG and 3.3 RPG on .476/.357/.721 shooting in 102 games (17.6 MPG) during that time.

Assuming McDaniels plays out the ’22/23 season on his current deal, he’ll become eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.

While the Hornets have no other outstanding player or team option decisions looming, the club will have some decisions to make on players without fully guaranteed contracts. Like McDaniels, big man Nick Richards has a non-guaranteed salary ($1.78MM) for next season, while only $5MM of Kelly Oubre‘s $12.6MM salary is guaranteed.

Pistons Exercise Diallo’s Option, Likely To Decline Jackson’s

June 28th, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 28, 9:03am: The Pistons have officially exercised Diallo’s option in advance of today’s deadline, tweets Smith.

JUNE 27, 8:48am: The Pistons will likely pick up their team option on wing Hamidou Diallo for the 2022/23 season, sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). Exercising that option would lock in Diallo’s $5.2MM salary for ’22/23.

After spending the first two-and-a-half seasons of his career in Oklahoma City, Diallo has emerged as a regular part of the Pistons’ rotation since being traded to Detroit at the 2021 deadline. In 2021/22, he averaged 11.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 1.2 SPG on .496/.247/.650 shooting in 58 games (21.9 MPG).

While turning down Diallo’s option would help the Pistons maximize their cap room, the team likes his athleticism and versatility, and his $5.2MM option salary isn’t exorbitant. Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) estimates Detroit would still have over $40MM in cap space even with Diallo on the books.

While Diallo’s option looks like a good bet to be exercised, the Pistons are unlikely to pick up Frank Jackson‘s team option, according to Edwards and Will Guillory of The Athletic. That option would pay Jackson a $3.15MM salary for 2022/23.

A 2017 second-round pick who is still just 24 years old, Jackson appeared in 53 games for Detroit this past season, averaging a career-high 10.6 points in 22.0 minutes per contest. However, his efficiency numbers (.402 FG%, .308 3PT%) left something to be desired.

Jackson would become an unrestricted free agent if the Pistons decline his option.

The Pistons must officially finalize decisions on Diallo’s and Jackson’s options, as well as Luka Garza‘s team option, by Tuesday. The deadline for Carsen Edwards‘ team option is Wednesday.

David McCormack To Sign Exhibit 10 Deal With Timberwolves

June 28th, 2022 at 7:46am CST by Luke Adams

Undrafted Kansas big man David McCormack has agreed to join the Timberwolves for summer league and training camp, agent Gary Durrant tells Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Zac Boyer of KUSports.com confirms McCormack will be signing an Exhibit 10 contract.

McCormack, a member of the Jayhawks’ championship team this year, spent all four of his college seasons at Kansas, starting 96 of 132 total games. In 2021/22, he averaged 10.6 PPG and 7.0 RPG in 40 contests (21.9 MPG).

McCormack had some big games during the Jayhawks’ NCAA tournament run, putting up 25 points and nine rebounds in the team’s Final Four victory over Villanova, then registering a double-double (15 points and 10 rebounds) in the championship game vs. UNC.

Speaking to Boyer, McCormack said he chose the Timberwolves over offers from other NBA teams because he believes he’ll fit well in their system and he felt comfortable with the club when he worked out in Minnesota last month.

An Exhibit 10 contract is a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract that can be converted into a two-way deal before the regular season begins. If a player on an Exhibit 10 is waived and becomes an affiliate player for his team’s G League squad – in this case, the Iowa Wolves – he’s eligible to receive a bonus worth up to $50K.

Minnesota also reportedly reached an Exhibit 10 agreement with forward Phillip Wheeler.

Kyrie Irving Opts In To Final Year Of Contract

June 27th, 2022 at 10:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

10:30pm: Irving has officially opted in, according to RealGM’s transactions log.

5:50pm: Kyrie Irving has decided to opt in to his contract for 2022/23, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. By exercising the $36.9MM option, Irving is bypassing multiple opt-in-and-trade scenarios in order to fulfill his four-year commitment to the Nets and Kevin Durant, according to Charania (Twitter links).

Irving is entering the final year of his four-year, $136.5MM deal.

“Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow,” Irving said in a statement. “I’ve made my decision to opt in. See you in the fall. A11even.”

By exercising his option, Irving is now both extension- and trade-eligible, though it doesn’t sounds as if either is happening in coordination with the opt-in. The seven-time All-Star will remain extension-eligible up until next June 30 and could tack on up to four years to his expiring deal.

If Irving signs an extension exceeding two years, he would become ineligible to be traded for the next six months; if he’s traded, he would be ineligible to sign an extension longer than two years for the next six months.

Irving’s contract option technically has a base value of about $36.5MM, but the cap hit is $36.9MM due to likely incentives, and it can go as high as $37.7MM if he reaches all his incentives.

The opt-in closes the door on the possibility of Irving of taking a massive pay cut and signing with a new team, such as the Lakers, for the mid-level exception. However, it’s unlikely the drama surrounding Kyrie will end any time soon — since he’s now on track for unrestricted free agency in 2023, he could reemerge as a trade candidate within the next year if he and the Nets don’t agree to an extension.

The Nets, who were reportedly unwilling to offer Irving a long-term contract, have been playing hardball in negotiations with the 30-year-old and essentially threw it in his lap to find a viable sign-and-trade scenario. He was unable to do so, which has led him to exercising the option, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Irving had until 5:00 pm ET on Wednesday to officially make a decision on that option.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Lakers were the only team willing to engage in serious sign-and-trade talks with Brooklyn and they lacked attractive pieces to ship back to the Nets in a potential deal.

With Irving’s future up in the air during the last week, multiple reports indicated that Durant was also mulling his options. But with Irving seemingly on track to return to the Nets for next season, Durant presumably won’t be looking for an exit ramp out of Brooklyn.