Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Paris Bass Signs 10-Day Deal With Suns

December 30th, 2021 at 8:46pm CST by Rory Maher

8:46pm: Bass has signed his 10-day contract with the Suns, agent Daniel Kazan tells Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Bass will be available for Friday’s contest versus the Celtics, Haynes adds.

6:44pm: The Suns plan to sign forward Paris Bass to a 10-day contract via the hardship exception, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Bass has been playing in the G League with the South Bay Lakers.

Bass was productive in 14 games with South Bay, averaging 17.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, and 1.1 SPG in 27.5 MPG. The 26-year-old spent two years in college with Detroit, putting up 18.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, and 1.4 BPG in 2015/16 (24 games).

Bass spent the past two seasons with Atleticos de San German in Puerto Rico, per RealGM.

Phoenix currently has four players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols: Deandre Ayton, Jae Crowder, Elfrid Payton, and Abdel Nader.

Nuggets Sign Davon Reed To Third 10-Day Hardship Deal

December 30th, 2021 at 8:33pm CST by Luke Adams

8:33pm: Reed’s third 10-day deal with the Nuggets is now official, the team announced. With three new Nuggets players entering the protocols today, Reed’s latest contract will again be completed using a COVID-related hardship exception.

10:13am: The Nuggets are signing guard Davon Reed to a third 10-day contract using a hardship exception, reports Mike Singer of The Denver Post. The deal is expected to be finalized on Thursday prior to Denver’s game against Golden State, says Singer.

Reed, the 32nd overall pick in the 2017 draft, had been out of the NBA for the last two seasons, but made a strong impression on the Nuggets during his first two 10-day deals with the team this month. In nine games (17.1 MPG), he averaged 5.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.2 SPG with a shooting line of .514/.438/.667.

Typically, a player is limited to no more than two 10-day contracts with the same team in a single season. However, it appears that rule has been adjusted for hardship signings.

It’s also worth noting that the Nuggets no longer have any players in the health and safety protocols, which has generally been what qualifies a team for a hardship signing in recent weeks. However, Denver has four players – Michael Porter, Jamal Murray, PJ Dozier, and Markus Howard – out with long-term injuries, which means the team is eligible for a traditional hardship exception unrelated to COVID-19.

In instances this season where hardship additions have been necessitated by players in the health and safety protocols, the NBA has allowed clubs to not have those 10-day deals count toward team salary for cap and tax purposes. As Singer tweets, it’s unclear whether or not that rule would apply to Reed’s third 10-day contract if he signs via injury hardship rather than COVID hardship.

Suns Sign M.J. Walker Via Hardship Exception

December 30th, 2021 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

4:57pm: The Suns have officially inked Walker to a 10-day deal, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (via Twitter).

11:55am: The Suns are signing swingman M.J. Walker to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Walker, 23, went undrafted out of Florida State earlier this year after averaging 12.2 PPG, 2.5 APG, and 2.5 RPG in 24 games (29.0 MPG) as a senior in 2020/21. He posted an impressive three-point shooting percentage of 42.3% and earned a spot on the All-ACC Second Team.

As a rookie this season, Walker has been playing for the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate. In 13 games (29.4 MPG), he has averaged 10.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 2.2 APG on .405/.411/.833 shooting.

The Suns currently have four players in the health and safety protocols after Elfrid Payton and Abdel Nader entered the protocols on Wednesday. Walker will be the team’s second hardship addition, joining Emanuel Terry.

Wizards Sign Jaime Echenique To 10-Day Deal

December 30th, 2021 at 4:13pm CST by Rory Maher

The Wizards have signed center Jaime Echenique to a 10-day contract via the hardship exception, the team announced.

The 6’11” big man has been playing for the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League affiliate. In 14 games with the club, Echenique has averaged 12.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. He also spent Summer League, preseason and training camp with the Wizards prior to being released.

Echenique spent the 2020/21 season in Spain with Acunsa GBC. In 18 games (20.3 minutes), he averaged 12.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks. He played his last two seasons of college ball with Wichita State.

As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington details, Echenique is now the first Colombian-born player in NBA history after receiving his first contract. He’s grateful for the opportunity the Wizards have given him. “It’s just been a dream come true to be in this position,” Echenique said. “I’ve been enjoying it. I’m grateful to God for the opportunity.”

Heat Signing Mario Chalmers To 10-Day Deal

December 30th, 2021 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are reuniting with an old friend, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who hears from agent Jerry Dianis that Mario Chalmers will return to the team on a 10-day hardship contract.

Chalmers, 35, spent the first seven-plus years of his NBA career in Miami from 2008-15 and won a pair of championships during that time. Across nine total NBA seasons, the veteran guard averaged 8.9 PPG and 3.7 APG on .417/.351/.793 shooting in 646 regular season games (26.7 MPG). He also appeared in 99 postseason contests for the Heat.

Chalmers hasn’t played in the NBA since 2018, but – as we reported earlier this month – he recently signed a G League contract in the hopes of getting back into the league. He appeared in two games for the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s G League affiliate, before catching on with the Heat.

Miami has reached a series of 10-day agreements this week after having been hit hard by injuries and COVID-19. The team officially signed Kyle Guy, Aric Holman, and Haywood Highsmith today and also has a deal lined up with Nik Stauskas.

If Stauskas and Chalmers officially sign within the next 24 hours or so, we could see them in action as soon as Friday night in Houston.

Bulls Sign Jordan Bell To 10-Day Contract

December 30th, 2021 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

DECEMBER 30: Bell’s 10-day deal with the Bulls is now official, according to the transactions log at NBA.com. It will run through January 8, covering Chicago’s next four games.

DECEMBER 29: The Bulls plan to sign big man Jordan Bell to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the team will use a hardship exception to complete the move.

Bell technically was a Bull once before, having been drafted by the team with the 38th overall pick in 2017 — his rights were quickly dealt to the Warriors on draft night in exchange for cash.

Since 2017, Bell has appeared in a total of 160 regular season games for Golden State, Minnesota, Memphis, and Washington, averaging 3.7 PPG and 3.1 RPG on 12.1 minutes per contest. He also played in 32 postseason games with the Warriors and won a title in 2018. The 26-year-old had been playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League this season, averaging 10.8 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 3.8 APG, and 1.6 BPG in nine games (28.6 MPG).

Perhaps no team has been hit harder in the last month by COVID-19 than the Bulls, who placed power forward Marko Simonovic in the health and safety protocols earlier today, per Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link).

Although Chicago only has five players in the protocols for the time being, nearly all the team’s players have been affected by COVID-19 at some point this month. As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets, Alex Caruso and Tyler Cook are the only players on the team’s standard 17-man roster who haven’t been in the protocols this season.

Heat Sign Haywood Highsmith To 10-Day Contract

December 30th, 2021 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

DECEMBER 30: Highsmith has officially signed his 10-day contract, the Heat announced in a press release. Miami also formally finalized their deals with Guy and Holman today.

DECEMBER 29: The Heat intend to sign forward Haywood Highsmith to a 10-day deal, agent Jerry Dianis tells our JD Shaw (Twitter link). The deal will be completed using a hardship exception.

Miami has been hit hard by injuries and COVID-19 as of late, resulting in a postponement of the team’s game in San Antonio on Wednesday. The Heat, who have already reportedly reached deals with Kyle Guy and Aric Holman, may need to continue adding replacement players to avoid risking any additional postponements.

Highsmith, who turned 25 earlier this month, had a brief stint with the Sixers in 2018/19, appearing in five games for the club on a two-way contract. He also spent the 2020/21 season in Germany, but has otherwise played mostly for the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s G League affiliate, since going pro in ’18.

In 12 games (27.8 MPG) for Delaware this season, Highsmith averaged 14.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 1.1 SPG with a shooting line of .472/.391/.737. He also played on USA Basketball’s 2023 World Cup qualifying team in November.

Nik Stauskas To Sign 10-Day Contract With Heat

December 30th, 2021 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Former lottery pick Nik Stauskas has an agreement in place with the Heat, who intend to sign him to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, league sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link).

The Raptors had a deal in place earlier this month to bring Stauskas aboard on a 10-day hardship deal, but it fell through when he didn’t pass the COVID-19 screening process. Now he’ll head to a Miami team that has been hit hard recently by both injuries and the coronavirus — the Heat had 12 players unavailable on Wednesday, resulting in their game in San Antonio being postponed.

Stauskas, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2014 draft, appeared in 335 regular season games from 2014-19 for the Kings, Sixers, Nets, Trail Blazers, and Cavaliers. He was a fairly reliable three-point threat (.353 3PT%) during that time, but didn’t show enough other skills to stick in the NBA.

After a brief stint overseas, Stauskas signed in the G League for the 2021 bubble and then returned to the NBAGL this season. In 12 games (38.3 MPG) in 2021/22 for the Grand Rapids Gold, the 28-year-old has recorded 21.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 4.4 APG on .429/.352/.915 shooting.

The Heat have already added Kyle Guy and Aric Holman on hardship contracts today and should be able to finalize their agreements with Stauskas and Haywood Highsmith before their game in Houston on Friday.

Pacers Sign Nate Hinton To 10-Day Deal

December 30th, 2021 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have officially signed guard Nate Hinton to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, the team announced today in a press release.

Hinton, 22, signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks during the 2020 offseason after going undrafted out of Houston. The 6’5″ shooting guard spent his rookie season in Dallas under coach Rick Carlisle, appearing in 21 games for the club, but only played limited minutes, averaging 2.0 PPG in 4.4 MPG.

Hinton saw more action at the G League level last season for the Santa Cruz Warriors, putting up 10.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 10 games (23.0 MPG). This season, he joined the Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and averaged 8.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 2.1 SPG in 14 contests (27.3 MPG).

Hinton is the first 10-day hardship signing for the Pacers, who placed Jeremy Lamb in the health and safety protocols on Wednesday.

Heat Officially Sign Kyle Guy, Aric Holman

December 30th, 2021 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have officially signed Kyle Guy and Aric Holman to 10-day deals using hardship exceptions, the team announced today in a press release. Both agreements were initially reported on Wednesday.

The 55th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Guy spent his first two NBA seasons on a two-way contract with Sacramento, but played a very limited role with the Kings, appearing in 34 games and averaging 2.7 PPG and 1.0 APG in 7.2 minutes per contest.

Guy has seen more action at the G League level, appearing in 37 games with the Stockton Kings as a rookie and 12 more games this season with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ G League affiliate. The 24-year-old has averaged 21.1 PPG, 4.6 APG, and 4.3 RPG on .421/.392/.758 shooting in 35.7 MPG over the course of his NBAGL career.

Holman, who went undrafted out of Mississippi State in 2019, played in Germany last season but has otherwise been in the G League since going pro. In 14 games (20.4 MPG) for Austin this season, the 24-year-old averaged 7.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.5 BPG on .463/.326/.250 shooting (that free-throw mark came on just four attempts).

In addition to adding Guy and Holman, Miami is expected to sign Haywood Highsmith to a 10-day contract soon. With 12 players unavailable on Wednesday, the Heat had their game in San Antonio postponed because they didn’t have the required minimum of eight players.

Guy, Holman, and Highsmith should get the Heat up to that minimum for Friday’s game in Houston, but the club is eligible to continue adding replacement players if it so chooses.