Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Sign Feron Hunt To Two-Way Deal

March 18th, 2022 at 12:39pm CST by Rory Maher

MARCH 18: The Knicks have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Hunt to a two-way contract.

MARCH 17: The Knicks plan to sign Feron Hunt of the G League to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

In order to sign Hunt, the Knicks have waived forward Luka Samanic, the team’s PR department tweets. Samanic is out for the remainder of the season with a left heel injury.

Hunt 22, went undrafted in 2021 after three collegiate seasons at SMU. He was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract by the Mavericks during training camp, but was waived before the season started. The 6’8″ forward signed a 10-day hardship deal with the Pelicans in December, but didn’t receive any NBA playing time.

Through 37 games (35.2 MPG) with the Texas Legends, Dallas’ affiliate, Hunt is averaging 17.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.1 BPG on .547/.361/.737 shooting.

Samanic was the 19th overall pick of the 2019 draft by the Spurs, who waived him in October of 2021, just before the season started. The 22-year-old Croatian appeared in 36 total games as a Spur, averaging 3.8 PPG and 2.2 RPG on .430/.294/.576 shooting in 9.9 MPG.

He caught on with the Knicks a handful of days later, signing a two-way contract. He hasn’t made an NBA appearance for New York and only played two games for its G League affiliate in Westchester, averaging 26.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG and 2.0 BPG on .524/.125/.667 shooting.

Marc Berman of The New York Post says (via Twitter) Samanic’s heel injury is plantar fasciitis, noting the young forward has only played once in the past nine weeks.

Pacers Sign Justin Anderson To 10-Day Deal

March 17th, 2022 at 11:07am CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 17: Anderson has officially signed with Indiana, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link).

MARCH 16: Justin Anderson will sign a 10-day contract with the Pacers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 28-year-old swingman had been playing for Indiana’s affiliate in Fort Wayne and recently captured G League Player of the Week honors. In 22 games with the Mad Ants, Anderson is averaging 27.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

Anderson played for the Pacers earlier this season, appearing in three games after signing a hardship 10-day contract on January 1. In December, he joined the Cavaliers on a hardship 10-day deal and played three games for them as well.

A first-round pick by the Mavericks in 2015, Anderson has played 232 total games for six NBA teams. He was with Indiana in training camp, but was waived before the start of the season.

If Anderson signs his 10-day contract on Friday, he will be eligible to play in five games before it expires. Indiana has a roster opening, so no move will be necessary before adding Anderson.

Raptors Sign Armoni Brooks To Second 10-Day Deal

March 16th, 2022 at 6:32pm CST by Luke Adams

6:32pm: Brooks has signed his contract, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports.

12:46pm: The Raptors will bring back guard Armoni Brooks on a second 10-day contract, reports Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). Brooks’ first 10-day deal with the team ran through Tuesday before expiring overnight.

Brooks, 23, appeared in four games during his first 10 days with Toronto, averaging 8.3 minutes per contest. His impact was limited — he scored just three points on 1-of-6 shooting with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 33 total minutes.

Still, the Raptors apparently liked what they saw enough to commit to Brooks for at least 10 more days. Once Brooks’ second 10-day deal expires, the team will have to either sign him for the rest of the season or let him walk, since players can’t sign more than two standard 10-day contracts with the same club in a single season.

A former Rocket who was waived by Houston in February, Brooks will once again occupy the 15th spot on Toronto’s standard roster, so no corresponding roster move or hardship exception is necessary to complete the signing. He’ll earn $85,578 on the deal.

Assuming the Raptors re-sign Brooks prior to Wednesday’s game vs. the Clippers, his new contract will run through March 25, covering the club’s next five games.

Malik Fitts Signs Two-Year Deal With Celtics

March 15th, 2022 at 8:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

8:37pm: The Celtics have officially re-signed Fitts, the team announced in a press release.

4:19pm: Power forward Malik Fitts will sign with the Celtics through the 2022/23 NBA season, his agents at UNLTD Sports Group, Nick Blatchford and Derek Johnson, inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Woj adds that Fitts’ contract for the 2022/23 season will be partially guaranteed.

Fitts and Kelan Martin, having both signed a pair of 10-day deals with Boston, saw those deals expire on Monday night.

After initially going undrafted out of Saint Mary’s in 2020, the 6’8″ Fitts latched on with the Clippers for three games in 2020/21 and appeared in 14 games for L.A.’s G League team. Ahead of the 2021/22 season, he joined Utah on a training camp deal. The Jazz liked what they saw enough to add Fitts on a two-way contract heading into the 2021/22 season.

When Fitts fractured his finger in January, the Jazz waived him. Boston then added him on his initial 10-day deal last month. He holds averages of 4.4 MPG through nine games between the two clubs this year.

Blazers Officially Complete 10-Day Hardship Deals For Eubanks, Dunn

March 14th, 2022 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers have officially signed big man Drew Eubanks and guard Kris Dunn to 10-day contracts, the team announced today in a press release. Both deals, which were previously reported, were completed using hardship exceptions.

It’s Eubanks’ third 10-day deal with the Blazers. He has started seven games at center for the team, averaging 9.6 PPG and 8.1 RPG in 26.0 minutes per contest.

Dunn is a new addition, having been called up from the G League’s Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario. The former No. 5 overall pick spent last season with the Hawks, but was limited to four games due to an ankle injury. He was traded from Atlanta to Memphis in the offseason and was subsequently waived.

Most of this year’s 10-day hardship contracts have been completed using the COVID-related hardship exception, but Eubanks and Dunn were signed using injury-related hardship exceptions. A team qualifies for an injury-related hardship exception if it has at least four players who have missed three or more consecutive games, as long as those players project to remain sidelined for at least the next couple weeks.

Portland has at least six such players – Damian Lillard, Nassir Little, Jusuf Nurkic, Didi Louzada, Joe Ingles, and Eric Bledsoe – and possibly as many as eight, if Anfernee Simons and Justise Winslow aren’t expected to return soon. That’s why the club is eligible for multiple hardship exceptions.

The new deals for Eubanks and Dunn will run through March 23, covering the Blazers’ next six games. Eubanks’ 10-day contract will pay him $99,380, while Dunn earns $111,457.

Portland’s roster count now temporarily stands at 19 players — 15 on standard contracts, two on 10-day hardship deals, and a pair on two-way pacts.

Trail Blazers Signing Kris Dunn To 10-Day Hardship Deal

March 13th, 2022 at 10:39am CST by Arthur Hill

Kris Dunn will sign a 10-day hardship contract with the Trail Blazers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 27-year-old guard has been out of the NBA since being waived by the Grizzlies in October after one preseason game. He joined the Agua Caliente Clippers in the G League in January and is averaging 11.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 14 games.

The fifth selection in the 2016 draft, Dunn spent his first NBA season with the Timberwolves and then three years with the Bulls. He signed with the Hawks prior to the start of the 2020/21 season, but was only able to play four games before undergoing ankle surgery. Atlanta shipped him to Boston in a three-team trade in August, and the Celtics rerouted him to Memphis in a September deal.

Dunn will provide backcourt depth for the injury-riddled Blazers, who recently lost Anfernee Simons for the next week or two with mild patellar tendinopathy in his left knee.

Portland has a full roster, but can add players through hardship contracts because Damian Lillard, Didi Louzada, Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Joe Ingles and Eric Bledsoe are all sidelined with long-term injuries. Drew Eubanks is also on a 10-day hardship deal.

Dunn’s signing will likely take place on Monday, making him eligible to play in six games during the 10-day contract.

Trail Blazers Signing Drew Eubanks To Third 10-Day Deal

March 13th, 2022 at 9:26am CST by Arthur Hill

Drew Eubanks will sign a third 10-day contract with the Trail Blazers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Eubanks, whose second 10-day deal expires tonight, has been productive during his short time in Portland, averaging 9.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 10 games. The fourth-year big man turned in one of the best games of his career Saturday night with 20 points and 12 rebounds in a win over the Wizards.

Players are normally limited to two 10-day contracts with the same team in a single season, but the rules were relaxed this year in light of the COVID-19 outbreak that swept through the league. The Blazers, who are missing several players due to long-term injuries, completed Eubanks’ first two 10-day deals using an injury-related hardship exception, so he can continue to play under 10-day agreements.

The Trail Blazers’ next game is Monday, so if he signs his new contract tomorrow, Eubanks will be eligible for six games over the next 10 days.

Suns Sign Gabriel Lundberg To Two-Way Contract

March 12th, 2022 at 2:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

2:43pm: Phoenix has officially signed Lundberg, the club announced in a press release.

7:44am: European star Gabriel Lundberg is signing a contract with the Suns, Johnny Askounis of EuroHoops.net relays. The news was first reported on Danish TV 2.

It’s a two-way deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Lundberg, 27, left CSKA Moscow recently amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He’s considered the best international free agent available in the market, Wojnarowski adds. Phoenix had a two-way spot available and won’t have to make a corresponding move.

In 24 Euroleague games, Lundberg averaged 9.1 PPG and 2.0 APG in 21.1 MPG. He also averaged 12.6 PPG and 3.2 APG in VTB United League games.

Lundberg averaged 11.3 PPG and 2.2 APG in 15 Euroleague contests last season. He’s shot 33.6% on 3-point attempts in his international career.

Lundberg finalized his separation from CSKA Moscow by paying the contract buyout himself, according to Eurohoops’ sources. Lundberg will likely see little playing time for the leaders of the Western Conference but they’ll get an up close look at the 6’4” guard. They can then decide if they want to retain him beyond this season.

Alize Johnson Signs Another 10-Day With Pelicans

March 12th, 2022 at 12:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

12:51pm: New Orleans has officially signed Johnson to a new 10-day deal using the hardship exception, the team announced in a press release.

11:23am: The Pelicans are signing forward Alize Johnson to a second 10-day contact via the hardship exception, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Johnson’s standard 10-day contract was terminated a day early on Friday, as New Orleans added Tyrone Wallace on a standard 10-day deal. However, the hardship exception was made available due to CJ McCollum being placed in the league’s health and safety protocols this week.

New Orleans thus has the option of offering Johnson another standard 10-day before deciding whether to offer him a rest-of-the-season contract.

Johnson appeared in three games on his first 10-day with New Orleans, averaging 3.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 8.0 minutes per contest. He didn’t have to pass through waivers, so he’s eligible to be signed immediately.

Johnson, 25, has also played 16 games with Chicago and three with Washington this season.

Isaiah Thomas Signs Second 10-Day Deal With Hornets

March 12th, 2022 at 10:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

10:53am: The Hornets have officially re-signed Thomas, according to a team press release.

8:10am: Veteran guard Isaiah Thomas will sign another 10-day contract with the Hornets, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer reports.

Thomas’ first 10-day with Charlotte expired overnight on Friday. He appeared in three games with the Hornets during those 10 days, averaging 9.7 PPG and 1.7 APG in 13.7 MPG on .435/.429/1.000 shooting.

Head coach James Borrego likes the way Thomas gives LaMelo Ball a break from ball-handing duties when they’re paired up.

“It makes them think and it adds to their scouting focus,” Borrego said. “I’d like to get Melo off the ball more. They are so loaded up on him, so physical with him on pick-and-rolls that if I can move him off the ball it’s just going to add another dimension to our offense. And the way I.T. can see the gym, he understands matchups. “He’s an extension of me out there on the floor. He sees the matchups, he sees he plays we need to go to, and he’s going to make that happen out there on the floor. So it just adds more depth to this offense.”

Thomas says that he enjoys mentoring the young Hornets guards and wings. The 33-year-old also played for the Lakers and Mavericks this season under the hardship exception.

“I’m comfortable here,” Thomas said. “These guys welcomed me with open arms. The coaching staff welcomed me with open arms and they are allowing me to be myself. They are allowing me to lead, they are allowing me to be vocal and help the young guys out. And that’s what I’m here to do, is put an imprint on those younger guys, because like I’ve said earlier, I’ve seen everything.”

As an 11-year veteran, he will earn another $151,821 over the 10-day deal.