Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Sign Christian Koloko To Two-Way Deal

September 16th, 2024 at 3:44pm CST by Rory Maher

SEPTEMBER 16: The Lakers have officially signed Koloko, according to the team, who confirmed in a press release that they’ve waived Hinson to open up a spot for the newcomer.

SEPTEMBER 14: The Lakers and free agent big man Christian Koloko have agreed to a contract, agent Calvin Andrews tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Koloko will get a chance to compete for frontcourt minutes in Los Angeles, per Charania.

Koloko is expected to sign a two-way deal, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link), which means the Lakers will need to release one of their current two-way players. Armel Traore, Blake Hinson, or Colin Castleton currently occupy L.A.’s two-way slots.

Koloko is on the comeback trail after missing the entire 2023/24 season due to a blood clot issue. Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy reported in July that the seven-footer had received medical clearance to resume playing, while Andrews said last month that his client had a “major breakthrough” with his blood clot issue, which was addressed via corrective surgery.

Koloko is still awaiting formal clearance from the NBA’s Fitness-to-Play panel. Sources tell Woike (Twitter link) that while the 24-year-old can technically sign the contract before receiving clearance from the panel, the signing will have to be reviewed by the NBA, and he can’t participate in on-court work until he’s cleared.

The Clippers, the Spurs, and his former team, the Raptors, were also interested in signing Koloko, as Charania reported on Friday night.

The 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Koloko appeared in 58 games for Toronto as a rookie, averaging 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 block in 13.8 minutes per game across 58 appearances (19 starts). He was the Pac 12’s Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player in his final college season at Arizona in 2021/22.

The Lakers will be without center Christian Wood this fall after the big man recently underwent knee surgery that is expected to sideline him for at least eight weeks, so they could use more depth up front.

Lakers Waive Two-Way Player Blake Hinson

September 16th, 2024 at 3:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 16: The Lakers have officially waived Hinson and signed Koloko, the team announced in a press release.

SEPTEMBER 15: The Lakers are waiving two-way player Blake Hinson, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Los Angeles inked Hinson to the two-way contract in early July.

Hinson, an undrafted 6’8” rookie wing, played two seasons with Pittsburgh after a two-season stay at Ole Miss. He also spent some time at Iowa State but didn’t play there.

Hinson, 24, put up impressive stats in his senior year, averaging 18.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He shot 45.4% from the field and 42.1% on three-point attempts. The three-point shooting came at a high volume — he averaged 7.9 attempts per game.

The moves opens up a two-way spot for the Lakers, who reportedly intend to sign center Christian Koloko. Big man Armel Traore, another undrafted rookie, and center Colin Castleton currently hold the other two-way deals.

Hinson is expected to draw interest from several teams in free agency, Scotto adds.

Jazz Sign Max Abmas

September 16th, 2024 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz have signed free agent guard Max Abmas to a contract, the team announced today in a press release.

Abmas, who finished his college season at Texas after spending four years at Oral Roberts, went undrafted in June after averaging 16.8 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 35.1 minutes per game for the Longhorns across 34 outings (all starts) in 2023/24.

Abrams led the Summit League in scoring in each of his last three seasons at Oral Roberts, averaging 23.0 PPG in 92 games (all starts) with a .444/.394/.889 shooting line during his sophomore, junior, and senior years before transferring to Texas to take advantage of his extra year of eligibility.

After suiting up for Utah’s Summer League team and averaging 12.3 PPG on .452/.412/.778 shooting in four games in Las Vegas, Abmas will likely now end up with the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s G League affiliate.

While the Jazz’s announcement didn’t provide any details on Abrams’ deal, it will likely be an Exhibit 10 contract, putting him in line to receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K (on top of his standard G League salary) if he’s waived by Utah and then spends at least 60 days with the Stars.

The Jazz now have 20 players under contract, including 15 on standard contracts, three on two-way deals, and two (Abmas and Babacar Sane) on camp contracts.

Knicks Sign Marcus Morris To Exhibit 9 Deal

September 15th, 2024 at 5:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Marcus Morris is heading back to New York — at least, for now.

The Knicks have signed the free agent veteran forward to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 training camp deal, New York announced in a press statement (Twitter link).

An Exhibit 9 contract contains language that protects teams in the event of a preseason injury. As detailed in our glossary entry, the Knicks would only be on the hook for $15K should Morris get hurt while under contract, rather than having to cover the prorated portion of his salary until he recovers.

Unlike an Exhibit 10 deal, an Exhibit 9 contract cannot be converted into a two-way deal prior to the season, though Morris has too many years of NBA service to be eligible for a two-way anyway. The veteran forward also won’t be eligible for the Exhibit 10 bonus (worth up to $77.5K) available to players who are cut and then spend time with their team’s G League affiliate.

Morris is the second NBA veteran this weekend to have signed with the Knicks on an Exhibit 9 contract, along with the previously announced addition of shooting guard Landry Shamet.

New York has 14 of its 15 standard roster spots occupied. It seems likely that Morris will compete against Shamet and combo forward Chuma Okeke for that final slot. Shamet and Morris could theoretically add some floor-spacing depth for a Knicks club that is looking to improve on its 50-32 record last season and advance to its first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years.

Across 13 pro seasons, the 6’8″ Morris has suited up for the Rockets, Suns, Pistons, Celtics, Clippers, Sixers and Cavaliers. Morris last played for New York during the first half of the 2019/20 season, during David Fizdale‘s final days on the team’s bench.

In his prime, the now-35-year-old was a stellar 3-and-D role player on several deep playoff clubs.

The Kansas alum split his 2023/24 season between Philadelphia and Cleveland as a veteran reserve, logging an average of 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game with a shooting line of .439/.403/.818.

Spurs Waive Jamaree Bouyea

September 15th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

1:50pm: The Spurs have officially waived Bouyea, per a press release from the team.

10:40am: The Spurs will open up a two-way roster spot by waiving Jamaree Bouyea, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The 25-year-old guard signed a two-year contract with the team in March and appeared in three games. He spent most of last season in the G League, averaging 17.1 points, 7.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game with Austin and Sioux Falls.

Bouyea’s NBA career began in 2022 when he signed with Miami after going undrafted following five collegiate seasons at San Francisco. He appeared in five total games with the Heat and Wizards during the 2022/23 season.

Bouyea inked a two-way contract with Miami last summer, but was waived before the start of the season. He joined the Trail Blazers on a two-way deal in November, but was released 10 days later.

The move provides the Spurs with a little bit of roster flexibility heading into training camp. David Duke and Harrison Ingram hold the team’s other two-way slots.

Yuri Collins Returning To Warriors On Training Camp Contract

September 14th, 2024 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors have signed point guard Yuri Collins to a deal for training camp, a source tells Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).

Collins was also in camp with Golden State last fall, but he was waived before the start of the season. He played for the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, averaging 3.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 16 games as a reserve.

Collins was also part of the Warriors’ Summer League team in July, appearing in six total games between the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League.

Collins, 23, got an opportunity with Golden State after going undrafted out of St. Louis in 2023. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract and will likely get a similar deal this time, making him eligible for a $77.5K bonus if he spends at least 60 days with Santa Cruz.

Collins’ signing will bring the Warriors to 19 players on their offseason roster, two short of the limit for training camp.

Landry Shamet Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks

September 14th, 2024 at 3:18pm CST by Tristan Tucker

3:18pm: Shamet signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract with New York, the team announced (via Twitter).

9:29am: Free agent guard Landry Shamet agreed to a one-year contract with the Knicks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

It’s unclear exactly what type of deal Shamet is signing with the Knicks, but I’d be somewhat surprised if it was fully guaranteed. New York signed Chuma Okeke to a non-guaranteed one-year deal earlier this season. Shamet, Okeke and perhaps other players seem poised to battle it out for New York’s final standard spot on the 15-man roster.

Shamet, 27, has spent time with the Sixers, Clippers, Nets, Suns and Wizards in six NBA seasons. He holds 348 games of NBA experience after being the 26th overall pick by Philadelphia in 2018.

The Wichita State product is a career 38.4% three-point shooter, averaging 4.9 attempts per game. He also holds averages of 8.7 points and 1.7 rebounds per contest, with 97 career starts under his belt.

Shamet has been involved in several blockbuster trades throughout his career. In his rookie season, he was part of the trade that brought Tobias Harris to Philadelphia. In the following year, he was moved in a three-team deal involving Bruce Brown. Then, in 2023, he was part of the trade that sent Bradley Beal from Washington to Phoenix.

The Knicks have 14 players on standard guaranteed deals. Kevin McCullar, Ariel Hukporti and Jacob Toppin hold two-way deals while Okeke and Alex O’Connell are on training camp deals. Shamet seems likely to be part of that latter group.

Celtics Sign, Waive Jordan Schakel

September 13th, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 13: The Celtics have waived Schakel, according to NBA’s official transaction log. Schakel’s Exhibit 10 deal includes a $77.5K bonus, which he’ll earn by spending at least 60 days with Maine.

SEPTEMBER 11: The Celtics have signed free agent swingman Jordan Schakel to an Exhibit 10 contract, sources tell Bobby Manning of CelticsBlog.

The move gives Boston a full 21-man offseason roster, with 14 players on standard contracts, three on two-way deals, and four on Exhibit 10 pacts.

A former San Diego State standout, Schakel has spent most of the past three seasons playing in the G League since going undrafted in 2021. He also had brief stints in the NBA with the Wizards in 2021/22 and ’22/23, appearing in six games for Washington during that time, and spent part of this summer playing in Puerto Rico for Leones de Ponce.

Before a knee injury prematurely ended his season, Schakel played for the Maine Celtics in ’23/24, averaging 13.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 28.1 minutes per game across 24 outings, with a shooting line of .417/.402/.826.

Although the Celtics’ roster is full for the time being, they’ll likely continue to make tweaks before training camp begins next month. Manning notes that the team is expected to sign Jay Scrubb to an Exhibit 10 contract once he fully recovers from ACL surgery.

Players on Exhibit 10 deals who are waived before the season begins are eligible to earn bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days with their team’s G League affiliate. That’s likely the plan for Schakel, who figures to return to Maine this fall.

Bucks Sign, Waive Ibou Badji

September 13th, 2024 at 8:28pm CST by Luke Adams

8:28pm: The Bucks officially signed Badji, per RealGM’s transaction log, and waived him, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.

As expected, it was an Exhibit 10 deal, Hoops Rumors can confirm, so Badji is on track to report to the Wisconsin Herd and earn a $77.5K bonus.

11:00am: The Bucks and free agent big man Ibou Badji have agreed to a contract, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

While Scotto doesn’t specify what kind of deal Badji is signing, it will almost certainly be a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 pact. Exhibit 10 contracts don’t count against the cap and be converted to two-way deals before opening night. They also put a player in line to receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived by his NBA team and then spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate.

Badji, who will turn 22 next month, went undrafted in 2022 and signed with the Bucks shortly thereafter. He was waived by Milwaukee ahead of the 2022/23 season and joined the Wisconsin Herd in the G League before being snatched up by the Trail Blazers that November, agreeing to a two-way contract with the club.

Badji subsequently spent most of the past two seasons on separate two-way deals with Portland, eventually making his NBA debut in December 2023 and appearing in 22 games last season for the Blazers. He averaged 1.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 10.3 minutes per contest.

In 19 total G League games last season for the Herd and the Rip City Remix, Badji posted averages of 4.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.7 BPG in 18.9 MPG.

The Bucks/Herd still hold Badji’s returning rights, so it appears the plan is for him to return to Milwaukee’s G League affiliate to start the 2024/25 season. The signing will give the Bucks a full 21-man offseason roster.

Trail Blazers Sign Taze Moore To Two-Way Deal

September 13th, 2024 at 2:52pm CST by Rory Maher

2:52pm: Moore’s two-way deal is official, the Blazers announced in a press release.

12:41pm: The Trail Blazers plan to sign free agent guard Taze Moore to a two-way contract, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Moore, who went undrafted in 2022, spent his first professional season with the G League’s Dallas Legends after signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Mavericks and being waived before 2022/23 began. Last season, he again spent most of the campaign in the NBAGL, splitting time between the Legends and the Rip City Remix, Portland’s affiliate.

The Blazers signed Moore to a 10-day contract in late January, though he only played a total of about 10 minutes over three appearances. In April, they brought him back on a 10-day hardship deal for the final day of the ’23/24 regular season, when he put up 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal in 30 minutes during a blowout loss to Sacramento.

In 22 regular season games with the Remix in ’23/24 (30.7 minutes per contest), Moore averaged 15.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.4 steals on .498/.351/.733 shooting.

Known for his explosive athleticism, Moore joined the Vancouver Bandits in the Canadian Elite Basketball League after the NBA’s regular season concluded. The 26-year-old won MVP of the 10-team CEBL, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report, who notes that Moore recently participated in some exhibition games with G League United as well.

Back in 2022, Chris Baldwin of PaperCity Magazine wrote an interesting story about Moore, who was unable to play basketball for nearly two full years due to a major leg injury, which required five surgeries. The left-handed guard spent most of his college career at Cal State Bakersfield before transferring to Houston for the ’21/22 season.

As our tracker shows, Moore will fill Portland’s third and final two-way slot, joining Justin Minaya and Bryce McGowens. The Blazers will have 20 players under contract once the deal is official, one shy of the offseason limit.