Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jazz Sign, Waive Dane Goodwin

September 25th, 2024 at 3:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 25: The Jazz have waived Goodwin, the club announced in a press release. The move opens up a spot on Utah’s preseason roster and lines Goodwin up to play for the Salt Lake City Stars this fall.

SEPTEMBER 23: The Jazz have signed guard Dane Goodwin, according to a team press release. Terms were not released but it’s likely to be an Exhibit 10 deal.

Goodwin spent last season with the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League, appearing in 26 regular season games (14 starts), averaging 7.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 22.3 minutes per contest. Goodwin, who made 43.8% of his three-points for Stockton, also played on the Kings’ Summer League squad in July.

The Salt Lake City Stars recently acquired his G League rights from the Stockton Kings, lining him up to be a returning rights player for Utah’s NBAGL team.

Goodwin went undrafted out of Notre Dame last year. He played five seasons with the Fighting Irish, appearing in 158 games (94 starts) and averaging 10.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 30.5 minutes per outing.

Assuming Goodwin is on an Exhibit 10 deal, he will make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Jazz’s G League affiliate.

Pelicans Sign Jalen Crutcher To Exhibit 10 Deal

September 25th, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent guard Jalen Crutcher has signed a contract with the Pelicans, according to RealGM’s official log of NBA transactions. It’s a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Since going undrafted out of Dayton in 2021, Crutcher has spent three seasons in the G League, including two with the Greensboro Swarm and one with New Orleans’ affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron.

In 49 total games for the Squadron last season, Crutcher averaged 17.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 35.4 minutes per game and shot the ball well, with a 40.5% mark from beyond the three-point line and 86.3% from the free throw stripe. His strong play in Birmingham earned him a 10-day contract with the Pelicans in February — he appeared in just one game for the team, making his NBA debut on Feb. 27.

A player who signs an Exhibit 10 contract can have it converted to a two-way deal before the regular season or can qualify for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate.

Given that the Pelicans don’t have a two-way opening and the Squadron already hold Crutcher’s NBAGL returning rights, the latter scenario appears more likely for the 25-year-old.

Raptors Sign, Waive Kennedy Chandler

September 25th, 2024 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

2:58pm: As expected, the Raptors have waived Chandler, according to Murphy (Twitter link).

12:33pm: The Raptors have signed former second-round pick Kennedy Chandler to an Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca.

A 6’0″ point guard, Chandler was selected 38th overall out of Tennessee in the 2022 draft and played for the Grizzlies as a rookie. However, he had a disappointing first season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.6 assists in 7.8 minutes per game across 36 outings while shooting just 42.2% from the floor (including 13.3% on three-pointers) and 46.2% from the free throw line.

Memphis waived Chandler in April 2023 even though he still had two fully guaranteed years left on his contract.

Chandler spent the 2023/24 season with the Long Island Nets in the G League, appearing in 49 total Showcase Cup and regular season contests for Brooklyn’s affiliate. He averaged 13.9 PPG, 5.1 APG, and 3.3 RPG with a shooting line of .477/.361/.758.

The Raptors have been signing and quickly waiving free agents in recent days in order to put them in line for Exhibit 10 bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days this season with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL team. That may be the plan for Chandler too, though the 905 will have to acquire his returning rights from Long Island to make that happen.

Toronto, at least for now, once again has a full 21-man preseason roster.

Timberwolves Sign Guard Trevor Keels

September 25th, 2024 at 2:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 25: The Timberwolves have officially signed Keels, the team confirmed in a press release. The Wolves also formally confirmed three other recent signings.

SEPTEMBER 24: The Timberwolves have agreed to a contract with Trevor Keels, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

The 21-year-old guard played three games for the Knicks in 2022/23. Keels, who was the 42nd overall pick of the 2022 draft out of Duke, was waived by New York after his rookie campaign.

Keels participated in Minnesota’s training camp last season but he was waived before the opener. He spent the season with Minnesota’s G League club, the Iowa Wolves, where he averaged 13.5 points and 3.7 assists per game.

Terms of the contract have not been disclosed but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 contract. Assuming that’s what Keels signs, he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived and then spend at least 60 days with Iowa again.

Kings Signing Justin Powell To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 25th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have reached an agreement with free agent shooting guard Justin Powell on an Exhibit 10 contract, agent George S. Langberg tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Powell, who went undrafted out of Washington State in 2023, signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Cavaliers last September and was with the team for training camp and the preseason before being waived and joining the Cleveland Charge as a G League affiliate player.

In 44 Showcase Cup and regular season games for the Charge as a rookie, Powell averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 23.9 minutes per game, posting a shooting line of .421/.368/.824.

Powell, 23, had his G League returning rights traded from the Charge to the Stockton Kings in a three-team deal earlier this month, so assuming he’s waived by Sacramento and then spends at least 60 days with Stockton, he’ll be eligible for an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $77.5K on top of his NBAGL salary.

The Kings currently have 19 players on their 21-man preseason roster, meaning no corresponding move will be necessary in order to make room for Powell.

Cavaliers Sign Jacob Gilyard, Zhaire Smith

September 25th, 2024 at 7:14am CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 25: Gilyard and Smith have each officially signed with the Cavs, per RealGM’s transaction log.

Having cut Tomlin and Osabuohien on Tuesday, Cleveland is back up to 21 players under contract, with Nance’s deal now official too.

SEPTEMBER 24: Free agent guards Jacob Gilyard and Zhaire Smith are signing Exhibit 10 contracts with the Cavaliers, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).

Gilyard, 26, spent last season on two-way deals with the Grizzlies and Nets, appearing in a total of 41 games for the two teams. The 5’9″ point guard held his own in a rotation role for Memphis, averaging 4.7 points and 3.5 assists with a .425 3PT% in 17.7 minutes per game across 37 outings (14 starts).

However, two-way players can’t be active for more than 50 NBA games, so with Gilyard just about at that limit, the Grizzlies opted to waive him rather than promote him, putting him on track to finish the season in Brooklyn. He became an unrestricted free agent this summer after the Nets opted not to tender him a two-way qualifying offer.

As for Smith, the former No. 16 overall pick spent most of last season with the Cleveland Charge in the G League, briefly earning an NBA call-up on a 10-day contract with the Cavaliers in February. In 47 Showcase Cup and regular season games for the Cavs’ NBAGL affiliate, the 6’4″ guard averaged 13.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 33.0 minutes per contest, posting an impressive shooting line of .539/.394/.836.

Since Cleveland controls Smith’s G League returning rights and recently acquired Gilyard’s rights in a trade with the Memphis Hustle, the plan will likely be for both players to report back to the Charge this fall. Their Exhibit 10 contracts will make them eligible for bonuses worth up to $77.5K as long as they spend at least 60 days with the Cavs’ G League team.

According to Fedor, before they’re waived, Gilyard and Smith will get the opportunity to attend training camp with the Cavs along with fellow invitees Pete Nance and Jules Bernard. A report on Monday indicated that those two players, along with Nae’Qwan Tomlin and Gabe Osabuohien, had agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with Cleveland. Fedor confirms that reporting, but says Tomlin and Osabuohien are expected to be waived before camp begins.

The Cavs’ deals with Bernard, Tomlin, and Osabuohien are now official, per RealGM’s transaction log.

The Cavs are already carrying 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals, so they’ll be at the 21-man limit once their back-of-the-roster transactions are complete.

Heat Sign Nassir Little To Non-Guaranteed Contract

September 24th, 2024 at 7:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 24: The Heat have officially signed Little, the team announced today in a press release.

According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), Little’s one-year contract is fully non-guaranteed.

SEPTEMBER 23: Nassir Little has agreed to a one-year contract with the Heat, NBA insider Chris Haynes tweets.

The free agent forward had worked out for a number of other teams, including the Celtics, Warriors and Kings.

The Heat already have 14 players on fully guaranteed deals, plus others on training camp or non-guaranteed contracts. They have major luxury tax considerations and would surpass the second tax apron threshold by carrying a 15th man, so it remains to be seen what kind of contract Miami offered. It’s likely to be a non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deal.

Little, 24, has been a free agent since Phoenix waived him late last month. The combo forward appeared in 45 games for the Suns last season, making two starts and posting 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per night. The former No. 25 overall pick spent his first four NBA seasons in Portland before coming to Phoenix in a three-team trade last September.

Hornets’ Soriano, Pelicans’ Robinson, Two Cavs Among Tuesday’s Cuts

September 24th, 2024 at 7:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets have waived Joel Soriano, according to the NBA.com official transaction log. Soriano was on an Exhibit 10 contract, which he signed earlier this month.

A 6’10” center, Soriano went undrafted in June after finishing his college career at St. John’s. The big man averaged a double-double (14.5 points, 10.7 rebounds) in 66 games during his final two college seasons while also chipping in 1.6 blocks and 1.4 assists in 29.3 minutes per contest.

Soriano could receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K after he clears waivers, then spends at least 60 days with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate.

Here are a few more of the latest cuts from around the league:

After announcing earlier today that they’ve signed him to an Exhibit 10 contract, the Pelicans have already waived Galen Robinson Jr., per NBA.com’s transaction log. The Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G League affiliate, holds Robinson’s returning rights, so the quick sign-and-waive transaction was simply designed to get him an Exhibit 10 bonus (worth up to $77.5K) on top of his standard G League salary if he spends at least 60 days with the Squadron this season.
Shortly after signing them to Exhibit 10 contracts, the Cavaliers have waived Nae’Qwan Tomlin and Gabe Osabuohien, according to the transaction log at NBA.com. The cuts had been expected, since today’s reporting indicated that Cleveland had agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with six players but only had room to bring four of them to training camp. Tomlin and Osabuohien figure to open the season with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Pelicans Sign Three Players To Camp Deals

September 24th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have signed forward Keion Brooks Jr., guard Galen Robinson Jr., and guard Izaiah Brockington, the team announced in a press release. According to Christian Clark of NOLA.com (Twitter link), all three players received Exhibit 10 contracts.

Brooks went undrafted in June after a five-year college career that included three years at Kentucky and two at Washington. He averaged 21.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game in 32 starts for the Huskies in 2023/24, then played for the Pelicans’ Summer League team in Las Vegas in July.

Robinson is a G League veteran who played his college ball at Houston from 2015-19. While he has played in Germany, Mexico, and France since going pro five years ago, he has spent most of those five seasons in the NBAGL, including for the Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G league affiliate, in 2023/24.

Brockington also played for the Squadron last season after missing nearly all of the 2022/23 campaign due to a torn ACL. His agreement with the Pelicans was previously reported.

All three players will likely end up with the Squadron to open the 2023/24 season. Signing Exhibit 10 contracts will entitle them to bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they’re waived by New Orleans and then spend at least 60 days with the Pelicans’ G League team.

The Pelicans now have a full 21-man preseason roster. Elfrid Payton is also reportedly signing a camp contract with the team, so someone will have to be waived before that deal can be officially completed.

Raptors Sign, Waive Quincy Guerrier

September 24th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

2:59pm: The Raptors have waived Guerrier, putting him on track to become an affiliate player for the Raptors 905, tweets Murphy. The team once again has an open spot on its 21-man preseason roster.

10:49am: Nearly three months after his agreement was initially reported, undrafted free agent forward Quincy Guerrier has officially signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Raptors, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca.

Guerrier spent two years at Oregon and two more at Syracuse before finishing out his college career by playing for Illinois as a “super-senior” in 2023/24. In 38 games (all starts) for the Fighting Illini last season, he averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game, posting a shooting line of .476/.374/.569.

After going undrafted in June, Guerrier quickly agreed to terms on a training camp contract with the Raptors and joined the club for the Las Vegas Summer League. He played a limited role in three games in Vegas, averaging 4.7 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 12.9 MPG.

In all likelihood, Toronto expects Guerrier to suit up this season for the Raptors 905, their G League affiliate. Assuming he’s waived before the NBA season tips off and then spends at least 60 days with the 905, his Exhibit 10 deal will entitle him to a bonus worth up to $77.5K on top of his standard NBAGL salary.

The Raptors now have a full 21-man roster, though there’s still plenty of time to continue making tweaks before training camp gets underway next Tuesday.