Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Suns Release Chasson Randle

October 16th, 2021 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have waived veteran guard Chasson Randle, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).

Randle, 28, has appeared in a total of 119 NBA regular season games for the Sixers, Knicks, Wizards, Warriors, and Magic since making his debut in January 2017. Last season, he signed a two-way contract with Orlando in February and played a regular role for the team in the second half, averaging 6.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.8 APG on .388/.338/.792 shooting in 41 games (20.4 MPG).

Randle signed a non-guaranteed contract with Phoenix prior to training camp and appeared in four preseason games for the team, but it appears he won’t make the opening night roster. His release also has no G League implications, since the Suns are one of two NBA teams without an NBAGL affiliate.

For the time being, the Suns are carrying just 15 total players — 14 on standard contracts, plus Chandler Hutchison on a two-way deal.

Blazers Waive Quinn Cook, Marquese Chriss, Patrick Patterson

October 16th, 2021 at 2:51pm CST by JD Shaw

The Blazers have waived veterans Quinn Cook, Marquese Chriss and Patrick Patterson, the team announced in a press release today. All three players were signed to non-guaranteed training camp deals.

Portland currently has 16 players under contract (including two on two-way deals), meaning one roster spot remains available to use. The team committed to adding guard Dennis Smith Jr. to its opening day roster on Saturday, bringing the roster count to 16, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported (via Twitter).

Chriss appeared in four preseason games with the team, while Cook and Patterson appeared in two. Portland will open its regular season at home against Sacramento on Wednesday.

Celtics Sign Luke Kornet, Chris Clemons To Camp Deals

October 16th, 2021 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics officially completed their previously–reported deals with big man Luke Kornet and guard Chris Clemons on Friday, signing both players to training camp contracts, per RealGM’s transactions log.

Kornet, 26, has appeared in a total of 133 regular season games for the Knicks, Bulls, and Celtics since entering the NBA in 2017/18 out of Vanderbilt. The 7’2″ forward/center was traded from Chicago to Boston at the 2021 deadline and played a semi-regular role for the Celtics down the stretch, putting up 4.4 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 18 games (14.1 MPG).

Clemons played on a two-way deal with Houston two seasons ago after going undrafted out of Campbell. He appeared in 33 games that year but he tore his Achilles prior to the 2020/21 campaign. He was waived in January after Houston acquired Kevin Porter Jr.

Both Kornet and Clemons will likely be waived shortly, and are good bets to join the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate.

Pistons Waive Derrick Walton, Cassius Stanley, Jared Cunningham

October 16th, 2021 at 2:02pm CST by JD Shaw

The Pistons have waived guards Derrick Walton, Cassius Stanley and Jared Cunningham, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). All three players were signed to Exhibit 10 contracts and could play for the team’s G League affiliate this season.

The moves bring Detroit’s roster count down to 17 players, including two on two-way contracts (Jamorko Pickett and Chris Smith). The Pistons open the regular season against the Bulls on Wednesday.

As for Walton (26), Stanley (22) and Cunningham (30), all three can earn $50k if they spend at least 60 days with Detroit’s G League team. They could also opt to sign overseas if an intriguing offer is presented.

Bulls Converting Tyler Cook’s Contract To Two-Way Deal

October 16th, 2021 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls will hang onto big man Tyler Cook for the regular season, converting his Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

Chicago’s roster now appears set for the regular season. In addition to their 13 players on guaranteed contracts, the Bulls are carrying Cook and Devon Dotson on two-way deals, along with Alize Johnson and Matt Thomas on non-guaranteed contracts.

Although Johnson and Thomas each have fewer than four years of NBA experience, they were ineligible to be converted to two-way contracts due to the deals they signed — neither one included Exhibit 10 language, but Cook’s did, making him the obvious candidate to fill the team’s open two-way slot.

A 6’8″ forward out of Iowa, Cook played for the Cavaliers and Nuggets as a rookie in 2019/20, then spent time with the Nets and Pistons during the 2020/21 campaign. After signing a 10-day contract with Brooklyn, he inked a pair of 10-day pacts with Detroit and then agreed to a multiyear deal in April. The team waived him at the end of July.

In 32 total games in 2020/21 for the Nets and Pistons, Cook averaged 4.9 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 32 games (13.7 MPG). He made 67.0% of his field goal attempts, but just 48.6% of his free throws.

Thunder Sign Olivier Sarr, Justin Jaworski

October 16th, 2021 at 1:42pm CST by JD Shaw

The Thunder have signed center Olivier Sarr and guard Justin Jaworski, the team announced today. Both players are likely to be waived and play for the club’s G League affiliate this season.

Sarr, a 7’0 Wake Forest and Kentucky product, went unselected in July’s NBA draft. The 22-year-old averaged 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in college, playing 22 minutes per contest.

Jaworski, also 22, went undrafted in July after spending four seasons at Lafayette College. He appeared in 98 games, averaging 15.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in 31.3 minutes per contest.

Knicks Sign Brandon Knight

October 16th, 2021 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks announced today in a press release that they’ve added free agent guard Brandon Knight to their roster.

Knight, 29, was the eighth overall pick in the 2011 draft and has appeared in 446 regular season games, averaging 14.1 PPG and 4.0 APG in 29.5 minutes per contest over the course of his NBA career. However, he hasn’t played for an NBA team since the 2019/20 season, pre-bubble. He saw action in 25 games for the Cavaliers and Pistons that year, posting 7.3 PPG and 2.8 APG in 18.5 MPG.

While we don’t know exactly what the Knicks’ plan is, most signings this week have been for G League purposes, so it’s possible the veteran will be waived shortly and will report to the Westchester Knicks, New York’s NBAGL affiliate.

Technically, the Knicks are only carrying 14 players on guaranteed contracts, leaving the 15th spot on their regular season roster up for grabs. However, it’d be a surprise if club handed that spot to a player signed this late in the preseason.

Pacers Release Three Players

October 16th, 2021 at 1:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have waived Justin Anderson, Bennie Boatwright, and Derek Culver, the team announced today in a press release. All three players were signed on Friday night to non-guaranteed deals.

The expectation is that all three players will join the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the G League. Last month, Fort Wayne acquired the G League returning rights for Anderson (from the Long Island Nets) and Boatwright (from the Memphis Hustle). Indiana can make Culver an affiliate player, since no G League team holds his rights.

Barring more last-minute tweaks, the Pacers’ roster looks relatively set for the regular season. The team has 12 players on guaranteed contracts, with non-guaranteed players Kelan Martin, Oshae Brissett, and Brad Wanamaker still sticking around for now to fill out the standard 15-man roster. DeJon Jarreau and Duane Washington occupy Indiana’s two-way slots.

Magic Waive Four Players

October 16th, 2021 at 1:17pm CST by JD Shaw

The Magic have waived Admiral Schofield, B.J. Johnson, Jeff Dowtin and Hassani Gravett, the team announced in a press release today. All four players are likely to play for the team’s G League affiliate in Lakeland this season.

Orlando currently has 16 players on its roster, including one two-way contract. It’s unclear whether the team will fill its second two-way spot before the season begins.

The Magic committed to rebuilding last season, trading away Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier before the deadline. The team has a strong young core entering the 2021/22 campaign, headlined by Markelle Fultz, Jonathan Isaac and No. 5 pick Jalen Suggs.

That core also includes third-year center Wendell Carter Jr. — who signed a four-year contract extension with the organization this week.

Cavs Convert Fall, Nembhard To Two-Way Deals; Waive Three Players

October 16th, 2021 at 1:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

1:13pm: The Cavaliers have officially announced all the moves outlined below.

10:45am: The Cavaliers are signing center Tacko Fall to a two-way contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The team is also converting RJ Nembhard‘s contract to a two-way deal, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets.

Additionally, Cleveland is trimming its roster by waiving Justin James, Kyle Guy and Mitch Ballock, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. They are expected to join the Cleveland Charge once they clear waivers, Fedor adds.

Fall was signed to a non-guaranteed contract in early September. The 7’6” big man appeared in three preseason games and made enough of an impression to earn the two-way deal. He spent two seasons with the Celtics, averaging 2.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 0.9 BPG in 26 games.

Nembhard was also signed to a non-guaranteed contract in early September. He played for Miami’s summer league team after going undrafted. Nembhard was a redshirt junior for TCU in 2020/21 and averaged 15.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 4.0 APG in 24 games (34.9 MPG).

Brodric Thomas, who had been a two-way deal last season, was waived this week.