Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Thunder Waive Mamadi Diakite, Two Others

October 16th, 2021 at 3:58pm CST by JD Shaw

The Thunder have waived forward Mamadi Diakite, guard Justin Jaworski and center Olivier Sarr, the team announced in a press release today.

Diakite was claimed off waivers by Oklahoma City last month, while Jaworski and Sarr both signed Exhibit 10 deals with the club earlier today. Diakite was only guaranteed $100K this season and held a non-guaranteed salary for the 2022/23 campaign.

Jaworski and Sarr are strong contenders to join the Thunder’s G League team this season.

Diakite is coming off a G League season where he averaged 18.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. He was recently diagnosed with a left hip fracture.

Oklahoma City now has 17 players under contract, including Paul Watson and Aaron Wiggins on two-way deals. It appears that Gabriel Deck, whose deal is non-guaranteed, has earned a spot on the Thunder’s 15-man opening night roster.

Celtics Waive Mathews, Pinson, Kornet, Clemons

October 16th, 2021 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have waived guard Garrison Mathews, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). The team is also cutting Theo Pinson, Luke Kornet, and Chris Clemons, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). All four players were on non-guaranteed contracts.

According to Weiss, the plan is for Pinson, Kornet, and Clemons to report to the Maine Celtics in the G League, along with Ryan Arcidiacono and Juwan Morgan, who were released on Friday. However, it doesn’t sound like Mathews will join them — he’ll become an unrestricted free agent if and when he clears waivers.

The moves will leave the Celtics with 16 players under contract, including 15 on standard deals. Jabari Parker and Bruno Fernando, who were battling to hold off those camp invitees for spots on the regular season roster, will remain with the team, Weiss notes.

Boston still has an open two-way slot.

Grizzlies Cut Kris Dunn, Two Others

October 16th, 2021 at 3:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have waived former lottery pick Kris Dunn, the team announced today in a press release. Matthew Hurt and David Stockton have also been cut, as Memphis finalizes its roster for the regular season.

Dunn, 27, began his career with Minnesota after being selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 draft. He was later sent to Chicago in the Jimmy Butler trade and spent three years with the Bulls before signing with Atlanta during the 2020 offseason.

Dunn has struggled to produce offensively at the NBA level, averaging 8.2 PPG and 4.1 APG in 231 career games (24.1 MPG), with a shooting line of .420/.305/.727. His strong defense earned him a two-year contract with the Hawks last offseason, but an ankle injury limited him to just four games. He was traded to Boston and then flipped to Memphis after he exercised his player option for 2021/22.

The Grizzlies acquired Dunn and Carsen Edwards in that trade with Boston last month, but have since waived both players, signaling that the 2026 second-round pick swap included in the deal was the main reason Memphis pulled the trigger.

Dunn will clear waivers on Monday and could draw interest from teams in need of a defensive specialist in the backcourt.

Warriors Waive L.J. Figueroa, Axel Toupane

October 16th, 2021 at 3:42pm CST by JD Shaw

The Warriors announced on Saturday (via Twitter) that they have waived L.J. Figueroa and Axel Toupane, both of whom signed Exhibit 10 contracts with the club. Both players are likely to play for the team’s G League affiliate this season.

Figueroa appeared in one preseason game, while Toupane signed with the club on Friday. Golden State’s roster has now been trimmed to 15 players — including guard Chris Chiozza on a two-way contract.

Prior to signing with Golden State, Figueroa went unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft. Toupane, for his part, has made stops with the Nuggets, Bucks, Pelicans and various overseas clubs during his career.

Wizards Release Three Players

October 16th, 2021 at 3:25pm CST by JD Shaw

The Wizards have released Jaime Echenique, Jordan Goodwin and Devontae Shuler, the club announced on social media today (Twitter link).

Washington now has 15 players on standard deals and two players on two-way contracts, trimming its roster to 17 players ahead of the regular season.

The team re-tooled during the offseason, adding Spencer Dinwiddie, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and others. It opens the season in a road contest against Toronto on Wednesday night.

Echenique, Goodwin and Shuler all signed Exhibit 10 contracts, making them strong candidates to play with the team’s G League affiliate this season.

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.