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Nuggets Sign Aaron Gordon To Four-Year Extension

SEPTEMBER 28: Nearly two weeks after agreeing to terms, the Nuggets and Gordon officially finalized their extension agreement on Monday, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.


SEPTEMBER 14: The Nuggets and forward Aaron Gordon have reached an agreement on a four-year extension, agent Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, the deal is worth $92MM and includes a fourth-year player option for 2025/26.

Mike Singer of The Denver Post reported in late August that the Nuggets and Gordon had mutual interest in an extension and would likely reach a deal soon. At that point, Singer anticipated a two- or three-year extension in the range of $20-21MM per year, but it sounds like Denver was willing to go higher to get the former fourth overall pick locked up long-term.

Gordon will earn a base salary of $16,409,091 in 2021/22 – the last year of his current contract – with an extra $1MM available in unlikely incentives. A veteran extension allows for a starting salary 20% higher than the player’s previous salary, and it looks like the Nuggets are going that route with Gordon — his maximum extension would have a base value of about $88.2MM over four years. Adding $1MM in annual unlikely incentives (for All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense nods) bumps the total up to the $92MM figure reported by Charania.

After spending the first six years of his career with the Magic, Gordon was part of a midseason trade in his seventh season, having been sent from the Magic to the Nuggets at the 2021 trade deadline. The athletic forward, who will turn 26 on Thursday, helped shore up Denver’s defense down the stretch, though his counting stats (10.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.2 APG on .500/.266/.705 shooting) in 25 games with the club were modest.

Now that Gordon will have a full offseason and training camp as a Nugget under his belt, the team will likely have higher expectations for him going forward. His new extension will make him an important part of a core that also includes Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. Jokic is under contract through 2023, Murray is locked up through 2025, and Porter is entering a contract year, though he’s a good bet to sign an extension of his own before opening night.

Gordon’s new deal is the 15th contract extension – and the 10th veteran extension – of the NBA offseason. His contract will rank seventh out of this summer’s 10 veteran extensions in overall value, slotting in between Terry Rozier (four years, $96MM) and Marcus Smart (four years, $77MM).

Pistons Re-Sign Deividas Sirvydis, Fill 20-Man Roster

The Pistons have re-signed guard/forward Deividas Sirvydis after waiving him in July, the team announced today (via Twitter). Detroit also confirmed its previouslyreported agreements with guards Cassius Stanley and Derrick Walton, officially filling its 20-man roster for training camp.

A Lithuanian wing, Sirvydis was the No. 37 pick in the 2019 draft and was stashed for a year overseas before signing his first NBA contract in the 2020 offseason. His rookie season was uninspiring, as he played limited minutes in 20 games, averaging 2.1 PPG and 1.5 RPG in 6.7 MPG. The Pistons released him just ahead of free agency.

Stanley and Walton received non-guaranteed deals and it seems like a safe bet that Sirvydis did as well, since there’s no clear path for him to make the regular season roster. Detroit has 15 players on guaranteed deals, with Chris Smith and Jamorko Pickett on two-way contracts.

Given that Sirvydis opted for a training camp deal with the Pistons over a return to Europe, he may intend to play for Detroit’s G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, in 2021/22. If so, his contract likely includes Exhibit 10 language that would put him in line for a bonus worth up to $50K if he spends at least 60 days with the Cruise.

Pistons Waive Anthony Tarke, Announce Camp Roster

The Pistons have waived rookie wing Anthony Tarke, according to the NBA’s transactions log. The team also released its initial roster for training camp.

Tarke bounced around a bit in college, starting at NJIT before transferring to UTEP and Coppin State. He put up an eye-popping 2.6 SPG and 1.9 BPG as a senior for Coppin State, but his shooting stroke might need some work. He most recently suited up for the Pistons’ Summer League squad.

Tarke signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract last week that makes him eligible to receive up to $50K if he spends at least 60 days with the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.

The Pistons sit at 17 players under contract for training camp, with reported deals with Derrick Walton Jr. and Cassius Stanley not yet official — there’s been no indication that those agreements have fallen through, so they’ll likely be finalized later in training camp or the preseason.

Nuggets Sign Matt Ryan, Set 20-Man Camp Roster

The Nuggets have announced their 20-man training camp roster, and with it the signing of Matt Ryan, per a team press release.

Ryan, a 6’7″ rookie forward, went undrafted in 2020 after spending his final season with Chattanooga. He had his most productive season by far as a senior, averaging 15.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.9 APG in 30.6 MPG for the Mocs, with a shooting line of .423/.359/.879 across 33 games. He played for Notre Dame and Vanderbilt earlier in his collegiate career, but struggled to gain traction with either team.

The release doesn’t specify the exact details of Ryan’s contract, but it will likely be a standard Exhibit 10 contract.

The signing of Davon Reed, which our JD Shaw previously reported, is now official, per the release.

Denver’s reported deal with Giorgi Bezhanishvili still isn’t official yet, but it could occur later in the preseason.

The Nuggets have 14 players with guaranteed contracts, and guard PJ Dozier has a partial guarantee of $200K. Both of the team’s two-way spots are filled.

Sixers Sign Shaquille Harrison To Camp Deal

3:04pm: The Sixers have officially signed Harrison, the team announced today in a press release.


8:51am: Free agent guard Shaquille Harrison is signing a training camp contract with the Sixers, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Harrison, who will turn 28 next Wednesday, appeared in a total of 34 games last season — 17 for Utah and 17 more for Denver, plus nine playoff contests for the Nuggets. Although he provided his usual stellar perimeter defense, he struggled offensively, averaging 2.1 PPG on .333/.188/.818 shooting in 9.8 minutes per contest during the regular season

Harrison, who has also spent time with the Suns and Bulls, has put up 5.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 1.5 APG on .436/.283/.717 shooting in 173 career games (15.2 MPG).

It seems unlikely that Harrison will find his way onto Philadelphia’s regular season roster, since the team has 14 players on guaranteed contracts, plus Paul Reed on a non-guaranteed deal. But he’ll get a chance to make an impression in training camp and perhaps the preseason — a strong showing would increase his likelihood of catching on with another team if he’s cut by the 76ers.

Harrison will be the 18th player on the Sixers’ preseason roster. The team has also reportedly agreed to sign Haywood Highsmith, but would still have an open roster spot if and when that deal gets done.

Lakers Sign Austin Reaves To Two-Year Deal

SEPTEMBER 27: The Lakers have officially confirmed Reaves’ new contract.


SEPTEMBER 26: The Lakers are planning to sign guard Austin Reaves to a two-year contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second year of the agreement contains a team option, Charania reports, and Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times notes the first season is partially guaranteed.

Reaves, 23, had been on a two-way contract with the club, so his new deal represents a promotion to the standard roster, putting him in line to be the 14th man on the regular season squad.

Charania notes that the Lakers view Reaves in a similar mold to guards Talen Horton-Tucker and Alex Caruso, two players they managed to successfully develop in recent seasons.

Reaves went unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft. He spent two collegiate seasons at Wichita State, then two more at Oklahoma, averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists during his final year.

The Lakers, who have 17 players under contract, now have a two-way roster spot available to use.

Kings Confirm Deal With DJ Steward, Set 20-Man Camp Roster

The Kings have put out their 20-man training camp roster, as Sean Cunningham of ABC10 relays (via Twitter), and it doesn’t include any surprises. In addition to the 19 players who were already under contract with Sacramento, the 20-man squad includes undrafted rookie guard DJ Steward, whose contract agreement with the team was reported way back in July.

Steward declared for the draft this spring after just one year at Duke. In his only college season, he put up 13.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 2.4 APG with a shooting line of .426/.341/.811 in 24 games (30.8 MPG), earning a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team. After going undrafted, he suited up for the Kings during the Las Vegas Summer League last month.

While terms of the Kings’ deal with Steward weren’t disclosed, an Exhibit 10 arrangement seems likely. That would put him in line to earn a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived by Sacramento and then joins the team’s G League affiliate in Stockton for at least 60 days.

The Kings are now carrying 14 players on guaranteed contracts, four on non-guaranteed deals, and two on two-way pacts.

Clippers Re-Sign Amir Coffey To Two-Way Contract

SEPTEMBER 27: Coffey’s deal is now official, the Clippers confirmed in a press release announcing their 20-man training camp roster.


SEPTEMBER 24: The Clippers are re-signing free agent wing Amir Coffey to another two-way contract, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank told reporters today (Twitter link via Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times).

Coffey, who was the last remaining restricted free agent on the market, received a qualifying offer from the Clips back in July to make him a restricted free agent, so his options were limited. He’ll likely get a little guaranteed money on his new two-way deal, and Frank suggested he’ll also get a chance to compete for the 15th spot on Los Angeles’ regular season roster.

Coffey, 24, has spent the last two seasons on a two-way contract with the Clippers, averaging 3.2 PPG and 1.0 RPG on .433/.387/.673 shooting in 62 total games (8.9 MPG). He appeared in 44 regular season games and another 10 playoff contests in 2020/21.

The Clippers will now have a full 20-man roster for training camp, with 14 players on guaranteed contracts, four on non-guaranteed deals, and Coffey and Jay Scrubb on two-way contracts.

Given how far the team is over the tax line, I wouldn’t be surprised if L.A. only carries 14 players on its standard roster to start the season. Even if the club opts for a 15th man, Coffey may be hard-pressed to beat out camp invitees like Harry Giles and Isaiah Hartenstein, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he simply remains in the two-way slot to start the year.

Thunder Sign Rob Edwards, D.J. Wilson

The Thunder have filled out their 20-man training camp roster by signing guard Rob Edwards and forward D.J. Wilson, the club announced in a press release.

Edwards, who went undrafted out of Arizona State in 2020, played for the Oklahoma City Blue – the Thunder’s G League affiliate – as a rookie in 2020/21. The 6’6″ guard averaged 12.5 PPG and 3.5 RPG with a .440 3PT% in 15 NBAGL games (21.3 MPG).

Wilson, the 17th overall pick in the 2017 draft, spent the first three-and-a-half season of his career in Milwaukee before being traded to Houston at last season’s trade deadline. He had fallen out of the Bucks’ rotation, but averaged 6.1 PPG and 3.8 RPG with a shooting line of .416/.339/.696 in 23 games (14.3 MPG) during his stint with the Rockets.

Terms of the deals weren’t disclosed, but it’s safe to assume they’re both non-guaranteed training camp contracts. Oklahoma City now has 13 players with guaranteed salaries, five on non-guaranteed deals, and a pair on two-way pacts.

Bulls Sign Daniel Oturu

The Bulls have signed free agent center Daniel Oturu to their training camp roster, agent Kevin Bradbury of REP1 Basketball tells Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).

It’s the third team of the offseason for Oturu, who was selected 33rd overall in the 2020 draft and spent his first NBA season with the Clippers, averaging 1.8 PPG and 1.6 RPG in 30 games (5.4 MPG). He was sent to the Grizzlies along with Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo in an August trade, then was waived by Memphis last week.

Although Oturu didn’t make a real impact at the NBA level in his rookie season, he’s still just 22 years old and is only two years removed from a standout sophomore season for the Minnesota Gophers. He put up 20.1 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 2.5 BPG in his final year at college, earning Big Ten All-Defensive honors.

Of course, even if the Bulls see some potential in Oturu, that doesn’t necessarily assure him of a regular season roster spot. The team only has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, but competition for the last spot or two on the 15-man roster will be fierce, with NBA veterans Stanley Johnson, Alize Johnson, Tyler Cook, and Matt Thomas also in the mix.

The Bulls now have a full 20-man preseason roster.