Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hawks Sign Clint Capela To Two-Year Extension

September 1st, 2021 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

1:08pm: The Hawks have officially announced Capela’s extension, issuing a press release to confirm the move.

“Clint is one of the premier defensive and rebounding big men in the league. His presence in the paint and voice on defense had a tremendous impact on our success last season,” Hawks president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk said in a statement. “He is a great teammate who leads by example and we are excited to have him as a part of our team long-term.”

11:55am: Capela will make about $20.6MM in 2023/24 and $22.3MM in ’24/25 on his new extension, tweets Marks. That works out to a base value of $42.9MM over two years, with another $4MM in total incentives, so the deal could max out at $46.9MM, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

10:52am: The Hawks and center Clint Capela have reached an agreement on a contract extension that will add two years and $46MM to his current deal, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

Capela remains under contract for two years entering the 2021/22 season, so his new deal will go into effect beginning in ’23/24 and will keep him under team control for four years in total.

Capela, 27, was acquired from the Rockets by the Hawks at the 2020 trade deadline, but was unable to play at all for Atlanta that season due to a foot injury. He proved his value to the team in 2020/21 though, averaging 15.2 PPG and an NBA-leading 14.3 RPG to go along with 2.0 BPG and a .594 FG% in 63 games (30.1 MPG).

The anchor of the Hawks’ defense, Capela finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and helped lead the team to a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals with playoff series wins over the Knicks and Sixers.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN observes (via Twitter), Capela is earning base salaries of $17,103,448 and $18,206,897 in the final two years of his current deal. Since he’s eligible to earn up to 120% of his 2022/23 salary in the first year of his extension, the base salaries of his new deal would be $21.85MM and $23.6MM (an 8% raise on year one) if Atlanta offered the maximum possible amount.

However, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic suggests (via Twitter) that the base value of the two-year extension is closer to $42MM, which indicates those numbers will come in slightly lower.

Capela’s contract also features $2MM in annual incentives, $1.5MM of which are currently considered “likely to be earned,” since he received them in 2020/21. He got a $1MM bonus for making the Conference Finals and $500K for a defensive rebounding rate above 30%, but missed out on a $500K bonus for shooting below 65% on free throws. Those annual incentives will be included in Capela’s extension as well, potentially boosting the total value of the deal by up to $4MM.

Capela will be the second Hawks player to sign an extension this summer, joining Trae Young, who inked a maximum-salary rookie scale extension at the start of free agency. Kevin Huerter remains eligible for a rookie scale extension up until October 18.

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk Signs With Raptors

September 1st, 2021 at 1:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 1: The Raptors finalized the signing of Mykhailiuk on Tuesday, according to NBA.com’s official transactions log. As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets, the two-year deal is worth the minimum salary.

AUGUST 28: The Raptors have reached a two-year agreement with free agent Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The deal was confirmed by his agency, Sports International Group.

The contract will include a player option for the second season, according to Charania (Twitter link), who states that several contenders were interested in signing the 24-year-old swingman.

Mykhailiuk finished last season with the Thunder after being acquired from the Pistons in March. He averaged career-best numbers with 10.3 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 30 games with Oklahoma City while shooting 43.8% from the field and 33.6% from three-point range. He was originally a restricted free agent, but became unrestricted when OKC pulled his qualifying offer.

Mykhailiuk was selected by the Lakers with the 47th pick in the 2018 draft and was traded to Detroit midway through his rookie season.

Once the signing becomes official, Toronto will be up to 19 players, one short of the roster limit heading into camp. The Raptors now have 12 players with guaranteed contracts and both two-way slots filled.

Nuggets Re-Sign Austin Rivers

September 1st, 2021 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 1: Nearly a month after initially agreeing to terms with Rivers, the Nuggets made the deal official on Tuesday, per NBA.com’s transactions log. The one-year contract is believed to be worth the veteran’s minimum, though that has yet to be formally confirmed.

AUGUST 2: The Nuggets have agreed to re-sign Austin Rivers to a one-year contract, agents Aaron Mintz and Dave Spahn tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

After signing with the Knicks as a free agent last offseason, Rivers had a short-lived stint in New York. He was traded to Oklahoma City and subsequently waived before joining a Nuggets team that was hit hard by backcourt injuries down the stretch.

With Jamal Murray and Will Barton sidelined, Rivers played big minutes for the Nuggets in his 15 regular season games with the club, averaging 8.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, and 2.1 RPG on .418/.375/.706 shooting in 26.9 minutes per contest. He played even more in the postseason, starting nine of 10 games and averaging 9.2 PPG on .435/.413/.813 shooting in 30.5 MPG.

With Murray’s absence expected to stretch well into 2021/22, there should be playing time available for Rivers going forward.

It has been a busy night for the Nuggets. Less than four hours into free agency, they’ve already agreed to re-sign Rivers, Barton, and JaMychal Green while also lining up a deal with free agent forward Jeff Green. Denver now has 15 players who project to be on the regular season roster, so the team may be done shopping for the time being.

Lakers Sign Rajon Rondo To One-Year Deal

August 31st, 2021 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 31: The Lakers have officially signed Rondo, the team confirmed today (via Twitter).

AUGUST 30: Point guard Rajon Rondo intends to sign a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Lakers after he becomes a free agent, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links). Rondo, who will clear waivers today, will sign his new contract on Tuesday, Wojnarowski adds.

Rondo agreed to a buyout with the Grizzlies and was released by the team on Saturday, with reports at the time indicating the Lakers would likely be his next destination. According to Wojnarowski, Rondo will still earn $7.5MM this season, which was the base salary on his previous deal, so it sounds like he gave up about $2.64MM (his minimum salary) in his buyout agreement.

Rondo, 35, signed with Atlanta during the 2020 offseason, but had a limited impact in 27 games with the Hawks, averaging just 3.9 PPG and 3.5 APG in 14.9 minutes per contest — those numbers all would’ve been career lows.

The veteran guard was traded to the Clippers in a midseason trade and finished the 2020/21 campaign with the team, appearing in 18 regular season games and 13 playoff contests. L.A. then sent him to the Grizzlies in a deal for Eric Bledsoe earlier this month, but he was only included in that swap for salary-matching purposes and was never in Memphis’ plans.

Rondo will now rejoin a Lakers team with whom he won a championship in 2020. He spent two seasons with the Lakers from 2018-20. Los Angeles will have 13 players on guaranteed contracts once the signing is complete.

Sixers Sign Grant Riller To Two-Way Contract

August 30th, 2021 at 10:50am CST by Arthur Hill

AUGUST 30: The Sixers have made it official, announcing in a press release that Riller has signed a two-way deal with the team.

AUGUST 18: After opening a two-way slot by waiving Rayjon Tucker, the Sixers have reached an agreement on a two-way deal with Grant Riller, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Riller, 24, was a two-way player for the Hornets last season. He got into just seven games and averaged 2.6 PPG in 3.9 minutes per night. He played 11 games during the abbreviated G League season, posting 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Greensboro Swarm.

Charlotte took Riller with the 56th pick in the 2020 draft, but didn’t make a qualifying offer before this year’s deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Philadelphia’s other two-way contract is held by rookie wing Aaron Henry.

Cavaliers Acquire Lauri Markkanen In Three-Team Sign-And-Trade

August 28th, 2021 at 5:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

AUGUST 28: The trade is official, the Cavaliers announced in a press release.

“We are extremely fortunate as an organization to be in a position to acquire another young and talented player with the skill-set of Lauri Markkanen,” said Cleveland general manager Koby Altman. “He has the proven ability to play multiple positions and stretch the floor from the perimeter and, at 24-years-old, we believe his best basketball is in front of him. We are committed to establishing a winning culture in Cleveland that can be sustained over time and Lauri helps elevate that description.”

AUGUST 27: The Cavaliers will acquire Lauri Markkanen from the Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal that also includes the Trail Blazers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Portland will receive Larry Nance Jr. in the deal, according to Wojnarowski, and will send Derrick Jones Jr. and a 2022 protected first-round pick to Chicago. The Bulls will also get a Nuggets 2023 second-rounder from Cleveland.

The trade ends a long wait for Markkanen, who had been looking for a new team since free agency began on August 2. He will receive a four-year, $67MM contract from the Cavs, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link), and the Bulls get the first-round pick they were seeking in return for the 24-year-old restricted free agent. That pick from Portland will be lottery protected through 2028, Woj adds (via Twitter), and will become a second-round selection if it’s not conveyed before then.

Markkanen’s four-year contract is valued at $18MM in the final season, but only carries a $6MM guarantee, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).

The deal leaves the Cavs $4.7MM under the luxury tax with 14 players under contract, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. The Blazers are $1.3MM above the tax threshold with 13 players signed and will likely be $3MM over once they add a league-mandated 14th player. The Bulls are $6.4MM under the tax and $11.8MM below the hard cap with 13 guaranteed contracts, Marks adds (Twitter link).

Markkanen’s outgoing salary only counts as $7.79MM, rather than the full amount, due to base year compensation rules, Marks notes (via Twitter). Chicago had hoped to get a player in the $9-10MM range, which it did by acquiring Jones. Markkenen’s incoming salary from the Cavs’ perspective will be the full amount of $15.58MM.

Markkanen fell out of Chicago’s starting lineup last season for the first time in his four years in the NBA and played a career-low 25.8 minutes per night. His averages of 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game were all the worst of his career.

He had been hoping for a “fresh start” and will get it in Cleveland, where he will likely be the new starting power forward. The trade allows the Cavs to solidify a position of need and gives rookie big man Evan Mobley more time to develop.

Nance, 28, is under contract for two more year at $10.69MM and $9.67MM. He averaged 9.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season and will bring a defensive presence to Portland’s front line. New coach Chauncey Billups has spoken repeatedly about the need to upgrade the team’s defense.

Jones, 24, has an expiring $9.72MM contract for the upcoming season. He averaged 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 58 games last season and adds another versatile forward to Chicago’s rotation.

Rajon Rondo Bought Out By Grizzlies, Likely To Join Lakers

August 28th, 2021 at 3:45pm CST by Eli Cohen

Rajon Rondo and the Grizzlies have agreed to a contract buyout, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). Rondo was traded to Memphis in a three-way deal that sent Eric Bledsoe to the Clippers.

According to Charania (via Twitter), the 35-year-old two-time NBA champion could be on his way back to Los Angeles, though not to the Clippers. Charania reports that the Lakers are the frontrunner to sign Rondo. If the point guard does return to the Lakers, it would be his third season with the team — he won a title with the team in the 2020 bubble.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) confirms the Lakers’ interest. Rondo will clear waivers on Monday, and Wojnarowski says he will likely be signed into one of the Lakers’ final roster spots.

While the Lakers did an impressive job filling out their roster following the trade for Russell Westbrook, the backup point guard spot was one notable hole. Rondo was unable to replicate his success with the Lakers in this year’s playoffs run with the Clippers, but should provide a solid, competent play-maker off the bench, especially as young guards Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn are both more likely to see time at the shooting guard spot.

Bobby Marks of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that Rondo was never asked to report to the Grizzlies or take a physical, calling it as sure a sign as you can get that a subsequent move would be made. In a separate tweet, he says that the same is true for Spanish forward Juan Hernangomez.

Rockets Sign Armoni Brooks To Exhibit 10 Contract

August 27th, 2021 at 5:38pm CST by JD Shaw

5:38pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

12:41pm: The Rockets are signing guard Armoni Brooks to an Exhibit 10 contract, a source confirmed to Hoops Rumors. News of the agreement was first reported by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Brooks, 23, will have the opportunity to make the team’s regular-season roster in training camp this fall. He spent 20 games with the club at the end of last season, averaging 11.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

The Rockets have one final spot for camp and could consider adding Anthony Lamb, who signed a two-way contract with the team last March. Both Brooks and Lamb played summer league with Houston in Las Vegas after receiving two-way qualifying offers.

Should Brooks not make the regular-season roster, he’d be eligible to receive a bonus up to $50K if he spends at least 60 days with Houston’s G League affiliate.

Mavericks Waive Nate Hinton

August 27th, 2021 at 4:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

4:32pm: Dallas has officially waived Hinton, the team’s PR department tweets.

4:15pm: The Mavericks are waiving guard Nate Hinton, Tim Cato of The Athletic tweets. Hinton was re-signed to a new two-way contract early this month.

Hinton, who finished the 2020/21 season on a two-way deal with the Mavs, received a qualifying offer equivalent to another one-year, two-way contract, so he likely simply accepted that offer at the time.

Undrafted out of Houston in 2020, Hinton appeared in 21 games for the team as a rookie, though he saw very limited minutes. He averaged 2.0 PPG in 4.4 minutes per contest, but saw more action with the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors in the Orlando bubble season, posting averages of 10.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 10 games (23.0 MPG).

Rookie forward Eugene Omoruyi occupies the other two-way slot for Dallas.

Sixers Waive Anthony Tolliver

August 27th, 2021 at 2:38pm CST by JD Shaw

The Sixers have waived veteran big man Anthony Tolliver, the team announced on Friday (Twitter link). Tolliver’s $2.69MM contract would’ve become fully guaranteed if he wasn’t released today.

The move opens up a roster spot for Philadelphia, which now has 15 players officially under contract (14 on standard contracts and one on a two-way). The team will also sign Grant Riller to a two-way contract and Haywood Highsmith to an Exhibit 10 deal, leaving three spots available on the 20-man offseason roster.

In addition, Philadelphia has yet to sign second-round draft pick Charles Bassey, who was selected No. 53 overall by the team last month.

Assuming he clears waivers on Sunday, Tolliver will reach free agency after concluding his 13th NBA season. The 36-year-old signed two ten-day contracts and a rest-of-season deal with the Sixers in 2020/21, appearing in a total of nine contests.