Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Grizzlies Sign Ziaire Williams, Santi Aldama To Rookie Deals

August 8th, 2021 at 10:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies‘ two first-round picks, forward Ziaire Williams and forward/center Santi Aldama, have officially signed their rookie contracts, the team announced today in a press release.

Williams, who spent a single season at Stanford before declaring for the draft, was the 10th overall pick on July 29. Memphis acquired the selection as part of the Jonas Valanciunas/Eric Bledsoe/Steven Adams deal with New Orleans, moving up from No. 17 in order to secure Williams.

Aldama, meanwhile, was the 30th overall pick in this year’s draft. The Grizzlies packaged the No. 40 selection with two future second-rounders in a deal with Utah in order to move up to the end of the first round to draft the 6’11” Spaniard, who played his college ball at Loyola (Maryland).

Assuming they both received the maximum allowable 120% of the rookie scale (which nearly all first-round picks do), Williams will earn $4.37MM in his first NBA season, while Aldama will make $1.99MM.

The Grizzlies now have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, meaning most of their offseason business is probably done. The team does still have one two-way slot open, with a two-way qualifying offer out to Killian Tillie.

Raptors Sign David Johnson To Two-Way Contract

August 8th, 2021 at 9:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors issued a press release on Sunday night announcing that they’ve signed former Louisville guard David Johnson to a two-way contract.

Johnson, the 47th overall pick in July’s draft, played college ball for the Cardinals for two years before declaring for the draft following his sophomore season. In 19 games (35.1 MPG) in 2020/21, he put up 12.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 3.2 APG with a .411/.386/.700 shooting line.

The Raptors previously signed undrafted free agent Justin Champagnie to a two-way contract, so both of the team’s two-way slots have now been filled.

No. 46 pick Dalano Banton is the only one of Toronto’s three 2021 draft picks who remains unsigned, as Scottie Barnes finalized his rookie deal earlier today. The Raptors still project to have some openings on their 15-man regular season roster, so Banton seems likely to sign a standard multiyear contract at some point.

Nets Sign David Duke Jr.

August 8th, 2021 at 8:26pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have officially signed undrafted rookie guard David Duke Jr. to a contract, the team announced today in a press release. Duke first announced on Twitter shortly after the draft ended that he’d be joining Brooklyn — it appears it’ll be for more than just Summer League.

Duke, who declared for the draft following his junior season at Providence, averaged 16.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 4.8 APG on .387/.389/.792 shooting in 26 games (37.1 MPG) in 2020/21.

The terms of Duke’s contract aren’t yet known, but it seems likely to be a training camp deal that includes Exhibit 10 language. Exhibit 10 contracts, which can be converted into standard or two-way deals, give players the opportunity to earn bonuses worth up to $50K if they end up joining the club’s G League affiliate after being cut.

The Nets now have 14 players under contract, with that total set to rise to 16 once Blake Griffin and Patty Mills officially sign. Three of Brooklyn’s second-round picks also remain unsigned, and the team has a two-way qualifying offer out to Reggie Perry.

Pistons Sign Cade Cunningham To Rookie Contract

August 8th, 2021 at 7:59pm CST by Luke Adams

This year’s No. 1 overall pick, Cade Cunningham, has signed his rookie contract, the Pistons announced today (via Twitter).

[RELATED: 2021 NBA Draft Pick Signings]

Viewed for months as the overwhelming favorite to come off the board first on draft night, Cunningham played a single season at Oklahoma State, averaging 20.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.6 SPG on .438/.400/.846 shooting in 27 games (35.4 MPG). He was a consensus All-American and was named the Big 12 Player of the Year as a freshman.

Cunningham, who is making his Summer League debut in Las Vegas on Sunday night, will be the highest-paid rookie in the 2021 class. As our breakdown shows, he’s in line for a rookie salary of $10MM+ and will make more than $45MM over the life of his four-year contract with Detroit.

The Pistons also formally confirmed the signing of second-rounder Isaiah Livers, which we previously relayed.

Thunder Sign Josh Giddey, Tre Mann To Rookie Contracts

August 8th, 2021 at 5:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have signed first-round picks Josh Giddey and Tre Mann to their rookie scale contracts, the team announced today in a press release.

Having entered draft night with the sixth, 16th, and 18th overall picks in the first round, Oklahoma City traded the No. 16 selection to Houston, but used No. 6 to pick Giddey and No. 18 to nab Mann. The two rookies are projected to earn first-year salaries of $5.99MM and $2.9MM, respectively.

Giddey, a member of the Adelaide 36ers in 2020/21, averaged 10.9 PPG, 7.5 APG, and 7.4 RPG in 28 games, earning NBL Rookie of the Year honors. The 18-year-old Australian was a surprise pick at No. 6 over the likes of Jonathan Kuminga and James Bouknight, but his size (6’8″) and play-making ability make him an intriguing fit for the rebuilding Thunder.

As for Mann, he spent two seasons in college, emerging as a full-time starter in the Florida Gators’ backcourt in 2020/21. The 6’5″ guard put up 16.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 3.5 APG with a shooting line of .459/.402/.831 in 24 games as a sophomore before entering the draft.

As our tracker shows, No. 32 pick Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is now the Thunder’s lone unsigned 2021 draftee.

Knicks Sign Jericho Sims To Two-Way Deal

August 8th, 2021 at 3:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Knicks have added forward Jericho Sims on a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link). The deal will cover two seasons, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Sims, selected with the No. 58 pick out of Texas, will be eligible to appear in 50 games with New York while on his two-way contract. If the Knicks want to play Sims in more than 50 games, his contract would need to be converted to a standard deal.

As a two-way player, Sims also figures to spend time with the Knicks’ Westchester affiliate during the season for further development. A four-year college player, the 22-year-old was honored with an All-Big 12 Team selection during his final season in Austin.

The 6’10” big man averaged 9.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 1.1 BPG across 27 games for the 2020/21 NCAA regular season, including 26 starts. He also connected on 69.6% shooting from the field, the second-best field goal percentage in UT’s history for a single year.

It was previously rumored that Sims, currently with New York’s Summer League squad in Las Vegas, would most likely join the Knicks on a two-way deal. The Knicks still have a second slot in which to ink a two-way player for the upcoming 2021/22 season.

Dwayne Bacon Waived By Magic

August 8th, 2021 at 3:14pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran shooting guard Dwayne Bacon has been waived by the Magic, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Bacon had joined Orlando on a two-year minimum deal during the 2020 offseason, but his $1,824,003 salary for the 2021/22 season was not yet guaranteed, so Orlando won’t carry any dead money as a result of the move.

The 6’6″ Bacon played in every single game for the Magic during the truncated 72-game 2020/21 NBA season, including 50 starts. He averaged 10.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.3 APG and 0.6 SPG across 25.7 MPG, with a shooting line of .402/.285/.824.

The 25-year-old was selected with the No. 40 pick in the 2017 draft out of FSU, and had spent his prior three seasons in the league with the Hornets, also moonlighting with Charlotte’s NBA G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, during that time.

Bacon’s proven reliability during a compressed season and his positional fluidity could make him an appealing player for a playoff club looking to take a minimum-salary or partially-guaranteed contract flyer on a young wing with remaining upside.

Scottie Barnes Signs Rookie Contract With Raptors

August 8th, 2021 at 10:47am CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors have signed Scottie Barnes to his first NBA contract, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports.

The Florida State forward was something of a surprise pick at No. 4, but Toronto was attracted to his potential to be a difference-maker on defense. He was named ACC Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year during his lone season with the Seminoles, averaging 10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Assuming he gets 120% of the rookie scale, Barnes will make $7.28MM during his first season. His contract could be worth up to $33MM over four years.

Barnes will play his first Summer League game later today, Lewenberg adds.

Kevin Durant Gets Four-Year Extension From Nets

August 8th, 2021 at 9:26am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 8: Durant’s extension is official, the Nets announced.

“We know who he is. Kevin Durant will establish his legacy in Brooklyn as one of the greatest ever,” owner Joe Tsai said. “On behalf of the Nets organization, my family and our fans, we are excited and humbled to see a lot of Kevin for years to come.”

“Kevin is a transcendent talent who continues to drive and push this franchise and the game of basketball globally,” added general manager Sean Marks. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with him for years to come. Kevin’s impact both on and off the court cannot be overstated. His unparalleled drive and leadership generate sustained excellence from himself while also elevating the performance of his teammates, positioning this organization to continue the pursuit of our championship goals in Brooklyn.”

AUGUST 6: The Nets and Kevin Durant are in agreement on a four-year, maximum-salary contract extension that will go into effect during the 2022/23 season, according to Shlomo Sprung of The Boardroom. Durant’s manager Rich Kleiman confirmed the deal, which will replace the star forward’s ’22/23 player option.

Durant will be eligible for a 5% raise on his 2021/22 salary of $42MM, so his new deal will start at about $44.1MM in ’22/23. That figure exceeds the default maximum salary for a player with 10+ years of experience, but a player’s individual maximum salary on a new contract is always at least 105% of his previous salary.

In total, Durant’s new extension will be worth $197.7MM over four years and will cover his age 34-37 seasons.

Durant, who signed a four-year, maximum-salary contract with the Nets in 2019, missed his entire first season in Brooklyn while recovering from an Achilles tear and was limited to just 35 regular season games in 2020/21. However, he looked like his old self in those games, averaging 26.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, and 1.3 BPG on a scorching .537/.450/.882 shooting line.

In 12 postseason games, Durant put up 34.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 1.6 BPG on .514/.402/.871 shooting, but he couldn’t quite lead the Nets past the eventual-champion Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, despite a 48-point performance in a Game 7 overtime loss.

All three Brooklyn stars are eligible for contract extensions this offseason. Now that they have a deal in place for Durant, the Nets figure to shift their focus to trying to lock up James Harden and Kyrie Irving as well.

Spurs Acquire Doug McDermott In Sign-And-Trade

August 8th, 2021 at 9:18am CST by Dana Gauruder

AUGUST 8: McDermott has joined the Spurs in a sign-and-trade deal, the Pacers announced in a press release.

Indiana got a future second-round pick in return, while San Antonio received McDermott, a future second-rounder and the option to swap second-round picks in a future draft. The Pacers also created a $7.3MM trade exception in the deal, equivalent to McDermott’s 2020/21 salary.

AUGUST 2: Pacers free agent forward Doug McDermott has agreed to a three-year, $42MM deal with the Spurs, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

McDermott cashed in off a career year with Indiana in which he averaged 13.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG and 1.3 APG. He’s a career 40.7% 3-point shooter, though he’s more than just a perimeter threat. He averaged a career-high 10.1 shot attempts and made 53.2% of them in his walk year.

McDermott’s most recent contract, which he signed with Indiana in 2018, was a three-year deal worth $22MM.

Retaining McDermott at the number he agreed to with the Spurs would have added to the Pacers’ luxury tax concerns, though they were hoping to re-sign him.

The Pelicans, Suns, and Nuggets were among the teams that were rumored to be potential suitors for the 29-year-old McDermott. The Spurs had an edge over many other teams due to ample cap space, while many others could only offer their $9.536MM mid-level exception.

San Antonio could simply sign McDermott with its cap room or work out a sign-and-trade with Indiana.