Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Sign DeMarcus Cousins For Rest Of Season

April 26th, 2021 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

3:50pm: The Clippers have made it official, announcing that they’ve signed Cousins to a rest-of-season contract.

12:04pm: The Clippers will sign big man DeMarcus Cousins to a contract that covers the remainder of the 2020/21 season, league sources Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

Cousins previously signed a pair of 10-day deals with Los Angeles. The second of those contracts expired on Sunday night, and a team isn’t permitted to sign a player to a third 10-day pact in the same season, so the Clippers would’ve had to let Cousins go if they weren’t willing to commit to him for the rest of the season.

Cousins, who began the season with the Rockets, has now appeared in eight games as a Clipper, averaging 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in just 11.5 minutes per contest. He’s making 48.8% shots so far in L.A., scoring far more efficiently than he did in Houston, where he was converting just 37.6% of his attempts from the floor. He has also drawn six charges on the defensive end.

Although Cousins isn’t playing a major role for the Clippers, he has fit in well so far and has been an important depth piece with Serge Ibaka (back) sidelined. Head coach Tyronn Lue believes there’s room for him to continue improving and to perhaps play a larger role, as Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group writes.

“Once (Cousins) learns the plays and sets, understands what we’re trying to do defensively, getting in a little better shape, I think he definitely can (help),” Lue said. “We have a month left before the playoffs start, and for him to get a month of just understanding what we’re trying to run, what we’re doing, I think it’ll make us so much better.”

If Cousins officially signs his new deal today, it would pay him $368,903 for the rest of the season, with the Clippers taking on a $233,095 cap hit.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Charlie Brown Jr. Signs 10-Day Deal With Thunder

April 25th, 2021 at 1:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Shooting guard Charlie Brown Jr. has inked a 10-day deal with the Thunder, according to an official team press release.

Brown, 24, went undrafted out of Saint Joseph’s in 2019, and began his NBA life as a two-way player for the Hawks for the 2019/20 season. Though he played sparingly for Atlanta (appearing in just 40 minutes across 10 games), Brown had a more robust output for Atlanta’s G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks. Over 29 games, he averaged 17.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.52 SPG across 33.2 MPG.

Earlier this season, Brown signed a training camp contract with the Timberwolves, but was cut before playing any regular season games for Minnesota.

The 6’6″ second-year wing most recently suited up in 13 games for Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, during the 2021 NBAGL “bubble” season in Orlando, averaging 12.5 PPG (on 44.7% field goal shooting), 5.5 RPG, 1.9 APG and 1.69 SPG across 30.0 MPG. Brown was among several Iowa Wolves players to be suspended for two games after violating the G League’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols while in Orlando.

The Thunder had an open spot on their 15-man roster after Justin Robinson‘s second 10-day deal with the team expired.

Knicks To Sign Simisola Shittu To Two-Way Contract

April 24th, 2021 at 9:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks are expected to sign G League forward Simisola Shittu to a two-way contract, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

Shittu will become the third member of the team’s G League affiliate in Westchester to occupy that two-way slot. Jared Harper was signed to a two-way deal in November, but had his contract converted to a 10-day deal on Friday. He was replaced by Myles Powell, who was waived earlier today. Begley points out that the Knicks like to provide financial rewards for their G League players, so it’s not clear if Shittu will remain on the roster long or if he’ll have a short stay like Powell.

Shittu, 21, went undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2019 and played for Windy City in the G League last season before joining Westchester this year. He averaged 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds in 53 total G League games.

The signing will give the Knicks a full roster, with Shittu and Theo Pinson occupying the two-way slots, Begley adds.

Knicks Waive Myles Powell

April 24th, 2021 at 4:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks have waived guard Myles Powell after signing him to a two-way deal on Friday, the team announced (via Twitter).

The 23-year-old was never expected to remain with the team, explains Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). The Knicks signed Powell to give him some extra money for his contributions to their G League affiliate. He averaged 17.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists for Westchester in 13 games in the G League bubble.

The move leaves New York with an open two-way spot. Former two-way player Jared Harper had his two-way deal converted to a 10-day contract on Friday.

Grizzlies Sign Tim Frazier For Rest Of Season

April 24th, 2021 at 3:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

3:51pm: The team has confirmed the transaction via a press release.

3:15pm: The Grizzlies are signing reserve point guard Tim Frazier for the remainder of the season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Frazier’s second 10-day contract with the club expired on Friday night. He signed a 10-day with Memphis in January, then was re-signed in the middle of April.

Normally, teams can’t sign players to three 10-days in a season. Frazier would have be allowed to sign a third 10-day contract with Memphis because the first 10-day deal was completed using the team’s hardship exception and didn’t count toward the usual limit. However, the Grizzlies opted to give him a standard contract anyway.

He’s appeared in three games this season, averaging 1.3 PPG and 2.3 APG in 11.o MPG.

The well-traveled Frazier has also played for the Sixers, Blazers, Pelicans, Wizards, Bucks and Pistons. He went unselected in the 2014 draft.

Nets Officially Sign Mike James To 10-Day Contract

April 24th, 2021 at 6:52am CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 24: Not that there was any doubt, but NBA.com’s official transactions log confirms it was Aldridge waived to make room for James.

APRIL 23: The Nets have officially signed Mike James to a 10-day contract, the team announced in a press release. The move had been expected once James cleared the league’s coronavirus testing protocols.

James, who averaged 9.3 points and 3.5 assists in 36 total games for Phoenix and New Orleans during the NBA’s 2017/18 season, has been playing in Europe since then. He was having a big year for CSKA Moscow this season, racking up 19.3 PPG and 5.7 APG in 27 EuroLeague contests (31.2 MPG), but was suspended indefinitely by the club following an altercation with head coach Dimitris Itoudis in late March.

Although CSKA Moscow’s contract with James runs through 2023, the team announced this week that it had reached an agreement to allow him to become a free agent until the end of the 2020/21 season, clearing the way for him to sign with an NBA team.

While the Nets’ official release confirms that James’ 10-day deal has been finalized, it doesn’t mention who was released to make room for him on the 15-man roster. It seems safe to assume that LaMarcus Aldridge was the player waived — he announced his retirement as a player last week.

It’s also still not entirely clear how James’ agreement with CSKA Moscow will work. The team’s statement didn’t give any indication that his multiyear contract has been terminated, but a EuroLeague club loaning a player to an NBA team isn’t exactly a common occurrence. We should get more clarity soon on James’ situation.

Knicks Turn Jared Harper’s Two-Way Deal Into 10-Day Contract

April 23rd, 2021 at 6:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

6:09pm: It’s official, the team’s PR department tweets.

4:20pm: The Knicks are converting Jared Harper‘s two-way contract into a 10-day contract, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. Since New York has an open spot on its 15-man roster, no corresponding move is required.

It’s likely that Harper will eventually receive a second 10-day, which would last until the end of the regular season or very close to it.

It’s a nifty raise for Harper. He was making $3,076 per day on his two-way. He will make $9,902 per day on a 10-day contract.

The 23-year-old point guard out of Auburn has made four brief appearances with New York. He saw action in three games with Phoenix last season.

Harper was claimed off waivers in June. Though he hasn’t seen much NBA action, he excelled in the G League season at the Orlando bubble. In 12 G League contests this season, Harper averaged 21.3 PPG and 7.0 APG and was named to the All-NBA G League First Team.

Harper spoke to Hoops Rumors earlier this season about his experience in the G League and the time he has spent on the Knicks’ roster.

Myles Powell Signs Two-Way Deal With Knicks

April 23rd, 2021 at 5:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks have signed guard Myles Powell to a two-way contract, the team’s PR department tweets.

Powell went undrafted after a stellar college career with Seton Hall, culminating with a First Team All-American selection after the 2019/20 season. The Knicks brought him in to training camp but waived him prior to the start of the season.

He played 13 games for Westchester, the team’s G League affiliate, and averaged 17.8 PPG and 4.0 APG. He was expected to sign with Milwaukee on a two-way deal in early March but that never came to fruition.

New York had a two-way spot open after promoting Jared Harper to the 15-man roster on a 10-day contract.

Donta Hall Signs Second 10-Day Deal With Magic

April 23rd, 2021 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have signed forward Donta Hall to a second 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. Hall’s first 10-day deal with Orlando expired on Thursday night.

Orlando is Hall’s fourth NBA team February 2020, when he signed a 10-day contract with Detroit. He later joined the Nets for the summer restart in Walt Disney World, played for the G League Ignite in this season’s NBAGL bubble at Disney, then inked a 10-day deal with the Raptors.

Hall got the chance to play regular minutes during his first 10 days in Orlando, averaging 4.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in four contests (14.0 MPG). His best game came last Wednesday in Chicago, when he put up seven points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes, posting a plus-eight rating and helping the Magic beat the Bulls.

Hall’s new 10-day pact will cover Orlando’s next five games before expiring next Sunday night. At that point, the Magic will have to either let him go or sign him to a rest-of-season contract.

Like his last 10-day deal, Hall’s new contract will be worth $99,020, so he’ll earn $198,040 for his 20 days with the Magic. That number would increase if the team re-signs him to a rest-of-season deal in May.

Pacers Sign Amida Brimah, Waive Brian Bowen

April 23rd, 2021 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

11:57am: Brimah has officially signed his two-way deal with the Pacers, the team announced in a press release. He won’t have to go through a quarantine period and will be available for the team’s game on Saturday vs. Detroit, tweets Scott Agness of The Athletic.

As first reported by J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (via Twitter) and confirmed by the Pacers, Bowen has been waived to open up a spot for Brimah. The 22-year-old forward, who has spent the last two seasons on a two-way deal with Indiana, logged a total of just 46 minutes in 12 games for the team since the start of 2019/20.

9:37am: Following a series of injuries to their frontcourt players, the Pacers are adding some depth. Free agent center Amida Brimah is signing a two-way contract with Indiana, agent Daniel Hazan tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Brimah, who went undrafted out of UConn in 2017, has never appeared in an NBA regular season game despite signing Exhibit 10 contracts with NBA teams for four consecutive years — two with the Spurs (2017 and 2018) and two with the Pacers (2019 and 2020).

The 27-year-old big man had a brief stint with a Serbian club in 2018 but has otherwise spent his professional career in the G League, most recently averaging 8.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 2.6 RPG in 10 games (23.5 MPG) for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in this season’s NBAGL bubble.

Brimah is known for his rim-protecting abilities — he was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and made the G League All-Defensive team in 2018. And despite never playing an NBA game, he has some championship experience, having won an NCAA title with UConn in ’14 and a G League title with the Austin Spurs in ’18.

The banged-up Pacers are currently missing Myles Turner (toe), Domantas Sabonis (back), and Goga Bitadze (ankle), so there could be a path to immediate minutes for Brimah, depending on when he officially signs and when Sabonis and Bitadze are ready to return.

Indiana will have to waive one of its current two-way players to make room for Brimah. Brian Bowen is probably a likelier release candidate than 2020 second-rounder Cassius Stanley, but we’ll have to see what the Pacers have in mind.