Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Waive Zavier Simpson, Kevon Harris, Tres Tinkle

December 14th, 2020 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers waived guard Zavier Simpson, guard Kevon Harris, and forward Tres Tinkle on Sunday, according to the NBA’s official transactions log.

Simpson, Harris, and Tinkle were all rookie free agents who went undrafted last month, then agreed to Exhibit 10 contracts with the Lakers. It looked as if the plan was for them to participate in training camp and then perhaps join Los Angeles’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. However, the team reportedly opted not to bring them to camp as a coronavirus precaution.

The Lakers are also among the teams expected to bypass the proposed G League bubble, as our JD Shaw has reported. As such, Harris, Simpson, and Tinkle may not get an opportunity to play for South Bay this season. Still, it appears all three players officially signed their Exhibit 10 deals, just in case.

Following the series of transactions, the Lakers are once again carrying 16 players on their roster, including 14 on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals. They seem likely to open the season with those 16 players under contract.

Pistons Waive Louis King, Anthony Lamb, LiAngelo Ball

December 13th, 2020 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have cut three players from their 20-man training camp roster, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic, who tweets that the club has requested waivers on forward Louis King, forward Anthony Lamb, and wing LiAngelo Ball. King and Lamb briefly appeared in Detroit’s preseason game vs. New York on Sunday.

Lamb and Ball were training camp invitees who were never considered likely to make the 15-man regular season roster, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that they’ve been waived. It’s possible they’ll end up playing for the Grand Rapids Drive, though it doesn’t look for now like Detroit’s G League affiliate will participate in the proposed NBAGL bubble.

As for King, the 21-year-old had signed a second two-way contract with the Pistons after spending his rookie season in 2019/20 on a two-way deal with the team. His release means that one of Detroit’s two-way slots is open — second-rounder Saben Lee occupies the other.

The Pistons now have 17 players under contract, including Lee and 16 players on guaranteed salaries. At least one of those 16 will need to be traded or cut before the regular season gets underway.

Spurs Sign, Waive Khyri Thomas

December 13th, 2020 at 5:14pm CST by JD Shaw

The Spurs signed guard Khyri Thomas to an Exhibit 10 contract this weekend, waiving the 24-year-old shortly thereafter, Jeff Garcia of News 4 San Antonio tweets.

Thomas is expected to play with the team’s G League affiliate in the proposed bubble next month. The Thunder were among those to express interest in the free agent guard before he signed with the Spurs, Garcia adds.

Thomas, the No. 38 pick back in 2018, has spent the past two seasons with the Pistons. He appeared in a total of 34 games, struggling with his shooting and getting traded to Atlanta last month. The Hawks then waived the Creighton product upon acquiring him.

This move marks the second of its kind in recent days for San Antonio, who also signed and waived Kylor Kelley on Friday, sources told Hoops Rumors. Both players were inked to Exhibit 10 deals, which enables the pair to receive a bonus of up to $50K if they remain on the team’s G League affiliate for at least 60 days.

Knicks Sign Tyler Hall To Camp Deal

December 12th, 2020 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

DECEMBER 12: The Knicks have officially signed Hall, according to the NBA’s transactions log.

DECEMBER 11: The Knicks have agreed to a non-guaranteed contract with guard Tyler Hall, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

It’s very likely an Exhibit 10 contract. Hall’s G League rights are already held by the Knicks, so he could earn a $50K bonus if he plays for the Westchester Knicks for at least 60 days once the NBA team waives him.

The Knicks opened up a training camp roster spot earlier in the day by waiving Skal Labissiere, who’s expected to join their G League club unless he’s claimed. Hall may have to wait in line for signing to be official, since James Young and Andrew White have also agreed to Exhibit 10 deals.

Hall, who played college ball at Montana State, was on the Westchester roster last season. He appeared in 39 games, averaging 9.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 1.7 APG in 39 games.

Knicks Sign, Waive Andrew White

December 12th, 2020 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

DECEMBER 12, 3:51pm: White has been waived, according to the team’s Twitter feed. He’ll likely hook on with the Knicks’ G League team in Westchester.

DECEMBER 12, 7:54am: The Knicks officially signed White on Friday after opening up a roster spot by waiving Labissiere, per the NBA’s transactions log.

DECEMBER 8: The Knicks have reached a contract agreement with free agent forward Andrew White, who will sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the team, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

White, 27, went undrafted in 2017 out of Syracuse. He was a Celtics camp invitee as a rookie and had a stint on a two-way contract for Atlanta in 2018, but has otherwise spent his professional career in the G League, playing for the Erie BayHawks, Maine Red Claws, and Westchester Knicks.

In 130 total NBAGL games, White has averaged 13.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG on .438/.389/.838 shooting in 30.6 minutes per contest.

Because the Knicks already hold White’s G League rights, the signing appears designed to get him a $50K Exhibit 10 bonus, assuming he qualifies for it in what figures to be a shortened NBAGL season. Typically, players must spend at least 60 days with the club’s G League affiliate to earn that bonus — it’s not clear if or how the rules might be adjusted in 2020/21.

New York also agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with Skal Labissiere and James Young. The club has a full 20-man camp squad for the time being, so some back-of-the-roster shuffling will be required to complete the three signings. White, Labissiere, and Young will each likely have a very brief stay on the Knicks’ NBA roster.

Spurs Sign, Waive Kylor Kelley

December 12th, 2020 at 9:52am CST by marksuleymanov

The Spurs signed forward/center Kylor Kelley to an Exhibit 10 deal and then subsequently waived him, a source told JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link).

Kelley, 23, started his journey to the NBA playing in a Christian college, moved onto a community college, and spent his final two collegiate seasons at Oregon State. In two seasons with the Beavers, he averaged 9.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG while averaging 3.4 blocks as a defensive menace.

The seven-footer set the all-time record for blocks (211) in OSU history. Additionally, the Oregon native set the school’s single-season records for blocked shots (107) and single-season blocked shots average (3.45), as well as the record for blocked shots in a game (nine).

An Exhibit 10 contract is a non-guaranteed one-year, minimum salary pact that allows a player to make a bonus of up to $50K if he is waived and remains on the franchise’s G League squad for at least 60 days.

The plan for the 2020/21 G League season has yet to be officially announced, but Kelley would be a strong option to see time for the Austin Spurs if they participate.

Jazz Sign Trevon Bluiett To Camp Deal

December 11th, 2020 at 6:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

DECEMBER 11: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

NOVEMBER 30: The Jazz are bringing back Trevon Bluiett on an Exhibit 10 deal, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets.

Blueitt was with the club in training camp prior to last season but got waived. He’ll likely wind up with G League’ Salt Lake City Stars if his longshot bid to make the opening night roster doesn’t pan out.

The 26-year-old swingman played for the Stars last season. He saw action in 41 G League games, averaging 14.9 PPG.

Bluiett spent the previous season with the Pelicans on a two-way contract.

Knicks Release Skal Labissiere

December 11th, 2020 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Knicks have waived big man Skal Labissiere after signing him earlier this week, the team announced today (via Twitter).

When word of Labissiere’s agreement with New York broke, reports indicated that the plan was for him to eventually join the Westchester Knicks in the G League. Signing him to an Exhibit 10 contract ensured that the Knicks secured his NBAGL rights and should line him up for a $50K bonus.

Labissiere, 24, played 33 games for the Trail Blazers last season, averaging 5.8 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 17.2 MPG. He suffered a knee injury in December and never suited up for Atlanta after the Hawks acquired him in a trade deadline deal. He became an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

The Knicks now have an open spot on their 20-man camp roster, clearing a path for them to sign either James Young or Andrew White, both of whom have also agreed to Exhibit 10 deals.

Nets Waive Jordan Bowden, Nate Sestina

December 11th, 2020 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have requested waivers on a pair of training camp invitees, announcing today in a press release that they’ve cut guard Jordan Bowden and forward Nate Sestina.

Bowden, who played his college ball at Tennessee, averaged 13.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 2.7 APG in 31 games (34.4 MPG) as a senior in 2019/20. Sestina, who transfered from Bucknell to Kentucky for the 2019/20 season, had a modest role for the Wildcats, recording 5.8 PPG and 3.8 RPG with a .407 3PT% in 28 games (19.8 MPG). Both players signed with Brooklyn on December 1 as undrafted free agents.

Bowden and Sestina were always unlikely to make the Nets’ regular season roster, but they look like good bets to play in the G League for Brooklyn’s affiliate, the Long Island Nets.

Brooklyn now has 18 players on its camp roster. That gives the club the flexibility to complete its previously-reported contract agreement with guard Elie Okobo, assuming that hasn’t fallen through.

Grizzlies Waive Mario Hezonja, Sign Ahmad Caver

December 11th, 2020 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

1:14pm: The Grizzlies have officially waived Hezonja, the team confirmed in a press release. Additionally, Memphis announced that it has signed free agent guard Ahmad Caver to fill the newly-opened roster spot.

Terms of Caver’s deal weren’t disclosed, but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 contract designed to get him a $50K bonus if he plays for the Memphis Hustle in the G League again this season, as he did last year.

12:50pm: The Grizzlies are waiving veteran forward Mario Hezonja, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Hezonja, 25, averaged 4.8 PPG and 3.5 RPG on .422/.308/.814 shooting in 53 games (16.4 MPG) for Portland last season. After he exercised his minimum-salary player option for 2020/21, he was sent to Memphis in a three-team trade that saw the Trail Blazers acquire Enes Kanter.

The Grizzlies were carrying 17 players with guaranteed contracts into training camp, leaving Hezonja and Marko Guduric as the likely odd men out for the regular season. Neither player was in camp with the club.

Hezonja hasn’t developed into a reliable and productive rotation player since being selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, but being cut by the Grizzlies doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t play in the NBA at all this season. According to Charania, multiple teams are expected to express interest in the Croatian once he clears waivers and training camp ends.