Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Sign, Waive Tyson Etienne

September 11th, 2024 at 11:40am CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 11: Brooklyn has now waived Etienne, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). As detailed below, the guard is on track to become a returning rights player for the Long Island Nets.

SEPTEMBER 10: The Nets have signed guard Tyson Etienne, Evan Barnes of Newsday tweets. It’s likely an Exhibit 10 deal.

Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, acquired Etienne’s returning rights from the College Park Skyhawks — Atlanta’s affiliate — last week.

If waived and then signed by a club’s G League affiliate, players who ink Exhibit 10 contracts are eligible for bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they remain with those affiliate squads for at least 60 days. It’s likely that’s what will happen in this case.

In 51 regular season games with the Skyhawks from 2022-24, Etienne averaged 7.6 points, 3.5 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 0.7 steals per contest, with a shooting line of .444/.356/.722.

Etienne went undrafted out of Wichita State in 2022. He is a nephew of former NBA player Marcus Camby and cousin of longtime NBA center DeAndre Jordan.

Brooklyn still has a few openings for its training camp roster, so it’ll add more players in the coming weeks. The club currently has 17 players under contract and has also reportedly reached Exhibit 10 agreements with Killian Hayes, Mark Armstrong, and KJ Jones.

Hornets Sign Marcus Garrett, Joel Soriano, Caleb McConnell

September 11th, 2024 at 8:23am CST by Luke Adams

8:23am: The Hornets have officially announced the signings and confirmed that all three players, plus Johnson, are on Exhibit 10 contracts, as expected.

8:13am: The Hornets are signing free agents Marcus Garrett, Joel Soriano, and Caleb McConnell to training camp contracts, league sources tell Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).

Garrett, a 6’5″ guard who went undrafted out of Kansas in 2021, spent part of his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Heat and appeared in 12 games for Miami. However, the former Naismith Defensive Player of the Year has primarily played in the G League since going pro. He spent last season with the Greensboro Swarm and played for the Hornets’ Summer League team in Las Vegas this July.

Soriano, a 6’10” center, went undrafted in June after finishing his college career at St. John’s. The big man averaged a double-double (14.5 points, 10.7 rebounds) in 66 games during his final two college seasons while also chipping in 1.6 blocks and 1.4 assists in 29.3 minutes per contest.

McConnell went undrafted out of Rutgers in 2023 and spent his rookie year with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G League affiliate. The 6’7″ wing, a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in college, averaged 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 21.7 minutes per game across 47 Showcase Cup and regular season appearances for the Blue, who won the NBAGL championship in the spring. McConnell’s G League returning rights were recently traded from OKC to Greensboro.

Garrett, Soriano, and McConnell will almost certainly sign non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contracts, which will put them in line to receive bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they’re waived by the Hornets, then spend at least 60 days with the Swarm. It’s worth noting that Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted to two-way deals before opening night, and Charlotte does have a two-way slot open.

Prior to officially completing these three signings, the Hornets are carrying 17 players on their offseason roster — 14 on standard contracts, a pair on two-way deals, and one (Keyontae Johnson) on a camp contract. They’ve also reportedly agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Raequan Battle.

Timberwolves To Sign Chasson Randle To Training Camp Deal

September 9th, 2024 at 8:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Timberwolves have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with guard Chasson Randle, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Randle, 31, spent last season with AEK Athens but is quite familiar with the NBA. He has appeared in 119 regular season games, seeing action for the Knicks, Sixers, Wizards, Warriors and Magic. His last stint came with Orlando, when he played in 41 games (five starts) during the 2020/21 season and averaged 6.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 20.4 minutes per contest.

Earlier in the day, the Timberwolves’ G League team, the Iowa Wolves, acquired Randle’s returning player rights from the Oklahoma City Blue (Twitter link). That set the stage for an Exhibit 10 offer.

If they’re waived by their NBA club and join that team’s G League affiliate, players who ink Exhibit 10 contracts are eligible for bonuses worth up to $77.5K (on top of the standard NBAGL salary) should they remain with those affiliate squads for at least 60 days.

The addition of Randle will give the Timberwolves 18 players on their training camp roster, including two-way players.

Cavaliers Officially Sign Tristan Thompson, JT Thor

September 9th, 2024 at 12:02pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 11: Thompson’s agreement is a one-year, non-guaranteed deal, sources inform Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 9: A pair of previously reported Cavaliers signings are official, according to the transaction log at NBA.com, which lists center Tristan Thompson and forward JT Thor as having completed their respective deals with the team.

Thompson, whose signing was also announced in a press release posted to the Cavaliers’ website, reportedly inked a one-year contract with the club. While the full details have yet to be confirmed, it’s believed to be a minimum-salary deal that’s either partially or fully guaranteed.

The fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft, Thompson spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Cavaliers before bouncing around the league and spending time with the Celtics, Kings, Pacers, Bulls, and Lakers from 2020-23. He returned to Cleveland last season, signing a one-year contract with the club almost exactly a year ago and appearing in 49 games in 2023/24.

Once a fixture in the Cavs’ starting lineup and one of the NBA’s top rebounders, Thompson played a limited role last season, contributing 3.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in just 11.2 minutes per contest during the regular season.

The 33-year-old, who was suspended for 25 games from January to March for an SPED (steroids and performance enhancing drugs) violation, averaged only 8.7 MPG in 10 postseason appearances off the bench. However, the team is said to value his veteran leadership in the locker room.

Thor has signed a two-way contract with Cleveland, joining Emoni Bates and Luke Travers as the three players filling the club’s two-way slots.

The 37th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Thor spent the first three years of his career in Charlotte. He averaged 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 165 games (11 starts; 12.2 MPG) with the Hornets from 2021-24, then became an unrestricted free agent this summer when the team turned down its option for 2024/25 and declined to issue him a qualifying offer.

Thor, a former Auburn standout, played for South Sudan’s national team at the Paris Olympics this summer, averaging 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game as the club went 1-2 in pool play, failing to advance to the single-elimination round.

The Cavs now have 16 players under contract, with 13 on standard deals and three on two-way pacts. Isaac Okoro, the NBA’s lone remaining restricted free agent, is the favorite to fill the 14th spot on the standard roster. Cleveland will likely keep the 15th spot open to start the season to maximize flexibility and save some money.

Bulls Agree To Deal With E.J. Liddell

September 7th, 2024 at 11:30am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Bulls have agreed to a contract with forward E.J. Liddell, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). While the details of the contract aren’t yet known, it’s probably safe to assume it’s an Exhibit 10 deal, with Chicago having also signed Talen Horton-Tucker and Kenneth Lofton Jr. to such contracts in recent weeks.

Liddell, the No. 41 pick in the 2022 draft, spent two years with the Pelicans. He missed what would have been his rookie season in 2022/23 with a knee injury before playing eight games with New Orleans last season.

This offseason, Liddell was moved to the Hawks as part of the trade that sent Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans. He was then re-routed to the Suns before being waived.

In 29 G League games last season, Liddell averaged 17.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 50.8% from the floor and 27.0% from deep. The Ohio State product averaged 14.1 points across 92 career collegiate games as well.

If Liddell’s contract is an Exhibit 10 deal, he’ll be competing for one of the Bulls’ last remaining roster spots. As noted above, Chicago has Horton-Tucker and Lofton alongside Marcus Domask on training camp contracts. Chicago has 15 players on standard contracts but Onuralp Bitim‘s contract is non-guaranteed. The Bulls also have one two-way spot open.

It looks as though the Bulls are fielding an open competition heading into training camp. Bitim will battle to hold his 15th spot on the roster while the Exhibit 10 players compete for either that spot or the Bulls’ open two-way. It’s important to note that Liddell, Lofton and Domask are eligible for two-way deals while Horton-Tucker is not.

Lakers Sign Jordan Goodwin To Camp Deal

September 6th, 2024 at 7:20pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 6: The Lakers have officially signed Goodwin, the team announced in a press release. After signing and waiving Alex Fudge, the club is now back to a full 21-man offseason roster.

SEPTEMBER 3: Free agent guard Jordan Goodwin has agreed to sign with the Lakers, according to veteran NBA reporter Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Haynes describes it as a “camp deal” for Goodwin, which suggests the contract will be non-guaranteed and worth the veteran’s minimum. It will likely include Exhibit 9 language and possibly Exhibit 10 language too, though that hasn’t been confirmed.

Goodwin, who will turn 26 in October, spent the first half of the 2023/24 season with the Suns before being sent to Brooklyn as part of the three-team trade that landed Royce O’Neale in Phoenix. After being waived by the Nets, the former Saint Louis standout inked a 10-day contract and then a two-way deal with the Grizzlies, finishing the season in Memphis.

In total, Goodwin appeared in 57 games for the Suns and Grizzlies, averaging 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 18.5 minutes per contest. His shooting efficiency dropped off significantly, however, as he made just 36.9% of his field goal attempts, including 29.8% of his three-pointers.

Goodwin previously appeared in 64 games for the Wizards from 2021-23, averaging 6.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 2.6 APG in 17.4 MPG, with a shooting line of .444/.319/.768.

The Lakers have a full 15-man standard roster, with all three of their two-way slots filled, so the club would need to trade or waive one of those players in order to create a path for Goodwin to earn a regular season roster spot. For what it’s worth, if he signs an Exhibit 10 contract, Goodwin would be eligible to be converted to a two-way deal prior to opening night.

Lakers Waive Alex Fudge

September 6th, 2024 at 3:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After announcing on Thursday night that they’d inked free agent small forward Alex Fudge to a contract, the Lakers announced on Friday that they’ve waived the 6’8″ Florida alum (Twitter link).

Fudge went undrafted last summer, but quickly latched on with L.A. via a two-way contract. He suited up for four contests with Los Angeles last season and 24 with the team’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. After being waived by the Lakers in January, Fudge joined the Mavericks on another two-way agreement, but was cut in August.

Between Los Angeles and Dallas, Fudge appeared in a grand total of six NBA contests in 2023/24, averaging 2.5 points and 0.8 rebounds. In 33 NBAGL total games for South Bay and Dallas’ affiliate, the Texas Legends, Fudge averaged 8.2 points and 4.4 boards across 18.5 minutes a night. He posted a shooting line of .480/.235/.550 during his G League tenure.

Because he almost certainly received an Exhibit 10 contract, Fudge is on track to rejoin South Bay as an affiliate player. Assuming he sticks with the team for at least 60 days, he’ll earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K.

Kings Signing Terry Taylor To Training Camp Deal

September 6th, 2024 at 3:15pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Kings are signing free agent forward Terry Taylor to a training camp contract, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Exact terms of the agreement have not been reported, but it seems likely to be an Exhibit 10 deal.

Taylor, 24, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Bulls, where the 6’5″ vet played as an undersized small forward.

After going undrafted in 2021, Taylor began his pro career as an affiliate player for the Pacers’ NBAGL team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He inked a two-way deal that December with the Pacers, who converted his contract to a standard deal in April of that same season. Indiana eventually waived him in February 2023.

Taylor was quickly snatched up by the Bulls, on a two-way deal. Ahead of the 2023/24 season, his agreement was converted into a standard contract.

Last year with Chicago in a deep-bench role, Taylor averaged just 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds across 31 games in 2023/24.

The Kings have 14 players on their standard roster, and all three of their two-way slots occupied. Power forward/center Skal Labissiere and guard Boogie Ellis are currently signed to training camp agreements for Sacramento.

If waived and then signed by a club’s G League affiliate, players who ink Exhibit 10 contracts are eligible for bonuses worth up to $77.5K should they stick around with those affiliate squads for at least 60 days.

Clippers Sign RayJ Dennis To Exhibit 10 Deal

September 6th, 2024 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 6: The deal is now official, according to RealGM’s NBA transaction log.

JUNE 27: The Clippers and undrafted rookie RayJ Dennis have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal, reports Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link).

According to Chepkevich, the expectation is that Dennis will be with the team in Summer League and training camp and will be given the chance to compete for one of L.A.’s two-way slots. An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal any time between when it’s signed and the start of the regular season.

A fifth-year super-senior at Baylor in 2023/24, Dennis averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 34.3 minutes per game across 35 contests (all starts). His shooting line was .479/.328/.731.

The 6’2″ guard also played for Boise State for two seasons and Toledo for two more before transferring to Baylor. He earned Mid-American Conference Player of the Year honors in 2023 with Toledo.

Grizzlies Sign Four Players To Exhibit 10 Contracts

September 6th, 2024 at 11:35am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have signed guards Miye Oni and Yuki Kawamura, forward Maozinha Pereira, and big man Armando Bacot to contracts, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link). According to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link), the four deals include Exhibit 10 language.

Oni, the 58th overall pick in the 2019 draft, appeared in 80 NBA games across two-and-a-half seasons with the Jazz before being traded to the Thunder, who waived him. The former Yale star signed a 10-day contract with the Pelicans in February 2022, but didn’t play a game for the team and hasn’t been in the NBA since then. He spent the 2022/23 season with the London Lions in the British Basketball League and ’23/24 with the Osceola Magic in the G League.

Kawamura, a 5’8″ guard whose agreement with the Grizzlies was reported earlier in the offseason, has spent the past five seasons playing in the B.League in Japan. The 23-year-old earned MVP honors in 2023 and averaged 20.9 points, 8.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game last season for the Yokohama B-Corsairs. He also played for Japan at this summer’s Olympics, pouring in 29 points in a near-upset of France in pool play.

Pereira, a 24-year-old from Brazil, signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Grizzlies last season and and appeared in seven games for the club, averaging 6.9 PPG and 5.3 RPG with a .514/.385/.700 shooting line. He spent most of the season with the Mexico City Capitanes in the NBAGL.

Bacot is coming off a decorated five-year college career at North Carolina, where he became the men’s basketball program’s top rebounder for both a single season (511 in 2021/22) and a career (1,715). He averaged 13.9 PPG and 10.1 RPG over the course of 169 college games for the Tar Heels and earned All-ACC honors four times, including First Team nods in 2022 and 2023.

The Grizzlies’ offseason roster is now full, with 14 players on guaranteed standard contracts, three on two-way deals, and the four newcomers reportedly on Exhibit 10 pacts.

While one or more of Oni, Kawamura, Pereira, and Bacot could have their contracts converted to two-ways before the regular season begins, they’re more likely to be waived and then to report to the Memphis Hustle. Their Exhibit 10 deals will make them eligible to earn bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days with the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate.