Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Sign Patrick Patterson

August 15th, 2019 at 7:01pm CST by Luke Adams

7:01pm: The signing is now official, per a release from the team.

4:30pm: As expected, the Clippers are now in agreement with Patrick Patterson on a one-year, minimum-salary contract, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Wojnarowski first reported two weeks ago when Patterson agreed to a buyout with the Thunder that the veteran forward intended to sign with the Clippers once he cleared waivers. It seems that signing got somewhat delayed, but Woj’s report today confirms that the two sides are still on track to finalize a deal.

Patterson, 30, signed a three-year contract with Oklahoma City in 2017 after serving as a reliable stretch four off the bench for several seasons in Toronto. However, the former lottery pick struggled with injuries and inconsistencies during his two seasons with the Thunder, knocking down just 33.6% of his three-point attempts in 2018/19, well below his career rate of 36.7%.

With Oklahoma City in rebuilding mode and looking to duck under the luxury tax, it made sense for Patterson and the team to work out an agreement that removed his expiring deal from OKC’s books and freed up the veteran to join a contender.

Patterson reportedly gave up $3.5MM of his $5.7MM salary with the Thunder as part of his buyout agreement with the team, though he’ll make back about $2.33MM on a minimum deal with the Clippers. It will count for approximately $1.62MM on L.A.’s cap.

Once Patterson officially signs with the Clippers, the team will have 18 players under contract, including 14 on guaranteed deals and a pair on two-way pacts.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Wizards Waive Tarik Phillip

August 15th, 2019 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards have made a minor roster move, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve waived guard Tarik Phillip.

Phillip, who turned 26 on Sunday, was signed to the Wizards’ roster at the very end of the 2018/19 season after he spent most of the year with the Memphis Hustle in the G League. He averaged 13.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 3.8 APG with a .469/.401/.783 shooting line in 48 games (29.1 MPG) for the Grizzlies’ NBAGL affiliate.

The Wizards signed Phillip to a multiyear deal that paid him an NBA salary for two days in April and included a non-guaranteed $1,416,852 minimum salary for the 2019/20 season. That salary wouldn’t have become guaranteed until January 10, 2020, so Washington won’t be on the hook for any dead money after releasing him.

Another NBA team could claim Phillip off waivers without guaranteeing his salary, though it’s more likely that he goes unclaimed and becomes an unrestricted free agent this weekend.

The Wizards now have 18 players under contract — 13 on guaranteed deals, one on a two-way contract, and four on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed pacts.

Thunder Sign Justin Patton

August 14th, 2019 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 14: Patton’s contract with the Thunder is a three-year deal that features a team option on the final season, tweets Keith Smith of RealGM. The club had to use a portion of its mid-level exception to go up to three years.

Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights adds (via Twitter) that Patton’s first-year salary is partially guaranteed for $700K. The two non-guaranteed seasons each have July 7 salary guarantee trigger dates, per Siegel.

According to Smith (via Twitter), the Thunder were intrigued by Patton in the 2017 draft, but couldn’t get into position to select him. Oklahoma City is willing to make a modest investment in the big man now in the hopes that it pays off later.

AUGUST 13: Former first-round pick Justin Patton has found a new NBA team, as the Thunder announced today in a press release that they’ve signed the young center to a contract. Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but RealGM’s transactions log classifies it as a multiyear contract.

Patton, the 16th overall pick in the 2017 draft, was sent to Minnesota along with Jimmy Butler in the blockbuster trade that saw Lauri Markkanen, Zach LaVine, and Kris Dunn head to Chicago. However, the former Creighton big man was plagued by injuries during his first two NBA seasons, breaking bones in both feet.

Patton appeared in just one game for the Timberwolves before being packaged again with Butler in a trade to Philadelphia last fall. The 22-year-old saw action in three games for the Sixers before being waived in April to make room on the roster for Greg Monroe.

The retooling Thunder only have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, plus one player on a two-way deal. So if Patton shows in training camp and during the preseason that he’s healthy and flashes some of the promise that made him a first-round pick in 2017, it’s possible he’ll stick with Oklahoma City into the regular season. Of course, if his salary is fully or partially guaranteed, the odds of him making the 15-man roster would increase significantly.

Lakers Sign Demetrius Jackson To Exhibit 10 Deal

August 13th, 2019 at 8:46pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Lakers have signed Demetrius Jackson, according to a team press release. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link) hears that the arrangement is an Exhibit 10 deal.

Jackson was selected with the 45th overall pick in the 2016 draft out of the University of Notre Dame. The point guard began his NBA career in Boston, though he only saw five games of action for the Celtics during his rookie season.

Jackson spent time in Houston and Philadelphia as well as the G League since his rookie campaign. The 24-year-old will look to make the Lakers’ roster, although it’s more likely that he’ll play for the team’s G League squad, the South Bay Lakers, next season.

The Lakers now have a full 20-man offseason roster.

Magic Sign Hassani Gravett To Exhibit 10 Deal

August 13th, 2019 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have signed free agent guard Hassani Gravett, the team announced today in a press release. According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (via Twitter), it’s an Exhibit 10 contract.

Gravett, who played his college ball at South Carolina, averaged 11.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 2.4 APG with a .399 3PT% in 32 games in 2018/19. He went undrafted in June and didn’t play any Summer League games in July, but it appears he’ll attend training camp with the Magic.

Robbins suggests that Gravett “appears certain” to play for the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s G League affiliate, in his rookie season. If he spends at least 60 days with Lakeland, he’ll be eligible for an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $50K, in addition to his G League salary.

The Magic now have 18 players under contract, with first-rounder Chuma Okeke still unsigned. Isaac Humphries reportedly agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the team as well, so he and Okeke may take the two final spots on Orlando’s 20-man offseason squad, though there could be more roster shuffling to come.

Nuggets Sign Tyler Cook To Two-Way Contract

August 13th, 2019 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have filled one of their two-way contract slots by signing undrafted forward Tyler Cook to a two-way deal, the team announced today in a press release.

Cook, who entered the draft this spring after his junior year at Iowa, averaged 14.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 2.4 APG in 33 games (30.8 MPG) in 2018/19, while shooting 51.9% from the field. After recovering from a high ankle sprain suffered during a pre-draft workout, the 21-year-old joined Denver for Summer League action, playing limited minutes in three games.

Although Cook’s Summer League numbers (4.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG) were modest, his athleticism and play-making impressed the Nuggets, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Cook’s deal with Denver was first reported in June, with Singer indicating earlier today that it was expected to be a two-way contract.

The Nuggets now have 14 players on guaranteed contracts, Cook on a two-way contract, and PJ Dozier on a non-guaranteed camp deal. That leaves four offseason roster spots open, including a two-way slot. Second-round pick Bol Bol is believed to be the leading candidate for that second two-way deal, though it’s still possible Denver will make him the 15th man on the regular season roster.

Nuggets Sign PJ Dozier

August 13th, 2019 at 10:39am CST by Dana Gauruder

AUGUST 13: The Nuggets have officially signed Dozier to a training camp contract, the team announced today in a press release.

AUGUST 12: The Nuggets have reached a one-year deal with guard PJ Dozier, Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN tweets.

Dozier had a two-way contract with the Celtics last season and excelled at the G League level. He made the All-G League Third Team as a member of the Maine Red Claws.

The Nuggets have some open roster spots. They have 14 guaranteed contracts as well as the reported signing of Tyler Cook and unsigned second-round pick Bol Bol. Both of their two-way slots are available.

Dozier can’t get an Exhibit 10 bonus since the Nuggets don’t own a G League franchise, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.

Dozier became a free agent when the Celtics declined to extend him a qualifying offer. The 6’6” combo guard appeared in six games with Boston last season, averaging 3.2 PPG and 2.8 RPG. The South Carolina product averaged 21.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 6.7 APG in 35.3 MPG over 46 games in the G League.

He appeared in two games with Oklahoma City the previous season.

Knicks To Sign Lamar Peters

August 11th, 2019 at 8:53pm CST by JD Shaw

The Knicks have agreed to a non-guaranteed contract with undrafted guard Lamar Peters, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Peters, 21, averaged 11.9 points, 5.2 assists and two rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game during his junior season at Mississippi State last year, earning a spot with New York’s summer league team after going undrafted.

Peters is now set to compete in training camp with the franchise to start his professional career. The Knicks are coming off a busy offseason, signing players such Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton, Marcus Morris, and others on new deals during the free agency period.

The Knicks have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, plus one on a two-way contract. Peters joins Amir Hinton, V.J. King, Kenny Wooten, and Kris Wilkes (two-way) as players who have reportedly reached deals with New York that have not yet been finalized.

Pistons To Sign Michael Beasley

August 10th, 2019 at 9:08pm CST by Arthur Hill

Free agent forward Michael Beasley has reached an agreement with the Pistons, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. His contract will cover one season and will likely be for the veteran’s minimum. He will be given a “legitimate opportunity” to make the roster in training camp, sources tell Charania.

Beasley appeared in 26 games for the Lakers last season, averaging 7.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per night. He was traded in February to the Clippers, who promptly waived him. He finished the season with the Guangdong Southern Tigers, and there was speculation that he might return to China if he didn’t get an NBA offer.

If he earns a roster spot, Beasley won’t be eligible for Detroit’s first five games because of a suspension that was handed down this week for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.

The 30-year-old was the second player picked in the 2008 draft. He spent time with the Heat, Timberwolves, Suns, Rockets, Bucks and Knicks before coming to L.A.

Beasley’s signing will bring the Pistons to the 20-player limit heading into camp next month. They already have 17 players under contract (14 fully guaranteed), along with a pair of two-way deals.

Wolves Sign Kelan Martin To Two-Way Contract

August 9th, 2019 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves have become the latest NBA team to fill both two-way contract slots for the 2019/20 season, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed free agent forward Kelan Martin to a two-way deal.

Martin, who played his college ball at Butler, went undrafted in 2018 after averaging 21.2 PPG and 6.3 RPG with a .447/.364/.844 shooting line in 35 games as a senior. He headed overseas to begin his professional career, spending last season with German club Riesen Ludwigsburg.

After participating in a free agent mini-camp with the Raptors in June, Martin caught on with the Timberwolves for Summer League play, recording 12.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG in seven contests (21.9 MPG) in Las Vegas. His performance helped earn him a two-way deal from Minnesota — he’ll join Jordan McLaughlin, the Wolves’ other two-way player.

As our tracker shows, the Timberwolves are the 17th team to officially fill both their two-way contract slots this offseason. The club now has 18 players under contract, with Tyus Battle also reportedly in line for an Exhibit 10 deal.