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Knicks Sign John Jenkins To Two-Year Deal

February 21st, 2019 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 21: After Jenkins’ 10-day deal expired overnight, the Knicks officially finalized his multiyear contract today, announcing the signing in a press release.

FEBRUARY 20: With John Jenkins‘ 10-day contract with the Knicks about to expire, the two sides have reached an agreement on a longer-term deal, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, Jenkins will sign a two-year contract with New York.

Jenkins, who will turn 28 next month, has played some of the best basketball of his career in 2018/19. The former first-round pick spent most of the season with the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate, averaging 24.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 3.6 APG with a .473/.431/.928 shooting line in 19 games.

That performance earned Jenkins a pair of 10-day contracts with the Wizards, though he played limited minutes in just four games with the team. He saw more action in two games with the Knicks, posting 10.5 PPG in 17.5 minutes per contest.

The exact terms of Jenkins’ new deal have yet to be reported, but it’s safe to assume it’ll be worth the minimum, and Marc Berman of The New York Post tweets that the 2019/20 salary will be non-guaranteed. The Knicks are being very cautious with how they use their cap room for next season, so it makes sense that Jenkins’ deal won’t cut into that room at all.

Berman does note that there will be an early trigger date, so New York will have to decide during the summer whether to retain or part ways with Jenkins.

Even after re-signing Jenkins, the Knicks will still have just 13 players on NBA contracts, so they’ll have to add at least one more player this week to get up to the league-mandated minimum of 14. It appears that player will be Henry Ellenson, who has reportedly agreed to a 10-day deal with the club.

Suns Sign Ray Spalding To 10-Day Contract

February 21st, 2019 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 21: The Suns have officially signed Spalding to a 10-day deal, the team announced today in a press release.

FEBRUARY 19: The Suns intend to sign free agent forward Ray Spalding to a 10-day contract, reports Gina Mizell of The Athletic (Twitter link). Phoenix has a pair of open roster spots, so no corresponding move will be necessary.

Spalding, who will turn 22 next month, was selected with the 56th overall pick in the 2018 draft and spent most of his rookie season with the Mavericks. While the former Louisville standout appeared in just one game for Dallas, he was a starter in the Texas Legends’ frontcourt, averaging 15.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.2 BPG, and 1.7 SPG in 29 games (30.1 MPG) for the Mavs’ G League affiliate.

The Mavericks released Spalding about three weeks ago when they needed to open up a roster spot to accommodate the incoming players in the Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster. Despite a team-friendly contract, he cleared waivers and has been an unrestricted free agent since then.

The Suns will get a look at the rookie and will get back to the NBA-mandated roster minimum of 14 players as a result of the signing. Phoenix had been at 13 players since waiving Wayne Ellington on February 7, and had a two-week window to re-add a 14th man.

Thunder Sign Markieff Morris

February 20th, 2019 at 6:02pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 20: The signing is official, the Thunder announced on their website. Morris will make $573,295 over the next four months and will have a $427,288 cap hit, Bobby Marks posts on ESPN Now. Between Morris’ salary and luxury tax penalties, the total cost to OKC will be $2.2MM.

FEBRUARY 14: The Thunder have reached a contract agreement with free agent forward Markieff Morris, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Even after signing Richard Solomon and Scotty Hopson to 10-day deals today, Oklahoma City has an open roster spot, so no corresponding move will be required.

Morris, 29, spent most of the season with the Wizards, averaging 11.5 PPG and 5.1 RPG on .436/.333/.781 shooting in 34 games (26.0 MPG). However, conscious of their proximity to the luxury tax threshold, the Wizards opted to trade him at last week’s deadline, saving some money by sending him to New Orleans along with a future second-round pick for Wesley Johnson.

After being subsequently waived by the Pelicans, Morris – who had been recovering from a neck injury – was cleared to resume full basketball activities and reportedly drew interest from the Rockets, Raptors, and Lakers in addition to the Thunder. The Nets were among the other clubs in the mix for him, tweets Charania.

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Morris represents an intriguing addition for the Thunder, who had been on the lookout for a stretch four due to Patrick Patterson‘s inconsistent play. While Morris wasn’t exactly having a career year in Washington, he’ll be an upgrade on Patterson, assuming he’s healthy. He should also help replace the shooting previously provided by Alex Abrines, who parted ways with Oklahoma City last week.

It’s not clear whether or not the Thunder will sign Morris right away. Postponing the transaction until after the All-Star break would create some savings on OKC’s cap and projected tax bill, so if Morris is on board with it, the club may wait.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raptors Sign Jodie Meeks To 10-Day Deal

February 20th, 2019 at 5:28pm CST by ChrisCrouse

FEBRUARY 20: The signing is official, tweets Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.

FEBRUARY 19: The Raptors will sign Jodie Meeks to a 10-day deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.

Meeks has not played in the NBA since serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. Per the ESPN scribe, Meeks insists that he never knowingly ingested any substances that would be considered performance enhancing.

The Wizards sent the 31-year-old to the Bucks along with a second-rounder and additional cash earlier this year. Milwaukee waived Meeks prior to him seeing any court time with the team.

Toronto’s depth was depleted after sending Delon Wright to the Grizzlies in the Marc Gasol deal and watching Fred VanVleet undergo surgery on his injured hand. Meeks worked out for Toronto earlier in the week and the franchise feels the former Kentucky Wildcat could contribute off the bench because of his shooting ability, Woj notes.

By signing Meeks, the Raptors will officially get back up to the NBA-mandated minimum of 14 players. Toronto dipped to just 10 players at the trade deadline, but has since signed Malcolm Miller, Chris Boucher, and Jeremy Lin. Meeks will be the club’s 14th man.

Hawks Promote Jaylen Adams To 15-Man Roster

February 20th, 2019 at 4:12pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 20: The move is official, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

FEBRUARY 13: The Hawks are signing two-way player Jaylen Adams to a standard NBA contract, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). It won’t be a straight conversion either, as Adams is expected to receive a partial guarantee for 2019/20 in addition to a guaranteed rest-of-season salary, per Wojnarowski.

Adams, 22, reached a two-way contract agreement with the Hawks last summer shortly after he went undrafted out of St. Bonaventure.

The rookie guard hasn’t received much playing time in Atlanta this season, appearing in just 10 games (4.5 MPG) for the NBA club. However, he has played well for the Erie BayHawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate. In 19 NBAGL contests, Adams has posted 15.8 PPG, 6.3 APG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.7 SPG on .406/.356/.745 shooting.

The Hawks have made several roster moves within the last week, waiving four players in total: Daniel Hamilton, Jabari Bird, Shelvin Mack, and Jeremy Lin. The series of transactions left the club with just 12 players under contract. Atlanta has two weeks to get back up to at least 14 players, and will likely fill all the openings on its 15-man roster eventually.

Unfortunately, the Hawks won’t be able to replace Adams’ two-way contract — the deadline to sign players to two-way deals passed last month, so Alex Poythress will be Atlanta’s only two-way player once Adams’ promotion is official.

Knicks Sign Henry Ellenson To 10-Day Deal

February 20th, 2019 at 2:59pm CST by ChrisCrouse

FEBRUARY 20: The Knicks have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Ellenson to a 10-day contract.

FEBRUARY 19: The Knicks will sign Henry Ellenson to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Detroit selected Ellenson with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2016 draft, but he never saw much action for the franchise, playing in a total of 59 games. He was waived by the team shortly after the trade deadline to make room for Wayne Ellington.

The decision to add Ellenson aligns with the Knicks recent strategy of adding former first-round picks who have fallen out of favor with their previous club. Dennis Smith Jr., Emmanuel Mudiay, Noah Vonleh, and Mario Hezonja are all other teams’ recent first-rounders that currently reside in New York.

The Knicks have been below the roster minimum of 14 players since waiving Enes Kanter and Wesley Matthews after the trade deadline, but will get back to the minimum by signing Ellenson and John Jenkins, who has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with the team.

Heat Sign Emanuel Terry To 10-Day Contract

February 20th, 2019 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have made a roster move, announcing today in a press release that rookie forward Emanuel Terry has signed a 10-day contract with the club. The move brings Miami’s roster count to 14 players, not including players on two-way deals.

Terry, 23, joined the Nuggets for training camp last fall after going undrafted out of Lincoln Memorial. Waived by Denver during the preseason, he has spent most of his rookie year with the Canton Charge and Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League. In 29 NBAGL games (24.5 MPG) this season, Terry has averaged 10.7 PPG and 7.2 RPG with 1.6 BPG.

Terry’s G League play earned him an NBA shot last month, as he inked a 10-day deal with Phoenix last month, appearing in a pair of NBA games for the team. When the Suns didn’t re-sign him, he returned to Sioux Falls.

Terry had been set to participate in this week’s World Cup qualifiers for Team USA, having been named to the squad’s latest 12-man roster. However, he was replaced on Team USA’s roster when an opportunity in Miami emerged, and he’ll spend at least the next 10 days with the Heat.

The Heat are now in compliance with NBA roster rules after having carried 13 players for the last two weeks. Terry’s 10-day contract will count against their cap for approximately $47K.

Hawks Sign Jordan Sibert To 10-Day Deal

February 20th, 2019 at 10:33am CST by Luke Adams

10:33am: Sibert’s deal is now official, the Hawks confirmed in a press release. It will run through March 1, covering Atlanta’s next five games.

9:09am: The Hawks are set to sign G League guard Jordan Sibert to a 10-day contract, reports Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team has multiple openings on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to create room.

Sibert, who played his college ball at Ohio State and Dayton, went undrafted in 2015 and has played in the G League and in international leagues since then. His only stint with an NBA team came in the fall of 2015, when he was in training camp with the Magic.

The 6’4″ guard has spent the 2018/19 season with the Erie BayHawks, Atlanta’s NBAGL affiliate, averaging 15.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.4 SPG to go along with a .423/.373/.824 shooting line.

Atlanta currently has just 12 players on standard NBA contracts, meaning two roster moves are necessary to get back to the league-mandated 14-player minimum. Signing Sibert will get the Hawks halfway there, and they also reportedly intend to promote two-way player Jaylen Adams to the 15-man roster. Both moves should be finalized within the next day or two.

Kings To Sign Corey Brewer To Second 10-Day Deal

February 18th, 2019 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are planning to sign veteran swingman Corey Brewer to a second 10-day contract, a source tells JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). Brewer’s initial 10-day deal with the club expired overnight.

Brewer, who will turn 33 next month, signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Sixers earlier this year, then joined the Kings following the trade deadline. Having averaged 7.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 1.7 SPG in seven games (20.0 MPG) in Philadelphia, Brewer didn’t see any action during his first 10 days with Sacramento.

Despite not using him yet, the Kings seem comfortable having a veteran like Brewer on their bench to play minutes at the two and three if necessary, having sent Iman Shumpert to Houston at the trade deadline. Sacramento is also carrying just 13 players after Brewer’s 10-day deal expired, so the team would have had to get back up to 14 eventually if he hadn’t been re-signed.

Waiting until Wednesday to complete Brewer’s next 10-day contract would allow the Kings to keep him under team control for their next five games, but NBA.com’s transactions log indicates that the move has already been finalized. If that’s the case, the deal will run through February 27, covering Sacramento’s next four contests. We’ll wait for official word from the team to be sure.

As we detailed earlier today, even before receiving his new 10-day deal, Brewer has already signed more 10-day contracts so far this season than any other NBA player.

Nuggets’ Tim Connelly Agrees To Extension

February 15th, 2019 at 5:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has agreed to a contract extension, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Connelly’s contract could have expired at the end of this season, but he has been in negotiations for several weeks with Nuggets president Josh Kroenke on a new deal, Wojnarowski adds in another tweet.

The team has confirmed the extension in a press release. General manager Arturas Karnisovas and the entire basketball operations staff in Denver have also received extensions, according to the release.

“It gives me immense pride to announce contract extensions for our entire front office, as our journey to this point has been one of hard work, patience and trust in one another,” Kroenke said in a statement. “When Tim joined us in 2013, he understood the vision that we had for the future of the Nuggets, and through his dedication our program is incredibly well positioned to compete at the highest level for years to come. Building a true championship contender in the NBA is a unique process for each franchise, and our path in Denver hasn’t always been clear. But Tim, Arturas and the rest of our staff continued to work through every challenge we faced along the way, and I hope Nuggets fans are as excited as we are about our future. We firmly believe we can bring an NBA championship to Denver, and are thrilled to continue our pursuit together.”

The Nuggets have emerged as one of the Western Conference’s top teams, mainly due to smart selections in the draft. Denver has drafted All-Star center Nikola Jokic and guards Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Malik Beasley during Connelly’s regime.

This isn’t the first time Connelly received an extension. He got one from the Nuggets in 2016 when he held the title of GM. Karnisovas held the title of assistant GM at the time.