Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Claim Christian Wood, Waive Jason Smith

March 20th, 2019 at 5:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

5:37pm: The move is official, according to a tweet from the Pelicans.

4:10pm: The Pelicans picked up former Bucks forward Christian Wood on waivers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Jason Smith has been waived to create a roster opening, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Milwaukee parted with Wood on Monday to make room for Tim Frazier, who was signed to bolster the backcourt after an injury to Malcolm Brogdon. There was speculation that Wood might draw interest on the waiver wire because of the promise he showed in the G League and a $1,645,357 salary for next season that is non-guaranteed. He will receive $822,679 if he’s not waived before opening night, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. With the waiver claim, New Orleans inherits Wood’s $1,512,601 cap charge for this year, which is removed from the Bucks’ books.

Wood, 23, got into just 13 games during his time in Milwaukee, playing less than five minutes per night. He made a huge impact in the G League, averaging 29.3 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 2.4 APG and 2.2 BPG on 55.9% shooting in 28 games (35.3 MPG) for the Wisconsin Herd. He has previous NBA experience with the Sixers and Hornets.

Wood may get a greater chance to prove himself with the Pelicans, who are playing Anthony Davis on a limited schedule and are thinking about shutting down Jrue Holiday and E’Twaun Moore for the rest of the season.

Smith finds himself on waivers after playing just two games for New Orleans following a trade from the Bucks last month. The 33-year-old was on his third team this season, playing six games for Milwaukee and 12 for Washington.

Timberwolves Sign Cam Reynolds To Multiyear Deal

March 19th, 2019 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 19: The Timberwolves’ new deal with Reynolds is now official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

MARCH 15: The Timberwolves and rookie swingman Cameron Reynolds have agreed to terms on a multiyear deal, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). While Charania doesn’t provide additional details on the agreement, Reynolds’ new contract is unlikely to be fully guaranteed after this season.

An undrafted free agent out of Tulane, Reynolds signed with the Kings during the 2018 offseason, but was released before the regular season got underway. After spending most of the season with the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate, the 24-year-old earned a call-up from the Timberwolves last month.

Reynolds is currently on his second 10-day contract with Minnesota, having averaged 4.3 PPG in six NBA games (14.8 MPG) for the Wolves. That deal is set to expire on Monday night, so the two sides figure to make Reynolds’ multiyear contract official after that.

While there’s no guarantee that Reynolds will earn a spot on the Timberwolves’ 2019/20 roster, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets that head coach Ryan Saunders is a big fan of the youngster. According to Krawcznyski, the club believes that Reynolds’ length and shooting ability could make him a solid rotation player in the future.

Once Reynolds’ new deal is finalized, the Wolves will officially have a full 15-man roster, with all 15 players on standard NBA contracts. As our 10-day contract tracker shows, Reynolds will become the sixth player this season to parlay a 10-day deal into a rest-of-season guarantee from the same club.

Bucks Sign Tim Frazier, Waive Christian Wood

March 19th, 2019 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 19, 10:22am: The Bucks have officially signed Frazier to a rest-of-season deal, according to a press release from the team.

MARCH 18, 11:05am: The Bucks have officially waived Wood, the team announced today (via Twitter).

MARCH 18, 9:32am: The Bucks are making a change to their 15-man roster in the wake of Malcolm Brogdon‘s foot injury, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the team will sign free agent guard Tim Frazier. Milwaukee will waive forward Christian Wood to open up a spot for the new addition.

It’s a logical move for the Bucks, who carried Frazier on their roster during training camp and the preseason last fall before releasing him. The 28-year-old was claimed off waivers by the Pelicans at that point, but once New Orleans fell out of playoff contention in February, the club cut Frazier to take a flier on EuroLeague sharpshooter Dairis Bertans.

In 47 games (17 starts) this season with the Pelicans, Frazier averaged 5.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 2.9 RPG with a .451/.351/.780 shooting line.

Signing Frazier will allow the Bucks to address an area of need, with Brogdon expected to miss approximately six to eight weeks due to a minor plantar fascia tear in his right foot. However, the move will cost the team Wood, who was a “valued member” of the organization, as Haynes tweets.

The 23-year-old played sparingly for Milwaukee this season, but has put up massive G League numbers, averaging 29.3 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, and 2.1 BPG on 55.9% shooting in 28 games (35.3 MPG) for the Wisconsin Herd. He’s expected to draw interest from other NBA clubs, per Haynes, though he wouldn’t be playoff-eligible this spring.

If Wood goes unclaimed on waivers, the Bucks will remain responsible for his $1,512,601 cap hit for 2018/19, but would be off the hook for $1,645,357 salary for 2019/20, since it’s non-guaranteed. Wood might be an appealing target on waivers though, since his two-year, minimum-salary contract allows any club to place a claim using the minimum salary exception. If he’s claimed, his cap charge would be removed from Milwaukee’s books.

Frazier, meanwhile, would have a $205,098 cap hit for the rest of the season if the Bucks officially sign him today.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Hawks Sign Deyonta Davis To 10-Day Deal

March 19th, 2019 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

10:21am: The Hawks have officially signed Davis to a 10-day contract, the club announced today in a press release. The deal will run through Thursday, March 28.

8:57am: The Hawks are set to sign G League big man Deyonta Davis to a 10-day contract, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). Atlanta opened a spot on its 15-man roster on Monday when Tyler Zeller‘s 10-day deal expired, so no corresponding move will be necessary.

Davis, 22, was selected with the 31st overall pick in the 2016 draft and appeared in 98 total games in two seasons for the Grizzlies, averaging 4.3 PPG and 3.2 RPG in 12.1 minutes per contest. However, Memphis traded him to the Kings during the 2018 offseason and he was subsequently waived.

Having failed to catch on with an NBA team for the 2018/19 season, Davis headed to the G League, where he has appeared in 43 games for the Santa Cruz Warriors. The former Michigan State standout has recorded 9.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 1.3 BPG in 23.4 MPG for Golden State’s NBAGL affiliate.

With their spot in the lottery fairly secure, the Hawks have been using 10-day contracts to audition various players during the season’s second half. Davis will be the fourth player to sign at least one 10-day deal with Atlanta in 2019, joining Zeller, Jordan Sibert, and B.J. Johnson. Johnson’s second 10-day pact is set to expire this Thursday night, so the Hawks will open up another roster spot at that time.

Davis will earn $85,458 on his 10-day contract with the Hawks.

Heat Sign Charles Cooke To 10-Day Deal

March 15th, 2019 at 5:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

5:48pm: The signing is official, the team’s PR department tweets.

4:45pm: The Heat will sign guard Charles Cooke to a 10-day contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Cooke has been playing with their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Miami needed to add another player to fulfill the league requirement of 14 players on the 15-man roster. The Heat have been at 13 players since March 2 and needed to make a move by Saturday.

Cooke, 24, went undrafted out of Dayton. He played 13 games with the Pelicans last season but averaged just 2.9 MPG in those appearances.

In 37 games with the Skyforce, Cooke averaged 14.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.2 APG in 31.0 MPG.

Magic Sign Michael Carter-Williams To 10-Day Deal

March 15th, 2019 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

1:28pm: The Magic have officially signed Carter-Williams to a 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release.

1:16pm: The Magic will add some depth at the point guard position by signing free agent Michael Carter-Williams to a 10-day contract, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (via Twitter). Orlando has a full 15-man roster, but won’t need to waive anyone to make room for Carter-Williams, as the team has been granted a hardship exception, per Robbins.

An NBA team can apply for an extra roster spot via the hardship provision when it has four players who have missed at least three games each and are expected to remain sidelined for the next two weeks. For Orlando, Markelle Fultz, Mohamed Bamba, and Timofey Mozgov remain on the shelf with long-term injuries. With Isaiah Briscoe out as well due to knee surgery, the Magic meet the requirements for that 16th roster spot.

Carter-Williams, a former Rookie of the Year, signed with the Rockets during the 2018 offseason, but wasn’t a great fit in Houston, appearing in just 16 games (9.1 MPG) for Mike D’Antoni‘s club before he was traded to the Bulls and subsequently waived in January. He has been a free agent since then.

Since breaking into the league in 2013/14, Carter-Williams’ career has trended in the wrong direction — he has seen his playing time and his scoring numbers decline in each of his five seasons since winning that Rookie of the Year award. Still, the Magic could be a good short-term fit for the 27-year-old.

Carter-Williams will reunite with Steve Clifford, his head coach last season in Charlotte. And with Briscoe unavailable, there could be point guard minutes available in Orlando behind starter D.J. Augustin. Jerian Grant has handled those minutes in Briscoe’s absence and held the backup job earlier in the season, but his play has been up and down and the Magic have struggled with him on the floor. The club has a -7.8 net rating when Grant plays, compared to a +1.9 rating when he sits.

The Magic remain in the hunt for a playoff spot in the East, just 1.5 games behind Miami for the No. 8 seed. If they so desire, they’ll be able to sign MCW to a second 10-day contract without waiving anyone once this deal ends, assuming none of those injured players are ready to return.

Carter-Williams will earn $99,290 on his 10-day deal, which will carry a cap hit of $85,458.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raptors Sign Eric Moreland To 10-Day Contract

March 14th, 2019 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 14: The Raptors have officially signed Moreland to a 10-day deal, per the NBA’s transactions log. It will run through next Saturday, March 23.

MARCH 13: The Raptors will fill one of the open spots on their 15-man roster by signing big man Eric Moreland to a 10-day contract, reports Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link). I’d expect the move to become official on Thursday before Toronto’s game vs. the Lakers.

Moreland, 27, spent a few weeks with the Suns earlier in the season, but appeared in just one game for the club. He was also with the Raptors for training camp and the preseason back in the fall and suited up for Team USA during FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Previously, the former Oregon State standout played a total of 78 games for the Kings and Pistons from 2014-18.

It’s unlikely that Moreland will see much playing time in Toronto, but he’ll provide the team with some depth at center behind Marc Gasol while Serge Ibaka serves a three-game suspension. Chris Boucher figures to be first in line as Gasol’s backup during those three games, and Pascal Siakam could also see time at the five, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Moreland also plays a few minutes during his stint with the Raptors.

Toronto was one of three teams required to sign a 14th man in the coming days, since the club had only been carrying 13 on its roster. The Raptors had until Saturday to make a move, but Ibaka’s suspension likely pushed them to add a player sooner than expected.

Moreland will earn $88,531 on his 10-day deal, which will count for a little less than that ($85,457) for cap and tax purposes.

Justin Bibbs Signs 10-Day Deal With Clippers

March 13th, 2019 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

9:50pm: The Clippers have officially signed Bibbs to a 10-day contract and assigned him to their G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, the club announced tonight (Twitter link).

8:56am: The Clippers will sign Justin Bibbs to a 10-day contract today, tweets Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times.

The rookie guard has averaged 11.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists while playing with the Maine Red Claws of the G League. He went undrafted out of Virginia Tech last year and was in training camp with the Celtics before being waived prior to the start of the season.

The Clippers have been carrying a roster opening for more than a month, so they won’t have to make another move before adding Bibbs. His signing will give them a full 15-man roster, with 14 guaranteed contracts.

Rockets Convert Danuel House To Standard Contract

March 13th, 2019 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 13: The Rockets have officially converted House’s two-way deal into a standard NBA contract, the club announced today in a press release. House can now rejoin the club and will be eligible for the postseason.

MARCH 12: The Rockets will fill one of the openings on their 15-man roster by converting Danuel House‘s two-way contract to a standard NBA deal, according to Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). The move will ensure Houston gets back up to 14 players, the league-mandated minimum, for the time being.

House, 25, signed a two-way deal with Houston back in December and emerged as a reliable rotation piece for the club, averaging 9.0 PPG and 3.6 RPG on .458/.390/.818 shooting in 25 games (24.8 MPG). But because two-way players can only spend a certain amount of time in the NBA, House hasn’t appeared in a game for the Rockets since January 14, when he reached that limit.

The two sides tried to reach a new contract agreement at that time, with the Rockets reportedly offering House a guaranteed three-year, minimum-salary deal. However, House and his agent Raymond Brothers wanted the club to simply convert the swingman’s two-way contract into a rest-of-season deal, which a team can do unilaterally. That would allow House to reach restricted free agency at season’s end.

The Rockets initially resisted, but now that the team is gearing up to go “all-in” for a playoff run, management has prioritized getting House back in the fold rather than worrying about his offseason free agency, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

Brothers thanked the Rockets and GM Daryl Morey for discussing a multiyear deal and suggested that he hoped to resume those talks in the summer, per Mark Berman of FOX26 Houston (Twitter link). Assuming Houston issues a qualifying offer to House, the club will have the ability to match an offer sheet up to a certain amount using his Non-Bird rights.

If the Rockets officially convert House’s contract on Wednesday, he’d earn approximately $248K during the season’s final month. As for the team’s roster situation, adding House to the 15-man squad would give Houston 14 players, but Terrence Jones‘ 10-day deal is set to expire later this week. As such, the Rockets would have to eventually re-sign Jones or add a new 14th man to get back up to the minimum.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Hawks Sign B.J. Johnson To Second 10-Day Deal

March 12th, 2019 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

Rookie swingman B.J. Johnson is officially back under contract with the Hawks, with the club announcing today in a press release that Johnson has signed a second 10-day contract.

Johnson first signed with Atlanta on March 1, with that 10-day deal expiring overnight on Sunday. His new 10-day pact will run through next Thursday (March 21), at which point the Hawks will have to determine whether to let him go or re-sign him for the rest of the season.

Johnson, who went undrafted out of La Salle in 2018, spent most of his first professional season playing for the Lakeland Magic in the G League. He averaged 14.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 1.4 SPG with a shooting line of .473/.433/.838 in 38 NBAGL games, earning him an NBA shot in Atlanta.

In his first four NBA games with the Hawks, Johnson has averaged 4.3 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 9.8 minutes per contest. He has shot well in a very small sample size, recording a .538 FG% and .500 3PT%.

With Johnson officially back on the roster, the Hawks once again have a full 15-man squad. However, only 13 of those players are on full-season or multiyear contracts. Tyler Zeller is the other player on a 10-day deal.

Johnson’s new 10-day contract will be worth the same amount as his first one: $47,371.