Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavericks Waive Ding Yanyuhang

October 14th, 2018 at 5:52pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

The Mavericks have announced that they have waived forward Ding Yanyuhang, according to a press release from the team. It’s the second time Ding has been cut by Dallas in the last four days, as he received a new contract on Friday for G League purposes. He figures to end up on the Texas Legends, the Mavs’ G League affiliate.

Ding was originally signed on July 23, but only appeared in one preseason game for the Mavericks. The 25-year-old has been a standout for China’s Shandong Golden Stars, as he won his second consecutive Chinese Basketball Association Domestic MVP award in the 2017-18 season. He had previously played for the Mavericks’ Orlando and Las Vegas Summer League teams in 2017.

The Mavericks are now carrying 17 players, including 15 on standard contracts, so their roster is down to the regular season limit.

Warriors Sign Marcus Derrickson To Two-Way Deal

October 13th, 2018 at 9:04pm CST by marksuleymanov

9:04pm: The move is official, the Warriors announced on Twitter.

OCTOBER 13, 8:43am: The Warriors are converting Marcus Derrickson‘s Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way deal, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Derrickson, 22, went undrafted out of Georgetown this summer, but he impressed in the Summer League, averaging 13.1 PPG and 5.0 RPG in eight contests.

In five preseason games for Golden State, Derrickson averaged 5.0 PPG and 2.8 RPG. Derrickson joins Damion Lee as the Warriors’ other two-way player. Players on two-way deals are permitted to spend up to 45 days with the NBA team and the rest of the season with the G League affiliate.

The Warriors are expected to leave their 15th roster spot vacant to begin the year for flexibility and payroll purposes. Thus, with the decision on Derrickson, the Warriors’ roster is now complete.

Golden State waived Tyler Ulis and three others on Friday, cutting down its 20-man preseason roster to size. Alfonzo McKinnie filled the Warriors’ 14th roster spot with Lee and Derrickson representing the organization’s two-way deals.

Now, Golden State can turn its attention to opening night against the Thunder on Tuesday. As DeMarcus Cousins continues to rehab from a torn Achilles, Golden State will start Damian Jones at center but the team is not committed beyond that, Slater tweets.

Nets Waive Gordon, McCall, Scott

October 13th, 2018 at 5:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets got down to the roster limit by waiving forward Drew Gordon and guards Tahjere McCall and Shannon Scott, the team announced today in a press release.

Gordon will join Brooklyn’s G League affiliate in Long Island and is expected to be called up during the season after turning down offers to play overseas. The older brother of Aaron Gordon, most of his professional experience has come in Europe. He has played nine NBA games, all for the Sixers in 2014/15.

McCall and Scott both signed Exhibit 10 contracts yesterday and appear headed back to the G League. Both played for Brooklyn’s affiliate in Long Island last season.

Sixers Waive Okafor, Jefferson, Johnson

October 13th, 2018 at 5:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Veteran center Emeka Okafor wasn’t able to earn a roster spot with the Sixers, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Okafor was waived today, along with Cory Jefferson and Darin Johnson.

Okafor, 36, signed a non-guaranteed deal for the veteran’s minimum shortly before training camp opened last month. He had been hoping to win a spot as a backup to Joel Embiid and a veteran leader on one of the NBA’s top teams.

Okafor completed a remarkable comeback story when he earned a roster spot with the Pelicans in February after signing a pair of 10-day contracts. It marked his return to the league after missing four seasons because of injury. He appeared in 26 games, starting 19, and averaged 4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per night. However, he barely played in the postseason.

New Orleans waived Okafor last month and he signed with the Sixers two days later.

Jefferson and Johnson signed with Philadelphia yesterday and both appear headed for the G League.

Celtics Waive Marcus Georges-Hunt

October 13th, 2018 at 5:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics have waived Marcus Georges-Hunt, tweets Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. The 24-year-old guard signed with the team at the start of October.

Georges-Hunt played 42 games with the Timberwolves last season, but saw just 5.3 minutes per night. His only other NBA experience was five games with the Magic after coming to Orlando late in the 2016/17 season. He originally signed with the Celtics in 2016, but was waived before the start of the season.

Georges-Hunt is likely headed to Boston’s G League affiliate in Maine and may rejoin the Celtics once they resolve the situation with Jabari Bird, according to Keith P. Smith of CelticsBlog. Bird is on a leave of absence while his assault case goes through the legal system.

Smith points out that if Bird is suspended, he would remain on the roster for at least five games. After that, Boston could put him on the suspended list and recall Georges-Hunt to fill the roster opening.

Bird signed a two-year contract for the league minimum this summer with a guarantee for the first season. If the NBA rules that he has violated its domestic violence policy, his contract could be voided and the Celtics would have no further financial obligation. If Boston waives Bird before the league makes a decision, his contract will remain on the cap and will continue to affect the luxury tax. The Celtics plan to keep Bird on the inactive list until his case is resolved.

Bucks Waive Tyler Zeller

October 13th, 2018 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have waived veteran center Tyler Zeller, according to Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). The move leaves Milwaukee one cut shy of reaching the regular season roster limit.

Zeller, the 27th overall pick in the 2012 draft, began his career with two years in Cleveland before spending three seasons in Boston. In 2017/18, he appeared in 66 games for the Nets and Bucks, recording overall averages of 6.7 PPG and 4.6 RPG in 16.8 minutes per contest.

The contract Zeller signed in the summer of 2017 was a two-year deal, but the second year was non-guaranteed, so his hold on a roster spot in Milwaukee was always precarious. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers on Monday.

With one more cut still to come, Tim Frazier and Christian Wood appear to be vying for the Bucks’ final roster spot.

Cavaliers Release Kobi Simmons, Three Others

October 13th, 2018 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

4:52pm: The Cavaliers have also waived Taylor, according to a second press release from the team. That leaves the club with 14 players on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals.

3:47pm: The Cavaliers have waived guard Kobi Simmons and forwards Bonzie Colson and Emanuel Terry, the team announced today in a press release. Cleveland’s roster now stands at 17 players, including 15 on standard contracts.

Simmons, 21, spent last season on a two-way contract with the Grizzlies, appearing in 32 games for the NBA squad. In 20.1 minutes per contest, the rookie point guard contributed 6.1 PPG, 2.1 APG, and 1.6 RPG. However, he was waived by Memphis this summer and joined the Cavs for camp.

Colson spent the 2017/18 season at Notre Dame before going undrafted this spring, with foot injuries hurting his stock as a prospect. Terry signed with the Nuggets earlier this offseason but was cut by Denver and inked a deal with the Cavs on Thursday. Both players are candidates to join the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s G League affiliate.

If no more roster moves are forthcoming for the Cavs, that’s good news for guard Isaiah Taylor, the team’s only other player on a non-guaranteed deal. Taylor recently suffered a stress fracture in his leg, which is expected to sideline him for about a month, so it wasn’t clear whether or not he’d make the team.

Timberwolves Waive Four Players

October 13th, 2018 at 4:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have parted ways with four players, the team announced on Twitter. Gone are Darius Johnson-Odom and Jonathan Stark, along with Canyon Barry and William Lee, who were both signed earlier today.

The moves trim Minnesota’s roster to 16, including a pair of two-way players. The Wolves may keep one spot open on the regular roster for luxury tax purposes.

Johnson-Odom is 29 but hasn’t played in the NBA since 2013/14, when he spent three games with the Sixers. He has extensive international experience, playing in Italy, Turkey and Greece.

Stark is a rookie from Murray State who was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year last season. After going undrafted, he played for Minnesota in the Las Vegas Summer League. Barry played in Finland and the Czech Republic after going undrafted out of Florida in 2017. Lee is a rookie out of Alabama-Birmingham.

All four players may be given opportunities to join the Wolves’ G League team if they clear waivers.

Jazz Release Branch, Cousins, Lyles

October 13th, 2018 at 4:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Jazz got down to the NBA’s roster limit by waiving three players, the team announced on its website. The final cuts were guards Stephaun Branch, Isaiah Cousins and Jairus Lyles, who may all be ticketed for Utah’s G League affiliate in Salt Lake City if they clear waivers.

Branch was in the G League last season with the South Bay Lakers. He appeared in 50 games, starting seven, and averaged 10.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals per night. The West Georgia product was just signed by the Jazz earlier this afternoon.

Cousins also spent last season in the G League, playing 36 games for Salt Lake City. He posted a 13.1/ 3.6/4.4 line while averaging 1.3 steals per game.

Lyles is a rookie out of UMBC who played for the Jazz during summer league. He averaged 20.2 PPG in college last season.

Kings Release Kalin Lucas, Cameron Reynolds

October 13th, 2018 at 3:53pm CST by clarkcrum

The Kings announced today that they have waived guards Cameron Reynolds and Kalin Lucas, per an official media release. Sacramento’s roster now stands at 15 players on standard contracts and one player on a two-way contract, Wenyen Gabriel.

Reynolds, 23, appeared in four preseason games for the Kings, averaging nine minutes per contest. The Tulane product was also a member of the Kings’ Summer League squads in the Sacramento and Las Vegas leagues in July. As we relayed back in September, Reynolds will be joining the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate, so his release comes as no surprise.

Lucas, 29, also averaged nine minutes per game with the Kings this preseason. The Michigan State product has an NBA season under his belt, appearing in one game for the Grizzlies back during the 2014-15 season. He may join Reynolds in Stockton now that he’s been waived.