Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Spurs Sign Josh Huestis To Exhibit 10 Deal

October 9th, 2018 at 2:12pm CST by Luke Adams

2:12pm: The Spurs have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Huestis.

1:05pm: The Spurs appear set to fill the open spot on their 20-man preseason roster by signing Josh Huestis, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Huestis and the Spurs have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal. Word of the agreement comes more than a month after reports indicated that Huestis had received a camp invite from San Antonio.

A first-round pick in 2014, Huestis played a season in the G League before joining the Thunder in 2015/16. After appearing in just seven games for Oklahoma City over his first two NBA seasons, the 6’7″ forward earned a rotation role last season. However, he didn’t make much of an impact, averaging 2.3 PPG and 2.3 RPG with a .330/.287/.300 shooting line in 69 games (14.2 MPG).

Because the Thunder had turned down their fourth-year option on Huestis’ rookie scale contract, he became an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 26-year-old remained on the market for over three months before agreeing to sign with the Spurs.

While the Spurs have a potential opening on their 15-man regular season squad, Huestis will be an underdog to claim that spot. Veteran swingman Quincy Pondexter, who has a partial guarantee worth $150K, looks like a better bet to become San Antonio’s 15th man, assuming the team even carries a full roster into the season. Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted into two-way deals though, so that could be an option for Huestis. The Spurs have about a week to make their roster decisions for opening night.

Grizzlies Waive Forward Ismaila Kane

October 8th, 2018 at 10:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grizzlies have waived forward Ismaila Kane, according to a team press release.

The 6’9” Kane made one preseason appearance, logging two minutes. The Senegal native went undrafted after playing 13 games last season for Atlanta Metropolitan of the National Junior College Athletic Association. He could wind up with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League team, once he clears waivers.

Memphis needed to make a roster move after signing swingman D.J. Stephens to a two-way contract.

Nuggets Waive Forward Emanuel Terry

October 8th, 2018 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets have waived forward Emanuel Terry, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

Terry signed a training camp deal in early August. With 15 players on guaranteed contracts in Denver, he had little hope of making the team’s opening night roster. The Nuggets could retain Terry’s G League rights if he clears waivers.

The 6’9” Terry made a good impression during summer league action with Denver, posting averages of 7.4 PPG and 5.0 RPG while shooting 61% from the field in 17.6 MPG over five games.

Terry, 22, defied the odds by landing an NBA contract after going undrafted out of a Division II program. He played four seasons at Lincoln Memorial, averaging 16.9 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 2.2 BPG in his senior year.

Grizzlies Sign D.J. Stephens To Two-Way Deal

October 8th, 2018 at 7:27pm CST by Luke Adams

7:27pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

9:36 am: Former Bucks swingman D.J. Stephens is returning to the NBA, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies are signing Stephens to a two-way contract.

The Grizzlies currently only have one of their two-way slots filled, but they’re carrying a full 20-man preseason roster, so a corresponding move will be required to finalize the signing. Memphis will likely cut one of its players on non-guaranteed contracts, clearing the way for Stephens to join Japanese wing Yuta Watanabe as the two-way players on the roster.

Stephens, who played his college ball at the University of Memphis, went undrafted in 2013. After spending most of his rookie season in Greece, the 6’5″ guard/forward joined the Bucks briefly, appearing in three games with the team over the course of a 10-day contract.

Although Stephens later signed training camp deals with the Pelicans, Cavaliers, and Grizzlies, he hasn’t played in another NBA regular season game since that short stint with Milwaukee in 2014. His résumé since then includes stops in Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Puerto Rico, France, and the G League. The 27-year-old won a championship in France last season playing for Le Mans.

Mavs Sign Donte Ingram, Rashad Vaughn

October 8th, 2018 at 4:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks have signed swingman Donte Ingram and guard Rashad Vaughn and waived forward Jalen Jones and guard Codi Miller-McIntyre, according to a team press release.

Terms were disclosed but the two signings are almost certainly Exhibit 10 contracts.

Ingram went undrafted in June after playing four years for Loyola University Chicago. He started 38 games as a senior and averaged 11.0 PPG and 6.4 RPG in 30.6 MPG. He played five games for the Bulls’ Las Vegas summer league team, averaging 6.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 1.4 APG in 26.8 MPG.

Vaughn, who like Ingram is listed at 6’6”, was the Bucks’ first-round pick in 2015 and has played a combined 139 NBA games. In 28 games for the Bucks, Nets and Magic last season, Vaughn averaged 2.3 PPG in 7.6 MPG. He played for the Heat’s summer league teams in Las Vegas and Sacramento this offseason.

The 6’7” Jones appeared in one Dallas preseason game before being let go. He played 12 regular-season games with the Mavericks as a rookie last season, averaging 5.8 PPG and 2.9 RPT in 13.5 MPG. The 6’3” Miller-McIntyre made cameos in two preseason games.

Spurs Waive Jaron Blossomgame

October 8th, 2018 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs have waived former second-round pick Jaron Blossomgame, according to Jabari Young of The Athletic (Twitter link). The move opens up a spot on San Antonio’s 20-man preseason roster.

Blossomgame, who played his college ball at Clemson, was drafted by the Spurs with the 59th overall pick in 2017. He signed a G League contract for his rookie season, becoming a starting forward for an Austin Spurs squad that won the NBAGL championship this past spring.

In 50 games (48 starts) last season, Blossomgame averaged 16.5 PPG and 8.1 RPG. He also played for San Antonio’s Summer League team this July, posting 13.0 PPG and 7.6 RPG in five contests in Las Vegas.

Those performances earned Blossomgame a camp invite, but now that he has been waived by the Spurs, San Antonio will no longer hold his NBA rights. The 25-year-old could still end up playing for Austin in the G League, but he’ll be free to sign with any other NBA team if he clears waivers later this week.

Warriors Sign Will Cherry To Exhibit 10 Deal

October 8th, 2018 at 1:29pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 8: Cherry has signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Warriors, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, adding that the guard is expected to end up playing in Santa Cruz.

SEPTEMBER 19: The Warriors are expected to add Will Cherry to their 20-man offseason roster, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. A source tells Carchia that Cherry is set to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the defending champions.

Cherry, who went undrafted out of Montana in 2013, appeared in eight games for the Cavaliers during the 2014/15 season, but has otherwise spent most of his professional career playing overseas. Having played in Lithuania, Germany, Turkey, the 6’0″ point guard last suited up for Croatian club Cedevita Zagreb.

In 25 ABA League games last season, Cherry averaged 11.1 PPG and 3.2 APG. He also posted a team-best 11.8 PPG and 4.1 APG in 15 EuroCup contests.

The Warriors technically only have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, but Patrick McCaw figures to eventually become the 14th, and the team will likely start the season with an open roster spot to avoid increasing its projected tax bill. As such, Cherry may end up with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s G League affiliate.

Lakers Waive Joel Berry, Jeffrey Carroll

October 8th, 2018 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have begun making roster cuts in advance of next week’s regular season opener, announcing today in a press release that they’ve requested waivers on camp invitees Joel Berry and Jeffrey Carroll. Both players will become unrestricted free agents on Wednesday, assuming they go unclaimed on waivers.

Berry, a 6’0″ guard, joined the Lakers after a four-year college career at UNC which included a national championship win in 2017. He appeared briefly in three preseason games for the club. As for Carroll, the 6’6″ swingman went undrafted out of Oklahoma State this spring, then played in just one preseason game for the Lakers.

Both Berry and Carroll are good candidates to join the South Bay Lakers, L.A.’s G League affiliate. As for the NBA squad, the Lakers are now down to 15 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals, so they don’t necessarily need to make any additional roster moves before the regular season begins, though Johnathan Williams is still on a non-guaranteed contract and isn’t a lock to make the team.

Hawks Sign Isaac Humphries

October 8th, 2018 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks have filled the open spot on their 20-man roster by signing forward/center Isaac Humphries, the team announced today in a press release. While terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, it’s almost certainly an Exhibit 10 contract.

Humphries, a native of Australia, arrives in Atlanta after having spent his first professional season with the Sydney Kings in 2017/18. The 20-year-old played a part-time role for the NBL club, averaging 6.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 1.0 BPG in 26 games (16.5 MPG). Humphries, who went undrafted out of Kentucky in 2017, also played for Serbian club FMP last season.

According to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Humphries is expected to ultimately end up with the Erie BayHawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate, so he’ll be waived within the next several days. The Hawks are now back up to 20 players and will have to make a few cuts before next Tuesday in order to set their regular season roster.

Rockets Waive Rob Gray

October 8th, 2018 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have waived training camp invitee Rob Gray, the team announced today (Twitter link via Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston). The move reduces the club’s roster count to just 17 players.

Gray, a 6’1″ guard, played his college ball at the University of Houston, averaging 19.3 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 3.7 RPG with a .447/.359/.802 shooting line in 2017/18. He was especially impressive during the NCAA Tournament in the spring, pouring in 39 points in a first-round win over San Diego State, then recording a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) in a one-point loss to Michigan.

Despite receiving a camp invite from the Rockets, Gray was always a long shot to earn a regular season roster spot in Houston. However, he could end up on the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the club’s G League affiliate.

The Rockets currently have 12 fully guaranteed contracts on its books, with Michael Carter-Williams and his partial guarantee penciled in for the 13th spot. Zhou Qi, Bruno Caboclo, Gary Clark, and Vince Edwards have non-guaranteed deals.