Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Sign Isaiah Hicks To Two-Way Deal

July 3rd, 2018 at 6:08pm CST by Luke Adams

6:08pm: Hicks has officially signed his two-way contract, the Knicks announced on Twitter.

10:20am: Power forward Isaiah Hicks, who played on a two-way contract for the Knicks last season, is expected to sign a new two-way deal with the team soon, reports ESPN’s Ian Begley (Twitter link).

Hicks’ previous two-way contract only covered a single season, so the Knicks issued the 23-year-old a qualifying offer at season’s end, making him a restricted free agent. With former two-way player Luke Kornet poised to join New York’s 15-man roster, Hicks and Allonzo Trier, who reached a deal with the Knicks in June, are expected to fill the team’s two-way slots for 2018/19.

Hicks, who will turn 24 later this month, appeared in 18 games for the Knicks in his rookie year, averaging 4.4 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 13.3 minutes per contest. He saw more action for the Westchester Knicks in the G League, posting 15.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 2.1 BPG in 37 games with the club.

The Knicks entered the offseason with 12 players under contract. Now that Kornet, Mario Hezonja, and Kevin Knox are poised to take roster spots and Hicks and Trier will fill the club’s two-way slots, New York projects to have a full regular-season roster. The Knicks can carry a 20-man offseason roster, but will need to eventually waive or trade a player if they intend to sign second-round pick Mitchell Robinson to a spot on their 15-man regular-season squad, Begley notes (via Twitter).

Dante Exum Re-Signs With Jazz

July 3rd, 2018 at 5:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 6, 11:46am: Exum’s new contract is now official, the Jazz announced on their website.

JULY 3, 5:03pm: Free agent point guard Dante Exum has agreed to a three-year, $33M deal with the Jazz, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

A restricted free agent, Exum has been limited by injuries through most of his career. He appeared in just 14 games last season after a preseason shoulder injury that required surgery. However, he performed well enough in the playoffs for Utah to bring him back.

Exum, who turns 23 later this month, has averaged 5.7 PPG in four years with the Jazz. He sat out the entire 2015/16 season after tearing his left ACL.

Having entered the offseason intent on keeping their own free agents in the fold, the Jazz have now accomplished that goal. Before reaching a deal with Exum, they also agreed to terms with restricted free agent point guard Raul Neto and unrestricted big man Derrick Favors. Neto and Favors will each sign two-year contracts with non-guaranteed second years.

With the new deals for Favors, Neto, and Exum taken into account, Utah’s projected team salary is up to about $122MM, putting the team very close to the $123.7MM tax line. However, the Jazz could create a little more breathing room by waiving non-guaranteed players like Ekpe Udoh, David Stockton, and even Jonas Jerebko, which could generate the flexibility necessary to use their mid-level exception.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Michael Porter Jr. Signs Rookie Deal With Nuggets

July 3rd, 2018 at 4:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nuggets have signed first-round pick Michael Porter Jr. to a rookie contract, the team announced on its website.

Porter was projected as high as No. 2 in the draft, but concerns about his the condition of his back caused him to plummet all the way to 14th. He suffered a back injury that required surgery in his first college game, then played limited minutes in a pair of SEC and NCAA tournament contests.

Porter will receive $2,411,800 as a rookie and $2,824,500 in his second season. As with all first-rounders, his contract will have two guaranteed seasons, followed by two team option years.

Dwight Howard Finalizes Buyout Agreement, Will Sign With Wizards

July 3rd, 2018 at 4:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

4:34pm: Howard has finalized his buyout with the Nets and will sign a one-year deal with the Wizards for the MLE after he clears waivers, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

4:11pm: The Wizards plan to offer a contract to Dwight Howard once his expected buyout with the Nets is complete, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post.

Howard is technically still a member of the Hornets, but that will change once the moratorium is lifted on Friday. He will be sent to Brooklyn under a deal agreed to two weeks ago, then will hit the open market if buyout negotiations go as planned.

Washington still has its $5.3MM mini mid-level exception to offer, along with a starting job. The Wizards need help in the middle after trading Marcin Gortat to the Clippers for Austin Rivers .

A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Howard could provide a defensive anchor and a strong rebounding presence in Washington. Regardless of where he ends up, Howard will be with his fourth team in four years, but he remains productive at age 32. He averaged 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds in 81 games for Charlotte this season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Suns Sign Ayton, Bridges; King Gets Two-Way Deal

July 3rd, 2018 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have officially signed three of their four 2018 draft picks, according to RealGM’s transactions log. First-round selections Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges have inked their rookie deals with Phoenix, while second-rounder George King has finalized a two-way contract.

Ayton, the first overall pick in the draft, projects to be the Suns’ center of the future, with the team never wavering on using the No. 1 pick to select him over Marvin Bagley III, Luka Doncic, and other top prospects in the 2018 class. As our list of rookie scale salaries shows, Ayton will be in line for a first-year salary of $8MM+ and will earn more than $40MM over the course of his four-year rookie contract.

Bridges, meanwhile, was acquired in a draft-night trade with the Sixers. Phoenix gave up Miami’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick to move up from No. 16 to No. 10 to secure Bridges, an indication of how much they like him. The former Villanova forward will receive a $3.55MM first-year salary and a four-year contract worth $17.63MM in total.

While Bridges’ and Ayton’s first NBA contracts were locked in from the moment they were drafted, that wasn’t the case for King, the 59th overall pick, since there’s no set rookie scale for second-round selections. The former Colorado forward will slot into one of the Suns’ two-way contract openings during his rookie year.

The only unsigned Phoenix draftee now is Elie Okobo, the 31st overall pick. However, the two sides reportedly reached an agreement on a four-year deal shortly after the draft, so it should become official soon after the moratorium ends.

Jazz Sign Raul Neto To Two-Year Deal

July 3rd, 2018 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 6, 11:48am: Neto’s new contract is now official, the Jazz announced on their website.

JULY 3, 3:37pm: The Jazz have reached a contract agreement with free agent point guard Raul Neto, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter), Neto will sign a new two-year, $4.4MM contract with Utah. The second year will be non-guaranteed, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.

Neto, 26, served as a backup point guard in Utah during the 2017/18 season, averaging 4.5 PPG and 1.8 APG in 41 games (12.1 MPG). He was a restricted free agent this summer after receiving a qualifying offer from the Jazz last week, and will be re-signed using his Bird rights.

Neto will be behind Ricky Rubio on the depth chart, and Donovan Mitchell will see plenty of ball-handling opportunities for Utah as well. Neto’s role will be determined in part on Dante Exum‘s status — the former fifth overall pick is also a restricted free agent, and the Jazz would like to re-sign him. If Exum returns, Neto’s minutes going forward will remain very limited.

The Jazz, who entered the offseason focused on retaining their own free agents, have now reached agreements with both Neto and Derrick Favors. Both contracts include non-guaranteed second years, allowing Utah to maximize its cap flexibility for 2019.

Wizards Sign Jeff Green

July 3rd, 2018 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 10: The signing is now official, the club confirmed today in a press release.

JULY 3: The Wizards have agreed to a deal with free agent forward Jeff Green, reports TNT’s David Aldridge (Twitter link). A source tells Aldridge that Green is signing a one-year, minimum salary contract with Washington.

Green, 31, spent the 2017/18 season in Cleveland, averaging 10.8 PPG and 3.2 RPG in 78 games for the Cavaliers.

The Cavs reportedly had interest in retaining Green, but he’ll head to D.C., where the Wizards figure to slot him into a similar role to the one Mike Scott had last year off the bench. Scott agreed to a free agent deal with the Clippers on Monday.

Because he has at least 10 years of NBA experience, Green will qualify for the highest possible minimum salary, at $2,393,887. However, the former fifth overall pick will only against Washington’s cap for $1,512,601.

Even after agreeing to sign Green and claiming Thomas Bryant off waivers, the Wizards likely aren’t done addressing their frontcourt. Having sent Marcin Gortat to the Clippers last week, Washington only has Ian Mahinmi, Jason Smith, and Bryant at center.

The Wizards likely won’t have their full mid-level exception available, since they project to be over the tax line, but the team still has the taxpayer’s MLE ($5.337MM) if needed.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rockets Sign Michael Carter-Williams To One-Year Deal

July 3rd, 2018 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 7: The Rockets have officially signed Carter-Williams, per the NBA’s transactions log.

JULY 3: The Rockets have reached an agreement to sign free agent point guard Michael Carter-Williams, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links). According to Wojnarowski, it’ll be a one-year, minimum salary contract for Carter-Williams in Houston.

Carter-Williams, 26, is only four years removed from being named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, but he has seen his playing time and his production slip precipitously since then in stints with the Sixers, Bucks, Bulls, and Hornets.

In 2017/18, Carter-Williams backed up Kemba Walker in Charlotte, but had the worst season of his five-year NBA career, averaging just 4.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 2.2 APG with a .332/.237/.820 shooting line in 52 games (16.1 MPG).

Carter-Williams is an interesting addition for the Rockets, who have James Harden and Chris Paul share ball-handling duties and generally focus on acquiring perimeter players who can make outside shots. Carter-Williams will be able to step in as the backup point guard if either Harden or Paul go down with an injury, and should get minutes even when both players are healthy. However, the 25.0% career three-point shooter isn’t a threat from beyond the arc.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, having reached agreements with Paul, Carter-Williams, and Gerald Green, the Rockets now have about $119MM in salaries on their books for 2018/19, with restricted free agent Clint Capela still requiring a new deal. Houston will also have the $5.337MM taxpayer’s mid-level exception to use in free agency.

Carter-Williams’ deal will count for $1.51MM against the Rockets’ cap, though he’ll earn $1.76MM.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bulls Sign Carter, Hutchison To Rookie Deals

July 3rd, 2018 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have made it official with their two first-round picks, announcing today in a press release that Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison have both signed their rookie contracts.

Carter, the seventh overall pick in the 2018 draft, was somewhat overshadowed in his freshman year at Duke by teammate Marvin Bagley III, but had a strong season for the Blue Devils, averaging 13.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 2.1 BPG. He projects as the Bulls’ long-term starting center alongside power forward Lauri Markkanen in the frontcourt.

As for Hutchison, the 6’7″ swingman played his college ball at Boise State, and is coming off a 2017/18 season in which he averaged an impressive 20.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 3.5 APG with a .475/.359/.728 shooting line. The No. 22 pick will look to earn minutes in Chicago’s wing rotation in his rookie year.

Carter’s new four-year deal will be worth approximately $22MM, while Hutchison will be in line for a four-year total of about $10.79MM. The terms of both deals are dictated by the NBA’s rookie scale. Each contract will also have two guaranteed seasons, with team options in years three and four.

Magic Sign Mohamed Bamba To Rookie Deal

July 3rd, 2018 at 7:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have officially locked up their 2018 first-round pick, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Mohamed Bamba to his rookie contract. Bamba’s deal, like all other rookie scale contracts for first-rounders, will feature two guaranteed years with team options in years three and four.

Bamba, 20, spent a single college season at Texas, averaging a double-double (12.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG) with an impressive 3.7 BPG. He declared for the draft as an early entrant.

Bamba will join a crowded Orlando frontcourt that features veteran centers Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo, as well as power forwards Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon, who agreed to a new four-year deal with the Magic on Sunday. Khem Birch will also provide depth for the team at the four and five.

As the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, Bamba will be in line for a first-year salary worth just shy of $4.9MM. Assuming he plays out his full four-year deal, he’ll become extension-eligible for the first time in 2021, and would be on track to reach restricted free agency in 2022.