Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Sign James Johnson To One-Year Deal

December 15th, 2023 at 11:57am CST by Rory Maher

DECEMBER 15: The Pacers have officially signed Johnson, the team announced today in a press release.

DECEMBER 14: The Pacers are signing free agent forward James Johnson to a one-year contract, agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), the Pacers had an open roster spot after reaching a buyout agreement last month with Daniel Theis, so no corresponding move will be necessary to add Johnson.

Johnson, 36, has played for 10 different teams and is now in his 15th NBA season. He spent the 2022/23 campaign with Indiana, appearing in 18 games while averaging 2.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per contest. Johnson was waived in February as part of the Kevin Durant blockbuster trade (due to a roster crunch), but the Pacers re-signed him a few days later.

The timing of the move is interesting and perhaps not a coincidence. The Pacers and Bucks had a postgame altercation over the game ball on Wednesday night after a chippy contest between the two Central Division teams. Johnson is known for being one of the toughest players in the league, and head coach Rick Carlisle praised his veteran leadership last season.

“Very important for us,” Carlisle said. “… He’s contributed so much to our situation just in terms of setting examples, mentoring, being very positive, being very truthful. He has a really strong reputation in this league as a great competitors, as a very tough guy. Those kinds of things. He’s been a difference maker so it’s great to have him back on board.”

Indiana’s roster will be full once the move is official.

Knicks Waive Dylan Windler, Sign Taj Gibson

December 15th, 2023 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

DECEMBER 15: The Knicks have officially signed Gibson, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link). He’ll earn a salary of $2,241,188, while the team carries a cap hit of $1,416,116.

DECEMBER 13: The Knicks are making a change at the back of their standard 15-man roster, announcing today that they’ve waived wing Dylan Windler (Twitter link). Using their newly opened roster spot, the team will sign free agent big man Taj Gibson to a one-year contract, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).

Gibson’s one-year deal with New York will be non-guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Gibson is a longtime favorite of Tom Thibodeau, who has coached the veteran forward/center in Chicago, Minnesota, and New York. Gibson previously had a stint with the Knicks that lasted from 2019-22 — he appeared in 159 games over the course of three seasons.

Gibson spent last the 2022/23 season with the Wizards and re-signed with Washington on a one-year, minimum-salary contract during the 2023 offseason. However, even though his deal was fully guaranteed, the 38-year-old became the victim of a roster crunch in D.C. and was cut before the season began.

With starting center Mitchell Robinson expected to miss at least eight-to-10 weeks due to an ankle injury, New York was in the market for additional frontcourt depth and Gibson was an obvious candidate to fill that role, given his familiarity with Thibodeau and the Knicks, who highly value his leadership, according to Begley.

Gibson’s playing time has been on the decline in recent years and he’ll turn 39 in June, so he’s unlikely to leapfrog Isaiah Hartenstein or Jericho Sims on New York’s depth chart, but he’ll be a useful piece of insurance at center.

Since the Knicks had a full 15-man roster, they had to waive someone to make room for Gibson. None of their three players on non-guaranteed salaries – Windler, DaQuan Jeffries, and Ryan Arcidiacono – had seen much action this fall, but it was Windler who was ultimately the odd man out. The former first-round pick has logged just seven total minutes across three appearances for the Knicks this season.

For what it’s worth, Windler is still eligible for a two-way contract, whereas Jeffries and Aricidacono aren’t, so if he clears waivers, the former Belmont sharpshooter could return in that capacity. It would require another cut though, since New York doesn’t have an open two-way slot.

If he goes unclaimed on waivers, Windler will end up making $659,454, a prorated portion of his minimum-salary deal with the Knicks.

Hornets Sign Nathan Mensah To Two-Way Contract, Waive Theo Maledon

December 14th, 2023 at 8:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

8:45pm: The Hornets officially announced the signing of Mensah to a two-way contract in a press release.

5:38pm: The Hornets are planning to sign center Nathan Mensah to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Mensah has been playing with Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, this season after spending training camp with the Hornets this summer on an Exhibit 10 contract. Mensah is averaging 10.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 0.8 steals in 14 Showcase Cup games with the Swarm this season.

Mensah, 25, played five seasons for San Diego State, where he averaged 6.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks across 146 appearances with his collegiate team. In 2022/23, Mensah helped the Aztecs to an appearance in the NCAA national championship, where they ultimately fell to UConn.

To open up the two-way roster spot necessary for Mensah, the Hornets announced they officially waived guard Theo Maledon.

It’s a little surprising to see the Hornets part with Maledon, considering he’s made 57 appearances and eight starts over the past two years with the team in 18.5 minutes per night. However, he’s gotten off to a slow start to the season, shooting just 28.8% from the field. In two years with the Hornets, Maledon averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 assists after spending the first two seasons of his career with the Thunder.

With Mensah set to be signed, the Hornets will be back up to the limit of 18 players on the roster. Charlotte has 15 players on standard deals and, after Mensah’s signing is made official, will have him, Leaky Black and Amari Bailey on two-way deals.

Spurs Waive Rice, Sign Duke To Two-Way Deal

December 14th, 2023 at 7:20pm CST by Rory Maher

8:20pm: The Spurs have officially signed Duke and waived Rice, according to a press release from the team.

3:43pm: The Spurs plan to sign David Duke Jr. to a two-way contract, agent Todd Ramasar tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

San Antonio is waiving Sir’Jabari Rice to make room for Duke, reports ESPN’s Andrew Lopez (via Twitter). That move is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

Duke spent the past two seasons with the Nets on two-way deals prior to being converted to a standard contract in April. The former Providence guard averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 45 games with Brooklyn from 2021-23, shooting 40.3% from the floor in 12.6 minutes per contest.

Duke, 24, inked an Exhibit 10 deal with the Sixers for training camp and was waived before the ’23/24 season began. He’s been playing for their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

Rice, who went undrafted in June’s draft, spent four college seasons at New Mexico State before transferring to Texas for his super-senior year in 2022/23. The 6’4″ guard appeared in 38 games for the Longhorns last season, averaging 13.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.0 APG on .464/.371/.863 shooting.

Rice has yet to appear in an NBA game. He’s been playing for San Antonio’s G League affiliate in Austin to open his rookie season.

Celtics Sign Drew Peterson To Two-Way Contract

December 14th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

December 14: Peterson’s two-way deal is official, the Celtics announced.

December 13: The Celtics are expected to sign G League forward Drew Peterson to a two-way contract, according to Adrian Wojanrowski of ESPN (Twitter links). Agents Mike Silverman and Troy Payne tell Wojnarowski that Peterson has agreed to sign with the C’s and is on track to join the team as soon as Thursday.

Peterson, 24, went undrafted earlier this year after spending two seasons at Rice and three at USC. As a “super senior” in 2022/23, he averaged 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, posting a .442/.358/.752 shooting line in 33 games (35.9 MPG) for the Trojans.

As an undrafted free agent, Peterson quickly agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Miami and joined the Heat for summer league play and training camp. He was cut before the regular season began and was designated as an affiliate player for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League team.

Peterson was off to a strong start in his first professional season, putting up 15.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 4.2 APG on .528/.407/.857 shooting in his first 13 games with the Skyforce. Once he officially signs with Boston, he’ll make the move to the Maine Celtics. He’ll also be eligible to appear in up to 35 NBA games, assuming he officially signs on Thursday.

The Celtics won’t need to make a corresponding roster move to open up a spot for Peterson, since they already cut a two-way player earlier this week, parting ways with Nathan Knight on Tuesday. Neemias Queta and JD Davison are Boston’s other two-way players.

If Peterson signs on Thursday, his two-way salary will be $395,708. That salary would become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract through January 7.

Celtics Waive Two-Way Player Nathan Knight

December 12th, 2023 at 4:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Two-way player Nathan Knight has been waived by the Celtics, Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets.

The 6’8” forward hasn’t appeared in any games this season. He came off the bench in 38 games last season for Minnesota.

Overall, he has appeared in 108 regular season games with the Hawks and Timberwolves, averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per game. The Wolves declined their team option on Knight during the offseason and didn’t issue a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

He signed with the Knicks but was waived during training camp. Knight was signed to one of Boston’s three two-way spots on Oct. 22.

Knight has seen action in 12 games with Boston’s G League affiliate in Maine, averaging 8.9 points and 8.3 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game.

Boston now has one two-way spot open. Guard JD Davison and center Neemias Queta occupy the other two-way spots.

Jontay Porter Signs Two-Way Deal With Raptors

December 9th, 2023 at 9:17am CST by Rory Maher

DECEMBER 9: The Raptors have officially signed Porter, the team announced today in a press release.

DECEMBER 8: Free agent big man Jontay Porter is signing a two-way deal with the Raptors, his agents Andy Shiffman and Mark Bartelstein tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Toronto has a two-way opening after waiving Ron Harper Jr., who will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, so no corresponding move will be necessary to sign Porter.

Porter, 24, is the younger brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. Like his brother, Jontay dealt with injury issues early in his career, including a pair of ACL tears. However, he appeared in 32 G League games last season for the Wisconsin Herd, averaging 12.4 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 2.2 BPG in 28.2 MPG, with a shooting line of .390/.341/.667.

The 6’11” forward/center signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pistons in September in a move designed to give him a bonus for playing for their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. He was waived in October, before the ’23/24 season began.

In 10 Showcase Cup games (33.7 MPG) with the Cruise this fall, Porter has averaged 16.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.7 APG and 2.9 BPG on .456/.273/.667 shooting. He seems likely to spend most of his time with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate.

Porter’s only previous NBA experience came in 2020/21, when he saw limited action in 11 games for the Grizzlies.

Ron Harper Jr. Out For Season, Waived By Raptors

December 8th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have waived swingman Ron Harper Jr., who was on a two-way contract with the team, the club announced today in a press release.

Harper, who also spent the 2022/23 season on a two-way deal with Toronto, suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder during a G League game on Thursday. He’ll undergo season-ending surgery to address the injury, according to the Raptors.

The son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, Ron Jr. appeared in just 10 total NBA games for the Raptors, including one this season, scoring 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting in 52 total minutes of action. He spent the majority of his time since going undrafted out of Rutgers in 2022 playing for the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate.

In 49 total Showcase Cup and regular season games with the 905, Harper averaged 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 32.3 minutes per night. His shooting line at the G League level was .486/.327/.773.

As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca confirms (via Twitter), Harper will receive his full two-way salary of $559,782, even though he was waived prior to the salary guarantee date. A player who is injured while on a non-guaranteed contract (that doesn’t feature an Exhibit 9 clause) continues to be paid until he’s healthy or until the end of the season, whichever comes first.

The Raptors will now have an open two-way slot — Markquis Nowell and Javon Freeman-Liberty are their other two-way players.

Wizards Sign Jules Bernard To Two-Way Contract

December 8th, 2023 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams

10:08am: The Wizards have officially signed Bernard to a two-way deal, the team announced today in a press release.

8:30am: The Wizards, who are opening up a two-way contract slot by waiving big man John Butler Jr., intend to use that open spot to sign guard Jules Bernard to a two-way deal, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

An undrafted rookie out of UCLA in 2022, Bernard played for the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League affiliate, in his first professional season. In 49 games for the Go-Go in 2022/23, he averaged 13.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 26.1 minutes per night, posting a shooting line of .425/.324/.805.

The 6’7″ shooting guard, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Wizards prior to training camp and then returned to the Go-Go to open the ’23/24 season, has taken a significant step forward in the early going. Through eight Showcase Cup contests in the NBAGL this fall, Bernard has raised his averages to 21.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 4.3 APG on .475/.422/.914 shooting, earning a call-up to Washington’s 18-man NBA roster.

A player on a full-season two-way deal in 2023/24 is eligible to appear in up to 50 regular season games and earn a salary of $559,782. However, because Bernard is signing during the season, those amounts will be prorated.

Assuming he officially finalizes a deal with Washington on Friday, Bernard will be eligible to play in up to 37 NBA games. He’ll make $415,011 if he remains under contract through the NBA’s league-wide salary guarantee date in January.

Eugene Omoruyi and Jared Butler are the other two Wizards players on two-way deals.

Wizards Waive John Butler Jr.

December 8th, 2023 at 10:07am CST by Rory Maher

DECEMBER 8: Butler has officially been waived, the Wizards confirmed today. As we outlined in a separate story, Jules Bernard has filled the two-way opening created by Butler’s release.

DECEMBER 7: The Wizards are waiving forward/center John Butler Jr., a league source tells Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Butler is on a two-way deal with Washington.

According to Robbins, if Butler clears waivers, the plan is for him to sign a NBA G League contract with the Wizards’ affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. He would remain an unrestricted free agent if that comes to fruition, as NBA deals take precedence over G League contracts.

Butler went undrafted last year after one college season at Florida State. He signed a two-way deal with New Orleans, but was waived after 10 days, and caught on with Portland shortly thereafter. He spent all of 2022/23 — his rookie season — on a two-way contract with the Trail Blazers, appearing in 19 games while averaging 2.4 points in 11.6 minutes per contest.

The 21-year-old re-signed with Portland on a two-way deal in July, but was waived on October 20, just before the ’23/24 season began. He caught on with Washington a few days later, but didn’t appear in any NBA games for the Wizards this fall.

Butler has appeared in nine Showcase Cup games with the Go-Go this season, averaging 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 22.7 minutes.

The Wizards have 15 players on standard contracts, but they’ll have a two-way opening once the move is official.