Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Sign Ben Simmons

February 10th, 2025 at 5:55pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 10: The Clippers have officially signed Simmons, according to a team press release.

FEBRUARY 8: After agreeing to a buyout with the Nets, Ben Simmons has reached a deal to sign with the Clippers, league sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Los Angeles was one of three teams rumored to be in the mix for Simmons, who will become an unrestricted free agent on Monday after being officially waived by Brooklyn on Saturday. Cleveland and Houston were among the other clubs said to have interest in the former No. 1 overall pick.

Simmons’ career got off to an impressive start in Philadelphia, where he earned 2018 Rookie of the Year honors, made three All-Star teams, and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2021. However, he had a falling out with the team that resulted in a lengthy holdout and a trade to Brooklyn.

Simmons, who has also dealt with a series of back issues that required multiple surgeries in recent years, has been limited to just 90 total games since being dealt to the Nets at the 2022 deadline. He averaged 6.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.2 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per contest across those 90 appearances.

While Simmons’ extremely limited shooting ability make him a tricky piece to incorporate alongside other non-shooters, he’s still a talented play-maker, defender, and rebounder who should have more significantly value as a low-cost addition on the buyout market than he did on his previous maximum-salary contract.

After making a series of moves ahead of the trade deadline, L.A. entered the day with an open roster spot and $1.9MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

The Clippers still have a portion of their mid-level exception available and could use it to pay Simmons more than the prorated veteran’s minimum, but it’s unclear whether they’ll do so. Either way, it seems safe to assume they won’t cross the tax line as a result of signing Simmons.

As a result of their trade deadline machinations, the Clippers sent out guards Terance Mann, Kevin Porter, and Bones Hyland, so Simmons and fellow newcomer Bogdan Bogdanovic should have an opportunity to earn regular minutes in the backcourt. Given his unique skill set, Simmons could also serve as a de facto big man in certain lineups.

Jazz Officially Waive Josh Richardson

February 9th, 2025 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz officially waived veteran guard Josh Richardson on Sunday, the team announced in a press release.

The move had been anticipated for several days, with reporting on Thursday indicating that Utah intended to part ways with Richardson after acquiring him from Miami as part of the five-time Jimmy Butler trade.

Richardson has had a productive NBA career as a role player in Miami, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, San Antonio, and New Orleans over the past 10 seasons, but has been plagued by a heel issue for much of 2024/25 and was limited to just eight appearances for the Heat.

Last season, in 43 games, Richardson averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 25.7 minutes per night, with a .444/.347/.944 shooting line.

If he’s healthy, the 31-year-old could draw interest from playoff teams with open roster spots during the second half of the season. He’ll be eligible to sign with any team except the Heat.

Unless he’s claimed on waivers, which is unlikely, the Jazz will carry a $3,051,153 dead money cap hit after cutting Richardson. The move opens up a spot on Utah’s 15-man roster, which seems likely to be used to either promote a two-way player or to audition players on 10-day contracts.

Justin Edwards Gets Standard Contract From Sixers

February 9th, 2025 at 11:30am CST by Arthur Hill

FEBRUARY 9: Edwards’ new contract is official, the Sixers announced (via Twitter).

FEBRUARY 8: Rookie forward Justin Edwards, who has been a standout for the Sixers on a two-way contract, will be promoted to a standard deal, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

Edwards’ new contract will run through the rest of the season with a team option for 2025/26. Both sides have interest in possibly reaching a longer deal during the offseason, sources tell Pompey.

Philadelphia is currently limited to a two-year contract because it only has the minimum salary exception available. The Sixers could decline their option this summer and make him a restricted free agent as a way to sign him to a longer deal.

Edwards, 21, agreed to the two-way contract in July after going undrafted out of Kentucky. He’s averaging 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists through 22 games with shooting splits of .469/.375/.647.

The Philadelphia native recently moved into the starting lineup and appears to be part of the team’s foundation moving forward. He played briefly in the G League at the start of the season, but has been used in all but one Sixers game since January 1.

Philadelphia had three open roster spots following Thursday’s trade deadline, so another move won’t be needed to clear room for Edwards. March 4 is the last day to sign another player to a two-way contract.

Hornets Sign Two-Way Player Moussa Diabate To Three-Year Deal

February 9th, 2025 at 9:32am CST by Arthur Hill

The Hornets have promoted two-way player Moussa Diabate to a standard contract, the team announced in a press release. Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link) was the first to report the deal, and sources tell him it will cover three seasons.

The 23-year-old center signed with Charlotte last summer after spending his first two NBA seasons with the Clippers. He has made such an impact that the Hornets traded away centers Nick Richards and Mark Williams over the past month, although the Williams deal with the Lakers was rescinded Saturday night.

Diabate moved into the starting lineup for Friday’s game against San Antonio, producing nine points and 15 rebounds in 33 minutes. It’s uncertain if he’ll keep that role with Williams returning to Charlotte.

The Hornets are using a portion of their room exception to complete the signing, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Charlotte used that exception to acquire three players (DaQuan Jeffries, Charlie Brown Jr., and Duane Washington) from the Knicks in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade in the fall, but still had enough of it left over to accommodate a deal for Diabate.

While Charlotte currently has 15 players on its roster, one of them is Elfrid Payton, who signed a 10-day contract on Friday under the hardship exception. That means no corresponding move will be needed to add Diabate to the regular roster, and the Hornets will have until March 4 to fill their two-way opening.

Diabate has appeared in 42 games this season, averaging 4.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in 19 minutes per night while shooting 59.4% from the field. He was selected with the 43rd pick in the 2022 draft after playing one season at Michigan.

Diabate was a two-way player in both of his seasons with the Clippers, so this marks his first standard contract.

Wizards Sign Jaylen Nowell To 10-Day Deal

February 8th, 2025 at 10:54pm CST by Luke Adams

10:54pm: Nowell’s signing is official, the Wizards announced in a press release.

Interestingly, the announcement didn’t come until after the completion of Washington’s Saturday game against Atlanta. Nowell wasn’t on the team’s active list or injury report for that matchup.

Since 10-day contracts must cover a minimum of three games and the Wizards only have two left before the All-Star break, it looks like Nowell’s deal will run through Feb. 21, Washington’s first post-All-Star contest.

If that’s the case, it would technically end up being a 14-day contract, paying Nowell a total of $195,147.

1:31pm: The Wizards intend to sign free agent guard Jaylen Nowell to a 10-day contract, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Nowell, who spent his first four NBA seasons from 2019-23 in Minnesota, had stints with Memphis and Detroit in 2023/24, then joined the Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, this past fall. The 6’4″ guard has spent most of the season with the Go-Go, pouring in 25.2 points per game on a scorching-hot .527/.515/.929 shooting line across 20 contests (34.3 MPG).

This will be Nowell’s second NBA stint of the season. He was also in New Orleans for about two-and-a-half weeks in November, appearing in eight games and averaging 8.4 PPG in 21.0 MPG for the injury-plagued Pelicans.

The 25-year-old should provide some offensive punch for a Wizards team that underwent an overhaul at the trade deadline, swapping out a third of its roster. Washington is reportedly waiving newly acquired center Alex Len, which will open up a spot on the 15-man roster for Nowell.

Assuming it’s finalized today, Nowell’s 10-day contract will allow him to be active for Washington’s final three games before the All-Star break. It will pay him $139,391.

Alex Len Waived By Wizards, Will Sign With Pacers

February 8th, 2025 at 9:31pm CST by Luke Adams

9:31pm: Len has been placed on waivers, the Wizards announced (via Twitter).

1:12pm: After acquiring him earlier this week, the Wizards will cut center Alex Len, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Charania, Len intends to sign with the Pacers after he clears waivers.

The fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Len never became the sort of impact player his lofty draft position might suggest, but he has been a reliable frontcourt option for 12 NBA seasons, spending time with the Suns, Hawks, Raptors, Wizards, and Kings.

The 31-year-old Ukrainian has spent the last few seasons as a depth piece in Sacramento, where he made 149 appearances (15 starts) over the course of three-and-a-half seasons, averaging 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game.

Len was sent from the Kings to the Wizards along with Colby Jones in a three-team deadline-day deal that saw the Kings receive Jake LaRavia from Memphis. Despite trading away big men Jonas Valanciunas and Marvin Bagley III this week, Washington didn’t feel the need to retain Len, who will get an opportunity to join a playoff-bound team in the East.

The Pacers opened the season with Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman backing up starting center Myles Turner, but both reserves suffered Achilles tears during the season’s opening days, decimating the team’s depth in the middle.

Although Indiana traded for Thomas Bryant in December, the club could still use some another trustworthy veteran option as injury insurance, especially with Turner currently dealing with a neck strain.

The Pacers sent Wiseman to Toronto in a salary dump trade on Thursday, which both opened up a spot on their 15-man roster and created enough room below the luxury tax line to sign Len to a rest-of-season contract. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), Indiana was only $147K below the tax threshold before making that deal.

Kings Sign Daishen Nix To 10-Day Contract

February 8th, 2025 at 8:25pm CST by Luke Adams

8:25 pm: The Kings have officially signed Nix to a 10-day contract, the team confirmed in a press release.

3:08 pm: The Kings and guard Daishen Nix have reached an agreement on a 10-day deal, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Nix, who began his NBA career with Houston as an undrafted rookie in 2021, has appeared in a total of 99 NBA regular season games for the Rockets and Timberwolves since then, averaging 3.3 points and 1.8 assists in 12.5 minutes per night.

The 6’4″ guard was on a two-way deal with Minnesota earlier this season, but was waived about a month ago before his two-way salary became guaranteed.

Nix has spent the majority of this season in the G League, appearing in 10 games for the Iowa Wolves and seven games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers since being cut by Minnesota. He has filled up the box score in those 17 outings, averaging 18.5 points, 7.2 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game, but has had trouble with turnovers (3.9 per game) and shooting efficiency (.364/.298/.732).

Sacramento sacrificed some backcourt depth in its pre-deadline deals, sending out De’Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin, and Colby Jones and only getting one guard – Zach LaVine – in return. With three open spots on their 15-man roster, the Kings have plenty of flexibility to bring in a player like Nix for insurance purposes ahead of the All-Star break.

The Kings play four games before the All-Star break, beginning on Saturday vs. New Orleans, so if Nix officially signs within the next few hours, he could be active for all four. He’ll earn $124,288 on his 10-day deal.

Mark Williams Trade To Lakers Rescinded

February 8th, 2025 at 8:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers say their deal to acquire Mark Williams from the Hornets has been rescinded, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). L.A. is claiming that Charlotte failed to satisfy one of the conditions of the trade.

Sources tell Charania that Williams failed his physical with the Lakers due to “multiple issues” (Twitter link). He adds that none of the concerns involve problems with Williams’ back, which caused him to miss most of last season.

With L.A. looking for help in the middle after sending Anthony Davis to Dallas in the Luka Doncic deal, the Hornets agreed to part with Williams in exchange for rookie wing Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, the Lakers’ unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick swap.

Although both teams announced the trade on Thursday, it remained conditional on Williams and Knecht reporting to their new teams and passing physicals, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

If the trade deadline hadn’t passed, the two teams could have gone back to the negotiating table, as the Sixers and Mavericks did after Dallas didn’t like Caleb Martin‘s physical. However, after the deadline, a trade can only be accepted or voided, not amended, so Williams will go back to Charlotte and Knecht and Reddish will return to L.A. along with the draft assets.

That means instead of having an opening, the Lakers now have a full 15-man roster and are $1.6MM below the second apron. The Hornets will have 14 players on standard contracts, along with Elfrid Payton, who signed a 10-day deal on Friday via the hardship exception.

Although the Lakers are 3-0 since giving up Davis, there are concerns about how the team will get by without a proven center who can rebound and protect the basket.

Jaxson Hayes has moved into the starting lineup over the past five games, and he had another solid outing today with nine points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes in a victory over Indiana. Trey Jemison, who joined the team on a two-way contract last month, logged nearly 12 minutes off the bench and may see regular playing time for the rest of the season.

General manager Rob Pelinka thought he solved that problem when he reached the deal with Charlotte, valuing Williams highly enough to part with his last available first-round pick when there were more affordable centers on the market. Finding a long-term answer in the middle will likely be a top priority for Pelinka this offseason.

The Williams deal is the first NBA trade to be rescinded since the Pistons voided a deal with the Nuggets ahead of the 2022 trade deadline due to concerns about Bol Bol‘s physical.

Trail Blazers Sign Sidy Cissoko To Two-Way Deal, Waive Taze Moore

February 8th, 2025 at 6:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

6:22pm: The moves are official, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release.

5:37pm: Sidy Cissoko will join the Trail Blazers on a two-way contract, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Portland will waive guard Taze Moore to open up a two-way spot, Charania tweets.

Cissoko, a 20-year-old small forward, was traded twice this week, going from San Antonio to Sacramento on Monday in the three-team deal involving De’Aaron Fox and then from the Kings to Washington on Wednesday as part of the return for Jonas Valanciunas. The Wizards released Cissoko on Thursday, and he cleared waivers earlier today.

Selected with the 44th pick in the 2023 draft, Cissoko appeared in 29 total games during his time with the Spurs. He averaged just 3.2 minutes in 17 games this season.

Before being drafted, Cissoko played alongside Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson with the G League Ignite, notes Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link).

Moore, 26, signed a two-way contract in September after playing four games with Portland last season on a pair of 10-day deals. He saw minimal time in two games this year, but averaged 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists in nine regular season contests with the Rip City Remix in the G League.

Wizards Sign Jaylen Martin To Two-Way Deal

February 8th, 2025 at 4:03pm CST by Tristan Tucker

4:03 pm: Martin has officially signed his two-way contract with the Wizards, the team announced in a press release.

10:42 am: The Wizards are signing guard Jaylen Martin to a two-way contract, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link).

Martin, 21, has split this season between the Long Island Nets and Delaware Blue Coats. In 22 total G League games, he’s averaging 16.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 47.1% from the floor. The Florida native went undrafted in 2023 after opting to play for Overtime Elite.

In his first professional season in 2023/24, Martin spent some time with the Knicks on a two-way deal. However, he didn’t appear in a game with the team. He then signed a two-year, two-way contract with Brooklyn after last season’s deadline, but still didn’t make his NBA debut until this season. Martin played just five minutes for the Nets across three outings before being waived in January.

Having traded away Jared Butler to Philadelphia the deadline, Washington had an open two-way roster spot, so no corresponding move will be necessary to sign Martin. Justin Champagnie and Tristan Vukcevic occupy the two other two-way slots for the team.

Signing Martin is a solid upside swing for a Wizards team that added young talent in both the draft and the deadline. Once he’s officially signed, 12 of Washington’s 18 players on the roster will be aged 25 or younger.