Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Sign Malcolm Hill, Four Others

September 30th, 2023 at 9:11am CST by Tristan Tucker

9:11am: The Pelicans announced the signings of Hill, Jones, Jemison and Robbins, along with Nolley.

New Orleans also confirmed the signing of Kaiser Gates to a two-way contract, which became official earlier in the week. The Pelicans’ offseason roster now stands at 21.

8:18am: The Pelicans have officially signed Malcolm Hill, Tevian Jones, Trey Jemison and Liam Robbins, according to RealGM’s transaction log. We previously wrote that New Orleans had agreed to sign Jones, Jemison and Robbins, but the Hill signing hadn’t been covered.

Hill, 27, has 24 games of NBA experience across stints with the Hawks and Bulls holding averages of 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds. Most recently, Hill spent time with Chicago on a two-way contract, but was waived in February.

A product of Illinois, Hill has received more extensive playing time in the G League. In 32 regular season and Showcase Cup appearances last season with the Windy City Bulls (Chicago’s affiliate) and Birmingham Squadron (New Orleans’ affiliate), Hill averaged 15.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals.

It was reported in August that Jemison would be receiving an Exhibit 10 contract, and it’s likely safe to assume that’s the type of deal Hill, Jones and Robbins received from the Pelicans as well. If that’s indeed the case, all four players would be eligible for a bonus of up to $75K if they are waived by the Pelicans before the season begins and spend at least 60 days with Birmingham.

The signings of all four players brings New Orleans to 20 players under contract, one short of the offseason maximum. New Orleans has 14 players on standard contracts and two players signed to two-way deals. However, New Orleans is a bit over the tax and isn’t likely looking to keep a 15th standard player on the opening night roster in case they can duck under the tax. That means filling out the final open two-way spot is likely their primary goal, and one of these players could fill that spot.

It’s important to note that Landers Nolley was also reported to be joining New Orleans, but that deal has yet to be made official. It’s possible Nolley will fill the 21st and final spot on the team’s offseason roster.

DJ Steward Signs Training Camp Deal With Celtics

September 30th, 2023 at 7:25am CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 30: Steward’s contract with Boston is now official, according to RealGM’s transaction log.

AUGUST 12: The Celtics have reached an agreement on a training camp contract with former Duke guard DJ Steward, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Sources tell Wojnarowski that Steward will be given a chance to earn a two-way contract. Boston has one spot open, with JD Davison and Jay Scrubb already holding two-way deals.

Steward signed with the Kings in 2021 and 2022 and wound up in the G League both years. In April, he joined the Vancouver Bandits in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

The 21-year-old played for the Sixers in the Las Vegas Summer League, where he averaged 16.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in five games.

Steward’s signing will give the Celtics 16 players under contract, five short of the offseason limit.

Clippers Sign Joshua Primo To Two-Way Contract

September 29th, 2023 at 6:16pm CST by Luke Adams

6:16pm: Primo’s two-way deal is official, the Clippers announced (via Twitter).

3:23pm: The Clippers have reached an agreement to sign free agent guard Joshua Primo to a two-way contract, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

The news comes on the heels of the NBA’s announcement that Primo will be suspended for four games for conduct detrimental to the league. An investigation into the circumstances that led to Primo’s release from the Spurs nearly a year ago found that he “engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women,” per a statement from the NBA.

One of those women, Dr. Hillary Cauthen, was a sports psychologist who was employed by the Spurs at the time. She filed a lawsuit against Primo and the Spurs that accused the team of being “willing to tolerate abhorrent conduct” by prized athletes.

While that lawsuit was settled a few weeks later, a spokesperson from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office tells Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News that it filed an indecent exposure case against Primo with the district attorney’s office in May after having interviewed Cauthen. Indecent exposure is a misdemeanor that is punishable by a maximum of 180 days in a state prison and a maximum fine of up to $2,000, per Orsborn.

According to Wojnarowski, Primo has been undergoing therapy since being cut by the Spurs and that treatment will continue in Los Angeles. Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter) that the Clippers organization was comfortable giving the 20-year-old this opportunity after he was evaluated by specialists who consult with the team.

Primo, the 12th overall pick in 2021, was the youngest player drafted in his class. He averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 50 games (16 starts; 19.3 minutes per night) as a rookie, but struggled with efficiency, posting a .374/.307/.746 shooting slash line.

He will be ineligible to play in the first four games of the Clippers’ regular season while he serves his suspension.

Hornets Sign Edmond Sumner, R.J. Hunter To One-Year Contracts

September 29th, 2023 at 5:18pm CST by Rory Maher

5:18pm: Sumner and R.J. Hunter, whose deal was previously reported, are officially members of the Hornets, according to a press release.

As we previously noted, the team waived three players to create roster space for Sumner, Hunter and Theo Maledon, who is back with Charlotte on a two-way deal. The Hornets are still at 21 players under contract — the offseason maximum — following the transactions.

4:12pm: The Hornets are signing free agent guard Edmond Sumner to a one-year contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Sumner will be vying for a roster spot in training camp, Wojnarowski adds.

According to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer, Sumner’s contract will be non-guaranteed (Twitter link).

Sumner, 27, is a 6’4″ combo guard who played college ball at Xavier. He holds six years of NBA experience — five with Indiana and one with Brooklyn.

The 2022/23 season represented a comeback year for Sumner, who missed all of ’21/22 with a torn Achilles tendon. He appeared in 53 games (13.9 MPG) for the Nets last season, averaging 7.1 PPG on .461/.356/.917 shooting.

The Nets waived Sumner in July before his salary for ’23/24 became fully guaranteed. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto previously reported that the Hornets were interested in adding Sumner to their roster.

The Hornets’ roster is currently full, and Theo Maledon is returning to the team on a two-way deal. That means Charlotte will have to release two players to make room for Sumner and Maledon.

Hornets Sign Theo Maledon To Two-Way Deal, Waive Three Players

September 29th, 2023 at 4:58pm CST by Rory Maher

4:58pm: Maledon’s contract is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

In order to make room for Maledon and Edmond Sumner, who is signing a non-guaranteed one-year deal, Charlotte released Angelo Allegri, Tre Scott and Jaylen Sims. All three players were on Exhibit 10 contracts and will likely be heading to the G League.

4:17 pm: Free agent guard Theo Maledon is returning to the Hornets on a two-way contract, sources tell Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirms the news (via Twitter).

The Hornets gave Maledon a two-way qualifying offer at the end of June, making him a restricted free agent. He was the last restricted free agent left on the board this offseason, and likely just accepted his QO ahead of training camp.

The French point guard was the 34th overall pick of the 2020 draft. He spent his first two NBA seasons with the Thunder, but was traded to Houston prior to last season. The Rockets waived Maledon, and he signed a two-way deal with Charlotte a few days later.

Maledon averaged 6.7 PPG, 3.5 APG and 2.8 RPG in 44 games for the Hornets in 2022/23 (19.4 MPG), posting a .402/.297/.851 shooting slash line. Overall, he has appeared in 160 NBA games.

The Hornets will have to release someone to make room for Maledon, as their roster is currently at the offseason maximum of 21 players under contract. The 22-year-old will fill the team’s final two-way spot.

Rockets Sign, Waive Joshua Obiesie

September 29th, 2023 at 4:35pm CST by Tristan Tucker

SEPTEMBER 29: Obiesie has been waived, per NBA.com’s official transactions log.

AUGUST 1: The Rockets officially signed Joshua Obiesie to a one-year contract, having completed the move last Friday, according to RealGM’s NBA transaction log.

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link), it’s a non-guaranteed training camp deal that includes Exhibit 10 language.

Obiesie has played the past six seasons for teams in Germany. The 6’6″ wing declared for the 2019 NBA draft but ultimately went undrafted. Still just 23 years old, Obiesie averaged 12.1 points and 3.2 assists per game last year for the Fraport Skyliners.

Obiesie is the first reported training camp contract for the Rockets, who have one two-way contract roster spot open. The signing gives Houston 16 players on its roster — 12 on guaranteed standard contracts, one on a partially guaranteed deal, a pair on two-way pacts, and now Obiesie on an Exhibit 10 contract.

Obiesie’s contract is eligible to be converted into a two-way deal, which could be in play if he impresses in camp. If he’s cut, clears waivers, and remains stateside, the Rockets would control his G League rights. In that scenario, Obiesie could earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he joins Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and spends at least 60 days with the club.

Raptors Sign, Waive Darryl Morsell

September 29th, 2023 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

3:54pm: The Raptors have waived Morsell, according to Murphy (Twitter link). They once again have an open spot on their 21-man roster.

9:48am: The Raptors have signed free agent shooting guard Darryl Morsell to an Exhibit 10 contract, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).

Morsell played for the Salt Lake City Stars and Raptors 905 in the G League last season after going undrafted out of Marquette in 2022. In 44 total games for the two teams, he averaged 7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 18.2 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .393/.220/.750.

While Morsell’s offensive numbers have never jumped off the page, dating back to his college years, he’s a talented perimeter defender who earned Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021 while playing for Maryland.

As Murphy explains, Morsell may be in training camp with Toronto, but appears likely to return to the Raptors 905 once the regular season begins. Assuming he’s cut and then spends at least 60 days with the Raptors’ NBAGL affiliate, he’ll earn an Exhibit 10 bonus that can be worth up to $75K.

The Raptors waived Kevin Obanor on Thursday in order to make room on the roster for Morsell.

Hawks Sign Jarkel Joiner, Keaton Wallace

September 29th, 2023 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks confirmed a pair of additions to their training camp roster on Friday, issuing a press release to announce that they’ve signed guards Jarkel Joiner and Keaton Wallace to contracts.

Joiner’s agreement with Atlanta was reported in June shortly after he went undrafted out of North Carolina State. The 24-year-old averaged 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game in his lone season with the Wolfpack after transferring from Mississippi. Joiner, a second-team All-ACC selection last season, suited up for the Hawks at the Summer League in July.

Wallace, 24, was on a two-way contract with the Clippers for about a week last season, but has spent most of his two professional seasons playing for Los Angeles’ G League affiliate, the Ontario Clippers. In 49 games at the NBAGL level last season, he averaged 13.9 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.6 RPG, and 1.7 SPG with a shooting line of .463/.382/.745.

Joiner and Wallace will almost certainly be waived at some point before the regular season starts and report to the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s NBAGL team. College Park acquired Wallace’s returning rights from Ontario this summer, while Joiner will be a newcomer to the G League, meaning he can be designated as an affiliate player.

Assuming Joiner and Wallace both signed Exhibit 10 contracts, which is expected, they’ll be eligible to earn bonuses worth up to $75K if they spend at least 60 days with the Skyhawks.

Atlanta now has 20 players under contract with training camps around the corner.

Warriors Sign Jerome Robinson To Two-Way Deal

September 29th, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have signed free agent guard Jerome Robinson to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link). Golden State now has a full 21-man roster.

The 13th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Robinson appeared in 113 regular season games for the Clippers and Wizards from 2018-21, averaging 4.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 14.2 minutes per night. He hasn’t played an NBA game since the 2020/21 season, when he made 17 appearances with Washington.

Robinson has spent the past two seasons playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s G League affiliate. In 2022/23, he averaged 14.6 PPG, 4.6 APG, and 4.1 RPG with a .455/.353/.909 shooting line in 38 games (29.4 MPG) for Santa Cruz.

Robinson’s agreement with Golden State was initially reported back in July, over two months ago. At that time, the expectation was that he’d sign a training camp deal. Instead, he’ll fill out the 21-man preseason roster by claiming the team’s third two-way slot alongside Lester Quinones and Usman Garuba. However, Anthony Slater of The Athletic suggests (via Twitter) that Robinson may have to battle in training camp to hang onto that spot.

Two-way deals only come with a small partial guarantee, while players on Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted to two-way contracts prior to the regular season, so it would be simply enough for Golden State to make a preseason change.

Magic Sign D.J. Wilson To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 29th, 2023 at 8:37am CST by Rory Maher

SEPTEMBER 29: The Magic have issued a press release officially confirming that they’ve signed Wilson.

SEPTEMBER 28: The Magic plan to sign free agent forward D.J. Wilson to an Exhibit 10 contract, reports Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

A former first-round pick (17th overall in 2017), Wilson played in 146 regular season games (12.3 MPG) with the Bucks, Rockets and Raptors from 2017-22. The 27-year-old holds career averages of 4.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG, with a .419/.327/.618 shooting line.

Last summer, Wilson signed a two-year deal with the Raptors, but he only had a $250K partial guarantee and was released before 2022/23 began. He spent most of last season in the G League with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s affiliate.

According to Beede, Orlando’s affiliate — the Osceola Magic — acquired Wilson’s returning player rights in February. He also played for the Magic’s Summer League squad a couple months ago, Beede adds.

While Exhibit 10 contracts can ordinarily be converted into two-way deals, that won’t be the case for Wilson. Since he has five years of NBA experience, he’s ineligible for a two-way contract.

The former Michigan big man will likely be waived before the season starts and headed to the Osceola Magic. In that scenario, he could receive a bonus worth up to $75K — on top of his G League salary — if he spends at least 60 days with Osceola.

Once the deal is official, the Magic’s offseason roster will be full, with 21 players under contract.