Transactions

Nets Waive Scottie Lindsey, Kyler Edwards

Just days after signing the duo, the Nets have waived guards Scottie Lindsey and Kyler Edwards, the team announced on Thursday.

Neither cut comes as a surprise. As we noted when Brooklyn added Lindsey and Edwards, the Long Island Nets recently acquired both players’ returning rights, so the plan was always for them to be waived and then to head to the Nets’ G League team. Their Exhibit 10 contracts will make them eligible for bonuses worth up to $75K if they spend at least 60 days with Long Island.

Lindsey, 27, has played primarily in the G League since going undrafted out of Northwestern in 2018, spending time with the Grand Rapids Drive, Erie BayHawks (now the Birmingham Squadron), Windy City Bulls, and Maine Celtics. He has also played in professional leagues in Portugal and Canada.

Last season, Lindsey appeared in a total of 44 regular season and Showcase Cup games for Maine, averaging 11.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per contest, on .435/.332/.860 shooting.

Edwards, 24, went undrafted out of Houston in 2022 and spent his rookie season playing for the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons’ G League affiliate. In 41 regular season and Showcase Cup appearances for the Cruise, the 6’4″ shooting guard averaged 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 25.6 minutes per contest, posting a shooting line of .397/.335/.738.

Brooklyn now has 18 players under contract. Thirteen of those players are on guaranteed deals, three have non-guaranteed salaries, and a pair are on two-way contracts.

Pelicans Sign, Waive Devin Cannady

The Pelicans signed and then waived free agent guard Devin Cannady, according to RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions.

Will Guillory of The Athletic first reported that New Orleans would be signing Cannady, noting (via Twitter) that the 27-year-old wouldn’t be participating in training camp due to a previous commitment to USA Basketball.

Cannady, 27, appeared in 13 NBA regular season games as a member of the Magic from 2021-22, averaging 6.5 points in 16.8 minutes per night with a shooting line of .361/.396/.786.

Since going undrafted out of Princeton in 2019, he has primarily played in the G League, spending time with the Long Island Nets, Lakeland Magic, and South Bay Lakers. He helped lead Lakeland to an NBAGL title in 2021, earning a G League Finals MVP award.

Appearing in a total of 48 regular season and Showcase Cup contests for South Bay last season, Cannady averaged 12.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 30.1 minutes per game. His shooting line was .412/.360/.881.

The fact that New Orleans cut Cannady so quickly after signing him signals that he likely received an Exhibit 10 contract, which will make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K if he spends at least 60 days with the Pelicans’ G League team, the Birmingham Squadron. However, his returning rights are still held by South Bay for now, so the Squadron will need to make a trade to acquire them.

The Pelicans also officially signed Kaiser Gates to his two-way contract, per RealGM’s transaction log. Gates’ agreement with the club was reported last week.

Warriors Waive Jayce Johnson

Shortly after signing the 7’0″ center, the Warriors announced (via Twitter) that they have waived Jayce Johnson.

Previous reporting indicated that Johnson would be vying for Golden State’s final two-way spot in training camp. However, the team decided to cut ties early, which means Johnson will likely be heading to the G League again in 2023/24 to play for the Santa Cruz Warriors.

Based on the Exhibit 10 clause in Johnson’s contract, he could receive a bonus worth up to $75K if he spends at least 60 days with Santa Cruz.

Last season, Johnson averaged 9.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG and 1.3 BPG in 32 regular season games (25.8 MPG) with Santa Cruz. The former Utah and Marquette big man was the NBA G League’s leading rebounder in 2022/23.

The Warriors now have 20 players under contract, one shy of the offseason maximum.

Warriors Sign Six Players, Including Rudy Gay

The Warriors have signed free agents Rudy Gay, Rodney McGruder, Donovan Williams, Kendric Davis, Javan Johnson and Jayce Johnson ahead of training camp, the team announced on Thursday (via Twitter).

All of the deals had previously been reported except for Davis’. The 5’11” guard went undrafted in June and worked out for Golden State the month prior.

Davis averaged 21.9 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.7 RPG and 2.0 SPG in 34 games (34.9 MPG) as a “super senior” with Memphis in 2022/23. He likely received a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, which would put him in line for a $75K bonus if he’s waived before ’23/24 starts and spends at least 60 days with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s NBA G League affiliate. Exhibit 10 deals can also be converted into two-way contracts, and the Warriors have one two-way opening.

A 17-year veteran forward who regularly averaged in the neighborhood of 20 points per game during stints in Memphis, Toronto, and Sacramento earlier in his career, Gay is the most noteworthy signing of the group. However, his playing time and production have declined in recent seasons, and he’s 37 years old. Like all the other additions, he’ll be competing for a roster spot in training camp.

McGruder, 32, is a seven-year NBA veteran, appearing in 317 regular season games with the Heat, Clippers and Pistons since 2016. The guard/forward averaged 5.5 PPG and 2.1 RPG on a .441/.412/.768 shooting line over the past three seasons with Detroit (99 games, 14.9 MPG).

Williams reportedly impressed the Warriors during scrimmages at their facility earlier this month. The former UNLV wing spent part of last season on a two-way contract with the Hawks after going undrafted in 2022.

Javan Johnson, a former DePaul forward, went undrafted in June. The 24-year-old started 33 games for the Blue Demons last season, averaging 14.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 2.4 APG while making 41.2% of his 3-point attempts.

Jayce Johnson, a 7’0″ center, led the NBA G League in rebounds per game last season while playing for Santa Cruz. He signed an Exhibit 10 deal and will be vying for the team’s final two-way slot.

The Warriors now have a full 21-man training camp roster, with 13 players on guaranteed standard contracts.

Pacers Waive Pedro Bradshaw, Craig Sword; Sign Jordan Bell

The Pacers have waived Pedro Bradshaw and Craig Sword and signed Jordan Bell, the team announced in a press release.

All three players received Exhibit 10 deals, which means they’ll each be eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K if they spend at least 60 days with the Indiana Mad Ants, the Pacers’ NBA G League affiliate. Based on previous reporting, Bell will almost certainly be waived in the coming days as well.

A 6’8″ big man, Bell has by far the most NBA experience of the group, appearing in 161 regular season games with the Warriors, Wolves, Grizzlies, Wizards and Bulls from 2017-22. He holds career averages of 3.7 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 12.0 MPG. The 28-year-old played in China last season but spent most of 2021/22 with the Mad Ants.

Bradshaw, who went undrafted out of Bellarmine in 2021, averaged 9.2 PPG and 5.8 RPG in 29 regular season games (19.2 MPG) with the Mad Ants in ’22/23. He posted a .509/.419/.776 shooting line.

Sword was a member of the Capital City Go-Go last season who had his rights acquired earlier this month by the Mad Ants. An NBAGL veteran who has appeared in more than 200 games at that level, the 29-year-old averaged 7.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 22.2 minutes per game last season in 43 appearances for the Go-Go, with a shooting line of .566/.387/.725.

The Pacers now have 19 players under contract, including 15 on guaranteed standard deals and all three two-way slots filled.

Raptors Waive Forward Kevin Obanor

The Raptors have waived forward Kevin Obanor, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet tweets.

Obanor was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract at the beginning of August.

Obanor went undrafted in June after a five-year college career. He spend his first three seasons with Oral Roberts and final two with Texas Tech. Last season, Obanor averaged 14.4 PPG and 6.4 RPG on .492/.331/.810 shooting in 32 games (30.9 MPG).

If Obanor spends at least 60 days with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate, after clearing waivers, he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K.

The Raptors had a full 21-man camp roster, as our roster count shows, so they now have the freedom to add another player.

Spurs Sign RaiQuan Gray

The Spurs have filled their 21-man offseason roster by signing free agent forward/center RaiQuan Gray to a training camp contract, per RealGM’s transaction log.

The 59th overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Florida State, Gray spent his first professional season in the G League with the Long Island Nets. He signed a training camp contract with Brooklyn in the fall of 2022 but didn’t make the regular season roster and was cut before opening night, ultimately spending a second season in Long Island before being promoted to a two-way deal during the final week of the 2022/23 season in April.

After an underwhelming rookie season at the G League level, Gray emerged as a full-time starter in ’22/23, averaging 15.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 2.6 APG with a .578/.382/.629 shooting line in 18 games (30.6 MPG). However, he was waived by Brooklyn this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Austin Spurs – San Antonio’s G League affiliate – acquired Gray’s returning rights from Long Island in an NBAGL trade last month. That move, along with Gray’s new training camp contract, signals that San Antonio will likely waive the big man ahead of the regular season and have him report to Austin.

Assuming Gray’s new deal includes Exhibit 10 language, he’ll be in line to earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he spends at least 60 days with the Spurs’ G League team.

Bucks Acquire Damian Lillard In Three-Team Trade

9:37pm: The trade is now official, the Bucks announced in a press release.

Damian Lillard is an elite player in our league and someone we’ve long been fans of,” said general manager Jon Horst. “These opportunities are rare and hard to measure and execute. We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity for our community and team, and beyond excited to welcome Damian and his family to the Milwaukee Bucks. His character, competitiveness, talent and experience complement our group and gives us the best chance to win at the very highest level as we create new memories together.”

These are the hardest, most human moments of this business. Jrue was unmatched in his commitment to the Bucks and the Greater Milwaukee community,” Horst said of Holiday. “He’s truly a champion on and off the court, and we are all thankful for what he and his family have given to our team and city. He and his wife Lauren were steadfast in their efforts to make a positive difference in the lives of so many people. Their leadership and dedication to the community has left an indelible mark and inspired the Bucks organization for years to come.”


1:22pm: The Bucks have reached an agreement to trade for star Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard in a blockbuster three-team deal that also includes the Suns, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links).

According to Wojnarowski, Portland will acquire guard Jrue Holiday and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick from the Bucks, along with the right to swap first-round picks with Milwaukee in 2028 and 2030. The Blazers will also get center Deandre Ayton and rookie forward Toumani Camara from the Suns in the deal.

In exchange for Ayton and Camara, Phoenix will receive center Jusuf Nurkic, forward Nassir Little, and guard Keon Johnson from Portland, as well as wing Grayson Allen from Milwaukee, per Woj.

The massive deal is the culmination of a saga that lasted nearly three months after Lillard requested a trade out of Portland in early July. The seven-time All-Star had spent his entire 11-year NBA career with the Trail Blazers but felt that the team was no longer moving toward championship contention following consecutive lottery seasons and sought a change of scenery.

Miami was Lillard’s landing spot of choice, but reports throughout the process indicated that there was little communication between the Heat and Trail Blazers. In recent days, with the Blazers believed to be working to make a deal before the start of training camp, other Eastern Conference suitors like the Raptors and Bucks were increasingly connected to the 33-year-old.

Milwaukee ultimately emerged as the surprise winner of the Lillard sweepstakes, beating a handful of conference rivals to the punch and strengthening a core that also includes two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and standout starters Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, both of whom signed new free agent contracts with the club this offseason.

While there have been questions about whether Lillard would be happy to report to any team besides the Heat, both he and Antetokounmpo have expressed a desire to play with one another in the past, as Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com point out (all Twitter links). And the Bucks should put Lillard in a better position to win a championship than he ever had with the Blazers.

Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo may not be any more inclined to sign a long-term extension with the Bucks following the acquisition of Lillard than he was earlier in the offseason, given that he would benefit financially from waiting another year. However, in dealing for another star like Lillard, the Bucks’ front office proved it heard Giannis’ call for the organization to be as committed to contending for titles as he is.

The Blazers, who patiently scoured the market for most of the offseason in the wake of Lillard’s trade request, will come away from the deal with a pair of intriguing new players in Ayton and Holiday, though the big man is more likely to remain in Portland than the veteran guard.

According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the Blazers – who are focused on developing a young backcourt that features Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons, and this year’s No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson – remain engaged in trade talks involving Holiday and could flip him to a contender for additional assets.

Holiday, who can become a free agent next summer if he turns down his 2024/25 player option, recently spoke about his desire to sign a contract extension with the Bucks, but now appears destined for a new long-term NBA home. Holiday will become extension-eligible in February, though as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), he won’t be able to sign a contract that exceeds the extend-and-trade limits (two new years, 5% raises) until six months after being dealt.

On the other hand, it sounds like Ayton will be a keeper for the Blazers, who have had interest in the former No. 1 overall pick in the past and were linked to him again within the last week. The 25-year-old had an up-and-down five-year stint in Phoenix that included some tension with former Suns coach Monty Williams, but he has averaged a double-double for five straight seasons, including 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in 30.4 minutes per game across 67 contests last season.

As for the Suns, they recognized that a player such as Ayton, who liked to have the ball in his hands, might not be an ideal fit alongside their new big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, and turned the young center and his $32.5MM cap hit into a series of role players on smaller contracts, including another big man in Nurkic.

Acquiring Nurkic, Little, Allen, and Johnson will make the Suns deeper and will give them more flexibility in future trades, given that their nearly all of their non-stars had been on minimum-salary contracts. However, the move creates a bit of a roster crunch in Phoenix. The club will now have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, plus Jordan Goodwin and Ish Wainright on partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed deals. At least two of those 17 players will have to be traded or cut before the regular season tips off.

While the Suns will increase their roster count as a result of this trade, the Bucks and Trail Blazers are both sending out more players than they’re taking back. That’s especially notable for Milwaukee, which had been carrying 15 players on guaranteed salaries prior to agreeing to acquire Lillard. The Bucks now project to have an open spot on their 15-man regular season roster, which could be used to add a backup point guard.

From a cap perspective, the Bucks will take on the biggest long-term deal in the three-team trade — Lillard is under contract for four more seasons and will earn a projected $216MM during that time, while Holiday ($36.86MM) and Allen ($8.93MM) could both reach free agency next summer.

The Blazers will owe Ayton approximately $102MM over the next three years before he becomes eligible for free agency. Camara is under contract for four years, but it’s a minimum-salary deal and only the first season is guaranteed.

The Suns will take on Nurkic’s three-year contract worth $54.38MM and Little’s four-year contract worth $28MM in addition to Allen’s expiring deal. Johnson is owed a guaranteed $2.81MM salary in 2023/24 and has a $4.47MM team option that the Suns must pick up or decline by October 31, if he’s still on the roster at that point.

Celtics Sign Jordan Schakel To Non-Guaranteed Camp Deal

The Celtics have signed free agent guard/forward Jordan Schakel, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). It will be a non-guaranteed training camp deal, Smith adds, likely featuring Exhibit 10 language.

A 6’6″ wing, Schakel went undrafted out of San Diego State in 2021. He caught on with the Wizards for his rookie season, signing an Exhibit 10 contract before being waived and spending the bulk of 2021/22 with their NBA G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go.

Schakel, who signed a 10-day hardship deal with Washington during the COVID-19 outbreak a couple years ago, inked a two-way contract with the Wizards prior to last season, but was released last November. Overall, he has played in six NBA games for 36 total minutes, all with the Wizards.

While he hasn’t played much at the NBA level, he was a G League regular the past two seasons. In 2022/23, he spent the fall Showcase Cup with the Go-Go, averaging 14.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.1 APG on .451/.360/.919 shooting over 17 games (31.3 MPG).

However, after spending six regular season games with the Go-Go, he finished last season with Golden State’s affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. Overall, he averaged 10.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 1.5 APG on .452/.399/.862 shooting in 33 combined games with the two clubs (25.5 MPG).

It’s worth noting that since Schakel’s returning player rights are held by the Warriors, the Celtics will have to acquire his G League rights if the plan is for him to spend the upcoming season with their NBAGL affiliate in Maine, which seems highly likely. If he’s waived before the season starts, he could earn a bonus worth $75K — in addition to his G League salary — if he spends at least 60 days with Maine.

After signing Schakel, the Celtics now have 20 players on their roster ahead of training camp, one shy of the offseason limit.

Timberwolves Sign Tyrese Martin

9:00pm: The signing is official, per RealGM’s transactions log.


1:10pm: The Timberwolves have reached an agreement on a one-year contract with free agent wing Tyrese Martin, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, Martin will get the opportunity to compete in camp for a spot on Minnesota’s regular season roster.

The 51st overall pick in the 2022 draft, Martin was waived in July after appearing in just 16 games for the Hawks last season as a rookie. He scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his 66 total minutes at the NBA level.

Martin saw more frequent playing time for the College Park Skyhawks in the G League, averaging 18.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 1.9 APG on .503/.366/.805 shooting in 23 regular season contests (33.9 MPG) for Atlanta’s G League affiliate. However, the Hawks opted against locking in the second year of his minimum-salary contract, cutting him before his guarantee date.

The details of Martin’s deal with the Wolves are unclear, but I expect it’ll be a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract, possibly with an Exhibit 10 clause.

Minnesota currently has 14 players on guaranteed standard contracts and three on two-way deals. However, at least one of those two-way spots is believed to be up for grabs, with Matt Ryan expected to compete to keep his roster spot. If Martin gets an Exhibit 10 contract, it could be converted into a two-way deal before the regular season begins.

If Ryan and the Wolves’ other two-way players hang onto their spots and the team decides to carry a 15th man into the regular season, Martin would be competing against camp invitees such as Vit Krejci, Trevor Keels, and Daishen Nix to fill that final roster opening.