Dion Waiters Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Warriors To Work Out Six Veteran Free Agents

August 8th, 2023 at 8:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors are working out numerous veteran free agents over the next two weeks, The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater report (Twitter link).

That group includes Dion Waiters, Tony Snell, Kent Bazemore, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Harry Giles and Trey Burke. The Warriors have two vacancies on their 15-man roster and a camp competition is expected among several candidates, Slater tweets.

Waiters, now 31, hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2019/20 season. He attended a mini-camp with the Mavericks last summer, but wasn’t able to land a job.

Snell, also 31, wasn’t in the league last year after playing a combined 53 games for Portland and New Orleans in 2021/22.

Bazemore, 34, was also out of the league last season after appearing in 39 games with the Lakers in 2021/22. Bazemore was waived by the Kings last October.

Toscano-Anderson, 30, appeared in a total of 52 games with the Lakers and Jazz last season. He hasn’t been able to land a contract after entering free agency this summer. He and Bazemore both previously played for Golden State.

Giles, 25, was a first-round pick in 2017 but hasn’t been in the league since the 2020/21 season, when he played 38 games for the Blazers. He worked out for the Magic recently and his scheduled workout with the Warriors was previously reported. Giles could also be a candidate for one of Golden State’s two-way slots.

Burke, 30, didn’t play in the NBA last season after appearing in 42 games with the Mavericks in 2021/22. He was traded twice last summer and then waived by the Thunder. He had a stint with the Kings’ G League affiliate last season.

And-Ones: Waiters, Wade, Hernangomez, C. Brown

July 14th, 2023 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report after a workout for teams in Las Vegas this week, veteran guard Dion Waiters openly discussed the reasons he has been out of the NBA for the last three seasons and what he feels he needs to do to earn another shot. According to Waiters, he took his time in the NBA for granted, so his exit from the league has been a learning experience that he has been able to pass along to his son.

“I told him, ‘Bro, your dad is not [out of] the league because of talent. It was my attitude, my character, and not understanding that it’s bigger than me,'” Waiters said. “I feel like I had to go through this so I could explain that to my son, and that’s the dead truth.”

A former fourth overall pick, Waiters has appeared in 419 regular season games, but hasn’t played in the NBA since 2020. Still just 31, the former Syracuse standout tells Haynes that he feels like he still has “a lot left in the tank” and that he believes he can be a positive leader in the locker room in addition to helping a team on the court.

“I’m healthy. I just want that opportunity just to show I’m not who I once was. And I know a lot of people talk about that, but for me, I think it’s more about showing that I’ve changed,” Waiters said. “That’s why I’m here, man. I still got that love. I still got that itch.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Dwyane Wade, a 13-time NBA All-Star who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in August, has invested in the WNBA’s Chicago Sky and will become part of the team’s ownership group, writes Alexa Philippou of ESPN.com. “It’s a great opportunity to be a part of the league in its very early stages,” Wade said. “… Growth is going to happen, and so I want to be a part of the growth of this league.”
While there have been rumblings that Juancho Hernangomez may join brother Willy Hernangomez in signing with FC Barcelona, Juancho said in a conversation with Spanish outlet Marca that “speculation is just speculation” and stressed that he remains focused on finding another NBA job, as Alessandro Maggi of Sportando relays.
Free agent guard Charlie Brown Jr. has been a standout for the Knicks at the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 17.3 PPG and 6.0 RPG in three games (28.4 MPG). Zach Braziller of The New York Post takes a closer look at the play of Brown, who is hoping that his performance in Vegas will inspire a team to sign him for training camp.
In an entertaining article for The Athletic, John Hollinger discusses the eight “nerdiest” things that happened in free agency, digging into the details of the Rockets’ sign-and-trade for Dillon Brooks, Paul Reed‘s offer sheet, and Oklahoma City becoming a dumping ground for unwanted contracts, among other moves.

Wolves Notes: Minott, Edwards, Free Agents

July 13th, 2023 at 11:35am CST by Arthur Hill

Josh Minott created excitement among Timberwolves fans with his G League highlights, but he knows he still has a lot to prove at the NBA level, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The second-year small forward understands that nothing will be given to him as he tries to make an NBA breakthrough, so he’s been approaching Summer League play the same way he did as a rookie.

“Last year, had no respect. This year, no respect,” Minott said. “I’m just trying to go out there and just show what I can do, show the coaching staff.”

The 45th pick in the 2022 draft, Minott impressed scouts with his athleticism, but he saw limited playing time in college and shot just 14% from three-point range. The Wolves took a chance on him because president of basketball operations Tim Connelly believed his energy, play-making and defense could help him develop into an NBA player.

Minnesota needs someone to replace Taurean Prince, who was lost to the Lakers in free agency, and Minott hopes to seize that opportunity. Krawczynski states that Minott has been working out regularly at the team facility, and the Wolves are giving him challenging defensive assignments during Summer League.

“They’re not trying to see me come down and jack five 3s,” Minott said. “They’re trying to see me come down and lock up their best player and stuff like that, cut, a lot of off-ball actions, screening, rolling, slipping, being able to knock down a corner 3 if need be. Overall, in terms of what I can do, it’s whatever a team’s missing.”

There’s more on the Timberwolves:

Minnesota signaled that Anthony Edwards is the centerpiece of its future by giving him a max extension, but the front office hasn’t committed to surrounding him with a roster that complements his skills, observes Michael Rand of The Star Tribune. The Wolves appear to be headed into another season with Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, whom Rand views as an awkward combination with each other and with Edwards. Rand believes a Towns trade is inevitable within the next year to rebuild the draft assets that were drained in the Gobert deal and to possibly to find a younger point guard to replace Mike Conley.
Senior VP of basketball operations Matt Lloyd reportedly attended a Tandem Sports free agent workout on Tuesday featuring Elfrid Payton, Justin Jackson, Chasson Randle and Ignas Brazdeikis, per Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North (Twitter link). The Wolves also are said to have watched Harry Giles and Dion Waiters in Las Vegas, two more players attempting NBA comebacks, Wolfson adds.
In case you missed it, we recently passed along details on the new contracts signed by Troy Brown, Shake Milton and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

John Wall Schedules Private Workout In Hopes Of NBA Comeback

July 8th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

John Wall will hold a private workout for several teams Sunday in Las Vegas, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT.

The 32-year-old point guard attempted a comeback with the Clippers last season after the Rockets elected to hold him out for all of 2021/22. However, he appeared in just 34 games, averaging 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per night, before being traded back to Houston at the deadline. The Rockets waived him three days later, and he has remained out of the league.

Wall was a five-time All-Star with the Wizards before Achilles and left heel injuries derailed his career. He hasn’t played in more than 41 games since the 2016/17 season, but he hopes to show teams that he’s still worthy of an NBA contract.

Former first-round picks Dion Waiters and Harry Giles III are also planning workouts in Las Vegas, Haynes adds (Twitter link). They’ll hold separate sessions on Monday for interested teams.

Waiters, 31, has been out of the NBA since the 2019/20 season, when he played 10 combined games for the Heat and Lakers. He attended a mini-camp with the Mavericks last summer, but wasn’t able to land a job.

Giles, 25, has been plagued by knee injuries since he was in high school. His last NBA action came with the Trail Blazers during the 2020/21 season, but he also spent time with the G League’s Agua Caliente Clippers before an injury ended his season in January of 2022.

Dion Waiters, Tyreke Evans Among FAs Attending Mavs’ Mini-Camp

June 21st, 2022 at 7:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks are hosting a free agent mini-camp this week that will have over 30 players in attendance, our JD Shaw reports (via Twitter).

The list of participants includes a handful with extensive NBA experience, including veteran guards Dion Waiters, Tyreke Evans, and Langston Galloway.

Jalen Lecque, Chris Clemons, Emanuel Terry, Grant Riller, Jay Huff, and Tyler Hall are among the other mini-camp invitees who have played in at least one regular season NBA game. A.J. Lawson, Andrew Andrews, Isaiah Brown, Justin Gorham, and Sekou Wiggs are some of the participants without NBA experience (Twitter links).

Teams are permitted to carry up to 20 players during the offseason, giving them some flexibility to take fliers on veterans or youngsters who could come to training camp on non-guaranteed contracts and compete for a 15-man roster spot.

It’s possible one or more of the players at Dallas’ mini-camp this week will make a strong enough impression to earn a camp invite. As Shaw notes, some of the mini-camp participants could also be invited to join the Mavericks’ Summer League team next month.

It’s worth noting that even after agreeing to trade four players for Christian Wood, the Mavs don’t project to have a ton of open 15-man roster spots for 2022/23. Dallas will have nine players on guaranteed salaries, plus Maxi Kleber and Frank Ntilikina on non-guaranteed contracts. Jalen Brunson and Theo Pinson are free agents, but the team reportedly wants to bring back both. If all of those players return, it would leave just two openings on the Mavs’ standard regular season roster.

Dion Waiters Has Contemplated Retirement

December 28th, 2020 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After winning a title earlier this year as a member of the Lakers, Dion Waiters has yet to find a new home for the 2020/21 season, either in the NBA or in another league. During a recent Instagram Live session (video link), Waiters admitted that he considered the possibility of retiring (hat tip to Complex.com).

“They think I’m playing. I’ve been contemplating it though—about retiring,” Waiters said. “It’s the politics for me. Game-wise, we know what’s up. I just can’t do the politics, man. We ain’t going over that water. I’ll retire before that.”

Waiters is coming off an up-and-down year in which he was suspended multiple times by the Heat for off-court behavior and experienced a medical episode on a team flight after he consumed a “gummy,” an edible form of marijuana. Waiters was sent away from the Heat and then was traded at the 2020 deadline to the Grizzlies, who quickly waived him.

Although he caught on with the Lakers for the end of the season, Waiters didn’t play much for the eventful champions, appearing in seven regular season games and just five playoff contests. As a result of his health problems and off-court issues, the former No. 4 overall pick hasn’t played more than 46 games in a season since 2015/16, when he was a member of the Thunder.

Waiters just turned 29 years old earlier this month, so it would be a surprise if he decided to call it a career already. His comments on Instagram Live suggest that retirement is just one option he has considered — I’d expect him to remain on the lookout for new opportunities.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Playoff Edition

September 25th, 2020 at 8:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Throughout the season, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this off-season. With the playoffs ongoing at the Orlando campus, it’s time to examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors.

Jerami Grant, Nuggets, 26, PF (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $27.3MM deal in 2018

The Nuggets are on the verge of elimination again despite the increased offensive production of Grant. He scored a playoff-high 26 points in Denver’s lone win against the Lakers in Game 3, then added 17 points in Game 4. The trust that coach Michael Malone has in Grant defensively against the Lakers’ jumbo lineups was apparent – he played a total of 77 minutes in those two games. Grant has a $9.35MM option on his contract for next season. Prior to the restart, Grant said he was likely to decline it and test the free agent waters. It’s doubtful he’s changed his mind.

Dwight Howard, Lakers, 34, C (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $2.56MM deal in 2019

Howard piled up more fouls than points in Games 2 and 3 against Denver. Instead of Howard losing playing time, coach Frank Vogel surprisingly decided to start him in Game 4. The former Defensive Player of the Year delivered a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) in 23 minutes. He’s a dinosaur by current NBA standards – an aging center who can’t stretch defenses. But every once awhile, Howard reminds everyone he can still be a factor. It’s easy to see the Lakers signing him to another short-term deal.

Dion Waiters, Lakers 28, SG (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $500K deal in 2020

Waiters got a chance to revive his career when the Lakers signed him to a rest-of-the season contract in March. The opportunity was there for Waiters to crack the rotation in the postseason but ineffectiveness and a groin injury have rendered him a non-factor. He’s only appeared in five playoff games, totaling 10 points (no threes) in 38 minutes. Given his controversial history, the fourth overall pick of the 2012 draft will probably be scrounging for a veteran’s minimum deal.

Derrick Jones, Heat, 23, SF (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $3.16MM deal in 2018

It’s been a rough restart for Jones. He had a bout with the coronavirus, then suffered a neck strain during a collision in the seeding games. He also dealt with an ankle injury during the opening round of the playoffs. His biggest problem now is he’s out of the rotation. The emergence of Tyler Herro and the presence of veterans Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala has limited him to a total of 30 unspectacular minutes against Boston. Jones will be an unrestricted free agent and he’ll draw some interest, but his price tag may have dropped this summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacific Notes: Clippers Arena, Randle, McGee, Kawhi

September 8th, 2020 at 7:46pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Clippers‘ forthcoming Inglewood arena has received the final approval necessary from the Inglewood City Council, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). The team, which announced a joint deal to buy the publicly-owned property on the arena site, now has the go-ahead to begin building its new arena in 2021.

In a press release on the club’s official site, the team notes that construction is scheduled to commence next summer. The Clippers are expected to move from the Staples Center, an arena they share with the Lakers, to their new home ahead of the 2024/25 season.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

Suns coach Monty Williams has added Brian Randle to his staff as an assistant coach, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). Randle is a former player development coach for the Timberwolves.
Lakers starting center JaVale McGee has been cleared to play in tonight’s pivotal Game 3 against the Rockets, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). McGee turned his left ankle in Game 2 of the Lakers’ series with the Rockets and was limited to just eight minutes of action. An MRI on the ankle came back negative. Mark Medina of USA Today tweets McGee will not have a minutes restriction tonight. Medina adds that bench guard Dion Waiters will not be available for Game 3.
Meanwhile, Rockets forward Danuel House Jr. will be unavailable tonight for personal reasons, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Feigen adds (Twitter link) that Houston center Tyson Chandler will also miss tonight’s game for personal reasons, but that both players remain on the NBA’s Orlando campus.
Clippers All-Star Kawhi Leonard‘s stellar Game 3 performance showcased just how valuable he is as a two-way player, and why he was the top priority for Los Angeles in free agency ahead of the season, notes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Leonard was named to the 2020 All-Defensive Second Team earlier this afternoon.

Western Notes: McGee, Jokic, Conley, Pelicans

September 7th, 2020 at 6:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers could be without their starting center for Game 3 against the Rockets on Tuesday, according to the latest injury report on NBA.com. JaVale McGee is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain. Reserve shooting guard Dion Waiters is considered doubtful due to a sore left groin.

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is listed as questionable for Game 3 tonight against the Clippers due to a sprained right wrist, according to an ESPN report. Jokic had 26 points and 18 rebounds in the Nuggets’ Game 2 win on Saturday. The Nuggets made no mention of the sprain after the game. The Nuggets will make a final determination on his status after warmups, Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets.
The Jazz hope that Mike Conley settles in after a choppy first season with the organization and that will result in a longer playoff run, according to Sarah Todd of the Deseret News. Conley is expected to opt into the final year of his contract, worth $34.5MM, for next season. The point guard will be more comfortable in his second year with the club after learning a new system and reworking his game to fit the Jazz’s style, Todd adds.
The Pelicans could use a defensive wing and another shooter. The Athletic’s William Guillory explores some of the draft prospects who might fit the bill with the No. 13 overall pick.

Lakers Notes: Rondo, McGee, Waiters, LeBron

September 7th, 2020 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

Rajon Rondo turned in an up-and-down performance in Game 1 of the Lakers‘ second-round series against Houston, but head coach Frank Vogel expressed confidence after that game that Rondo would be an important contributor for L.A. in the series. On Sunday, the veteran point guard proved Vogel right.

As ESPN’s Dave McMenamin details, Rondo contributed 10 points, nine assists, and five steals in the Lakers’ Game 2 win, with the team outscoring the Rockets by 28 points during his 29 minutes. While Rondo is on a minimum-salary contract and ranked eighth on the team this season in minutes per game, he’s viewed as a leader on and off the court for the Lakers.

“He has such an impact,” Vogel said of Rondo. “His impact on our team is measured in swag and just the confidence that he brings to our group.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Lakers center JaVale McGee left Sunday’s game due to left ankle pain and didn’t return, per McMenamin. Vogel said after the game that McGee would be undergoing an MRI on his sore ankle.
Within the same story, McMenamin notes that shooting guard Dion Waiters also left the game with an injury and didn’t play the rest of the night. Waiters was diagnosed with a strained groin, and his status going forward remains up in the air.
Within a notebook piece on the Lakers/Rockets series, Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register explores how the two clubs have been using “scout teams” in practices to try to prepare for their opponent’s star players.
Asked on Sunday why his children haven’t joined him in the NBA’s bubble, Lakers star LeBron James explained that – despite being located within Walt Disney World – the campus isn’t especially kid-friendly. “My kids are too adventurous and they love to do so much stuff,” James said, according to Mark Medina of USA Today. “There’s nothing for them to do here. Go outside, come back in, go outside, come back in. They can stay in L.A. They’re great.”