Julian Washburn

Sixers Sign, Waive Five Players

1:01pm: In a press release, Philadelphia has confirmed all the roster moves detailed below and announced a couple more. According to the Sixers, in addition to signing and waiving Washburn, Alston, and Harris, they also signed and waived guards Jared Brownridge and Xavier Munford.

Brownridge played for the Delaware Blue Coats last season and Munford’s rights were acquired by Delaware last month, so they’d both be returning-rights players for the Blue Coats.

10:23am: The Sixers have signed and subsequently waived Julian Washburn, Shizz Alston Jr., and Terry Harris, according to reports. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) first reported the signings, while Derek Bodner of The Athletic (Twitter link) indicated that all three players had already been released.

Alston is a 6’4″ guard who went undrafted out of Temple this spring after averaging 19.7 PPG and 5.0 APG as a senior. Harris, another undrafted rookie, is the younger brother of Sixers forward Tobias Harris. The former North Carolina A&T swingman played for the 76ers’ Summer League team in July.

As for Washburn, the 6’8″ forward spend much of the 2018/19 season on a two-way contract with the Grizzlies before he was dealt to Golden State in the Andre Iguodala deal. The Warriors waived him and the Sixers’ G League affiliate – the Delaware Blue Coats – acquired his returning rights last month.

Alston and Harris will join the Blue Coats as affiliate players, while Washburn will be a returning-rights player for the squad. As a result of their brief stays on the Sixers’ roster, they should also be eligible for Exhibit 10 bonuses worth up to $50K if they spend at least 60 days in Delaware.

The Sixers had cleared space on the roster for these three players by waiving Isaiah Miles, Christ Koumadje and Haywood Highsmith, as we detailed on Friday night.

Eastern Notes: Ntilikina, IT, Flourney, Washburn

Frank Ntilikina, who is playing for the French National Team in the FIBA World Cup, is beginning to showcase his potential, Marc Berman of the New York Post contends. The 6’6″ guard has risen up during international play, earning the starting point guard role for his country. He’s also caught the eye of his teammates.

“He’s a very, very talented player and an excellent defender, and I see a bright future ahead for him,” said Rudy Gobert, who is also playing for France in the tournament.

The Knicks selected Ntilikina with the No. 8 overall pick back in 2017 draft and he’s rumored to be on the trade market. Perhaps the FIBA World Cup can elevate his trade stock.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • With Isaiah Thomas landing in Washington, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports examines the Wizards‘ recent history of reclamation projects. Markieff Morris, Brandon Jennings, and Dwight Howard are among the former Wizards players who have joined the franchise with the hope of revitalizing their career.
  • The Raptors are hiring Fabulous Flournoy as an assistant coach, Simon Rushworth of NewCastle-Eagles.com relays. Flournoy is a well-respected coach from the British Basketball League.
  • The Sixers‘ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, has acquired Julian Washburn from the Austin Spurs in exchange for Matt Farrell, according to the team’s website. Washburn has appeared in 18 NBA contests, all of which came last season while he was on a two-way deal with Memphis. If he signs a G League contract for 2019/20, he’d play for Delaware.

Warriors Waive Julian Washburn

After being acquired in a trade earlier this month, two-way player Julian Washburn has now been waived by the Warriors. Golden State confirmed the move today in a press release.

Washburn, 27, played for the Grizzlies on a two-way contract last season, appearing in limited minutes over the course of 18 games for the club after signing in January. The 6’8″ forward appeared in a total of 38 G League contests for the Austin Spurs and Memphis Hustle, recording 11.7 PPG and 5.3 RPG with a shooting line of .477/.406/.743.

Washburn’s two-way deal featured a second year, but the Grizzlies agreed to sign John Konchar to fill their second two-way slot alongside Yuta Watanabe.

[RELATED: 2019/20 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker]

Rather than simply waiving Washburn, Memphis had him the outgoing piece in the trade that sent Andre Iguodala, a first-round pick, and cash to the Grizzlies. While the Warriors briefly held onto Washburn, it seems the team would rather fill that two-way slot with another player.

Grizzlies Sign John Konchar To Two-Way Deal

JULY 8: The Grizzlies have officially signed Konchar to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release. Memphis opened up a two-way slot by sending Washburn to Golden State in the Andre Iguodala trade.

JUNE 21: Purdue-Fort Wayne guard John Konchar will sign a two-way contract with the Grizzlies, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The senior went undrafted despite participating in a large number of workouts. However, he impressed Memphis enough to get a shot at the NBA on a two-way deal.

Konchar posted a 19.5/8.5/5.4 line this year at IPFW. He is the only player ever to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 200 steals during his college career, according to Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype (Twitter link).

Current Grizzlies two-way players Yuta Watanabe and Julian Washburn both have two-way deals that extend into 2019/20. Konchar is expected to replace Washburn in that second slot, with Watanabe returning, tweets Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian.

Warriors Trade Andre Iguodala To Grizzlies

JULY 7: The deal is now official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log. Golden State is receiving guard Julian Washburn, who was on a two-way contract with Memphis last season, while the Grizzlies get $2MM in cash considerations in the deal, as well as Iguodala and the draft pick, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

JUNE 30: The Warriors have reached an agreement to trade Andre Iguodala to the Grizzlies, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Memphis will also receive a 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected) in the deal, according to Wojnarowski.

Moving Iguodala became a virtual necessity for Golden State once the team agreed to acquire D’Angelo Russell from the Nets in a sign-and-trade deal. The Warriors will pay Russell the maximum salary of $27MM+ in 2019/20.

After taking into account Russell’s salary, Klay Thompson‘s new max deal, and the rest of the team’s commitments, the club was in danger of surpassing the $138.9MM tax apron, which isn’t permitted — when a team acquires a player via a sign-and-trade, it becomes hard-capped at that figure, so shedding salary became a must.

It appears likely that Shaun Livingston and his partially guaranteed $7.7MM salary will be on the way out as well. ESPN’s Bobby Marks breaks down the Dubs’ financial situation more thoroughly via Twitter, but it seems safe to say that the club won’t be able to bring back several of its own free agents, including Kevon Looney.

As Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian observes (via Twitter), the Grizzlies will be able to take on Iguodala’s $17MM+ salary using the $25MM+ trade exception they’ll create when they officially send Mike Conley to Utah. The team should still be able to retain Delon Wright without going into the tax, but bringing back Avery Bradley appears unlikely, Herrington adds. Kyle Korver seems unlikely to remain in the picture in Memphis either.

It’s not clear whether Iguodala will stick with the Grizzlies. David Aldridge of The Athletic (Twitter links) suggests that Memphis would like to have Iguodala act as a veteran mentor to the team’s young players, but cautions that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a buyout. If the veteran swingman is bought out, he wouldn’t be eligible to re-sign with the Warriors in 2019/20.

Whether or not the Grizzlies retain Iguodala, it’s clear that the 2024 first-rounder is the prime asset in the deal. That pick will become top-one protected in 2025 if it doesn’t convey in 2024, according to Woj, who adds that it would be unprotected in 2026 if it doesn’t convey in either of the first two years.

Iguodala, who joined the Warriors in 2013, was a key part of the team’s run of success over the last several years. He won three titles with the club, earning the NBA Finals MVP in 2015.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Grizzlies Sign Julian Washburn, Cut Jarnell Stokes

1:27pm: The Grizzlies have officially signed Washburn to a two-way contract and released Stokes, the club announced today in a press release.

12:57pm: The Grizzlies are among the teams making a change to their two-way players in advance of today’s deadline. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), the club is signing small forward Julian Washburn from out of the G League to a two-way contract. Jarnell Stokes will be released to open up a roster spot, tweets Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com.

Washburn, 27, has signed a pair of camp contracts with the Spurs – one in 2015 and one in 2018 – but has never appeared in a regular season NBA game. The 6’8″ forward has been a regular start this season for the Austin Spurs, however, recording 10.6 PPG and 4.7 RPG on .444/.371/.789 shooting in 23 G League contests (31.7 MPG).

Washburn is unlikely to see a whole lot of playing time in Memphis, but he’ll provide the team with some depth, serving as a potential three-and-D option on the wing. The Grizzlies recently lost Dillon Brooks for the season and Kyle Anderson for two to four weeks due to injuries, so they could use a player like Washburn more than a big man like Stokes.

Spurs Cut Two Players, Sign Jaron Blossomgame

The Spurs are making some changes to their roster in advance of training camp. After agreeing to terms with Olivier Hanlan, San Antonio has also signed former second-round pick Jaron Blossomgame to a training camp deal, as he confirmed to Jeff Garcia and Michael Rehome of The Spurs Zone.

“I’m excited for the opportunity,” said Blossomgame, who was drafted by the Spurs with the 59th overall pick in 2017 and played for the Austin Spurs last season. “I’ve played really well in open gym, so it’s exciting.”

In a pair of moves that will open up roster spots, the Spurs waived Amida Brimah and Julian Washburn, just a few days after having signed them, per NBA.com’s transactions log. Brimah and Washburn weren’t expected to compete for roster spots, having presumably been signed for their G League rights.

Blossomgame, however, could be given the opportunity to vie for an opening on San Antonio’s 15-man regular season squad. The 25-year-old, who played his college ball at Clemson, was a starting forward for an Austin team that won the NBAGL championship this past spring. In 50 games (48 starts), Blossomgame averaged 16.5 PPG and 8.1 RPG. He also played for San Antonio’s Summer League team this July, posting 13.0 PPG and 7.6 RPG in five contests in Las Vegas.

Spurs Sign Amida Brimah, Julian Washburn

The Spurs have added a pair of players to their offseason roster, signing Amida Brimah and Julian Washburn to one-year contracts, according to RealGM’s transactions log. Those deals are be Exhibit 10 contracts, tweets Keith Smith of RealGM.

Brimah, who played his college ball at UConn, went undrafted in 2017 and joined the Spurs for training camp. The 7’0″ center has yet to make his NBA debut, but spent the 2017/18 season with the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League affiliate, averaging 6.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 2.6 BPG in 48 games (22.6 MPG).

Washburn, meanwhile, is a former UTEP small forward who went undrafted in 2015 and has spent time with the Austin Spurs and international clubs since then. He helped the Spurs’ G League squad win the NBAGL title earlier this year, starting both games in the club’s best-of-three series sweep over the Raptors 905. Most recently, Washburn played for the Cantebury Rams in New Zealand.

The Spurs now have 18 players under contract. That number will increase by one when Drew Eubanks finalizes his reported two-way deal, but will decrease by one when the club officially removes Manu Ginobili from its roster.

NBA Teams Designate Affiliate Players

NBA teams cut as much as 25% of their rosters at the end of the preseason, but franchises that have D-League affiliates have a way to maintain ties to many of the players they release from the NBA roster. An NBA team can claim the D-League rights to up to four of the players it waives, as long as the players clear waivers, consent to join the D-League, and don’t already have their D-League rights owned by another team. These are known as affiliate players, as our Hoops Rumors Glossary entry details.

NBA teams allocated 46 affiliate players to the D-League at the beginning of the season last year, and this year, that number has risen to 56, according to the list the D-League announced today. These players are going directly to the D-League affiliate of the NBA team that cut them and weren’t eligible for the D-League draft that took place Saturday. Teams that designated fewer than the maximum four affiliate players retain the ability to snag the D-League rights of players they waive during the regular season, but for now, this is the complete list:

Boston Celtics (Maine Red Claws)

Cleveland Cavaliers (Canton Charge)

Dallas Mavericks (Texas Legends)

Detroit Pistons (Grand Rapids Drive)

Golden State Warriors (Santa Cruz Warriors)

Houston Rockets (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)

Indiana Pacers (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)

Los Angeles Lakers (Los Angeles D-Fenders)

Memphis Grizzlies (Iowa Energy)

Miami Heat (Sioux Falls Skyforce)

New York Knicks (Westchester Knicks)

Oklahoma City Thunder (Oklahoma City Blue)

Orlando Magic (Erie BayHawks)

Philadelphia 76ers (Delaware 87ers)

Phoenix Suns (Bakersfield Jam)

Sacramento Kings (Reno Bighorns)

San Antonio Spurs (Austin Spurs)

Toronto Raptors (Raptors 905)

Utah Jazz (Idaho Stampede)

Also, several players who were on NBA preseason rosters are on D-League rosters through means other than the affiliate player rule. Most of them played under D-League contracts at some point within the last two years, meaning their D-League teams have returning player rights to them. Others entered through last weekend’s D-League draft, while others saw their D-League rights conveyed via trade. Most of these players aren’t with the D-League affiliate of the NBA team they were with last month, with a few exceptions.

Roster information from Adam Johnson of D-League Digest, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor and freelancer and Hoops Rumors contributor Mark Porcaro was used in the creation of this post.

Spurs Release Julian Washburn

The Spurs have waived Julian Washburn, the team announced via press release. San Antonio had just signed the swingman two days ago in a move that appears geared toward securing his D-League rights, since NBA teams can claim the D-League rights to as many as four players they cut from the NBA roster. The subtraction of Washburn, coupled with the team’s decision to waive Reggie Williams, takes San Antonio’s roster to 15 players, the regular season limit.

Washburn, a 23-year-old Texas native, went undrafted out of UTEP this year. He played with the Warriors in summer league, totaling two points in about 14 minutes spread over a pair of games, but he didn’t see any preseason action in his brief tenure on the Spurs roster.

San Antonio moves forward with Matt Bonner, who has a sizable $749,594 partial guarantee, and Rasual Butler, who’s on a non-guaranteed deal. The 13 other Spurs have full guarantees.