Nuggets To Bring Reginald Becton To Camp
The Nuggets have signed undrafted University of Mississippi power forward Reginald Becton, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports. Becton is an unexpected choice for a training camp addition, since Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress had him as only the 53rd best senior in the 2013 draft, and he didn’t take part in NBA summer league play.
The 6’9″ Becton made his mark as a shot-blocker for Ole Miss, recording 2.7 blocks in 28.4 minutes per game last season. He swatted away shots at an even better rate at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a predraft gathering of many of the top college seniors where he recorded 2.3 BPG in 15 MPG.
Becton, who’s presumably on a non-guaranteed minimum-salary camp deal, gives the Nuggets 17 players, 14 of whom have fully guaranteed contracts. Quincy Miller‘s deal is partially guaranteed, while Damion James has a non-guaranteed pact, as Deeks reported this morning.
Suns Sign Dionte Christmas
The Suns have signed Dionte Christmas, the team has announced on its website. The 6'5" guard averaged double figures in points for Phoenix's summer league team this year, and a report shortly thereafter indicated the Suns had interest in bringing the former Temple Owl aboard. It's a multi-year deal with a "small" guarantee for this season, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
Christmas has yet to play in a regular season NBA game after going to camp with the Sixers in 2009 and the Celtics last year. He had a two-year contract that was 50% guaranteed for the first season with the C's, and with former Boston executive Ryan McDonough on board as the new Phoenix GM, Christmas is again getting more than the standard non-guaranteed training camp deal.
The move furthers a roster logjam for the Suns, who already had 16 players on fully guaranteed contracts. Still, it's the first free agent deal of the offseason for McDonough and company, who've instead concentrated on swinging three trades since July 1st.
Christmas notched 10.1 points in 20.8 minutes per game for the summer league Suns after splitting the 2012/13 regular season between Montepaschi Siena of Italy and CSKA Moscow in Russia. He put up just 5.5 PPG for his overseas teams last year after he was his league's leading scorer for Rethymno of Greece in 2011/12.
Sixers To Sign Rodney Williams
FRIDAY, 6:23pm: Agent Kevin Bradbury has informed Wolfson that Williams has signed his deal (Twitter link). The Sixers have yet to confirm it.
MONDAY, 2:10pm: The Sixers are expected to sign Rodney Williams to a multiyear contract tomorrow, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. Wolfson tweets that the deal will likely include a partial guarantee.
Assuming his contract with the Sixers is only partially guaranteed, Williams won't necessarily have an inside track to a roster spot. Still, Philadelphia's camp is expected to be fairly wide open, which should give the 22-year-old a chance to earn a spot on the regular season roster. The club only has nine guaranteed contracts on its books for now, though that number will increase to 11 when Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams officially sign.
Williams, who went undrafted in June, averaged 10.1 PPG and 5.0 RPG in his senior year at Minnesota. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported way back on the morning after the draft that Williams had agreed to a deal with the Sixers, though at the time it wasn't clear if it would be for more than Summer League play. Williams recorded 8.0 PPG and 1.2 RPG in five contests for Philadelphia's Summer League squad.
Poll: Which Team Finishes With The Worst Record?
Yesterday, after more than two months without officially signing a free agent, the Sixers reached deals witha pair of players, agreeing to bring aboard Darius Morris and Khalif Wyatt. That's a whirlwind of free agent activity compared to what's going on in Phoenix, where the Suns still haven't done a deal with any free agent this offseason, even though they've been active in trades.
Both clubs have little if any expectation of competing this year, and they have company. The Jazz stripped down their roster and used their cap space to absorb a few of Golden State's inflated contracts in exchange for draft picks. The Magic drafted No. 2 overall pick Victor Oladipo, but otherwise did little to add to a team that finished with the worst record in the NBA last season.
These four teams appear to be leading contenders for the worst record in 2013/14, and the inside track to the top pick in a loaded draft that comes with it. Of course, the poorest winning percentage is no guarantee of the No. 1 pick, and the chances of winning a title soon after finishing at or near the bottom of the league are even slimmer. Still, the team that finishes last this season guarantees itself no worse than the No. 4 overall pick in a draft that's set to include Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, Marcus Smart, Jabari Parker and other intriguing prospects.
So, which team do you think has the best shot of coming in with the worst record in the NBA this season? In addition to the teams listed here, perennial also-rans like the Bobcats and Kings could again plumb the depths of the standings, and the Celtics might be in the mix, too, particularly if Rajon Rondo isn't around much. If you think one of that bunch will be the worst, choose the "Another Team" option, and whichever way you vote, let us know more about your view in the comments.
Which Team Finishes With The Worst Record?
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Philadelphia 76ers 58% (407)
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Phoenix Suns 14% (98)
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Orlando Magic 12% (84)
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Another Team 10% (72)
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Utah Jazz 6% (42)
Total votes: 703
Hoops Rumors’ 2013 Free Agent Tracker
Two and a half months into free agency, Hoops Rumors' 2013 Free Agent Tracker continues to follow all the latest signings and camp invitations. Using our tracker, you can quickly browse the offseason's contract agreements, sorting by team, position, contract length, total salary, and a handful of other variables.
For instance, if you want to see all the Clippers' summer signings, you can sort by team and find all of the club's free agent additions listed here. If you're curious to see how many players signed contracts of four years or more, you can sort by contract length and bring up that list right here.
A few additional notes on the tracker:
- Not all of the agreements listed in the tracker are finalized yet. As signings become official, we'll continue to update and modify the data as needed. This also means that many of the dollar figures listed in the tracker won't be 100% accurate yet.
- Contract amounts aren't necessarily fully guaranteed, and are based on what's been reported to date.
- Training-camp invites are included in the tracker. For our purposes, we're considering these so-called "summer contracts" to be any deal with no guaranteed money. Fully guaranteed and partially guaranteed contracts aren't listed as summer contracts, which are marked with a † symbol.
Our Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar under "Hoops Rumors Features" or at the top of the page in the "Tools" menu. It will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.
Mavericks Sign Devin Ebanks
The Mavericks have signed Devin Ebanks, the team announced today in a press release. The signing brings the team's roster count to 19 players, including 15 with guaranteed contracts.
Ebanks had reportedly been drawing interest from the Magic and Hawks as well as the Mavs, with all three teams seemingly prepared to invite him to training camp. The 23-year-old indicated on Twitter earlier this week that he was headed to Orlando, but it seems that visit was just for a workout, rather than to sign with the Magic.
In three NBA seasons with the Lakers, Ebanks has appeared in 63 overall contests, averaging 3.6 PPG and 1.9 RPG in 11.3 minutes per game. When he first hit free agency in 2012, L.A. made a qualifying offer, which Ebanks accepted, but the team didn't tender him a QO this time around, making the 6'9" forward an unrestricted free agent.
In addition the 15 players the Mavs have on guaranteed contracts, Fab Melo, D.J. Kennedy, and Mickey McConnell are also ticketed for training camp, seemingly on non-guaranteed deals. For Ebanks or one of the other camp invitees to earn a roster spot, the club would have to trade or release one of its guaranteed players.
Western Notes: Hunter, Rockets, Melo, Ellis
Let's round up a few Friday afternoon items from around the Western Conference….
- Ex-Suns coach Lindsey Hunter is in the process of finalizing a deal that will land him on the Warriors' coaching staff, reports Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter). Hunter was considered by the Suns and Pistons for head coaching openings this summer, but both teams went in other directions.
- The Rockets are engaged in discussions with Villanova assistant Billy Lange about making him the head coach of their D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. As Wojnarowski notes, the Vipers' last two coaches, Nick Nurse and Chris Finch, have since been hired as NBA assistants.
- Fab Melo's contract with the Mavericks is fully non-guaranteed, according to Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com (via Twitter). Regardless of whether or not he earns a spot on Dallas' regular-season roster, Melo will still be paid by the Grizzlies under his previous contract.
- Although many observers believe adding a high-volume shooter like Monta Ellis won't improve the Mavericks, Lang Greene of HoopsWorld plays devil's advocate, arguing that perhaps Ellis is exactly the sort of scorer the team needs.
International Updates: Hayes, Diawara, Tracker
If you haven't done so yet, be sure to check out our international player movement tracker, which Hoops Rumors contributor Mark Porcaro continues to update on a daily basis. The thousands of player entries in our tracker can be quickly sorted and searched, to conveniently find the specific details you're seeking.
Here are a few of the day's more notable international items:
- Former 10th overall pick Jarvis Hayes, who spent time in the NBA with the Wizards, Pistons, and Nets, is set to sign with Italy's Sidigas Avellino, according to Enea Trapani of Sportando. The 32-year-old forward played for Israeli team Elizur Ashkelon last season.
- Yakhouba Diawara has signed a one-year deal with BCM Gravelines in France, and the contract doesn't include an NBA out, says Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Charania had reported earlier this week that the former Nugget would work out for the Heat and Magic, but was still expected to sign overseas. Diawara played in Italy last season.
- At Hoops Rumors, we generally only focus on international transactions when they involve a player who recently played in the NBA or is looking to return stateside. But our international tracker includes many, many more items. Among the players recently updated in the tracker: Former NBA first-rounders Marcus Fizer and Ryan Humphrey, who agreed to deals with Al Muharraq (Bahrain) and Obras (Argentina), respectively.
Trail Blazers Sign Richard Howell
SEPTEMBER 13TH: The Blazers have formally announced the signing of Howell, via a press release.
SEPTEMBER 6TH: The Trail Blazers and rookie free agent Richard Howell have agreed to terms on a deal that will bring the N.C. State product to camp, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Agent Joel Bell tells Charania that his client will sign a partially guaranteed contract with Portland.
Howell went undrafted out of N.C. State this past June, despite ranking as the 53rd-best prospect in the class, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford. In his senior year with the Wolfpack, the power forward averaged 12.7 PPG and 10.9 RPG, while shooting 57% from the floor. Howell had reached an agreement to join France's BCM Gravelines, but the team announced this week that the two sides had mutually agreed to part ways, freeing up the 22-year-old for an NBA audition.
The Trail Blazers have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, making it a little unusual that the team would offer Howell a partial guarantee, since there may not be a regular-season roster spot available. Perhaps Portland wants to secure Howell's rights for the Idaho Stampede, and couldn't do so without offering a bit of guaranteed money.
In any case, Howell appears set to join Dee Bost and E.J. Singler as training camp invitees for the Blazers.
Eastern Notes: Livingston, Oladipo, Beasley
It's not as easy as it used to be for NBA players to transition to front office positions, as Sam Amick details in his latest piece for USA Today. Still, the NBA Player's Association has tried to help its players become more familiar with the league's CBA, setting up events like a July seminar that featured presentations from several team executives. Shaun Livingston is one player who is appreciative of the NBPA's efforts.
"I'm really trying to take advantage of it," said the Nets guard. "And learn and soak everything in to where if I can study and meet the right people and stars can align then I can really create some good opportunities."
Here's more from around the Eastern Conference:
- At a season ticket-holder's event in Orlando, second overall pick Victor Oladipo said that he "really didn't want to go to Cleveland," the team with the No. 1 pick. Oladipo has since apologized for offending Cavs fans, hinting that the comment was meant to reflect how much he wanted to land with the Magic. Evan Dunlap of Orlando Pinstriped Post has the details.
- Heat fans are somewhat divided on the signing of Michael Beasley, so Ira Winderman's Friday mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel is an extended all-Beasley edition, breaking down the move.
- Tom Ziller of SBNation.com provides an interesting take on the concept of tanking and roster-building, with a focus on teams like the Sixers and Bucks.