Warriors Sign Georges Niang
The Warriors have added another player to their training camp roster, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that former Pacer Georges Niang has inked a partially guaranteed deal with the defending champs. It’s a one-year pact.
Golden State already has 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts, so barring something unexpected happening in camp, Niang won’t make the club’s regular season roster. As Wojnarowski notes, the 24-year-old power forward will likely end up playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s G League affiliate.
Niang, the 50th overall pick in the 2016 draft, spent his rookie season with the Pacers last season, playing sparingly in 23 NBA games for the club. The Iowa State alum saw a bigger role during his G League stints at Fort Wayne, though he played in just six games for the Mad Ants, averaging 19.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 3.3 APG.
With Niang and Antonius Cleveland on camp deals and Chris Boucher on a two-way contract, the Warriors now have 18 total players on their offseason roster, leaving two open slots.
Northwest Notes: Westbrook, George, Hood, Murray
Russell Westbrook and Paul George will be teammates for the first time in the NBA this upcoming season after George was traded to the Thunder earlier this offseason. Just like any other superstar duo in NBA history, it will take time for both players to get acclimated to each other on and off the court. The duo got a head start after having their first workout together on Monday at a UCLA gym with four Oklahoma City teammates, ESPN’s Royce Young writes.
Young noted that Monday’s workout was the second organized by Westbrook this summer but George was unable to attend the first one due to a pre-planned vacation. Monday’s acclimation was the first of many steps for the reigning MVP and George to become comfortable; George addressed the importance of establishing a chemistry with his new teammates during his introductory press conference.
“Right now, it’s taking it as it comes,” George said (via ESPN). “We have a fresh start, and a chance to do something special is really the first thing that comes to mind. I’m not looking past 2017-18, we haven’t accomplished nothing yet. When it comes to that, when I get there, we’ll address that, but right now me and [Westbrook] have something to build now, and we’ll see where it takes us. It could be something that’s special that we build and want to continue on building.”
Read up on other news around the Northwest Division:
- Roster turnover in Utah has left the future of the Jazz in flux and that includes 24-year-old Rodney Hood, Benjamin Mehic of The Deseret News writes. The departure of Gordon Hayward has left a major void, which Hood, a player the Jazz believe can be a scoring weapon, could fill seamlessly. However, a poor season could end Hood’s run in Utah as the team prepares for the future.
- In a Q&A with Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet, Canada native Jamal Murray answered a series of questions pertaining to undergoing surgery on his core muscles, his recent travels, and his expectations for the Nuggets during the 2017/18 season.
- In a lengthy feature, James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders recaps the Timberwolves‘ active offseason, which included a major trade (Jimmy Butler) and free agency signings (Jeff Teague, Jamal Crawford). With a strong core that already includes Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the team is poised for a strong season.
Pacific Notes: Ball, Jackson, Wilson, Suns
Lonzo Ball‘s rise from UCLA standout to the Lakers‘ teenage cornerstone has been largely hyped up by his outspoken father, LaVar Ball. The elder Ball has become a media sensation, known for his flurry of outrageous claims (claiming he can beat Michael Jordan one-on-one) and promotion of his son’s abilities has been front page news since last year. While the world is still learning how to deal with the circus, the younger Ball is not ashamed or surprised at how his father conducts himself in the public eye.
“I think it’s overblown, I mean, that’s how my dad is, I’m used to him acting like that, so it’s nothing new for me,” Ball said in an interview with USA Today. “The way we look at it as a family is positive, you know, we talked it over before all this happened and we all know he’s going to do what he’s going to do. We just look at it as a positive and try to run with it.”
Once the season is underway, and Lonzo tries to live up to LaVar’s promise of leading the Lakers to the playoffs in his first season, past comments will not be relevant anymore. Ball will have to execute his on-court abilities and block out the noise associated with the NBA season. He will seek showing the world that his dad claiming his son is better than Stephen Curry is more than an offhand comment.
Below you can read additional news surrounding the Pacific Division:
- The Kyrie Irving saga has continued and training camp, followed by the regular season, are all drawing closer. Irving has drawn interest from around the NBA and in his latest piece, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer examines the possibility of Kyrie to the Suns. Specifically, O’Connor addresses Phoenix trading 2017 first rounder Josh Jackson for the NBA champion, ultimately viewing a trade for a proven commodity over keeping an athletic asset with upside a no-brainer.
- The Clippers‘ deal with Jamil Wilson is a two-year, two-way contract, according to basketball journalist David Pick (via Twitter). Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweeted that $50,000 of Wilson’s first-year salary is guaranteed.
- In a minor coaching change, the Suns named Jeff Fish the director of performance and head strength and conditioning coach, per a team announcement.
Knicks Rumors: Blatt, Porzingis, Ntilikina
David Blatt’s connections to the Knicks front office could land the former Cavaliers head coach in New York during the upcoming season, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Blatt would like another NBA job and he’s close friends with team president Steve Mills and recently-hired front office executive Craig Robinson, both of whom were college teammates of Blatt’s, Isola points out. The Knicks’ schedule could also put current coach Jeff Hornacek on the hot seat before the All-Star break as they play 16 of 20 games on the road right after Christmas, including the Warriors and Spurs, Isola notes.
In other items regarding the Knicks:
- The club should not give up Kristaps Porzingis in order to acquire disgruntled Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News argues. Porzingis is a unique player who should be considered an untouchable, a 7’3” big man who protects the rim and stretches the floor, Bondy notes. Porzingis is not even eligible to become a restricted free agent for another two seasons, and even shedding the contract of Carmelo Anthony or Joakim Noah isn’t worth giving him up, Bondy continues. If Irving wants to play in New York, he can sign with the franchise as a free agent in two years, Bondy adds. Currently, the Knicks regard any attempt by the Cavs to acquire Porzingis as a non-starter in trade talks involving Irving.
- Frank Ntilikina has picked the brains of former NBA players in Europe and believes he’ll have to play more on instinct than he did overseas, he explained to Mike Vorkunov of the New York Times in an in-depth feature. Former Knick Mardy Collins and former Maverick Rodrigue Beaubois instructed him that talent and athleticism rule in the NBA, while the European game is more focused on basketball I.Q. and a cerebral approach. “They told me like when you go here, you don’t have to think too much, because I used to think a lot,” the Knicks lottery pick told Vorkunov. “I used to play the game as a chess game. So they told me when you go there, you just have to play your game and not think too much.” Ntilikina has been studying tapes of top NBA point guards in an effort to refine his game, Vorkunov adds.
Central Notes: Bucks, Williams, Drummond, Pistons
The Bucks have a couple of options beyond making a trade to drop back below the luxury-tax line, as Gery Woelfel of WoelfelPressBox.com points out. Citing sources, Woelfel calculates the current Milwaukee payroll at $120.6MM, which would put it approximately $1.4MM over the tax threshold. The Bucks could shed some payroll by either releasing point guard Gary Payton Jr., who has a non-guaranteed $1.3MM deal, and/or waiving Spencer Hawes’ $6.5MM contract. By using the stretch provision, the Bucks could reduce Hawes’ 2017/18 cap hit by more than $4MM.
In other items involving the Central Division:
- Unrestricted free agent forward Derrick Williams could wind up back with the Cavaliers, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net reports. Williams has drawn little interest in the open market but the Cavs could sign him to a one-year, $2.4MM contract once they decide whether to trade Kyrie Irving, Amico adds. Williams averaged 6.2 PPG and 2.3 RPG on 51% shooting in 17.1 MPG over 25 regular-season games with Cleveland but was used sparingly in the playoffs.
- Andre Drummond has already noticed a significant difference in his breathing and stamina since undergoing sinus surgery this summer to correct a deviated septum, Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports. Playing at a high altitude in the NBA Africa Game in South Africa, the Pistons center said he was breathing much easier on and off the court, as he told Beard. “Just being able to breathe, I can’t even explain how great it feels to sleep easier and breathe easier when I play,” Drummond said. “I’m not worried about gasping for air when I go hard.” Drummond had been breathing mainly through one nostril during his NBA career prior to the surgery.
- Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy will have difficult decisions on his power forward rotation, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. Tobias Harris could wind up splitting his time between both forward spots and the rest of the power forward minutes will be soaked up by a combination of Jon Leuer, Anthony Tolliver and second-year man Henry Ellenson. Leuer, who signed a four-year contract last summer, could wind up as the starter despite slumping badly after the All-Star break, Langlois continues. Tolliver signed up for his second stint with the franchise this summer and brings the elements of toughness and 3-point shooting, while Ellenson put his shot-making ability on display in summer-league action, Langlois adds.
Key 2017 NBA Preseason Dates
The most notable dates of the 2017 NBA offseason are behind us now that we’re through the draft and the free agent period. However, there are still a number of dates and deadlines to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months before teams take the court again to kick off the 2017/18 regular season.
The list below doesn’t include every event or deadline that will take place prior to opening night on October 17, but these are several of the most important upcoming dates for teams and players.
Here’s the breakdown:
August 31:
- Last day teams can waive players and apply the stretch provision to their 2017/18 salaries. After August 31, teams can still use the stretch provision players who have multiple years left on their contracts, but their ’17/18 cap hits will remain unchanged.
September 5:
- Last day for teams to issue required tenders to unsigned second-round picks; those players become free agents on September 6 if not tendered.
September 26 (approximate; may vary by team):
- Training camps begin.
October 1:
- Last day for a restricted free agent to sign his qualifying offer, unless his team agrees to extend the deadline. If an RFA is still unsigned after October 1, he remains restricted, but can no longer sign that one-year QO. [RELATED: Latest on unsigned RFAs]
October 14:
- Last day for players on fully non-guaranteed contracts to be waived and not count at all against a team’s 2017/18 cap. They must clear waivers before the first day of the regular season.
October 16:
- Last day of offseason.
- Roster limits decrease from 20 players to 15.
- Last day for teams to sign a player to a rookie scale extension. [RELATED: Players eligible for rookie scale extensions]
- Last day for teams to sign a player to a veteran extension in certain scenarios. Extension-eligible veteran contracts with more than one season remaining can’t be extended after October 16; designated veteran extensions can’t be signed after October 16.
- Last day for teams to complete sign-and-trade deals.
- Last day for teams to convert an Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way contract. [RELATED: Details on Exhibit 10 contracts]
October 17:
- Regular season begins. [RELATED: 2017/18 schedules by team]
Raptors Sign Kyle Wiltjer
2:37pm: The Raptors have officially signed Wiltjer, the team announced today. His deal will include a partial guarantee, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN (Twitter link).
9:10am: A month after being waived by the Clippers, Kyle Wiltjer has landed with a new team, according to Oliver Maroney and Robby Kalland of Dime, who report that the free agent forward has agreed to a one-year contract with the Raptors. It’ll be a non-guaranteed training camp deal.
“I’m just really excited to be back in Toronto and Canada,” Wiltjer said, per Maroney and Kalland. “I’ve been working really hard all summer long to get better in all facets of my game and I’m just happy that I’ll be in my home nation.”
Wiltjer, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, spent his rookie season with the Rockets in 2016/17, though he appeared in just 14 games for the club, playing very limited minutes. The 6’10” forward saw more action in the G League, averaging 20.5 PPG and 6.4 RPG with a .377 3PT% in 22 contests for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Because his contract with Houston included a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18, Wiltjer was one of the pieces included in the Rockets’ Chris Paul deal for salary-matching purposes. The Clippers subsequently waived Wiltjer last month before his contract became guaranteed.
As our breakdown of offseason roster counts shows, the Raptors only have 13 guaranteed contracts on their roster at this point, so Wiltjer should have a chance to compete for one of those last two regular-season roster slots. He’ll battle the likes of Kennedy Meeks and Alfonzo McKinnie as he looks to earn a spot on Toronto’s 15-man squad.
Poll: Which Team Will Be NBA’s Worst In 2017/18?
Earlier this week, ESPN had a panel of 44 experts pick the Eastern and Western Conference winners for the 2017/18 season, along with the eventual NBA champion. The results were familiar and unsurprising — ESPN projects the Cavaliers and the Warriors to meet in the NBA Finals for a fourth consecutive season, with Golden State winning its third title in four years.
While it’s possible a contender like the Celtics, Spurs, or Rockets will upend the established order, there may be more potential for a crowded field and a dramatic race at the other end of the standings. ESPN also published its first 2018 mock draft this week, which included teams picking in specific positions based on projections for 2017/18 records.
ESPN has the Bulls picking at No. 1, followed by the Celtics (via Nets), Hawks, Suns, Kings, Magic, and Knicks, suggesting those are the teams expected to finish at the bottom of the NBA’s standings this season. A few of those clubs were cellar-dwellers last season as well, but ESPN anticipates teams like the Sixers, Lakers, and Timberwolves will improve and get out of that group, while teams like the Bulls and Hawks are expected to drop off significantly after making the playoffs last season.
It’s not hard to see where those predictions come from — Chicago and Atlanta both lost All-Stars and began rebuilding this offseason, while Minnesota acquired one of those All-Stars (Jimmy Butler) and Philadelphia and L.A. fortified their respective rosters in both the draft and free agency. As for Brooklyn, Phoenix, Sacramento, Orlando, and New York, none of those clubs made the sort of summer splash that would necessarily result in a major jump in the standings.
What do you think? Do you expect one of those clubs to be the NBA’s worst team in 2017/18, or is there another team you believe will end up in the league’s basement? Vote below in our poll, then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!
Which team will be the NBA's worst in 2017/18?
-
Brooklyn Nets 35.8% (524)
-
Chicago Bulls 19.5% (286)
-
Atlanta Hawks 13.8% (202)
-
New York Knicks 12.2% (178)
-
Orlando Magic 6.9% (101)
-
Another team 4.6% (67)
-
Sacramento Kings 4.2% (62)
-
Phoenix Suns 3% (44)
Total votes: 1,464
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Traded Second Round Picks For 2018 NBA Draft
The 2018 NBA draft is over 10 months away, but many teams have already traded their respective second round picks for that night, and more clubs are likely to do so before this season’s trade deadline.
We’ll use the space below to keep tabs on each team’s second round pick for 2018, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first round picks for 2018 can be found right here.
We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections or swap-rights for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2019 if it doesn’t change hands in 2018. The conditions on certain traded second round picks can be complicated, so feel free to ask for clarification in the comments section if anything is unclear.
Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2018 second round pick:
Atlantic
- Boston Celtics: Traded to Thunder (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Celtics’ obligation to Thunder is extinguished.
- Brooklyn Nets: Traded to Sixers or Hornets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Nets and Cavaliers picks; Charlotte will receive less favorable.
- New York Knicks: Traded to Sixers or Nuggets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Clippers and Knicks picks; Denver will receive less favorable.
- Philadelphia 76ers: Own pick.
- Toronto Raptors: Traded to Suns (unprotected).
Central
- Chicago Bulls: Traded to Knicks (unprotected).
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Traded to Sixers or Hornets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Nets and Cavaliers picks; Charlotte will receive less favorable.
- Detroit Pistons: Own pick.
- Indiana Pacers: Traded to Nets (45-60 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, 45-60 protected in 2019.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Nets (if it falls between 31-47) or Suns (if it falls between 48-60).
- If sent to Nets, Bucks’ obligation to Suns is extinguished; if sent to Suns, Bucks will send unprotected 2020 second-round pick to Nets.
- If sent to Nets, Bucks’ obligation to Suns is extinguished; if sent to Suns, Bucks will send unprotected 2020 second-round pick to Nets.
Southeast
- Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Clippers (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Hawks’ obligation to Clippers is extinguished.
- Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Grizzlies, Magic, or Rockets.
- Memphis will receive most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- Miami Heat: Traded to Grizzlies, Magic, or Rockets.
- Memphis will receive most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- Orlando Magic: Can swap own pick for Lakers pick if Lakers pick is more favorable.
- Washington Wizards: Own pick.
Northwest
- Denver Nuggets: Traded to Lakers (unprotected).
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Own pick.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Mavericks or Kings.
- Sacramento will receive more favorable of Trail Blazers and Kings picks; Dallas will receive less favorable.
- Utah Jazz: Own pick.
Pacific
- Golden State Warriors: Traded to Nuggets (unprotected).
- Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Sixers or Nuggets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Clippers and Knicks picks; Denver will receive less favorable.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Nets or Magic.
- Brooklyn will receive less favorable of Magic and Lakers picks; Orlando will receive more favorable.
- Phoenix Suns: Traded to Grizzlies (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Suns’ obligation to Grizzlies is extinguished.
- Sacramento Kings: Can swap own pick for Trail Blazers pick if Blazers pick is more favorable.
Southwest
- Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Bucks (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Mavericks’ obligation to Bucks is extinguished.
- Houston Rockets: Traded to Sixers (unprotected).
- Memphis Grizzlies: Will own most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- New Orleans Pelicans: Own pick.
- San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.
Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Pacers Sign Damien Wilkins
AUGUST 15: The Pacers have officially signed Wilkins, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 20: Veteran swingman Damien Wilkins is making an NBA comeback, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, who reports (via Twitter) that Wilkins and the Pacers have agreed to a one-year deal. It will be a veteran’s minimum contract, per Scotto.
Wilkins, 37, has 563 career regular season games on his NBA résumé, but hasn’t played in the league since he spent the 2012/13 campaign with the Sixers. Since then, Wilkins has bounced around various international and G League clubs, most recently spending the 2016/17 campaign with the Greensboro Swarm.
In 48 games last season for Charlotte’s G League affiliate, Wilkins averaged 14.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 3.8 APG, with a shooting line of .486/.358/.844.
While I wouldn’t expect Wilkins to have a substantial role for the Pacers in 2017/18, he’ll provide some veteran stability on a roster that has undergone significant changes this offseason, assuming he earns a spot on the 15-man regular season roster. However, Wilkins’ deal will be non-guaranteed, tweets Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star — that suggests the 37-year-old won’t be assured of a regular season roster spot.
Having lost Paul George, Jeff Teague, and C.J. Miles, Indiana has added Darren Collison, Victor Oladipo, Cory Joseph, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Domantas Sabonis this summer.