Yao Ming Won’t Consider Buying Rockets
Yao Ming can be crossed off the list of potential buyers for the Rockets franchise. Yao issued a statement via the Xinhua news agency that was relayed by the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen stating he would have “no time to consider” joining a group interested in purchasing the team. The Rockets’ Hall of Fame center was named the president of the Chinese Basketball League in February and was elected this week to be Chairman of the Board for the company that runs the league.
Houston owner Leslie Alexander announced on Monday that the team was up for sale, a surprising development for one of the Western Conference’s top teams. Feigen tweeted earlier this week that the Rockets would prefer the timeline for a sale to be “sooner rather than later.”
Feigen also reported this week that GM Daryl Morey and the Rockets‘ management team is not attempting to put together a group to buy the franchise.
Another Hall of Fame center, Dikembe Mutombo, is trying to put together a group to buy the team. The purchase price is expected to approach or exceed the $2 billion that Steve Ballmer paid for the Clippers.
Nets Sign Guard Yakuba Ouattara To Two-Way Contract
The Nets have signed guard Yakuba Ouattara to a two-way contract, according to a team press release.
The 6’3” Ouattara played for AS Monaco Basketball in the French LNB Pro A League last season. He appeared in 32 games and averaged 11.8 PPG and 3.3 RPG in 23.9 MPG. Ouattara is a prolific 3-point shooter, as he shot 40% from long range and 51.4% overall.
Ouattara, 25, is a Ghana native but a member of the French national team. He has spent his entire professional career, which began in 2012, in France.
Teams are allowed to dole out a pair of two-way contracts per season and the Nets reportedly gave their other two-way deal to forward Jacob Wiley.
Grizzlies Sign Second-Rounder Dillon Brooks
The Grizzlies have signed second-round pick Dillon Brooks to his first NBA contract, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). According to Charania, Brooks will get a three-year deal with two guaranteed seasons.
[RELATED: 2017 NBA Draft Pick Signings]
A 6’7″ small forward, Brooks averaged 16.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in his final season for the Oregon Ducks, declaring for the draft following his junior year.
Brooks was one of two prospects acquired on draft night by the Grizzlies, who sent a future second-round pick to the Rockets in exchange for the No. 45 selection, which they used on Brooks. Memphis also traded a future second-rounder for the No. 35 pick and nabbed Ivan Rabb.
The Grizzlies don’t have any cap room available, but still have a portion of their mid-level exception free, allowing the club to do a three-year deal for Brooks. Memphis used most of its MLE to sign Ben McLemore and Rade Zagorac, but should still have a small amount of that exception left after locking up Brooks.
Nuggets Sign Monte Morris To Two-Way Contract
The Nuggets have signed second-round pick Monte Morris to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release. It’s the second two-way deal for Denver — the club confirmed earlier this week that forward Torrey Craig received the other one.
[RELATED: 2017/18 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker]
Morris, 22, played his college ball at Iowa State, averaging 16.4 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 4.8 RPG in his senior year. The young point guard was selected 51st overall in the 2017 NBA draft last month, so he’ll become the highest pick so far to agree to a two-way contract rather than an NBA deal.
Two-way contracts are a new addition to the NBA’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, so it has been interesting to see how teams have been using them for second-round picks in particular. So far, the four players drafted between Nos. 51 and 54 have all reportedly agreed to two-way deals.
For more information on how two-way contracts work, be sure to check out our FAQ.
2017/18 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker
The NBA’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced a new type of contract the league’s lexicon: the two-way deal.
As we explain in depth in our FAQ, two-way contracts allow NBA teams to carry two extra players in addition to the 15 on their regular season roster. These players spend most of their time with the club’s G League affiliate, but are eligible to join the NBA roster for up to 45 days per season, and remain under team control — they can’t be poached by rival franchises.
Over the last several weeks, many teams have been making use of this new kind of contract by securing players to two-way deals, locking up their rights for the next one or two seasons. Not every team has made a two-way signing so far, but by the time the NBA regular season gets underway, we’ll likely see 60 players around the league on two-way contracts.
With several two-way signings already completed, and many more to follow, we’ll use the space below to track each team’s two-way players for the 2017/18 season. If a signing hasn’t been officially announced as a two-way contract, but has been reported as such, we’ll make a note of that, and update the info as necessary. Players whose two-way contracts are for two years (the maximum), are noted with an asterisk.
This tracker will continue to be updated throughout the 2017/18 league year, and can be found anytime in the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right-hand sidebar.
Here are 2017/18’s two-way players:
Updated 6-22-18
Atlanta Hawks
- Josh Magette, PG
- Andrew White, G/F
Boston Celtics
- Kadeem Allen, G *
- Jabari Bird, SG
Brooklyn Nets
- Milton Doyle, G
- James Webb III, SF
Charlotte Hornets
- Marcus Paige, G
- Mangok Mathiang, C *
Chicago Bulls
- Antonio Blakeney, SG *
- Ryan Arcidiacono, PG
Cleveland Cavaliers
- John Holland, G/F *
- Empty
Dallas Mavericks
- Johnathan Motley, PF *
- Jalen Jones, SF *
Denver Nuggets
- Torrey Craig, SF
- Monte Morris, PG *
Detroit Pistons
- Kay Felder, PG
- Reggie Hearn, SG *
Golden State Warriors
- Empty
- Empty
Houston Rockets
- R.J. Hunter, SG *
- Markel Brown, SG
Indiana Pacers
- Edmond Sumner, PG *
- Ben Moore, F
Los Angeles Clippers
- Tyrone Wallace, PG
- Empty
Los Angeles Lakers
- Alex Caruso, G
- Gary Payton II, PG
Memphis Grizzlies
- Kobi Simmons, PG *
- Myke Henry, F *
Miami Heat
- Derrick Walton Jr., PG
- Derrick Jones, SF
Milwaukee Bucks
- Xavier Munford, SG
- Marshall Plumlee, C
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Anthony Brown, SG
- Empty
New Orleans Pelicans
- Charles Cooke, SG
- Empty
New York Knicks
- Luke Kornet, C
- Isaiah Hicks, PF
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Daniel Hamilton, G/F
- P.J. Dozier, SG
Orlando Magic
- Jamel Artis, SF
- Empty
Philadelphia 76ers
- Demetrius Jackson, PG
- Empty
Phoenix Suns
- Alec Peters, PF
- Danuel House, SF
Portland Trail Blazers
- C.J. Wilcox, SG
- Empty
Sacramento Kings
- Jack Cooley, PF
- JaKarr Sampson, SF
San Antonio Spurs
- Matt Costello, C
- Darrun Hilliard, G/F
Toronto Raptors
- Malcolm Miller, SF
- Empty
Utah Jazz
- Erik McCree, F
- Georges Niang, PF
Washington Wizards
- Devin Robinson, SF *
- Empty
Asterisk (*) denotes two-year contract.
Sixers’ Jonah Bolden To Play In Israel
As expected, Sixers second-round pick Jonah Bolden will spend at least one more season overseas before joining his new NBA team. Bolden has signed a three-year contract with Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, the team confirmed today in a press release. The deal will include NBA opt-outs.
[RELATED: 2017 NBA Draft Pick Signings]
Bolden, 21, already has some international experience. In 2016, the 6’10” power forward opted to forgo his remaining two years of college eligibility, but made the decision in July, a month after the NBA draft. Instead of spending the 2016/17 season at UCLA, he headed to Serbia and played for FMP Beograd.
Bolden was a key contributor for his Serbian club, averaging a team-high 12.1 PPG and 6.7 RPG in 15 Serbian League games. He also averaged 12.9 PPG and 7.2 RPG in 25 ABA League contests, and showed an ability to hit outside shots, making over 40% of his overall three-point attempts.
The Sixers made a big splash in this year’s draft by trading for the No. 1 overall pick and nabbing Markelle Fultz, but the team also had three more picks — Anzejs Pasecniks (No. 25), Bolden (No. 36), and Mathias Lessort (No. 50). All three of those players are expected to play ball overseas for at least one more season.
Multiple Teams Eyeing Brandon Rush
Several teams have checked in with Brandon Rush, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Mavericks, Heat, and Pacers are among the clubs to reach out to the swingman.
Dallas could use depth to fill out its wing rotation, especially if it intends to give Harrison Barnes minutes at the four spot, as it did for stretches last season.
Indiana lost Paul George this offseason and while the 32-year-old won’t be able to fill PG-13’s void, he could help to solidify the back end of the team’s rotation. Rush played for the Pacers for two seasons to begin his career before the franchise dealt him to the Warriors.
Miami would arguably be the worst fit out of the three teams. The Heat have Justise Winslow coming back from injury to join a rotation of James Johnson, Dion Waiters, Josh Richardson and Rodney McGruder on the wing. If Rush wants to come to a place where minutes are guaranteed, South Beach may not be his destination.
Rush saw 21.9 minutes per game on the Wolves last season, which was his highest mark since the 2011/12 campaign. He shot an above league average 38.6% from behind the arc on 2.4 attempts per contest.
Southwest Notes: Ginobili, Rockets, Noel
Manu Ginobili said the decision to return to the Spurs for his 16th season was not an easy one to make, Jeff McDonald of Spurs Nation relays.
“[Coach Gregg Popovich] told me that he wanted me to continue and he needed me on the team,” Ginobili said.“If he did not want me, it would have been easier for me.”
The future Hall of Famer added that he didn’t want to walk away while he could still play at a high level.
“I accepted because it is a great honor to be with such a franchise, at 40 years old, feeling important, with people who tell me that they love me and that I am still important to the team,” Ginobili wrote. “Everything I had in mind if I retired, I can postpone for another time. On the other hand, if I retired and took a year (off), I would not be able to compete again at 41.”
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Multiple sources tell Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) that Daryl Morey and the Rockets‘ management team is not attempting to put together a group to buy the franchise. Leslie Alexander announced earlier this week that he is selling the team after 24 years of ownership.
- Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News speculates that Nerlens Noel could end up signing a one-year deal with the Mavericks. Noel has yet to reach an agreement with the franchise and the scribe believes the center is searching for leverage, but Dallas’ ability to match any offer limits his negotiation power.
- Brandon Paul, who signed a two-year deal with the Spurs this summer, is thrilled for the chance to play for the franchise, as he tells Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Paul played in Russia, Spain, and Turkey in addition to the G-League before landing his first NBA contract.
Lakers Interested In Ian Clark
The Lakers have interest in adding Ian Clark to the roster, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports (Twitter link). Turner cautions that no deal is imminent.
Clark spent the last two seasons in Golden State and his role expanded as time passed. The Warriors own Clark’s Early Bird rights, though the team is already in the luxury tax after re-signing most of its core. The franchise brought back Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston while adding Nick Young in free agency. After all the moves, there may not be enough minutes, let alone currency, for Clark to return.
The Lakers are looking for an experienced guard to mentor Lonzo Ball and Clark isn’t the only candidate for the job. Los Angeles is reportedly in on the Derrick Rose–sweepstakes and the team plans to pitch the former MVP on its ability to offer more playing time and a larger contract than rival suitors can.
Entering the free agency period, Clark was expected to receive a raise on his 2016/17 salary, which was slightly under $1.02MM. Some NBA executives envisioned the 26-year-old landing a deal worth more than the mid-level exception. Los Angeles wouldn’t be able to make that kind of offer — the team only has the $4.3MM room exception remaining for free agents.
Clark previously played under Lakers coach Luke Walton during the coach’s stint in Golden State. It’ll be interesting to see if the relationship helps to bring the shooting guard to Los Angeles.
Blake Griffin Talks Free Agency, Injury
Blake Griffin, who re-signed with the Clippers on a five-year, $173MM deal this offseason, said the decision to stay was a “no-brainer,” as Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com relays.
“Obviously this has been my home since I was drafted, and a lot went into this decision for me,” Griffin said. “Not only what was best for me and my family, but just the quality of people and work that we have here. That goes from owners all the way down to the coaching staff to the roster to everything just day-to-day. I think with [Clippers owner] Steve Ballmer and [president of basketball operations and head coach] Doc [Rivers] and [executive vice president of basketball operations] Lawrence [Frank], all the way down, in the end I realized this is a no-brainer for me. This is the best place for me. This is a place where I want to start and finish my career.”
The power forward had meetings scheduled with the Suns and Nuggets early in the free agency period, though he canceled them both after meeting with the Clippers. Griffin was impressed with the team’s presentation. He added that he expects the team to play faster now that Chris Paul has departed.
“The size and speed on this team is exciting. I think playing in transition, getting out, keeping the ball moving, playing free is something we’re looking forward to. I think we’re well equipped,” Griffin said.
Los Angeles made several additions after bringing Griffin back. The Clips added Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams when they sent Chris Paul to Houston. They brought in Danilo Gallinari via sign-and-trade and they signed European star Milos Teodosic.
When Griffin will get an opportunity to play alongside his new roommates is unclear, as he’s recovering from an injury to his big toe. He’s aggressively rehabbing his injury and hopes to be ready for the season.
“I’ve met with probably five different foot specialists before surgery, and everybody’s conclusion was that training camp was a very realistic possibility,” Griffin said. “So I expect to be ready to go by training camp. Within the next few weeks here I’ll be able to go on the court and ramp up things there. It’s been nice to be on court and do ballhandling and free throws and stuff like that, but [I’m] just taking it week by week really.”