Hawks’ Bembry Out 4-6 Weeks With Wrist Fracture
OCTOBER 24: Bembry has undergone surgery on his fractured wrist and is expected to miss the next four to six weeks, the Hawks announced today in a press release.
OCTOBER 21: Hawks small forward DeAndre’ Bembry suffered a fracture in his right wrist during the team’s opener and will be out indefinitely, according to Michael Cunningham of The Journal-Constitution.
The injury was confirmed by an MRI conducted Friday. Team doctors will further evaluate Bembry on Monday to get an idea of how long he will be sidelined.
Bembry recently recovered from a strained right triceps he suffered during training camp. He was out of action for about three weeks before returning for Atlanta’s final three preseason games.
The wrist injury happened when Bembry was bracing a fall during Wednesday’s game in Dallas. He played through the pain, but the wrist continued to bother him Thursday and Friday.
“I knew it was something, but I didn’t think it would be that serious,” he said. “I would definitely say I’m somewhat of a tough guy. I probably tried to act like it wasn’t nothing even though it was something. I just tried to push through it.”
Bembry, who played 18 minutes against the Mavericks, is expected to have an expanded role after getting into just 38 games as a rookie last season.
Special Trade Eligibility Dates For 2017/18
In previous articles, we’ve taken a closer look at the trade restrictions surrounding two groups of players who signed free agent contracts this summer. The smaller of the two groups featured players who can’t be traded by their current teams until January 15, having re-signed with their teams this summer on contracts that met a set of specific criteria. The other offseason signees we examined aren’t eligible to be traded until December 15.
However, there is a third group of players who signed new contracts in recent months and don’t fall into either of those categories. These players also can’t be traded yet, but they won’t necessarily become trade-eligible on December 15 or January 15 either — their trade restrictions lift on different dates.
Trade rules for recently-signed players dictate that a player becomes trade-eligible three months after he signs or on December 15, whichever comes later. So players who signed after September 15 aren’t eligible to be traded starting on December 15. For instance, someone who signed his contract on October 2 won’t have his trade restrictions lift until January 2.
Similarly, players who sign veteran contract extensions with their current clubs can’t be dealt for six months after they ink their new deals, meaning many of the players who were extended by their teams during the offseason can’t be traded at all this season.
Listed below are the recently-signed players who weren’t on our previous two lists, but still have restrictions limiting their ability to be traded. This list, which will continue to be updated as teams sign new players, is sorted by the dates that players will become trade-eligible. Players who have the ability to veto trades are marked with an asterisk (*).
December 18:
- Jason Terry (Bucks) *
December 21:
- Aaron Brooks (Timberwolves)
December 23:
- Alex Len (Suns) *
December 24:
- Dante Cunningham (Pelicans) *
December 27:
- Dwyane Wade (Cavaliers)
January 17:
- Isaiah Taylor (Hawks)
January 19:
- Richard Jefferson (Nuggets)
January 22:
- Jameer Nelson (Pelicans)
Not eligible to be traded before the 2018 trade deadline:
- LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs)
- Trey Burke (Knicks)
- Dwight Buycks (Pistons)
- Isaiah Canaan (Suns)
- Tyler Cavanaugh (Hawks)
- Robert Covington (Sixers)
- Gerald Green (Rockets)
- Sean Kilpatrick (Bucks)
- DeAndre Liggins (Pelicans)
- Norman Powell (Raptors)
- Alex Poythress (Pacers)
- Josh Richardson (Heat)
Not eligible to be traded at all during the 2017/18 league year, due to signing Designated Veteran Extensions:
- Stephen Curry (Warriors)
- James Harden (Rockets)
- John Wall (Wizards)
- Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
Note: Players signed after November 8 this season won’t become trade-eligible before the 2018 trade deadline, since the deadline falls on February 8.
Lakers Exercise 2018/19 Options On Ingram, Nance
One week ahead of the October 31 deadline, the Lakers have picked up their 2018/19 team options on forwards Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr., the team announced today in a press release. The moves will fully guarantee the two players’ salaries through the ’18/19 season.
[RELATED: Decisions On 2018/19 Rookie Scale Team Options]
Although Ingram has struggled to make a consistent impact on the court for the Lakers since being selected with the second overall pick in the 2016 draft, the decision to pick up his 2018/19 option was a no-brainer for the club. It will count against L.A.’s cap for $5,757,120 next season.
As for Nance, he has impressed Lakers decision-makers with his play this fall and usurped Julius Randle as the team’s starting power forward. It’s a small sample, but through three games this season, Nance’s per-minute numbers have soared — he’s averaging 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per 36 minutes, compared to 11.2 and 9.2 last year. His fourth-year option for 2018/19 will count for $2,272,391 against the Lakers’ cap.
Nance will be eligible for a contract extension next offseason, and if he’s not extended, he’ll be on track for restricted free agency in 2019. Ingram is under team control for one additional year, so the Lakers will have to decide on his 2019/20 team option a year from now.
Suns Notes: Bledsoe, Chandler, Watson, Okur
Although the Suns have been exploring trade options involving disgruntled point guard Eric Bledsoe, the team will likely have to lower its asking price if it hopes to get anything done, one general manager tells Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. While the Bucks, Nuggets, Knicks, and Clippers have all expressed interest in Bledsoe, according to Amico’s sources, that general manager believes Phoenix’s asking price is unrealistic.
“Right now, it’s borderline preposterous,” the GM tells Amico. “It should come down eventually. It has to.”
Bledsoe and his agent Rich Paul expressed a desire for a trade during the offseason, but the Suns have ramped up their efforts this week, with the Nuggets and Bucks among the most viable potential landing spots, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Trade scenarios are still evolving, and it’s not clear how long it will take for Phoenix to find a satisfactory deal, according to Kyler, who adds that the club appears to be looking into moving Tyson Chandler too, perhaps in the same trade.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN chimes in on Bledsoe as well, tweeting that the Suns’ goal of landing a high-upside young player in any deal has been an impediment, since Bledsoe’s value isn’t exactly at its peak.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- In the wake of the Suns’ horrible start to the season and Earl Watson‘s dismissal, Greg Moore of AZCentral.com wonders why owner Robert Sarver hasn’t made any public comments about the team’s situation.
- In a separate piece for Basketball Insiders, Kyler wonders whether Watson was essentially set up to fail in Phoenix as the club struggles through a rebuilding process.
- Shortly after Watson was fired, Dan Majerle became the subject of speculation as a possible target for the Suns, but the team hasn’t contacted the Grand Canyon University coach, writes Richard Obert of AZCentral.com. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic, who tweets that the Suns haven’t contacted anyone, with Jay Triano expected to run the show for the rest of the season.
- Ken Berger of Bleacher Report takes a deep dive into the Suns’ situation and passes along a few interesting tidbits. Among them: James Jones, who joined the franchise this offseason as an executive, figures to have “significant input” when Phoenix decides on a permanent head coach.
- Former NBA big man Mehmet Okur, who was one of multiple assistants let go along with Watson, became the second member of the organization to direct a less-than-flattering social media post at the Suns this week. Chris Cole of AZCentral.com has the details, along with a screenshot of Okur’s since-deleted Instagram post.
- Speaking of assistants, the Suns have called up multiple coaches from their G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, to fill out their NBA coaching staff, per Chris Reichert of 2 Ways & 10 Days (Twitter link). Northern Arizona head coach Ty Ellis is among the coaches headed to Phoenix.
Rockets Sign Isaiah Canaan
12:38pm: Canaan and the Rockets have reached an agreement on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, tweets Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. The signing is now official, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
12:07pm: The lone opening on the Rockets’ 15-man NBA roster is expected to be filled soon, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that free agent point guard Isaiah Canaan intends to sign with Houston.
Canaan, 26, began his NBA career in Houston, joining the Rockets as the 34th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft. However, he was traded to the Sixers at the deadline in 2015, then joined the Bulls for the 2016/17 campaign after spending a season and a half in Philadelphia.
Although Canaan inked a two-year contract with the Bulls, he struggled in his first season with the team, averaging just 4.6 PPG and 0.9 APG on .364/.266/.909 shooting in 39 games. Chicago had a crowded depth chart at point guard and Canaan’s 2017/18 salary wasn’t fully guaranteed, so the Bulls cut him during the offseason. The Murray State product spent the preseason with the Thunder, but wasn’t able to crack the team’s regular season roster, heading back to the free agent market earlier this month.
When the Rockets and Canaan finalize their reported agreement, he’ll help provide some depth at the point guard spot while Chris Paul recovers from his knee injury. The Rockets indicated last week that Paul’s injury may be “day-to-day” or “week-to-week,” but if the club feels the need to add another point guard to the roster, it’s likely the latter.
Adding Canaan to the roster may also give the Rockets the flexibility to keep two-way players Demetrius Jackson and Briante Weber in the G League, rather than running their respective 45-day NBA clocks.
And-Ones: Childress, Coaches, Rautins, Rudez
After playing in the BIG3 earlier this year and then joining the Nuggets for the preseason, veteran forward Josh Childress has signed a one-year contract with the Adelaide 36ers, the team announced in a press release. It will be the second stint in Australia for the former sixth overall pick, who played for the Sydney Kings from 2014 to 2016.
While Childress hasn’t appeared in a regular season NBA game since December 2013, his new team is excited to add him to its roster and believes he’ll make a major impact.
“It’s great to have such a veteran player on board. Josh is known in the basketball circles as a pros pro,” said Adelaide 36ers head coach Joey Wright. “Who he is and how he operates typifies what we want our program to be about; class and talent.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA went 532 days between head coach firings, from May 7, 2016 (Dave Joerger fired by the Grizzlies) to October 22, 2017 (Earl Watson‘s dismissal by the Suns). That stretch of head coaching stability is virtually unprecedented for the NBA, prompting Marc Stein of The New York Times to take a closer look at why the coaching climate has been so favorable as of late.
- After spend time with the Raptors during training camp and the preseason, former Syracuse sharpshooter Andy Rautins is heading back overseas, signing with Turkish team Banvit (English link via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando).
- Former Magic forward Damjan Rudez, who was waived earlier this month after spending last season in Orlando, is training in his home country with Cibona Zagreb, tweets international basketball reporter David Pick. According to Pick, Rudez is discussing a deal with the Croatian team that would allow him to opt out if an NBA opportunity arises.
- Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days lays out a blueprint for how the G League could play a major role if the NBA decides to lower its minimum draft age.
Rockets Sign Briante Weber To Two-Way Deal
OCTOBER 24: Weber’s two-way contract with the Rockets is now official, the team announced today (via Twitter). Weber will immediately report to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
OCTOBER 23: The Rockets will fill their second two-way slot by signing Briante Weber, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The deal includes a team option for 2018/19.
The defensive-minded point guard signed with the Lakers for training camp, but was waived just before the start of the regular season. L.A. had a two-way opening at the time, but elected to give it to Vander Blue.
Weber will report to Houston’s G League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley for the start of training camp today. The 24-year-old may get an early opportunity to prove himself with the Rockets as Chris Paul remains sidelined with a sore knee that is expected to keep him out of action for two to three more weeks.
Demetrius Jackson, also on a two-way contract, has been serving as the team’s backup point guard in Paul’s absence. As long as they are on two-way deals, both Weber and Jackson will be limited to 45 days apiece in the NBA, starting today.
The Rockets still have an open roster spot, but they don’t plan to fill it right away, sources tell Wojnarowski.
Weber has received opportunities with several NBA teams since going undrafted out of Virginia Commonwealth in 2015. He excelled in the G League and had brief stints with the Grizzlies, Heat, Warriors and Hornets. His longest stay with one team came in 13 games with Charlotte at the end of last season, when he averaged 3.8 points in about 12 minutes per night.
Latest On Grizzlies’ Ownership Situation
As of this Thursday, a pair of Grizzlies minority owners will have the opportunity to make a play for majority ownership of the franchise, as Brian Windhorst and Zach Lowe detail in an ESPN.com report.
The unusual ownership situation in Memphis, which we outlined last month, allows Steve Kaplan and/or Daniel Straus, who each own about 14% of the Grizzlies, to make an offer to majority owner Robert Pera, who owns approximately 25-26% of the franchise.
If either Kaplan or Straus makes an offer during a 60-day window, which opens on Thursday, Pera would then have a 60-day window of his own to decide whether to buy Kaplan’s or Straus’ shares at their valuation, or whether to sell his own shares to them at that price.
Kaplan and Straus are under no obligation to initiate the process, but there’s a belief that one or both of them will do so, sources tell Windhorst and Lowe. Still, it’s possible that the process could take months to play out, with Straus and Kaplan standing by and watching to see what the other will do. If neither minority shareholder places a formal bid at this time, they’ll have another chance to do so in 2020.
It will be interesting to see whether either minority stakeholder moves forward with an attempt to supplant Pera as the Grizzlies’ controlling owner. The amount of a potential bid from Straus or Kaplan would be equally fascinating — Forbes’ franchise valuations earlier this year pegged the Grizzlies’ worth at $790MM, but those estimates are typically conservative. For comparison’s sake, Forbes’s valuation for the Rockets was $1.65 billion, and Tilman Fertitta bought the club several months later for $2.2 billion. The current Grizzlies’ ownership group bought the team for about $350MM in 2012.
Of the Grizzlies’ top two minority shareholders, Kaplan appears to be the more likely of the two to make a move, though that’s just my speculation. He has made an effort in the past to gain a more significant stake in an NBA team, but attempts involving the Hawks and Timberwolves didn’t pan out. Kaplan currently has a controlling interest in Swansea City, a Premier League soccer team in Wales.
While the Grizzlies’ ownership situation is somewhat uncertain going forward, the team is off to a great start on the court. Memphis is 3-0 so far, with victories over the Warriors and Rockets.
2017 Offseason In Review: Washington Wizards
Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2017 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2017/18 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Washington Wizards.
Signings:
- Otto Porter: Four years, $106.525MM (25% maximum salary). Fourth-year player option. Matched Nets’ offer sheet.
- Jodie Meeks: Two years, $6.745MM. Second-year player option.
- Mike Scott: One year, minimum salary.
- Devin Robinson: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed for each season.
- Michael Young: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed for each season.
Camp invitees:
- Carrick Felix: One year, minimum salary. Exhibit nine.
- Donald Sloan: One year, minimum salary. Exhibit nine. (Waived)
Trades:
- Acquired Tim Frazier from the Pelicans in exchange for the No. 52 overall pick.
Draft picks:
- None
Extensions:
- John Wall: Four years, 35% maximum salary. Designated Veteran Extension. Starts in 2019/20.
Departing players:
Other offseason news:
- Laurene Powell Jobs buying significant minority stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Wizards.
- Markieff Morris acquitted on aggravated assault charges; Morris out until November due to sports hernia surgery.
- Sheldon Mac to miss most or all of season due to torn Achilles.
- Will add G League affiliate for 2018/19 season.
Salary cap situation:
- Operating over the cap and over the tax line by approximately $4MM. Carrying approximately $123.5MM in guaranteed team salary. Portion of taxpayer mid-level exception ($1.902MM) still available.
Check out the Washington Wizards’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
Restricted free agency was an all-or-nothing proposition for many players this summer, with multiple RFAs – including Nerlens Noel and Alex Len – remaining on the market for months before signing their respective qualifying offers. Others – like Shabazz Muhammad and Joffrey Lauvergne – had those QOs rescinded, forcing them to settle for minimum salary contracts.
On the other end of the spectrum, however, was Otto Porter. The top restricted free agent on the market, Porter reportedly received a maximum-salary proposal from the Kings before instead inking a max offer sheet with the Nets. That four-year offer, worth north of $106MM, also featured a 15% trade kicker and a fourth-year player option, making it as player-friendly as possible — and, in turn, not so team-friendly for the Wizards.
If the Wizards had decided that a price tag exceeding $26MM annually simply wasn’t worth it for Porter, it would have been hard to fault them for that. After all, even though Porter enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2016/17, posting a blistering .516/.434/.832 shooting line, he wouldn’t be more than the third option in Washington, with the team leaning heavily on John Wall and Bradley Beal to carry the ball-handling and scoring loads.
Letting Porter go to the Nets would have left the Wizards with a significant hole at small forward though, and the team wouldn’t have had the financial flexibility to acquire a viable replacement. So, stuck between a rock and a hard place, the Wizards moved swiftly to match Porter’s offer sheet and brought him back into the fold.
The move loomed large over the rest of the Wizards’ offseason, ensuring that the club would surpass the luxury tax threshold and would be unable to make any other major splashes. Even minor upgrades to the bench would be tricky for the cap-strapped Wiz. But after the franchise posted its highest win total (49) in nearly four decades, the front office wasn’t about to let its 24-year-old starting small forward get away for nothing.
Kyle Lowry Had Offseason Interest In Spurs
Although he ultimately re-signed with the Raptors when he reached free agency in July this past offseason, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry admits that he had some interest in joining the Spurs, as Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News details. However, Lowry said today that San Antonio didn’t necessarily reciprocate that interest.
“It was real for me, but it wasn’t real for them,” Lowry told Young. “That’s a part of the business that people don’t know. I would have loved to come here (to San Antonio), but it didn’t work out. The conversation didn’t happen. If the conversation happened, I would tell you. But it didn’t happen.
“Not saying that I wanted out, but I did look at teams to see what was going on,” Lowry added. “I mean this place would’ve been a great place.”
At one point, it looked like the Spurs might make an effort to clear cap room to make a run at Chris Paul. However, when Paul decided to join the Rockets, San Antonio didn’t go after another top free agent point guard, opting to re-sign Patty Mills instead.
As for the Raptors, they lost multiple free agents over the summer, including forwards P.J. Tucker and Patrick Patterson, but made strong commitments to Lowry and Serge Ibaka, signing each player to a three-year contract. Lowry’s new deal with Toronto will pay him at least $31MM annually, and could be worth up to $100MM with incentives.
Although Lowry was intrigued by the idea of playing for Gregg Popovich, whom he calls “one of the best coaches in NBA history,” the point guard told Young that he’s pleased with the way things worked out.
“I knew the (Spurs’) culture, but at the end of the day I came back to a situation that was best for me that I loved and (I’m) happy to be in,” Lowry said.