Wizards Claim Thomas Bryant Off Waivers
The Wizards have claimed second-year center Thomas Bryant off waivers from the Lakers, sources tell Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Bryant was cut by the Lakers on Saturday to create a little extra cap flexibility in advance of free agency.
Bryant, the 42nd overall pick in the 2017 draft, appeared in 15 games for the Lakers last season, averaging 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 4.6 minutes per game. He saw more action in the G League, posting 19.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and a .597/.364/.674 shooting line in 37 games for the South Bay Lakers.
According to salary data from Basketball Insiders and ESPN, Bryant’s contract includes a $1,378,242 non-guaranteed salary for 2018/19, which is set to become guaranteed if the young center remains under contract through Thursday. Theoretically then, Washington still has the opportunity to avoid Bryant’s guarantee, but the club likely wouldn’t have placed a claim on him if it didn’t plan to keep him for more than three days.
Teams generally require cap room or a trade exception to claim a player off waivers, but because Bryant is on a two-year, minimum-salary deal, any club was eligible to place a claim.
Celtics Sign Brad Wanamaker
JULY 2, 4:03pm: The Celtics have officially signed Wanamaker, the team announced today in a press release. Because it’s a minimum salary contract, it can be finalized during the July moratorium.
JUNE 26, 5:59pm: Wanamaker and the Celtics have agreed on a guaranteed one-year, minimum salary deal worth approximately $831K, per international basketball journalist David Pick.
Per Pick, Wanamaker left $3.8MM on the table in Europe to get his shot in the NBA.
JUNE 25, 3:04pm: The Celtics are in the process of finalizing a deal with EuroLeague guard Brad Wanamaker, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
According to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (via Twitter), Boston would like to sign Wanamaker to a two-year contract, while Wanamaker would prefer one year, but it appears the two sides will work out an agreement. The Celtics would be able to officially finalize the signing once the new NBA league year begins in July.
Wanamaker, who played his college ball at Pittsburgh, went undrafted in 2011 and has bounced around various leagues since then, playing in the G League and overseas. The 6’4″ combo guard has emerged as one of the more effective players in Europe, earning an All-EuroLeague Second Team nod in 2017 and winning the MVP award for the Turkish League Finals this year. In 2017/18, he averaged a team-high 11.8 PPG and made 40.2% of his three-pointers in 31 Turkish League games for EuroLeague powerhouse Fenerbahce.
This will be the second straight offseason that the Celtics have dipped into the international ranks to fill out their roster. A year ago, the club brought Shane Larkin back from Europe and also signed Daniel Theis out of the German League. Wanamaker and Theis played together for Brose Bamberg in Germany from 2014 to 2016.
International basketball journalist David Pick first reported earlier this month that the Celtics were giving “strong consideration” to signing Wanamaker. The Magic, Nets, Sixers, and Heat were also said to have interest.
Clippers Sign Mike Scott To One-Year Deal
JULY 9th, 5:59pm: The signing is official, according to the team’s PR Twitter feed. The one-year deal is said to be worth approximately $4.3MM, per ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link).
JULY 2nd, 3:48pm: The Clippers have agreed to terms on a deal with veteran free agent Mike Scott, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to Woj, Scott will sign a one-year contract with Los Angeles.
The Clippers were said to have strong interest in Anthony Tolliver, meeting with him on the first day of the free agent period Sunday. However, once Tolliver committed to the Timberwolves, L.A. shifted its focus to other options and did well to land Scott, who will add depth at forward behind Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari.
Scott, a 6’8″ power forward, had a strong season for the Wizards in 2017/18, averaging 8.8 PPG and 3.3 RPG in a part-time role (18.5 MPG). He also set career highs in FG% (.527) and 3PT% (.405).
The Wizards had made it a priority to bring back Scott, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (Twitter link), but he’ll head west for the coming season, leaving Washington to look elsewhere for frontcourt help.
Pistons Sign Jose Calderon
JULY 7: The signing is official, the Pistons announced on Twitter.
JULY 2: The Pistons have reached an agreement with veteran point guard Jose Calderon, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes (Twitter link). League sources tell Haynes that’s worth $2.4MM, which means it’s a minimum-salary deal.
The agreement will reunite Calderon with new Pistons head coach Dwane Casey, who coached the 36-year-old several seasons ago in Toronto.
A 13-year NBA veteran, Calderon spent the 2017/18 with the Cavaliers. Although he played a modest role with the club, he was solid when called upon, averaging 4.5 PPG and 2.1 APG with a .503/.464/.800 shooting line.
While it’s a low-cost investment for the Pistons, it’s a somewhat curious one. The team was already well-stocked at the point guard spot, with Reggie Jackson and Ish Smith atop the depth chart and Langston Galloway occasionally getting ball-handling duties too. However, it’s possible Detroit has another move in mind. The club is exploring possible trades, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News (Twitter link), who identifies Smith, Galloway, and Jon Leuer as potential chips.
Calderon figures to take Dwight Buycks‘ place on Detroit’s roster. Buycks has a $1.6MM non-guaranteed salary for next season, but waiving him would help give the Pistons a little extra distance below the tax line, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks details (via Twitter).
Wolves Sign Anthony Tolliver
JULY 8: The Tolliver signing is now official, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
JULY 2: The Timberwolves have withdrawn their qualifying offer for Nemanja Bjelica, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The move will make Bjelica an unrestricted free agent, with Minnesota losing the right of first refusal.
With Bjelica expected to land elsewhere, the Wolves will fill his spot on the roster by signing Anthony Tolliver.
Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports first reported (via Twitter) that Minnesota was nearing an agreement on a one-year deal with Tolliver, while David Aldridge of TNT confirms (via Twitter) that they’ve come to terms.
According to Charania (via Twitter), Tolliver’s new one-year contract with the Timberwolves will be in the $5-6MM range, so it sounds like the team will sign him using its mid-level exception.
If the Wolves want to avoid becoming hard-capped for the 2018/19 league year, they’d have to ensure that Tolliver’s salary doesn’t exceed $5.337MM, the value of the taxpayer mid-level exception. However, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) pegs the value at $5.75MM. That would mean dipping into the full MLE and creating a hard cap.
The Timberwolves made Tolliver a priority when the free agent period opened, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News, who tweets that Tom Thibodeau had two separate phone calls with the veteran forward. Tolliver also drew interest from the Clippers, Mavericks, and Sixers, but liked the idea of returning to Minnesota, where he spent two seasons earlier in his career.
In 2017/18, Tolliver – the No. 43 free agent on our top-50 list – enjoyed perhaps his best NBA season for the Pistons. Appearing in 79 regular season games, he averaged 8.9 PPG and 3.1 RPG with a shooting line of .464/.436/.797. His ability to stretch the floor will benefit the Wolves, particularly with Bjelica no longer in the mix.
Bjelica, 30, averaged 6.8 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 20.5 minutes per contest (67 games) for the Wolves last season. His .415 3PT% should appeal to teams in the market for a stretch four, especially now that he’s an unrestricted free agent.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Spurs, Drew Eubanks Agree To Camp Deal
The Spurs have reached an agreement with undrafted free agent Drew Eubanks on a training camp deal, reports Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link). Eubanks will attend camp this fall as a member of San Antonio’s 20-man offseason roster, but won’t be assured a regular-season roster spot.
Eubanks, who entered the 2018 draft following his junior year at Oregon State, averaged 13.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 1.7 BPG in 2017/18. The 6’10” forward/center ranked 80th on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, and didn’t hear his name called on draft night last month.
While the terms of Eubanks’ agreement aren’t known, camp deals often include Exhibit 10 language, which allow for a guaranteed bonus of up to $50K if the player is cut by the NBA team and joins the club’s G League affiliate. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals.
Eubanks will also participate in the Summer League with the Spurs.
Warriors Sign First-Rounder Jacob Evans
The Warriors have officially signed first-round pick Jacob Evans to his rookie scale contract, the team announced today in a press release. While most transactions can’t be completed until after the July moratorium ends, first-rounders can sign rookie deals this week.
Evans, the 28th pick in this year’s draft, played his college ball at Cincinnati, where he averaged 13.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 3.1 APG in 2017/18. The 6’6″ wing, who made 37.7% of his three-pointers during his college career, projects as a potential three-and-D option at the NBA level.
The NBA’s rookie scale will result in a first-year salary of $1.6MM+ for Evans, who will get a four-year contract with two guaranteed seasons and two team options. Assuming he plays out the full contract, he’d be eligible for an extension during the 2021 offseason and would be on track for restricted free agency in 2022.
Cavaliers Open To Trading Kevin Love?
Multiple reports leading up to LeBron James‘ decision indicated that the Cavaliers planned to keep Kevin Love even if James left Cleveland. That’s still the franchise’s public stance, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. However, multiple sources from around the league insist that the Cavs are indeed open to moving Love, according to Lloyd.
Love, who has been with the Cavaliers since 2014, has averaged 17.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG in his four seasons in Cleveland. While those are strong numbers, they pale in comparison to the ones he posted in his previous four seasons as the focal point of Minnesota’s roster (23.5 PPG, 13.7 RPG).
Love is still just 29 years old, so it would be interesting to see what he can do on a Cavs squad that no longer features James — especially since the team has conveyed a desire to compete for the playoffs even without LeBron.
However, if the Cavs want to go younger in the post-LeBron era, Love – who has one guaranteed year left on his contract with a player option for 2019/20 – would represent their best veteran trade chip.
As Lloyd observes, it’s also worth noting that the Cavaliers’ 2019 first-round pick will be sent to Atlanta unless it falls in the top 10. With Love on the roster, that pick could easily fall between 11 and 30 and head to the Hawks, whereas a rebuilding Cavs club without Love would have a better chance of hanging onto it.
That Cavs pick, which is top-10 protected in both 2019 and 2020, would turn into a pair of second-round selections if it doesn’t convey in either of the next two years.
Thunder, Lakers, Others Meet With Tyreke Evans
12:31pm: Appearing on 92.9 ESPN in Memphis, Evans’ brother said the free agent guard is also meeting with the Warriors and Hornets today, and has yet to be contacted by the Grizzlies (Twitter links via John Martin of 92.9 ESPN).
Evans’ brother said that “if the Grizzlies asked us for a last-minute meeting, we would take it,” but it sounds like the decision could come down to the Thunder, Lakers, Warriors, and Hornets, tweets Martin.
11:36am: Free agent guard Tyreke Evans met with the Thunder on Sunday in Los Angeles and will have a meeting with the Lakers on Monday, reports ESPN’s Chris Haynes (via Twitter).
While it’s not clear yet whether Oklahoma City or Los Angeles are serious suitors for Evans, either team would be a fascinating on-court fit. The Thunder and Lakers have been two of the most active clubs so far in free agency, with OKC having reached agreements with Paul George and Jerami Grant, while L.A. secured commitments from LeBron James, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Lance Stephenson, and JaVale McGee.
Given their activity so far, neither the Thunder nor Lakers could make Evans a lucrative offer as things currently stand. The Thunder project to be well into luxury-tax territory, so they’d have the $5.337MM mid-level exception available if they’re willing to use it — doing so would cost exponentially more in tax penalties.
As for the Lakers, we discussed their cap situation in depth earlier today. For now, they’d only be able to offer Evans a minimum-salary deal, but they could open up more cap room by renouncing Julius Randle or by waiving and stretching Luol Deng.
In addition to the Lakers and Thunder, the Pelicans have been linked to Evans, and the Grizzlies are also believed to have interest in re-signing the unrestricted free agent, who averaged an impressive 19.4 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 5.1 RPG in an injury-shortened 2017/18 campaign.
Free Agent Rumors: Parker, Kings, O’Quinn, Howard
The Kings are no longer believed to be pursuing restricted free agent forward Jabari Parker, a league source tells Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Reports from last week indicated that Parker was one of several free agents on the radar for the Kings, who were also linked to Zach LaVine and others.
Sacramento was one of the few NBA teams with cap room available, so if the Kings are out of the running for Parker, it will be interesting to see if the former No. 2 overall pick can find a lucrative offer elsewhere. The Bucks’ reported agreement with Ersan Ilyasova appears likely to hard-cap them, so a team could put pressure on Milwaukee with an aggressive offer sheet for Parker, but it remains to be seen which club might put such an offer on the table.
Here are a few more rumors from around the league on day two of free agency:
- The Sixers continue to express interest in free agent center Kyle O’Quinn, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that the Clippers and Pelicans are also in the mix for O’Quinn.
- Dwight Howard still has to be traded and then bought out before he officially becomes a free agent, but he could hit the market in about a week. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders tweets that he keeps hearing the Wizards and Warriors as potential landing spots for Howard. Sam Amick of USA Today reported over the weekend that the former No. 1 pick has interest in the Pelicans, Warriors, and Wizards, though Amick and others have suggested Golden State may not be sold on Howard’s fit.
- Former All-EuroLeague big man Nicolo Melli had a chance to pursue NBA opportunities this offseason, but has elected to return to Turkish team Fenerbahce, reports international basketball journalist David Pick (via Twitter). According to Pick, the Nets had “serious interest” in Melli, who figures to field NBA offers in 2019.