Thunder Sign Hamidou Diallo To Three-Year Deal
JULY 27: The Thunder have officially signed Diallo, according to the league’s transactions log.
JULY 25: The Thunder have agreed to terms with second-round pick Hamidou Diallo, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, Diallo will sign a three-year, $4MM contract with Oklahoma City.
Diallo, who averaged 10.0 PPG and 3.6 RPG during his first and only season as a Kentucky Wildcat, entered the draft as an early entrant this spring and was selected 45th overall. While Diallo was technically drafted by the Nets, the No. 45 pick had already been traded twice by that point — he was ultimately sent from Brooklyn to Charlotte to OKC.
Based on the reported terms, Diallo’s first NBA contract could be a minimum-salary deal, which would work out to $3.92MM. Because it’s a three-year pact, the Thunder will have to use a small portion of their taxpayer mid-level exception to complete the signing.
Diallo’s deal will push Oklahoma City’s team salary back up to approximately $149.58MM and the club’s projected tax bill up to about $93.19MM — it will also fill OKC’s 15-man roster. The Thunder may not be done with their offseason moves, however, as Kyle Singler remains a candidate to be waived and stretched.
Thunder second-rounders Devon Hall and Kevin Hervey remain unsigned for now, as our tracker shows.
Pat Riley Talks Wade, Haslem, Winslow, Whiteside
The futures of Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem remain uncertain for now, but Heat president Pat Riley said today on a conference call that he expects both players to make decisions within the next few weeks on whether or not they want to return to Miami. While Wade and Haslem have reportedly received overseas interest, there’s a belief that both players are more likely to either re-sign with the Heat or retire.
As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald details, Riley said that he expects to have some clarity on both players by the middle of August. The Heat president also spoke specifically about the club’s desire to re-sign Wade.
“I want Dwyane back as a player, a guy who wants to have the greatest year he’s ever had as a player,” Riley said of the longtime Heat star. “I read more articles about Dwyane might not have the same motivation, but I still see a player who can contribute heavily if he really wants to. If he plays, he’s going to want to do it. We don’t want him back as a placemat holder or someone who’s going to be a veteran in the locker room. Dwyane is a great player, a great talent. He can make a big difference for us.”
There have been reports indicating that Wade would want the $5.337MM taxpayer mid-level exception if he returns to the Heat, but Riley deflected an inquiry about whether the team would be willing to offer its MLE, suggesting that’s a question for owner Micky Arison.
Here’s more from Riley, via Jackson:
- Riley dismissed the idea that he’s frustrated by not being able to make any real upgrades to last year’s roster, telling reporters that “continuity is important” for the club.
- The Heat have been in touch with Justise Winslow‘s agent, but discussions about a rookie scale contract extension are unlikely to become serious until later in the offseason. “We are going to address that in late August, once everything dies down,” Riley said. “We look at Justise as one of our anchor pieces. We will have that extension discussion in late August. We don’t have to do anything until mid-October.”
- Riley confirmed that the Heat haven’t been willing to surrender young players and picks in order to trade highly-priced veterans this offseason. “We have had opportunities this summer to do that a lot and it wasn’t worth getting rid of our young assets or picks coming up, so we decided to stand pat with team that we have,” he said.
- According to Riley, there have been “great discussions” between head coach Erik Spoelstra and disgruntled center Hassan Whiteside. Riley says he expects Whiteside to have a big year in 2018/19 and claimed that the big man “has not been shopped all over the league.”
Former King Jack Cooley To Play In Italy
Veteran NBA big man Jack Cooley is headed overseas for the 2018/19 season, with Italian club Dinamo Sassari officially announcing a deal with Cooley. It’s a one-year contract, per Sportando.
The move represents a return to Europe for Cooley, who has previously played for teams in Turkey, Germany, and Spain. The former Notre Dame standout also has NBA stints with Utah and Sacramento, having spent the 2017/18 season on a two-way contract with the Kings. Cooley appeared in just seven games for the Kings, but was a key contributor for the Reno Bighorns, Sacramento’s G League affiliate, averaging 17.7 PPG and 9.7 RPG in 39 games.
The Kings opted not to tender a qualifying offer to Cooley last month, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 27-year-old appeared in five Summer League games in Las Vegas for the Suns, but will continue his playing career overseas rather than in the NBA.
Sacramento currently has both of its two-way contract slots open after filling them with Cooley and JaKarr Sampson last season.
And-Ones: Super-Max, Team USA, Evans, Bibby
As ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes in his latest column, the “super-max” extension, also known as the Designated Veteran Extension, was included in the NBA’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement in part as a reaction to Kevin Durant signing with the Warriors in 2016. The thinking was that giving a team the opportunity to give its star player a larger contract (35% of the cap instead of 30%) earlier in his career would help clubs keep their very best players.
However, as Lowe writes, while offering the super-max to a top-five player is a no-brainer, it becomes a dicier proposition for a top-10, top-15, or top-20 player.
The Bulls decided to trade Jimmy Butler rather than having to decide on a super-max offer, and according to Lowe, some members of the Pacers‘ front office had “qualms” about making such an offer to Paul George. John Wall and Russell Westbrook both received super-max extensions, but those deals will run through 2023 and could very well become albatrosses before they expire.
While there’s no indication that the league is considering any changes to the Designated Veteran Extension at this point, Lowe offers up some potential tweaks to the rule, along with thoughts from NBA executives. One idea, for example, would see super-max contracts become exempt from luxury-tax penalties — that proposal wouldn’t do much besides save owners money though, and would complicate potential trades. For more of Lowe’s ideas, be sure to check out his piece in full.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- With Team USA’s mini-camp in Las Vegas continuing today, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has published an FAQ explaining the purpose of the camp and why certain players aren’t attending, and looking ahead to the next major competitions for USA Basketball.
- A group of NBA.com reporters and analysts weighs in on the offseason’s best under-the-radar moves, with the Pacers‘ signing of Tyreke Evans receiving multiple votes. The Nerlens Noel (Thunder), Anthony Tolliver (Timberwolves), and Isaiah Thomas (Nuggets) deals are also mentioned.
- Mike Bibby took a step toward his goal of coaching the NBA by helping out with the Grizzlies‘ Summer League squad earlier this month. The former NBA point guard spoke to Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com about the experience.
- ESPN’s Kevin Pelton and Mike Schmitz (Insider link) identify the candidates for the NBA’s 2018/19 Rookie of the Year award, with Pelton identifying Deandre Ayton as his frontrunner while Schmitz picks Luka Doncic.
Pelicans Sign Troy Williams
JULY 27: The Pelicans have officially signed Williams, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 25: Troy Williams has reached an agreement to sign with the Pelicans, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
Williams will get a two-year deal with a team option for the second season, according to Will Guillory of The Times-Picayune (Twitter link). He will have a small guarantee but no promise of a roster spot, adds Scott Kushner of The Advocate (Twitter link). It will be a minimum-salary contract, as New Orleans has used all its cap room and available exceptions.
New Orleans will be the fourth franchise for the third-year forward, who divided last season between the Rockets and Knicks. He showed promise in 17 games for New York, averaging 7.5 PPG and 3.5 RPG in 17 minutes per night, but the Knicks opted not to re-sign him.
Williams went undrafted out of Indiana in 2016 before signing with the Grizzlies. He was a part-time starter in Memphis, but was waived after 24 games. He spent brief parts of two seasons with the Rockets before landing in New York.
The addition of Williams, along with this week’s signings of Kenrich Williams and Garlon Green, brings New Orleans’ roster to 18 players, with 12 guaranteed NBA contracts.
Notable Free Agent Wings Still Available
We’re nearing the four-week mark of the NBA’s new league year, and most of this year’s best free agents have found new teams — or new deals with their old teams. Only four players from our list of the top 50 free agents of 2018 remain unsigned.
Still, a perusal of our list of 2018’s remaining free agents reveals several noteworthy names. Roster spots around the NBA are becoming scarce, but a number of unsigned players could help out contending teams. Some of these players could sign in the coming days or weeks, while others may have to wait for injuries to open up opportunities.
In a series of posts, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the most notable free agents still on the board, breaking them down by position. That series started on Thursday with a breakdown of some of the top guards available, and continues today with a list of some of the most intriguing veteran wings on the open market.
Let’s dive in…
Rodney Hood (RFA): Along with Rockets big man Clint Capela, Hood is the most prominent free agent still available, with restricted free agency limiting his leverage. Only the Kings still have the cap room available to throw a lucrative offer sheet at Hood, but Sacramento seems very unlikely to do so, leaving the former Jazz first-rounder to decide between accepting whatever multiyear offer Cleveland makes or signing his $3.47MM qualifying offer. Opting for the QO would be a risk, but Hood could be in line for a larger role with the Cavs in 2018/19 now that LeBron James is gone.- David Nwaba (UFA): After starting the month as a restricted free agent, Nwaba had his qualifying offer rescinded by the Bulls, seemingly opening up his market. However, despite being linked to the Spurs, Lakers, and Cavaliers since then, the standout perimeter defender is still without a deal.
- Nick Young (UFA): Young played regular minutes for the NBA champions in 2017/18 and shot 37.7% on three-pointers, right in line with his career average. It seems like it should just be a matter of time before he catches on with an NBA team. We heard earlier in the month that at least six clubs were said to have interest, so perhaps Young’s asking price was too high.
- Corey Brewer (UFA): After joining the Thunder, Brewer made 34.3% of his regular-season three-point attempts and 45.5% in the playoffs. If any team believes those numbers are sustainable, it would probably have already signed Brewer. Still, even if his shooting numbers regress and he doesn’t produce much on offense, Brewer can provide energy and defense for a second unit.
- Shabazz Muhammad (UFA): Muhammad claims he’s in the best shape of his life, and says he’s been working on corner threes in an effort to improve his career .319 3PT%. Potential suitors may prefer to hear that he’s working on his defense, but the 25-year-old could still have value as a volume scorer off the bench.
- Arron Afflalo (UFA): Afflalo averaged a career-low 3.4 PPG and 12.9 MPG with the Magic last season, but his .386 3PT% matched his career rate. While his days as a primary offensive option are behind him, the 11-year veteran is capable of being a decent depth piece.
- Luke Babbitt (UFA): Babbitt, a career 40.2% three-point shooter who can play either forward position, reportedly drew some interest from the Cavaliers. If an NBA deal doesn’t materialize, he should have opportunities overseas, with Barcelona and Maccabi Tel Aviv among the European teams that checked in on the veteran earlier in July.
- Pat Connaughton (UFA): The Trail Blazers decided not to tender a low-cost qualifying offer to Connaughton even after he played a regular role for the club last season, making him an unrestricted free agent. Connaughton is still just 25 years old and had a solid .423/.352/.841 shooting line in 2017/18.
- Joe Johnson (UFA): Johnson was deemed worthy of a roster spot by the team with the NBA’s best record last season, but his stint with the Rockets wasn’t particularly impressive. He shot .381/.279/.952 in 23 regular season contests, then appeared sparingly in eight playoff games. Still, he’s only one year removed from a solid season in Utah and is only 37 years old — if he follows in the footsteps of guys like Vince Carter and Manu Ginobili, he could still have a few more seasons in him.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hornets Sign Joe Chealey
JULY 27: The Hornets have officially signed Chealey, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 26: The Hornets have agreed to a deal with undrafted guard Joe Chealey, Michael Scotto of The Athletic tweets.
The terms of Chealey’s deal weren’t specified, but it figures to be a training camp contract with little to no guaranteed money. The Hornets have an open spot on their 15-man roster but both of their two-way contract slots are filled. Center Mangok Mathiang, and shooting guard J.P. Macura hold the two-way slots.
Chealey played for the Hornets’ Summer League team.
The 6’4” Chealey, 22, played all four college seasons at the College of Charleston. He averaged 18.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 3.6 APG as a senior and led them to the NCAA Tournament. He scored 32 points in an overtime win in the Colonial Athletic Association championship against Northeastern but was held to two points by Auburn in the NCAAs.
Former Hawk Josh Magette To Play In Croatia
After spending the 2017/18 season under contract with the Hawks, free agent point guard Josh Magette will head overseas for the 2018/19 campaign. According to agent Chris Patrick (Twitter link), Magette has signed a deal with Croatian team KK Cedevita.
Since going undrafted out of Alabama-Huntsville in 2012, Magette has spent time with teams in the Netherlands and Greece, and is a veteran of the G League, having appeared in 181 total NBAGL games. He caught on with the Hawks during the 2017 offseason, signing a two-way contract and spending the entire season with the club.
Magette played sparingly in 18 games for Atlanta, seeing much more action in 36 contests with the Erie BayHawks. While the 28-year-old struggled with his shot in G League action (.374 FG%, .300 3PT%), he averaged a double-double on the season, racking up 15.1 PPG and 10.1 APG.
The Hawks opted to go in a different direction with their two-way contract slots for 2018/19, declining to tender qualifying offers to Magette or Andrew White. Jaylen Adams currently occupies one of Atlanta’s two-way slots, while Alex Poythress is poised to take the other.
Jordan Mickey To Play In Russia
JULY 27: Mickey’s one-year deal with Khimki is official, the team announced today in a press release.
“Jordan has ambitions and big desire to play at the highest level,” head coach Georgios Bartzokas said in a statement. “I’m sure, we will help him also as well as he will help Khimki to achieve our goals. I wanted to sign him even last year but didn’t have a chance.”
JULY 25: Heat free agent Jordan Mickey appears headed to Russia, according to Nikos Varlas of EuroHoops. Mickey is reportedly close to a deal with Khimki Moscow Region.
The 24-year-old forward appeared in 23 games after signing with Miami prior to the start of last season, averaging 4.0 PPG in about 12 minutes per night. He was a second-round pick by the Celtics in 2015 and spent two seasons in Boston before being waived.
If Mickey finalizes a deal with Khimki, he will likely replace Thomas Robinson, who played five NBA seasons before heading overseas in 2017.
Jaylen Morris Signs Two-Way Deal With Bucks
JULY 27: Morris has officially signed a two-way contract with the Bucks, per RealGM’s transactions log.
JULY 26: Less than a week after he finalized a deal with Italian team Fiat Torino, former Hawk Jaylen Morris may have decided against playing overseas. According to international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link), Morris is opting out of his contract with Fiat Torino and will sign a two-way deal with the Bucks.
Morris, who was waived a week ago by Atlanta in order to help the team clear cap room to complete its acquisition of Carmelo Anthony, quickly caught on with Larry Brown‘s team in Italy. However, reports at the time indicated that Morris’ new deal had an opt-out clause in case he received an NBA offer.
Assuming he makes things official with the Bucks, Morris would fill the team’s second two-way contract slot. Former Duke point guard Trevon Duval signed a two-way deal with the club earlier this week. Milwaukee also still has a two-way qualifying offer out to Xavier Munford, but deals with both Duval and Morris would seemingly eliminate Munford’s chances of returning to the Bucks on a two-way contract of his own.
After going undrafted out of Molloy in 2017, Morris appeared in 39 games for the Erie BayHawks in 2017/18, averaging 12.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 2.4 APG for Atlanta’s G League affiliate. The Hawks called up Morris late in the season, inking him to a pair of 10-day deals, then a rest-of-season contract. The 6’5″ shooting guard played just six games for the NBA club.