Rockets Notes: Gordon, D’Antoni, Hartenstein, MCW
Rockets guard Eric Gordon is unlikely to sign a contract extension with the team at this point, the 29-year-old said this week, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Gordon’s representatives spoke with Rockets management about a potential extension this summer, but talks didn’t advance past the initial stage.
Gordon is set to enter the third season of his four-year, $52MM contract, establishing himself as a valuable scorer off the Rockets’ bench. Since Houston is over the salary cap, the club could only offer a starting salary worth up to 120% of Gordon’s $14MM salary for 2019/20 in any potential extension, according to Feigen. The team can then offer 8% raises for the following seasons, but the thought of receiving better offers in the free agency of 2020 likely intrigues Gordon more.
“There were extension talks, but nothing really serious,” Gordon said. “I would much rather be here (in Houston) as long as I can. Everything will work out. I’ll be here another two years. We’ll see what happens. I’ll see how the next two years go, but I would definitely like to be here the rest of my career.”
There’s more from the Rockets:
- Houston exercised its 2019/20 option on head coach Mike D’Antoni over the summer, but hopes to retain him for many years beyond that, Feigen writes in a separate column. “Mike is going to be here as long as we can keep him here,” Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said.
- Several players are competing for the Rockets’ backup center position, Feigen notes, but 20-year-old Isaiah Hartenstein appears to have a decisive lead just three days into camp.
- Michael Carter-Williams hopes to take advantage of his versatility this season, Feigen writes, which could allow him to see minutes at the wing positions. “I definitely need to take a look at several positions,” Carter-Williams said.
Pacific Notes: Ball, James, Kings, Cousins
Lonzo Ball has returned to full-contact practice with the Lakers, the team posted on social media. His status for Sunday’s preseason opener against the Nuggets is uncertain, but he was able to play through practice Thursday on the third day of the team’s training camp.
Ball, the second pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, underwent arthroscopy surgery on his left knee in July. The operation was conducted to repair a torn meniscus suffered last spring, with Ball now focused on his second season as a member of the Lakers.
“Lonzo practiced in full today,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said. “He looked really good. It was good to see him out there cutting, making his reads and his passes.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Despite having a talented roster, Lakers forward LeBron James knows there’s still plenty of work to do before catching the Warriors. “We got a long way to go to get to Golden State,” James said, according to USA TODAY’s Josh Peter. “They could pick up right where they left off starting with training camp if they start today. We’re picking up from scratch, so we have a long way to go.”
- The Kings remain interested in serving as a third team in any Jimmy Butler deal, tweets Sam Amick of USA TODAY. Sacramento is willing to take on a bad contract, but the team will be cautious with its future cap flexibility.
- New Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins published a piece on The Players’ Tribune about why he chose to sign with Golden State this offseason. “It was the best basketball decision I ever made,” Cousins wrote.
Magic Sign Devin Davis, Waive Gabe York
The Magic announced a pair of roster moves on Thursday, signing free agent forward Devin Davis to a contract while waiving guard Gabe York.
Davis, 23, played 55 games over two seasons (2016-18) at the University of Houston. He was the only member of his team to start in all 35 games during his senior season last year, averaging 10.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest. He went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft.
York, who signed with the Magic for camp earlier in the month, spent time in Germany last season with Medi Bayreuth. He played 44 games with the Magic’s G League affiliate Lakeland Magic during the 2016/17 season.
The Magic have 20 players under contract for training camp, with their first preseason game set to commence on October 1 against the 76ers.
Spurs Exercise 2019/20 Options On Jakob Poeltl, Derrick White
The Spurs have exercised the 2019/20 options in the contracts of Jakob Poeltl and Derrick White, the team announced in a press release. The club also exercised the $2.3MM option in Dejounte Murray’s contract for the season, as we noted earlier.
Poeltl was traded to the Spurs as part of a package featuring Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan in July, and is expected to provide depth in the frontcourt for San Antonio. His maturity and focus at the age of 22 has impressed Spurs’ staffers in his short time with the team.
Poeltl appeared in all 82 contests with the Raptors last season, holding per-game averages of 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 18.6 minutes. He was drafted with the No. 9 pick in 2016 after playing two collegiate seasons at Utah.
White, a 6’5″ combo guard who’s in his second NBA season, was selected by the Spurs with the 29th pick in 2017. He played just 17 games last season with the franchise, spending most of his time with the team’s G League affiliate Austin Spurs.
The Spurs have a cap charge of $3.7MM for 2019/10 by picking up Poeltl’s team option, and a separate charge of $1.9MM by exercising White’s option. Poeltl’s rookie contract is due to expire in 2020, while White has a fourth-year option for the 2020/21 campaign.
Spurs Pick Up Dejounte Murray’s Fourth-Year Option
The Spurs have picked up the fourth year option in Dejounte Murray‘s contract, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The option is worth $2.3MM for the 2019/20 season.
Murray, 22, appeared in 81 games last season, averaging 8.1 points and 5.7 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per contest. He’s established himself as a premier defender with the Spurs, being named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team last season.
Murray is expected to start at point guard and play alongside DeMar DeRozan in San Antonio’s new-look backcourt this season. The Spurs hold confidence that Murray can take the reins from Tony Parker, who left the team in free agency, and become a permanent starter in the league. San Antonio will need his production to have a chance at competing with elite Western Conference teams such as the Warriors, Rockets and Thunder.
Murray was drafted with the 29th overall pick in 2016 after spending one year in college with Washington. He’s entering his third season with the team this fall.
The Spurs will also need to make 2019/20 option decisions on Jakob Poeltl and Derrick White before the October 31 deadline.
Kings Sign Brandon Austin To Camp Deal
The Kings have added another player to their roster for training camp, signing Brandon Austin to a camp deal, as James Ham of NBC Sports California tweets. Austin, who spent time in the G League last season, appears likely to end up with the Reno Bighorns this season, tweets Sean Cunningham of ABC10 in Sacramento.
Austin, a 6’8″ wing, went undrafted out of Northwest Florida State College in 2016. Last season, he appeared in 15 games for the Bighorns, Sacramento’s G League affiliate, averaging 9.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.5 APG in 16.5 minutes per contest.
With Austin under contract, the Kings are now carrying 19 players, one short of the preseason limit. That roster count includes 15 players on guaranteed salaries, three (Austin, Cameron Reynolds, and Jamel Artis) on non-guaranteed deals, and one (Wenyen Gabriel) on a two-way pact.
Magic Exercise 2019/20 Option On Jonathan Isaac
The Magic have picked up their third-year team option on Jonathan Isaac‘s rookie contract, the team announced today in a press release. The option covers the 2019/20 season.
Isaac, who will turn 21 next Wednesday, appeared in just 27 games for the Magic in his rookie season, with his playing time limited by injuries and lineup decisions. However, the former sixth overall pick is considered a key part of Orlando’s long-term future, having been the first player drafted by the team’s current management group.
By exercising Isaac’s option, the Magic lock him in for the 2019/20 season with a $5.81MM cap charge. The young power forward also has a fourth-year option worth $7.36MM for 2020/21 — the club will have to make a decision on that option next fall before Isaac becomes extension-eligible in the summer of 2020.
Isaac’s was the only 2019/20 option the Magic had to make a decision on. The full list of rookie scale options decisions for ’19/20 can be found right here.
Central Notes: Pistons, Cavs, Nance, Portis, Hoiberg
Assuming they’re all healthy to start the season, Andre Drummond, Blake Griffin, and Reggie Jackson are locked in as three of the five players in the Pistons‘ starting lineup. However, head coach Dwane Casey hasn’t tipped his hand on which two wings will be joining them, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News.
“Guys are competing and it’s not going to be a quarterback controversy at all. We’re going to put the right people in the right positions, whether it’s the starting group or the second group that fit,” the Pistons’ new coach said. “That’s something we’re going to be watching over the next couple weeks to see. We have a good idea but nothing is concrete right now. There are guys who are defensive-minded and great defensively and guys who can shoot the lights out. We just have to figure it out.”
According to Beard, the early thought is that Casey will go with Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson. There are other contenders, including second-year sharpshooter Luke Kennard and newly-signed wing Glenn Robinson III, but Kennard is still recovering from a knee injury and Robinson will have to develop chemistry with his new teammates.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- The Cavaliers announced a series of promotions and hirings within their ranks this week. Among other moves, Cleveland named Dan Geriot and Mike Gerrity assistant coaches and added Andrew Olson as a shooting coach.
- The Cavaliers are confident about their chances of securing Larry Nance Jr. to a long-term deal prior to the October 15 deadline for rookie scale extensions, tweets Tom Withers of The Associated Press.
- Speaking of rookie scale extension candidates, Bobby Portis is also eligible for a new contract up until October 15. The Bulls big man appears set to enter the 2018/19 season as the club’s sixth man, a role he’s comfortable with, as Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago details.
- With the Bulls‘ still in the midst of their rebuilding process, top executive John Paxson declined to name a win total when asked about the team’s expectations earlier this week. However, head coach Fred Hoiberg knows he’ll be expected to show positive steps forward during the fourth season of his five-year contract with the franchise, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Mirza Teletovic To Retire
Veteran NBA forward Mirza Teletovic is retiring as a player, tweets Alberto De Roa of HoopsHype. According to De Roa, Teletovic has accepted an offer to become the new president of the Bosnian Basketball Federation. The 33-year-old confirmed his new career path in a statement (Bosnian link via BHBasket.ba).
Teletovic, who started last season with the Bucks, was limited to 10 games due to a medical condition diagnosed as pulmonary emboli in both lungs. He had a similar health scare a few years ago when he developed multiple blood clots in his lungs.
When reports surfaced in the winter suggesting that Teletovic’s playing career was likely over, the six-year NBA veteran denied it. However, he was waived by Milwaukee the following week and his retirement decision appears to be motivated by those health issues.
Once a full year has passed since the date of Teletovic’s last NBA game (November 7), the Bucks could apply to have his remaining cap hits – $3.5MM annually through 2020/21 – removed from their books. The Heat took a similar approach with Chris Bosh when he was ruled medically ineligible to return to action. An independent physician or a Fitness to Play panel would have to rule that it would be a medically unacceptable risk for Teletovic to return to action in order for the Bucks to receive any cap relief.
Over the course of his NBA career, Teletovic averaged 8.1 PPG and 3.2 RPG in 324 regular season contests with the Nets, Suns, and Bucks. The veteran stretch four played internationally for several years before making the leap to the NBA, including spending six seasons with Spanish club Baskonia. He earned All-ACB honors in 2012 before arriving stateside.
Nuggets Sign Donald Sloan
SEPTEMBER 27: The Nuggets have officially signed Sloan, according to RealGM’s NBA transactions log.
SEPTEMBER 19: The Nuggets appear set to fill the final spot on their 20-man offseason roster by signing veteran guard Donald Sloan, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Denver has 18 players officially under contract, but has reportedly reached a contract agreement with free agent guard Xavier Silas as well.
Sloan, 30, has played more than 200 regular season games over the course of his career, but hasn’t appeared in an NBA contest since 2015/16, when he saw action in 61 games for the Nets. Last season, he averaged 18.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, and 4.2 RPG in 24 games (34.6 MPG) for the Texas Legends, Dallas’ G League affiliate, before heading to China for a third stint with the Guangdong Southern Tigers.
As Wojnarowski notes, the Nuggets’ deal with Sloan comes in the heels of reports questioning Isaiah Thomas‘ availability this fall following March hip surgery.
As Chris Dempsey of Altitude Sports relayed on Tuesday (via Twitter), team president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was evasive when asked about the point guard’s status, suggesting that the Nuggets “want Isaiah to be right” before he returns to the court. Sam Amick of USA Today added (via Twitter) that Thomas is unlikely to be ready for training camp and his timeline remains unclear. “It might be a while,” Amick notes.
Of course, even if Thomas isn’t healthy for the start of the regular season, there may not be room on the 15-man roster for Sloan. The Nuggets are currently carrying 15 players on guaranteed salaries, and would have to trade or release one of those players to retain Sloan. Instead, second-year point guard Monte Morris could have the opportunity to earn a regular role for Denver to open the season.