Raptors Sign Chris Boucher To Two-Year Deal
5:15pm: The Raptors have officially signed Boucher, the team confirmed in a press release.
3:51pm: The Raptors have agreed to a new multi-year contract with Chris Boucher, promoting him from his current two-way deal with the team, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
The agreement is a two-year deal that contains a partial guarantee for the 2019/20 season, according to The Athletic’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link).
Boucher, 26, has held per-game averages of 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and one block in 16 contests with the Raptors this season, shooting 46% from the field and 39% from behind-the-arc. He spent time with the Warriors during their championship 2017/18 season to start his career, but appeared in just one professional game.
Toronto also plans to sign Ben McLemore and Malcolm Miller on 10-day deals, but the team must sign another player to a standard contract before inking the pair due to CBA rules (hat tip to Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights). The Raptors have 11 players under contract, with the CBA requiring that they have 12 players on standard deals before signing players to 10-day contracts.
Boucher originally signed with the team last July and saw his contract converted to a two-way deal in October. He has impressed in his short time with the organization as he aims to develop into a valuable rotation player behind the likes of Serge Ibaka and Pascal Siakam.
Hornets Claim Shelvin Mack Off Waivers
While the Hornets didn’t make a move at the trade deadline, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium is reporting (via Twitter) that they will be adding more depth by claiming Shelvin Mack off of waivers after the veteran point guard was released by the Hawks.
Before being traded by the Grizzlies and subsequently released by Atlanta, Mack was averaging 7.9 points and 3.4 assists per game in a prominent role for Memphis. Mack appeared in 53 games and played 22.7 minutes per game, the second-highest average of his career.
The Hornets have received quality play at point guard with Tony Parker backing up All-Star Kemba Walker, so it will be interesting to see how much playing time Mack receives down the stretch of the regular season.
Because the Hornets have claimed Mack off of waivers, the Hawks are no longer responsible for the remainder of Mack’s contract, which is now off of their salary cap. Because the veteran point guard was on a minimum salary deal, Charlotte was able to claim him using the minimum salary exception.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Davis, Porzingis, Gasol
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has emphasized that the team isn’t done adding players to its roster, according to Hunter Atkins of the Houston Chronicle.
Morey, who has served as the Rockets’ GM since 2007, said he has held discussions with multiple representatives, though he didn’t mention any specific player by name.
“We’re having multiple conversations,” Morey said, as relayed by Atkins. “We have a couple players at the top of the list. Until they clear waivers, it’s not something — we can’t really talk to them.”
For the Rockets, several veteran players cleared waivers this past week, including the likes of Markieff Morris, Marcin Gortat, Enes Kanter and Omri Casspi. Houston also had interest in Wesley Matthews before he agreed to sign with Indiana a few days ago, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link).
The Rockets acquired defensive-minded Iman Shumpert at the NBA’s trading deadline, but still have an open roster spot to work with for the buyout market. The team holds the fifth best record in the West at 32-23 and could also work out a new contract with Danuel House, who remains in the G League.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division today:
- Pelicans star Anthony Davis played in the second half of a back-to-back set with the team on Saturday, recording 14 points and 16 rebounds in nearly 34 minutes of action. Davis and the team agreed that his minutes would be reduced as he returns from injury, along with the fact that both sides will consult on which ends of back-to-backs Davis will play the rest of the season, according to ESPN.com. Davis formally requested a trade from the Pelicans through agent Rich Paul last month, but the team still held onto him past the Feb. 7 trading deadline.
- Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle showed new acquisition Kristaps Porzingis how the team plans to utilize him in a one-on-one meeting Friday, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “It’s important to have a vision of the direction that you’re going to be going when you’re in a rehab situation like him, so you can get your mind focused on the kind of movements that are going to be required,” Carlisle said. “It was a very good meeting. I asked him for some feedback and we had good discussions.” Porzingis has made positive signs in his rehab from a torn ACL, but he isn’t expected to play for the Mavericks until next season.
- Grizzlies owner Robert Pera released a statement on Marc Gasol after the franchise traded him to Toronto last week: “Marc has been a dedicated teammate, star player and pillar of this team for the past 11 seasons,” the statement read. “He plays with a heart and a passion for the game that helped carry this franchise to seven straight playoff appearances, but what Marc has done for this organization is about more than just basketball. He was a part of a core group of players that helped shape the identity of this franchise on and off the court and were embraced by the City of Memphis. On behalf of the Grizzlies organization, I would like to thank him for his blood, sweat and dedication to the Grizzlies and Memphis. The impact he has had on this team and the city will live on, and we look forward to one day welcoming him back home to Memphis where his #33 jersey will hang in the rafters of FedExForum next to Zach and Tony.”
Raptors Notes: Roster, Gasol, Leonard, Lowry
The Raptors have agreements to add a pair of players on 10-day contracts, but they might not join the team right away. A franchise has to have 12 players with standard contracts before it can issue 10-day deals, tweets Keith Smith of Real GM, and Toronto is down to 10 after after the trade deadline.
Malcolm Miller and Ben McLemore have both committed to joining the Raptors on 10-day contracts as soon as the situation is resolved. A 25-year-old forward, Miller was a two-way player in Toronto last season and appeared in 15 games. He suffered a dislocated shoulder during Summer League and has been doing rehab work with the Raptors’ G League affiliate. McLemore, the seventh pick in the 2014 draft, was waived by the Kings this week.
GM Bobby Webster tells Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports that the team plans to be aggressive on the buyout market. It will comply with league rules about roster size, but several moves may not come until after the All-Star break. (Twitter link). The Raptors have compiled a ranking of buyout prospects and have talked with several of their agents to express interest (Twitter link).
There’s more from Toronto:
- Newly acquired center Marc Gasol doesn’t mind that the Raptors plan to experiment with him to determine his best role, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. The former Grizzlies star came off the bench Saturday in his Raptors debut, posting seven points and six rebounds in a win over the Knicks. Coach Nick Nurse plans to use Gasol’s passing skills to expand the offense and will make him “captain” of the defense. “I’m not going to rush anything,” Gasol said. “As a player you just want to help a team accomplish their goals. That’s what this is about.”
- Knicks fans have interest in Kawhi Leonard‘s future now that their team has room to offer two max contracts, but the Raptors forward didn’t want to discuss the topic after Saturday’s game in New York, relays Steve Popper of Newsday. “I’m not talking about that right now,” he told reporters. “We’re going to get there. I’m focused on this season. We can talk about the game.”
- Team president Masai Ujiri doesn’t expect Kyle Lowry to be rattled about hearing his name in trade rumors, according to Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. There were whispers that Lowry might be headed out of Toronto if the team could acquire Mike Conley from the Grizzlies. “I had a very good conversation with Kyle, and rumors are rumors, to be honest,” Ujiri said. “I see no issues, honestly, with him. Zero. We’re good, and I think his mind is focused on this run.”
Mavericks Bring Back Salah Mejri
Salah Mejri has re-signed with the Mavericks, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Mejri was waived Thursday to open a roster spot so the team could complete a deal that sent Harrison Barnes to the Kings. He cleared waivers Saturday.
Zach Randolph, who was acquired from Sacramento along with Justin Jackson, was waived Friday, creating an opening to bring back Mejri. Randolph hasn’t taken the court yet this season.
Mejri is in his fourth season with Dallas, but hasn’t seen much action this year. He has appeared in just 16 games, averaging 3.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per night.
The 32-year-old center played briefly with Luka Doncic in Real Madrid during the 2015/16 season and is friends with the rookie standout, notes Selby Lopez of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic posted a farewell message to Mejri on Instagram and another objecting to the flurry of trades the team made in the week leading up to the deadline, so Lopez suggests that Mejri was re-signed in part to help keep Doncic happy.
Pacers Sign Wesley Matthews
Free agent guard Wesley Matthews, who agreed to a buyout with the Knicks earlier this week, has signed with the Pacers, the team announced on Twitter.
New York acquired Matthews in the January 31 trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas. He played just two games for the Knicks before parting ways with the team. The 32-year-old appeared in 44 games with the Mavericks before the trade, averaging 13.1 points per night and shooting 38% from 3-point territory.
The Pacers have a pair of roster openings, so no move was needed to add Matthews. Indiana has been looking for backcourt help since star guard Victor Oladipo suffered a season-ending injury last month.
Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Davis, Trade Deadline, Allen
The Knicks were surprised to discover how much Kristaps Porzingis‘ trade value had dropped when they started shopping him, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post. Some of that was because of the ACL injury that has sidelined him for a year with still no clear date for a return. But some executives also expressed reservations about “where his mind was at and his actual skill set,’’ a source tells Berman.
The Knicks had three criteria in any trade for Porzingis: a good young prospect, which they got in Dennis Smith Jr.; enough expiring contracts to offer two max deals in free agency, which Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan provided; and future first-round picks. Of eight to 10 offers that were available, the Dallas deal was the best one that checked all three boxes.
But New York could have gotten much more if it had traded Porzingis prior to the 2017 draft, when former team president Phil Jackson first raised the idea. Berman reports that the Celtics offered a package of young assets, while the Suns were willing to part with Devin Booker along with a draft pick swap that could have brought Lauri Markkanen to the Knicks.
There’s more this morning from New York City:
- Signing two elite free agents is just one way the Knicks can take advantage of their cap space, Berman notes in the same story. They could also use that money to absorb Anthony Davis‘ $27MM salary in a potential trade with the Pelicans. New York attempted to convince New Orleans GM Dell Demps to accept Porzingis as part of a package for Davis rather than wait for a trade this summer, a source close to Demps tells Berman, but the Pelicans didn’t believe Porzingis would be willing to re-sign in a smaller market. Berman states that the Knicks will become a serious contender for Davis if they land a top-two pick on lottery night.
- A lack of interest in their available players led to the Knicks being quiet on deadline day, Berman adds. Virtually no one wanted to take on Enes Kanter‘s $18.6MM contract when a buyout was expected; offers for Frank Ntilikina “underwhelmed;” Damyean Dotson sparked some inquiries, but not enough for New York to act; and few teams made offers for Noah Vonleh.
- G League callup Kadeem Allen continues to impress, Berman and Howie Kussoy write in a separate story. Allen, who signed a two-way contract with the Knicks last month, played in his seventh straight game last night and produced career highs with 14 points and six assists. “He’s a tough little runt. I love him. I really do. He fits my personality,” coach David Fizdale said. “He’s a grimy kid. He’s really worked his way to where he’s at. He keeps getting better and better.”
Marcus Morris: “Hasn’t Been Any Fun” In Boston
Marcus Morris provided some insight into the Celtics‘ locker room situation after Saturday’s loss to the Clippers, relays Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Morris’ comments came at the end of a miserable night for the team, which squandered a 28-point lead and saw Kyrie Irving leave in the second quarter with a sprained right knee.
With the Celtics reeling from back-to-back losses to both L.A. teams, Morris said the season “just hasn’t been fun for a long time.” Boston, which was projected to be the top team in the East, has underachieved all season long, sporting a 35-21 record and holding the fifth spot in the conference. Players have been asked to adjust to new roles, Irving has publicly called out his younger teammates, speculation has started that he might break his verbal commitment to re-sign with Boston and there have been persistent rumors that the team will break up its core in a few months to chase Anthony Davis.
“For me, it’s not really about [Saturday’s] loss. It’s about the attitudes that we’re playing with,” Morris said. “Guys are hanging their heads. It’s just not fun. It’s not fun. We’re not competing at a high level.
“Even though we’re winning, it’s not fun. I don’t see the joy in the game. I watch all these other teams around the league and guys are up on the bench, they’re jumping on the court, they’re doing all of this other stuff that looks like they’re enjoying their teammates’ success, they’re enjoying everything, and they’re playing together and they’re playing to win. And when I look at us, I just see a bunch of individuals.”
Morris volunteered to give up his starting role if a rotation shakeup might help the team, but Forsberg suggests that’s not the best solution. The Celtics’ starting five has been among the NBA’s best when Irving has been healthy.
As Forsberg notes, there’s no obvious solution to what has gone wrong. Talent isn’t the issue, as prior to the trade deadline, Morris lobbied the front office to keep the current team together. It appeared players were starting to embrace their roles amid a recent winning streak, but the last two losses have raised questions again.
“I’ve never seen a team that’s not having fun, that’s not bonding well on the court, win a championship,” said Morris. “If the goal is to win a championship, that has to change first.”
Lorenzo Brown Will Play In China
China will be the next stop for former Raptors point guard Lorenzo Brown, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Brown, who was waived in January, has signed a contract with the Guangzhou Long Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Brown appeared in 26 games for the Raptors this season, averaging 2.1 points and 1.1 assists in 8.2 minutes per night. He spent 2017/18 as a two-way player for Toronto, getting into 14 NBA games, then signed a standard contract last summer.
Brown, who was named MVP of the G League last year, was a second-round pick by the Timberwolves in 2013. He also had brief stops with the Sixers and Suns.
Otto Porter Claims Wizards Promised Not To Trade Him
Otto Porter said Wizards management held a private meeting with him before the trade deadline and assured him that he would remain with the team, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Washington’s front office changed its mind sometime before Wednesday night when Porter was shipped to Chicago in exchange for Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker.
Porter was expected to be part of the Wizards’ future when he agreed to a rookie-scale extension in 2017. However, his production never matched his lofty new salary and he had settled into a sixth-man role since returning from an injury last month. He was owed $27.25MM next year and has a player option worth nearly $28.5MM for 2020/21, which created a luxury tax bind for a Wizards team that may not make the playoffs.
Katz notes that owner Ted Leonsis did a radio interview about a week ago in which he promised that Moore, John Wall and Bradley Beal would all stay with the organization past the deadline.
There’s more Wizards and Bulls news as the teams met tonight, just three days after the trade:
- Parker contends his relationship with Jim Boylen did “a complete 180” after Boylen replaced Fred Hoiberg as Chicago’s head coach in December, relays Madeline Kenney of The Chicago Sun-Times. “[Before that,] we never had controversy,” Parker said. “I always had his back, you know, with things that we had in-house problems with.” Displeased with Parker’s effort and commitment to defense, Boylen took him out of the rotation and Parker appeared in just one of 13 games in the first month that Boylen ran the team. “I’m happy,” Parker said of the deal that sent him to Washington. “I haven’t smiled in a while, but it’s great.”
- Portis said he learned of Wednesday’s trade about 20 minutes prior to a game against the Pelicans and his “stomach dropped,” according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Portis seemed shocked about being dealt away from the team that drafted him in 2015. “Everybody knows how much I prided myself in playing for the Bulls and how much I really loved playing for the city of Chicago,” he said. “It’s a business and I finally got my first taste of it.”
- Porter enjoyed the chance to provide inside information about his former team heading into tonight’s game, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. “Yeah, I was telling coach everything there was to know about Washington,” he said. “Everything. … I was snitching, yeah.”