Bucks Waive Jon Leuer
As expected, the Bucks have released veteran big man Jon Leuer, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. He’ll clear waivers and become an unrestricted on Thursday.
Leuer, 30, averaged 3.8 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 41 games (9.8 MPG) last season for the Pistons. Detroit sent his expiring contract to Milwaukee last month in exchange for Tony Snell and the No. 30 overall pick in the draft.
Because Leuer is earning less than Snell and only has one year left on his contract instead of two, waiving and stretching his expiring salary ($9,508,043) will be more manageable for the Bucks. That move was necessary in order to create the cap room to re-sign George Hill.
While stretching Leuer’s contract generates additional flexibility this year, the Bucks will have to be wary of the cap charges it creates in future seasons ($3,169,348 annually through 2021/22). Milwaukee’s roster only figures to get more expensive down the road, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo signs a super-max extension that goes into effect in ’20/21, so Leuer’s dead money could eventually help push team salary into the tax.
Bucks Re-Sign George Hill
JULY 9: Hill has officially re-signed with the Bucks, the team announced today in a press release.
“George is a consummate pro and an important part of our team,” GM Jon Horst said in a statement. “His veteran leadership and steady guard play were instrumental to our success last season, both during the regular season and the playoffs. We are thrilled to have him back with the Bucks.”
JULY 2: The Bucks officially waived Hill on Monday, according to the NBA’s transactions log. He’ll clear waivers this week, and then Milwaukee will be able to officially re-sign him once the moratorium ends on Saturday.
JUNE 30: The Bucks are set to re-sign veteran guard George Hill on a three-year, $29MM deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The deal has a partial guarantee in year three, tweets Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Milwaukee plans to waive Hill, who was originally set to make $18MM next season, and formally sign him to his new contract once the moratorium period ends on July 6.
Hill was a key cog for the Bucks during the postseason, scoring 11.5 points per game on 53% shooting from the floor and 42% shooting from 3-point range. Milwaukee values his experience, leadership and mentality on the hardwood and in the locker room.
The Bucks lost guard Malcolm Brogdon to Indiana on Sunday, but the team also worked to secure multi-year commitments from Hill, Khris Middleton, and two Lopezes — Brook Lopez and Robin Lopez.
Milwaukee will need to make at least one more roster move to fit Hill’s new contract in under the cap, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). While the deal is worth the same amount as the mid-level exception, the Bucks won’t have that exception available because they’ll need to use cap room to re-sign Brook Lopez.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Knicks, Reggie Bullock Re-Working Initial Agreement
The Knicks and free agent shooting guard Reggie Bullock are “re-working” the two-year, $21MM contract (second-year non-guaranteed) that they agreed upon last week, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
According to Wojnarowski, both sides are motivated to reach an agreement on a deal with new terms. However, agent David Bauman and the Knicks are re-evaluating Bullock’s fitness to play a full season in 2019/20.
Bullock was one of six veterans the Knicks agreed to sign in the early stages of free agency, but the team only officially completed deals with five of them on Monday, as we relayed late last night. Bullock was the exception, and now we have a better idea of why — while details are scarce so far, it sounds as if there was an issue with his physical.
If their agreement with Bullock falls through entirely, the Knicks’ cap room projection would increase to $14.8MM, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. However, it sounds like there’s optimism that something will get done.
Appearing in 63 total games for the Pistons and Lakers last season, Bullock recorded 12.1 PPG with a .377 3PT% in 63 total games.
Hornets Sign Robert Franks To Two-Way Contract
The Hornets have officially signed undrafted rookie Robert Franks to a two-way contract, the team confirmed today in a press release. Franks’ agreement with Charlotte was first reported shortly after the conclusion of last month’s draft.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Two-Way Contracts]
A 6’9″ forward out of Washington State, Franks had a strong senior season for the Cougars, averaging 21.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 2.6 APG while shooting 39.9% on three-pointers (7.0 attempts per game).. He earned First Team All-Pac 12 honors.
Charlotte carried J.P. Macura and Joe Chealey on two-way deals last season, but both players saw their contracts expire and became free agents at the end of June. As such, the Hornets will still have a two-way slot open after formally adding Franks.
Southeast Notes: Ross, Thomas, Wizards, Young
Veteran swingman Terrence Ross was one of the first players to come off the board after the free agent period officially opened on the evening of June 30, opting to return to the Magic on a four-year deal that will pay him a reported $54MM. However, remaining in Orlando was hardly Ross’ only option.
As John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com details, Ross said he received either serious interest or a contract offer from the Lakers, Jazz, Mavericks, Pacers, and Kings while he was a free agent. Like teammate Nikola Vucevic though, Ross preferred to stick with the Magic.
“I felt like for us, we both had a lot of other suitors, but our main focus all along was here (with the Magic),” Ross said. “It was one of those things where we were like, ‘Hey bro, wanna go and run it back?’ And we both were like, ‘Yeah.’ It worked out pretty quick because we were on the same page and it worked out perfectly.”
Let’s round up a few more notes from around the Southeast…
- Speaking to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, new Wizards point guard Isaiah Thomas said his free agency this time around was all about “opportunity,” since he wanted to join a team that would give him a chance to play a regular role. “When the Wizards called and showed interest, with John Wall being out possibly the whole year, that seemed like a big opportunity for me to be able to showcase that I’m 100 percent healthy and that I can still play at the high level that I’m used to playing at,” Thomas said.
- The Wizards are interviewing candidates in an effort to hire a new assistant to Scott Brooks‘ coaching staff, reports Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. While it’s not clear what kind of coach the team is seeking, Hughes notes that there has been talk within the franchise about finding someone with a “strong defensive track record.”
- According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link), Hawks guard Trae Young is expected to be among the players invited to join the USA Basketball Select Team, which will participate in training camp with the Team USA squad in Las Vegas next month prior to the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Warriors Notes: Russell, Iguodala, Robertson, Smailagic
It took less than 24 hours after D’Angelo Russell had agreed to join the Warriors via sign-and-trade for the trade speculation to begin. Marc Stein of The New York Times suggested during a July 1 radio appearance that Russell isn’t a long-term fit in Golden State, adding that it’s “just a matter of when” – not “if” – he’ll be dealt.
Speaking to reporters, including Nick Friedell of ESPN, on Monday for the first time as a Warrior, Russell acknowledged that a trade is a possibility at some point down the road (he can’t be dealt until at least December 15). However, D-Lo didn’t make it sound as if he’ll be stressing about that scenario.
“That’s the business of it,” Russell said. “It is what it is. You put yourself in a position to go somewhere for a long period of time, and it may not be what it is a year later. And that’s the business. I’ve come to a realization of that, and I understand that, so whatever situation I’m in, I know the business side of it, so we’ll just see. I can’t predict it.”
For now, Russell slots in next to Stephen Curry in what should be a dynamic Warriors’ starting backcourt. It will be interesting how the team manages its lineup when longtime shooting guard Klay Thompson is ready to return from his torn ACL later in the 2019/20 season.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- In their press release confirming the trade that sent Andre Iguodala to Memphis, the Warriors also announced that they plan on retiring Iguodala’s No. 9. “He has been absolutely vital to our success during five consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals and three championships,” team owner Joe Lacob said of Iguodala. “We thank Andre for all of his contributions and look forward to seeing his number in the rafters at Chase Center.”
- The Warriors are hiring Theo Robertson to fill a player development opening on their coaching staff, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Robertson played college ball at Cal in the late 2000s and has since held jobs with the Warriors, Lakers, and his alma mater. He’ll replace Willie Green, who joined Monty Williams‘ staff in Phoenix.
- In an in-depth article for The Mercury News, Mark Medina explores how the Warriors first discovered young big man Alen Smailagic, how he impressed the team, and why management fully believes in his potential. The 39th overall pick officially signed his first NBA contract this week, as we relayed earlier today.
Western Notes: Pelicans, Bzdelik, PG13, Lillard, More
After being let go by the Rockets this spring, veteran assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik is generating significant interest from one of Houston’s division rivals. According to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link), The Pelicans have offered a spot on Alvin Gentry‘s coaching staff to Bzdelik, who is weighing his options after leaving Houston.
While nothing has been finalized yet, David Aldridge of The Athletic suggests (via Twitter) that Bzdelik and the Pelicans are “close” to a deal. The longtime NBA and college coach, who previously had a stint as Denver’s head coach is one of the most highly-regarded defensive coordinators in the league, as both Stein and Aldridge note.
If the Pelicans finalize an agreement with Bzdelik, he could step into the role vacated by former assistant Darren Erman, who recently left the club’s coaching staff.
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Shortly after word broke that the Thunder had agreed to trade Paul George to the Clippers, Shams Charania of Stadium (video link) said that George had “a little bit of buyer’s remorse” after agreeing to a long-term extension in Oklahoma City last summer. Bill Simmons of The Ringer used the same phrase (“buyer’s remorse”) on a recent podcast when describing what he had heard about PG13 over the last couple months.
- At the press conference to announce Damian Lillard‘s new super-max extension on Saturday, Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey called the move a “no-brainer,” while Lillard explained why his top priority has always been winning a championship in Portland. “In the end, I know that if it gets done, it will feel much better to know that I did it in a solid way,” Lillard said, per ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “I didn’t have to go and play with the best players just to get it done. For me, this is the way I want to do it. And I know that if it doesn’t happen I can live with it because I know the route that I chose.”
- While Jerami Grant is unlikely to start over Paul Millsap, the Nuggets will continue to be “judicious” with Millsap’s playing time moving forward, giving Grant plenty of opportunities in Denver, writes Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. In his analysis of the Nuggets’ latest acquisition, Kosmider suggests that Grant projects as an ideal floor spacer next to Nikola Jokic.
- In a court brief filed last week in response to sexual assault allegations by former sportscaster Kelli Tennant, new Kings head coach Luke Walton claimed that those allegations aren’t backed up by facts and are designed to attract media attraction. Stefanie Dazio of The Associated Press has the full story.
Warriors Sign Second-Rounder Alen Smailagic
The Warriors have signed one of their second-round picks, forward/center Alen Smailagic, to his first NBA contract, according to NBA.com’s official transactions log. The team also locked up its other second-rounder, Eric Paschall, as we detailed on Monday night.
[RELATED: 2019 NBA Draft Pick Signings]
Smailagic’s name began to surface prior to the draft as a probable second-rounder target for the Warriors. The 18-year-old Serbian played in the G League for Santa Cruz – Golden State’s affiliate – in 2018/19 but wasn’t draft-eligible until this year. He was shut down early in the pre-draft process and was “hidden” in Serbia from the rest of the NBA.
Despite trading for the No. 41 pick prior to the draft, the Warriors ultimately decided they’d have to move even higher to secure Smailagic. The club sent two second-round picks and $1MM in cash to the Pelicans in order to nab the No. 39 selection and draft him.
Details of Smailagic’s first NBA contract aren’t yet known, but he and Paschall will both likely earn the rookie minimum ($898K) in 2019/20 in order to help keep the Warriors below their $138.9MM hard cap. Smailagic’s deal could go beyond two years if Golden State used its mid-level exception.
Contract Details: Porter, Rozier, Spurs, Kings, Raptors
For the first time in several years, a first-round pick has accepted below the standard maximum of 120% of his rookie scale amount, tweets Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights. According to Siegel, No. 30 overall pick Kevin Porter Jr. will only earn 80% of his rookie scale amount during his first season and will continue to get less than 120% of the rookie scale amount in years two through four.
The rookie scale amount this year for the No. 30 pick is $1,613,700, so Porter’s expected salary for his rookie season would have been $1,936,440. Instead, he’ll get just $1,290,960, according to Siegel.
[RELATED: Rookie Scale Salaries For 2019 First-Round Picks]
While this is just my speculation, it seems likely that the Cavaliers would have checked in with Porter and his agent before drafting him to see if he’d be okay with that reduced first-year salary, given how rare it is. Porter, the final pick in the first round, will still earn significantly more than the rookie minimum of $898K that many early second-rounder selections will receive, while the Cavs, who are up against the luxury-tax line, will put themselves in better position to avoid potential repeater penalties.
Here are more contract details from around the NBA, all courtesy of Siegel unless otherwise indicated:
- Terry Rozier‘s three-year, $56.7MM contract with the Hornets has a declining structure (Twitter link). It starts at $19.9MM in 2019/20 before eventually dipping to $17.9MM by 2021/22.
- The base value of Rudy Gay‘s two-year deal with the Spurs is $28MM, with $2MM in annual bonuses to bring the potential total value up to $32MM (Twitter link). DeMarre Carroll‘s deal, meanwhile, only has a partial guarantee of $1.35MM in the third year (Twitter link). The Spurs tacked on that third season when they pivoted to acquiring Carroll via sign-and-trade rather than signing him outright.
- Trevor Ariza‘s two-year, $25MM contract with the Kings only has a $1.8MM partial guarantee in year two (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Sacramento’s deal with Dewayne Dedmon has a base value of $40MM over three years, with $300K in annual incentives (Twitter link).
- Blake Murphy of The Athletic provides details on a pair of Raptors contracts, tweeting that Patrick McCaw‘s new two-year deal is worth $8MM, while Matt Thomas‘ three-year, minimum-salary contract is non-guaranteed in year three. Both of those deals will come out of Toronto’s mid-level exception — Stanley Johnson‘s might too, though if the team has plans in mind for the rest of the $4.36MM on its MLE, Johnson could be signed using the bi-annual exception instead, notes Murphy.
Knicks Officially Sign Randle, Portis, Gibson, Ellington, Payton
The Knicks officially finalized five of their free agent signings on Monday night, according to NBA.com’s transactions log, which lists the deals for Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, Wayne Ellington, and Elfrid Payton as having been completed.
Those deals are structured as follows:
- Randle: Three years, $63MM. First two years guaranteed. (Story)
- Portis: Two years, $31MM. First year guaranteed. (Story)
- Gibson: Two years, $20MM. First year guaranteed. (Story)
- Ellington: Two years, $16MM. First year guaranteed. (Story)
- Payton: Two years, $16MM. First year guaranteed. (Story)
While those five signings will use up most of the club’s cap room, there’s still one notable signing to be finalized, as Reggie Bullock‘s two-year, $21MM deal is not yet official.