Cavs Sign Dean Wade To Two-Way Contract
JULY 2: The Cavaliers have formally signed Wade to his two-way deal, per RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions.
JUNE 21: The Cavaliers have reached an agreement to sign undrafted rookie free agent Dean Wade to a two-way contract, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
Wade, a 6’10” forward, has the ability to stretch the floor, having knocked down 38.6% of his three-point attempts over the course of four college seasons. The Kansas State standout recorded 12.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 2.8 APG in 25 games during his senior year.
A foot injury sidelined Wade at the end of his college career, keeping him out of action for the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. However, he recently told Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype that he’s “100% healthy.”
The Cavaliers have also agreed to a deal with Duke big man Marques Bolden, a source tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Kennedy’s tweet doesn’t offer any further details, so it’s not entirely clear if Bolden is just joining Cleveland for Summer League or if he’ll get a spot on the team’s 20-man offseason roster.
Bolden played a part-time role for the Blue Devils in 2018/19, averaging 5.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 1.7 BPG in 35 games (19.0 MPG) as a junior.
Bulls Sign Adam Mokoka To Two-Way Deal
2:34pm: The Bulls have officially signed Mokoka to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.
12:53pm: Adam Mokoka will join the Bulls as a two-way player, tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The 6’5″ shooting guard out of France declared for this year’s draft but wasn’t selected.
Mokoka also entered the draft in 2018, but withdrew before the deadline. He spent this season with Mega Bemax in Serbia.
Rawle Alkins and Brandon Sampson filled the Bulls’ two-way slots this season, but both are free agents.
Free Agent Rumors: Kawhi, Bender, Cousins, Mejri
Despite some buzz on social media that Kawhi Leonard is leaning toward the Lakers, the reigning Finals MVP hasn’t reached a decision, tweets Cris Carter of Fox Sports 1. Carter – who has been an unexpectedly plugged-in source on Leonard since the forward’s days in San Antonio – adds that anyone thinking the Lakers have an edge on the Clippers or Raptors would be “wrong.”
Leonard is the last big star available in free agency, and his decision will have a long-lasting impact on all three franchises. Whichever club lands him will be a contender for the NBA title, while the other two teams will be scrambling to fill out their rosters. Leonard still hasn’t given any indication of when he plans to announce his choice.
Here are some more notes on the third day of free agency:
- Now that the Suns have added Frank Kaminsky, they will part ways with Dragan Bender, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Bender had a disappointing three years in Phoenix after being selected with the fourth pick in the 2016 draft. He is an unrestricted free agent because the Suns declined his fourth-year option before the start of the season.
- The Warriors can’t make an offer similar to the $6.4MM MLE that landed DeMarcus Cousins last summer, notes Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Golden State is so close to the hard cap that it cannot go much above minimum deals to complete its roster.
- Salah Mejri was working out today with the Mavericks‘ Summer League players and remains a possibility to re-sign, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
- As cap space dries up, restricted free agents such as Kelly Oubre, Delon Wright and Tyus Jones may benefit by accepting their teams’ qualifying offers and becoming unrestricted next summer in a weaker free agent class, suggests Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
Sixers Offer Max Extension To Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons has received a maximum extension offer from the Sixers that would pay him $170MM over five years, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul, will work through the details with the team in hopes of reaching an agreement, Woj adds.
The first selection in the 2016 draft, Simmons has established himself as one of the best young players in the NBA. After sitting out his first season because of injury, he captured Rookie of the Year honors in 2018 and was even better this year. One of the league’s most versatile players, Simmons posted a 16.9/8.8/7.7 line and helped the Sixers reach the second round of the playoffs.
Philadelphia wants Simmons, who will turn 23 later this month, to be part of the cornerstone for the franchise well into the future. After an offseason of change that will see Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick depart and Al Horford and Josh Richardson replace them, the Sixers want to make sure that Simmons and center Joel Embiid are under contract for as long as possible.
Wizards Apply For Disabled Player Exception
The Wizards have requested a Disabled Player Exception for injured guard John Wall, tweets Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. If approved, the team will be able to use $9.258MM to sign a player to a one-year deal or to make a trade or submit a waiver claim for a player with one year left on his contract. That figure represents the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception for 2019/20.
Wall underwent surgery in February for a torn Achilles tendon that he said might sideline him for all of next season. He is entering the first year of a super-max contract that will pay him $170MM over the next four seasons.
Washington was granted a DPE for Wall last season, notes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Hughes adds that it would be a longer-than-usual rehab time for an Achilles injury if Wall does miss all of next season (Twitter link).
Wall is undergoing rehab work and hopes to return at some point next season, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (Twitter link). However, his representatives said he will “definitely work” with the Wizards if they believe he will miss the entire year.
The DPE permits teams to replace seriously injured players by adding someone without using cap space. Before granting the exception, the league would have to be convinced that the player is “substantially more likely than not” to be out of action through at least June 15 of the league year. The Wizards would have until March to use the DPE if it is approved.
If the Wizards’ request is approved, Wall would still be permitted to play this season if he can “beat the odds” and make it back. However, Washington would lose the DPE if Wall makes it back on the court before the exception has been used.
Luke Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hornets Waive Tony Parker In Procedural Move
The Hornets have waived guard Tony Parker, the team announced today (via Twitter). The move was a procedural one, as Parker formally announced his retirement last month.
When Parker signed with the Hornets last summer, he inked a two-year, $10.25MM contract which included a non-guaranteed salary in year two. By releasing the longtime Spur, Charlotte will avoid having his $5.25MM salary for the 2019/20 season become guaranteed. That would have happened if he had remained under contract through Thursday, per Basketball Insiders.
Technically, this frees up Parker in the event that he decides to make an NBA comeback down the road, but there’s no indication that’s something he’ll consider.
Rookie Scale Salaries For 2019 First-Round Picks
With the NBA’s salary cap set at $109,140,000 for the 2019/20 league year, the rookie scale has been set as well. The rookie scale locks in the value of contracts for first-round picks.
In every NBA league year, rookie scale amounts are assigned to each first-round slot, from No. 1 through No. 30. Teams can sign their first-rounders to as little as 80% of that rookie scale amount, or up to 120% of that figure. While that rule theoretically affords teams some flexibility, first-round picks virtually always sign contracts worth 120% of their rookie scale amount, and unsigned first-rounders have a cap hold worth 120% of their rookie scale amount.
Listed below, via Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights and RealGM, are the salary figures that represent 120% of the rookie scale amounts for 2019’s first-round picks. Players will sign for these amounts unless they accept a deal worth less than the maximum allowable 120%, which hasn’t happened for several years. Rookie scale contracts are guaranteed for the first two years, with team options on the third and fourth years.
Here’s the 2019 breakdown:
| Player | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zion Williamson | $9,757,440 | $10,245,480 | $10,733,400 | $13,534,817 | $44,271,137 |
| Ja Morant | $8,730,240 | $9,166,800 | $9,603,360 | $12,119,440 | $39,619,840 |
| R.J. Barrett | $7,839,960 | $8,231,760 | $8,623,920 | $10,900,635 | $35,596,275 |
| De’Andre Hunter | $7,068,360 | $7,422,000 | $7,775,400 | $9,835,881 | $32,101,641 |
| Darius Garland | $6,400,920 | $6,720,720 | $7,040,880 | $8,920,795 | $29,083,315 |
| Jarrett Culver | $5,813,640 | $6,104,280 | $6,395,160 | $8,109,063 | $26,422,143 |
| Coby White | $5,307,120 | $5,572,680 | $5,837,760 | $7,413,955 | $24,131,515 |
| Jaxson Hayes | $4,862,040 | $5,105,160 | $5,348,280 | $6,803,012 | $22,118,492 |
| Rui Hachimura | $4,469,160 | $4,692,840 | $4,916,160 | $6,263,188 | $20,341,348 |
| Cam Reddish | $4,245,720 | $4,458,000 | $4,670,160 | $5,954,454 | $19,328,334 |
| Cameron Johnson | $4,033,440 | $4,235,160 | $4,437,000 | $5,887,899 | $18,593,499 |
| PJ Washington | $3,831,840 | $4,023,600 | $4,215,120 | $5,808,435 | $17,878,995 |
| Tyler Herro | $3,640,200 | $3,822,240 | $4,004,280 | $5,722,116 | $17,188,836 |
| Romeo Langford | $3,458,400 | $3,631,200 | $3,804,360 | $5,634,257 | $16,528,217 |
| Sekou Doumbouya | $3,285,120 | $3,449,400 | $3,613,680 | $5,539,771 | $15,887,971 |
| Chuma Okeke * | |||||
| Nickeil Alexander- Walker |
$2,964,840 | $3,113,160 | $3,261,480 | $5,009,633 | $14,349,113 |
| Goga Bitadze | $2,816,760 | $2,957,520 | $3,098,400 | $4,765,339 | $13,638,019 |
| Luka Samanic | $2,689,920 | $2,824,320 | $2,959,080 | $4,556,983 | $13,030,303 |
| Matisse Thybulle | $2,582,160 | $2,711,280 | $2,840,160 | $4,379,527 | $12,513,127 |
| Brandon Clarke | $2,478,840 | $2,602,920 | $2,726,880 | $4,343,920 | $12,152,560 |
| Grant Williams | $2,379,840 | $2,498,760 | $2,617,800 | $4,306,281 | $11,802,681 |
| Darius Bazley | $2,284,800 | $2,399,160 | $2,513,040 | $4,264,629 | $11,461,629 |
| Ty Jerome | $2,193,480 | $2,303,040 | $2,412,840 | $4,220,057 | $11,129,417 |
| Nassir Little | $2,105,520 | $2,210,640 | $2,316,240 | $4,171,548 | $10,803,948 |
| Dylan Windler | $2,035,800 | $2,137,440 | $2,239,200 | $4,037,278 | $10,449,718 |
| Mfiondu Kabengele | $1,977,000 | $2,075,880 | $2,174,880 | $3,923,484 | $10,151,244 |
| Jordan Poole | $1,964,760 | $2,063,280 | $2,161,440 | $3,901,399 | $10,090,879 |
| Keldon Johnson | $1,950,600 | $2,048,040 | $2,145,720 | $3,873,025 | $10,017,385 |
| Kevin Porter Jr. * | $1,290,960 | $1,717,981 | $1,782,621 | $3,217,631 | $8,009,193 |
* Okeke won’t sign his rookie contract until 2020/21.
* Porter will earn 80% of the rookie scale in 2019/20 and less than 120% of the rookie scale in future seasons.
Cavaliers Sign Darius Garland, Dylan Windler
Both of Cleveland’s first-round picks have signed their rookie contracts, according to the NBA’s transactions log. The Cavaliers inked Vanderbilt guard Darius Garland, who was taken with the fifth pick, and Belmont forward Dylan Windler, who was selected at No. 26.
Garland was considered one of the nation’s top point guards, even though an injury limited him to five games in college. The freshman averaged 16.2 points and 2.6 assists in limited play, but displayed an impressive shooting range that should make him a valuable weapon in the NBA.
Windler spent four years at Belmont and became one of the top players in the Ohio Valley Conference. He averaged 21.6 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game as a senior and helped the Bruins reach the NCAA Tournament.
Under the rookie scale, Garland can receive $6.4MM in his first year and $6.72MM and $7.04MM in the next two seasons. Windler is slotted at $2.035MM for 2019/20 and $2.137MM and $2.239 for the subsequent two years.
Thunder Re-Sign Nerlens Noel, Agree To Sign Alec Burks
JULY 2, 10:07am: The Thunder have officially re-signed Noel, according to the NBA’s transactions log. Most NBA contracts can’t be finalized during the July moratorium, but one- or two-year minimum-salary deals can, so this strongly suggests that Noel will be returning to Oklahoma City on the veteran’s minimum.
JULY 1, 3:41pm: The Thunder are once again in agreement on a deal for big man Nerlens Noel, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Noel and the Thunder appeared to reach a deal early in free agency, but a follow-up report indicated that the center wanted to reconsider things.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City has also agreed to sign free agent shooting guard Alec Burks, a league source tells Royce Young of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Terms of the two deals aren’t yet known, and neither is the Thunder’s agreement with Mike Muscala, which was reported on Sunday. However, OKC entered the offseason with limited resources at its disposal to upgrade its roster, so it’s probably safe to assume that the team won’t be paying big money for any of its three new rotation pieces.
Noel, who served primarily as Steven Adams‘ backup at center last season, averaged 4.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.2 BPG in 77 games (13.7 MPG). Depending on what other moves the Thunder make, he could play a similar role this year, though it’s possible that Muscala’s arrival will eat into his minutes.
As for Burks, the former lottery pick is a career 35.5% three-point shooter, so he may be able to provide Oklahoma City with some much-needed floor spacing. Last season, he appeared in a total of 64 games for the Jazz, Cavaliers, and Kings, averaging 8.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 21.5 minutes per contest.
Clippers Guarantee Lou Williams’ 2020/21 Salary
The Clippers and Lou Williams have reached an agreement to fully guarantee the Sixth Man of the Year’s salary for the 2020/21 season, agent Wallace Prather tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Lou Williams Named Sixth Man of the Year]
Williams has two years left on his current contract, with a fully guaranteed $8MM salary for 2019/20. Previously, the final year of that deal had only been partially guaranteed for $1.5MM. As a result of this agreement, the full $8MM for ’20/21 will now be guaranteed.
As Charania notes in a follow-up tweet, it’s rare for a team to agree to increase a player’s guarantee without any real impetus to do so, since it reduces the club’s flexibility. But Williams’ contract is already one of the most team-friendly deals in the league and it’s unlikely that the Clippers would have taken advantage of the partial guarantee to waive him in 2020, so it makes some sense to reward him early.
Of course, the move also comes at a time when the Clippers are courting free agents, including Kawhi Leonard — a gesture of goodwill toward one of their top players probably won’t hurt the perception of the franchise in the eyes of players considering joining the team.
In 2018/19, Williams averaged 20.0 PPG and posted new career bests in APG (5.4) and RPG (3.0), with a shooting line of .425/.361/.876. Although he came off the bench for all but one game, he was Los Angeles’ leading scorer (not including Tobias Harris, who departed in a midseason deal).