Warriors Sign Juan Toscano-Anderson To Exhibit 10 Deal
The Warriors have signed free agent forward Juan Toscano-Anderson to an Exhibit 10 contract, according to agent Misko Raznatovic (Twitter link). RealGM’s transactions log confirms that the deal has been officially completed.
Toscano-Anderson, 26, played his college ball at Marquette before going undrafted in 2015. He has spent most of his professional career with teams in his home country of Mexico, but joined Golden State’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, for the 2018/19 season.
In 44 games (16 starts) with Santa Cruz, Toscano-Anderson averaged 7.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.1 APG with a .438/.341/.590 shooting line in 23.8 minutes per contest. At the conclusion of the NBAGL season, he rejoined Fuerza Regia in Mexico for the LNBP playoffs. He also participated in the G League Elite Camp this spring, then played for Golden State’s Summer League squad in Las Vegas.
His new deal with the Warriors indicates that Toscano-Anderson may return to Santa Cruz for the 2019/20 campaign. If he spends two months with the G League squad, he’d be eligible to earn a bonus of up to $50K as a result of his Exhibit 10 deal with Golden State.
Delaney, Meeks, Afflalo Working Out For Warriors
9:02am: Jodie Meeks, Arron Afflalo, and DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell are also working out for the Warriors today, Shaw has learned (Twitter link).
7:52am: Veteran point guard Malcolm Delaney is working out for the Warriors today, a source tells JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). Delaney also recently auditioned for the Knicks.
A former Virginia Tech standout, Delaney spent two seasons with the Hawks from 2016-18, averaging 5.7 PPG and 2.8 APG in 127 total games in Atlanta. Outside of that two-year NBA stint, Delaney has spent his professional career overseas, playing for teams in France, Ukraine, Germany, Russia, and China.
A recent report indicated that Delaney was in talks with Spanish club Barcelona about a potential deal, but was continuing to seek out NBA offers before deciding whether or not to return to Europe.
While the Warriors have room on their offseason roster to add Delaney or another player, it’s hard to see a path to a regular season roster spot for a camp invitee in Golden State, given the team’s hard cap. The Dubs would have to release Alfonzo McKinnie‘s non-guaranteed contract or make a trade to create the room necessary to carry another player into the regular season.
A report on Monday indicated that former first-round pick Jared Cunningham would also be working out for the Warriors.
Raptors To Work Out Isaiah Taylor
Free agent guard Isaiah Taylor is working out for the Raptors in Toronto this week, a source tells JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). Taylor has also worked out for the Suns, Celtics, and Nuggets in recent weeks.
Taylor, 25, made his NBA debut with the Rockets during the 2016/17 season, then spent the 2017/18 campaign in Atlanta, appearing in 67 games for the Hawks. In 17.4 minutes per contest for Atlanta, he averaged 6.6 PPG and 3.1 APG.
After being waived by the Hawks during the 2018 offseason, Taylor caught on with the Cavaliers and was pushing for a 15-man roster spot in Cleveland when he suffered a stress fracture in his leg and was subsequently released. Now healthy, the Texas native is seeking a new NBA home.
The Raptors currently have 19 players under contract, leaving room for one more training camp invitee. If Taylor were to sign with Toronto, he’d likely have to beat out Cameron Payne to have a chance to make the regular season roster as the team’s third point guard behind Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet.
Western Notes: McKinnie, Cauley-Stein, Silva, Grant
Willie Cauley-Stein will likely start at center for the Warriors but Kevon Looney will probably play more crunch-time minutes, Anthony Slater of The Athletic opines. Alfonzo McKinnie may get the nod at small forward with Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III in reserve, since McKinnie is a high energy player who should mesh well with the backcourt of Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell, Slater continues. However, rookie Eric Paschall is a darkhorse candidate to play down the stretch due to his versatility, Slater adds.
We have from the Western Conference:
- The Warriors preferred Cauley-Stein to DeMarcus Cousins even before Cousins committed to the Lakers, Slater writes in the same mailbag story. Cauley-Stein provided a younger option who better fit their new priorities, according to Slater. However, they never really had a decision to make because they were hard-capped after the sign-and-trade for Russell with the Nets was agreed upon. The hard cap meant the Warriors couldn’t give Cousins a max raise up to $6.4MM, Slater notes. Cauley-Stein agreed to join the Warriors on a two-year contract on July 2 and officially signed on July 8.
- Pelicans draft-and-stash prospect Marcos Louzada Silva – aka Didi Louzada — has developed a solid perimeter jumper that should translate well to the NBA game, according to a Heavy.com story. The 6’5” guard can also attack the rim and has shown good strides in his development in recent months. Louzada, the 35th overall pick in June who was acquired in a draft-day deal, will play in Australia with the Sydney Kings during the upcoming season.
- Jerami Grant should be an ideal frontcourt complement to Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic opines. Grant, projected as the top big off the bench, is a nimble perimeter defender who can guard ball-handlers. Grant, acquired from the Thunder for a protected first-round pick, is also a solid help defender who can block shots.
- Jared Cunningham will work out for the Warriors on Tuesday, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets. Cunningham, a shooting guard who recently worked out for the Rockets, hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2015/16 season.
Atlantic Notes: Scott, Knicks, Donaldson, Raptors Staff
The Sixers are investigating an altercation between forward Mike Scott and an Eagles fan outside of Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, Enrico Campitelli of NBC Sports relays. Scott, who re-signed with the Sixers in July on a two-year contract, is a Washington Redskins fan and posted pictures of himself wearing a Redskins jersey on social media. The altercation was captured on video from at least two angles.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Former University of Minnesota guard Dupree McBrayer, ex-Georgetown guard Trey Dickerson and guard Pe’Shon Howard, who played for the Capital City Go Go last season, worked out for the Knicks and scrimmaged against their players Monday, Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype tweets. Franklin “Frank Nitty” Session, who played for the Killer 3’s of the BIG3, was also involved in the scrimmage. The Knicks have a two-way deal and Exhibit 10 contracts to offer, Kennedy notes.
- New Raptors assistant coach Brittni Donaldson, who had been in the team’s front office, was originally hired by the organization after a stint with STATS LLC, as Zach Lowe of ESPN details. Donaldson made such a good impression analyzing the data and producing specific reports for NBA teams that the Raptors hired her. She will take the lead in translating analytic data for players and coaches but she’ll also scout opponents, debate rotations and X’s and O’s, and pitch strategic ideas, Lowe adds.
- The Raptors officially announced the addition of 26-yard-old Donaldson as well as Jon Goodwillie to Nick Nurse’s staff in a team press release. Adrian Griffin, Sergio Scariolo, Nate Bjorkgren, Patrick Mutombo and Jim Sann are the staff holdovers. Additionally, John Corbacio has been promoted to head video coordinator/assistant coach while Tyler Marsh, Fabulous Flournoy and Mark Tyndale will serve as assistant video coordinators/player development coaches. Goodwillie had been the team’s video coordinator since 2011.
Grizzlies Balk At Igoudala Buyout
The Grizzlies want Andre Iguodala to report to camp and are currently unwilling to buy out the veteran forward, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Without a buyout, Iguodala could be stuck on a non-contender — at least for a portion of the regular season — in what could be his final NBA campaign, Charania notes. Memphis acquired Iguodala, 35, from Golden State as the Warriors tried to clear salary at the start of free agency. The Grizzlies also received a 2024 first-rounder and cash while only surrendering a player on a two-way contract, Julian Washburn.
The Grizzlies worked out a buyout this summer with center Dwight Howard, who joined the Lakers after clearing waivers. However, Iguodala retains trade value and that gives Memphis incentive to hold onto him, rather than going the buyout route.
As Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer notes, the Grizzlies could wait beyond December 15, when many free agents who signed this summer become trade eligible and the market heats up (Twitter link).
Iguodala is due to make $17,185,185 this season and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer if he opts to continue his career. His salary is the highest currently on Memphis’ books.
Bulls Release Guard Antonio Blakeney
SEPTEMBER 9, 4:50pm: The Bulls have officially released Blakeney, according to a team press release. He gave up $100K in the buyout agreement, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
SEPTEMBER 7, 11:32am: The Bulls are set to release guard Antonio Blakeney, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania (via Twitter), the two sides reached an agreement on a buyout.
After Chicago re-signed Shaquille Harrison earlier this offseason, there was an expectation that Blakeney would be released, notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Unlike Blakeney, Harrison doesn’t yet have a fully guaranteed contract, but it sounds like he’s being penciled in as the team’s 15th man.
Blakeney, 22, has suited up for the Bulls the past two seasons. In a career high 57 games last season, the New York native averaged 7.3 PPG while shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc.
By cutting the LSU product, the Bulls have brought the total of fully guaranteed contracts on the roster to 14, with Harrison and his partial guarantee also in the mix.
Kanter: Knicks’ Ownership A Deterrent For Free Agents
Appearing on The Full 48, Howard Beck’s podcast, new Celtics center Enes Kanter offered a theory for why the Knicks haven’t had much success in the free agent market in recent years despite a big market and plenty of cap room. According to Kanter, an ownership group led by James Dolan is considered a deterrent by players around the NBA.
Dolan hasn’t had an active role in basketball decisions in recent years, but he has still repeatedly made headlines based on run-ins with fans and vendettas against media outlets, among other issues.
“I’m not blaming anybody. I had an amazing time with the Knicks,” Kanter said, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “But other teammates I talked to or if they’re on different teams, they always said, ‘Amazing city, MSG is amazing. Everything is so good. But the ownership.’ They always keep saying, ‘But the ownership.’
“… I can tell. I don’t get into it too much. The players, when we get in the locker room, we talk about what’s going on. And the players always see how the management or how ownership treat other players, treat other players around.”
The Knicks spent most of the 2018/19 season gearing up for free agency, trading rising star Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas in a pre-deadline deal to create enough cap room to sign two maximum-salary players in July. However, the club struck out on its top targets and ultimately used that room to sign veterans like Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, Elfrid Payton, and Wayne Ellington.
Other than Randle, no free agent signed by the Knicks this offseason has more than one fully guaranteed year on his new contract, so the team will have the flexibility to be active again in free agency in 2020 and/or 2021. Still, based on his comments to Beck, Kanter didn’t sound confident that the perception of the franchise will shift overnight.
“I always tell (players), the Knicks are amazing. It’s the Garden, it’s the Mecca. If you win in New York, you’re the king of the world,” Kanter said, per Bondy. “Some of the players are I guess scared to come here and don’t even want to deal with that.”
Mike Muscala Discusses Decision To Sign With Thunder
News of his deal flew under the radar on the evening of June 30 as blockbuster signings and trades were agreed upon, but veteran center Mike Muscala was one of the first names off the board that night, reaching an agreement with the Thunder shortly after the free agent period began.
When the Thunder changed direction a week later, first trading Paul George and then Russell Westbrook and Jerami Grant, the team gave Muscala an opportunity to reconsider his deal. Alec Burks, who also agreed to sign with the Thunder early in free agency, took advantage of the same opportunity and joined the Warriors instead, but Muscala opted to remain committed to Oklahoma City.
In a conversation with Brett Dawson of The Athletic, Muscala explained why he decided to stick with OKC and discussed what it was like to be the Thunder’s top priority when free agency got underway. If you’re an Athletic subscriber, the Q&A is worth reading in full, but here are a few of the big man’s more notable answers:
On being Sam Presti’s top target in free agency:
“Yeah, it was kind of funny. My agent called me a few days before free agency, and he said that the Thunder were quite interested. … So the first thing (my agent) said is, like, they wanted to talk with me right when free agency started. And then it moved to, ‘They want to meet with you.’ Then it was, ‘They want to meet with you in Minneapolis.’ Then it was, ‘They want to meet you at your house.’
“For a player like me, that’s not common. It was really flattering. Even when it changed, with PG and Russell leaving, that feeling just stuck with me. I just felt like, last year being traded a couple times, it just felt really flattering and felt really nice to be wanted in that way. And that feeling didn’t leave once that situation changed.”
On why the Thunder were so interested in him, and why he was intrigued by them:
“I think mostly for my shooting and my size. That was the big reason. But I feel like as far as organizations go and what the Thunder represent, I’ve always noticed their activity in the community and thought it was cool. … That’s always been something that I’ve tried to be better at and continue to do as much as I can. I just think it’s something that’s really, really cool about basketball, that you can affect people in so many ways and inspire youth and people.”
On why he opted to sign with the Thunder even after the team shifted away from contending and toward rebuilding:
“Obviously, at the beginning, the team and how it was structured was very intriguing. And that’s what I agreed to. But then even when that changed, I think because my feelings just were so good about the organization, it stuck with me. And I just felt that even despite the change in the roster, the personnel, that it would still be a good opportunity for me and that there would still be a lot that I could learn.
“I’ve never played the game with the approach that ‘Oh, I just want to win a championship.’ It’s never been like that. For me, it’s been more about the people I meet and have met throughout my career who I stay in touch with. I think that’s what’s so cool about basketball.”
Anthony Davis: “I Want To Be Defensive Player Of The Year”
Shortly after the Lakers agreed in June to acquire Anthony Davis in a blockbuster trade with the Pelicans, LeBron James spoke to “higher-ups” within the organization and suggested that the big man should become the focal point of the club’s offensive identity, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
While Davis is looking forward to carrying a big share of the offensive load, he’s also thinking about the impact that he can make on the other end of the court, telling Haynes that he has individual and team goals in mind for the Lakers’ defense.
“I want to be Defensive Player of the Year,” Davis said. “I think if I’m able to do that, I can help this team win. The offensive end will come around, but defensively, I want to hold myself, teammates, including LeBron, accountable in order for us to take on the challenge of being the best we can defensively. In doing so, we’ll have a good chance of winning every night.
“I want to make sure me and LeBron are on the All-Defensive Team. And for me personally, I just want to be the Defensive Player of the Year. If we’re able to hold teams under 100 [points], which is probably unrealistic but it should be our goal, I think we’ll have a shot at winning the title.”
Davis is fully capable of being a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Los Angeles this season, but it may be more challenging to get LeBron the seventh All-Defensive nod of his career. Although James can still play elite defense on a given possession, he has been less inclined in recent years to consistently exert that kind of defensive intensity over the course of an 82-game season, preferring to preserve his energy – and health – for the playoffs.
For his part, Davis is also considering ways to stay healthy and effective over a full season, acknowledging to Haynes that he’s reluctant to play center on a full-time basis for that very reason.
“Battling [centers] can wear on your body,” Davis said. “So I think having JaVale [McGee] and having DeMarcus [Cousins] before he got hurt and now having Dwight [Howard] takes pressure off of me and allows me to play and withstand an 82-game season and going into the playoffs. But obviously, if we have to and we’re playing a big lineup where I’m at the five, then I’m willing to do it. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win.”
If Davis were to win Defensive Player of the Year, it wouldn’t have a financial impact on his free agency next summer — he can no longer qualify for a Designated Veteran Contract after being traded from New Orleans to Los Angeles.