Adam Mokoka Returns To Bulls On Two-Way Deal
After spending his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Bulls, second-year wing Adam Mokoka has officially accepted another two-way deal from the team, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
Mokoka only logged a total of 112 minutes in 11 games at the NBA level in 2019/20, but was a regular for Chicago’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls. He averaged 10.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 3.3 APG in 31 games (32.2 MPG) in the NBAGL, though he only shot 37.1% from the field (32.7% on threes).
Mokoka was named the MVP of a summer tournament in France that also featured NBA players Frank Ntilikina and Sekou Doumbouya. He received a two-way qualifying offer from the Bulls last week that made him a restricted free agent.
Chicago has already signed undrafted rookie guard Devon Dotson to a two-way deal, so both of their two-way slots are now full, as our tracker shows.
Lakers, Clippers Remain In Mix For Markieff Morris
Free agent forward Markieff Morris, one of the few players on our top-50 list who has yet to agree to a new deal, continues to draw interest from both Los Angeles teams, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times, who tweets that both the Lakers and Clippers are trying to sign Morris.
The Lakers have had interest in re-signing Morris throughout free agency, and the Clippers’ interest in reuniting Markieff with his brother Marcus Morris was reported on Sunday. Stein also reported on Sunday that the Raptors also had interest in Markieff, but says that Toronto is likely out of the running as a viable option after agreeing to sign Aron Baynes.
The Clippers have a little more cap flexibility to make a stronger offer to Morris, as they still have their $3.62MM bi-annual exception available. The Lakers could offer up to about $2.8MM using Morris’ Non-Bird rights, assuming they’re comfortable squeezing that deal below their hard cap. A minimum-salary offer from either team would pay Morris about $2.33MM.
After starting last season in Detroit, Morris was bought out and joined the Lakers for the stretch run. He played a limited role (14.2 minutes per game) in 14 regular season contests for the club, but actually saw his playing time increase to 18.3 MPG in the postseason. He appeared in all 21 of the Lakers’ playoff games en route to their championship, averaging 5.9 PPG and 3.0 RPG with a .449/.420/.778 shooting line
Spurs Sign Keita Bates-Diop To Two-Way Deal
NOVEMBER 29, 1:20pm: The Spurs have officially announced the signing of Bates-Diop to a two-way contract.
NOVEMBER 23, 8:20am: The Nuggets officially waived Bates-Diop on Sunday, per the NBA’s transactions log. Assuming he clears waivers on Tuesday, he’ll be free to sign with San Antonio at that point.
NOVEMBER 22, 9:54pm: The Spurs and forward Keita Bates-Diop have agreed to a two-way deal, according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
Bates-Diop is technically still a member of the Nuggets. However, Mike Singer of The Denver Post has reported that the club intends to waive the 24-year-old before his salary for 2020/21 becomes fully guaranteed this week in order to clear a spot on the 15-man roster for Bol Bol.
Denver likely gave Bates-Diop and his reps a chance to seek out a new opportunity before that move becomes official. He’ll still have to clear waivers, but I don’t expect any team will make a surprise claim.
The 48th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Bates-Diop began his career with the Timberwolves before being tradd to Denver at last season’s deadline. In 74 career games as a pro, he has averaged 5.9 PPG and 2.8 RPG on .426/.303/.699 shooting.
Quinndary Weatherspoon is expected to fill San Antonio’s other two-way contract slot.
Eastern Notes: Giannis, Hayward, Raptors, Bulls, Wizards
It has been a frenzied week of NBA roster moves since the league lifted its months-long moratorium last Monday, but there have been no updates on perhaps the biggest storyline of the offseason, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. As Windhorst points out, the league is still waiting to see whether or not reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will agree to a five-year, super-max extension with the Bucks.
League sources tell Windhorst that the Bucks – in recent weeks – have moved from “cautiously optimistic to cautiously confident” that Antetokounmpo will make a long-term commitment to the club when he returns from Greece. However, moves made by other teams across the league this week suggest that not everyone on the outside views it as a lock.
Clubs that have long been cited as likely free agent suitors for Giannis if he reaches the open market in 2021 went to great lengths this week to preserve their cap room for next summer. The Heat, Mavericks, and Raptors were among the teams that made an effort to keep money off their books for next season — in some cases, it may have even cost them key free agents.
Here’s more from around the East:
- While a panel of analysts at The Athletic agree that the Hornets‘ four-year, $120MM deal for Gordon Hayward is an overpay, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that the forward did have another four-year offer in the $100MM range. It’s not clear whether it was the Pacers or another team that made that offer.
- In negotiations with Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol, it was clear the Raptors prioritized their future cap flexibility over keeping the free agent centers in Toronto for 2020/21, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, who says the team knew it might have to take a step backward in the short term in order to achieve their ambitions in the long term.
- While losing two more key pieces from their 2019 championship roster will be a tough pill to swallow for the Raptors, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca warns not to assume the club will take a big step backward in 2020/21.
- The Bulls entered the offseason needing to fortify their wing rotation, which is why they agreed to sign Garrett Temple and bring back Denzel Valentine, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Temple is a good teammate and a versatile veteran who can play multiple positions, while the Bulls like Valentine’s ability to shoot, pass, and rebound, Mayberry writes.
- Jerry Brewer of The Washington Post makes a case that the Wizards need to reboot their roster by trading both John Wall and Bradley Beal.
Hornets Re-Sign Bismack Biyombo
NOVEMBER 30: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
NOVEMBER 22: The Hornets have reached an agreement with center Bismack Biyombo, bringing him back for a third straight season, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes tweets. Biyombo’s deal will be for one year, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer
Biyombo holds nine years of NBA experience, making past stops with Charlotte, Toronto and Orlando. He spent the first three seasons of his career with the Hornets before signing with the Raptors, where he averaged 6.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during the 2016 NBA playoffs.
This past season, the 28-year-old held per-game averages of 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 19.4 minutes in Charlotte. At 6-foot-9 and 255 pounds, Biyombo was the No. 7 pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.
Charlotte has made several notable moves in free agency, including drafting LaMelo Ball at No. 3 and reaching a four-year, $120MM deal with Gordon Hayward. The team finished with the tenth-best record in the East at 23-42 last season.
NBA 2020 Free Agency: Day 3 Recap
The third day of NBA’s 2020 free agency period didn’t feature quite as many fireworks as the first two — outside of the year’s first offer sheet, the most lucrative free agent agreement reached on Sunday was worth just $21MM.
[RELATED: 2020 NBA Free Agent Tracker]
However, a series of trades and a pair of maximum-salary contract extensions helped keep things pretty interesting as the moratorium lifted and free agent deals began being officially finalized.
We’ll recap the day’s headlines in this space.
Here are Tuesday’s noteworthy free agent contract agreements:
- Bogdan Bogdanovic, Hawks finalize four-year, $72MM offer sheet; Kings have until Tuesday night to match.
- Juan Hernangomez, Timberwolves agree to three-year, $21MM deal.
- Aron Baynes, Raptors agree to two-year, $14.3MM deal.
- Chris Boucher, Raptors agree to two-year, $13.5MM deal.
- Austin Rivers, Knicks agree to three-year, $10MM deal.
- Willie Cauley-Stein, Mavericks agree to two-year, $8.2MM deal.
- Jontay Porter, Grizzlies agree to three-year, $6MM deal.
- Marc Gasol, Lakers agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
- Isaiah Hartenstein, Nuggets agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
- DeAndre’ Bembry, Raptors agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
- Damian Jones, Suns agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
- Kent Bazemore, Warriors agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
- E’Twaun Moore, Suns agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
- Harry Giles, Trail Blazers agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
- JaKarr Sampson, Pacers agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
- Willy Hernangomez, Pelicans agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
- Jae’Sean Tate, Rockets agree to three-year deal (exact terms unknown).
- Bryn Forbes, Bucks agree to two-year deal (exact terms unknown).
- Sterling Brown, Rockets agree to one-year deal (exact terms unknown).
- Torrey Craig, Bucks agree to deal (terms unknown).
- Bismack Biyombo, Hornets agree to deal (terms unknown).
Here is today’s activity on the trade market:
- Lakers agree to trade JaVale McGee and their 2026 second-round pick to Cavaliers in exchange for Alfonzo McKinnie and Jordan Bell.
- Knicks agree to trade Ed Davis to Timberwolves in exchange for Jacob Evans, Omari Spellman, and a future second-round pick.
- Pacers agree to trade T.J. Leaf and a second-round pick to Thunder in exchange for Jalen Lecque.
- Sixers agree to trade Zhaire Smith to Pistons in exchange for Tony Bradley.
- Pistons and Nuggets turn Jerami Grant‘s three-year, $60MM deal with Detroit into a sign-and-trade, generating a trade exception for Denver worth about $9.5MM.
- Kenrich Williams, Josh Gray, and Zylan Cheatham will be signed-and-traded from the Pelicans to the Thunder in the ever-growing Steven Adams/Jrue Holiday trade that also involves the Bucks and Nuggets.
- Previously reported trades involving the Trail Blazers and Rockets, Warriors and Thunder, and Pistons and Jazz were officially completed.
Here are today’s contract extensions:
- Donovan Mitchell, Jazz agree to five-year, maximum-salary extension.
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics agree to five-year, maximum-salary extension.
These deals are essentially identical — they’ll be worth a projected $163MM (25% of the cap), but can be worth up to $195.6MM (30% of the cap) if Mitchell and/or Tatum earn All-NBA honors in 2021. They also each have a fifth-year player option.
Previously:
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
2020/21 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker
One of the most notable additions to the NBA’s most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement, which went into effect at the start of the 2017/18 league year, is the two-way contract.
As we explain in depth in our FAQ, two-way contracts allow NBA teams to carry two extra players in addition to the 15 on their regular season roster. These players typically spend most of their time with the club’s G League affiliate, but remain under team control and can’t be poached by rival franchises.
During the shortened 2020/21 season, two-way deals will work a little differently than usual. Rather than being limited to spending 45 days with their NBA teams, two-way players will be eligible to be active for up to 50 of their team’s 72 NBA games. And instead of having their salaries by how many days they spend in the NBA, they’ll receive flat salaries of $449,155.
NBA teams have begun to fill in their two-way slots for the 2020/21 league year, so we’ll track all those deals in the space below. Some two-way players from 2019/20 inked two-year contracts and remain under contract for this season, while others have been newly signed.
If a signing hasn’t been officially announced as a two-way contract, but has been reported as such, we’ll make a note of that, and update the info as necessary. Players who are in the first year of two-way contracts that cover two years (the maximum length), will be noted with an asterisk once that info is confirmed.
This tracker will continue to be updated throughout the 2020/21 league year, and can be found anytime in the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” menu on our mobile site.
Here are 2020/21’s two-way players:
Updated 7-13-21
Atlanta Hawks
- Nathan Knight, F/C
- Skylar Mays, G
Boston Celtics
- Tacko Fall, C
- Tremont Waters, PG
Brooklyn Nets
- Reggie Perry, PF
- Chris Chiozza, PG
Charlotte Hornets
- Nate Darling, SG
- Grant Riller, G
Chicago Bulls
- Devon Dotson, PG
- Adam Mokoka, SG
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Brodric Thomas, SG
- Jeremiah Martin, PG
Dallas Mavericks
- Tyler Bey, G/F
- Nate Hinton, SG
Denver Nuggets
- Markus Howard, PG
- Shaquille Harrison, PG
Detroit Pistons
- Saben Lee, PG
- Frank Jackson, PG
Golden State Warriors
- Nico Mannion, PG
- Jordan Bell, F/C
Houston Rockets
- Anthony Lamb, SF
- Armoni Brooks, SG
Indiana Pacers
- Cassius Stanley, SG
- Amida Brimah, C *
Los Angeles Clippers
- Amir Coffey, G/F
- Jay Scrubb, G/F *
Los Angeles Lakers
- Devontae Cacok, F/C
- Kostas Antetokounmpo, F
Memphis Grizzlies
- Killian Tillie, F/C
- Sean McDermott, G/F *
Miami Heat
- Gabe Vincent, PG
- Max Strus, G/F
Milwaukee Bucks
- Axel Toupane, SF
- Justin Jackson, SF
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Jordan McLaughlin, PG
- Empty
New Orleans Pelicans
- James Nunnally, SF
- Empty
New York Knicks
- Theo Pinson, G/F
- Jared Harper, PG
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Josh Hall, SF
- Jaylen Hoard, F
Orlando Magic
Philadelphia 76ers
- Rayjon Tucker, G/F
- Gary Clark, F
Phoenix Suns
- Ty-Shon Alexander, SG *
- Empty
Portland Trail Blazers
- Keljin Blevins, G/F
- T.J. Leaf, PF
Sacramento Kings
- Kyle Guy, G
- Louis King, SF
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
- Empty
- Empty
Utah Jazz
- Trent Forrest, G
- Jarrell Brantley, PF
Washington Wizards
- Garrison Mathews, SG
- Cassius Winston, PG
Clippers Re-Sign Marcus Morris To Four-Year Deal
NOVEMBER 25: The Clippers have officially announced the re-signing of Morris, via a team press release.
NOVEMBER 22: The Clippers and Marcus Morris have reached an agreement on a new contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the veteran forward will sign a four-year, $64MM contract with the club.
Morris was one of Los Angeles’ top priorities this offseason, averaging 16.7 points and five rebounds per game last season with the Knicks and Clippers. He fit seamlessly alongside Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and others, adding three-point shooting and toughness on the defensive end.
Morris, who turned 31 in September, will likely remain in the team’s starting lineup next season. Prior to joining the Clippers, he held stints in Houston, Phoenix, Detroit, Boston and New York.
The Clippers had a disappointing playoff exit last season, blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals. The team has since fired Doc Rivers, overhauled its coaching staff under Tyronn Lue, and lost Montrezl Harrell to the rival Lakers in free agency.
In addition to reaching a deal with Morris, the Clippers also agreed to a new contract with veteran forward Patrick Patterson in free agency.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Rose, Hayward, Brown, Spellman
New Knicks president Leon Rose has exuded patience during free agency with an eye toward next offseason’s potentially star-studded free agent class, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Though the Knicks had some interest in Fred VanVleet and Gordon Hayward, they were not going to shell out the money and multi-year contracts that those top-level free agents received. New York could still trade for Russell Westbrook if the Rockets’ asking price drops but Rose isn’t inclined to make any panic moves, Popper adds.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Hayward posted a message on Twitter, thanking Celtics fans for their support during his three seasons there. “I know there were some ups and downs, but I will always cherish my experience in Boston. I am forever grateful that I was given the opportunity to wear a Celtics uniform and play in front of the Garden faithful,” said Hayward, who also posted a tweet about his excitement to play for the Hornets.
- The Nets are looking at Bruce Brown as a defensive stopper, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Brown was acquired from the Pistons in a three-team deal and slots in as a combo guard. “Bruce, we’ve talked about adding some defensive players,” Nets GM Sean Marks said. “A toughness, a mindset, that’s what we’ll certainly be looking for in Bruce.”
- The Knicks will retain big man Omari Spellman and he’s got a pretty good shot to make the opening-night roster, Marc Berman of the New York Post tweets. New York has an agreement to acquire Spellman, shooting guard Jacob Evans and the rights to a future second-round pick from the Timberwolves in exchange for Ed Davis. Berman’s note indicates Spellman’s salary wasn’t simply thrown in to make a trade work.
Wizards Re-Sign Davis Bertans To Five-Year Deal
NOVEMBER 22, 9:45pm: Bertans’ fifth year will only be partially guaranteed for $5MM for now, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who tweets that it will become fully guaranteed if Bertans plays 75% of his team’s games in year four of the deal.
NOVEMBER 22, 1:06pm: It’s official, according to Bertans, who tweeted a photo that shows him signing his lucrative new deal with the Wizards.
NOVEMBER 20, 8:55pm: The Wizards and Davis Bertans have agreed to a five-year, $80MM deal, agent Arturs Kalnitis tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Bertans’ new contract will include an early termination option for year five, per Wojnarowski.
Re-signing the talented stretch four was Washington’s top priority this offseason and the team accomplished that goal at a premium price.
Bertans, who turns 28 this Thursday, opted out of the NBA’s restart due to his history of ACL injuries and a desire to preserve his value as an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Bertans was the subject of numerous trade rumors prior to February’s deadline but the Wizards chose to keep him with the intent of locking him up long-term. By retaining him, they held his Bird rights, giving Washington the ability to exceed the cap to re-sign him.
He had a career year in 2019/20 during his first season as a Wizard, averaging 15.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 1.7 APG in 54 games (29.3 MPG).
His calling card is his ability to stretch defenses. Bertans made 42.4% of 8.7 three-point attempts per game.
He was in the Spurs organization for three seasons and played regularly off the bench. He wound up in Washington last offseason as part of a three-way deal that also involved the Nets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.