Hawks Sign Bogdanovic To Offer Sheet; Kings Leaning Toward Not Matching
NOVEMBER 24, 7:05pm: The Kings are still discussing whether to match Atlanta’s offer sheet but are leaning strongly towards not matching, Amick tweets.
NOVEMBER 22, 12:11pm: The Hawks have sent Bogdanovic’s signed offer sheet to the Kings, who will now have until Tuesday night to decide whether or not to match it, reports Amick (Twitter link).
The deal includes a fourth-year player option and a 15% trade kicker, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. That trade kicker is structured so that the team trading away Bogdanovic while he’s on this contract would have to pay the bonus, Stein adds (via Twitter).
NOVEMBER 22, 11:17am: The Hawks are submitting an offer sheet for Kings restricted free agent swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link). Emiliano Carchia of Sportando first reported on Friday that Atlanta was expected to sign Bogdanovic to an offer sheet.
The deal will be worth $72MM over four years, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link). That’s the exact price we’d heard connected to Bogdanovic for the last several days.
Once Bogdanovic officially signs the offer sheet, the Kings will have two days to make a decision on whether or not to match it. As Amick notes (via Twitter), the Hawks likely wouldn’t be prepared to move forward on the offer sheet unless they felt pretty confident about its chances of not being matched.
Earlier this week, it appeared that Bogdanovic would join the Bucks in a sign-and-trade agreement that packaged him and Justin James to Milwaukee for Donte DiVincenzo, D.J. Wilson, and Ersan Ilyasova. However, a couple days after it was first reported, that deal fell apart amid rumors that Bogdanovic himself hadn’t agree to sign with Milwaukee.
Since word of the deal broke several days before free agency opened, there was speculation that the NBA may have intervened due to perceived tampering and/or circumvention. That hasn’t been confirmed at all, though the league did open an investigation into the situation.
The Bucks ultimately moved on from their pursuit of Bogdanovic, opening the door for the Hawks – one of the few teams with significant cap room – to make a run at him. Atlanta has already had a successful free agency period, having struck deals with Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, and Kris Dunn. If they can land Bogdanovic, it would represent another upgrade on a core that already features Trae Young, John Collins, and Clint Capela.
While there’s still a chance the Kings could match the Hawks’ offer so as not to lose a key asset for nothing, the team may have tipped its hand when its reported agreement with the Bucks broke. That deal was a signal that Sacramento wasn’t necessarily intent on retaining the RFA swingman, who would add another expensive multiyear contract to a cap sheet that already features pricey long-term deals for Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, and – starting in 2021/22 – De’Aaron Fox.
After their deal with the Bucks was scuttled, the Kings reportedly explored other sign-and-trade scenarios involving Bogdanovic, with the Lakers and Pacers among the teams believed to have interest. However, any deal would’ve come with cap- and compensation-related challenges, whereas Atlanta had the flexibility to simply sign Bogdanovic outright to an offer sheet.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Trail Blazers Sign Harry Giles
8:29pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
11:54am: It’ll be a minimum-salary contract for Giles in Portland, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
10:53am: Harry Giles will sign a one-year contract with the Trail Blazers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Giles, 22, was originally drafted by Portland in 2017, but was sent to the Kings in a draft night trade. He spent two seasons in Sacramento, but his progress was limited by knee injuries that have plagued him since high school. He was a free agent because Sacramento elected not to pick up his third-season option.
Giles appeared in 46 games last season, starting 17, and averaged 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in about 12 minutes per night. New Kings general manager Monte McNair had been hoping to keep Giles, and several teams were interested in signing him because of his potential.
Theo Pinson Returning To Knicks On Two-Way Deal
NOVEMBER 29: Pinson’s two-way deal with the Knicks is now official, the team tweets.
NOVEMBER 22: The Knicks will sign Theo Pinson to a two-way contract, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.
New York claimed Pinson off waivers in June, but he became a free agent on Thursday when the Knicks turned down their team option for 2020/21.
The 25-year-old shooting guard spent the past two years with the Nets. He got into 33 games last season, averaging 3.6 PPG in about 11 minutes per night.
The Knicks created a two-way opening by waiving Kenny Wooten earlier this week. They made a qualifying offer to Jared Harper, who could return to fill the other two-way slot.
Warriors Sign Kent Bazemore To One-Year Deal
NOVEMBER 24: The Warriors have signed Bazemore to his one-year contract, according to the NBA’s official transactions log.
NOVEMBER 22: The Warriors and free agent forward Kent Bazemore have agreed to a one-year deal, agent Austin Walton tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Bazemore’s new contract will be worth the veteran’s minimum, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link), so it won’t cut into Golden State’s mid-level exception or potential disabled player exception. Bazemore will earn $2.32MM, while Golden State will take a $1.62MM cap hit.
It’s a reunion for the two sides, as Bazemore started his career in Golden State as an undrafted free agent back in 2012. This time around, the 31-year-old should get an opportunity to play regular minutes on the wing, especially with Klay Thompson expected to miss the entire season with an Achilles tear.
Bazemore, who began last season with the Trail Blazers, had a slow start to the year, but played well after being traded to the Kings in January. In 25 games down the stretch for Sacramento, the three-and-D swingman averaged 10.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.2 SPG with a shooting line of .418/.384/.733.
Magic Apply For DPE To Replace Jonathan Isaac
The Magic are seeking a disabled player exception for Jonathan Isaac, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. If approved by the league, the DPE will be worth $3,681,283, half of Isaac’s salary for the upcoming season.
Isaac suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the NBA’s restart at Disney World and underwent surgery in August. He is expected to miss the entire season. He was returning from a severe left knee sprain and bone bruise that had kept him out of action since January.
Any player the Orlando signs with the DPE would count toward the team’s tax bill, Robbins notes (Twitter link). That could be a consideration as the Magic are near the tax line after agreeing to free agent deals with Michael Carter-Williams, James Ennis and Dwayne Bacon.
Bucks Sign Torrey Craig
NOVEMBER 26: The Bucks have officially signed Craig to a one-year contract, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
NOVEMBER 22: The Bucks are making another free agent addition, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has reached a deal with veteran wing Torrey Craig. Craig’s reps at CAA confirmed the agreement.
Craig entered the league year as a restricted free agent, but became unrestricted when the Nuggets withdrew his qualifying offer on Saturday. As a result, Denver didn’t have the right to match offers for the swingman.
Craig, who will turn 30 next month, averaged 5.4 PPG and 3.3 RPG in 58 games (27 starts) for Denver in 2019/20, providing the team with solid perimeter defense. However, he became a victim of a roster crunch in Denver.
In Milwaukee, he’ll be tasked with helping to guard some of the Eastern Conference’s talented wing scorers, joining an impressive defensive squad that includes past All-Defensive players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, and Jrue Holiday.
While the terms of Craig’s deal haven’t been reported, a minimum-salary pact seems likely, given Milwaukee’s projected hard-cap constraints.
Marc Gasol Receiving Interest From Lakers, Raptors, Warriors
NOVEMBER 22, 11:11am: The Lakers have emerged as a “serious” suitor for Gasol, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
As Charania explains, the opportunity to play in Los Angeles and chase another title appeal to Gasol, though he’d likely have to accept a minimum-salary deal. Marc Stein of The New York Times reported the Lakers’ interest in Gasol on Friday.
NOVEMBER 21, 11:37pm: In the wake of Serge Ibaka‘s contract agreement with the Clippers, the Raptors are working to convince their other center – Marc Gasol – to sign a new deal with the club, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). However, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), Gasol is receiving interest from other teams, including the Warriors.
The Raptors hold Gasol’s Bird rights and are well positioned to offer him a lucrative one-year deal for 2020/21, especially now that Ibaka is no longer in play. Toronto’s reluctance to offer multiple years and eat into its 2021 cap room may have hindered the team’s ability to re-sign Ibaka, but it seems unlikely to be a major handicap in the Gasol sweepstakes, since the 35-year-old probably won’t receive many multiyear offers.
Whether or not they re-sign Gasol, the Raptors will have the full $9.3MM mid-level exception available to seek additional frontcourt help.
Golden State’s resources to offer Gasol a contract are somewhat limited, especially if the team is dedicating part of its $5.7MM mid-level exception to Brad Wanamaker, as has been rumored. Following Klay Thompson‘s Achilles tear, the Warriors have sought a $9.3MM disabled player exception that would allow the club to sign a free agent to a one-year contract, but it’s not clear how long it might take for the NBA to approve that request.
Even if the Warriors get that DPE soon, making a $9MM offer to a free agent would increase the club’s already-massive projected tax bill exponentially, and it’s not clear just how much team ownership is willing to pay for this season’s roster — especially with Thompson’s injury compromising Golden State’s championship chances.
While the Warriors are in the market for a center like Gasol, they’re not limiting their free agent search to traditional bigs, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, who says (via Twitter) that wing-type players are also being considered.
Pacers To Re-Sign JaKarr Sampson
JaKarr Sampson has agreed to re-sign with the Pacers, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. It will be a fully guaranteed minimum deal for one year, according to his agent, Aaron Turner.
The sixth-year forward came to Indiana in the summer of 2019 on a one-year contract. He appeared in 34 games, starting 12, and averaged 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per night.
Sampson, 27, has been with five teams since signing with the Sixers in 2014. He also had short stays with the Nuggets, Kings and Bulls.
Northwest Notes: Favors, Adams, Nuggets, Murkey
Even though he was a good fit in New Orleans, Derrick Favors missed playing for the Jazz, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Favors spent more than eight seasons in Utah before being traded last summer to free up cap space, so he was thrilled to get the opportunity to return.
“The history behind everything that came with playing for the Jazz meant a lot to me,” said Favors, who agreed to a three-year deal Friday worth about $27MM. “I made my career there, and I grew up in Utah. There were different teams that showed interest. But I wanted to make the best decision for myself and my family.”
Favors will return to a different role, Jones notes. He was a starter for most of his time in Utah, but he will be used primarily as a back-up center and power forward, though he may start some games against smaller teams. The Jazz had other options if they couldn’t sign Favors, Jones adds, including at least two players who were starters last season, but they couldn’t play both positions.
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The trade that will send Steven Adams to New Orleans removes the last link to the Thunder’s best seasons, notes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. Adams, who was set to make $27.5MM in the final year of his contract, was part of a four-team deal that will bring George Hill, Darius Miller and three draft picks to OKC.
- The Nuggets have an open roster spot after withdrawing their qualifying offer to Torrey Craig, and it will most likely be used to add a back-up big man, tweets Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Denver lost Mason Plumlee to Detroit on the first night of free agency. Top centers still available include Hassan Whiteside, Aron Baynes and Marc Gasol.
- University of Denver guard Ade Murkey will join the Timberwolves on an Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. Murkey averaged 18.6 points per game last season while shooting 40% from three-point range.
Mavericks Sign Devonte Patterson To Exhibit 10 Deal
DECEMBER 1: Patterson has been officially added to Dallas’ camp roster, the Mavs announced today (via Twitter).
NOVEMBER 22: Devonte Patterson of Prairie View will sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Mavericks, tweets Tim Cato of The Athletic.
The 6’7″ forward was named SWAC Player of the Year last season after averaging 15.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He originally declared for the NBA draft in 2019, but opted to return to school.
The signing assures Patterson an invitation to Dallas’ training camp. Players with Exhibit 10 contracts usually have the chance to earn bonus money for joining a team’s G League affiliate, but the fate of the G League is uncertain this season.