NBA Retains Updated Two-Way Contract Rules For 2022/23
JUNE 25: The league’s Board of Governors has formally approved a continuation of last season’s rules regarding two-way deals, Wojnarowski tweets.
JUNE 17: The NBA plans to keep the updated version of the two-way contract for 2022/23, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links).
Two-way players will continue to earn half of the rookie minimum — projected to be $1,004,159 based on the latest salary cap estimate — so they’ll earn approximately $502K next season, assuming they stay on a two-way deal the entire league year.
Players on two-ways will still be limited to 50 games in the regular season and ineligible for the postseason, per Wojnarowski. In order to be eligible for the playoffs, players on two-way deals need to be converted to a standard contract. A total of 23 players received such a promotion this season, as shown by our tracker.
The league’s board of governors is expected to approve the updated two-way contract rules “in the coming days,” says Wojnarowski, who adds that the changes allow for greater roster flexibility in case of COVID-related interruptions.
The NBA previously approved increased salaries and more regular season games for two-way contracts due to COVID-19 outbreaks throughout the past two seasons. Each team is permitted a couple of two-way spots in addition to its 15-man roster.
Players with fewer than four years of NBA experience can sign a two-way contract with a team. However, teams cannot sign a player to a two-way contract for three seasons. The deals are limited to two years, and can’t include options.
Although two-way contracts can be for up to two years, a player who has three years of NBA experience can’t sign such a deal, since he’d have four years of service after the first season. As such, two-way contracts for players with three years of experience are limited to one year.
David Fizdale Interviewing For Jazz Front Office Job
David Fizdale is interviewing with the Jazz but not for their head coaching job. Fizdale is talking with Utah regarding a front office position, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets.
The former Grizzlies and Knicks head coach had previously been considered a candidate for Quin Snyder’s former job, in part due to his ties with minority owner Dwyane Wade stemming back to Fizdale’s days as a Miami assistant. However, he’s not one of the many candidates that have interviewed for that job with CEO Danny Ainge and GM Justin Zanik.
Fizdale spent this past season as an assistant on the Lakers’ staff under Frank Vogel. He wasn’t retained after Darvin Ham was selected as their head coach.
Rhoden To Join Kings’ Summer Team, Could Receive Two-Way Deal
Undrafted Seton Hall wing Jared Rhoden is signing a summer league contract with the Kings and it could turn into something more substantial, according to Adam Zagoria of NJ Advance Media.
Rhoden might be offered a two-way contract, where he would split time between the big club and its G League affiliate, a league source told Zagoria.
Rhoden had 15 workouts with 14 teams prior to the draft, including a pair with the Kings. He averaged 15.5 PPG and 6.7 RPG last season and earned All-Big East First Team honors.
Rhoden impressed at the G League Elite Camp, which earned him an invitation to the draft combine.
The Kings have already committed a two-way slot to Alabama guard Keon Ellis, so Rhoden presumably is in play for the remaining spot. Center Neemias Queta occupied one of those spots at the end of last season.
Central Notes: Ivey, Duren, Beauchamp, Agbaji
The Pistons used the Knicks’ desperation to shed salary as a means of trading for Jalen Duren, James Edwards III of The Athletic explains.
Detroit rebuffed the attempts of New York and other teams to trade for Jaden Ivey after the Purdue guard landed at its lottery pick. Pistons GM Troy Weaver then used the Knicks’ need to open up cap space to make a run at Jalen Brunson against them, as New York traded the No. 11 pick to Oklahoma City for a trio of future first-rounders. A three-team agreement among New York, Detroit and Charlotte was then engineered involving the No. 13 pick, where Duren dropped.
Detroit was content to take on Kemba Walker‘s contract, which it will buy out, according to Edwards. It was a best-case scenario for the Pistons to land Ivey and Duran but they’ll still be big players in free agency, though not necessarily for Deandre Ayton or another big name on the market. They may instead add multiple veteran pieces.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Ivey said he’s eager to show that he has a mid-range game and can be a defensive force, two of the knocks on him going into the draft. Those were issues talked about in conversations with Weaver and coach Dwane Casey prior to the draft, Edwards writes in a separate story. “They talked about winning, and that’s what I want to do,” Ivey said. “We talked about setting a defensive presence when I get there and bringing back winning to Detroit. (Weaver) challenged me to be a great defender. I want to do that.”
- The Bucks selected G League Ignite wing MarJon Beauchamp at No. 24 and GM Jon Horst believes that Beauchamp can make an impact with his defensive tenacity, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. “Length, athleticism, I think he’s got a grittiness and a toughness to him,” Horst said. “He’s going to have to work on his strength like any young player. … One thing about the G League is it’s a bunch of fast, quick, athletic guys, and I think he really held his own.”
- Wing Ochai Agbaji, chosen with the No. 14 pick, gives the Cavaliers another quality offensive option, coach J.B. Bickerstaff told The Athletic’s Kelsey Russo and other media members. “I thought he could be a weapon. He’s got a skill that no matter where you are in the NBA, you need it,” Bickerstaff said. “He has the ability to put the ball in the basket, and it’s not just the ability to stand in a spot and make a shot.”
And-Ones: Gasol, Trade Cash, 2023 Draft, Ignite, Zizic
It doesn’t appear that veteran center Marc Gasol will be making an NBA comeback this fall. As Johnny Askounis of Eurhoops.net relays, multiple reports out of Spain have indicated that Gasol intends to remain a member of Girona, the Spanish team he owns and plays for.
Girona competed this past season in Spain’s second-division Liga Española de Baloncesto, but has received a promotion to the top Spanish league, Liga Endesa, for the 2022/23 season. Having helped his team earn that promotion by averaging 14.5 PPG and 8.2 RPG this season, Gasol’s goal is now to actually play for Girona in Liga Endesa competition, according to Askounis.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (all Twitter links) has the details on the cash that changed hands in a few draft-night trades, reporting that the Magic received $2.15MM from the Lakers as part of the deal for the No. 35 pick; the Grizzlies sent $1MM to the Spurs as part of the swap for Kennedy Chandler‘s draft rights; and the Pacers got $1MM from the Bucks for selling the final pick in the draft (No. 58 pick Hugo Besson). That $2.15MM was the most Orlando could have acquired in a deal, as our cash tracker shows.
- With the 2022 draft in the books, Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link) has already turned his attention to 2023, publishing an initial mock draft for next year. As Givony and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic write, the 2023 NBA draft looks like it’ll be the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes.
- The NBA G League announced in a press release that Washington State center Efe Abogidi has officially signed with the G League Ignite, as expected. Meanwhile, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, five-star recruit Matas Buzelis, one of the top prospects in the class of 2023, has committed to the Ignite for the 2023/24 season.
- Former NBA first-round pick Ante Zizic has officially signed with Turkish team Anadolu Efes following his departure from Maccabi Tel Aviv. Zizc, who received a two-year deal with a third-year option, appeared in 113 NBA games for Boston and Cleveland from 2017-20.
Warriors Notes: Rookies, Roster, Iguodala, Summer League
The Warriors selected Patrick Baldwin Jr. with their first-round pick (No. 28) in a gamble on his upside, and he’ll bring a familiar, appreciated mentality to Golden State, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
As Poole details, Baldwin was a five-star recruit entering college, but was limited to just 11 games for Wisconsin-Milwaukee due to a serious ankle injury, which had some questioning his toughness. The young forward insists that isn’t an issue.
“There’s never a point where if I feel like I’m healthy that I feel like I should sit out,” Baldwin told NBC Sports Bay Area. “I know that’s contrary to popular belief with some people. If I’m healthy, I’m playing, but at some points I was pushing through it. But if there was a sliver of a chance I could play for my team and compete, I’m going out there to play.”
Baldwin averaged 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 28.5 minutes per contest as a freshman last season, but his shooting line of .344/.266/.743 was dreadful. He also tested extremely poorly at the combine last month, Poole notes, recording just a 26.5 inch maximum vertical leap, one of the worst marks in the last 10 years.
“I’m a better athlete than I showed that day,” Baldwin told Poole. “I’m a firm believer in that. I know I’ve got to come out here and really show that’s not an issue. That’s all you can do. You can’t sit and talk about it. You’ve got to do it.”
President of basketball operations Bob Myers recently said that Baldwin still needs to be medically cleared for Summer League action, so it sounds like the ankle might still be an issue (Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic).
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Myers also touched on the team’s second-round selections, per Slater. Golden State expects to have Ryan Rollins on the 15-man roster, but might draft-and-stash Gui Santos. The Warriors traded up to acquire Rollins at No. 44, while the Brazilian forward Santos was the team’s own pick at No. 55.
- Tim Kawakami of The Athletic provides a player-by-player breakdown of the team’s roster following the draft. Myers said drafting young players is desirable in part because they’re so difficult to obtain in free agency. “It’s easier to get some of the older players, we think, in free agency, than young players. Young players are probably the most in demand in free agency. Obviously trading for them is extremely difficult. So that’s why we draft some guys like that,” he said as part of a larger quote.
- Andre Iguodala has earned “player-emeritus status” with the Warriors, Monte Poole states in a separate article. Iguodala is undecided on whether or not he’s going to retire, but the team would be “thrilled” to have him back. Poole argues that Iguodala’s off-court impact is incredibly valuable to Golden State and the team should keep him as long as he wants to stick around, like what Miami does with Udonis Haslem.
- The Warriors expect James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to all participate in Summer League, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area, who says the trio has a big opportunity to improve this offseason. Wiseman, of course, missed all of last season after multiple setbacks from a couple of knee surgeries.
Pacers To Sign Eli Brooks To Exhibit 10 Deal
Undrafted rookie Eli Brooks is signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Pacers, his father tells Andrew Kahn of MLive.com. Brooks will also compete in Summer League for Indiana, Kahn adds.
Brooks, a 6’1″ guard, appeared in 34 games (36 MPG) as a fifth-year senior last season, averaging 12.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.9 APG and 1.2 SPG on .444/.394/.877 shooting. According to Kahn, Brooks is the Wolverines’ all-time leader in wins and was team captain in his final two seasons.
Exhibit 10 deals, which are non-guaranteed, can be converted into two-way contracts before the regular season begins and also make a player eligible for a bonus of up to $50K if he’s waived and then joins his team’s G League affiliate.
Southeast Notes: Clifford, Hornets, Davis, Heat
Steve Clifford, who is now embarking on a second stint with the Hornets, signed a three-year contract with a team option in the final year, sources tell Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Clifford will earn $4MM in each of the next two seasons, Boone adds.
In case you missed it, you can find our full story on Clifford’s hiring right here.
Here’s more from the Southeast:
- Hiring Clifford for a second time is just wild enough to work, argues Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer. The Hornets made the playoffs twice in Clifford’s first five-year stint with the team, and in 10 years prior and four years since, the team has only made the postseason one time, says Fowler, who notes that Clifford’s work ethic, professionalism and honesty are all admirable traits. According to Fowler, Clifford “always had a good relationship” with owner Michael Jordan, and he didn’t burn any bridges when he was fired in 2018, leading to the unexpected possibility of bringing him back.
- Johnny Davis, the 10th pick of the draft by the Wizards, hopes to make a lasting impact in the NBA, writes Austen Tealer of WashingtonWizards.com. “I want to leave a legacy of being a great teammate and a winner, that’s the main goal,” Davis said. “I want to win an NBA championship whenever I can.” For his short-term goals, Davis hopes to become a regular part of the rotation and help the club make the playoffs, per Tealer.
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald considers possible fallback options if the Heat can’t re-sign forward P.J. Tucker. Taurean Prince, Thaddeus Young and T.J. Warren are a few free agents on Jackson’s list, among others. Tucker is declining his $7.35MM player option to be come an unrestricted free agent, and he’s said to have several suitors outside of Miami.
Hornets Hire Steve Clifford As Head Coach
6:27pm: The Hornets have officially named Clifford their head coach, per a team press release.
“We are pleased to welcome Steve back to our franchise,” said Kupchak. “We believe that his previous experience and coaching philosophy make him the best coach for our team. Steve has a proven track record of improving defenses and is detail oriented. He has a history of maximizing players’ talent and working with them to develop and expand their skill sets. Steve is committed to playing with the same offensive pace that our fans are accustomed to seeing the last few years. We are confident that he will be able to help our young players continue to grow as we look to take the next step as a team.”
4:33pm: The Hornets are hiring Steve Clifford to be their head coach for a second time, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Marc Stein reported yesterday morning that Clifford had unexpectedly emerged as a serious candidate to replace James Borrego, who was fired after the team lost in the play-in tournament for the second consecutive season. Roderick Boone and Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer reported this morning that Clifford met with GM Mitch Kupchak and owner Michael Jordan earlier this week.
Clifford will receive a “multi-year” contract, Boone tweets.
The Hornets were reportedly looking for a veteran head coach who could help improve the team’s defense, and Clifford has a long-held reputation as one of the better defensive tacticians in the league. Across his eight seasons as a head coach, Clifford’s clubs were top 10 in defensive rating five times.
Clifford, 60, previously coached the Hornets from 2013-18, compiling an overall record of 196-214. He took the club to the postseason in 2014 and 2016 — those are Charlotte’s only playoff appearances since 2010.
After his stint with the Hornets, Clifford was hired by Orlando to be their head coach, accumulating a 96-131 record from 2018-2021, including a couple of postseason trips in his first two seasons. His overall record with the Magic is a little deceptive, as Orlando pivoted into a full rebuild in his final season, when the team went 21-51.
Clifford was a long-time assistant prior to becoming a head coach, with stops in New York, Houston, Orlando and Los Angeles from 2000-2013. He was a consultant with the Nets last season.
Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, formerly the head coach of the Nets, had previously reached an agreement to become the Hornets’ new coach, but backed out of the deal and never signed the contract, thus re-starting the club’s coaching search.
Mike D’Antoni, who was said to be meeting with Jordan this week, was reportedly a finalist during both searches. There were conflicting reports on whether Terry Stotts was also a finalist before the team reached a deal with Atkinson — Stein wrote that D’Antoni was the “only other known finalist” at that point, but other outlets suggested he was still in the mix late in the process.
Summer League Commitments: Lakers, Suns, Magic, Warriors
Undrafted UConn guard R.J. Cole has committed to play summer league with the Lakers, a league source told Hoops Rumors. Cole, 22, is coming off an impressive season with the Huskies, averaging 15.8 points and 4.1 assists per game. He also recorded 1.1 steals per contest and shot 41.5% from the floor.
The Las Vegas Summer League will be held from July 7-17 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cole will reportedly join a number of other undrafted players on the Lakers’ roster, including Shareef O’Neal and Fabian White Jr.
Here are some other summer league-related notes:
- Free agent forward Louis King — MVP of the 2021 Las Vegas Summer League — has accepted a summer league invite from the Suns, sources said. King most recently played for the Knicks’ G League affiliate. He holds past NBA experience with Sacramento.
- Undrafted Saint Mary’s guard Tommy Kuhse has agreed to play summer league with the Magic, a league source told Hoops Rumors. Kushe is expected to see significant minutes with the team. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.7 assists per game this past season.
- Kalob Ledoux has committed to play summer league with the Warriors, his agents BJ Bass and Cam Brennick of RBA Sports told Hoops Rumors. Ledoux played 14 games with Golden State’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, this past season.