Isaac Bonga Signs With Bayern Munich
Free agent forward Isaac Bonga is headed back overseas, having signed a two-year contract with Bayern Munich, the German team announced today in a press release.
The 39th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Bonga spent time with the Lakers, Wizards, and Raptors over the past four seasons, averaging 3.1 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 143 total games (13.1 MPG).
Although he spent the entire 2021/22 season in Toronto, Bonga played an extremely limited role, logging just 69 total minutes in 15 appearances. He saw more action in the G League, putting up 12.7 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 3.5 APG in 25 regular season contests (26.9 MPG) for the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate.
According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com, who first reported Bonga’s agreement with Bayern Munich, the 22-year-old drew some NBA interest as a free agent this summer. However, given how little he played at the NBA level last season, Bonga presumably recognized that a return to Europe would be his best chance at guaranteed money and a more expansive role.
Bonga was born in Germany and began his professional career in his home country, playing for Skyliners Frankfurt’s reserve team from 2016-18. This time around, he’ll be competing in a pair of Europe’s top leagues — Bayern Munich is a member of both Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) and the EuroLeague.
Spurs Rookie Jeremy Sochan Discusses Health, EuroBasket, Alamodome Game
Spurs rookie forward Jeremy Sochan is fully recovered from a COVID-19 infection and is confident he’ll be 100% healthy for training camp, reports Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
Sochan was unable to suit up for San Antonio during the team’s Las Vegas Summer League showing this year due to the novel coronavirus, but after weeks of working out, he says he is wholly recuperated ahead of training camp.
“I have been working out here daily,” Sochan said. “My body is feeling great.”
The 19-year-old was selected by the Spurs with the ninth pick in the 2022 draft out of Baylor, where he was named the 2021/22 Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. Though his college numbers were fairly modest, Sochan’s defensive upside and athleticism make him an intriguing long-term prospect. In 30 games during his lone college season, he averaged 9.2 PPG on 47.4% shooting, 6.4 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.3 SPG.
Here’s more from Sochan’s conversation:
- The 6’9″ forward discussed the mental health routine he has been employing to keep himself centered since his Baylor days. “If I am going through something or if I have a string of games where I am not playing well or my shot is not falling, normally I try to communicate with the people around me, talk about it and try to solve stuff like that instead of keeping it to myself and having it eat me up,” Sochan said. “Communication is definitely key for me.”
- Though he is now healthy, Sochan has opted to not suit up for the Polish national team in this year’s FIBA EuroBasket competition, which will tip off in Germany on September 1. “Of course, it is always an honor to play for the Polish national team,” said Sochan, who is eligible because his mother is Polish. “But this is going to be my first season in the NBA, playing 82 games. I’ve never done that before, so I think just being ready, being in the environment, being in San Antonio, is important to have the best season I can have.”
- Sochan became more excited about his rookie season following the NBA’s release of the regular season schedule this week. He singled out two games in Austin and one against the Warriors, the reigning 2022 champs, at San Antonio’s 65,000-seat Alamodome on January 13, as highlights. “It’s really exciting, because there’s going to be a lot of new people coming to watch,” Sochan said of that game at the Alamodome.
And-Ones: Doncic, International Prospects, Playoff Contenders, Bluiett
Mavericks All-Star guard Luka Doncic is hoping to win it all at EuroBasket this year, per Eurohoops. The 6’7″ guard is playing for his native Slovenia in the competition. Led by Doncic and countryman Goran Dragic, the Slovenian national team won EuroBasket in 2017. Dragic retired from international play after the event — but unretired in time to suit up this year’s event.
“We are going to Germany [the locale for the event] to win gold,” Doncic told reporters. “In every competition where we compete, the goal must always be the first place. We will do everything for it, but we will see if we make it. In 2017, no one took us seriously when we announced our attack on the gold medal, today is different. It’s nice when you see that everyone will make an extra effort against us to win.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship in Izmir, Turkey featured several intriguing international NBA prospects, as Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link) writes. Givony, evaluating the best candidates among the young talent, considers two French players – versatile shooting guard Sidy Cissoko and defensive-oriented small forward Rayan Rupert – to be the most exciting players at the event.
- With NBA training camps just a month away and many of the summer’s big transactions in the rear view, Tim Bontemps and Kevin Pelton of ESPN assess which clubs have fully committed to succeeding in the present, and how much of their future leverage they have surrendered to get to this point.
- Former Pelicans two-way player Trevon Bluiett has agreed to terms on a deal with Polish club MKS Dabrowa Gornicza, a source informs our own JD Shaw (Twitter link). The 27-year-old wing went undrafted out of Xavier in 2018 before joining the Pelicans via a two-way contract. He toiled with NBAGL clubs the Westchester Knicks and the Salt Lake City Stars until 2021, but never ended up making his regular season NBA debut. The 6’6″ swingman subsequently went overseas, playing for clubs in Turkey and Germany.
Atlantic Notes: Russell, Celtics Roster, Durant, Nets
The Celtics have revealed that they will wear Bill Russell-themed City Edition jerseys 12 times during the 2022/23 season to honor the life and legacy of the 11-time Boston champion, reports Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston (Twitter link), who recaps a Celtics press statement announcing the news. Two of those city jersey appearances will happen during a pair of Russell-themed home tribute contests, one against the Sixers in October and the other against the Grizzlies in February.
The Celtics’ press statement notes that Russell himself was consulted for the development of the tributary City Edition uniform in recent years, in collaboration with the team and the NBA. Russell, a 12-time All-Star and five-time NBA MVP, passed away last month at age 88.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Fresh off a 2022 Finals run, the Celtics are hoping a bolstered bench can help them win a title in 2023. Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe unpacks the team’s current roster. The club added point guard Malcolm Brogdon – who started while with his prior club, the Pacers – but clarified that 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will remain the team’s starting point guard. Another new addition, veteran forward Danilo Gallinari, will also help strengthen the club’s second unit. Himmelsbach notes that head coach Ime Udoka will prioritize Boston’s health heading into the postseason and lean on the team’s improved depth, particularly given the age of starting center Al Horford and the injury history of starting center Robert Williams.
- The Nets are reportedly holding out hope that All-Star forward Kevin Durant will reconsider his request to be traded away from Brooklyn, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst told Malika Andrews on NBA Today (YouTube video link). Windhorst revealed that, even as the Nets front office continues to parse through a variety of potential deals, the team is trying to suss out exactly what Durant would require for a return. He recently met with team owner Joe Tsai in London to demand that the team fire president of basketball operations Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash.
- Though the Nets were allotted 26 national television appearances during the 2021/22 regular season, the NBA has opted to slash that tally in half heading into 2022/23, perhaps indicating that the league itself is dubious Kevin Durant will remain with the club long-term, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Lewis notes that, amidst the uncertainty surrounding the futures of stars Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn may not hold as much national appeal to audiences.
- In some more positive news, Lewis notes that the Nets‘ third star, Ben Simmons, should be fully healthy in time for the team’s October 19 season opener against the Pelicans.
Pacific Notes: Wiggins, Westbrook, Kyrie, LeBron
Fresh off his first NBA title and All-Star selection in 2021/22, Warriors starting small forward Andrew Wiggins is hoping to prove his mettle as one of the NBA’s best defensive players, as he told Vince Carter on the retired eight-time All-Star’s podcast, The VC Show with Vince Carter (h/t to Andrei de Guzman of TalkBasket).
“One thing I’m really gonna strive for this upcoming season is being on the [All-]Defensive Team,” Wiggins said. “That’s a big goal of mine, and hopefully I opened some eyes in the playoffs and I can be on the radar. I ain’t get not one vote this year! I took it personal in the playoffs!”
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- With Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James newly signed to a lucrative extension that will at least keep him in Los Angeles through 2024, it’s possible that L.A. will be more receptive to including draft capital in a trade to get off the contract of embattled point guard Russell Westbrook, opines Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Pincus suspects that Westbrook could be moved to the Nets, Pacers or Spurs, should the Lakers indeed be willing to part with their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks. Pincus notes that the Jazz also have the assets to possibly pique the interest of the Lakers’ front office in a deal. During his first season with his hometown team, the 33-year-old veteran proved to be an awkward on-court fit alongside James as a ball-dominant guard without a jump shot or much defensive effort.
- Prior to his inking the aforementioned extension with the Lakers, James was “privately adamant” about wanting the Lakers trade for his former Cavaliers teammate Kyrie Irving, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Whether such a transaction for the seven-time All-Star, currently with the Nets, comes to pass remains to be seen.
- The new two-year, $97.1MM contract extension James signed with the Lakers can benefit both James and Los Angeles, opines Dave McMenamin of ESPN (YouTube video link). By opting to commit to the Lakers at this juncture (the extension could have been signed as late as next summer), James has given the team the green light to make moves around him in order to hopefully resume deep playoff runs. In turn, the 17-time championship-winning Lakers want to showcase themselves as a desirable landing place for marquee free agents in the years to come. McMenamin adds that, should L.A. prove unable to compete at a championship level within the next two seasons, James is able to retain some of his future flexibility to an extent by making the second year of the deal, the 2024/25 season, a player option.
Community Shootaround: Collin Sexton’s Future
After suffering a torn meniscus 11 games into last season and missing the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign, and with only a couple of rival teams with cap room, restricted free agent Collin Sexton has found himself in a tough spot. The Cavaliers, who drafted Sexton No. 8 overall in 2018, have reportedly offered him a deal worth close to $40MM over three years, which certainly seems low for a scorer of his caliber, and that’s why he hasn’t accepted it.
Despite the negotiating impasse, the Cavs are projecting “a lot of confidence” that Sexton will be on the roster in ’22/23, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said a few weeks ago.
Sexton is reportedly seeking “starting guard money” with an annual value of $20+MM per season, and Fedor previously reported the two sides were discussing a deal in the range of $72MM over four years prior to last season. Multiple factors seem to have convinced the Cavs to change that price tag.
Sexton’s injury and dry market, the addition of Caris LeVert, and the team’s proximity to the luxury tax line (roughly $13MM below) are all reportedly part of Cleveland’s thinking in extending a lower offer. The Cavs would also have to make a roster move to bring back Sexton, as the 15-man roster is already full, but that isn’t as big of a deal as the other factors.
If the Cavs don’t increase their offer, and Sexton decides against accepting it, he could also sign his $7.2MM qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent in 2023, at which point he’d be able to test his value on the open market.
At 23 years old, Sexton has plenty of time to continue to improve. He was one of the NBA’s most underrated scorers from 2019-21, averaging 22.5 PPG and doing so efficiently (.474/.376/.828 slash line, including a 56.7% true shooting percentage).
However, there are some holes in his game. Standing just 6’1″, Sexton has been a high-volume, high-usage scorer, but he isn’t a point guard, averaging just 3.3 APG over his career, and since Darius Garland is also only 6’1″, having two small guards starting in the backcourt is an awkward fit on both ends of the court. Sexton also isn’t a great rebounder, averaging only 3.0 RPG in 218 NBA games despite a heavy workload (32.9 MPG).
The Cavs were the NBA’s worst team in Sexton’s first three seasons, and while that isn’t necessarily on him, the team did perform better with him off the court in each of those seasons. It also doesn’t help his cause that Cleveland found its most success during his tenure when he only played 11 games, going 44-38 and reaching the play-in tournament.
In theory, the team’s offense should definitely be better with him back, but the defense might decline, and that’s where the Cavs shined last season, ranking fifth in the league in defensive rating. Defensive concerns have led some to suggest that Sexton might be better served as a sixth man, but I think Sexton is a better player — and much better shooter — than LeVert, the other primary candidate for the second guard spot, so I wouldn’t go that far, but I understand the logic to some extent.
I believe Sexton is worth at least $15MM per season, and it’s unfortunate the way things have played out, because he’s a hard worker and said to be a good teammate. Having said that, the Cavs seem to hold all the leverage right now.
We want to know what you think. Where will Sexton end up in ’22/23? Will he accept a seemingly lesser offer for more long-term security? Will an unexpected suitor emerge? Or will he simply accept his qualifying offer and test the unrestricted free agent waters in 2023? Head to the comments section and share your thoughts on Sexton’s future.
LeBron James Signs Extension With Lakers
AUGUST 18: The Lakers have officially signed James to an extension, the team announced (Twitter link via Marc Stein).
AUGUST 17: Superstar forward LeBron James has agreed to a contract extension with the Lakers, agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
It’ll be a new two-year, maximum-salary deal that includes a second-year player option, per Wojnarowski. That means James is now under contract with the Lakers through at least the 2023/24 season, with an option on ’24/25. The agreement also includes a 15% trade kicker, Woj adds.
James is earning $44,474,988 in 2022/23, which exceeds the standard maximum of $43,279,250 for a player with 10-plus years of NBA experience. Because he’s still eligible for a 5% raise on a new extension, LeBron’s 2023/24 salary will likely be $46,698,737. His ’24/25 player option will be worth $50,434,636, an 8% raise on the first year of his extension, for a total two-year value of $97,133,373.
The value of James’ extension could increase further if the NBA salary cap for ’23/24 comes in higher than anticipated. The cap is currently projected to be $133MM, but if it ends up exceeding $133,425,000, LeBron’s starting salary on the extension would instead be worth 35% of the cap.
[RELATED: 2022/23 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]
James became eligible for a new two-year extension on August 4. He was ineligible to sign a deal longer than that due to the NBA’s Over-38 rule.
Despite his new eligibility, there was a sense that James wouldn’t rush into a new deal right away. The four-time MVP would have been able to retain leverage and perhaps wield more influence on the Lakers’ roster moves by holding off on that commitment. Taking that route would also have given LeBron a chance to assess the team’s roster additions – and new head coach Darvin Ham – during the 2022/23 season.
However, it appears that James was comfortable renewing his commitment to the Lakers despite last season’s disappointing 33-49 showing and lingering questions about the roster. The new deal will give LeBron the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent at age 39, at which point he’s expected to try to team up with his son Bronny James, who would be draft-eligible no earlier than 2024.
While the Lakers almost certainly wouldn’t have considered moving him anyway, James’ extension will make him ineligible to be traded during the 2022/23 season — he can’t be dealt for six months after signing the contract, since it exceeds the NBA’s “extend-and-trade” restrictions.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) previously noted, the Lakers’ potential 2023 cap room won’t be affected in any real way by James’ new extension, since his free agent cap hold would have been equivalent to his extension salary. Los Angeles projects to have over $20MM in room next summer when several contracts – including Russell Westbrook‘s – expire, which will open up some options for the team but won’t be enough for another maximum-salary player.
James’ new deal makes him the highest-paid player in NBA history in terms of total earnings, at least for the time being, Marks tweets. Assuming LeBron’s deal ends up being worth $97.1MM, he’ll be at $532MM in career earnings, surpassing Kevin Durant‘s $508MM.
Udonis Haslem To Announce NBA Plans On Sunday
Free agent big man Udonis Haslem, who has spent his entire 19-year NBA career with the Heat, will formally announce his future NBA plans at his youth camp in Miami on Sunday, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
As Winderman notes, the Heat have given Haslem the option to return for a 20th season — if he’s interested. If he re-signs, Miami would have 14 players with guaranteed contracts on its standard 15-man roster and would be approximately $200K below the luxury tax line of $150,267,000, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
The 42-year-old said on Monday that his NBA future as a player was still up in the air, but evidently he’s either given himself a deadline or has arrived at a decision.
Haslem was a valuable on-court contributor in the earlier portion of his career, starting 52 of Miami’s 66 postseason games during the club’s championship runs in 2006, 2012 and 2013. In 872 regular season games, including 500 starts (24.8 MPG), he holds averages of 7.5 PPG and 6.6 RPG while shooting 48.9% from the floor and 75.6% from the line.
Over the past six seasons, Haslem has primarily served as a veteran mentor and leader, appearing in a total of just 58 games with a modest average of 7.0 MPG. Still, the Heat clearly love his ability to get through to his teammates, which is why they keep giving him an open invitation to return every year despite his limited on-court production.
Mark Cuban Suggests Mavericks Don’t Need A “Second Star”
Asked by Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report (video link) whether Luka Doncic has enough talent surrounding him to win a title, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban suggested Dallas already has the pieces in place to accomplish that goal.
“We hadn’t been out of the first round in 10 years and so a lot of it was execution and talking to our guys during the series, that was the thing that kept coming up,” Cuban said of the Western Conference Finals matchup against the Warriors (hat tip to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net). “… So I think for us it’s not so much we need that second star or whatever, it’s more, let’s just get some time and experience in crunch time situations in the playoffs and that will pay off.”
As we relayed last night, Cuban also credited Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins as a difference-maker in the series, and said Golden State’s combination of execution, experience, and adjustments made the team too difficult for the Mavericks to handle.
Cuban’s comments are noteworthy for a few different reasons. After trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Wizards for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans, the Mavs found success with lineups featuring multiple shot creators and floor spacers, as well as more versatile defenders. Obviously Porzingis was pegged to be Dallas’ second star, but things never really worked out with the 7’3″ big man for a variety of reasons.
He didn’t state it outright, but Cuban’s comments give the impression the club didn’t view Jalen Brunson as a star, and the Mavs were reportedly unwilling to match — or exceed — the contract he received in free agency from the Knicks. Brunson had a strong playoff run for Dallas, averaging 21.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 3.7 APG on .466/.347/.800 shooting in 18 games (34.9 MPG), so losing him will sting.
Along the same lines, it could be interpreted that Dallas doesn’t view offseason acquisition Christian Wood as a star either. The Mavs traded the No. 26 pick of the 2022 draft and four players on expiring deals to Houston to land Wood.
Of course, how a team perceives players doesn’t matter nearly as much as the on-court product, and the Mavs are coming off their most successful season since winning the championship in 2011. The question is, have they done enough to keep progressing toward another ring? With the Clippers and Nuggets getting healthy, potential improvement from the Timberwolves and Pelicans, and the Warriors, Grizzlies and Suns still in the picture, the West is going to be stacked with talent in 2022/23, so winning the title certainly won’t be easy.
Rooks’ interview with Cuban lasts over an hour and is worth checking out in full for any Dallas fans.
Pacers Sign Deividas Sirvydis
AUGUST 18: Indiana has officially signed Sirvydis, the team announced today in a press release.
AUGUST 4: The Pacers have agreed to a one-year deal with swingman Deividas Sirvydis, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Scotto adds (via Twitter) that Sirvydis will compete for a roster spot in training camp, which suggests his deal is likely either partially or non-guaranteed.
Sirvydis, 22, was the No. 37 pick in the 2019 draft. Born in Lithuania, he holds two years of NBA experience with the Pistons and most recently played summer league with the Pelicans. Scotto notes he averaged 19.7 points per game during those summer league outings.
Across his two seasons with Detroit, Sirvydis only appeared in 23 games. He did play in 21 regular season contests in the G League this year, averaging 12.5 points per game on 45% shooting from the floor.
Once they officially sign Sirvydis, the Pacers will have 15 players under contract. That count doesn’t include unsigned draft pick Kendall Brown or the four players the team has reportedly agreed to sign to Exhibit 10 deals.