Grizzlies Sign Brandon Clarke To Four-Year Extension
7:52pm: Memphis has issued a press release confirming Clarke’s extension (Twitter link).
5:34pm: The Grizzlies are signing fourth-year forward/center Brandon Clarke to a four-year, $52MM rookie contract extension, Clarke’s agents Mark Bartelstein and Andy Schiffman inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian tweets that he anticipates $52MM is the highest possible salary Clarke could earn, implying that various likely and unlikely incentives could be baked into that figure.
Clarke was selected with the No. 21 pick in the 2019 NBA draft out of Gonzaga. Last season, his third in the league, the 26-year-old remained a reliable athletic reserve for the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed.
Across 64 games in 2021/22, Clarke averaged 10.4 PPG while nailing 64.4% of his field goals, along with 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.6 steals in just 19.5 MPG.
Woj notes that Clarke finished within the NBA’s top five players in a variety of pertinent departments: paint points, second-chance points, and offensive boards.
Bobby Marks of ESPN adds (Twitter link) that this new deal, once it kicks in, will be pay Clarke 8.6% of the club’s projected 2023/24 available salary money under the league cap.
Memphis has already signed another of its extension-eligible players, veteran starting center Steven Adams, to a two-year, $25.2MM contract extension earlier this offseason.
A third Grizzlies player, 6’7″ swingman Dillon Brooks, has yet to sign a new deal with the Grizzlies. Should Memphis not reach an agreement with Brooks, his contract will expire in the summer of 2023, when he will reach unrestricted free agency. Brooks is currently set to earn $11.4MM this season.
Clarke is the eighth 2019 first-round pick to agree to a rookie scale extension, as our tracker shows. When our Rory Maher previewed Clarke’s case for an extension last month, he estimated a deal in the range of the four-year, $50MM contract Wendell Carter signed with Orlando a year ago.
E.J. Liddell Signs Two-Way Deal With Pelicans
Rookie forward E.J. Liddell, who tore his right ACL during Summer League this year after being drafted 41st overall out of Ohio State, has signed a two-way contract with the Pelicans, the team announced in a press release.
During a 2021/22 NCAA season in which the 6’7″ forward was named a Third Team All-American, an All-Big Ten First Teamer, and a Big Ten All-Defensive Team honoree, Liddell averaged 19.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.5 BPG and 2.5 APG for the Buckeyes.
Though he will most likely not be healthy until at least 2023, the 21-year-old will join Dereon Seabron in filling the team’s pair of two-way player contracts heading into the 2022/23 season. Liddell figures to rehab his ACL injury with the Pelicans and the Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G League affiliate.
Looking to capitalize on a promising postseason berth with a newly healthy Zion Williamson, New Orleans is now fielding a team with 15 players signed to its standard roster, plus a pair of two-way players.
Central Notes: Okoro, Bucks, Giannis, Stewart, Knox
The Cavaliers clearly have four of their starting roles set, with All-Star guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell sharing the backcourt alongside Evan Mobley and All-Star center Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt. For the small forward gig, it appears that Isaac Okoro is making a case for himself, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
The 6’5″ wing was selected by Cleveland with the fifth pick out of Auburn in 2020. Okoro has started 128 of his 134 career NBA games thus far. Through two seasons, he is averaging a fairly modest 9.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, and 0.9 SPG, but the Cavaliers will be looking for defense more than offense at the three.
The competition has boiled down to Okoro and Caris LeVert, writes Fedor, noting that LeVert – who has earned praise from head coach J.B. Bickerstaff in camp – has started most of the team’s 2022 preseason games.
“I’m always being myself,” Okoro said. “I know what the coaches want me to do. I’m gonna do that and it’s ultimately up to J.B. to see who starts. I’m fine either way. I’m gonna go in and play my role.”
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- The Bucks had a relatively quietly offseason that saw them sign veteran small forward Joe Ingles and draft wing MarJon Beauchamp. They’re betting that continuity on a roster that won a title in 2021 will help the club return to the NBA Finals in 2023. John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a look at how the 2022/23 season could play out for Milwaukee, predicting a 53-29 finish.
- All-NBA superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is not concerned that the Bucks just wrapped up their preseason with a 0-5 record, though he would like to see more from the team, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. “It doesn’t worry me,” Antetokounmpo said after a 107-97 defeat Wednesday to the Brooklyn Nets. “What worries me is our habits and building good habits…. Right now, we’re not vocal enough. We’re not urgent enough. We’re not hungry enough. But at the end of the day, it’s the preseason. We have the whole regular season to find ourselves.”
- Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart has been given the green light to launch three-pointers, and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes that Stewart has appeared fearless during the team’s preseason. He connected on 4-of-10 shooting from long range during a 126-111 preseason loss Thursday to the Grizzlies. Langlois notes that, should this trend continue into the regular season, it could affect how Dwane Casey opts to use Stewart as a stretch four option in Detroit’s frontcourt. Langlois also discusses new forward Kevin Knox, a Knicks lottery pick in 2018. Langlois thinks Knox’s size and shooting touch could eventually help him crack the team’s rotation.
Northwest Notes: Brown, Gay, Lillard, Trail Blazers
New Nuggets addition Bruce Brown seems to be the exact defensive puzzle piece the team had been missing, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscriber-exclusive link).
“When I realized that Bruce was still available (as a free agent), that was, ‘Hey man, this is a guy that we need,’” head coach Michael Malone said, adding that he communicated that to team GM Calvin Booth during the offseason. “You might score on him, but he’s not gonna back down.”
The 26-year-old inked a two-year, $13MM deal with the Nuggets this summer.
Singer notes that the 6’4″ Brown possesses a versatility that allows him to cover opposing positions ranging from point guards to power forwards, and can function in a variety of ways on offense as well. Malone has been making a concerted effort to play Brown at the point to see what he can do as a play-maker.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz face some tough choices when it comes to how they want to use veteran power forward Rudy Gay this season, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. As Todd outlines, the team could look to showcase the 36-year-old either to boost his trade value or to use him as a mentor to their rebuilding roster, or the club could opt to waive the remaining two years and $12.7MM remaining on his current contract.
- Though Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard could have demanded a trade out of town, he decided instead to stick around as the team re-tools. Logan Murdock of The Ringer details how Lillard questioned the team’s direction following a 2021 first-round playoff exit. “It just had reached the point where I was like, ‘Is what I want the same as what the organization wants?’” Lillard told Murdock. “Do we actually want to win, or is it a situation where, ‘We’re going to be good enough, we know Dame is going to put his best foot forward and it’s going to be entertaining, we’re going to be competitive, we’re going to have a chance in the playoffs.’”
- Following an underwhelming 1-4 preseason finish, which included three blowout defeats, the Trail Blazers and second-year head coach Chauncey Billups could have a rough road reaching even a .500 record, let alone a postseason return, opines Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian (subscriber-exclusive link).
Rockets Notes: Smith, Sengun, Silas, Season Preview
Rockets rookie big man Jabari Smith Jr. remains sidelined as he continues to rehabilitate from a sprained left ankle, though he was cleared for contact practices on Tuesday, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The 6’10” power forward, the third pick out of Auburn, expressed confidence that he might be available for Houston’s 2022/23 season opener, scheduled for Wednesday, October 19, against the Hawks.
“I’m working to get back in shape now, just getting ready, getting my body ready for the first regular-season game,” Smith said. “It’s been tough, just sitting out, watching my teammates get better. I’m working to get better. I know I’ll be back in no time. It’s a long season.”
There’s more out of Houston:
- Second-year Rockets center Alperen Sengun is working to get more involved in Houston’s offense, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle in a separate piece. “Al-P’s strength is having the basketball and he hasn’t had the ball much,” head coach Stephen Silas remarked. “He’s been a pick-and-roll player. As we go through training camp, which is still going on, he’ll get his post-ups and he’ll get his elbow catches and it’ll be more comfortable for him.”
- Rockets head coach Stephen Silas has rejoined the club following a week-long absence due to his second COVID-19 infection, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Silas missed two Houston preseason contests and four team practices. Assistant coach John Lucas led the team in Silas’s absence. “It wasn’t a great experience going through it… but I feel good now,” Silas said. “I told the guys this; the hardest part is not seeing them and not being around them. The practices, it is what it is, the drills and the games and stuff. But just being around these guys, they’re such a fun group — I missed them.”
- With Rockets first-round draft selections Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and TyTy Washington Jr. now in the fold, joining young players Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Kenyon Martin Jr., Josh Christopher, and Usman Garuba, the rebuilding Rockets appear poised to enjoy a fascinating 2022/23 season of development, though that probably won’t translate to wins. John Hollinger of The Athletic previews the club’s season outlook, projecting a 22-60 finish.
Kings Sign Wesley Iwundu, Jordan Ford To Training Camp Deals
7:30pm: Iwundu and Ford have officially signed with the Kings, per RealGM’s transaction log.
4:41pm: Swingman Wes Iwundu and guard Jordan Ford are set to ink Exhibit 10 training camp contracts with the Kings, sources inform James Ham of ESPN 1320 (Twitter link). Though the signings haven’t been officially announced, Ham indicates that both players were to join Sacramento in a team scrimmage today.
Iwundu, 27, was first selected out of Kansas State by the Magic in the 2017 NBA draft. He served primarily as a bench reserve for Orlando across three seasons, and has had limited runs with the Mavericks, Pelicans, and most recently the Hawks. Across 226 career games, the 6’6″ small forward/shooting guard holds career averages of 4.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 0.9 APG.
Ford, 24, went undrafted out of Saint Mary’s in 2020. He has split his pro career between the Clippers’ G League affiliate, the Ontario Clippers, and Greek team Peristeri. In 31 games last year with the Ontario Clippers (then the Agua Caliente Clippers), Ford averaged 9.8 PPG on .461/.412/.857 shooting splits, plus 3.1 APG, 2.0 RPG, and 0.7 SPG.
Iwundu and Ford will most likely be waived ahead of the NBA regular season next week. Inking these deals now will allow them to net $50K bonuses should they join Sacramento’s NBAGL affiliate club, the Stockton Kings, and remain on the roster for 60 days or more.
Spurs Sign, Waive Stephen Zimmerman
The Spurs have signed and waived center Stephen Zimmerman, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
The seven-footer was selected by the Magic with the No. 41 pick in the 2016 draft out of UNLV, and logged his only NBA minutes to date in 19 games during the subsequent 2016/17 season, averaging 1.2 PPG and 1.8 RPG across 5.7 MPG.
Since his NBA tenure ended, Zimmerman has suited up for G League clubs the South Bay Lakers and Westchester Knicks, plus international clubs in Germany, Poland and Australia.
Joining San Antonio (and getting promptly waived) carves out a path for the 26-year-old big man to latch on with the club’s NBA G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs. Should that happen, and should Zimmerman remain in Austin for 60 days or more, he could earn a bonus worth up to $50K for his troubles.
Suns Waive Saben Lee
Two days after signing to a training camp deal with the Suns, guard Saben Lee has been waived by Phoenix, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.
Lee was sent from Detroit to Utah as part of the Bojan Bogdanovic trade. The Jazz waived the 6’2″ point guard this weekend.
Lee was drafted with the No. 38 pick out of Vanderbilt in 2020, and appeared in a total of 85 contests for the Pistons in his first two NBA seasons. He holds career NBA averages of 5.6 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.2 RPG and 0.8 SPG.
The Suns lack an NBAGL affiliate club at present, so Lee won’t report to Phoenix’s G League team. 6’5″ guard Adonis Arms, who was also signed earlier this week along with Lee, remains on the team’s roster as of this writing.
Magic Sign Simisola Shittu
OCTOBER 12: The signing is official, the Magic announced (via Twitter). The team waived Drake Jeffries to create room on the roster for Shittu, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
AUGUST 9: The Magic are set to sign free agent power forward Simisola Shittu, his agent Daniel Hazan informs Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
Given that Orlando has 15 players on guaranteed deals for its full roster and both its two-way slots are occupied, the agreement seems likely to be an Exhibit 10 training camp contract.
Shittu, still just 22, went undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2019, then joined the Bulls’ NBAGL affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, for the 2019/20 season. He linked up with the Knicks’ G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, during the team’s abbreviated ’20/21 season.
Shittu then set his sights internationally for the 2021/22 season, joining Israeli club Ironi Ness Ziona. During 15 contests for Ironi Ness Ziona, he sported averages of 7.1 PPG on 50.6% shooting, 4.9 RPG, 0.9 APG and 0.8 SPG across 17.5 MPG.
The 6’10” big man played with the Pacers during the 2022 Summer League in Las Vegas.
Nuggets Release Adonis Arms, Grant Golden
4:41pm: The Nuggets have officially waived both Arms and Golden, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. That leaves the team with 18 players under contract for the time being.
3:07pm: The Nuggets will waive Exhibit 10 signee Adonis Arms, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports (Twitter link).
The 6’5″ guard will now be able to sign on with Denver’s G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, according to Wind, who adds that the Nuggets could ink another player to an Exhibit 10 contract by Monday.
Arms went unsigned out of Texas Tech this past summer. During his 2021/22 season with the team, he averaged 8.6 PPG on .448/.308/.744 shooting, along with 4.4 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.0 SPG.
Denver is currently fielding a full 15-man roster. Both its two-way player slots are also occupied. Kellan Grady and Grant Golden will be the team’s remaining Exhibit 10 players when Arms’ release becomes official.