Celtics Sign Josh Richardson To One-Year Extension
AUGUST 24: Richardson has officially signed his extension, according to RealGM’s transactions log.
AUGUST 23: The Celtics have agreed to tack on a one-year extension to the current contract of newly-acquired swingman Josh Richardson, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The former Mavericks wing’s contract was initially set to expire in 2022 after paying him $11.6MM this season. Charania notes that Richardson is now set to earn $24MM over the next two years, indicating that Richardson’s one-year extension will likely be worth about $12-13MM in 2022/23.
Earlier this summer, Richardson was sent to Boston in exchange for 7’2″ center Moses Brown in a one-for-one exchange. The Celtics used the remaining portion of their Gordon Hayward trade exception to accommodate the acquisition.
The 6’5″ Richardson, 27, will suit up for his fourth team in four seasons this fall. Initially drafted by the Heat with No. 40 pick out of Tennessee in 2015, he spent his first four seasons in Miami, flashing the potential to become a reliable 3-and-D wing, one of the hottest commodities in the NBA. He was sent to the Sixers as part of the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade in the summer of 2019, and then was moved again, this time to the Mavericks, during the 2020 offseason.
During the 2020/21 season, Richardson averaged 12.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG and 2.5 APG, his worst output in those categories since becoming a full-time starter with the Heat in 2017/18. A career 35.8% shooter from long range (on 4.5 attempts a night), Richardson could help Boston in a more limited role as a floor spacer, supporting All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
Richardson’s extension is the third one the Celtics have agreed to this month. The team also recently announced a new contract for Marcus Smart and also has a deal in place with Robert Williams.
Central Notes: Craig, Pacers, Pistons, Motor City Cruise
Further contract details have emerged for new Pacers swingman Torrey Craig, reports Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). As expected, Craig’s fully-guaranteed two-year deal will come out of a portion of Indiana’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception. It will pay him $4,878,049 during the 2021/22 season and $5,121,951 during the 2022/23 season.
The reserve wing suited up for both of the teams that qualified for the 2021 NBA Finals, starting out the season with the Bucks before concluding it with the Suns. Craig could prove to be a valuable, defensive-oriented contributor for a revamped Pacers team hoping to return to the playoffs.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- The Pacers would prefer to leave an open spot on their 15-man regular season roster, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star reports (via Twitter). This could enable the team to make further moves during the season.
- Now that the Pistons are bringing back forward Hamidou Diallo on a two-year deal with a team option for the second season, Detroit’s offseason transactions appear to be wrapping up, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Langlois notes that Detroit has addressed its need for long-range shooting in adding jump-shooting big man Kelly Olynyk as a free agent. Rookies Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Livers and Luka Garza were all above-average long-range snipers in college and could also fortify the team’s three-point shooting. Langlois adds that the Pistons appear to be prioritizing size and length on the wing under GM Troy Weaver.
- The Pistons’ new NBA G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, are set to hold open tryouts for players next month, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit Free Press. Interested players will have to pony up a non-refundable $200 for the opportunity to audition for the club.
Monty Williams Talks Suns’ Finals Run, Bucks, CP3
Suns head coach Monty Williams recently sat down with Sam Amick of The Athletic to discuss Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals, his relationship with All-Star point guard Chris Paul, his visit to the champion Bucks’ locker room after the Suns lost the series 4-2, and more.
“I think you’re always going to have that hole in your heart about it — your sports heart, anyway,” Williams said of his feelings following the Suns’ defeat this year. Phoenix made its first playoff berth in 11 seasons, and its first NBA Finals appearance since 1993.
“You had that chance, and you’re praying and hoping like heck that you’ll have a chance to do it again. That’s always going to be there. I think I had to get away from it, at least away from the building, from the city, for a little bit to just kind of connect with my family.”
Paul, who played through multiple injuries during the postseason, underwent left wrist surgery after Phoenix’s season ended.
“I’m sure he didn’t want to tell people, but I think that part bothered me because he was getting all kinds of flack over it, and I was like, ‘Nobody knows,’” Williams said.
Here are a few more noteworthy quotes from the Suns’ head coach:
On when Paul’s wrist injury began to impact his on-court contributions:
“I think it was when (then-Clippers guard Patrick Beverley) made that play on him and he had to put his hand down, I think that’s when it probably started. I don’t think anybody did it on purpose, but he got to a point where he just couldn’t use it like he normally could. So that part bothered me because he was getting flack and he’s out there battling, playing in that much pain.
“We tried (to get Paul to discuss it), man. And that was another thing, to play with that kind of pain and fight through it, I’m sure, had a huge impact on our young guys. To see a guy who has accomplished everything except, you know, winning a title, is out there fighting his tail off every night and not willing to come out of the game. I’m sure it had a huge impact on all of our young guys.”
On the Suns’ decision to re-sign Paul to a big-money deal in free agency:
“We didn’t want to lose him. That was always at the top of our minds. But we also respected the fact that he had earned the right to be a free agent, and anything could happen — even though, in my mind, I wouldn’t say I knew he was coming back, but I did feel like there was a level of comfort in our program. I think he and I have a level of trust that we both know is not always like that in other places.”
On congratulating Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Bucks teammates on their victory in the Milwaukee locker room after Game 6:
“All I wanted to do was congratulate Giannis, because I came right out of a press conference and I shut the door and I went right into him. I come right out of my press conference, I’m emotional, and then I run right into him and I just wanted to be gracious and say, ‘Congrats. You deserved it. You beat us.’
“What I’ve learned over the course of my career is to try to handle defeat the right way, and maybe you get a chance, maybe you get a chance to handle the other side of it. I remember when we beat Denver (in the second round of the playoffs), (Nuggets president of basketball operations) Tim Connelly came straight down to our locker room. That had a huge impact on me when we beat Denver. When I was in San Antonio (as an assistant coach) and we beat the Pistons in Game 7 (of the Finals) in ’05, Coach (Larry) Brown and (then-Pistons assistant coach) Dave Hanners came right over to our locker room. And so I’ve had these examples, and I was always taught that.”
On the Suns’ outlook for 2021/22:
“I’ve been meeting with the coaches, just talking about how to approach this year because this is an unknown with such a short rest. But the West is tough. But every year the West is tough. And you know, nobody picked us to be (in the Finals). Look where we were picked last year. Some people didn’t even have us making the playoffs, even with Chris.”
Emmanuel Mudiay Signs With Lithuanian Team
Veteran point guard Emmanuel Mudiay has inked a one-year contract with the Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas, per an official team announcement.
The 25-year-old was selected with the No. 7 pick by the Nuggets in the 2015 draft. Across his 300 NBA games played between 2015-20, Mudiay averaged 11.0 PPG, 3.8 APG, and 2.9 RPG on .401/.323/.744 shooting. Beyond his tenure with the Nuggets, Mudiay also suited up for the Knicks and Jazz. His last NBA stint was spent with Utah during the 2019/20 season.
Mudiay received offers to play in the G League and in Europe in 2020/21, according to a recent report, but turned them down in hopes of catching on with an NBA team. The former lottery pick, who played on the Trail Blazers’ Summer League team this year, was once again angling for an NBA comeback. However, his agreement with Zalgiris Kaunas had been anticipated as a contingency plan.
Though this marks Mudiay’s first appearance with a European team, this is not his first experience in a non-NBA pro league. Back when he was an elite high school prospect, the 6’3″ Mudiay opted to bypass college, instead signing a one-year, $1.2MM deal with the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China for the 2014/15 season before entering his name into NBA draft consideration.
Mudiay still has to report to the team in Lithuania and undergo a physical examination.
Wizards Add Jaime Echenique On Exhibit 10 Deal
The Wizards have signed free agent center Jaime Echenique to an Exhibit 10 contract, reports Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Echenique played his college ball at Wichita State from 2018-20. The 24-year-old suited up for the Wizards’ Summer League club in Las Vegas.
The 6’11” big man went undrafted in 2020 and spent his first pro season with the Spanish club Acunsa GBC. In 18 games for the club, he averaged 12.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 0.9 BPG during just 20.3 MPG.
By signing this deal, Echenique will be able to play with the new-look Wizards during their training camp ahead of the 2021/22 season. Should Echenique end up playing for Washington’s NBA G League affiliate team, the Capital City Go-Go, he would qualify for a bonus worth up to $50K.
Central Notes: Giannis, Sykes, Nance
Bucks All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has bought a stake in MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers, the Brewers announced on Friday (link via ESPN). He certainly has the means: the 6’11” reigning Finals MVP inked a five-year, $228MM+ supermax extension with Milwaukee ahead of his championship 2020/21 season with the Bucks.
“This is a dream come true for a kid from Sepolia, Athens, Greece, born from immigrant parents. I could have never imagined I would be in this position,” Antetokounmpo said during a news conference about the purchase on Friday. “I want to be involved in the community as much as possible. I know Milwaukee invested a lot in me, and I want to invest a lot of me back into the city of Milwaukee.”
For more on Antetokounmpo’s foray into MLB ownership, check out the story at MLB Trade Rumors.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Point guard Keifer Sykes has a chance to stick with the Pacers thanks to his solid Summer League play, writes J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. New Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle appears to be in favor of Sykes’ addition. The 5’11” Sykes has been playing in various international leagues since going undrafted out of Green Bay in 2015.
- The Cavaliers explored adding a variety of wings during free agency, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Josh Hart, Doug McDermott, Alec Burks, Reggie Bullock, Furkan Korkmaz and Kent Bazemore were all considered. Cleveland committed significant long-term money to Jarrett Allen this summer and drafted Evan Mobley with the No. 3 pick, prompting Fedor to explore whether the team might trade big man Larry Nance Jr. to bolster its wing depth, now that most appealing free agent swingmen are off the table.
- In case you missed it, restricted free agent forward Hamidou Diallo re-signed with the Pistons on a two-year, $10.4MM deal, with a team option for the second year of the contract.
Kemba Talks Signing With Hometown Knicks
In a conversation with Steve Serby of The New York Post, Knicks point guard Kemba Walker discussed the opportunity he received this offseason to join his hometown team.
Walker, a four-time All-Star with the Hornets and Celtics, has already had a busy summer. He was traded to the Thunder, then reached a buyout agreement with Oklahoma City so that he could sign a two-year, $18MM deal with New York.
“There’s nothing more I will want than to win a championship in New York,” Walker said. “I’m gonna give it every-everything I got. Every time I step on the court I’m gonna play super-hard, 110 percent. As far as a championship, I can’t put a time or date on it, but just know that we’re gonna be working towards that goal.”
Knee issues hampered the end of his tenure in Boston, but when he was able to see the floor last season Walker’s counting stats were respectable. Across 43 games, he averaged 19.3 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 4.0 RPG, with a shooting line of .420/.360/.899.
Walker discussed his enthusiasm to play with foundational All-NBA Knicks forward Julius Randle. When asked what he most appreciated about his new teammate, Walker replied, “His toughness, and his growth from the last couple of years into now, I’m just like in awe the way he has grown as a basketball player.”
RJ Barrett, 2019’s third overall pick and the Knicks’ second-leading scorer last year, also warranted special mention from Walker.
“I’ve just been a fan of him,” Walker said. “When he was in high school I saw him play and I saw his highlights and stuff like that, I’ve always been a super-big fan of him. Playing against guys like RJ, the first thing I noticed was how hard he plays, it’s not even the skill. … That’s a real talent, playing hard. So I’m looking forward to just helping those guys a little bit more, teaching them the ropes. Just being a vet.”
Walker has also already developed a bond with second-year point guard Immanuel Quickley.
“When I signed, he was one of the first guys to text me, which was really cool, welcome me in, asked me to get some workouts in with me, I definitely appreciated that,” Walker said. “But playing against him last year, even watching at Kentucky, he has so much potential. I think I could be able to help him get there.”
Marcus Smart Signs Four-Year Extension With Celtics
AUGUST 21: The Celtics have officially signed Smart to his extension, the team announced today in a press release.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather play and no other fans I’d rather play in front of. I love Boston, and Boston loves me,” Smart said in a statement. “We’ve had some great moments and success in my time here, but there’s more to accomplish. I’m ready to put that Celtics jersey back on and get to work out on the Parquet with my teammates.”
AUGUST 16: Longtime Celtics guard Marcus Smart will sign a four-year, $77.1MM contract extension with the team that drafted him, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Charania adds that the deal will include a trade kicker.
Smart’s new contract is fully guaranteed through 2025/26. There is no player option, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who notes that the new agreement will begin during the 2022/23 season.
Originally selected with the No. 6 pick in the 2014 draft out of Oklahoma State, Smart first re-signed with Boston on a four-year, $52MM deal that will take him through the 2021/22 season. A two-time All-Defensive Team selection, the 27-year-old guard has proved to be a valuable addition during seven playoff-bound NBA seasons with the Celtics.
The 6’3″ Smart, working mostly as a starter, averaged 13.1 PPG, 5.7 APG, 3.5 RPG and 0.5 BPG during the 2020/21 season. Beyond his raw numbers, Smart has shined as a wing and perimeter defender and operated as a vocal team leader.
Smart is earning $14,339,285 in 2021/22 and is eligible for a starting salary worth 120% of that amount on an in-season extension. The Celtics offered the maximum amount they could, so the new deal will start at $17,207,142 in ’22/23 and will feature 8% annual raises, for a total of $77,087,994.
The Celtics’ backcourt underwent two major transitions earlier during the 2021 offseason. Boston traded oft-injured former All-Star starting point guard Kemba Walker to the Thunder, then signed former starting Lakers point guard Dennis Schröder to a one-year, $5.89MM deal using the taxpayer mid-level exception.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Torrey Craig Signs Two-Year Contract With Pacers
AUGUST 20: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
“Torrey is known for toughness, defense and being a great team guy,” Pacers president Kevin Pritchard said. “As a player who went undrafted, Torrey got to where he is through hard work and perseverance. He will be a great addition to our depth and our emphasis on defense.”
AUGUST 2: The Pacers are set to ink veteran free agent swingman Torrey Craig, most recently of the Bucks and Suns, to a two-year, $10MM contract, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).
Bobby Marks of ESPN adds (Twitter link) that the Pacers will use a portion of their mid-level exception to sign the 6’7″ Craig. The deal is fully guaranteed, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link).
The only player to have logged significant time playing for both NBA Finals teams during the 2020/21 season, Craig unfortunately found himself on the losing side with Phoenix, though he carved out a role for himself as a versatile, defense-first wing contributor.
After going undrafted out of USC Upstate in 2014, Craig first logged NBA action as a 26-year-old with the Nuggets in 2017. He signed a one-year deal with the Bucks as a free agent in 2020.
He struggled to carve out much of a role with Milwaukee during the first portion of the year, averaging just 2.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG and 0.9 APG in 11.2 MPG over 18 games.
Craig, 30, was ultimately traded to the Suns. In 18.8 MPG across 32 regular season contests, he averaged 7.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 1.0 APG. He posted a slash line of .503/.369/.800 while with Phoenix.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Pelicans, Josh Hart Finalize Three-Year Contract
AUGUST 19: Hart’s new contract with the Pelicans is now official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.
AUGUST 16: The Pelicans are nearing an agreement to re-sign restricted free agent wing Josh Hart, Hart’s agents at CAA inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Woj reports that the contract will be a three-year, $38MM deal. New Orleans had Hart’s Bird rights, so no cap room maneuvering or exceptions are necessary to make the deal work.
The 6’5″ wing was part of the loaded package of young players and draft picks that arrived in New Orleans in the deal that sent All-Star big man Anthony Davis to the Lakers in the summer of 2019.
Hart, 26, was selected with the No. 30 pick in the 2017 NBA draft out of Villanova. He spent his first two seasons in Los Angeles, showing promising flashes as an intriguing two-way swingman.
Hart has seen his touches on offense improve as a reserve for the Pelicans from his tenure in Los Angeles. During his most recent season in 2020/21, Hart appeared in 47 of 72 possible contests. Across 28.7 MPG, he averaged 9.2 PPG on 43.9% shooting with 8.0 RPG, 2.3 APG and 0.8 SPG.
Hart will be the Pelicans’ 15th player on a guaranteed contract, which means that power forward Wenyen Gabriel, currently on a non-guaranteed $1,762,796 contract for the 2021/22 season, looks like the odd man out.
Woj adds that the deal looks set to be concluded soon. Will Guillory of The Athletic echoes this sentiment, tweeting that “a few details” in the contract still need to be finessed.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.