Timberwolves Waive Trevor Keels
The Timberwolves have cut guard Trevor Keels, Minnesota has announced in a press statement.
The 6’3″ guard had only recently been inked to an Exhibit 10 training camp deal with the club. Should he join Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, and stay with the club for at least 60 days, he’ll earn a bonus worth $77.5K.
The Knicks selected Keels with the No. 42 pick in 2022 out of Duke. He only appeared in three regular season contests for the Knicks, posting averages of 1.0 points and 0.7 rebounds across 2.7 minutes per night.
In 25 regular season contests for New York’s NBAGL affiliate squad that year, the Westchester Knicks, he averaged 13.9 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2.8 RPG, and 1.0 steal while shooting .425/.355/.710. He was waived by New York following his 2022/23 rookie season.
Keels, now 21, played for the Iowa Wolves for the entire 2023/24 season. Across 23 regular season contests (17 starts), Keels averaged 13.5 points (on .434/.367/.857 shooting), 3.8 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game.
Suns To Sign Frank Kaminsky To Camp Deal
The Suns are set to bring back free agent center Frank Kaminsky, his agency Priority Sports tweets. According to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link), it’ll be a training camp deal.
Exact terms of the agreement have yet to be divulged, but it is likely to at least have Exhibit 9 and potentially Exhibit 10 language.
The seven-foot Wisconsin alum, a former 2015 lottery pick, enjoyed an eight-year NBA run before heading overseas in 2023/24.
Kaminsky suited up for the Hornets from 2015-19 before signing with the Suns as a free agent in 2019-20. He logged three seasons with Phoenix.
Across 95 contests with the Suns (26 starts), the former All-American First Teamer recorded averages of 8.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 dimes, with a shooting line of .468/.344/.682.
Kaminsky split his final (for now) NBA season in 2022/23 between the Hawks and Rockets. He was a deep-bench reserve during his tenures with Atlanta and Houston, averaging just 2.5 PPG, 1.4 RPG, and 0.8 APG in 36 total games.
The 31-year-old spent 2023/24 with Serbian club Partizan Belgrade.
The Suns have one opening on their 15-man standard roster, so if Kaminsky does impress he could earn an opportunity, though the team may want to leave that spot open for financial reasons, given its sizable projected tax bill.
Sporting longtime All-Stars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, Phoenix finished with a 49-33 record last year, but was obliterated by the Timberwolves in a first-round playoff sweep. Team president James Jones responded by firing head coach Frank Vogel and his staff after just one season, replacing him with former Bucks champion head coach Mike Budenholzer. The Suns also brought in point guard Tyus Jones on a steal of a veteran’s minimum deal. He is expected to start, which will likely push starting small forward Grayson Allen to the bench.
Phoenix could use a player with Kaminsky’s sharpshooting range to back up starting center Jusuf Nurkic and his newly signed backup, Mason Plumlee. It remains to be seen whether or not Kaminsky’s defensive shortcomings (and tax concerns) may disincentivize the Suns from bringing him back.
Kings Sign Terry Taylor To Training Camp Deal
SEPTEMBER 23: The signing is official, KTXL’s Sean Cunningham tweets.
SEPTEMBER 6: The Kings are signing free agent forward Terry Taylor to a training camp contract, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
Exact terms of the agreement have not been reported, but it seems likely to be an Exhibit 10 deal.
Taylor, 24, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Bulls, where the 6’5″ vet played as an undersized small forward.
After going undrafted in 2021, Taylor began his pro career as an affiliate player for the Pacers’ NBAGL team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He inked a two-way deal that December with the Pacers, who converted his contract to a standard deal in April of that same season. Indiana eventually waived him in February 2023.
Taylor was quickly snatched up by the Bulls, on a two-way deal. Ahead of the 2023/24 season, his agreement was converted into a standard contract.
Last year with Chicago in a deep-bench role, Taylor averaged just 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds across 31 games in 2023/24.
The Kings have 14 players on their standard roster, and all three of their two-way slots occupied. Power forward/center Skal Labissiere and guard Boogie Ellis are currently signed to training camp agreements for Sacramento.
If waived and then signed by a club’s G League affiliate, players who ink Exhibit 10 contracts are eligible for bonuses worth up to $77.5K should they stick around with those affiliate squads for at least 60 days.
Nets Waive Patrick Gardner
Center Patrick Gardner has been waived by the Nets, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). Brooklyn had initially signed the 25-year-old to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this week.
Last year, the 6’11” big man inked the same training camp deal and was quickly waived after going undrafted out of Marist. He spent the 2023/24 season with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate club, the Long Island Nets. Across 28 Showcase Cup and regular season bouts, Gardner averaged 7.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on .500/.364/.731 shooting splits.
It seems quite likely he is bound for the same fate with Long Island again this season as a returning rights player, Lewis notes. Should he report back to the G League and spend at least 60 days with the Nets’ NBAGL affiliate, Gardner will earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K.
Gardner recently played for Basketball Africa League champions Petro de Luanda of Angola at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Singapore. He appeared in three games for the team, averaging 11.7 PPG and 5.7 RPG on .444/.333/.727 shooting.
Heat Notes: Butler, Rozier, Jaquez
All-NBA Heat swingman Jimmy Butler has been the subject of some trade speculation this offseason after the six-time All-Star decided he would not extend with Miami this summer.
As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel writes (subscriber-exclusive link), Heat fans may need to press pause on any possible trade chatter and embrace the moment. When he’s available, the 35-year-old superstar remains a productive two-way player as he prepares to enter his 14th season.
The 6’7″ forward averaged 20.8 points per game on encouragingly efficient .499/.414/.858 shooting splits last season, along with 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals per night. The flip-side of that productivity, however, is that Butler was only healthy for 60 contests and missed the entire playoffs with an MCL sprain.
There’s more out of South Beach:
- Terry Rozier impressed when he was able to take the floor for Miami last year, but injuries limited his availability and ultimately sidelined him completely for the playoffs. How the veteran point guard performs could go a long way toward determining just how much this Heat team can achieve in 2024/25, writes Winderman in a separate piece. “It sucks the way it ended last year for me, not being able to play in the playoffs,” Rozier noted. “So it’s a fresh start. You get to be around the guys for a full season, be around the coaches for a full season, learn the plays and really just get that camaraderie with the other guys.” The Heat acquired Rozier from the Hornets in January.
- During his 2023/24 rookie season, Heat small forward Jaime Jaquez quickly outplayed his draft standing. The former UCLA All-American was recognized for his output with a no-brainer All-Rookie First Team finish. In a reader mailbag, Winderman wonders if Jaquez could be due for more minutes and touches this year. After a capped-out Miami failed to make many new free agent rotation-level additions beyond Alec Burks, it appears the current plan (barring a major trade) is hoping for internal development and better health. Jaquez, still just 23, could be the best candidate to take a major leap.
- In case you missed it, the Heat are expected to keep their 15th and final open roster spot unoccupied heading into the regular season, and will thus be able to stay below the league’s second tax apron.
Community Shootaround: Heat’s 2024 Offseason
Just one year removed from another Finals appearance, the Heat had a major postseason letdown in 2023/24.
With All-NBA swingman Jimmy Butler and recently acquired starting point guard Terry Rozier both out for the entirety of their first-round series against the No. 1-seeded Celtics, Miami fell in five quick games.
But even before that, the Heat had a somewhat disappointing regular season run. Despite making their second NBA Finals — and third Eastern Conference Finals — in four seasons behind the play of All-Stars Butler and Bam Adebayo, the club followed that 2023 run up by once again finishing with the conference’s No. 8 seed with a roster hit hard by injuries and featuring several one-way players
Heading into the 2024 offseason, it seemed clear that the club needed to shore up its perimeter and frontcourt defense, and perhaps take a flier on some talented young free agents in need of more playing time in a competitive atmosphere.
Beyond cost-effective free agent signings for the capped-out Heat, a trade seemed like another possibility well worth exploring this offseason. The club has plenty of intriguing players like former Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro and sharpshooter Duncan Robinson who, along with future draft picks, could conceivably be packaged together for premium veteran talent.
Instead, Miami – affected by a lack of cap flexibility – seems set to bank on internal improvement this year. Over the summer, the Heat mostly re-signed veteran incumbents, including power forward Kevin Love, center Thomas Bryant and combo forward Haywood Highsmith. The team did add some bench scoring help in the form of longtime NBA shooting guard Alec Burks on a veteran’s minimum deal. Miami also locked in Adebayo to a three-year, $165.3MM maximum contract extension.
In this year’s draft, Miami made a move to address its frontcourt athleticism, selecting former All-Big Ten Second Team Indiana 7-footer Kel’el Ware with the No. 15 overall pick. As part of a three-team trade, the Heat also acquired the draft rights to former All-Pac-12 Arizona shooting guard Pelle Larsson.
Most troublingly, however, Miami saw versatile 3-and-D small forward Caleb Martin depart in free agency for what he considered to be a better contending opportunity with the refurbished Sixers.
The Heat will hope that younger players like All-Rookie First Team swingman Jaime Jaquez Jr., Adebayo, Herro and Robinson can continue to improve, older players like Butler, Rozier and Love and stay healthy, and that Ware can help spell Adebayo sooner rather than later.
Butler has a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26, and could enter free agency if he believes he could earn more long-term security or a better title opportunity elsewhere. As such, his situation is being closely watched by rival squads, including the Warriors, who could look to pounce on Butler in the trade market if Miami’s season heads south.
For years, the Heat have been able to save their best stuff for the playoffs. With Butler a frequent injury question mark at age 35 and questionable depth surrounding the team’s two stars, it doesn’t seem particularly feasible that Miami’s current personnel will be enough to overcome even the Knicks or Sixers this year, let alone Boston.
We want to hear from you! Will the Heat be able to rise up the ranks of the East this season? Can the team as is have more playoff success in 2025 than it did in 2024? Should the squad look to make a win-now trade during the season?
Weigh in below via our comments section.
Knicks Sign Marcus Morris To Exhibit 9 Deal
Marcus Morris is heading back to New York — at least, for now.
The Knicks have signed the free agent veteran forward to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 training camp deal, New York announced in a press statement (Twitter link).
An Exhibit 9 contract contains language that protects teams in the event of a preseason injury. As detailed in our glossary entry, the Knicks would only be on the hook for $15K should Morris get hurt while under contract, rather than having to cover the prorated portion of his salary until he recovers.
Unlike an Exhibit 10 deal, an Exhibit 9 contract cannot be converted into a two-way deal prior to the season, though Morris has too many years of NBA service to be eligible for a two-way anyway. The veteran forward also won’t be eligible for the Exhibit 10 bonus (worth up to $77.5K) available to players who are cut and then spend time with their team’s G League affiliate.
Morris is the second NBA veteran this weekend to have signed with the Knicks on an Exhibit 9 contract, along with the previously announced addition of shooting guard Landry Shamet.
New York has 14 of its 15 standard roster spots occupied. It seems likely that Morris will compete against Shamet and combo forward Chuma Okeke for that final slot. Shamet and Morris could theoretically add some floor-spacing depth for a Knicks club that is looking to improve on its 50-32 record last season and advance to its first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years.
Across 13 pro seasons, the 6’8″ Morris has suited up for the Rockets, Suns, Pistons, Celtics, Clippers, Sixers and Cavaliers. Morris last played for New York during the first half of the 2019/20 season, during David Fizdale‘s final days on the team’s bench.
In his prime, the now-35-year-old was a stellar 3-and-D role player on several deep playoff clubs.
The Kansas alum split his 2023/24 season between Philadelphia and Cleveland as a veteran reserve, logging an average of 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game with a shooting line of .439/.403/.818.
And-Ones: 2025 Draft, Team Assets, Top 100 Players
With training camp now two weeks away and 2024 rookies set to embark on their debut seasons, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN are taking a look at the next chapter of NBA rookies. The duo unpacks some top players and storylines to watch ahead of the NBA’s 2025 draft.
Although rising stars Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper are expected to be the top three picks next year, Givony and Woo note that sleeper prospects have been carving out a niche for themselves over the summer in various competitions. According to the ESPN tandem, Baylor freshman shooting guard V.J. Edgecombe would probably be the top selection in a less loaded draft.
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- Heading into the season, HoopsHype’s Mark Deeks breaks down the relative value of the draft and player assets on each NBA squad. For the third straight season, the Thunder top the list, as a club with both an incredibly talented, young present-day roster and a deep portfolio of future equity.
- Ahead of the forthcoming 2024/25 NBA season, Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype revealed their rankings of the top 100 best players in the league. The top five is pretty predictable, though the order may surprise some. MVP Nuggets center Nikola Jokic ranks first, followed by (in order) Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Sixers center Joel Embiid.
- In case you missed it, former two-time All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, now 35, continues to seek his next NBA opportunity.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Celtics, Horford, Nets
The Raptors appear to be embracing a youth movement this season, with young players like Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett leading the charge.
In a mailbag, Eric Koreen of The Athletic says he doesn’t project that Toronto will achieve more than a potential play-in berth, but he does believe the club has enough depth that it could compete for a seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Koreen notes that Barnes needs to grow as a scorer, Quickley as a distributor, and Barrett as a defender.
Within the same mailbag, Koreen also projects the team’s starters, speculates on possible breakout surprises on the current roster, and more.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- The reigning champion Celtics look like the favorites to repeat in 2024/25, but it’s going to cost them. Keith Smith of Spotrac unpacks the club’s future salary cap situation, noting that Boston agreed to almost $514MM in new long-term contracts during the 2023/24 league year before extending Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Sam Hauser this offseason. By 2025/26, Boston is already committed to pay almost $445MM in combined salaries and luxury tax penalties for 11 players, Smith writes.
- Celtics sixth man big Al Horford was recently honored with the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez, and Mella in the degree of Knight from Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, reports Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. “I knew I was going to come meet the president, but I didn’t know I was gonna get the highest award for the country,” Horford said. “So, very special for me, very special for my family. I feel very proud right now, very overwhelmed with a lot of emotion. Very, very special day for me today.” Across a decorated 17-year career, the 6’9″ center has made five All-Star teams, one All-NBA team and one All-Defensive team. He’s now an NBA champion as well.
- The rebuilding Nets will boast a roster featuring several young players looking to carve out a niche in the league. In a new piece, Net Income of Nets Daily examines which five Brooklyn players have the most to prove heading into 2024/25, a list highlighted by former top lottery picks Ben Simmons and Killian Hayes.
Atlantic Notes: Walker, Celtics, Raptors, Brunson, Bridges
New Celtics Exhibit 10 signee Lonnie Walker IV, who has probably done enough to warrant a roster spot on a rebuilding team this year, is instead looking to prove that he’s worthy of a roster spot with the defending champions in 2024/25, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Walker is a solid shooter who has enough offensive talent to play in the NBA, but he’ll likely have to show improved defensive awareness to stick in Boston, according to Weiss, who speculates that the veteran wing could serve as a possible roster option in the event second-year swingman Jordan Walsh and rookie guard Baylor Scheierman need further seasoning.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- All of the Celtics’ top nine players from their run to the 2024 title are returning for an encore next season. With those champs’ places in the Boston hierarchy more or less set in stone, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston speculates as to which player will emerge as the club’s 10th man.
- Appearing on ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday, ex-Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan said he believes his former team still would have won a championship in 2019 if he and Jakob Poeltl had remained on the roster instead of being traded to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green (Twitter video link). “I felt, off the year we had before, we just needed one more piece to kind of push us over the top, and that piece came to be LeBron (James) going to the West,” DeRozan said. “I didn’t get an opportunity to see what would’ve happened, but I have the utmost confidence within myself. I have no doubt in my mind the same outcome would’ve happened.”
- Knicks All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson showed true leadership in agreeing to a below-market contract extension, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper also opines that the team took a major swing in trading for All-Defensive small forward Mikal Bridges this summer, in the hopes that he can help them match the Celtics and the East’s other top clubs. Finally, Popper considers the fate of Julius Randle, a critical piece who has yet to be locked up beyond 2025, leaving his long-term future in doubt.