Dominick Barlow Returns To Spurs On Two-Way Deal
JULY 27: Barlow’s signing is official, the Spurs confirmed (via Twitter).
JULY 26: Power forward Dominick Barlow will remain with the Spurs on a two-way contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The news was confirmed by his agent, Todd Ramasar of Life Sports Agency, Wojnarowski adds.
Barlow, 20, was a restricted free agent after receiving a qualifying offer from San Antonio last month. His new deal amounts to another two-way contract with a small guarantee for the upcoming season.
Barlow inked a two-way deal with the Spurs last summer after going undrafted following a year with Overtime Elite. He spent much of the season in the G League, but he appeared in 28 NBA games and averaged 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per night. He put up some impressive numbers in April, including 21 points and 19 rebounds on the final day of the NBA’s regular season.
Once Barlow’s signing becomes official, the Spurs will have one open two-way slot on their roster. Sir’Jabari Rice is also signed to a two-way deal.
Wizards Notes: Vukcevic, Dawkins, Coulibaly, Poole
Second-round pick Tristan Vukcevic is hoping to join the Wizards right away rather than spending more time overseas, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Team officials haven’t decided how to handle Vukcevic yet, but the main roster is already crowded with 16 standard contracts. There’s a two-way opening if the Wizards opt to go that route.
The seven-footer out of Serbia played for Partizan Belgrade last season after spending the previous two years with Real Madrid. He doesn’t believe he needs any more international basketball to be ready for the NBA, and he expressed that to teams during the pre-draft process, according to Hughes.
Vukcevic was impressive during his brief Summer League appearance, posting 21 points in 17 minutes in the only game he played. He acknowledges that the NBA is played at a faster pace than what he’s used to and says he needs to make quicker decisions and become more aggressive in seeking his own offense.
After being drafted, Vukcevic got some tips from Marc Gasol about how to prepare for the NBA.
“He just called me, he said he loves my game and wanted to give me advice,” Vukcevic said. “He just told me the differences in the NBA and how life is in the NBA, like how to get adjusted. Whenever I’m wondering or have any specific questions, to feel free to always call him. I feel grateful for that. He’s a legend.”
There’s more on the Wizards:
- In an interview posted on the NBC Sports Washington website (video link), general manager Will Dawkins explains why the organization opted not to pursue a full rebuild after trading Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis last month. Instead, the Wizards re-signed free agent forward Kyle Kuzma and used Chris Paul, who was acquired in the Beal trade, to get Jordan Poole from the Warriors. “There were a lot of good players on the roster,” Dawkins said. “… For us, it’s about building habits. It’s about building a day-to-day mentality that you come in the gym, you compete and you do things the right way.”
- The Wizards were “super happy” with what they saw from lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly, says Summer League coach Landon Tatum (video link). “We told him the first thing he got here to be a defensive type of guy first,” Tatum said. “And he’s taken that on, trying to defend everyone we put him on, whether it’s a guard, a big or a wing.”
- In a separate story, Hughes takes an analytical look at the impact Poole can make during his first season in Washington. He notes that Poole was 34th in ESPN’s offensive real plus-minus ratings last season, which is higher than anyone who was on the Wizards’ roster.
Pacific Notes: Durant, Bates-Diop, Curry, Joseph
Kevin Durant takes credit for helping to lift the NBA’s ban on marijuana and talks about his desire to eventually get into ownership in an interview with CNBC, relays Dana Scott of The Arizona Republic.
The Suns star, who’s involved in cannabis business ventures, said he reached out to commissioner Adam Silver about removing the drug prohibitions from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Players were previously required to enter the league’s treatment and counseling program after a first offense and faced fines and suspensions for multiple violations.
“I actually called him and advocated for him to take marijuana off the banned substance list,” Durant said. “I just felt like it was becoming a thing around the country, around the world that it was the stigma behind it wasn’t as negative as it was before. It doesn’t affect you in any negative way.”
Durant talked about his numerous business interests, which he said were starting to take up too much of his time. He and his agent, Rich Kleiman, agreed that he’ll take a step back from those commitments to focus more on basketball. Durant also discussed his longtime dream of becoming an NBA team owner, preferably with a new franchise in Seattle, where he debuted in the league.
“That would be cool for sure in a perfect world,” Durant said. “Whatever opportunity comes up, hopefully I can be a part of something special. But yeah, Seattle would be the ideal spot. They deserve to have a team there again, and I would love to be a part of the NBA in that fashion. But we’ll see.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Keita Bates-Diop is a defensive specialist, but he can help the Suns‘ offense as well, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports writes in an examination of what the free agent forward will bring to the team. “I think you’re gonna be surprised at some of the stuff he’s able to do around the rim with his length,” said Doug McDermott, who played alongside Bates-Diop in San Antonio. “Like, he can finish layups I’ve never seen just ’cause how long his arms are.”
- In a new PBS documentary, Warriors guard Stephen Curry says he still feels like he’s in “the prime of my career, in a sense of what I’m able to accomplish.” The project, titled ‘Stephen Curry: Underrated,’ traces his journey from unproven prospect to the top three-point shooter in NBA history.
- Veteran guard Cory Joseph is thrilled to have the chance to back up Curry and Chris Paul after signing a one-year deal with the Warriors, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Joseph called it an “unbelievable opportunity” during an introductory press conference via Zoom. “I get to learn from two of the greats to ever do it at their position,” he said. “I’m extremely excited. I’m sure I’ll get there and learn a lot from them.”
Bradley Beal Hopes To Revive Career With Suns
Bradley Beal was at his son’s baseball game when his agent broke the news that he was being traded to Phoenix, he says in an interview with Deyscha Smith of Slam Magazine. Beal stayed and watched the rest of the game while speculation ran wild on social media about the new super-team in Phoenix and how Beal can co-exist with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton.
It’s been about a month since the trade became official, and Beal is well into the process of connecting with his new Suns teammates. They set up a group chat to keep in touch throughout the summer, and Beal said they’ve made him feel welcome in his new home.
“Everybody’s been unreal in this whole transition,” he said. “This is all new for me, but I’m embracing it, and these guys have all embraced me. It’s like, I’m ready to get to work, you know? This is definitely an awesome group of guys to be a part of. We’re still building on our team, but it’s been a joy so far.”
Beal describes Durant and Booker as “humble” and says he tries to approach the game the same way they do. He doesn’t expect any problems as three players who’ve been primary scorers throughout their careers try to blend their talents into a cohesive unit.
Beal was a three-time All-Star in Washington, but his reputation has taken a hit recently as a result of injuries and a decline in performance. After averaging 30.5 and 31.3 PPG in back-to-back seasons, Beal fell off to 23.2 in the last two years while playing 40 and 50 games.
He told Smith that he hasn’t set any individual goals for the upcoming season, but he hopes to prove he can still be one of NBA’s best players on both ends of the court.
“Showing that I can really compete at a high level and play a meaningful game. You know, playing in the playoffs, winning in the playoffs, advancing past rounds,” Beal said. “Granted, I wanna get back to my All-Star level of play. I really believe that that’s who I am: All-NBA guy, All-Star guy. And I have a good group that can push me to be that every single day. So I’m excited about that opportunity. I get to be around like-minded guys and guys who will push me to make sure that I’m the best version of myself every day.”
Beal is trying to savor the changes in his life after spending his first 11 seasons with the Wizards. He said it felt like he “got drafted all over again” when he put on a Suns uniform for the first time, but he hopes the legacy he built in Washington will endure now that he’s on the other side of the country.
“I had so many great memories and so many great moments in DC,” Beal said. “It’s really hard to pinpoint one. I think I’m just grateful for all the bonds and the relationships I’ve built. I think that’s what I’ll propel into my next chapter of life. I want this chapter to be more or less open and me not trying to control everything.
“I think we, as humans, sometimes try to control our lives a little too much. I want to just let this wave kind of take me where it wants to go and let God lead the way and enjoy it every step of the way.”
Atlantic Notes: Reed, Simmons, Thibodeau, Keels
Paul Reed said that he didn’t expect the Sixers to match the offer sheet he received from the Jazz earlier this month, per Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire.
The three-year, $23MM contract was designed to be more onerous for Philadelphia than Utah because it puts the Sixers in danger of exceeding the luxury tax threshold and the final two years become guaranteed if Reed’s team advances past the first round of the playoffs. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey decided the gamble was worth it to hold onto a promising young talent like Reed.
“I didn’t know what was gonna happen to be honest,” Reed said. “I was a restricted free agent, so they had an opportunity to match. Then I seen they signed Trez (Montrezl Harrell) and (Mohamed) Bamba, my agent was like, ‘It’s probably not likely that they match,’ but when they matched, I was real surprised.”
As Reed noted, Philadelphia now has a logjam of centers behind Joel Embiid. But new head coach Nick Nurse has a expanded role in mind for Reed that will go beyond playing in the post.
“He talked about molding me into a Pascal Siakam-type player,” Reed said. “Somebody who can kind of do it all. Shoot the ball, drive, pass, but right now, it’s all about focusing on my shot mechanics. That’s the start.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Nets guard Ben Simmons is “as healthy as he has ever been since his last year in Philly,” a source tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape (video link from NBA Today). The source also said Simmons is in the “final stage” of preparing for the upcoming season and has been able to pass every health benchmark the team has set so far. Simmons has been dealing with back and knee problems over the past two years, along with mental health issues, and only played 42 games last season.
- Assuming the Knicks have another successful season, owner James Dolan will likely talk with coach Tom Thibodeau, team president Leon Rose and other members of the front office about contract extensions, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (video link). Thibodeau is heading into the fourth season of his five-year contract, and much of the management team is on the same timeline, Begley adds.
- The Knicks will retain the G League rights to Trevor Keels, who was waived on Wednesday, Begley tweets. Keels had a two-way contract last season and appeared in three NBA games.
Celtics Notes: Brown, Smart, Porzingis, Brogdon, White
After signing his extension on Wednesday, Jaylen Brown reflected on the changes the Celtics have undergone since losing in the conference finals, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. The most significant move was sending Marcus Smart to Memphis in a three-team trade to acquire Kristaps Porzingis. Brown said that even though he and Smart clashed frequently over the years, things won’t be the same without his “brother” and one of his best friends on the team.
“Marcus has been somebody that’s, like, we butted heads at times, we fought, we did it all, we put each other in headlocks, etc.,” Brown said. “The journey won’t feel the same without him to be honest. But it’s a part of life, it’s a part of what you do going forward and everything he’s instilled into this organization, everything he’s instilled into this community is still going to be with us, still carried with us. So we’re going to wish him well on his new journey. Obviously the city of Boston is going to feel the loss of his impact when he’s no longer here, but we’ll be able to keep moving forward.”
Brown indicated that he understands why the deal was made and he sees the benefit of having a versatile big man like Porzingis. However, he wants to make sure the Celtics don’t lose the intensity and commitment to defense that Smart inspired.
“I think what Kristaps can bring to us defensively and the additions some of our other guys can bring to us defensively,” Brown said. “… With Marcus gone, we don’t want our defensive identity to go out the door as well, so we have to really emphasize that at the start of training camp.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Brown wasn’t upset that it took more than three weeks to work out his extension, Robb adds in a separate story. Some of that delay was due to an overseas trip that Brown took as part of his duties as an NBPA vice president, but much of the time was needed to reach an agreement on non-monetary details. “I thought from my standpoint, they understood where I came from, I understood where he came from,” Brown said. “It was all about being in the place where it made sense for everybody and I was glad that we were able to finish it, get everything done and be able to have the community here.”
- The Celtics are going through a “healing process” and a “listening process” with Malcolm Brogdon, coach Joe Mazzulla told Souichi Terada of MassLive. It appeared Brogdon was going to be moved in an early version of the Porzingis trade, but that changed when the Clippers pulled out because they didn’t have time to review Brogdon’s medical records before Porzingis picked up his option.
- Mazzulla confirmed that Derrick White will replace Smart as the starting point guard, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.
Juancho Hernangomez Joins Panathinaikos On Two-Year Deal
Juancho Hernangomez is returning to Europe after seven NBA seasons, tweets Greek basketball writer George Zakkas, who confirms that Hernangomez has signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos.
The 27-year-old forward has been a free agent since being waived by the Raptors at the end of February when the team signed Will Barton. Hernangomez spent less than a full season in Toronto and averaged 2.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 42 games.
There was a report earlier this month that Hernangomez might join his brother in Barcelona, but he wanted to seek another NBA opportunity before committing to playing overseas. When that didn’t happen, Hernangomez accepted the offer from Panathinaikos.
A native of Madrid, Spain, Hernangomez played four seasons for his hometown club, Estudiantes, before being drafted by Denver with the 15th pick in 2016. He was traded to Minnesota after three-and-a-half seasons with the Nuggets and later had short stays with the Celtics, Spurs and Jazz before coming to Toronto.
Hernangomez, best known to some fans of Bo Cruz in the Netflix film ‘Hustle,’ has career averages of 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 339 NBA games.
Lakers Sign Alex Fudge To Two-Way Deal, Waive Cole Swider
4:51pm: The contract with Fudge is official, the Lakers announced (via Twitter).
4:33pm: The Lakers will sign Alex Fudge to a two-way contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They will open up a two-way slot by waiving Cole Swider, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Fudge, a 20-year-old forward, put up modest numbers during his college career at LSU and Florida, averaging 4.6 and 3.9 rebounds over two seasons.
Fudge played for L.A.’s Summer League team, and although his statistics didn’t stand out, he impressed the Lakers enough with his athleticism to earn a two-way opportunity. A previous report had indicated he would be signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the team.
Swider, a 24-year-old small forward, signed a two-way contract with L.A. last summer after going undrafted out of Villanova. He appeared in just seven games for the Lakers, spending most of his rookie year in the G League, where he averaged 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 27 regular season games.
Swider’s contract for the upcoming season is non-guaranteed, so L.A. won’t be on the hook for any more money. Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge occupy the team’s other two-way spots.
Heat Notes: Jaquez, Haslem, Jovic, Lillard
When Jaime Jaquez was drafted by the Heat last month, one of his first actions was to send a text message to Udonis Haslem, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Haslem has retired after 20 seasons in the NBA, but he still represents the epitome of Heat Culture and Jaquez thought it was important to show respect.
“I know he’s the OG of the Miami Heat,” Jaquez said. “I felt it was only right that I reach out to him first and just let him know that I’m excited to be here and ready to work.”
Haslem said during a recent radio interview that Jaquez is “definitely a culture guy,” and they continued to text each other throughout Summer League. Jaquez grew up in California as a Lakers fan, but he followed the Heat closely as well so he’s aware of Haslem’s importance to the franchise.
“I’m a basketball fan, I was a Heat fan,” Jaquez said. “I always loved the Lakers, but the Heat was always my No. 2 and I’ve just always known about him and his presence in the organization. Being a basketball fan, you know who he is.”
There’s more from Miami:
- Even though Haslem is officially retired, he’s still serving as a mentor to many of the team’s young players, Chiang adds. “I continue to stay connected to Orlando (Robinson), who had an amazing Summer League,” Haslem said. “I continue to stay connected to (Jamal) Cain, who had a hell of a Summer League, Niko (Nikola Jovic), who played well in the beginning (of Summer League), all these guys. There’s a next generation and I just continue to build relationships and bank equity with those guys.”
- Jaquez made a positive impression on Heat officials during Summer League, even though he was held out after injuring his shoulder in the second game, Chiang states in a separate story. Miami was also encouraged by the play of Jovic, last year’s first-round pick, who appeared in four games before joining the Serbian national team. “There’s a lot to like about his development so far,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of Jovic. “… You see the rebounding, you see the off-ball awareness defensively, his ability to take a rebound off the glass and push it in transition. These are skills that are really tough to teach. He has great vision.”
- Former NBA star Gary Payton, who was in Miami on Sunday as a coach in the Big3 League, sees Damian Lillard as a perfect addition for the Heat, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. “Dame had to make the decision: Do I want to keep doing what I do, or do I want to try to win a championship? And that’s what he wants to do now,” said Payton, who followed a similar path before coming to Miami late in his career. “It is just time, time for him to make a move to where he wants to go.”
Suns’ James Jones Talks About Rebuilding Roster
In an interview with Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, Suns president of basketball operations James Jones gives himself an “eight out of 10” for how he was able to construct the team’s roster around its new Big Four. Jones was limited in the moves he could make after trading for Bradley Beal to team with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton, but he found an intriguing mix of veterans and young talent.
Eric Gordon turned down better offers and accepted a veteran’s minimum deal for the chance to win a title. Yuta Watanabe, Chimezie Metu, Drew Eubanks, Keita Bates-Diop and Bol Bol also agreed to sign for the minimum.
“We knew going into it who our four top players were,” Jones said. “The guys who were going to lean on heavily to reach our goals. I think that gave us more clarity and I think it gave the players more clarity around how we would play and how they could fit with our team.
“So when it comes to minimums, I think it’s that label or contract value that people look at, but I look at it more from a perspective of identifying the guys who have the attributes and skills that would complement our group and finding players that believe that this environment will increase their productivity and give them a boost for their careers going forward. This was more forward looking than backwards looking for us and for the players that we targeted.
“I think that clarity allowed us to move quickly and efficiently through the free agency process because we knew exactly who we wanted and we knew exactly who wanted us.”
Jones addresses several other topics in the discussion with Rankin:
On the decisions to re-sign Josh Okogie and trade Cameron Payne to the Spurs:
“Just balancing versatility, and I’m not just talking about from a player skill set and roster construction perspective, but it just gives us options. It gives us options from a roster perspective. It also gives us options going forward. JO is someone who had a tremendous impact on our team last year in a specific role that we think can grow and Cam was someone who had an impact on our team, but he was part of a team that was a different team that played differently. Those two moves allowed us to create balance and gave us some versatility and options to continue to build a more complete team.”
On Bol’s potential after a promising season with Orlando:
“He’s going to get a chance to compete. He fits the profile of the team we’re trying to build. Long, athletic, skilled. Has played some high-level basketball. Has dealt with high expectations and has bounced back from some tough setbacks. The mental grit, the resilience and adaptability that he’s displayed is something that I think will help improve our team and if he can play the way he envisions himself playing, it just gives us another high-level player that we can count on and rely on as we try to march toward a championship.”
On new owner Mat Ishbia’s input during his first offseason with the team:
“He talked about speed, focus and understand what it is we’re trying to accomplish and get after it. Don’t second-guess it, don’t overthink it. Trust your instincts, trust your team and then go out there, find the best options for us and then make those options work. For me, it’s clear focus. He’s given me clear direction that allows me to focus on the things I enjoy the most, which is figuring out how to maximize the environment for our players and coaches and get a win.”