And-Ones: Mudiay, Vonleh, Griggs, Schedule
Free agent guard Emmanuel Mudiay will likely sign with Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania if he doesn’t receive an NBA offer before training camps open, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Mudiay is currently playing for the Trail Blazers in the Las Vegas Summer League.
After five years in the NBA, the 25-year-old sat out all of last season. He received offers to play in the G League and in Europe, according to Urbonas, but turned them down in hopes of catching on with an NBA team.
Mudiay was taken by the Nuggets with the seventh pick in the 2015 draft and spent two and a half seasons in Denver before being traded to the Knicks. After a year and a half in New York, he signed with the Jazz as a free agent in 2019. Mudiay averaged 7.3 points and 2.1 assists per game as a backup during his lone season in Utah.
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- Free agent big man Noah Vonleh is getting interest from some NBA teams, but is considering offers in Europe and China as well, according to Sportando (Twitter link). The 25-year-old spent two weeks with the Nets in February and appeared in four games before being waived.
- Highly-recruited high school guard Bryce Griggs has signed with Overtime Elite, the league announced in a press release. The 17-year-old out of Missouri City, Texas, will join the new league when it begins play next month. “Bryce Griggs is a player that has been recognized as one the nation’s most promising playmaking guards and we are thrilled to welcome him to the OTE family,” said Brandon Williams, OTE’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations. “Bryce has had one of the best coaches and mentors in John Lucas, and has been attracted to the combination of an NBA caliber coaching staff, sports science, performance and nutrition focuses that will play a crucial role in his development into an NBA player.”
- The NBA will release its schedule for the 2021/22 season in the 7-10 days, tweets Marc Stein of Substack. Celtics writer Steve Bulpett hears that Friday is the target date (Twitter link).
Nuggets Re-Sign Markus Howard To Two-Way Deal
Shooting guard Markus Howard has re-signed with the Nuggets on a new two-way contract, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.
Howard, who spent last season on a two-way deal with Denver, may have simply accepted his qualifying offer. Because he was a two-way player last season, that offer would be the equivalent of another two-way contract that includes a partial guarantee of $50K for the upcoming season.
Howard, 22, signed with Denver last November after going undrafted out of Marquette. He got into 37 games and averaged 2.8 PPG in 5.5 minutes per night. He was a two-time All-American in college and led the nation in scoring during the 2019/20 season.
Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Cooper, Westbrook, K. Jones, Jarreau
Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper were both considered risky picks on draft night, but the Hawks‘ rookies appear to be much less of a gamble after strong showings during Summer League, writes Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. Johnson slipped to No. 20 after playing just 13 games at Duke and leaving school early to prepare for the draft. Cooper fell to No. 48 after a freshman season at Auburn that was delayed 11 games because of eligibility issues.
Both could be steals based on their early performances in Las Vegas, Peek observes. Johnson has been one of the most versatile players in the league and excels in the open court. Cooper has been a reliable playmaker and has eased concerns about his outside shooting.
“This isn’t just Summer League for me,” Cooper said. “Any game where I put on a jersey and represent something way bigger than me in the Hawks, it’s something I don’t take lightly.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard wasn’t planning to trade Russell Westbrook this summer, but he changed course when the opportunity arose to send him to the Lakers, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “I had a heart-to-heart with Russell and it was important to him that I knew and the Wizards knew he wants to play here,” Sheppard said. “If there was ever an opportunity with the Lakers, that would be the one place. I look at his Hall-of-Fame career and all he did for us, certainly, for me, I will try to help a guy as long as it helps the Wizards. In this case, we could do a deal and it did help the Wizards.”
- Hornets rookie Kai Jones is confident enough to become the first Charlotte player to wear No. 23 since Michael Jordan became owner of the franchise, notes Jonathan M. Alexander of The Charlotte Observer. The 6’11” power forward is getting plenty of his attention in Las Vegas for his athleticism and dunking prowess. “I think until you see him out there with (LaMelo Ball) and the entire group, we won’t have a true sense of what he can be for our program,” coach James Borrego said. “He’s working through our Summer League right now and trying to figure it out along the way, but he’s a tremendous athlete.”
- The Heat weren’t able to trade for a draft pick to select DeJon Jarreau, but they wound up with the Houston guard anyway and like what they have seen during Summer League, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Jarreau, who may be in contention for one of Miami’s two-way contracts, posted 10 assists in a game this week.
New York Notes: Perry, Thomas, Jokubaitis, Grimes
The Nets rescinded their qualifying offer to Reggie Perry just before Friday’s deadline, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be back for another season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The second-year power forward can no longer accept the offer, which was limited to one year with a $50K guarantee because he was a two-way player last season, and Brooklyn can’t match any offer he might receive in free agency because he’s now unrestricted.
Perry remains with the Nets’ Summer League team and took part in practice today. He wasn’t made available to the media afterward, and coach Jordan Ott said questions about Perry’s future should go to his bosses.
“We just want to leave that to (general manager) Sean (Marks) and (head coach) Steve (Nash),” Ott said. “I’ll say this: He is here, he’s practicing. He’s a Brooklyn Net. He’s part of our summer league team. We coached him just like any other person on our team. We came here to get better. He got better (Saturday). We all got better. We’re going to continue to coach him every day. That’s what we’re all signed up to do. He’s a Brooklyn Net right now, and we’ll continue to coach him.”
There’s more on the two New York teams:
- The Nets drafted Cameron Thomas well outside of the lottery, but he has been among the most productive rookies so far during Summer League, Lewis writes in a separate story. Going into Friday’s games, Thomas was the top-scoring first-year player in Las Vegas. “Cam, I mean, I don’t even know where to start,” Ott said. “Ultimate gamer, young guy, finds a way often. … Even just getting to the free-throw line when nothing is there, the ability to get to the free-throw line. For a young guy, it’s pretty incredible.”
- Second-round pick Rokas Jokubaitis won’t finish Summer League play with the Knicks, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The 34th overall pick has left Las Vegas to join his Barcelona team, and Berman states that the plan was to have him play in three games. He notes that Jokubaitis saw limited action, but displayed speed, outside shooting and energy on defense.
- Rookie guard Quentin Grimes had his best offensive showing Friday night, scoring 10 of his 15 points in the second half, Berman writes in another piece. Grimes credits the performance to becoming more aggressive. “I’m starting to get real comfortable,’’ he said. “The first two games, I didn’t shoot it the way I can. But I hung my hat on defense and rebounding and making plays. Allan Houston told me keep shooting, they’re going to fall. Penny (Hardaway) texted me and said you’re a shooter, keep shooting. That’s what you do. That’s what I did today, being aggressive at all times.’’
Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Ball, Caruso, Simonovic
When DeMar DeRozan‘s deal with the Bulls first leaked, he seemed like an odd fit for a team that already had Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine in its backcourt. But DeRozan dismissed that concern during his introductory news conference in Chicago, writes Rob Schaeffer of NBC Sports Chicago.
“I mean, it’s basketball. Lot of people I see criticizing, talking about ‘fit this, fit that’ have probably never even played basketball,” DeRozan said. “For me, if everybody (is) on the same page mentality and wants to win, it don’t matter about a ‘fit,’ because it’s all gonna come together how it need to come together and make it work. Because at the end of the day the common denominator is winning.”
DeRozan brings a lot of valuable assets to the Bulls that go beyond on-court fit, Schaeffer points out. He ranked eighth in free throw attempts per game last season with 7.2, a category in which Chicago was last in the league, and his turnover rate has been better than the league average in all 12 of his NBA seasons. In addition, DeRozan believes he can serve as a veteran leader, the way Chris Paul did in Phoenix.
“With the experience of the successes, the failures, everything that I went through,” he said, “just understanding going into the season from Day 1 to the last day what it takes to really go over those humps, the tough days where stuff is going bad. When a game or two is off track, how to put things back in place, how to get guys back together.”
There’s more from Chicago:
- When the Bulls reached an agreement with Ball, that gave DeRozan more incentive to come to Chicago, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “Once Lonzo signed, that made it even more appealing,” DeRozan said. “You could see what they were working toward, and it was something I wanted to be a part of. It wasn’t too much of a pitch that they had to make after that.”
- Alex Caruso will bring defensive toughness and championship experience to the Bulls, Schaeffer adds in a separate story. The former Laker said good defensive players have to show a willingness to be physical and “a little dirty” to be successful.
- The contract for forward/center Marko Simonovic, a second-round pick in 2020, is worth $4.3MM over three years, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The first two seasons come with a full guarantee, but the final year is non-guaranteed. The Bulls used the remainder of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Simonovic, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link), who breaks down the minimum-salary deal at $925,258 for the upcoming season, $1,563,518 in 2022/23 and $1,836,096 in 2023/24.
Pistons Notes: Stewart, Cunningham, Hayes, Koprivica
Pistons center Isaiah Stewart is making progress in his recovery from an ankle injury he suffered as part of the U.S. Select Team, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. After a strong rookie season, Stewart was chosen to be part of the squad that helped Team USA prepare for the Olympics last month. Despite hurting the ankle during a scrimmage, he said it was a valuable experience.
“It was great,” Stewart said. “Just my name being selected on that USA Select Team. Being out there with the best of the best will definitely for sure boost your confidence. Just shows you that you belong. It was great to be out there. I learned from some great coaches while being out there, and I was just being a sponge.”
Stewart was in a walking boot for a while, but he has progressed beyond that as the ankle heals. He’s with Detroit’s Summer League team in Las Vegas, but isn’t playing as the Pistons are focused on having him fully healthy for training camp.
Stewart also discusses his heated high school rivalry with Cade Cunningham and what he believes the No. 1 pick can bring to the team.
“I see him fitting with me easy,” Stewart said. “I’m tough, hard-nosed, chip on my shoulder. I feel like he’s got that same thing even though he’s the No. 1 pick. I can just tell he’s a dog. I feel like in Detroit, that’s what this team needs to be surrounded by is tough, hard-nosed players who put they construction hat on, go to work every night. And I can see him meshing with the rest of the guys pretty well. That’s the culture we’re trying to build.”
There’s more on the Pistons:
- Cunningham has looked like a star in the Summer League and turned in his best game in Friday’s win over the Knicks, per Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Cunningham went 7 for 10 from three-point range in a 24-point performance. “There’s a reason we drafted him at one,” said Summer League coach J.D. DuBois. “His ability to do multiple things, his ability to make tough shots, to want the ball. His leadership, both with his voice and his actions. He prepares at a high level every day. When you see him perform like this, you’re not shocked. He works really hard at it on a consistent basis.”
- The Pistons have a good collection of young talent in place, but Killian Hayes looks like a question mark, observes Evan Sidery of Basketball News. The seventh pick in the 2020 draft, Hayes was limited to 26 games as a rookie because of injuries and has struggled with his shot during Summer League.
- Second-round pick Balsa Koprivica was confident the Pistons would select him after a strong pre-draft workout for the team, Sankofa adds in a separate story.
Southwest Notes: Lowry, Louzada, Barea, Omoruyi
The Mavericks were runners-up to the Heat in the free agency competition for Kyle Lowry, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. A source tells Jackson that the Mavs were willing to pay what Lowry was seeking and he was intrigued by the possibility of playing in Dallas, but his first choice was to join Jimmy Butler in Miami. Lowry wound up getting $85MM over three years, and joined the Heat in a sign-and-trade.
The Pelicans were also interested in Lowry and were willing to offer $90MM or more for three seasons, Jackson adds. However, Jackson’s source says Lowry didn’t give strong consideration to New Orleans.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The new four-year deal for Pelicans swingman Didi Louzada is valued at about $7.69MM, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN. The first two seasons are fully guaranteed and the final two are non-guaranteed. New Orleans held non-Bird rights on Louzada and his contract starts at 120% of the $1.489MM minimum, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Marks notes that the Pelicans still have their entire $9.5MM mid-level exception available, along with a $17.1MM trade exception.
- Longtime Mavericks player J.J. Barea will return to the organization in some capacity, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The exact role hasn’t been finalized for Barea, who spent 11 of his 14 NBA seasons with the Mavs. “I’m going to be involved, and I’m definitely excited,” said Barea, who served as an unofficial assistant coach in today’s Summer League game.
- Rookie forward Eugene Omoruyi talked to Townsend after signing a two-way contract with the Mavericks on Friday (video link).
Warriors RFA Nico Mannion Signs With Italian Team
2:30pm: Mannion’s deal with Virtus Bologna covers two seasons, but has an NBA out clause after year one, tweets Carchia.
11:52pm: Warriors point guard Nico Mannion has agreed to a deal with Virtus Bologna in Italy, tweets Jordan Schultz of ESPN. The agreement was confirmed by Mannion’s agent, Bill Duffy. The team also sent out a press release announcing the deal.
Mannion, who was born in Tuscany, signed a two-way contract with the Warriors last November after being selected with the 48th pick in the 2020 draft. He saw limited playing time as a rookie, appearing in 30 games and averaging 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per night.
The 20-year-old was a restricted free agent after receiving a qualifying offer from Golden State last month. If Mannion ever returns to the NBA, the Warriors will keep his RFA rights, which allow them to match any offer. Mannion’s QO was the equivalent of another two-way deal and would remain the same if he comes back to the NBA. However, Golden State – and other teams – would be permitted to offer him a more lucrative standard contract.
The Italian team’s interest in Mannion was first reported by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. According to Carchia, the initial target for Virtus Bologna was Chris Chiozza, who will sign a two-way contract with the Warriors.
Northwest Notes: Conley, Jazz, Collison, Thunder, Wolves
Now that Mike Conley‘s contract situation is worked out, he’s focused on helping the Jazz win a championship, writes John Coon of The Associated Press. Conley received interest from multiple teams before agreeing to a three-year, $68MM contract to stay in Utah.
“Last year had a disappointing end to it,” he said. “But all the strides we’ve made along the way allow us to come into this season still chasing that championship — that ultimate goal. And it’s something that’s truly attainable. Something we can grasp. We’re right there. We’re knocking on the door.”
Conley also addressed the hamstring issue that caused him to miss five of the six games in the second-round series with the Clippers, saying he’s making progress toward a full recovery.
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz haven’t historically been a popular destination for free agents, but that may be changing after the team’s success last season, per Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. In addition to keeping Conley, Utah was able to sign veteran free agents Rudy Gay and Hassan Whiteside. “A lot of really, really good teams were coming after me and wanted me to be there but I think this team was the team that had the most need for what I can do,” Gay said in his introductory press conference. “The culture, the ownership group is great, coach Quin (Snyder) is great. They really sold me on it.”
- The Thunder announced in a press release on Tuesday that Nick Collison has been hired to the team’s front office, having been named a special assistant to general manager Sam Presti. According to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (Twitter link), Eric Maynor is also moving from the OKC Blue staff to the Thunder as a player development coach, while Anthony Morrow has been hired as a lifestyle services and engagement associate.
- The $27.5MM+ trade exception the Thunder created in last fall’s Steven Adams trade has now expired. As Bobby Marks of ESPN (Instagram video) observes, it’s not a big loss for Oklahoma City, since the team can still create up to $32MM in cap room by renouncing the rest of its exceptions if it so chooses.
- Incoming Timberwolves owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore continue to do the media rounds, speaking to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic about how their partnership with Glen Taylor will work for the next couple years, and talking to Shams Charania of Stadium (video link) about their commitment to Minnesota.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, Armstrong, Paul, Anthony
A $659K contract guarantee kicks in Wednesday for Gary Payton II, which may affect the Warriors‘ decision to keep him on the roster, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. There’s an expectation that Golden State will release Payton with the hope of re-signing him if he clears waivers, Slater adds. That would give him a chance to win a roster spot in camp on a non-guaranteed deal.
Payton finished last season with the Warriors, appearing in 10 games after signing a pair of 10-day contracts in April. Slater points out that the team could use a defensive specialist like Payton to make up for the losses of Kelly Oubre and Kent Bazemore.
Golden State’s roster will be nearly set heading into camp, Slater notes. Thirteen players have guaranteed contracts and a large part of Damion Lee‘s deal will become guaranteed if he remains with the team through August 15, which is expected. Payton may wind up competing for the final roster spot with Mychal Mulder, whose contract is non-guaranteed. A source told Slater that the Warriors are “still monitoring” the free agent market in hopes of adding another veteran.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Former NBA center Hilton Armstrong has joined the Warriors‘ coaching staff, Slater adds. He will work in the video department and has been involved with the Summer League team in Sacramento and Las Vegas.
- Suns guard Chris Paul should be healed in plenty of time for training camp after having surgery on his left wrist after the NBA Finals, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “For Chris, it was something minor,” general manager James Jones said in an ESPN interview. “He’ll be ready in a couple of weeks to get back out on the court with these guys as we start to try to get back after this short offseason.”
- Carmelo Anthony is thrilled to finally team up with his long-time friend LeBron James on the Lakers, per Mark Medina of USA Today. They have both been in the league for 18 years, but are teammates for the first time after Anthony agreed to a one-year contract with L.A. “Most people would say you should’ve gotten together years ago or earlier in our careers. But we were in two different lanes,” Anthony said. “We were in two different paths. Everything comes full circle.”