Five Key Stories: 10/12/19 – 10/19/19
If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:
The Bradley Beal trade rumors will have to wait as the high-scoring guard agreed to a two-year extension with the Wizards. The extension will pay Beal nearly $72MM, although he can opt out after the 2021/22 season. League rules prohibit players from being traded for six months after signing an extension, which takes him past this year’s deadline.
Two days before the deadline, the Raptors worked out a rookie scale extension for Pascal Siakam. The max deal will pay the reigning Most Improved Player nearly $130MM over four seasons and will keep an important piece of Toronto’s foundation in place through 2023/24.
The Pacers are reportedly looking for trade offers involving Domantas Sabonis. The talented young big man is eligible for an extension, but Indiana has long-term cap concerns that may make it wiser to move him.
The Jazz reached a multi-year extension agreement with coach Quin Snyder. It was a “top organizational priority” to keep Snyder, who is entering his sixth year as the team’s head coach.
The NBA had planned to feature Zion Williamson in this season’s first game, but the top pick in the draft will be sidelined for several weeks with a right knee injury. The Pelicans don’t believe it’s severe, but they’re handling the situation with “an abundance of caution.”
Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from around the basketball world this week:
- Raptors guard Kyle Lowry agreed to a one-year extension that will pay him $31MM and takes another star off next summer’s free agent market.
- Luol Deng announced his retirement after 15 years in the NBA. Before making the announcement Thursday, he signed with the Bulls so he could retire from the franchise where he enjoyed the most success.
- A sprained right thumb suffered by Lakers star Anthony Davis turned out to not be serious. An MRI revealed no ligament damage and he was cleared to return to preseason action.
- Doc Rivers indicated that Paul George will likely miss the Clippers‘ first 10 games of the season. That would put his season debut at November 13.
- Rockets reserve forward Gerald Green may miss the entire season because of a possible fracture in his left foot.
- Cavaliers center Ante Zizic will be sidelined for about four weeks due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
- Buddy Hield may demand to be traded if he can’t work out an extension agreement with the Kings by Monday’s deadline.
- The Clippers were chosen to win the NBA title in an annual survey of NBA general managers. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was an overwhelming favorite to capture a second straight MVP award.
- The Celtics opted to keep fan favorite Tacko Fall on the roster, giving the 7’6″ rookie one of their two-way slots.
- Hasheem Thabeet will try to revive his NBA career through the G League, signing a contract that will make him eligible for next week’s draft.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hornets, Caleb Martin Agree On Three-Year Deal
Caleb Martin, whose Exhibit 10 contract was converted into a two-way deal with the Hornets earlier today, has agreed on a three-year pact with the team, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The new arrangement will include a partial guarantee.
We told you earlier today that Charlotte is considering two-way deals with Kobi Simmons and Jalen McDaniels, so Martin may eventually be moved onto the regular roster. Robert Franks currently occupies the other two-way slot, while Simmons and McDaniels are still with the team on non-guaranteed deals.
Martin, a 24-year-old shooting guard, signed with the Hornets in July after going undrafted out of Nevada. He played there with his twin brother Cody Martin, who also won a roster spot after being selected by Charlotte with the 36th pick in this year’s draft.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/12/19 – 10/19/19
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our original segments and features from the past seven days:
- Our look back at teams’ roster moves this summer continued with the following installments in our Offseason in Review series:
- Our Over/Under polls continued this week with the Southwest, Southeast and Pacific divisions.
- Luke Adams checked on the status of all 60 players selected in this year’s draft.
Warriors Waive Cunningham, Zeisloft
The Warriors have waived Jared Cunningham and Nick Zeisloft and confirmed the release of Alfonzo McKinnie (Twitter link).
Cunningham and Zeisloft both signed with the team earlier today, so expect them to be headed to the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
Cunningham is trying to work his way back into the league after spending the past three seasons in China, Germany and Italy. The 28-year-old shooting guard appeared in a combined 84 games during brief stays with the Mavericks, Hawks, Kings, Clippers, Cavaliers and Bucks. Zeisloft is a 26-year-old guard who has spent time in the G League and in Europe.
Bucks Waive Tucker, Lacey, Jones
Rayjon Tucker, Trevor Lacey and Jemerrio Jones are the final three roster cuts for the Bucks, the team announced in its Twitter feed. All three were on Exhibit 10 contracts and are likely to wind up with the Wisconsin Herd, the organization’s G League affiliate.
Tucker signed with Milwaukee in August and appeared in three preseason games, averaging 3.3 points in 9.7 minutes per night. He announced in the spring that he was transferring to Memphis from Arkansas-Little Rock, but opted to keep his name in the draft, where he wasn’t selected. Tucker played for the Bucks’ entry in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Lacey signed with Milwaukee on Thursday and Jones inked a deal with the team earlier today, so neither saw any preseason action with the Bucks. Jones was waived by the Wizards earlier this week.
Celtics Waive Yante Maten, Max Strus
The Celtics trimmed their roster to the league limit by waiving Yante Maten and Max Strus, the team announced in a tweet. Boston also confirmed the release of Kaiser Gates, which appeared on NBA.com’s official transactions log last night.
The moves mean Javonte Green appears to have earned a roster spot to begin the season. The 26-year-old swingman had been playing overseas since going undrafted in 2015.
Green was reportedly battling for the final spot with Strus, who had his contract converted from a two-way deal this week and received a guarantee of nearly half the $898,310 minimum salary for a rookie this season.
Because his guarantee exceeds $50K, Strus is ineligible to join Boston’s G League team on a two-way deal or as an affiliate player.
Maten, who signed with the Celtics just before camp opened, was on a two-way contract with the Heat for most of last season. He appeared in only two NBA games, but earned second team All-G League honors at Sioux Falls.
NBA GMs Pick Clippers To Win Title
The revamped Clippers are the favorites to win the NBA championship in this year’s survey of league general managers, writes John Schuhmann of NBA.com. Forty-six percent of respondents believe the moves that brought in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will result in the first title in the nearly 50-year history of the franchise.
The Bucks ranked second at 36%, followed by the Lakers at 11%. The Warriors and Trail Blazers were the only other teams to collect votes.
Milwaukee was an overwhelming choice to repeat as the top seed in the Eastern Conference at 76%, with the Sixers (24%) getting all the remaining votes.
GMs are predicting the following Eastern Conference playoff order: Bucks, Sixers, Celtics, Nets, Raptors, Pacers, Heat and Magic. Out West, the Clippers were picked as the top team by 66% of GMs, with the Lakers at 14% the only other team in double figures. Still the Nuggets slipped into second in the playoff order, followed by the Lakers, Jazz, Rockets, Warriors, Trail Blazers and Spurs.
Here are a few more highlights from the annual survey:
- Fifty-two percent believe Giannis Antetokounmpo will win his second straight MVP award. There was a three-way tie for second with Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis and Leonard at 10%, followed by Nikola Jokic at 7%. James Harden, LeBron James and Damian Lillard also received votes. Antetokounmpo was picked by 86% of GMs as the player they would like to build a franchise around, while De’Aaron Fox was tabbed as the most likely to have a breakout season.
- The choices for best player at each position were all fairly decisive, with Curry (90%) at point guard, Harden (86%) at shooting guard, Leonard (62%) at small forward, Antetokounmpo (59%) at power forward and Jokic (48%) at center.
- Eighty-two percent said the Clippers made the best offseason moves, followed by the Pelicans at 11%. The Nets and Jazz both got votes. Leonard (67%) was named the player acquisition most likely to have the biggest impact, while Utah’s trade for Mike Conley was the most underrated move (36%).
- Zion Williamson was a clear choice for Rookie of the Year and the rookie who will be the best player in five years, with both numbers at 68%. Ja Morant received 29% support in the ROY poll, while Darius Garland was at 4%.
- Leonard was picked as both the best overall defender (45%) and the best perimeter defender (59%) in the league. Rudy Gobert was selected as best interior defender (93%), while Draymond Green was named the most versatile (38%).
- Gregg Popovich was a runaway winner as best coach at 55%, followed by Erik Spoelstra (17%), Mike Budenholzer (10%) and Steve Kerr (7%).
- The Nuggets were chosen as the most fun to watch by 31% of GMs and the team with the best home-court advantage by 38%.
Kyle Collinsworth, Juwan Morgan Waived By Jazz
The Jazz have waived Kyle Collinsworth and Juwan Morgan, according to a tweet from the team.
Collinsworth spent last year with Raptors 905 of the G League. He has NBA experience with the Mavericks, getting into 32 games during the 2017/18 season.
Morgan is a rookie who signed an Exhibit 10 contract after going undrafted out of Indiana. He appeared in two preseason games, averaging 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds.
Luol Deng Announces Retirement
Luol Deng will retire from the NBA after 15 seasons, according to a press release from the Bulls. Deng signed with the team today so he could announce his retirement with the organization where he had the most success. Chicago waived Perrion Callandret to create room for the signing.
“We’re very fortunate and humbled that Luol has chosen to retire as a Chicago Bull,” said President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Reinsdorf. “He was a role model on and off the court during his nine-plus years in Chicago, and he gave everything he had to help us win. I want to thank Luol for not only what he accomplished on the court for the team, but also for the leadership he demonstrated through his philanthropic efforts.”
Deng spent 10 years with the Bulls after being selected with the seventh pick in the 2004 draft. He also spent time with the Cavaliers, Heat, Lakers and Timberwolves, averaging 14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 902 career games.
He remained productive in Cleveland and Miami, but his career hit a roadblock after signing a four-year, $72MM contract with the Lakers in 2016. He played just one game during the second season of that deal and was waived during the following offseason.
Deng ended his career last season in Minnesota, averaging 7.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 22 games.
Lakers Sign Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen has signed a contract with the Lakers, the team announced in a press release. Reggie Hearn, who signed with the team on Tuesday, was waived to make room on the 20-man roster.
Allen spent last season with the G League’s South Bay Lakers, averaging 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 43 games. The former Stanford guard also joined the Lakers for Summer League play.
Allen appears ticketed for the G League again. L.A.’s roster for the start of the season is virtually set with 14 players on guaranteed contracts and both two-way slots already filled.