Oshae Brissett Signs 10-Day Contract With Sixers
1:35 pm: The signing is official, the Sixers announced today in a press release.
11:07 am: The Sixers will sign Oshae Brissett to a 10-day contract, sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
The 26-year-old forward signed a G League deal in January and was claimed off waivers by the Long Island Nets. He averaged 12.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 11 regular season games with Brooklyn’s affiliate.
Brissett was part of Boston’s championship team last season, but he declined a $2.46MM player option last June in hopes of finding a larger role with another team. He only appeared in 55 games a year ago and was limited to 11.5 minutes per night.
Brissett began his career with Toronto in 2019, signing an Exhibit 10 contract after going undrafted out of Syracuse and earning a two-way deal in training camp. After being waived by the Raptors the following year, Brissett got a late-season opportunity with Indiana. He eventually became a rotation player for the Pacers before signing with the Celtics in free agency in 2023.
Philadelphia, which has fallen into 12th place in the East at 22-43, could offer significant playing to Brissett as long as he’s with the team. The Sixers have a full 15-man roster, but will be able to add Brissett through the hardship exception because they have four players who have missed at least three consecutive games and are expected to remain sidelined for at least two more weeks.
As a five-year veteran, Brissett will earn $139,391 during his 10-day deal. Assuming it become official in time for tonight’s meeting with Indiana, he’ll be eligible to appear in six games before it expires March 23. The Sixers will be permitted to offer him a second 10-day contract as long as they still fall qualify for a hardship exception.
Scotto’s Latest: Dunleavy, Butler, Looney, Post, Finney-Smith
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. delivered a strong message to his team after completing a trade for Jimmy Butler at last month’s deadline, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The complex five-team deal finally gave Golden State the additional star that Dunleavy had been seeking since last summer.
“I told them, ‘It’s time to win,’” Dunleavy said. “Whatever happened this season thus far where we’ve had some tough losses and our record isn’t what it needs to be. This signals it’s time to win, no f—ing around. We’ll see where we can get to.”
The Warriors have responded just as Dunleavy had hoped, going 13-1 when Butler has played and rising into the top six in the West. Since February 8, the team has the NBA’s third-best defensive rating at 108.7 and the third-best offensive rating at 121.5.
Dunleavy told Scotto that being a former teammate of Butler in Chicago gave him a “level of comfort” to make the deal and sign Butler to a two-year, $111MM extension.
“I think there’s a talent level that he brings that we needed at the top of the roster,” Dunleavy said. “There’s also a presence, a competitiveness, and an IQ. We need all those things on the court and in big moments. I think it raises the level of all of our players. Not only our role players but also (Stephen Curry) and Draymond (Green) to know they’ve got another guy with them that they can look around and feel like, ‘All right, we’ve got a chance.'”
There’s more from Scotto:
- Veteran center Kevon Looney talked to Scotto about Butler’s effects on the Warriors and his own upcoming free agency. Looney has been with Golden State since he was drafted in 2015, but his playing time has declined over the last two seasons. He was mentioned in trade rumors before the deadline, and his future is uncertain as his contract gets ready to expire. “I’m focused on this season right now,” Looney said. “You never know what’s going to happen in a short period of time. I’m hoping I can stay healthy, have a great end of the season and playoffs, and then see whatever happens. You always try to be where you’re at, but things change. Free agency is always crazy, so whatever happens, happens.”
- Quinten Post has been a surprise success story for the Warriors, earning a standard contract after starting the season in the G League. The rookie big man told Scotto he considers the contract to be validation for the work he did at the G League level. “I give myself credit from the moment I found out I was going to Santa Cruz. I put my head down and completely focused on that,” Post said. “I wasn’t even thinking about the Warriors. I was focused on winning our games in the G League and playing better basketball with my teammates there. I was locked in. I was going to win the G League. That was our plan. We were on a streak there. Then, all of a sudden, I got a call-up, and then I was here. The fact that I got converted, I felt was because I did the right things, and I got rewarded for it.”
- Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith said his brief time playing for Jordi Fernandez gave him confidence that the first-year head coach will be able to turn the Nets into winners. He also talked to Scotto about the decision he faces on a $15.4MM player option for next season, which could determine his future in L.A. “You see what just happened with Luka (Doncic)? So, you’ve got to make sure you take care of yourself first,” Finney-Smith said. “We need to finish the season strong. If we win, everybody eats.”
Wolves Didn’t Offer Jaden McDaniels In Kevin Durant Trade Talks
The Timberwolves were aggressive in trying to land Kevin Durant before last month’s trade deadline, but their offers to the Suns didn’t include Anthony Edwards or Jaden McDaniels, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Scotto’s sources say Minnesota wanted to build the deal around power forward Julius Randle and shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo, both of whom were acquired from New York last October in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.
The Wolves are expected to continue their pursuit of Durant this summer, but Randle would have to pick up his $30.9MM player option before he could be included in trade talks. Scotto notes that Minnesota has won the last 11 games in which Randle has played, while DiVincenzo, who is signed through the 2026/27 season, is shooting 39.4% from three-point range and averaging a career-best 3.7 assists per game.
It’s worth noting that the Wolves were operating more than $16MM above the second tax apron and Durant’s $51.2MM salary is about $7MM more than Randle and DiVincenzo combined, so they would have needed to trim over $20MM in additional salary to make the deal possible, since teams above the second apron can’t aggregate salaries.
Assuming Rudy Gobert was also off the table, Minnesota would have needed to part with either Naz Reid and Mike Conley or Reid and several lower-paid players. At least one additional team would have been necessary because Phoenix is also over the second apron and couldn’t take back more salary than it sent out in any deal.
Any version of the trade would have been difficult to complete without including McDaniels’ $23MM salary. The 24-year-old forward is averaging 12.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season and is an important part of Minnesota’s defense.
The Suns expressed interest in Reid during trade talks, sources tell Scotto. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has a $15MM player option for next season that he’s expected to decline, but the Wolves intend to sign him to a long-term deal, Scotto’s sources add.
Mat Ishbia: Suns Won’t Trade Devin Booker
Major changes could be coming to the Suns this summer, but they won’t include a trade of Devin Booker, team owner Mat Ishbia told Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Ishbia admits the team has fallen far short of expectations as it faces a desperate race to overtake Dallas and sneak into the play-in tournament as the 10th seed. But even if Phoenix misses out on the postseason, Ishbia plans to rebuild around the 28-year-old guard rather than consider trade offers.
“Never happen,” Ishbia said about the possibility of parting with Booker. “It’s silly. So here’s what I’ll tell you: I have Devin Booker in the prime. In order to win an NBA championship, you got to have a superstar. You got to have a great player.”
Sources tell MacMahon that the Rockets have made several calls about Booker, but have failed to gain any traction. Houston is uniquely positioned to leverage a deal, holding swap rights for the Suns’ first-round pick this year, along with the team’s unprotected first-rounders in 2027 and 2029. All those assets were originally sent to Brooklyn in the Durant trade two years ago.
Booker is likewise committed to staying in Phoenix and has no plans to request a trade, according to MacMahon. He went through four extreme losing seasons early in his career before helping turn the Suns into a winner and eventually reaching the Finals in 2021. He’s ready to repeat that process and wants to spend his entire career with one franchise. He has shared his intentions with Ishbia, CEO Josh Bartlestein and general manager James Jones, MacMahon adds.
“I take pride in the community in Phoenix, the people that have supported me since I was 18 when things were ugly,” Booker said. “And the people that are with us, we just fell short of accomplishing what we want. So I want to do it, and I want to do it here. That’s the responsibility of being a franchise player, and I wear that with honor. So it might not look the most pretty right now, but we got to get it done and I’m going to do it.”
There’s far less certainty surrounding Kevin Durant, who’s widely expected to be on the move this summer. Durant admitted being “blindsided” when his name came up in trade talks before last month’s deadline, and there’s heavy speculation that he’ll want to continue his career somewhere else next season. Durant, who will turn 37 in September, has one year left on his contract at $54.7MM.
A potential deal with the Warriors died when Durant said he didn’t want to return to the Bay Area. Sources tell MacMahon that Phoenix also discussed frameworks of Durant trades with the Timberwolves, Heat and Rockets, with some of those sources pointing to the Knicks as a possible fit. Houston officials told ESPN that the Suns called them to gauge their interest in Durant.
MacMahon’s sources said Suns management will consult with Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman on any trade discussions that take place this summer. Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year, $122MM extension with his new team.
Ishbia indicated that a Durant trade will be one of many strategies the front office plans to explore once the season ends.
“I’ll just say that we’re going to evaluate in the offseason,” Ishbia said. “We’re going to find a way to win, and it’s probably a lot easier winning with Kevin Durant than without him. But at the same time, yes, if we’re not good enough in this iteration of the Phoenix Suns, we’re going to find a way to be better next year. “
Bradley Beal, who was reluctant to waive his no-trade clause to help the Suns complete a deal for Jimmy Butler, suggested to MacMahon that he might be more open to changing teams during the offseason. Beal, who was demoted to a bench role in January and February, feels like he has been disrespected at times.
“It is a different deal in the summer,” he said. “Everything is kind of more laid out on the table. You got more options.”
Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Curry, Butler, Dunleavy
The Warriors, who’ve been tearing through the league since picking up Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, added another explosive element to their lineup Thursday night, writes Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Jonathan Kuminga, who has been recovering from a lateral right ankle sprain that kept him sidelined since January 4, returned with 18 points in 20 minutes in a blowout win over Sacramento.
Golden State fans gave Kuminga a rousing ovation when he checked into the game midway through the first quarter, and Kroichick observes that he showed few signs of being rusty after the two-month layoff. He shot 7-of-10 from the field, finishing his night with three straight dunks.
“We’re a lot more dangerous in transition with him,” Kevon Looney said. “Early in the year, that was one thing we wanted to be better at. Since he’s been out, I don’t think we’ve been as good and our identity changed a little bit. But you see it when he’s out there: We’re a totally different team in transition. He’s putting a lot of pressure on the rim, and when he does that (Stephen Curry) gets open shots, Buddy (Hield) gets open shots, Moses (Moody) gets open shots.”
Kuminga described his ankle injury as “pretty bad,” and coach Steve Kerr told reporters that it turned out to be more significant than the team originally believed. Kerr experimented Thursday by playing Kuminga alongside Butler and Draymond Green in a small-ball lineup and was encouraged by how they looked together.
“What you notice is the different dimension (Kuminga) gives us, with his explosion to the rim,” Kerr said. “The way teams are playing Steph now, everybody is top-locking him. It completely distorts the defense, and it makes sense, but then you don’t have help in certain areas. So if you have a guy like JK who can attack and score at the rim, it’s a huge help.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Curry became the first player with 4,000 career three-pointers, reaching that mark off a broken play in the third quarter, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. As Youngmisuk points out, he has made more than 1,000 long-distance shots since passing Ray Allen in 2021 for the all-time lead in that category. “It’s a clear milestone threshold,” Curry said. “A number that I didn’t think about, that it was realistic even from 2,974, which is a number that means the most because that was the record at the time. It’s beyond my wildest dreams to push a record that far.”
- After Butler was dealt to the Warriors, he was determined to move past the drama that marked his contentious exit from Miami, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. He started by telling his new teammates that winning is more important to him than anything. “When I walked in, I was like, ‘Yo, look man, I’m only here to win,’” Butler said. “’I don’t care about nothing else. I don’t care about points. I don’t care about shots. I don’t care about none of that. I’m only here to win and I’ve always only been places to win. So, whatever y’all need me to do, y’all let me know.’”
- Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard examines general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.‘s strategy for remaking the roster after a pair of major offseason trades fell through, making sure he had the right pieces in place when the opportunity arose to acquire Butler.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 3/11/2025
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included the dangers to the Lakers of a prolonged LeBron James absence, the state of the MVP race, the Mavericks' options to tank or fight for a play-in spot, impactful trade deadline deals and more! Use the link below to read the transcript.
P.J. Tucker Signs 10-Day Contract With Knicks
March 10: Tucker’s 10-day deal with the Knicks is now official, per a team press release (Twitter link).
March 8: P.J. Tucker will join the Knicks on a 10-day contract, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Tucker talked with several teams over the past week before deciding on New York, Charania adds.
The 39-year-old forward will bring defensive toughness and three-point shooting to the Knicks, who are in a tight race for playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference. He also has a wealth of postseason experience — including a championship with Milwaukee in 2021 — that will be valuable if he winds up getting signed for the rest of the season.
New York has been carrying an open 15-man roster spot all season, so no other move will be necessary to add Tucker. The team is roughly $540K below the second apron, and Tucker’s 10-day deal will carry a cap hit of $119,972, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
Tucker isn’t expected to sign today, but he will at some point during the current road trip, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. The Knicks don’t play again until Monday at Sacramento, and they want to get as many games as possible out of Tucker during the 10 days he’ll be active. If he signs on Monday, he’ll be eligible to appear in five games before the contract expires March 19.
Ian Begley of SNY hears that the Knicks view Tucker as an “integral addition” to a locker room that doesn’t have an experienced veteran of his stature (Twitter link). The team was also looking for someone with an “enforcer mentality,” Begley adds.
Tucker, who hasn’t played yet this season, started off with the Clippers after picking up his $11.54MM player option over the summer. An agreement was reached in early October that he would remain away from the team while his agent worked with the front office to find a trade.
Nothing materialized until February 1 when he was sent to Utah as part of a four-player deal. He was traded again five days later, being shipped to Toronto as part of the five-team Jimmy Butler deal. He remained inactive with the Raptors until he was waived February 28.
The Knicks will be the eighth team for Tucker, who made his NBA debut with Toronto during the 2006/07 season. He has appeared in 883 games with career averages of 6.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists and shooting splits of .425/.366/.750.
Knicks Notes: McBride, Towns, Ewing, Anunoby, Hart
Miles McBride wasn’t happy with his first performance while replacing Jalen Brunson as the Knicks‘ starting point guard, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. McBride, who’s expected to fill that role while Brunson recovers from a sprained right ankle, was limited to seven points while shooting 2-of-13 from the field in Friday’s loss to the Clippers.
“We didn’t win, so any time we don’t win, I don’t think I played well enough. I think anybody can always shoot the ball better. I think defensively there were some plays I could have had, probably could have come up with some more rebounds,” McBride said. “Full complete game, I feel like I could have upped it a lot more.”
The Knicks believe in McBride’s ability to run the offense while Brunson is sidelined, Bondy adds, noting that he did it for five games last season. It was a poor shooting night for the team overall, as New York was thrown off rhythm by L.A.’s switching defense.
“When he’s starting, the ball is in his hands more,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “With the second unit, he was more off the ball and (Cameron Payne) handled more. But Deuce can do it. I’ve seen him have huge games there. So I have a lot of confidence in his ability.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Karl-Anthony Towns is thrilled to be learning about the game from Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, who joined the team as a coaching consultant before the start of the season, Bondy states in another piece. Ewing has attended several games this year, including both contests last week in Los Angeles, and he was at Sunday’s practice. “You always learn a little bit here and then you ask him for that help and he’s been in the situations, especially here in New York,” Towns said. “So his wisdom is priceless and his game is obviously on a Hall of Fame level. So getting a chance to sit with him, talk with him about basketball, about what I can do to be better from my spot, is awesome.”
- Extensive preparation enables OG Anunoby to excel on defense, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Anunoby spends a lot of time studying players’ tendencies when they have the ball and learning tricks by watching film of other elite defenders. “I like players who play hard on defense, so I’ll watch Alex Caruso and the stuff he’s doing — the active hands and aggressiveness,” Anunoby said. “If he’s doing this, I can do that, too.”
- Josh Hart is trying to find the right balance between taking care of his aching knees and staying sharp on the court, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “It all depends,” Hart said. “I will take a couple of days off, feel good, go out and shoot for 10 minutes and then it swells up again. It’s just a constant process of playing, resting, getting that inflammation out, and then just cut and paste and keep doing it.”
L.A. Notes: Leonard, Lue, Morris, Hayes
The Clippers‘ prospects for an automatic playoff spot — or at least a better position in the play-in tournament — improved dramatically on one Kawhi Leonard shot Sunday night, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Trailing by a point in overtime, Leonard held the ball for 15 seconds before making a move. He dribbled eight times, then launched his shot over a collapsing Kings defense. It bounced off the back of the rim and fell through the net to give the Clippers a 111-110 victory.
“Read the defense, got to a spot on the floor and was able to get a shot off,” said Leonard, who topped 40 minutes for the first time this season. “I wanted to play. I’m kind of capped on the minutes — 36 is a lot of minutes. But it was just about me just wanting to finish that game. They told me they were going to sit me for a minute and bring me back. So just itching to get back in and didn’t want to sit.”
It was the third straight victory for the Clippers, who are eighth in the West at 35-29, one game back of Golden State for the sixth spot. L.A. has rebounded from a 1-6 stretch immediately after the All-Star break and appears to be surging ahead of four upcoming games against sub-.500 opponents. The Clippers have now clinched the head-to-head tie-breaker against the Kings, who trail their division rivals by a game and a half at 33-30.
Although Norman Powell and Ben Simmons remained out for Sunday’s game, league sources tell Murray that they’re both making progress. Powell, who is sidelined with patellar tendinopathy in his left knee, will be reevaluated following a three-game road trip. Simmons, who is also dealing with a knee issue, may play during the trip.
There’s more on the two Los Angeles teams:
- Clippers coach Tyronn Lue had to miss Sunday’s game due to back pain, according to an Associated Press report. Lue didn’t give any indication during his pregame media session that he wouldn’t be able to coach, and the team didn’t provide any other details. Assistant Brian Shaw replaced Lue for the night.
- Markieff Morris has barely played since rejoining the Lakers last month, but he’s finding other ways to contribute, notes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The veteran forward has taken on a leadership role and was instrumental in helping Dalton Knecht regain his confidence after his trade to Charlotte was rescinded. “I missed (Morris),” LeBron James said. “… We’ve been in the foxhole together. We’ve been on the floor during big games together. And there’s someone whose opinion I value very much when I come off the floor. He’s watching it. He’s seeing it. I’m just happy to have him back. It’s great to see him.”
- The Lakers will be without their entire starting front line for tonight’s game at Brooklyn. Center Jaxson Hayes has been ruled out on the team’s official injury report due to a contusion on his right knee. He joins James, who’s recovering from a groin injury he suffered Saturday night, and Rui Hachimura, who remains sidelined with patellar tendinopathy in his left knee.
Stephen Curry Becomes Assistant GM At Davidson
Warriors guard Stephen Curry has accepted an offer to become an assistant general manager for Davidson College’s basketball programs, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Charania notes that Curry is the first active player in U.S. professional sports to take an administrative job with a college team. He’s expected to provide guidance and advice to athletes at the school based on the experiences of his career, Charania adds.
Curry played for the Wildcats from 2006-09, displaying the unique shooting skills that have made him a star in the NBA. He averaged 25.3 points per game and made 414 three-pointers in his three seasons at Davidson, paving the way for him become the seventh player selected in the 2009 draft.
Charania states that Curry will work closely with Davidson general manger Austin Buntz, who was formerly part of Under Armour’s global sports marketing team. Curry signed with Under Armour in 2013 and has a lifetime shoe contract with the company.
According to Charania, Curry and his wife Ayesha will join with Davidson supporters Don, Matt and Erica Berman to start an eight-figure fund to aid the men’s and women’s athletic programs at the college. Matt Berman, a former Wildcats soccer player, will also serve as an assistant GM.
Charania notes that Curry completed his undergraduate degree at Davidson in 2022 and is considered a member of the Class of 2010.