Donald Sloan To Play In G League
Donald Sloan has signed a contract to play in the G League, Chris Reichert of The Step Back reports (Twitter link). Sloan previously played in the G League during the 2012/13 season. However, no team currently owns his rights, which means he’ll enter the league’s player pool.
Sloan turned down several international offers to join the Wizards for training camp. He was hoping to not only make the team’s opening night roster but to also contribute as a member of their rotation.
“I came [to Washington] to be a part of what they’re trying to do here. I came to be that guy off the bench to give them what they need. I came to be that guy with backup minutes,” Sloan said earlier this month.
The Wizards waived the point guard just days before their first contest of the season, opting to keep Carrick Felix on as the team’s 15th man. Felix hasn’t seen any minutes for this Wizards this season, though he was suspended one game for leaving the team’s bench during an on-court altercation last week.
Sloan has played for five NBA teams since arriving in the league back in 2011. He spent time with Pacers, Nets, Cavs, Pelicans, and Hawks, averaging 5.5 points per game while sporting a player efficiency rating of 11.9.
Clippers Decline Brice Johnson’s Third-Year Option
The Clippers have declined to pick up Brice Johnson‘s 2018/19 team option, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Johnson was set to make $1.5MM next season.
Los Angeles selected Johnson with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2016 draft, but the team hasn’t gotten much return on its investment. The North Carolina product has appeared in just five games for the Clippers since coming into the league.
Jahlil Okafor May Push For Buyout
The Sixers have decided not to pick up the 2018/19 option on Jahlil Okafor‘s contract, something that will render the big man an unrestricted free agent this summer. Yet, sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter links) that Okafor prefers to not have to wait to change teams and may push for a buyout agreement with Philly.
Stein hears that Okafor is convinced that the team has had several workable deals on the table, though the Sixers have declined to make a move.
Okafor’s 2018/19 option was set to pay him $6.3MM and any team that acquires him in a trade this season wouldn’t be able to offer him a starting salary that goes beyond that figure in negotiations this summer.
The Duke product has seemingly been on the trade block since his rookie season with the club and his perceived trade value has fallen every year since.
Okafor has only seen action in one game this season—a game Joel Embiid sat out—and he made four of seven shots on his way to 10 points. The organization seems confident that Embiid can be the team’s center for the foreseeable future, evidenced by the unique long-term five-year extension it doled out to him earlier this month. Richaun Holmes and Amir Johnson also present barriers to playing time in Philadelphia, as Johnson has seen action at the five this season and Holmes should as well once he returns from his wrist injury.
The decision to decline Okafor’s option wasn’t solely based on his fit on the court. The Sixers are reportedly angling to make a splash next offseason and they want to maintain flexibility in order to do so.
Entering the 2015 draft, Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns were widely considered the two best prospects in the draft class and his fall to Philadelphia at three was a shocking development for many. Okafor has played 104 games with the Sixers since being drafted and it’s possible we’ve seen the last of him in a Philly uniform.
Stay tuned to Hoops Rumors for the latest on the Sixers, Jahlil Okafor, and potential landing spots for the big man.
Magic Will Decline Mario Hezonja’s 2018/19 Team Option
Orlando will decline the 2018/19 team option on Mario Hezonja‘s contract, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com tweets. The swingman was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 draft.
Earlier today, we learned that the Sixers would not be picking up Jahlil Okafor‘s 2018/19 option, which makes the 2015 draft the first since the 2009 class to have a pair of players in the top six see their final season’s options declined, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes on Twitter. Back in 2011, the Grizzlies decided against keeping Hasheem Thabeet, while the Wolves turned down Jonny Flynn‘s fourth-year option.
The Magic are reportedly exploring the trade market for Hezonja, having discussed a deal with multiple teams. The Kings were one of the clubs and a proposed arrangement would have seen Malachi Richardson and a second-round pick head to Orlando. However, a deal has yet to materialize.
Hezonja was set to make roughly $5.17MM next season. Instead, he’ll hit the free agent market this summer as an unrestricted free agent in search of a new deal.
Clippers To Pick Up Sam Dekker’s Fourth-Year Option
The Clippers will pick up Sam Dekker‘s team option for the 2018/19 season, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). As a result, the Wisconsin product will make slightly over $2.76MM next season
Dekker came to Los Angeles as part of the Chris Paul trade. He hasn’t been a major cog in the Clippers system this season, earning a total of 32 minutes over his five games played with the club. The combo forward has made 41.7% of his shots this season while sporting a player efficiency rating of 11.6.
Dekker has played a total of 89 games in his career, which includes four postseason contests with Houston last season. He was the No. 18 overall pick in the 2015 draft.
Heat Notes: Olynyk, Richardson, Mickey
The Heat handed Kelly Olynyk a four-year, $46MM contract this offseason and one rival Eastern Conference GM is not impressed with the transaction, as he tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
“Not a huge fan of Olynyk and think they overpaid by about 20 percent. I have no idea why he got a player option. But basketball wise he’s a good fit,” the anonymous GM told Jackson.
Olynyk’s contract contains a player option worth slightly over $12.2MM for the 2020/21 season. That same GM also offered his opinion on Jordan Mickey, whom the team signed to a two-year contract in August. “End of the bench NBA player [that] can play for 8-10 years in the right system as a shotblocker, rebounder, energy guy,” he said.
Here’s more from Miami:
- Josh Richardson, who inked a four-year, $42MM extension with the Heat this offseason, may have been able to land a larger contract had he held off on signing until he reached the free agent market. However, the 2015 No. 40 overall pick is happy with the deal he signed, as Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays. “Let’s be real, $42 million is a lot of money,” Richardson said. “So I can live on that forever. I don’t really worry about what everybody else is doing. I don’t like comparing myself to other people. So when they came to it, it was kind of like a no-brainer.”
- Hassan Whiteside injured his knee on opening night and the big man’s absence has forced Mickey to take on a starting role. The 6’8″ big man has mostly played the four during his time in the league, but he has no issue playing center when needed for the Heat, as Winderman passes along in a separate piece. “I feel comfortable at whatever position he puts me at, whether he needs me to guard the bigs on the court or guard one of the smaller guys on the court,” Mickey said. “That’s where the NBA is going now, bigger guys guarding small guys. So you’ve got to continue to grow with the game.”
- The Heat don’t have many scoring options on the wing, making Dion Waiters‘ recovery from an ankle injury even more crucial, Winderman contends in a recent mailbag. Waiters suffered the injury last season and hasn’t been able to suit up yet as a result of it.
Knicks Notes: Ntilikina, Bledsoe, Kanter
Frank Ntilikina, who remains out of the lineup with a sprained ankle hears his name in the Eric Bledsoe trade rumors, but it’s not something he’s worried about, as Al Iannazzone of News Day relays. The No. 8 overall pick said it was “nice” that the Suns have interest in him, but his focus remains on getting healthy.
The Knicks spoke to the Suns about Bledsoe after Phoenix made it clear that it was shopping the point guard. GM Ryan McDonough apparently wants Ntilikina and Willy Hernangomez for the Kentucky product, but Iannazzone hears that neither player is on the table at the moment in a Bledsoe talks. While whispers of Ntilikina being off-limits are circulating, the team hasn’t told the French point guard that he won’t be dealt.
“Not really. No,” Ntilikina said. “I’m focused on basketball and on how I can make my ankle be better and my game be better so I can be back on the court.”
There’s more the New York:
- The Knicks have “gone out of their way” to include Ntilikina and Hernagomez when discussing their cornerstone players Iannazzone notes (same piece). The scribe can’t envision the team dealing either player away for Bledsoe unless Phoenix is willing to take on long-term money, like the contracts of Joakim Noah or Courtney Lee.
- New York will have to address its surplus of centers at some point in the future, Iannazzone adds. Hernangomez is currently out of the rotation as he watched Kyle O’Quinn and Enes Kanter gobble up the minutes at the five. Joakim Noah will only be suspended nine more games after tonight’s tilt against the Nets and Kristaps Porzingis could use additional minutes at the center position.
- Kanter, who arrived in New York via the Carmelo Anthony deal, has played well in his first two games with the club, scoring a total of 27 points in 46 minutes. The big man has also developed on-court chemistry with Porzingiz. However, Fred Kerber of the New York Post wonders if Kanter’s presence is hurting the team long-term, as the franchise may be better served to give Hernangomez more opportunities.
Fantasy Hoops: Suns, Mavs, Fultz, James
The 2017/18 season is underway and oh, how so much has already happened.
The Celtics‘ season will go on without the help of free agent addition Gordon Hayward. LeBron’s team has already made a lineup change and the Bucks look like legitimate Eastern Conference contenders behind the MVP-level play of the Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Rockets are experiencing life without their prize offseason acquisition, as Chris Paul‘s injured knee is expected to keep him sidelined for another 2-3 weeks. The Warriors are alternating blowout wins with puzzling losses and Eric Bledsoe is on the lookout for a barber outside the Phoenix region.
That’s just the tip of the league’s iceberg and Hoops Rumors wants to help you make sense of it all from a fantasy basketball perspective. Check out some notes and analysis from around the league:
- Mike James should be on the fantasy radar in all leagues, as he replaced Bledsoe in the Suns‘ starting lineup on Monday. The point guard played 27 minutes in Monday’s win over the Kings, scoring 18 points and dishing out seven assists while going 50% from behind the arc. The threat of Phoenix bringing back another point guard in a Bledsoe trade is real, but enjoy James’ production as we wait to see what kind of deal unfolds.
- While the Suns were more competitive in their first game since firing coach Earl Watson, the defense remains an issue. The team is giving up a league-high 125.3 points per game. If you have a player going against Phoenix, make sure he’s in your lineup.
- The Mavericks have the worst defensive rating in the league but don’t be fooled. That figure is influenced by match-ups against the fast-paced Hawks, the high-powered Rockets, and the explosive Warriors offenses. Expect this team to gravitate toward the middle of the pack on defense, especially with tilts against the Grizzlies, Sixers, and Jazz looming.
- What to do with Markelle Fultz in fantasy? Drop him. While the Sixers are putting the No. 1 overall pick on the floor, he’s clearly not healthy and his agent recently told ESPN that his client “literally cannot raise up his arms to shoot the basketball.” Yikes. The injury, coupled with the Sixers’ history of being cautious with ailing players, makes Fultz unworthy of a roster spot right now.
- The Cavs are also dealing with injuries woes at the point guard position, as Derrick Rose is sidelined with an ankle issue and Isaiah Thomas is still working his way back from a hip ailment. Rose will at least miss the next two games (tonight vs the Bulls and Wednesday vs the Nets) and LeBron James will step in as the starting point guard, a role we all know he’s capable of dominating. LBJ is worth the price in daily against Chicago tonight and, assuming he plays the second-half of the back-to-back, against the Nets on Wednesday.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Statistics are current through Tuesday afternoon.
Dwyane Wade To Come Off The Bench
Dwyane Wade will come off the bench for the Cavaliers and J.R. Smith will take his place as the starting 2-guard, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. Vardon notes that Wade made the request for the change.
“I just decided, earlier than later, just to get to the unit where I’d be more comfortable in and can probably better with this team in that lineup,” Wade said. “Why wait? Three games in, why wait? Wanted to get in there with those guys.”
The future Hall-of-Famer is averaging a career-low 8.3 points per game over his first three contest with the club. Part of the reason is that the 35-year-old isn’t getting enough touches and coach Tyronn Lue envisions him getting more opportunity with the second unit.
“He saw that it would be better for him with him in the second unit because he can be featured and have the ball in his hands more than he was in the first unit. Class act for him to come to me and say, ‘You know what, I’m ready to make that change,'” Lue said.
Wade and Lue previously discussed a reserve role when the shooting guard signed with the team back in September, though they wanted to first evaluate the fit in the starting lineup. While Wade will likely be more involved in the offense as a member of the second unit, scoring is not his primary objective.
“I came here for one reason,” Wade said. “I didn’t come here to shoot 20 shots or average 20 points. I came here to be a part of winning and to bring what I can to this team and I want to do that. I feel that my best opportunity to do that is in that unit, so it just came down to that.”
Wade agreed to a buyout with the Bulls late in the summer, which was a decision fueled by Chicago’s desire to get younger and go forward with a rebuild. He was set to make approximately $23.8MM during the 2017/18 season, though he gave up roughly $8MM of that amount as part of the agreement with the Bulls. He’s currently on a one-year, minimum salary contract with the Cavs.
Suns, Nuggets Discussed Bledsoe Deal
The Suns and Nuggets have discussed a deal that would send Emmanuel Mudiay along with other pieces to Phoenix in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). It’s unclear if the talks are ongoing or whether the idea of swapping point guards was merely discussed by the two franchises.
It seems clear that the Suns will at some point find a trade partner for their disgruntled point guard. Over the weekend, Bledsoe expressed his desire to no longer be part of the team via social media, tweeting “I don’t want to be here” right before the Suns fired coach Earl Watson. The point guard apparently tried to walk his comments back by telling GM Ryan McDonough that he meant his physical location at the time. The executive wasn’t amused.
“He said he was at a hair salon… I didn’t believe that to be true. He won’t be with us going forward, “ the GM said via ABC15 Sports out of Arizona (Twitter link).
Sam Amico of Amico Hoops hears confirms that Bledsoe is being shopped around the league with a rival executive telling the scribe that “[Bledsoe] will not play another game for [Phoenix].”
Bledsoe appears to be unhappy with the franchise’s rebuilding phase and Denver may be a good fit for him should the team deal him. The Nuggets made several offseason moves with an eye on competing this season, though point guard remains a problem area for the team. Denver recently waived Jameer Nelson—their staring point guard for parts of last season—and inserted Jamal Murray into the first unit. In two games this season, the 2016 No. 7 overall pick has been inconsistent, recording four turnovers while accounting for four assists in 40 minutes of action.
Several other teams have also expressed interest in Bledsoe. In addition to the Nuggets, the Knicks, Bucks, Clippers, and Blazers have been linked to the point guard.