Wendell Carter Jr. Undergoes Core Muscle Surgery
JULY 9: The Bulls confirmed (via Twitter) that Carter underwent his core muscle surgery today. The team says the youngster’s rehab process is expected to take about six to eight weeks, putting him on track to participate in camp in September.
JULY 3: Wendell Carter Jr. will undergo a procedure on July 9 to repair a core muscle injury, per the team’s website. The big man is expected to be ready for training camp.
The 2018 No. 7 overall pick was limited to just 44 games during his rookie season because of a thumb injury. He had surgery to repair the ailment during the campaign.
Carter Jr. will miss the entire Summer League as he manages his latest injury. The Bulls have been active in free agency adding depth in the frontcourt. Chicago added Luke Kornet and Thaddeus Young over the past few days to supplement their big man rotation. The team also drafted Daniel Gafford in the second round of this year’s draft.
Lakers Sign Devontae Cacok, Aric Holman
The Lakers have signed rookie free agents Devontae Cacok and Aric Holman, according to a team press release. Both contracts are Exhibit 10 deals, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Cacok went undrafted out of UNC Wilmington. Back in the 2016/17 season, the big man shot an NCAA-record 80.0% from the field. He posted a double-double (15.2 PPG, 12.3 RPG) in 33 games in 2018/19, his senior season.
Holman spent four years at Mississippi State and was also not drafted. The power forward blocked at least two shots in 61 of his 124 collegiate games, per the Lakers. He averaged 9.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.6 BPG with a .473/.429/.701 shooting line in his senior year.
Cacok’s agreement with the Lakers was first reported by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, while Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports broke word of Holman’s deal.
Clippers Sign Amir Coffey To Two-Way Deal
The Clippers will add Amir Coffey to the team via a two-way contract, according to a team press release. The combo guard has been playing for the franchise’s Summer League team in Las Vegas.
Coffey was not selected in the 2019 draft. He spent three seasons at the University of Minnesota where as a junior, he led the team in scoring with 16.6 points per game.
Each team is allowed to have a pair of players on two-way deals. After signing Coffey, the Clippers have one remaining.
NBA Will Add In-Game Challenges, Make Changes To Replay For 2019/20 Season
NBA Coaches will have the ability to challenge plays during the 2019/20 season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links). The rule will be implemented on a one-year, trial basis.
The league has also made changes to the use of replay. The NBA Replay Center will now be allowed to “trigger instant replay in certain circumstances,” per the league’s press release.
The league experimented with the possibility of challenges during the past two seasons in the G League and during this year’s Summer League. Coaches only received one challenge per game and they must have a timeout remaining to use it.
While the rule will be similar to the NFL’s challenge rule, NBA coaches will send a signal to an official rather than throwing a flag into the playing area. In the G League, coaches “twirl his/her index finger toward the referees,” as ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently explained.
Here’s how the new rule is expected to work, according to Lowe:
- Coaches will get one challenge per game, whether or not it’s successful.
- Called fouls, goaltending, basket interference, and out-of-bounds plays are the only calls that can be challenged. Uncalled fouls can’t be challenged.
- Coaches must have a timeout available to use a challenge, and must use that timeout immediately after the call they want to challenge.
- If the challenge is successful, the team will get its timeout back. If not, it will be lost.
- The crew chief for that game’s referee crew will make the final call on challenges involving fouls. All other challenges will be decided by the NBA’s Replay Center.
Clippers Sign Mfiondu Kabengele, Terance Mann
The Clippers have signed rookies Mfiondu Kabengele and Terance Mann, according to a team press release.
Kabengele, the nephew of Dikembe Mutombo, was the No. 27 overall pick in this year’s draft. Assuming he signed for the full 120% of the rookie scale, he’ll take home slightly under $1.98MM during the 2019/20 season, as our Rookie Scale Salaries page shows.
Mann was selected with the No. 48 overall pick in the draft. The two players were teammates at Florida State.
Free Agent Notes: Ellis, Green, Speights
Representatives from nearly half of the league’s teams were in attendance for a workout that included former NBA stars Amar’e Stoudemire and Monta Ellis, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets.
The Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Knicks, Thunder, Bucks, Pistons, Kings, Nuggets, Blazers, Magic, Hawks, Wolves and Wizards were all in attendance. Haynes adds that 15 international teams from Europe and Asia also had representatives in Las Vegas for the workout.
Here’s more from around the league:
- The Spurs, Nuggets, and Knicks were all interested in JaMychal Green before the forward re-signed with the Clippers, Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes. Those teams were offering him a more lucrative offer than the one he signed with Los Angeles. The Clippers put on a “full-court press” to retain Green, Buha adds, and the 29-year-old ended up inking a two-year deal worth slightly under $10MM.
- Green has the ability to be a free agent next summer, having secured a player option as part of his deal with the Clippers. Buha (in the same piece) speculates that Green could have commanded a deal in the $10MM+ range this offseason and that the forward should have the opportunity for a similar contract next summer.
- Mo Speights, who played in China last season, is working out for teams in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated tweets. Speights last played in the NBA for the Magic during the 2017/18 season.
Celtics To Sign Tremont Waters To Two-Way Deal
The Celtics will add Tremont Waters on a two-way deal, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe hears (Twitter link).
The point guard will split his time between the Celtics and their G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. Each team is awarded a pair of two-way contracts and it was previously reported that shooting guard Max Strus will occupy one for Boston as well.
Waters was selected with the No. 51 overall pick after spending two years at LSU. He appeared in 66 games over his collegiate career, scoring 15.3 points while dishing out 5.9 assists per game.
Suns Sign Point Guard Ricky Rubio
JULY 8, 9:33pm: The Suns have officially signed Rubio, according to a team press release.
JUNE 30, 5:37pm: In a shocking development, the Suns have stolen presumed Pacers target Ricky Rubio. Phoenix will sign him to a three-year, $51MM deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Multiple reports this week indicated that Rubio was expected to join the Pacers once free agency began, with one story calling it a “virtual done deal.” Indiana saw point guard Darren Collison retire and it left them extremely thin at the position. However, the team was able to add Malcolm Brogdon via sign-and-trade.
As for the Suns, they haven’t had stability at the point guard spot since they traded Eric Bledsoe away. Rubio and newcomer Dario Saric, who came to the team in a draft night trade, will add veteran presence to a team looking to make the postseason.
A former fifth overall pick, Rubio averaged 12.7 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 3.6 RPG in 68 games (27.9 MPG) for the Jazz last season. He’s not a great shooter, but Phoenix will lean on him for his play-making, passing, and defense.
The Suns will need to make an additional roster move to fit Rubio in under the cap, if they plan to keep Kelly Oubre‘s cap hold on their books, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Grizzlies, Bulls Discussed Kris Dunn, Justin Holiday Swap
The Bulls and Grizzlies have discussed a sign-and-trade for Justin Holiday that would send former top-10 pick Kris Dunn to Memphis, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune hears.
Holiday played for the Bulls last season before the team dealt him to the Grizzlies. Memphis made the December trade hoping to remain in the playoff hunt, surrendering two second-round picks to Chicago as well as Wayne Selden and MarShon Brooks (the wrong Brooks from the failed three-team trade with the Suns).
Chicago has made Dunn available in trade talks after drafting Coby White and acquiring Tomas Satoransky. Three of the team’s offseason goals were to add depth in the frontcourt, bring in point guard competition, and add outside shooting. The first two can be checked off the list.
Shooting on the wing remains on the Bulls’ wish list, Johnson adds. Holiday is a career 34.9% shooter from behind the arc.
Details On Kawhi Leonard’s Decision, Free Agent Meetings
Kawhi Leonard‘s camp spoke to the Raptors about the possibility of acquiring Paul George or Bradley Beal, Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star reports. The franchise considered the request, though Masai Ujiri & Co. began to believe in the final days leading up to Leonard’s decision that Kawhi, who was in Toronto from Wednesday to Friday, was not serious about rejoining the defending champs.
Leonard was focused on the Clippers even as his championship run with the Raptors was ongoing, Arthur writes. His camp gauged Jimmy Butler‘s interest in teaming up with him in Los Angeles throughout the postseason and the Clippers had planned to go after the pairing. Butler ended up landing in Miami and it appeared that the title and the inability to get Butler had closed the gap between the Raptors and the Southern California franchise.
The Raptors engaged in trade talks with the Thunder, though Arthur cautions that Toronto never came close to acquiring George and writes that Russell Westbrook was not involved in those discussions. It was previously reported that Westbrook and George both could have been included in a potential package to the Raptors. Westbrook was open to the idea of playing with Leonard, Arthur hears.
Here’s more buzz surrounding the Final MVP’s decision to move to California:
- The location for the Lakers’ meeting with Leonard was switched last minute to Westlake Village and only owner Jeanie Buss and GM Rob Pelinka were there, as per Leonard’s request, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com tweets. Shelburne adds that Leonard met with George near that location on the same day.
- The Lakers knew their typical pitch, promising stardom and off-court fame, would not appeal to Leonard, Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times details. The team stuck to basketball in their hotel meeting with Leonard, attempting to sell him on winning a championship with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The meeting only lasted two hours.
- Leonard and his uncle spoke to Magic Johnson prior to the Lakers‘ meeting, Ganguli adds. They had questions about Johnson’s recent comments on Pelinka where Johnson accused the former agent of betraying him. Johnson responded with praise for the organization and spoke highly of the Lakers’ front office. Johnson’s comments were not brought up in the Lakers’ short meeting, Ganguli hears.
- The Lakers had no idea that Leonard wanted George as a teammate, per Ganguli. It was inconsequential, as Los Angeles had no real means of acquiring him from Oklahoma City since the club had already given up so many assets in the Anthony Davis deal.