International Notes: Jokubaitis, Hall, Harper
Rokas Jokubaitis has a clear path to sign with Maccabi Tel Aviv now that his former team, Barcelona, has announced that it has officially parted ways with him.
Jokubaitis played for the Knicks during the Summer League and is reportedly in “advanced talks” with the Israeli team. According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link), Maccabi is very likely Jokubaitis’ destination.
The Lithuanian point guard spent the past three years with Barcelona, where he averaged 5.3 points and 2.8 assists per game last season.
Jokubaitis appeared in five games for New York in Las Vegas, averaging 9.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 19.1 minutes per contest.
We have more international news:
- Former NBA forward Donta Hall has signed a two-year deal with Spain’s Baskonia, according to a press release from the club. The American big man most recently played for Monaco. He averaged 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13.4 minutes over 38 games in EuroLeague action last season. Hall has made 22 NBA regular season appearances with Detroit, Brooklyn and Orlando.
- Former NBA point guard Jared Harper has signed a two-year contract with Hapoel Jerusalem, according to a team press release. Harper, who went undrafted in 2019 and made a total of 16 appearances for the Suns, Knicks and Pelicans, has played for Valencia in the EuroLeague for the past two years. In 53 EuroLeague appearances, he averaged 9.3 points and 3.0 assists in 17 minutes per game.
- In case you missed it, Mavericks second-round pick Melvin Ajinca will play for France’s ASVEL Basket next season.
New York Notes: Johnson, Barrett, Kolek, Payne, Achiuwa
Now that Mikal Bridges has been dealt, which Nets player currently has the most trade value? Cameron Johnson could fit that description, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Johnson is entering the second year of a four-year, $94.5MM contract. Johnson averaged 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season, despite battling numerous injuries. He’s a career 39.2% 3-point shooter and has good size for a wing.
The Kings, Magic and Lakers are among the teams who may have interest in the Nets sharpshooter, Lewis adds.
We have more from the New York teams:
- The Nets have hired Andre Barrett as a scout, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto tweets. Barrett worked four years for the league after a playing career in the NBA and a few foreign stops. He had been the scouting director for the now-defunct G League Ignite.
- Second-round pick Tyler Kolek is eager to learn from Knicks starting point guard Jalen Brunson, the rookie out of Marquette told The Athletic’s Fred Katz. “It’s just playing under control, picking angles, getting to the line,” Kolek said. “That’s a really big thing. (Brunson) does a great job at getting to the line. I really gotta learn that. In the NBA, it’s so different. … You can over-exaggerate things, just little tricks of the trade you can pick up from older guys.” Kolek averaged 9.6 points and 7.0 assists in 27.2 minutes per contest for the Knicks’ Summer League team.
- Despite the free agent addition of Cameron Payne, Kolek is currently viewed as the backup point guard ahead of Payne, according to Ian Begley of SNY TV. However, unless coach Tom Thibodeau goes with a 10-man rotation, Kolek may not get regular minutes. Miles McBride still projects to be in the rotation with Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart also coming off the bench.
- The main backup big for the Knicks is still a question mark but they remain in regular contact with one of their free agents, Precious Achiuwa, Begley writes. However, Achiuwa has drawn interest from several other teams.
Pelicans Sign Antonio Reeves To Three-Year Deal
JULY 23: Reeves’ deal is official, according to the NBA’s transaction log.
JULY 22: The Pelicans and second-round pick Antonio Reeves have agreed on a three-year, $5.41MM contract, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. The third year is a team option.
New Orleans likely used the second-round pick exception to sign Reeves at the minimum-salary level. A three-year rookie minimum deal this season is worth $5,408,801.
Reeves averaged 11.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game in five appearances for the Pelicans’ Summer League team in Las Vegas.
Reeves was the No. 47 overall pick and was dealt by Orlando to New Orleans in a draft-night trade. The Magic acquired second-round pick swaps in 2030 and 2031 in the deal.
Adding Reeves puts the Pelicans at 14 standard contracts if Matt Ryan, whose deal becomes guaranteed on opening night, is included in that total, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune tweets.
A Chicago native who spent his first three college seasons at Illinois State, Reeves transferred to Kentucky in 2022 and spent his final two seasons with the Wildcats.
Reeves could emerge as an offensive spark-plug. The 6’4″ guard had a very efficient offensive season in 2023/24, averaging 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds on .512/.447/.863 shooting in 33 games (31.4 MPG).
Team USA Notes: Durant, James, Embiid, Holiday
Kevin Durant didn’t participate in any of Team USA’s exhibition games due to a right calf strain. Regardless, his spot on the 12-man roster is not in jeopardy as the team heads to Paris for the Olympics, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
“There’s no thought of replacing Kevin,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I was hoping he would get a game in here, but it just didn’t work out that way.”
The current plan for Durant is to practice with the team several times when it gets to France later this week. Kerr said he wants Durant to have some contact and go through a scrimmage before the Suns superstar suits up. His availability for Sunday’s pool play opener against Serbia is uncertain but Durant practiced last week and ramped up his activity level over the weekend.
We have more on Team USA:
- After its stunning close call against South Sudan, Team USA had another tough challenge in its exhibition finale against Germany on Monday. LeBron James came to the rescue, supplying 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. He made several clutch plays and baskets down the stretch of a 92-88 win, scoring the team’s last 11 points. “Just putting the team on his shoulders,” said Jrue Holiday, per Windhorst.
- Joel Embiid had his best exhibition outing on Monday, as he contributed 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. “People who watch me know that every season it takes me a couple of games to get going, and this is no different,” Embiid said. “That’s the reason we’ve got preseason games. I feel like myself and I’m going to keep going and I’m going to be playing at that MVP level I’ve played for the last five or six seasons.”
- Holiday is appearing in his second straight Olympics. He had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists on Monday. “Plug into the gaps where I can,” Holiday told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.com, explaining how he expects to contribute. “Knowing that because of the caliber of the team that we have, the minutes might not be there. Or we might not even play in some games. Whenever you get the chance to shoot, you might just get one or two shots. I feel like somebody like me, it’s not about the shots. It’s about going out there and experiencing the game and doing the things that is a little bit of the dirty work. You can impact the game without scoring. I’d like to think I’ve always been that type of player.”
Pistons Add Gianluca Pascucci To Front Office
Gianluca Pascucci has joined the Pistons front office, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Pascucci spent last season as a Bulls scout after a stint as assistant GM with the Timberwolves. He left Minnesota in May 2022 after the organization decided not to pick up its option on his contract.
Pistons first-year president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon previously worked with Pascucci in the Nets’ front office.
Pascucci joins several other hires this summer in Detroit’s revamped front office. Former Mavericks executive Dennis Lindsey was brought in to be their senior VP of basketball operations and former Pelicans executive Michael Blackstone was added as an executive VP of basketball operations.
They also hired former Nets director of player personnel J.R. Holden in an executive role.
Western Notes: Sengun, Dunn, Westbrook, Pelicans, Bassey
Alperen Sengun would like to sign a rookie scale extension this offseason but he admits he may have to wait until next offseason, Eurohoops relays. The Rockets center was asked about his contract situation during a “Sunday Chat with Fatih Altayli” broadcast.
“We are waiting. My managers are negotiating with them,” he said. “I don’t become a free agent next year. This year, teams can’t make offers to me. Next year, other teams can make offers.”
Sengun would become a restricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t reach an extension agreement this offseason. There has been speculation that the Rockets might follow the Sixers’ approach to this offseason, where they delayed a max extension with Tyrese Maxey until this summer in order to open up as much cap space as possible to pursue top free agents.
Sengun, who finished third in the Most Improved Player balloting, would rather get long-term security sooner than later.
“Right now, they don’t have to sign, but of course, I want to sign. Because then your mind is at ease. You secure your future,” Sengun said.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- The Clippers signed Kris Dunn to a three-year, $16,279,200 contract which is non-guaranteed in the final year, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. The third year can become fully guaranteed if Dunn is named to the All-Defensive First or Second Team during either the 2024/25 or 2025/26 season — if he doesn’t earn All-Defensive honors, his guarantee date for the third-year salary would be June 30, 2026. Los Angeles acquired Dunn in a sign-and-trade with Utah.
- The Nuggets shouldn’t put Russell Westbrook in the starting lineup to fill Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s spot, Sean Keeler of the Denver Post opines. Westbrook is joining Denver after clearing waivers on Monday. Westbrook would be better off anchoring a mostly youthful second unit, providing leadership and a change of pace. He’d be a better backup at the point than Reggie Jackson – who was dealt to Charlotte – was last season, Keeler adds. Westbrook would still get chances to start if and when Murray is unavailable.
- Assuming Brandon Ingram doesn’t get traded, what does the Pelicans’ depth chart look like? Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune explores that topic, projecting a starting five of Dejounte Murray, Herbert Jones, Ingram, Zion Williamson and Daniel Theis. That would leave Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy, Yves Missi, and – most notably – CJ McCollum as the top reserves.
- Spurs center Charles Bassey gave up his right to veto a trade during the 2024/25 league year, Hoops Rumors has learned. A player who re-signs with his previous team on a one-year contract (or a two-year deal with a second-year option) is typically given a de facto no-trade clause for the season, but that right can be waived as part of a contract agreement.
Nets’ Jalen Wilson Named Summer League MVP
Nets forward Jalen Wilson has been named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League, the league’s communications department tweets.
Wilson averaged 21.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.6 steals while shooting 47.3% from the field and 55.0% from 3-point range in five games in Vegas.
His performances should solidify his spot on the team’s roster this upcoming season. The 23-year-old has a $1.89MM minimum-salary contract for 2024/25 that is currently just partially guaranteed for $75K. It increases to a partial guarantee of $325K if he makes the opening night roster.
Oddly, Wilson was only named to the All-Summer League Second Team. The First Team included the Grizzlies‘ GG Jackson II and Scotty Pippen Jr,, the Clippers‘ Jordan Miller, the Rockets‘ Reed Sheppard and the Heat‘s Kel’el Ware.
The Grizzlies and Heat reached the Summer League championship game. Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in last month’s draft, averaged 20.0 points, 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals in four Las Vegas outings.
Along with Wilson, the Second Team included the Wizards‘ Carlton Carrington, the Trail Blazers‘ Donovan Clingan, the Heat‘s Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the Pacers‘ Jarace Walker (Twitter links).
Sixers Sign Jeff Dowtin To Two-Way Contract
JULY 22: The signing is official, according to a press release from the Sixers.
JULY 21: The Sixers are bringing back Jeff Dowtin on a two-way contract, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets.
Dowtin finished last season with Philadelphia but the Sixers declined their 2024/25 option on the reserve point guard in order to open up as much cap space as possible.
Dowtin started off the 2023/24 season with Philadelphia’s NBAGL team, the Delaware Blue Coats, before inking a two-way deal with the Sixers. In April, that contract was converted to a standard agreement for the rest of the season, with a second-year team option.
Dowtin appeared in 12 regular season games for the Sixers, averaging 4.3 points and 2.3 assists in 11.8 minutes per contest. In 20 G League games, he averaged 19.0 PPG and 5.3 APG in 32.4 MPG.
Overall, Dowtin has played in 46 NBA games during his career.
After going undrafted out of Rhode Island in 2020, Dowtin spent the 2020/21 season with the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s G League affiliate. The 6’3″ point guard has since logged time with the Warriors, Bucks, and Raptors, often on either 10-day contracts or two-way deals that have seen him split his time with each team’s G League affiliate club.
Philadelphia already has wing Justin Edwards on a two-way deal and reportedly will also add forward David Jones on a similar contract. Dowtin would fill the third two-way slot.
Sandro Mamukelashvili Returns To Spurs On One-Year Deal
JULY 22: The Spurs have officially re-signed Mamukelashvili, the team confirmed today in a press release.
JULY 16: Sandro Mamukelashvili is re-signing with the Spurs on a one-year, $2.2MM deal, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. That’s equivalent to Mamukelashvili’s minimum salary for 2024/25.
The Spurs pulled their $2.7MM qualifying offer to Mamukelashvili last week, making him a free agent. However, the two parties had interest in working out a new agreement.
Mamukelashvili, a 2021 second-round pick, signed a one-year, minimum-salary deal with the Spurs last July after becoming a free agent. He played one-and-a-half seasons with Milwaukee before joining San Antonio during the 2022/23 season.
Last season, Mamukelashvili appeared in 46 games (5 starts) and averaged 4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 9.8 minutes. He received extended playing time in April and averaging 11.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26.1 minutes over seven games.
The 25-year-old, who attended Seton Hall, joins the mix of players competing for playing time at power forward and center. His return gives San Antonio 14 players on the regular roster, one shy of the maximum for the regular season.
Central Notes: Livingston, Holland, Klintman, Buzelis, Tshiebwe, Jackson, Trent Jr.
The Bucks lost their first four Summer League games in Las Vegas but 2023 second-round pick Chris Livingston has been a bright spot, averaging 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28.1 minutes per game, Eric Nehm of The Athletic notes.
The 6’6” Livingston is preparing to play any of the frontcourt positions, including center, after seeing just 90 minutes of NBA action as a rookie.
“It’s a fight, you know what I’m saying? I’ve been working,” he said. “Trying to get in the best shape of my life, that’s what I’m going to do. Working on my skill development, my shot. My shot’s always been there, but just speeding my shot up. Being ready to shoot, changing my mindset when it comes to that.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Pistons lottery pick Ron Holland struggled with his shooting but otherwise had a productive Summer League, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. Second-round pick Bobi Klintman also made a favorable impression, as did two-way player Daniss Jenkins.
- Bulls lottery pick Matas Buzelis showed a competitive edge in his Summer League performances, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Among the other things that stood out for the Bulls were the overall contributions of second-year forward Julian Phillips, who could be ready for rotational minutes.
- Oscar Tshiebwe and Quenton Jackson are both in the same spot with the Pacers — they’re restricted free agents after receiving qualifying offers and trying to hold onto their two-way spots, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star writes. Tshiebwe and Jackson combined for 39 points in Indiana’s Summer League finale, but their futures with the organization remain tenuous.
- The Bucks’ addition of Gary Trent Jr. on a veteran’s minimum deal may turn out to be the biggest bargain in free agency this summer, according to ESPN’s Hoop Collective (YouTube link).