Heat Notes: Bisaccio, Powell, Christopher, Swider, Williams, Stevens, Rozier, Jones
The Heat have officially promoted player development coach, Dan Bisaccio, naming him the head coach of the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce, according to a team press release. Bisaccio, who is also currently serving as the Heat’s Summer League coach, has been with the organization for 10 years. Former Skyforce head coach, Kasib Powell, is joining Erik Spoelstra‘s staff as a player development coach.
We have more on the Heat:
- Josh Christopher has averaged 21.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals in two Las Vegas Summer League contests. Christopher, who appeared in 138 games with Houston from 2021-23, had a two-way contract with Utah last season but was waived before seeing any NBA action. The 22-year-old is trying to catch the attention of the Heat or another team in his quest for another NBA deal. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get back to where I need to be because I know I belong,” Christopher told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I’m extremely hungry.”
- Cole Swider and Alondes Williams, who finished last season on two-way contracts, are also on the Summer League squad. Both players are unrestricted free agents after Miami withdrew qualifying offers to both players last week. The Heat have filled all their two-way slots, so Swider and Williams are also trying to earn another NBA contract, Chiang writes. Both players have yet to sign a standard NBA deal in their careers. “I’ve learned not to expect anything. I’ve learned that throughout this whole entire process of being an undrafted guy, getting a two-way, getting cut last year, coming into training camp and nothing was guaranteed, getting a two-way,” Swider said.
- Undrafted Colorado State guard Isaiah Stevens has made a favorable impression in Summer League action. He racked up 11 assists with only one turnover in 27 minutes against Boston over the weekend. “First and foremost, it’s doing his thing, not listening to me, being who he is, being a player,” said Bisaccio, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “He does such a great job of getting our offense organized. I have complete trust in him with that.”
- Even if the team hadn’t traded away Kyle Lowry‘s expiring contract as part of the Terry Rozier deal last season, Miami’s offseason moves wouldn’t have looked much different, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The Heat still wouldn’t have had cap space even if they had held onto Lowry’s contract, plus the non-taxpayer mid-level exception wouldn’t have netted them anyone as good as Rozier, Jackson notes.
- The Heat had strong interest last season in point guard Tyus Jones — who remains on the free agent market — and had talks with Washington before landing Rozier, Jackson adds, but there’s no realistic pathway for Miami to acquire Jones now.
Nets Notes: Hayes, Johnson, Marks
The Nets attended a Monday workout in Las Vegas for guard Killian Hayes, Erik Slater of Clutch Points tweets.
Hayes, a 2020 lottery pick, was waived by the Pistons after the trade deadline last season and has remained a free agent. He averaged 6.9 points and 4.9 assists in 42 games last season but shooting woes led to him losing his starting spot before he was cut loose. Hayes has shot 38.2% from the field in his career and 27.7% on 3-point tries.
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- Cameron Johnson is entering the second year of a four-year, $94.5MM contract. In the wake of the Mikal Bridges trade, Johnson is uncertain about the front office’s plans for him, stating to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis that he’s “still trying to figure it out.” If the Nets retain him, Johnson says he’s excited by the youthful roster. “I think we have a pretty good group in Brooklyn that we can really start to grow something,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of talent in the building. … If I’m staying in Brooklyn, then I’m all-in, excited to play, excited to grow this group, and that’s where my head’s at right now.”
- Management plans to stay below the tax line until the Nets becomes competitive again. “Us not being in the tax this year was by design,” general manager Sean Marks said, per Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com. “We don’t plan on being in there, and we’ll kept that future flexibility and make sure when it’s the right time, we’ve got an ownership group, like Joe (Tsai), who has shown the capacity to go in and pay tax when we’re competitors, when we’re really gonna contend for a championship. So that in our back pocket is vital, too.”
- In case you missed it, the Nets made re-signing Nic Claxton a priority this offseason and believe he could become the league’s premier defender. Get the details here.
Pelicans Notes: Matkovic, Theis, Hawkins, Missi
Center Karlo Matkovic signed a three-year minimum contract with the Pelicans on Sunday and expressed his joy to the New Orleans Times-Picayune’s Christian Clark.
“It’s really a big thing for me,” Matkovic said. “Happy for it. Excited. Can’t wait to get back to New Orleans to work with the guys. Excited for the new season, pretty much. Happy.”
He may have been a little overexcited, as he committed seven turnovers in Summer League action against the Magic. On the positive side, Matkovic contributed 10 points, four rebounds and five assists.
We have more from the Pelicans:
- In the same story, Clark speculates that veteran Daniel Theis could start at center on opening night. Theis was signed to a one-year deal last week. Yves Missi (the 21st pick in last month’s draft), Matkovic, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are New Orleans’ other options at center.
- The Pelicans allowed their opponents to score 114.3 points per 100 possessions when Jordan Hawkins played last season, according to Clark, which limited Hawkins’ playing time. The 14th overall pick last year out of UConn, Hawkins admits he needs to improve defensively to receive an expanded role. “Definitely the defensive end,” Hawkins said. “I think that’s what held me back a little bit. Not being able to guard. So I think my big focus is going to be on guarding. Trying to guard wings. Trying to get bigger. Shooting. Being a 40% three-point shooter for our team. We have guys who can penetrate, get to the hoop. I just have to be able to knock shots down.”
- Executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin gushed about Missi’s potential during the broadcast of the club’s Summer League opener (hat tip to Dylan Sanders of Pelicans Scoop). “Athletically, he’s going to be in the top one half of one percent at his position, but also as a human being he’s exactly who we want to be,” Griffin said. “You can see he can defend in space. Everything that makes him raw is something we can address, but everything that he brings is innately something really special.”
Seth Curry Returns To Hornets On One-Year Deal
Seth Curry is returning to the Hornets on a one-year deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. The signing is official, according to a Hornets press release.
Curry, who turns 34 next month, was waived by Charlotte last month before his $4MM salary for next season became guaranteed. It was noted at that time both sides were interested in exploring another contract. He’ll provide depth at the shooting guard spot.
The younger brother of Stephen Curry, Seth actually has a better career three-point percentage (43.1%) than his superstar sibling (42.6%). However, the 33-year-old – who obviously isn’t Steph’s equal as a play-maker or all-around scorer – is coming off a down year in 2023/24. He appeared in a total of 44 games for the Mavericks and Hornets, averaging just 5.1 points per game on .392/.352/.903 shooting.
The younger Curry, who was sent from Dallas to Charlotte in February as part of the trade package for P.J. Washington, was able to suit up for just eight games down the stretch for his hometown Hornets, as his season ended early due to a sprained ankle.
While the terms of Curry’s new contract weren’t reported, a minimum-salary agreement seems likely.
Heat GM Discusses Free Agency, Bryant, Roster, Burks, Butler
The Heat have been relatively quiet this offseason, other than re-signing some of their own free agents. That’s by necessity, rather than by design, general manager Andy Elisburg told the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang and other media members.
The Heat’s in-season trade with the Hornets for Terry Rozier, in which they dealt Kyle Lowry‘s $29.7MM expiring contract and a future first-rounder, essentially eliminated any salary cap flexibility. That transaction put them above the first apron this summer, limiting them to the $5.2MM taxpayer mid-level exception and minimum contracts to offer outside free agents.
“The focus was going to be a little bit more on the draft opportunities and then maybe some other smaller opportunities,” Elisburg said. “Either A, retaining our own free agents, or B, the minimums or some small exception transactions. So that’s how I think we went into the summer with we’re more focused on these types of transactions, maybe not as much on these others, because we’re less likely to be able to do those kinds of transactions.”
Miami wound up re-signing Haywood Highsmith and Kevin Love via Bird and Early Bird rights, respectively, and getting Thomas Bryant back on a minimum deal. The only outside free agent signed was guard Alec Burks, who took the veteran’s minimum.
Here’s more from Elisburg’s media session:
- Bryant only appeared in 38 games last season but the Heat wanted depth in the middle despite drafting another big man Kel’el Ware. “Thomas filled that space of having another center onto the roster,” Elisburg said. “You’re having to balance your various needs of the roster.”
- The Heat have a 14-man roster and don’t plan on adding a 15th man, at least not until January when a prorated signing would still keep them below the second tax apron. Miami does not want to exceed that apron. “I think we don’t want to have our hands tied,” Elisburg said. “I think we want to still be flexible, so if there’s an opportunity to make an improvement to the team, so you have a little bit more flexibility to do that. I think there are some teams who are over the second apron who feel that their team is in a place to be able to do that.”
- Coach Erik Spoelstra and team president Pat Riley have expressed a fondness for Burks over the years and were glad to get him at a reduced price. “It was always in my group of players in that list that came through,” Elisburg said. “So it’s been for a number of years having that conversion. So when the opportunity came this year that he was willing to come to us and willing to come to us at a minimum, we could finally get Alec Burks here.”
- In a separate interview with Sirius XM, Elisburg addressed Jimmy Butler‘s contract situation. Butler is eligible to sign a maximum two-year contract extension worth about $113MM but Butler intends to play this upcoming season without signing an extension in hopes of getting a max contract next summer. He would decline his $52.4MM option for the 2025/26 season and become a free agent to make that happen. “As Pat said at his press conference, it doesn’t have to be something you do now,” Elisburg said. “You have an opportunity to do this all year long, so there’s an opportunity to do it at some point in time. And there’s an opportunity if he becomes a free agent next year to sit down and do a contract at that point in time. So there’s always an opportunity to do it.” Riley expressed concerns with Butler’s injury issues during his postseason press conference.
Knicks Sign Cameron Payne To One-Year Contract
8:06pm: The Knicks have officially signed Payne, the team’s PR department tweets.
6:20pm: The Knicks are signing reserve point guard Cameron Payne to a one-year contract, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT tweets.
The Knicks are using the veteran’s minimum exception to sign Payne, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. The deal will be worth approximately just over $3MM.
Payne will immediately jump into the mix for backup minutes behind star floor leader Jalen Brunson.
Payne, 29, will be joining his seventh team since entering the league in 2015. He split his time between the Bucks and Sixers last season.
Milwaukee traded Payne and a 2027 second-round pick to Philadelphia for Patrick Beverley at the trade deadline. With Milwaukee, Payne appeared in 47 games and averaged 6.2 points and 2.3 assists in 14.9 minutes. With the Sixers, Payne saw action in 31 regular-season contests, averaging 9.3 points and 3.1 assists in 19.4 minutes. He also appeared in a handful of Philadelphia’s playoff games.
The addition of Payne makes it less likely that second-round pick Tyler Kolek will play a rotation role in his rookie year. Miles McBride is another candidate for regular minutes among the backcourt reserves.
The Knicks had also expressed interest in free agent point man Tyus Jones, according to Begley, who says that Payne’s playoff experience added to his appeal. The addition of Payne gives the Knicks 13 players on the roster, Begley notes (Twitter link), so at least one more move is coming.
Payne was arrested in Arizona this offseason after he made a false report and would not identify himself.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Council, Hauser, Shead
The Sixers have enjoyed a banner offseason with their ample cap space, signing top priority Paul George, as well as Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon. They also gave Tyrese Maxey a max rookie scale extension and re-signed Kelly Oubre and Kyle Lowry. Nick Nurse can’t wait to put all the pieces together.
“We certainly had a great summer,” the Sixers’ head coach said, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “There’s just no other way of looking at it in that there’s a lot of guys that we targeted that were at the very top of our list, and a lot of categories that we needed to fill, and we got a lot of them.”
Nurse is especially excited by the prospect of George complementing the skills of the other Sixers stars, Maxey and Joel Embiid. “We had the one, five [positions] solidified. We needed something in the middle. That’s PG,” he said. “We are going to have to wait and see. I’m sure it’s going to take some time, you know, for total connection and chemistry, but obviously they all can score at all levels. So it should be a great fit.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Ricky Council has emerged as a go-to scorer during Summer League action and could jump into the Sixers’ rotation next season, Pompey writes in a separate story. Council was signed to a four-year contract in April. “If you can play basketball, someone will find you at some time,” assistant coach Mike Brase said. “It might be when you are young in the process and being recruited or when you get older. And in Ricky’s case, he went to Wichita State and Arkansas and [goes] undrafted [last summer] and makes the most of it.”
- The Celtics exercised their $2.1MM club option on Sam Hauser‘s contract but Hauser could be a cap casualty next offseason, Brian Robb of MassLive.com speculates. Hauser’s next contract will be significantly larger, so the Celtics’ efforts to re-sign him next summer could hinge on whether they move a big salary.
- Second-round pick Jamal Shead exemplifies the Raptors‘ commitment to getting better defensively, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. Shead has displayed his defensive tenacity during Summer League play. “As you can see in the draft class as well, we’re trying to find as many possible two-way guys that can be — we call them the most important guy,” coach Darko Rajakovic said. “(The) most important guy is the guy who’s got who’s guarding the ball. He makes it easier for everybody else.”
And-Ones: Beverley, Second Apron, 2025 Mock, Egan, Plumlee
Could Patrick Beverley play overseas next season? The longtime NBA point guard has garnered the interest of Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv, according to a Walla report (hat tip to Sportando).
Beverley, 36, is an unrestricted free agent. He played for the Bucks last season and made highlights for the wrong reasons in the playoffs. He fired a basketball multiple times at Indiana spectators and received a four-game suspension that he’ll serve at the start of the 2024/25 season if he’s in the NBA. Beverley had stated a preference to re-sign with Milwaukee.
The veteran guard played in the Ukraine, Greece and Russia before setting roots in the NBA in 2013.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- While many NBA observers have noted the second apron restrictions during this offseason, The Ringer’s Howard Beck makes a case that the negative impact of those aprons has been somewhat overblown. It should benefit the smaller market teams who don’t have the ability to go deep into the luxury tax, as the Warriors and Clippers have in recent years, Beck writes, noting that could help the league overall in its aim of competitive balance.
- Yes, highly-touted Cooper Flagg ranks No. 1 in The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s 2025 mock draft, but there are plenty of other standout prospects, in Vecenie’s estimation. Rutgers guard Dylan Harper and forward Ace Bailey, France’s Nolan Traore and Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe are the other prospects who make Vecenie’s early top five.
- Longtime NBA assistant Hank Egan is the recipient of this year’s Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced (Twitter link). Egan, 86, most recently coached in the league with Cleveland from 2005-10.
- Suns center Mason Plumlee has been elected as a Secretary-Treasurer for the Players’ Association, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Plumlee will begin a three-year tenure as part of the union’s leadership.
Northwest Notes: Clingan, Shannon, Juzang, Braun
Donovan Clingan didn’t do much offensively in his Trail Blazers Summer League debut but the former UConn center showed off his defensive prowess, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report notes. Clingan had 13 rebounds and five blocks while altering numerous other San Antonio shots.
“I thought he was awesome,” Portland Summer League coach Jonah Herscu said. “I thought he protected the paint. His size really impacts the other team at the offensive end.”
The lottery pick was less impressed by his outing than his coach was.
“I feel like there were a couple shots around the rim that I could have contested better or blocked,” Clingan said. “There were some floaters they made that I’m not happy with. I wish I’d rebounded the ball a little bit better in the first half.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. isn’t guaranteed a rotation spot with the Timberwolves but he had a solid showing in his Summer League debut. Shannon, selected with the No.27 pick, played with force and physicality while racking up 25 points. “I was just proud of how he handled the game, managed it. He took great shots; he didn’t force anything,” Summer League coach Chris Hines told The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski. “But one of the things that I loved about him was he competed on defense.”
- The Jazz‘s decision to offer restricted free agent Johnny Juzang a four-year contract shows that they are looking within the organization to round out the roster, Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune writes. There are better players on the free agent market than Juzang, Larsen notes, but the Jazz feel he can play a spot role. They filled Juzang’s two-way slot with Taevion Kinsey, who played last season for the G League Salt Lake City Stars.
- Christian Braun is the logical successor to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — who left for Orlando as a free agent — as the Nuggets’ starting shooting guard, but he’s not taking that for granted, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “We have a lot of similarities, I think,” he said. “Defensively, kind of being pests. Offensively, we both fit alongside Nikola (Jokic). And it’s the reason we were brought in. I was brought in to play with those guys, and so was he. … I think I’m gonna do a great job the same way he did a great job. And I’m excited for that. I’m excited for the opportunity to, like I said, go out and earn it.”
Pelicans Sign Center Karlo Matkovic To Three-Year Deal
7:27pm: The signing is official, according to a press release from the Pelicans.
7:04pm: The Pelicans are signing 2022 second-round pick Karlo Matkovic to a three-year contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The third year will be a team option, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets.
While Charania pegs the value of the contract at $4.9MM, a three-year, minimum-salary deal for a rookie would be worth approximately $5.4MM, so it sounds like Matkovic is getting the minimum via the second-round exception.
Matkovic provides depth at center for a team that lost Jonas Valanciunas in free agency. He played 34 games for the Slovenian club Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana last season, then joined the Birmingham Squadron. In 10 games with New Orleans’ G League squad, he averaged 17.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 blocks in 31.3 minutes per contest.
Matkovic was selected 52nd overall in the 2022 NBA draft by the Pelicans and had remained overseas until his G League stint.
Matkovic, 23, had six points and six rebounds in 16 minutes in the Pelicans’ Summer League opener this weekend.
The low-cost signing will aid New Orleans regarding its luxury tax concerns, John Hollinger of The Athletic tweets. Matkovic will have a first-year salary of $1,157,153 in 2024/25.