E’Twaun Moore Signs With Magic
SEPTEMBER 9: The Magic have officially signed Moore, the team announced today in a press release.
SEPTEMBER 8: The Magic have agreed to a one-year, $2.6MM contract with guard E’Twaun Moore, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
It’s a veteran’s minimum contract for a player with Moore’s experience. He began his NBA career during the 2011/12 season.
Moore appeared in 27 games with the Suns on a one-year contract last season, including one start. He averaged 4.9 PPG and 1.5 APG in 14.4 MPG but struggled with his 3-point shot (31.4%). He also saw action in seven of Phoenix’s postseason games, averaging 2.4 PPG in 6.6 MPG.
This will be Moore’s second stint with the Magic. He appeared in 154 games with Orlando during his second and third seasons in the league.
Moore’s NBA career has also included stops in Boston, Chicago and New Orleans. He’s appeared in 598 regular-season games, averaging 7.9 PPG and 1.8 APG in 21.o MPG while making 38.8% of his 3-point attempts.
Orlando already had 17 players on its official roster, including 14 with guaranteed deals. Adding Moore makes it less likely that those without guaranteed deals will have a spot on the opening-night roster.
Kings Add Emanuel Terry To Camp Roster
10:00pm: The signing is official, according to RealGM’s transactions log.
6:30pm: The Kings are signing forward Emanuel Terry to an Exhibit 10 contract, James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. They have also acquired his G League rights from the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, the Clippers’ affiliate.
Terry played five Summer League games at Las Vegas for Sacramento, averaging 7.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 1.6 SPG in 17.4 MPG.
The 6’9” forward played three NBA games during the 2018/19 season with Phoenix and Miami. In 15 games with Agua Caliente last season at the Orlando bubble, Terry averaged 10.8 PPG and 10.4 RPG in 28.5 MPG. He also appeared in nine Euroleague games with Serbia’s KK Crvena Zvezda.
He’ll be a longshot to make the Kings’ 15-man roster but with Sacramento securing his G League rights, he’ll have a better chance to get a call-up during the season.
Northwest Notes: Nance Jr., Newton, Krejci, Giddey
Larry Nance Jr.,who was shipped to the Trail Blazers as part of the three-team blockbuster deal that landed Lauri Markkanen in Cleveland, believes he’s a piece that could change Portland’s postseason fortunes, as he told Blazers’ website writer Casey Holdahl.
“It’s a team I’ve been rooting for in the playoffs for a while now, just feel like it’s impossible to root against a guy like Dame and CJ (Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum), seems like they have great guys on the roster,” Nance said. “I felt it was an opportunity where I really have a chance to step in and make a difference.
“This is a team that’s been on the edge of something special for a while now and the higher ups in the organization deemed me as someone that could help them get higher. I’m thrilled at the opportunity and I’m really looking forward to taking it. Getting a chance to play with players of this caliber doesn’t come around too often.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Timberwolves have hired Jeff Newton as their G League coach, according to a team press release. Prior to taking the helm of the Iowa Wolves, Newton spent the last two seasons as an offensive associate/player development coach for the Timberwolves. “Jeff has proven throughout the last couple years that he is dedicated to the Timberwolves overall mission, including developing our young players which makes him a natural choice as the Wolves head coach,” Timberwolves assistant GM Gianluca Pascucci said.
- The contract that Vit Krejci signed with the Thunder is a four-year deal, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Krejci’s first-year salary of $925,258 is guaranteed. The second year salary of $1,563,518 includes a partial guarantee of $781,759, while his $1,836,096 third-season salary is non-guaranteed. The final year of the deal is a team option at $1,988,598. The draft-and-stash wing was selected in the second round of the 2020 draft and acquired in a draft-night deal with Washington.
- Thunder first-round pick Josh Giddey is already a big star in his native Australia, as Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman details. In Melbourne, Australia, his fans snapped up Thunder merchandise after he was drafted, his mother Kim Giddey said. “As soon as the draft ended they all went out to buy Oklahoma merchandise,” she said. “It sold out.”
Ty-Shon Alexander Signs With Italian Team
Former Suns guard Ty-Shon Alexander has signed a two-year deal with Italy’s Virtus Bologna, according to a team press release.
The Suns waived Alexander late last month. According to Sportando’s Alessandro Maggi, Alexander’s European contract includes an NBA opt out clause after the first season.
Undrafted out of Creighton last year, Alexander appeared in 15 regular-season games with Phoenix on a two-way contract. He averaged just 3.1 MPG in those appearances. Alexander also saw brief action in one Finals game.
Additionally, he appeared in 15 G League games, averaging 9.3 PPG and 1.9 APG in 23.7 MPG.
In his last college season, he averaged 16.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 2.3 APG on .431/.399/.860 shooting.
Virtus Bologna’s GM Paolo Ronci said in a statement, “Ty-Shon Alexander is a young player with great prospects who has already gained experience in an important franchise like the Phoenix Suns. His arrival allows us to complete the roster with characteristics useful in the immediate future and at the same time with a perspective of future development of our team.”
Rockets Work Out Gerald Green, Monta Ellis
Veteran guard Gerald Green worked out for the Rockets this week, Kelly Iko of The Athletic tweets. Houston also took a look at another longtime NBA guard, Monta Ellis, Rockets insider Alykhan Bijani tweets.
Green, 35, did not play in the league last season. He was invited to the Rockets training camp but was waived. He missed all of the previous season with a broken foot.
Green was a regular rotation player for the Rockets during the 2019/20 season, appearing in 73 games. He also appeared in 11 postseason games that season. In 658 career regular season games, Green averaged 9.7 PPG.
Ellis, who has been out of the league since 2017, also worked out for the Mavericks this week. During his 833 career regular season games, Ellis averaged 17.8 PPG. The Pacers used the stretch provision to distribute Ellis’ remaining salary after his last NBA season and he’s still on their books for $2.245MM. Ellis turns 36 next month.
The Rockets have 18 players on standard contracts, including 14 guaranteed deals, so it would be surprising if the rebuilding club signed either player.
Community Shootaround: Central Division
The Bucks will enter next season as the defending champions. They’ll be a heavy favorite to at least top the Central Division again and enter the Eastern Conference playoffs as one of the top seeds.
Every team in the division has made significant moves this offseason with the hope of eventually getting to the Bucks’ level.
The Bulls made the splashiest acquisitions, bringing in Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso to fortify a core group headed by Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine.
The Pistons hit the lottery and now have a potential franchise player in Cade Cunningham. Their biggest free agent signing was big man Kelly Olynyk, who will help Detroit space the floor. Jerami Grant blossomed in an expanded role and they also possess a strong young core with Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey and Killian Hayes.
The Pacers brought back Rick Carlisle to coach a team that was hit hard by injuries last season. They added guard Chris Duarte as a late lottery selection and signed defensive specialist Torrey Craig. They have a solid starting five in Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner and T.J. Warren.
The Cavaliers drafted the top big man prospect, Evan Mobley, acquired Ricky Rubio and engineered a sign-and-trade for Lauri Markkanen. They also locked up center Jarrett Allen to a long-term deal. Rubio will help out the young guard duo Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
On paper, all those teams have improved.
That leads us to our question of the day: Which Central Division team will emerge as the biggest threat to the Bucks?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Jazz Notes: Championship Window, Roland, Snyder, Ranking
The clocking is ticking on the Jazz to deliver a championship, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News writes. They have become a luxury tax-paying team and made some major front office changes along the way. The additions of Rudy Gay, Hassan Whiteside, Eric Paschall and rookie Jared Butler should make them deeper, but they also have some players near the end of their careers and All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are on max extensions, Todd notes.
We have more on the Jazz:
- Irv Roland has been added to Quin Snyder’s coaching staff, according to a team press release. Roland was on the Rockets’ staff from 2017-19. He began his career with the Celtics in 2004, assisting with video analysis. In 2005, he joined the New Orleans Hornets, also in the team’s video department, and worked there until 2010. He was also an assistant with the Suns from 2013-17.
- Conventional wisdom would suggest that Snyder won’t ride his rotation players as hard as he did last year, when the club finished as the top seed but struggled through an injury-marred postseason, Todd speculates. It will intriguing to see if Snyder changes that philosophy and if the main players will buy into it, she adds.
- The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen has been rankings teams heading into training camp and places the Jazz at No. 4. Feigen notes the team didn’t make any major offseason moves, other than re-signing Mike Conley.
Western Notes: Jones, Lakers, House, M. Brown, Mavs
The Lakers were interested earlier in the summer in big man Damian Jones before the Kings chose to guarantee his salary, according to Marc Stein of Substack. Jones had his $1.98MM salary guaranteed last month despite a glut of centers on Sacramento’s roster. Jones played eight games for the Lakers last season. Los Angeles is expected to sign DeAndre Jordan once he’s bought out by the Pistons and clears waivers.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Danuel House is likely to be dealt during the upcoming season, Rahat Huq of the Houston Chronicle opines. House has an expiring $3.98MM contract and doesn’t have a future on the rebuilding Rockets. He appeared in just 36 games last season but might bring back a late first-rounder from a contender seeking depth at the wing, Huq adds.
- Moses Brown is working closely with longtime NBA center Tyson Chandler to improve his game, Dwain Price of Mavs.com writes. Brown was traded twice this offseason and was forwarded by Boston to the Mavericks in the Josh Richardson deal. “He’s been helping Moses a little bit in the gym just to kind of help him get a feel for things,” Al Whitley, GM of the G League Texas Legends, said of Chandler. “So to have a guy like Tyson Chandler as a mentor – someone who is a championship player, who brings what Tyson brought to the court, his intensity, toughness, all those types of things – that’s now being shared with Moses.”
- Free agents Lance Stephenson and Isaiah Thomas left positive impressions during the workouts with the Mavericks, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweets. Dallas is seeking more backcourt depth and both veterans guards are looking to revive their NBA careers.
Eastern Notes: Jordan, Yurtseven, LaVine, Wizards’ Defense
The Nets offered a first-round pick to potential trade partners in order to shed DeAndre Jordan‘s contract but couldn’t find any takers, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. They instead dipped into their stockpile of second-rounders, forwarding four of them as part of the trade with the Pistons. The Nets still have second-rounders in 2024, 2026 and 2028.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Heat 7-footer Omer Yurtseven believes he can contribute in a number of ways, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. “The biggest focus has been on being big inside, and I think that’s the presence that the Heat can use and I can provide,” Yurtseven said. “Being able to do that and guard the pick-and-roll, be the big presence inside and rebounding obviously has been a huge emphasis, as well. Also, with my talent and skill set, being able to stretch the floor, being able to post up and use my touch around the rim and also the midrange and step outside, as well.” Yurtseven averaged 22.4 PPG, 11.2 RPG and 2.4 BPG in five summer league games, which earned him a two-year contract.
- Zach LaVine will have a lot more pressure on him than in any other previous season in his NBA career, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Bulls’ front office has built the team specifically to emphasize his strengths and now LaVine has to produce with the team’s expectations ramped up. LaVine, who is an unrestricted free agent after the season, can prove he deserves to be compensated like a max player if he delivers.
- The Wizards are capable of being an above-average defensive team this coming season due to the roster changes they made, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. They have upgraded their defense at the point and on the wings with the additions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Aaron Holiday and Spencer Dinwiddie but could still face some challenges in the paint.
Marquese Chriss Signs Non-Guaranteed Deal With Blazers
10:00pm: The signing is official, per RealGM’s transactions log.
8:53pm: Marquese Chriss has agreed to a non-guaranteed contract with the Trail Blazers, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Chriss played in just two games last season with the Warriors before suffering a broken right fibula in practice that ended his season. The Spurs acquired Chriss and his expiring contract in late March, then waived him a few days later.
Chriss has fully recovered from the injury, according to Charania, and will compete for a roster spot. Chriss appeared in 59 games with Golden State in 2019/20, including 21 starts, and averaged 9.3 PPG and 6.2 RPG in 20.3 MPG. He’s entering his sixth NBA season.
Portland has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, with Dennis Smith Jr. and Chriss among those expected to come to training camp on non-guaranteed deals. The Blazers may keep their 15th roster spot open to start the regular season, since they’re slightly over the tax line.