Kings Pick Up Option On Keon Ellis’ Contract
The Kings are picking up their $2.3MM option on Keon Ellis‘ contract, James Ham of The Kings Beat tweets. The guard’s salary for next season won’t be fully guaranteed until January.
If Sacramento had declined the option and instead given him a qualifying offer of approximately $2.9MM, Ellis would have been a restricted free agent. This move could signal that they’re confident an extension agreement can be reached prior to next offseason. If the two sides don’t agree to an extension, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent a year from now.
Ellis’ current contract is a bargain by any standard. He appeared in 80 games last season, including 24 starts. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per night.
Entering his fourth season, the undrafted Ellis is valued for his defense and his ability to shoot beyond the arc. He has made 42.9 percent of his three-point attempts during his first three seasons.
He currently projects as backup to Zach LaVine but the Kings are expected to be very active in the free agent and trade markets.
Sixers To Decline Option On Lonnie Walker’s Contract
The Sixers are declining their $2.9MM option on Lonnie Walker IV’s contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Walker was productive for the injury-riddled Sixers during the second half of the season. He appeared in 20 games and averaged 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists. However, Philadelphia has major salary cap concerns heading into free agency, which undoubtedly factored into the front office’s decision.
After being waived by Boston just before the start of the season, Walker spent time with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague while awaiting his next NBA opportunity. He signed a two-year contract with Philadelphia in late February.
Prior to his stint with the Sixers, Walker appeared in 322 regular season games with the Spurs, Lakers, and Nets from 2018-24. He’ll now be seeking another opportunity as an unrestricted free agent.
Pacers Picking Up Option On Tony Bradley’s Contract
The Pacers are exercising their option on backup center Tony Bradley, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
The option is worth $2.94MM. However, it doesn’t mean Bradley’s roster spot is necessarily safe. The option is non-guaranteed, so the team could decide at some point during the offseason to let Bradley go.
After not playing in an NBA game the previous season, Bradley saw action in 14 regular season contests for Indiana, averaging 4.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 8.1 minutes. He played on a pair of 10-day contracts before receiving a standard deal in late March.
Bradley actually played a bigger role in the postseason, seeing action in 11 games in which he averaged 1.5 points and 1.9 rebounds in 7.1 minutes. He played in the last three games of the NBA Finals.
Bradley has had stints with Utah, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Chicago during his career.
Pelicans To Decline Option On Guard Elfrid Payton
The Pelicans are declining their $3.15MM team option on guard Elfrid Payton, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
New Orleans signed Payton to a pair of 10-day contracts, then inked him to a two-year standard contract near the end of the season. However, the second year was non-guaranteed and the team’s new front office regime, headed by Joe Dumars, chose not to retain the veteran.
Payton did provide the injury-riddled Pelicans with some quality minutes in 18 appearances, including seven starts. Though he shot poorly from the field, he averaged 8.1 assists in 21.1 minutes per game. He also had a six-game stint with Charlotte on a pair of 10-day hardship contracts after languishing in the G League for two seasons.
Payton, 31, played for Orlando, Phoenix and New York earlier in his pro career, which began in 2014. He’ll now seek another opportunity as a backup point guard in unrestricted free agency.
While Dejounte Murray is working his way back from an Achilles tear, New Orleans drafted Jeremiah Fears in the lottery with the expectations he’ll be their long-term answer at the point.
Pistons Eyeing LeVert, Alexander-Walker Amid Beasley Gambling Allegations
Amid a probe by the U.S. District Attorney’s office into alleged gambling activities by Pistons free agent guard Malik Beasley, Detroit is mulling a different approach this offseason, Grant Afseth reports in an RG.org story.
Talks between the Pistons and Beasley have stalled, despite previous momentum on a multiyear deal, according to Afseth’s sources. Beasley, who was one of the league’s premier three-point shooters and reserves this past season, had been in “serious talks” on a three-year, $42MM contract to remain in Detroit, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Along with the gambling allegations, Beasley is also dealing with lawsuit by his former agent, Daniel Hazan, over a financial dispute tied to a marketing advance, according to Afseth.
The Pistons are gauging the trade market on Simone Fontecchio, who has an expiring $8.3MM contract, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. A Fontecchio trade could allow the Pistons to open up $24MM in cap space if they lose two of their other top free agents, Dennis Schröder and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Opening up that cap room would help the Pistons pursue two other free agents they like — the Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Hawks’ Caris LeVert. However, the Hawks are also pursuing Alexander-Walker and exploring a possibility of retaining LeVert. Afseth hears that the Hawks are the favorite to land the Minnesota free agent, while the Pistons are trending toward being the favorite to land LeVert. Atlanta is also among the teams in the mix for Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard.
Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon has a history with LeVert, Afseth notes (Twitter link). Langdon served as assistant GM for the Nets in 2016 when they drafted LeVert.
Suns To Guarantee Nick Richards’ $5MM Salary
The Suns are expected to guarantee Nick Richards’ $5MM salary for next season, The Athletic’s Fred Katz tweets.
Phoenix had to decide by today whether to make that guarantee or waive him. Richards was acquired from Charlotte in mid-season and wound up making 34 starts in 36 appearances with the Suns, averaging 9.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 22 minutes per game.
Where Richards fits into the Suns’ plans remains to be seen. The Suns are acquiring Richards’ former Hornets teammate, Mark Williams, in a deal that is not yet official. Phoenix also used a lottery pick acquired from Houston in the Kevin Durant deal on Duke big man Khaman Maluach. Additionally, the Suns have another young big in Oso Ighodaro.
Richards’ salary could be useful as part of another trade down the road. In any case, he’ll get the final year of his three-year, $15MM contract he signed with Charlotte guaranteed.
Kevin Porter Jr. To Decline Player Option
June 28: Porter has informed the Bucks that he won’t pick up the option and plans to test free agency, sources tell Eric Nehm and Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link).
June 11: Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. is expected to decline his $2.55MM player option in order to become a free agent, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
It certainly doesn’t come as a surprise, considering the contributions Porter made after being dealt from the Clippers to the Bucks. In 30 regular season appearances, Porter averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 19.9 minutes per game with Milwaukee. He averaged 11.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists in five postseason outings.
Milwaukee hopes to retain Porter, according to Scotto. That makes plenty of sense, given Damian Lillard‘s Achilles tear, which will likely keep Lillard out of action all of next season. Porter projects as the Bucks’ starting point guard, unless they acquire one via a trade or free agency. Milwaukee does not have a first-round selection in this month’s draft.
Porter was dealt to the Bucks in February after appearing in 45 games with the Clippers.
He is a former first-round pick who played in Greece last season after multiple off-court incidents, including reaching a plea agreement for misdemeanor assault and harassment in January 2024 after allegedly attacking his then-girlfriend in September 2023. The Clippers gave him another NBA opportunity in July when they signed him to a two-year, minimum-salary contract.
RJ Davis Agrees To Exhibit 10 Deal With Lakers
RJ Davis, a five-year player and four-year starter for North Carolina, has agreed to a contract with the Lakers, Billy Reinhardt tweets. It’s an Exhibit 10 contract, according to Adam Zagoria (Twitter link).
The six-foot guard appeared in 175 NCAA games, including 155 starts. In his final year with the Tar Heels, he averaged 17.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He averaged 21.2 PPG in 2023/24.
For his college career, Davis made 41.8 percent of his field goal attempts, including 36.7 percent of his three-point tries.
Exhibit 10 contracts are non-guaranteed but include bonuses of up to $85K if the player is waived and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate. In Davis’ case, that G League team would be the South Bay Lakers. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals, so Davis will try to make his case for a promotion during Summer League and training camp.
Kings Sign Dylan Cardwell To Two-Way Deal
July 2: Caldwell has officially signed a two-way contract with the Kings, according to the NBA.com transaction log.
June 26: Auburn center Dylan Cardwell has agreed to a two-way contract with the Kings, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets.
Cardwell had a five-year career with the Tigers, coming off the bench for all but two games in his first four years before grabbing a starting job in 38 games last season. He posted modest stats — 5.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 20.3 minutes per game. However, according to Givony, he’s an athletic big with elite toughness, defensive intensity and finishing prowess.
He made 10 of 13 field goal attempts during Auburn’s Final Four run while averaging 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks during those five games. Cardwell obviously needs to work on his offensive game but could develop into a reliable backup center due to his defensive attributes.
The Kings finished the season with an open two-way spot and will create two more openings with Mason Jones and Isaiah Crawford headed for free agency.
Ryan Nembhard Signs Two-Way Contract With Mavs
July 3: Nembhard’s two-way deal with the Mavericks is now official, the team announced in a press release.
June 26: Ryan Nembhard, who led all Division I players in assists last season, has agreed to a two-way contract with the Mavericks, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
Nembhard, the younger brother of the Pacers’ Andrew Nembhard, logged 134 starts in college. He played two seasons with Creighton before transferring to Gonzaga, where he played two more years.
Nembhard averaged 10.5 points on 44.6 shooting, including 40.4 percent from long range, as a senior but he mainly concentrated on being a distributor. He averaged 9.8 assists and was also a factor on the defensive end with 1.7 steals. The 6-foot Nembhard reached double digits in assists 19 times last season, including 11 in his final college game — a loss to Houston in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Nembhard is one of two undrafted rookies to reach an agreement on a two-way deal in the immediate wake of the draft, joining Auburn’s Miles Kelly.