Bulls Re-Sign Tre Jones On Three-Year Contract
July 6: The signing is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. The deal includes a third-year team option, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
June 30: The Bulls have agreed to a three-year deal worth $24MM with one of their own free agents, guard Tre Jones, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Jones was acquired at the trade deadline from the Spurs in the three-team swap that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento. In 18 appearances with Chicago, including nine starts, he averaged 11.5 points, 4.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game while shooting 57.1 percent from the field.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan repeatedly lauded the point guard down the stretch for his high basketball IQ and his knack for making winning plays.
This signing became increasingly likely in recent days. The agreed-upon deal sending Lonzo Ball to Cleveland opening up more backcourt minutes and Jones has an opportunity to fill them. Assuming restricted free agent Josh Giddey remains with the Bulls, Jones, entering his sixth NBA season, projects as the second unit point guard.
Jones spent his first four-and-a-half seasons with San Antonio. In 297 career regular season games, he has averaged 8.4 points and 4.7 assists in 21.7 minutes.
The Bulls held Jones’ Bird rights, so they won’t have to use any of their cap exceptions to complete the signing.
Pistons Re-Sign Paul Reed To Two-Year Deal
July 8: Reed has formally signed his new contract with the Pistons, according to the NBA’s official log of transactions.
June 30: The Pistons are bringing back free agent big man Paul Reed, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that the two sides are in agreement on a two-year, $11MM deal.
The second year of Reed’s new contract will be non-guaranteed, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.
Reed is coming off a minimum-salary contract, so he has a minimum-salary cap hold, but Detroit holds Early Bird rights on him, cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes (Twitter link). That means if the Pistons operate under the cap, they can use up all their room before going over the cap to finalize Reed’s deal.
Reed had a bizarre year regarding his contract situation. He was waived by the Sixers last season when they were trying to open up as much cap space as possible. The Pistons claimed him and picked up his $7.7MM salary, then waived him in December before it became fully guaranteed. They re-signed him that month on a more team-friendly deal.
Reed spent most of the season as the third-string center behind Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. After playing in every game with the Sixers the previous season, he only saw action in 45 games off the bench this past season. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.7 minutes per game.
Reed also played five games off the bench against the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs after Stewart was sidelined with a knee injury.
Reed is expected to return to that role in the coming season. The Pistons will now concentrate on bigger free agents, a process that became more complicated when gambling allegations surfaced against sixth man and unrestricted free agent Malik Beasley.
Jazz Guarantee Svi Mykhailiuk’s Salary For Next Season
The Jazz have guaranteed the $3.68MM salary of Svi Mykhailiuk for next season, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
Utah had until today to decide whether to guarantee Mykhailiuk’s season or waive him. His contract, which he signed in August, runs through the 2027/28 season but the final two years are also non-guaranteed.
Utah has made several cost-cutting moves this week, including reaching a buyout agreement with Jordan Clarkson on Monday. However, the Jazz obviously believe Mykhailiuk’s low-cost contract is worth holding onto.
He appeared in 38 games this past season, including 13 starts. Mykhailiuk averaged 8.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 39.1 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from three-point distance.
The Ukrainian wing has bounced around the league, as the Jazz are the 28-year-old’s eighth club in seven NBA seasons.
Mike Brown Getting Second Interview For Knicks Head Coaching Job
The Knicks, who are still looking to fill their head coaching position, are bringing back Mike Brown for a second interview, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reports. He’s the first candidate to get a follow-up interview but there could be more, Bondy adds.
He’s considered a “strong candidate” to get the job, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), who confirms that Brown is receiving a second interview.
Taylor Jenkins, Micah Nori and James Borrego are also known to have interviewed for the head coaching position. Jenkins was let go by the Grizzlies late in the regular season. Nori is one of the Timberwolves top assistants, while Borrego is New Orleans’ associate head coach after a stint as the Hornets head coach.
Brown, who was fired by the Kings this past season, has been a head coach as far back as 2005, when Cleveland hired him. He had two head coaching stints with the Cavaliers, sandwiching a season with the Lakers. Brown was one of Steve Kerr’s top assistants with Golden State from 2016-22 before Sacramento hired him as its head coach.
The Kings had a 13-18 record when Brown was dismissed but the move didn’t produce the desired result, as Sacramento finished with a 40-42 mark.
The Knicks were rebuffed by numerous teams to interview their current coaches after they fired Tom Thibodeau despite reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
Brown reportedly has a close relationship with Knicks executive William Wesley, Bondy notes.
Eric Gordon Declining Option But Interested In Re-Signing With Sixers
Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon is declining his $3.4MM player option in order to become an unrestricted free agent, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. However, it’s still possible Gordon will remain with the Sixers.
According to The Athletic’s Tony Jones (Twitter link), there’s mutual interest between Philadelphia’s front office and Gordon. The Sixers view him as a possible mentor to No. 3 overall pick V.J. Edgecombe.
If Gordon were to re-sign with the Sixers on a new one-year, minimum-salary contract, his salary would increase to $3.6MM while his cap hit would drop to $2.3MM. He signed a two-year deal at the veteran’s minimum last season.
Gordon, who turns 37 on Christmas Day, is coming off an injury-marred season. He posted career-low averages of 6.8 points and 19.7 minutes per game, though he shot it well from three-point land (40.9%). He only appeared in 39 games before undergoing season-ending arthroscopic right wrist surgery on Feb. 26.
Gordon has appeared in 925 regular season games during his career, which began in 2008 with the Clippers. He’s averaged 15.3 points during his career and never averaged fewer than 11 points per game until this past season.
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.