Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/21/17 – 10/28/17
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our segments and features from the past seven days:
- Our Offseason in Review series, which sees us looking back at the biggest stories and roster moves of each team’s summer, continued this week with breakdowns of the following clubs:
- We took a closer look at what the Bulls might do next to resolve the ongoing Nikola Mirotic–Bobby Portis saga.
- The deadline for teams to exercise their options on rookie scale contracts is Tuesday, October 31. We listed the significant players whose option decisions remain up in the air.
- There are many notable names on G League rosters. We took a closer look at those players.
- The dates when recently-signed free agents are eligible to be traded vary a great deal. We listed those dates here.
- Will the Pistons blow up their roster in the near future? That’s one of the questions Arthur Hill tackled in his weekly mailbag.
- Mike James is a point guard that fantasy players should consider when filling out their lineups. Chris Crouse explained why in his weekly fantasy column.
- We asked in our Community Shootarounds which available free agent is most deserving of a contract, which team would be the best fit for Eric Bledsoe, and whether the Celtics remain one of the East’s top two teams despite the loss of Gordon Hayward.
- Our 2017 Free Agent Tracker rounds up all of the free agent signings that took place in the 2017 offseason, meaning it won’t be updated going forward. You can still use it to revisit all of the signings from the last four months.
Five Key Stories: 10/21/17 – 10/28/17
If you missed this week’s NBA headlines, we’ve got your covered. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the past seven days:
Eric Bledsoe expressed on social media that he didn’t want to remain in the Suns’ organization. The team’s brass took swift action, holding the starting point guard out of games while seeking to trade him. The Knicks, Bucks and Nuggets are among the teams interested in Bledsoe but the Suns are driving a hard bargain, trying to package veteran center Tyson Chandler with Bledsoe. The Suns fired coach Earl Watson shortly after Bledsoe’s tweet but the team’s brass insisted there was no connection between those two actions.
Jahlil Okafor has seen his playing time dramatically decrease in the early going, which is why the Sixers are collaborating with his representatives to find a suitable trade partner. Okafor’s has been a healthy scratch in a majority of Philadelphia’s games this season. Those trade discussions will play a role in whether or not the Sixers pick up the center’s fourth-year option before Tuesday’s deadline.
Meyers Leonard suffered a significant ankle sprain that will keep him out of action an estimated 4-6 weeks. The Trail Blazers big man, who suffered the injury during practice on Wednesday, avoided major structural damage. Leonard had lost playing time to Ed Davis prior to the injury.
The Bobby Portis–Nikola Mirotic saga took a couple more twists, with Mirotic reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause while the Bulls exercised their option on Portis’ contract. Mirotic suffered a concussion and facial fractures when Portis punched him during a scrimmage scuffle, resulting an eight-game suspension for Portis.
The Celtics were granted an $8.4MM disabled player exception due to Gordon Hayward‘s season-ending injury. The Celtics can use the exception any time before March 10 and don’t appear to be in any hurry to add another player. Boston can sign, trade or claim a player whose contract expires at the end of the season.
Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:
- Joseph Tsai, the co-founder of Alibaba, has agreed to buy a 49% share of the Nets’ franchise.
- Josh Smith is on the verge of returning to the NBA. Smith is expected to sign with the Pelicans, who have an extra roster spot via an injury hardship exception.
- Top overall pick Markelle Fultz will miss at least three games due to a sore right shoulder. The injury has affected the Sixers’ point guard’s shooting stroke.
- Hawks forward DeAndre’ Bembry will miss 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery on his fractured wrist.
- The Lakers picked up their 2018/19 team options on forwards Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr.
- Point guard Isaiah Canaan signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract to fill the Rockets’ final roster spot.
- The Rockets also signed another point guard, Briante Weber, via a two-way contract.
- Nuggets forward Juan Hernangomez is out at least two weeks after contracting mononucleosis.
- Clippers guard Milos Teodosic is out indefinitely due to a foot injury.
- The Pelicans signed point guard Jameer Nelson to a one-year deal.
Nuggets Sign Richard Jefferson To One-Year Deal
OCTOBER 19: Jefferson’s deal with the Nuggets is now official, per RealGM’s log of NBA transactions. Denver waived Nelson on Wednesday to open up a roster spot for the veteran forward.
OCTOBER 16: Veteran forward Richard Jefferson has agreed to a one-year, $2.3MM contract with the Nuggets, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Jefferson cleared waivers on Monday. He was traded by the Cavaliers to the Hawks on Saturday in a cost-cutting and roster-trimming move by Cleveland. Atlanta immediately waived him.
Denver will likely waive veteran point guard Jameer Nelson to make room for Jefferson, according to Wojnarowski.
Jefferson fortifies the small forward spot behind Wilson Chandler. His primary backup, Will Barton, suffered an ankle injury in practice on Monday.
It’s somewhat surprising that Denver would let Nelson go, as he was considered a potential starter during camp. The Nuggets have apparently decided to go with the much younger duo of Emmanuel Mudiay and Jamal Murray at point guard.
The Bucks were considered contenders for Jefferson’s services but wound up claiming another ex-Cavalier, DeAndre Liggins, on Monday. Jefferson, 37, averaged 5.7 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 79 regular-season contests last year.
Contractually, Jefferson will collect two paybacks. He’ll also receive $2MM from the Hawks, who will get a $500K set-off at the end of the season, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.
Thunder Sign P.J. Dozier To Two-Way Deal
OCTOBER 17: The Thunder have officially signed Dozier to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.
OCTOBER 16: The Thunder are in talks with guard P.J. Dozier on a two-way contract after he cleared waivers on Monday, ESPN’s Royce Young tweets.
The Mavericks waived the 6’6” rookie on Saturday. He went undrafted after playing two seasons at South Carolina. Doziers played for the Lakers’ Summer League team in July before receiving a partially guaranteed contract from the Mavs.
In three preseason games with the Mavs, Dozier averaged 5.7 PPG and 2.3 RPG. Dozier averaged 13.9 PPG and 4.8 RPG last season for the Gamecocks.
Swingman Daniel Hamilton received the first of the two allotted two-way contracts with the Thunder.
Western Notes: Exum, Kerr, Ball, Aldridge
Jazz point guard Dante Exum has opted for surgery on his separated left shoulder, the team announced in a press release. The surgery, which will take place on October 24th, will stabilize the AC joint of his left shoulder. The team did not announce a timetable for Exum’s return but he’s likely to miss most or all of the season, Kyle Goon of the Salt Lake Tribune speculates.
Exum, 22, missed the 2015/16 season with an ACL tear. He returned last season and played in 66 games, averaging a career-high 6.2 PPG and 1.8 APG. The Jazz acquired Ricky Rubio during the offseason to start at the point. Raul Neto and Donovan Mitchell will back him up in Exum’s absence.
In other developments around the Western Conference:
- The Warriors have not discussed a contract extension with coach Steve Kerr because of his health issues, Monte Poole of NBCSports.com reports. Neither side has prioritized an extension because Kerr is focused on finding ways to eliminate the headaches and dizziness he’s suffered after undergoing back surgeries, Poole continues. Kerr is in the fourth season of a five-year deal worth $25MM. “I’m just not ready to look that far ahead,” Kerr told Poole and other media members.
- Wing Royce O’Neale got the nod over big man Joel Bolomboy for the Jazz’s final roster spot based on need, according to Ryan McDonald of the Deseret News. O’Neale, who spent the last two seasons in Spain, provides coach Quin Snyder with a defender who can guard multiple spots. “I think positionally, he’s a fit for our group right now,” Snyder told McDonald and other media members. “He’s got instincts defensively. Coupled with the toughness, it makes him a good wing defender.”
- Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball says he’s good to go for the team’s season opener on Thursday, he told Law Murray of ESPN and the assembled media. Ball injured his ankle during camp and missed the last four preseason games. He practiced in full on Monday.
- The final year of LaMarcus Aldridge‘s three-year, $72.3MM extension with the Spurs has a $7MM guarantee, Zach Lowe of ESPN tweets. San Antonio came to an agreement with Aldridge on Monday.
Tiago Splitter Hopes To Land NBA Contract
Veteran center Tiago Splitter is shopping around for an NBA contract, he told Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype in a Q&A session.
Splitter revealed that he had discussions with the Cavaliers, Jazz and Clippers but nothing came to fruition. He worked out for the Clippers in July.
He also received numerous training camp invites but didn’t get a formal contract offer, he told Sierra. However, the Brazilian native has no desire to explore opportunities overseas.
Injuries have sidetracked his career and Splitter admits he’s still not 100 percent. Splitter, 32, appeared in just eight games with the Sixers last season as he battled hip and calf injuries. He played 36 games with the Hawks the previous season, which was marred by a hamstring issue. Splitter spent his first five seasons with the Spurs.
If he can’t land a player contract, Splitter has decided to pursue a coaching career. He has visited with the Spurs, Hawks and Warriors during camp with that purpose.
“It’s a learning experience with focus on my career once my playing days are over,” he told Sierra. “My plan is to remain involved in basketball. This is a good way to network, meet new people and get to see basketball from a different perspective.”
Celtics, Smart Fail To Reach Extension Agreement
Celtics shooting guard Marcus Smart is headed to restricted free agency next summer after the two sides failed to reach an extension agreement. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said the parties were “relatively close” as today’s deadline neared but couldn’t finalize the deal (Twitter link).
Smart and the Boston front office were “fully engaged” in talks, according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, but couldn’t bridge the monetary gap before the deadline expired. Luxury tax implications were the primary concern for the Celtics, Charania adds (Twitter links). Boston has approximately $80MM in commitments next season just for its three star players, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford and Kyrie Irving.
Smart will make $4,538,020 this season. He’ll be a restricted free agent if Boston extends him a qualifying offer of just over $6MM, which it is virtually certain to do.
Smart’s representative had a number in mind and the Celtics got close to it, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders tweets. However, Smart’s camp believes he’ll receive a major offer sheet next July if he has a strong season, Kyler adds.
Smart’s agent, Happy Walters, confirmed that notion with Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald, saying “it will cost them a lot more” to sign his client next summer. Walters also said that he wasn’t seeking a max extension for Smart and that he was “very reasonable” in his asking price (Twitter links).
Smart appeared in 79 regular-season games last season and filled up the stat sheet, averaging 10.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.6 APG and 1.6 SPG in 30.4 MPG. His weakness is shooting, as he has posted averages of 35.8% from the field and 29.1% from 3-point range in his three NBA seasons.
Smart, 23, was the sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft. He’ll share playing time with Jaylen Brown at the off-guard spot. He’ll also see some action at the point behind Irving.
Bulls Claim Felder, Waive Eddie And Stone
The Bulls have claimed point guard Kay Felder, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. They will waive swingman Jarell Eddie, league sources told Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Chicago will also shed center Diamond Stone to reach the 15-man roster limit, Charania adds in another tweet.
The Cavaliers traded Felder along with veteran forward Richard Jefferson to the Hawks on Saturday in order to shed salary and create roster space. Atlanta then immediately waived both players.
Felder, a second-round pick in 2016, appeared in 42 regular-season games last season and averaged 4.0 PPG and 1.4 APG in 9.2 MPG. He had a $457K guarantee on his $1,312,611 salary for this season. There is a team option on his $1,544,951 contract for next season.
The Bulls have Kris Dunn and Jerian Grant as their top point guards but Cameron Payne was declared out for 3-4 months in September after undergoing foot surgery.
Eddie, 25, played for the Wizards and Suns over the last two seasons. He played sparingly in 26 games for Washington during the 2015/16 season.
Eddie then played for the G League’s Windy City Bulls before hooking on with Phoenix late last season. He saw action in five games with the Suns last season after signing a pair of 10-day contracts.
Though he signed a contract for $1,471,382, most of the money was non-guaranteed. He collected a couple of extra days’ salary by remaining on the roster through Saturday.
Chicago still has plenty of shooting guards and small forwards on the roster, including Paul Zipser, Denzel Valentine, Justin Holiday, David Nwaba and rookie Antonio Blakeney. Zach LaVine and Quincy Pondexter are still rehabbing from knee injuries.
Stone received a modest guarantee after signing with Chicago in September. Stone, who played his rookie season with the Clippers, was also waived by the Hawks after Atlanta acquired him in late July. Robin Lopez, Christiano Felicio and rookie Lauri Markkanen are the main options at center.
Warriors Sign Center Trevor Thompson
The Warriors have signed free agent center Trevor Thompson, Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News tweets. Thompson is likely ticketed for the team’s G League affiliate, Santa Cruz, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.
The addition of Thompson puts the Warriors’ roster at 19 players. Coach Steve Kerr said cuts will be made after the preseason finale, Medina adds. Golden State plays the Kings Friday night.
Thompson played for Virginia Tech and Ohio State, then went undrafted in June. The 7-footer averaged 10.6 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 1.5 BPG in 23.0 MPG last season. The 23-year-old Thompson played for the Celtics’ Summer League teams and saw spot duty in six games, averaging 1.7 PPG and 1.8 RPG in 7.5 MPG.
Mavs Waive Ashley, Sign Jameel Warney
The Mavericks have waived power forward Brandon Ashley and signed another forward, Jameel Warney, according to a team press release that was relayed by Earl K. Sneed (Twitter link).
The 6’8” Warney was on the team’s training camp roster last season but was waived midway through camp. He then played 44 games for the Texas Legends of the G League and averaged 17.3 PPG and 8.0 RPG in 29.2 MPG. Warney went undrafted in 2016 after playing four seasons for Stony Brook University.
The 6’9” Ashley signed with Dallas in August after playing for its Summer League teams. The former University of Arizona product appeared in five games this preseason and averaged 3.2 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 13.9 MPG.