Spurs Re-Sign Matt Bonner
The Spurs have re-signed veteran forward Matt Bonner, the team announced in a press release. The deal is for one year at the veteran’s minimum, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express News reports. The longtime Spur was reportedly thinking about retirement this spring, though he said last year that he wished to play for several more seasons.
The 35-year-old appeared in 72 games for San Antonio this past season, averaging 3.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists with a slash line of .409/.365/.811. His career numbers through 11 NBA campaigns are 6.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 0.7 APG.
Bonner had also reportedly drawn interest from the Kings, who have been seeking a stretch four in the free agent marketplace.
Sixers Sign Pierre Jackson
WEDNESDAY, 12:37pm: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.
9:42 pm: The deal is for four years, and is partially guaranteed, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group tweets.
TUESDAY, 9:20pm: The Sixers and unrestricted free agent Pierre Jackson have reached an agreement on a contract, Jake Fischer of LibertyBallers reports (Twitter link). The length and details of the pact have not been released yet. The point guard, who is coming off a ruptured right Achilles’ tendon, was cleared to resume basketball activities back in April.
Jackson had been waived by Philly last September, but had indicated that he wanted to return and play for the Sixers this coming season. “There’s a little bit of loyalty here. I want to play in Philadelphia, man,” Jackson said. The 23-year-old was part of the Nerlens Noel trade between Philadelphia and the Pelicans after the Sixers selected him in the second round in 2013. New Orleans traded Jackson back to the Sixers last year in exchange for Russ Smith‘s draft rights.
The young point guard will figure into the backcourt mix for a still rebuilding Sixers team. Jackson toiled away in the NBA D-League during the 2013/14 campaign, appearing in 31 contests for the Idaho Stampede, Utah’s affiliate. Jackson averaged 29.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists, with a slash line of .449/.349/.737.
Raptors Sign Luis Scola
JULY 15TH, 9:32am: The deal is official, the team announced via press release.
“Luis is an accomplished NBA and international player. We are thrilled to add his experience and leadership to our team and our locker room,” Raptors GM Masai Ujiri said in the team’s statement. “Luis is a winner wherever he goes.”
11:59pm: The agreement is for one year and approximately $3MM, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (on Twitter).
JULY 8TH, 11:29pm: The Raptors and unrestricted free agent Luis Scola have agreed to a deal, Scola announced via his Twitter account (h/t Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun). The length and terms of the deal have not yet been announced.
Scola spent the 2014/15 campaign with the Pacers, appearing in 81 games, including 16 as a starter, where he averaged 9.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 20.5 minutes per contest. His slash line was .467/.250/.699. Through eight NBA seasons, the 35-year-old has notched averages of 12.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 1.7 APG, with a shooting line of .497/.167/.742.
It was reported back in May that there was mutual interest in the forward returning to Indiana, but with the Pacers revamping their roster and aiming for a faster-paced offense, the Argentinian likely fell out of the organization’s plans. Instead he’ll head North to the Raptors where he’ll likely compete for minutes at the four spot with Patrick Patterson.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 7/14/15
There have been a flurry of free agent deals struck and finalized since this year’s free agent signing period commenced back on July 1st. Quite a few teams have made high profile additions to their rosters, while others have felt the sting of players departing for other locales. While there are still more signings and player movement on the way, it’s never too early to speculate on what impact all these comings and goings will have on the 2015/16 NBA standings.
This brings us to our question of the day: Which NBA team has taken the biggest step back this offseason? Sound off in the comments section below with your thoughts and opinions on the franchise you believe has regressed the most this Summer. This could be due to players departing via free agency or trade, or it could simply be the result of standing pat while other squads in the division or conference improved themselves. We look forward to what you have to say.
Of course, there will always be differing opinions. While we absolutely encourage lively discussion and debate, we do expect everyone to treat each other with respect. So, please refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults or attacks, as well as the other taboo types of discourse laid out in our site’s commenting policy. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Hoops Rumors. Just put in your name, email address, and comment and submit it; there is no need to become a registered user.
Northwest Notes: Lawson, Garnett, Ingles
Ty Lawson was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI, his second DUI-related arrest in six months, report Jesse Paul and Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Lawson’s name has come up frequently in trade chatter since before the February deadline, and the teams with interest were waiting for Denver to reduce its price for the point guard, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, adding that today’s news devastates Lawson’s trade value. The Kings were reportedly one of those teams eyeing him and spoke with the Nuggets before the draft, but his off-court issues were a major reason why Sacramento wasn’t willing to give up the No. 6 pick in exchange for him, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link).
Here’s the latest out of the Northwest Division:
- Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey said that the team’s roster is relatively set for the 2015/16 season, but the team could look to use its available cap space at the trade deadline to add a player who could help the team, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News relays (Twitter links).
- Joe Ingles‘ base salary with the Jazz on his new contract is $4.1MM but can he increase that payout to $4.4MM via $150K per season worth of performance-based incentives that are included in his deal, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter links). This makes Ingles’ cap number for the 2015/16 season $2.15MM, as the NBA deems $100k worth of the incentives likely to be attained, and his 2016/17 cap number will range from $2.05-$2.20MM, Pincus adds.
- Kevin Garnett‘s two-year deal with the Timberwolves will pay him $8.5MM for the 2015/16 campaign and $8MM in 2016/17, Pincus tweets.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Southeast Notes: Lin, Dragic, Dudley
Goran Dragic is thrilled that the Heat re-signed Dwyane Wade this offseason, but also notes that he would have returned to Miami regardless of Wade’s decision, as he said in a recent appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show on ESPN Radio (audio link), and as Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post transcribes. When Dragic was asked if he had been nervous about Wade returning, he said, “I was, a little bit. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was back in Europe and I read all the media reports. In the end, I’m really glad we signed him.”
Dragic also noted that he didn’t speak with any other teams during the free agent signing period. “No, because Miami was the first team that called me,” Dragic said. “The last three months of last season, I was really satisfied with the organization and the people around me and the players. I was considering Miami the first option… Miami Heat is the right organization for me. I want to win something. I could go somewhere else, but I was really happy the last couple of months here. That was the right decision for me… Basically Miami Heat was the first option. Then they called me first. [Team president] Pat [Riley] was talking and saying what kind of team it was going to be… and I said I need to be on this wagon.”
Here’s more out of the NBA’s Southeast Division:
- Jeremy Lin said that the Hornets entered the picture late in the free agent process, but he added that the team appeared to be sincere in its presentation and plan for him, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer tweets. The point guard inked a two-year pact with the franchise last week.
- Charlotte’s signing of Lin using its biannual exception means that the Hornets have triggered the hard cap, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. If a team is hard-capped, it cannot exceed the tax apron under any circumstance. A team that has spent up to its hard cap can still ink players to non-guaranteed contracts for training camp or the regular season, but it must rid itself of such players before their salaries become guaranteed. The deal is worth the full value of the biannual exception, a total of $4,374,255 over two years, and it includes a player option, as Pincus shows on his Hornets salary page.
- Jared Dudley said that the Wizards were one of the teams he considered signing with before he opted in for 2015/16 with the Bucks, and he’s thrilled with the trade that sent him to Washington, The Associated Press relays. “I liked my situation in Milwaukee, but if they told me I was going to opt in and go to Washington, I would have opted in the first day because I can’t see a [situation] that’s better for me right now,” Dudley said.
Pacific Notes: Suns, Young, Karl
The Suns have an outmoded local TV deal that squeezes their revenue, and they struggle to draw when they don’t make the playoffs, Grantland’s Zach Lowe reports, suggesting that’s behind owner Robert Sarver’s aggressive push to get the team back to the postseason. Phoenix came up short in its strong pursuit of LaMarcus Aldridge, but Sarver insists to Lowe that the Tyson Chandler deal wasn’t made solely in an effort to woo Aldridge. The cap-clearing Marcus Morris trade was a signal of the team’s interest in Aldridge, but Phoenix also made it out of a desire to open playing time for other wing players, T.J. Warren in particular, Lowe writes.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Lakers swingman Nick Young has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, but the team currently has no plans to deal the scorer, Bill Oram of The Orange County Register tweets. According to Oram, the Lakers had shopped Young in an effort to clear some quick cap room, but no enticing offers materialized.
- Despite the rocky start to their relationship, Kings coach George Karl believes he and center DeMarcus Cousins can coexist in Sacramento, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports relays. “I just said hello to him this afternoon,” Karl told Spears. “I don’t think it’s something we have to rush through. You got two guys that are very frustrated with losing, two guys that are somewhat stubborn and two guys that love to compete. Sometimes, that doesn’t work the first time you hang around. But you have to take your time to make it work. I’m very confident to make it work.“
- During his offseason dealings, Kings vice president of basketball and franchise operations Vlade Divac tried to sell players on the changing culture of the Sacramento organization, Spears adds. When asked what his sales pitch was to free agents, Divac said, “We are changing the culture and we want to make a team that’s going to have the same energy that we had during my time because Sacramento needs that. They believe in it and I believe it. We really put good talent over there and now it’s up to Coach to put it together.“
- Rajon Rondo believes that he can rebuild his free agent value this season with the Kings, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. “I’ve been faced with challenges my whole life,” said Rondo. “A lot of people didn’t expect me to come this far in the NBA. I have no doubts about what my talents can do and what I can bring to the team and I’m looking forward to putting my work in and getting the job done.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Central Notes: Monroe, Blake, Thompson
Greg Monroe said former Pistons teammate Khris Middleton was a key recruiter in Milwaukee’s pursuit and made it clear that the Bucks roster seemed appealing as a strong fit, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel chronicles. “While a lot of people will say, ‘Is this a statement about big cities?’ No. It’s just about a statement that this is a good fit for Greg Monroe,” agent David Falk said in part.
Here’s more out of the Central Division:
- The Pistons view newly acquired Steve Blake as an inexpensive option off the bench at point guard, Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press writes. “Just insurance,” coach/executive Stan Van Gundy told Ellis when asked how Blake fit with the team. “We’re very hopeful that Brandon Jennings will play at a high level. And can develop Spencer Dinwiddie, but not have pressure on him.“
- The Cavaliers and Tristan Thompson are reportedly making progress toward a new deal, and with the two sides now roughly $5MM apart on total value, GM David Griffin is confident the situation will be resolved amicably, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com tweets. “I feel good about the situation where it’s at overall,” Griffin said about the negotiations during an appearance on NBA TV.
- Van Gundy indicated that the Pistons would have passed on chasing free agent small forwards if the trade for Marcus Morris had materialized prior to the NBA Draft, David Mayo of MLive.com writes. “So we were chasing the small forwards on the free-agent market, but there were only a couple of guys that we really liked,” Van Gundy said. “When those guys, we didn’t get, and the trade came available, we jumped at it. We thought it was something that would have been at the top of our list if it had been available at the very beginning.“
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Rockets Re-Sign Corey Brewer
JULY 14TH, 4:35pm: The Rockets have officially announced the deal.
JULY 9TH, 11:59pm: The Rockets have yet to make an official announcement, but the signing has indeed taken place, according to the RealGM transactions log.
JULY 3RD, 5:11pm: Free agent swingman Corey Brewer has reached an agreement with the Rockets on a multiyear deal to return to the team, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). The deal is for three years and $24MM, Wojnarowski notes. The deal contains no options, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com relays (via Twitter).
The Lakers, Pistons and the Knicks were reportedly interested in the Happy Walters client. New York sat down with Brewer today, though no contract offer was said to be made. Brewer, who once played for George Karl, had piqued the interest of some members of the Kings brass, and the Celtics also reportedly spoke with him. However, the 29-year-old out of Florida’s preference was to remain in Houston. Brewer had waived his player option upon the completion of the trade that sent him to Houston this past season with the thought that the Rockets would use Early Bird rights to re-sign him, noted Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Brewer made 56 appearances for Houston after being acquired from the Timberwolves, averaging 11.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists with a slash line of .429/.284/.764. His career numbers are 10.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 1.7 APG. His shooting numbers are .428/.290/.708.
Mavs Express Interest In Ryan Hollins
The Mavericks continue to look for offseason solutions at center, and the team is now showing interest in unrestricted free agent Ryan Hollins, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Dallas was jilted by free agent DeAndre Jordan, who returned to the Clippers after having reached a verbal agreement with the Mavs, and is seeking to add depth at the position. The franchise recently acquired Zaza Pachulia from Milwaukee, who could end up starting for the team in 2015/16.
Hollins, 30, made 46 appearances for the Kings last season, averaging 3.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, and o.4 blocks in 9.6 minutes per contest. His career numbers through nine NBA campaigns are 3.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 0.5 BPG, with a slash line of .581/.000/.651.
Dallas has also reportedly had interest in Carlos Boozer, Samuel Dalembert, JaVale McGee, Elton Brand, and Tyler Hansbrough, as well as Amar’e Stoudemire, prior to his signing with the Heat.