Nets No Longer Signing Ricky Council IV
After previous reporting had indicated that Ricky Council IV was signing with the Nets on a partially-guaranteed deal, Nets Daily now hears from a source that Council will not, in fact, be joining Brooklyn (Twitter link).
Council was reportedly poised to join the Nets after being waived by the Sixers following two seasons in Philadelphia. As a 76er, he averaged 6.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game.
Council has struggled to find consistency from three-point range throughout his time in college and the NBA, but he emerged as an athletic transition weapon during his rookie season with the Sixers. As of now, it’s unclear where he’s set to land instead.
Nets Daily also notes that Chinese forward Fanbo Zeng will be heading to Brooklyn on an Exhibit 10 deal, rather than the two-way spot some outlets had suggested he might sign.
Zeng is a skilled 6’11” forward who averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 40.5% from three last season for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association. His agreement with the Nets was reported in August.
Nuggets To Sign Javante McCoy
The Nuggets have agreed to sign free agent Javante McCoy, reports Chris Haynes (via Twitter). Haynes doesn’t specify the terms of the deal, but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.
McCoy is a 27-year-old shooting guard out of Boston University, where he played for five years, averaging 17.4 points and 2.9 assists per game while making 42.5% of his three-point attempts in his final season.
McCoy averaged 12.9 PPG and 2.3 APG on .552/.451/.889 shooting last season for the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. He previously played for the Austin Spurs and South Bay Lakers.
After signing McCoy, the Nuggets will have 20 of their 21 training camp roster spots filled. With an Exhibit 10 deal, McCoy could earn an $85,300 bonus if he’s waived before the season starts and spends at least 60 days with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold.
Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Final Roster Spots
The Knicks have been busy lately. After signing Jordan Clarkson following a buyout with the Jazz, as well as Guerschon Yabusele earlier in the summer, New York found itself in a severe salary cap crunch, but that hasn’t stopped the team from trying to upgrade on the margins.
The Knicks added Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon on training camp deals, and are reportedly hoping to keep both for the regular season, despite their cap limitations. They also signed Garrison Mathews, a sharpshooter like Shamet, along with Alex Len and Matt Ryan on camp deals.
Finally, they signed second-round draft pick Mohamed Diawara to a non-guaranteed deal while rounding out their two-way contract rotation with deals for Trey Jemison, Tosan Evbuomwan, and Kevin McCullar Jr.
For a team with limited space and money, the Knicks have done a good job of finding quality NBA players to compete for their final roster spot behind Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti.
With Diawara expected to claim a roster spot due to his rookie-minimum cap hit, the Knicks technically have two more openings on their 15-man roster. However, without enough room below a second-apron hard cap to carry a full 15-man squad, retaining two more veterans would require a salary-shedding trade, likely involving one of McBride, Kolek, or Dadiet.
McBride is the most proven player of that group, having demonstrated his ability to contribute during the playoffs after a tough opening series against the Pistons. He’s on a team-friendly contract, but only for one more season after this one. While it’s unlikely McBride would be moved, his defense and shooting could appeal to a team looking to add an established backcourt contributor on the cheap.
Among the Knicks’ 2024 draftees, Kolek played more than Dadiet last season and showed himself to be a heady decision-maker, but he needs to be more consistent as a shooter to cover for his defensive limitations. While Dadiet played less than half the minutes of Kolek, his size (6’8″), flashes of shooting, and the fact that he’s four years younger than Kolek could make him a more attractive trade target for teams.
As for who will win the training camp battle for the final roster spot(s), Shamet appears to be a frontrunner. The 6’4″ guard played well when called upon by former coach Tom Thibodeau, operating as an effective off-ball shooting threat and giving good effort on defense. Head coach Mike Brown has reportedly put an emphasis on player movement this summer, which should play into the skill set of Shamet, as well as Mathews and Ryan.
Brogdon is the most accomplished of the players under consideration. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2016/17 and Sixth Man of the Year in 2022/23, had a season of shooting over 40/50/90 while scoring 15.6 points per game, and holds a career three-point percentage of 38.8%, as well as a career assist-to-turnover rate of 4.7 to 1.7. For a team that was lacking secondary ball-handling alongside Brunson last season, Brogdon’s ability to function in either guard spot and play alongside Brunson could be appealing, especially with the defensive concerns that could come with playing Brunson and Clarkson together for long stretches.
However, Brogdon comes with an extensive injury history, having played just 166 games over the last four seasons. The decision on Brogdon could come down to how comfortable the team is with his health, as well as his willingness to move the ball quickly.
The Knicks’ roster-building strategy this summer has been very focused on offensive-minded guards and wings. Brown faces an uphill battle when it comes to ironing out an effective defensive scheme, and starting Robinson could be one way that he addresses it.
Adding Shamet and Brogdon, along with Clarkson, would make for a roster crunch in the backcourt with McBride still there as the incumbent sixth man. Starting McBride could make it easier to slot the guards in around Hart and Yabusele, while also allowing McBride to take over the primary initiator defensive duties, a role that Bridges struggled with at times last season. This would allow the team to have three high-level wing defenders in McBride, Bridges, and Anunoby while also playing five shooters offensively.
If Brown decides during training camp to start the two-big lineup, it could change the team’s plans for the back of its roster. Brown coached Len for over two years in Sacramento, so there’s a built-in familiarity between the two. Jemison has less size than Len, but he could be viewed as a potential longer-term depth piece given that he’s only 25 years old.
We want to hear your thoughts. How do you think the Knicks should round out the final spots on their roster?
Jordan Loyd Signs With Anadolu Efes
Jordan Loyd has a deal in place from Turkish powerhouse Anadolu Efes, reports Aris Barkas for Eurohoops. The deal necessitated a buyout from AS Monaco, the team with which he played for the last three seasons.
Loyd, who appeared in 12 games for the Raptors in the 2018/19 season and averaged 2.4 points in 4.6 minutes per game, averaged 10.7 PPG for Monaco during last year’s EuroLeague play.
The 6’4″ guard rose once again to prominence this summer as a key contributor on the Polish national team that went to the EuroBasket quarterfinals. He averaged 22.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 42.2% from three, and was named to the tournament’s All-Star Second Team.
It was previously reported that Real Madrid had made a strong push for Loyd’s services, but his Liga ACB rights are held by Valencia.
As a member of Anadolu Efes, Loyd will join former NBA players Shane Larkin, Rodrigue Beaubois, PJ Dozier, Cole Swider, Kai Jones, Georgios Papagiannis, and Vincent Poirier.
Nuggets Sign, Waive Dane Goodwin
The Nuggets have signed and subsequently waived Dane Goodwin, per the NBA’s transaction log. Goodwin was likely on an Exhibit 10 training camp contract.
The 6’6″ guard went undrafted in 2023 and has been signed and waived by the Kings and Jazz in the last two seasons. He averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 40.4% on three-pointers with the Salt Lake City Stars (Utah’s G League affiliate) last season.
Goodwin was a five-year player for Notre Dame, where he held career averages of 10.8 PPG and 4.4 RPG on .443/.391/.823 shooting splits.
The move will allow Goodwin to secure a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he stays with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, for at least 60 days. That is a likely outcome, as the Gold acquired Goodwin’s returning rights from the Stars in a trade in August.
Suns Sign David Duke Jr., Damion Baugh
The Suns have signed David Duke Jr., reports Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot (via Twitter). The terms of the deal were unreported, but it will almost certainly be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.
This will mark Duke’s fifth season in the NBA. He spent the first two years of his career with the Nets and the last two with the Spurs, with whom he was on a two-way contract last season. He holds career averages of 4.2 points and 0.9 assists in 11.9 minutes per night.
Garcia also reports (via Twitter) that the Suns have signed Damion Baugh to a training camp deal. Baugh was previously on a two-way contract with the Hornets, but was waived to accommodate the team bringing in Antonio Reeves.
A 6’4″ shooting guard, Baugh averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 assists in 24.7 minutes per game in his rookie season with the Hornets last year after going undrafted in 2023.
The Suns’ roster currently contains 13 fully guaranteed deals, with Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler on non-guaranteed deals vying for a standard roster spot. While it’s possible Duke or Baugh could get a chance to compete for a regular season roster spot, they seem more likely to be ticketed for the Valley Suns, Phoenix’s G League affiliate.
Wizards Sign Sharife Cooper, Keshon Gilbert, Jonathan Pierre
The Wizards have signed free agent guard Sharife Cooper to a two-way contract, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Washington also signed Keshon Gilbert and Jonathan Pierre to Exhibit 10 contracts, the team announced (via Twitter).
Cooper was selected 48th overall in the 2021 draft by the Hawks. Robbins notes that Travis Schlenk, the Wizards’ senior vice president for player personnel, was serving as the Hawks’ head of basketball operations when Cooper was drafted.
Cooper played 13 games in his rookie year in Atlanta, averaging three minutes per night. He hasn’t been in the NBA since then, but spent multiple seasons in the G League, where he holds averages of 19.3 points and 7.0 assists per game, and split time last year between the Greek, French, and Turkish leagues, posting averages of 14.7 points and 3.8 assists during EuroCup play.
Cooper joins Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins as the team’s two-way players.
The Wizards’ signing of Gilbert had previously been reported, but was made official today. Also made official was the signing of Pierre, a 6’9″ forward who played for Washington’s Summer League team and averaged 7.7 points in 22.2 minutes per game.
Both players are signed to Exhibit 10 deals that will allow them to receive a bonus worth up to $85,300 if they are waived and then spend at least 60 days with the Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go.
Celtics Notes: Simons, Queta, White, Scheierman
The Celtics have taken care of much of the business they were expected to address this summer, including trading Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in cost-saving moves, then re-routing Georges Niang to Utah for similar reasons. The one question mark left is Anfernee Simons, who was acquired in the Holiday trade with the Blazers, but Simons’ situation likely won’t have an imminent resolution, according to Brian Robb of Mass Live.
As Robb writes, in addition to being a talented player capable of picking up some of the scoring load for the Celtics with Jayson Tatum out for the year, Simons also remains their one major trade chip outside of the core players of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard.
Because of that, it’s unlikely the Celtics will rush into a deal involving Simons, in Robb’s view. If the time comes to move him, it will likely be in a trade that helps the team’s long-term plans of returning to title contention once Tatum recovers from his Achilles injury.
We have more from the Celtics:
- Another lingering question for Boston is who will win the battle for the starting center role. The Celtics currently have Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher, Luka Garza, and Xavier Tillman Sr. on their roster, none of whom have an established track record as a starter. Robb speculates that Queta will have pole position due to his combination of rim protection and rebounding, though he says the window is open for someone like Boucher to beat him out in training camp. Robb also notes that health will likely play a big part in determining Tillman’s role, as the former Spartan big man has dealt with knee problems over the last two years that have limited his contributions.
- With Tatum out, White will be counted on to carry a much larger offensive load than the role he’s become accustomed to in Boston. Chris Forsberg and the NBC Sports Boston Staff discuss what they hope to see from White this season, ranging from increasing the volume of his scoring output and achieving his first 20-point-per-game season to being named to his first All-Star team. Forsberg notes that in games without Tatum last season, White averaged 20.8 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per contest, though he adds that the veteran guard has, at times, been prone to cold shooting streaks, which will be harder for the Celtics to weather now.
- The Celtics’ backcourt rotation appears to be set with Pritchard, White, and Simons, but if any of them were to miss time, Robb thinks an under-the-radar player could pick up the slack: Baylor Scheierman. Scheierman impressed the team toward the end of last season with his ability to function as a play-maker in the pick-and-roll, Robb writes, adding that the Celtics will look for more of that from him this season if he’s able to carve out a role for himself off the bench.
Mavericks Sign D’Moi Hodge To Deal
The Mavericks have signed free agent guard D’Moi Hodge, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (via Twitter). The terms of the deal were not revealed, but it’s likely a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract.
Hodge played seven games with the Lakers during the 2023/24 season after going undrafted in 2023. He averaged 2.0 points in 5.9 minutes during that time, then played last season for Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek League, averaging 7.1 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 15 EuroCup games.
Hodge has struggled with consistency as a shooter, but did make 35.4% of his three-point attempts in 30 G League games during his rookie season.
Should he be waived by the Mavericks and proceed to spend at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, Hodge could earn a bonus worth up to $85,300.
Once Dennis Smith Jr.‘s contract is officially finalized, Dallas will have a full 21-man offseason roster.
Wolves Re-Sign Tristen Newton To Two-Way Contract
September 16: A month-and-a-half after their deal was first reported, the Timberwolves have officially re-signed Newton to a two-way deal, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
August 1: Restricted free agent guard Tristen Newton is signing his two-way qualifying offer from the Timberwolves, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
Newton, who was the 49th pick in the 2024 draft, split time between the Pacers and Wolves last season, playing five games in Indiana and three in Minnesota.
He spent the majority of his season in the G League, where he averaged 16.6 points, 6.6 assists, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game in 20 outings for the Iowa Wolves. In five Summer League appearances this offseason, Newton averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.0 steals while shooting 47.6% from three.
The Wolves signed Enrique Freeman to a two-way deal earlier today, and already have 2025 second-round pick Rocco Zikarsky and second-year center Jesse Edwards occupying two-way slots, meaning someone will have to be waived to accommodate Newton’s return.
The expectation is that Edwards will be waived following the addition of Freeman and rookie big men Zikarsky and first-round pick Joan Beringer.