Jazz Sign Hassan Whiteside
AUGUST 6: The Jazz have made it official with Whiteside, announcing his deal in a press release.
“Hassan is one of the more physically gifted players in the game today and has a vast amount of valuable professional basketball experience,” Jazz GM Justin Zanik said in a statement. “We’re excited to add someone with his skillset and feel he’s a great fit with our current roster.”
AUGUST 3: The Jazz have agreed to a deal with free agent center Hassan Whiteside, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
Whiteside is coming off his least productive season in seven years, having averaged 8.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 1.3 BPG in 36 games (15.2 MPG) for Sacramento, but he remains a solid shot-blocker and rebounder, especially as a backup center.
The 32-year-old seven-footer signed a one-year deal with the Kings last year but could never get fully on track with his new team. The Jazz will be hoping that in Quin Snyder‘s system, backing up All-NBA center Rudy Gobert, Whiteside will be able to turn things around.
The Jazz recently traded reserve center Derrick Favors to the Thunder in a cost-cutting move, and Whiteside gives them some level of schematic continuity coming off the bench.
The Jazz are believed to be limited to minimum-salary deals after committing their taxpayer mid-level exception to Rudy Gay, so Whiteside’s deal figures to be worth the veteran’s minimum.
Hornets Sign Scottie Lewis, Arnoldas Kulboka
The Hornets have signed Scottie Lewis and Arnoldas Kulboka to two-way deals, per a team press release.
Lewis is a 6’5″ defensive specialist out of the University of Florida whom the Hornets selected 56th in this year’s draft. As a sophomore, Lewis averaged 7.9 PPG, 1.5 SPG and 1.0 BPG but failed to take much of a step forward as an offensive prospect. He is considered one of the better defensive and athletic players in this year’s draft.
Kulboka was the 55th pick in the 2018 draft and has been a draft-and-stash prospect since then. The 6’10” forward averaged 9.2 PPG and 4 RPG while shooting 42.5% from three on 4.6 attempts a night for Bilboa Basket, and has played for the Hornets during the past two Summer Leagues (2018/19 and 2019/20).
Lewis and Kulboka will supplant Nate Darling and Grant Riller as Charlotte’s two-way players.
Hornets Sign James Bouknight, Kai Jones
The Hornets have officially signed their two first-round picks, finalizing deals with former UConn guard James Bouknight and former Texas big man Kai Jones, according to a team press release.
Bouknight was taken with the 11th pick after averaging 18.7 PPG and 5.7 RPG in his sophomore season as an athletic shooting guard carrying a major offensive load. He showcased tough shot-making ability, elite athleticism and a nose for getting himself open off cuts and off-ball movement. The highlight of his season was a 40-point game against the ninth-ranked Creighton.
Jones, another sophomore, gained steam as a first-round pick throughout the season, and was at times even considered a potential lottery pick, due to his combination of athleticism, fluidity, and burgeoning offensive skillset, including a promising-looking jump shot. The Hornets traded a protected future first round pick to the Knicks to get the No. 19 pick to select Jones.
According to the team’s press release, Jones became just the fifth Bahamian player ever selected in the NBA draft.
Bouknight’s deal is expected to start at approximately $4.1MM and be worth approximately $19.1MM over its duration, while Jones’ is expected to start at around $2.7MM and will be worth approximately $13.4MM.
Knicks Notes: Fournier, Sims, Gibson, Bullock, Guarantees, Point Guards
In a story for The New York Post, Marc Berman describes how the Knicks came to terms with free agent Evan Fournier while the veteran wingman is in the midst of an Olympic run with the French national team. Berman writes that Fournier’s relationship with former Magic head coach Steve Clifford, a close friend of Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, likely played a part in the Knicks’ decision to pursue the 6’7″ wing.
“I’d bet the Knicks signed him because Clifford raved to Thibs about how much Fournier wants to win and is about all the right things,’’ a source from Orlando told Berman. “Cliff says that Fournier is one of the toughest players — mentally and physically — that he’s ever coached.’’
We have more news from the Knicks:
- In a separate article, Berman writes that Jericho Sims, the athletic center out of Texas taken with the 58th pick, is likely to receive a two-way contract, thereby limiting him to a maximum of 50 games with the Knicks. Sims is set to play for the Knicks in Summer League.
- According to Ian Begley of SNY, Taj Gibson – who agreed to a one-year, minimum-salary contract to stay in New York – had significant interest around the league, but the Knicks sold him on his importance to their culture and the team’s development going forward.
- Begley also writes that the Knicks and Mavericks were interested in exploring a sign-and-trade for wing Reggie Bullock earlier in free agency, but that it’s unclear if such a deal has been pursued since Bullock committed to the Mavs.
- All of the contracts the Knicks agreed to on Monday — Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, and Evan Fournier — will be not fully guaranteed in their final year, Begley reports. Rose, Burks, and Noel will sign for three years apiece, while Fournier agreed to a four-year deal. Begley erroneously reported on Monday that Burks’ three-year deal was fully guaranteed.
- Finally, Begley writes that with the Knicks are interested in pursuing another point guard with their remaining cap space. Dennis Schroder and Reggie Jackson remain the two most prominent names on the point guard market.
Free Agency Roundup: Rose, Bjelica, Suns, Vanderbilt, Niang, Schroder
Derrick Rose had received interest from the Pelicans, Wizards, Bulls, and Heat before re-signing with the Knicks, write Jeff Zillgitt and Mark Medina of USA Today. The USA Today adds that Kyle Lowry signing with the Heat helped usher Rose back to the Knicks and coach Tom Thibodeau. Rose agreed to a three-year, $43MM deal on Monday.
In the same piece, Zillgitt and Medina write that five other teams considered signing Nemanja Bjelica with their mid-level exception, but Bjelica prioritized signing with the Warriors instead. Bjelica agreed to a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum earlier today.
We have more free agency rumors:
- The Suns have two or three roster spots available, and according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, they expect to fill those spots with another big man, a ball-handler, and a wing. Gambadoro adds that JaVale McGee‘s agreed-upon deal will use part of the non-tax payer mid-level exception, leaving the remainder for another move.
- Darren Wolfson of SKOR North reports that the Timberwolves have met with RFA Jarred Vanderbilt. The 6’9 power forward is coming off his best season as a pro, averaging 5.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 1.2 APG and providing an interesting blend of defense and play-making from the forward spot.
- Georges Niang may be on the Sixers‘ radar as a backup power forward, tweets Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Niang has had a productive last three years for the Jazz, and would give the Sixers another shooter in the frontcourt.
- Dennis Schröder was seeking $25MM a year when free agency started, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Now that Schröder is one of the last point guards left on the market, it’s unclear how much that number has come down.
Cavaliers Sign Evan Mobley To Rookie Contract
The Cavaliers have officially signed No. 3 overall pick Evan Mobley, per a team press release.
The former Trojan averaged 16.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.4 APG and 2.9 BPG in his lone season at USC, showcasing impressive versatility on both ends of the floor. His combination of ball handling and passing ability, flashes of shooting potential, and general defensive dominance firmed up his status as a top-three pick early in the year.
The Cavaliers, after agreeing to sign Jarrett Allen to a five-year, $100MM contract, are locking in their long-term core around Mobley, Allen, Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton.
Mobley’s rookie contract is expected to start at around $8.075MM in year one, and the deal is expected to pay him upwards of $36.6MM through its duration.
Raptors Waive Hood, Bembry, Watson
The Raptors have waived DeAndre’ Bembry, Rodney Hood, and Paul Watson, according to a team press release. All three players had non-guaranteed contracts for the 2021/22 season.
According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports, the Raptors had always planned to waive Hood, who was acquired as part of the team’s trade of Gary Trent for Norman Powell, unless they could use his contract as filler in another trade. Lewenberg also suggests the decisions to waive Watson and Bembry indicate the team is either looking to create added cap flexibility or will simply go elsewhere with its end-of-bench roster spots.
Hood has been a productive player since being drafted 23rd in the 2014 draft by the Jazz, but staying healthy has been a challenge for the 6’7 lefty. Hood fractured his hand after coming over to Toronto, putting an early end on the least productive season of his career.
As we relayed earlier today, Hood already has a deal lined up with the Bucks, who are looking to add more shooting for next year’s playoff run.
In a separate tweet, Lewenberg reports that Toronto’s plan is to waive backup center Aron Baynes before his guarantee deadline tomorrow unless his money is needed in trades, and will retain Chris Boucher through his Sunday guarantee date.
Baynes came over as a free agent in the hopes that he would help stabilize the center position upon the departure of Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol, but his lone year with the Raptors was a disappointment, with the 34-year-old Australian unable to carve out a role for himself. Boucher, meanwhile, has been a massive development success for the Raptors, turning into a solid rim-protector and three-point shooter in his fourth season.
Jazz Not Expected To Extend QO To Juwan Morgan
The Jazz are not expected to tender a qualifying offer to 24-year-old forward Juwan Morgan, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. If Morgan doesn’t receive a QO, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
Although Morgan’s shooting dipped in his second season, Jones suggests that he is expected to have suitors on the open market because of his defense and his performance for the Jazz during the 2020 playoffs as a rookie, including starting multiple games.
Morgan saw his playing time drop in 2020/21, both in the regular season and the playoffs, though the fact that Utah’s better health luck and stronger depth played a part in that decline.
Jones adds that the two sides have not closed the door on a reunion, as the QO decision is more about the Jazz’s limited cap flexibility as they attempt to continue building a championship roster than it is about a lack of faith in Morgan as a player.
Free Agent Rumors: Dinwiddie, Schröder, Oubre, Cauley-Stein
The idea of Nets free agent Spencer Dinwiddie replacing Russell Westbrook as the Wizards‘ point guard seems to be gaining momentum.
After multiple reporters mentioned the Dinwiddie-to-D.C. possibility earlier in the week, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer writes today that with Chris Paul likely to return to the Suns, Dinwiddie is expected to be the next free agent point guard off the board. A sign-and-trade that sends either Kyle Kuzma or Montrezl Harrell to the Nets and Dinwiddie to the Wizards is a real possibility, Fischer suggests.
Fischer adds that the Nets are continuing to look for ways to move off of DeAndre Jordan‘s contract.
We have more free agency rumors:
- According to Zach Lowe of ESPN neither the Wizards nor the Kings are interested in a sign-and-trade for Dennis Schröder. That means Buddy Hield may be out as an option for the Lakers, and it will be a challenge to expand the Lakers/Wizards blockbuster any further using Schröder. As Lowe notes, a handful of teams in need of a point guard have ample cap space, so there will be few paths for the Lakers to recoup value for losing Schröder.
- Kelly Oubre has interest in the Spurs and believes his career could flourish under Gregg Popovich and the team’s renowned development staff, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. If the Spurs renounce some of their current free agents, they’d have more than enough space to make a big free agent signing, though it’s unclear whether Oubre would be at the top of their list, especially given his skill-set/positional overlap with Keldon Johnson.
- The Mavericks are leaning toward picking up the $4.1MM team option on center Willie Cauley-Stein, which would keep him off the free agent market, tweets ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. MacMahon writes that Dallas likes the young rim-running big man, but the decision will ultimately hinge on whether or not an opportunity comes up that requires the team to move on from Cauley-Stein.
Wizards Issue QOs To Mathews, Winston; Will Make Bonga UFA
The Wizards will not issue a qualifying offer to Isaac Bonga, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
The 6’8″ point forward saw his playing time cut nearly in half from the 2019/2020 season to last year. Despite the flashes of potential he showed, the Wizards now find themselves with a logjam of forwards, and Bonga appears to be the odd man out. His QO would’ve been worth about $2.08MM.
The Wizards are, however, extending qualifying offers to guards Garrison Mathews and Cassius Winston, according to a tweet from The Athletic’s Fred Katz. Both players finished the season on two-way contracts with Washington.
Mathews, who went undrafted in 2019, was a revelation as a feisty sharp-shooter for the Wizards this season, and even started 24 games. Winston, last year’s No. 53 overall pick, wasn’t able to crack Washington’s rotation in a major way during his rookie year, but the accomplished collegiate point guard has potential as a shooter and pick and roll play-maker, and the Wizards have need of guards.
Mathews’ qualifying offer will be a standard minimum-salary contract with a small partial guarantee, while Winston’s will be another two-way deal.