Derrick White Replaces Kawhi Leonard On Team USA Roster
11:05am: As first confirmed by Spears (via Twitter), White has officially replaced Leonard on Team USA’s roster, according to a press release.
“I am happy to announce that Derrick will compete at his first Olympic Games on the heels of a championship season in Boston,” managing director Grant Hill said in a statement. “We look forward to him joining the team in the coming days as we continue preparations for Paris. “I want to thank Kawhi for his commitment to the USA Men’s National Team. He earned the opportunity to represent the United States, but USA Basketball and Clippers leadership felt it’s important to allow Kawhi to prepare for the NBA season.”
Team USA now features three members of the defending champion Celtics, with White joining teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.
9:57am: Star Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will withdraw from Team USA’s roster ahead of the Olympics in Paris, sources tell Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic (Twitter link).
USA Basketball intends to name a replacement for Leonard on the 12-team roster that will travel to Paris, with Celtics guard Derrick White considered a strong candidate, according to Charania and Vardon.
Leonard was sidelined at the end of the 2023/24 season due to right knee inflammation. He missed the last eight games of the regular season and first game of the playoffs due to the ailment, returned for Game 2 and Game 3 vs. Dallas, then sat out the final three contests of the Clippers’ first-round loss.
After reporting to Team USA’s training camp, he said over the weekend that his knee had improved in recent weeks enough for him to play this summer. Neither The Athletic’s report nor USA Basketball’s official statement (Twitter link) on Leonard’s exit from the team specifically mentions that knee, but it sounds as if the forward’s health is the motivating factor for the decision.
“Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas,” Team USA’s statement reads. “He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it’s in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris.”
While that statement suggests the decision was made by the Clippers and Team USA, Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link) hears from a source that Leonard’s camp reached out a couple days ago to USA Basketball to express concern.
Wenyen Gabriel Signs With Maccabi Tel Aviv
Veteran NBA big man Wenyen Gabriel will continue his career in Europe. He has signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv, the Israeli team announced in a press release. The contract is for the 2024/25 season with an option for a second year.
Gabriel, 27, appeared in a total of 150 NBA games for the Kings, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Nets, Clippers, Lakers, and Grizzlies from 2019-24. His most recent NBA stint occurred in March, when he signed a 10-day hardship contract with a banged-up Memphis squad.
Gabriel holds career NBA averages of 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .524/.311/.606. He enjoyed his most productive season in 2022/23, when he played a regular rotation role for the Lakers and recorded 5.5 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 68 games (15.1 MPG).
Having played exclusively in the NBA and G League for his first five professional seasons, Gabriel joined Vaqueros de Bayamon in March and appeared in 23 games for the Puerto Rican club this spring. The former Kentucky standout will be playing in the EuroLeague for the first time with Maccabi Tel Aviv, who are coming off a 20-14 season and lost in the first round of the EuroLeague playoffs to Panathinaikos, the eventual champions.
While South Sudan hasn’t finalized its 12-man roster for Paris, Gabriel is also expected to be part of that group after helping the team clinch an Olympic berth with its performance at last year’s World Cup.
Sixers Sign Eric Gordon To Minimum-Salary Deal
JULY 10: Gordon’s minimum-salary contract with the Sixers is now official, the team confirmed in a press release.
“Eric is a proven shot-maker whose ability to create space and punish defenses that overextend will help solidify an already dynamic offense,” team president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said in a statement. “He plays bigger as the moments get bigger which will be key for our playoff run. I’ve known Eric for many years – he is devoted to his craft and continuously works on his game, allowing him to have such a long and successful career. We are lucky to have him in Philly.”
Gordon’s new contract will actually be for two years, with a second-year player option, Hoops Rumors has learned.
JUNE 30: Free agent guard Eric Gordon has agreed to sign with the Sixers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports reports (via Twitter) that it’ll be a minimum-salary contract, while Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) says it’ll be for one year.
Gordon inked a two-year minimum-salary deal with the Suns last season and averaged 11.0 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .443/.378/.797.
Because his deal included a second-year player option, he was able to opt out and return to the free agent market this summer in search of a new opportunity.
By signing in Philadelphia, Gordon will reunite with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who oversaw the Rockets’ front office during most of the veteran guard’s tenure with the franchise from 2016-23.
Since Gordon is receiving the veteran’s minimum, the 76ers will be able to wait until after they’ve used up all their cap room to officially sign him and won’t need to dedicate a chunk of that space to the 35-year-old.
Wizards Announce Brian Keefe’s New Coaching Staff
While Brian Keefe isn’t technically among this offseason’s new head coaches – he took over Washington’s job midway through the 2023/24 campaign when Wes Unseld Jr. transitioned to a front office role – the Wizards have revamped his coaching staff heading into Keefe’s first full season at the helm.
According to a press release from the team, veteran assistant David Vanterpool is the only member of last season’s staff who is returning for 2024/25. The new additions, some of whom were previously reported, are as follows:
- Adam Caporn, a former G League head coach for the Long Island Nets who spent the past three seasons as an assistant in Brooklyn.
- J.J. Outlaw, an assistant coach with the Cavaliers for the past five seasons who also had stints with the Lakers and Grizzlies.
- Brian Randle, who spent last season as a Pistons assistant and previously worked for the Suns (as an assistant) and Timberwolves (as a player development coach).
- T.J. Sorrentine, a longtime assistant coach at Brown University.
- Alexis Ajinca, a seven-year NBA veteran who also played professionally in France and transitioned into coaching in 2023 as an assistant for the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League affiliate.
Joseph Blair, James Posey, and Mike Miller (the former Knicks coach, not the former Heat champion) are among the notable assistants who were let go by the Wizards when the club cleaned house back in April.
Bucks Guarantee A.J. Green’s Salary For 2024/25
The Bucks have guaranteed A.J. Green‘s $2,120,693 salary for the 2024/25 season, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
As our list of early salary guarantee dates shows, Milwaukee would have had to waive Green by July 8 in order to avoid being on the hook for his minimum salary for ’24/25. Scotto’s reporting is confirmation that the two sides didn’t agree to push back that date.
Green, who went undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 2022, caught on with the Bucks on a two-way contract in July 2022 and was promoted to the standard roster on a new multiyear deal one year later. He played sparingly as a rookie, but saw a little more action in his second season, averaging 4.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per game across 56 appearances off the bench.
A long-distance marksman, the 24-year-old has made 41.2% of his career three-point attempts (113-of-274). The Bucks lost their top three-point shooter (Malik Beasley) in free agency, so they may lean more heavily on Green in his third NBA season for floor-spacing purposes.
With Green’s salary now locked in, the Bucks are carrying 13 standard guaranteed contracts for 2024/25, with second-year guard Andre Jackson holding a partial guarantee on his minimum-salary deal. All three of their two-way contract slots are occupied.
As for Green, he remains under contract for one more season beyond this one — his $2.3MM salary for ’25/26 would become guaranteed if he’s not waived by July 8, 2025.
Ish Wainright Signs With Hapoel Tel Aviv
Free agent forward Ish Wainright has signed a two-year contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv, the Israeli team announced on Wednesday (via Twitter).
Wainright has spent most of the past three seasons with the Suns after initially signing a two-way contract with Phoenix in October of 2021. He was promoted from his two-way deal late in the 2021/22 season, then repeated that process in ’22/23. The 29-year-old had a brief stint with the Trail Blazers at the start of the ’23/24 campaign before being waived by Portland in January and returning to Phoenix in March.
Across those three seasons, Wainright has appeared in a total of 116 NBA regular season games, averaging 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per contest.
A bulky 6’6″ forward who also played tight end in college for Baylor, Wainright is no stranger to international basketball, having played for teams in Germany and France from 2018-21 before getting a shot in the NBA.
The Suns, who will have a new G League affiliate of their own in 2024/25, may end up entirely turning over their two-way slots this offseason, with more of a focus on developmental prospects instead of players who can contribute immediately. After finishing last season with Wainright, Saben Lee, and Udoka Azubuike in those slots, Phoenix has signed Collin Gillespie and Jalen Bridges to two-way deals so far this month.
Contract Details: Quickley, Barnes, Batum, Jones, CP3, Oubre, More
Initially reported to be worth $175MM over five years, Immanuel Quickley‘s new contract with the Raptors actually has a base value of $162.5MM, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link). It also features $12.5MM in unlikely incentives – $2.5MM per year – that would allow the guard to max out at $175MM if he earns all of them. But for now the cap hits for Quickley will be $32.5MM annually.
Meanwhile, the “Rose rule” language in Scottie Barnes‘ new five-year, maximum-salary extension with the Raptors is fairly straightforward, Murphy notes (Twitter link). Barnes will have a starting salary worth 30% of the 2025/26 salary cap if he makes any All-NBA team – first, second, or third – next season, or if he wins MVP or Defensive Player of the Year. If he doesn’t earn any of those honors, his starting salary will be 25% of the ’25/26 cap, with 8% annual raises from there.
Based on the NBA’s latest salary cap projection, Barnes’ five-year extension would be worth $224,238,150 if it starts at 25% next year’s cap, or $269,085,780 if it starts at 30%.
Here are more details on a few of the contracts recently finalized around the NBA:
- Nicolas Batum (15%) and Derrick Jones (5%) each received trade kickers on their new contracts with the Clippers, Hoops Rumors has learned. Batum’s deal is worth the full bi-annual exception ($9,569,400 over two years) with a second-year player option, while Jones’ three-year, $30MM deal was completed using a significant portion ($9,523,810) of the mid-level exception. Los Angeles still has $3,298,190 left on its MLE for now.
- Chris Paul‘s one-year contract with the Spurs has a guaranteed base value of $10.46MM, with unlikely incentives that could push his total earnings as high as about $12.03MM, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. That structure allowed San Antonio to create the extra cap room necessary to accommodate Harrison Barnes‘ incoming salary while also putting Paul in position to earn more his initially reported salary of $11MM.
- Kelly Oubre, whose two-year, $16,365,150 contract is worth the Sixers‘ entire room exception (and features a player option), waived his right to veto a trade in 2024/25, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Kings center Alex Len gave up that right as well on his one-year, minimum-salary contract, Hoops Rumors has learned.
- As expected, the contracts signed by new Kings guard Jordan McLaughlin and new Pelicans center Daniel Theis are one-year deals worth the veteran’s minimum.
Bucks Sign Taurean Prince To One-Year Deal
JULY 9: The Bucks have officially signed Prince, according to a team press release.
JULY 3: Free agent forward Taurean Prince intends to sign a contract with the Bucks, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), it’s a one-year deal.
Milwaukee isn’t currently in position to offer more than the veteran’s minimum to any outside free agents due to its proximity to the second tax apron, so this figures to be a minimum-salary agreement.
Prince, 30, signed a one-year, $4.5MM contract with the Lakers last season and played a significant rotation role in Los Angeles — his 49 starts and 27.0 minutes per game represented his highest marks since the 2019/20 season. He appeared in 78 games overall, averaging 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per night, with a .396 3PT%.
While Prince was perhaps leaned on too heavily as a starter in L.A., he’s a solid three-and-D reserve who figures to play a regular role off the bench for the Bucks in 2024/25.
The move will reunite him with Darvin Ham, the former Lakers head coach who trusted him with those significant minutes last season. Ham, who was also an assistant in Atlanta from 2016-18 at the start of Prince’s career with the Hawks, is now part of Doc Rivers‘ coaching staff in Milwaukee.
A minimum-salary deal for Prince will pay him a salary of $2,988,550 and will count against the Bucks’ cap for $2,087,519.
Suns Notes: Durant, Okogie, Lowry, Morris, Kessler, Plumlee
Despite both Suns owner Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones shooting down the notion that the team is entertaining the idea of trading Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith advised viewers on draft day to “pay no attention” to what the Suns were saying publicly, suggesting that the franchise wanted to move the star forward.
Speaking to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, Durant didn’t name Smith specifically, but appeared to reference that comment in dismissing the trade rumors that keep popping up around him.
“You could just press the ‘KD wants to leave’ button anytime you want some attention,” Durant said. “Yes, it’s a button. What else is gonna get people going around this time? Besides, ‘Oh, the journeyman is leaving again.’ That story is always gonna hit.
“… For somebody to say, ‘Phoenix wants to get out of the KD (business),’ I’m sitting here like, where is this coming from?” he continued. “It bothers me that people lie like that and that the audience eats up the headline. I get sad when people buy into lies and just make up s–t. It’s bigger than ball at that point for me. I can’t control that. I feel for people. It’s a bad practice to have when you just believe anything, for one. Just believe what you see on TV. And then it’s another bad habit when you’re just lying.”
Durant will turn 36 this September and could be entering the final stage of his Hall of Fame career, but he told Goodwill that he’s not thinking about retirement yet and suggested he’d be comfortable transitioning into a lesser role during his twilight years as a player.
“I just love to play the game. If it’s a good situation, if I’m still enjoying the game of basketball, my goal is to play this (game) till the wheels fall off, for whatever role that is, so we’ll see,” Durant said.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Team USA head coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Tuesday that Durant, who missed his fourth consecutive with a calf strain, won’t play in Wednesday’s exhibition vs. Team Canada (Twitter link via Tim Bontemps of ESPN).
- The Suns continue to work on re-signing free agent wing Josh Okogie and remain engaged in talks with veteran guard Kyle Lowry, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter links). If Lowry ends up signing elsewhere – Bourguet suggests a return to the Sixers is in play – then Phoenix would be “more than comfortable” with Monte Morris in the backup point guard role, since he was one of the team’s top three offseason targets, says Bourguet.
- Responding to an inquiry about whether the Suns could trade for Walker Kessler, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 rejects the idea, tweeting that the Jazz have already declined offers from two separate teams that featured two first-round picks apiece for the young center.
- In a story for GoPHNX.com, Bourguet takes a closer look at what veteran big man Mason Plumlee will bring to the Suns, outlining why he’s a clear upgrade over Drew Eubanks at the five.
Raptors Sign Ulrich Chomche To Two-Way Deal
The Raptors have officially signed No. 57 overall pick Ulrich Chomche to a two-way contract, per the NBA’s transaction log.
According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link), Chomche’s deal will cover two years instead of just one, putting him on track to reach restricted free agency in 2026. Chomche was the youngest player in this year’s draft class (he won’t turn 19 until December 30), so his camp and the Raptors agreed to approach his development with a longer-term view, Murphy explains.
Chomche, who was born in Cameroon, was part of the NBA Academy Africa before playing in the Basketball Africa League in 2022 and 2023. The 6’11” center became the first player in league history to be selected in an NBA draft after playing in the BAL.
The Raptors reportedly sent the Timberwolves $1MM in cash to acquire the No. 57 pick in last month’s draft in order to nab Chomche. That deal ended up being expanded to include four teams.
Toronto has now filled all three of its two-way slots, with Chomche joining D.J. Carton and Branden Carlson. The club also has 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts. It’s unclear if the Raptors plan on making any more roster changes in the coming days, weeks, or months, or if this is essentially the group they’ll take into training camp (with camp invitees to fill out the 21-man squad).