Sixers Sign Mac McClung To Two-Way Contract
2:50pm: The Sixers have officially signed McClung to a two-way contract and waived Champagnie, according to a press release from the team.
12:04pm: Mac McClung is getting a call-up from the G League to the NBA, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the Sixers are signing the 24-year-old guard to a two-way contract.
Philadelphia will waive current two-way player Julian Champagnie to create an opening for McClung, sources tell Charania (Twitter link).
Undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2021, McClung signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Bulls in his first professional season and then inked a two-way deal with the Lakers in April, appearing in one game with each club. He spent the majority of his rookie year in the G League with the South Bay Lakers – earning NBAGL Rookie of the Year honors – and has been playing for the Delaware Blue Coats in 2022/23.
In 18 regular season appearances for the Blue Coats this season, McClung has averaged 19.1 points and 4.7 assists in just 25.9 minutes per game, posting a shooting line of .579/.500/.844.
McClung was poised to become the first G League player to participate in the NBA’s dunk contest, but assuming the 76ers officially sign him this week, he’ll now have an NBA job when he competes in that event. He’ll have a busy weekend in Salt Lake City, since he’s poised to take part in the Rising Stars event and the G League’s Next Up game as well.
Champagnie, a rookie out of St. John’s, logged just seven total minutes in two games at the NBA level while on a two-way deal with Philadelphia. He has spent most of the season playing with McClung in Delaware, recording 14.3 PPG and 5.7 RPG on .419/.352/.875 shooting in 18 regular season games (28.7 MPG) for the Blue Coats.
Fischer’s Latest: Suns, Irving, VanVleet, Mavs, Nets, Bridges, Simmons
Before acquiring Kevin Durant from Brooklyn, the Suns also inquired about the possibility of trading for Kyrie Irving, and there were rumblings around the NBA about Phoenix trying to land the two Nets stars as a package, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. That’s similar to what Chris Haynes reported last week on an episode of his #thisleague UNCUT podcast.
Haynes cautioned not to dismiss the possibility of the Suns pursuing Irving in the offseason if things in Dallas don’t work out, and Fischer conveys a similar sentiment, writing that “a future reunification of Durant and Irving with the Suns will loom on the periphery of both Phoenix and Dallas’ stretch runs.”
Although Chris Paul still occupies the point guard spot in Phoenix, he’ll turn 38 this spring, so the Suns are already working on a potential succession plan. Phoenix was viewed prior to the trade deadline as a team that could be in on Fred VanVleet this summer if the Raptors point guard tests free agency, and Fischer expects the club to explore other contingency plans as well.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- The Mavericks‘ decision to gamble on Irving raised some eyebrows around the NBA, says Fischer. As he explains, sources close to the situation say that – despite some outside speculation about the franchise’s ceiling – Luka Doncic hadn’t begun to consider a future outside of Dallas this season. But if things go sideways with Kyrie, that could “escalate real concerns about Doncic’s timeline in Dallas,” Fischer writes.
- Even after trading Durant and Irving, the Nets believe they have enough talent to be a playoff team, and Fischer says the “smart money” would bet on them seeking win-now moves in the offseason rather than taking another step back. To that end, Brooklyn didn’t seriously entertain trade offers for Mikal Bridges despite serious interest from the Grizzlies, whose pursuit of Bridges began when he was still with the Suns.
- The Nets are widely expected to gauge the trade market for Ben Simmons this offseason, according to Fischer. However, the former Defensive Player of the Year runner-up will still have two years and $78MM+ left on his contract after this season.
Mavericks Release Chris Silva
The Mavericks have released Chris Silva, terminating his 10-day contract with the team several days before it would have expired, the club announced today in a press release.
The move had been anticipated, since the Mavericks reached an agreement to sign Justin Holiday once he clears waivers and Silva was occupying the 15th spot on Dallas’ standard roster. The Mavs play on Wednesday for the last time before the All-Star break and Holiday is on track to clear waivers that afternoon, so it’s possible he could join the team in time for that game.
Silva had been on his second 10-day contract with the Mavs, though he only appeared in a single game during his stint with the club. He’s now ineligible to sign another 10-day deal with Dallas for the rest of the season.
Before joining the Mavs, Silva had been playing for Atlanta’s G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks. The 26-year-old averaged 13.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game in 18 Showcase Cup appearances (26.0 MPG) for the Skyhawks.
Since the G League’s regular season began, Silva has recorded 14.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 0.9 BPG in 11 contests (22.4 MPG). If he doesn’t get another NBA offer right away, he’ll presumably report back to College Park.
Silva’s 10-day contract had been set to run through February 19. He’ll still receive his full 10-day salary ($109,318) even though the deal was terminated early.
Pelicans Notes: McCollum, Zion Injury, Deadline, Richardson
In his latest diary entry for Andscape, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum touches on several interesting topics, including Zion Williamson‘s rehab setback, the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations (McCollum, the NBPA president, says those talks are going in “the right direction”), and his own health.
As McCollum explains, he has been battling a right thumb injury that has affected his ability to dribble, shoot, and catch passes. With the All-Star break around the corner, the veteran guard is somewhat relieved that he won’t be part of the festivities in Salt Lake City and will get a week to rest the injury.
“I was talking to (All-Star center Domantas) Sabonis, as we both are playing with thumb injuries,” McCollum wrote. “I’ve been playing with a splint for a few weeks now, and he actually fractured his thumb completely. So, I was looking at his thumb, he’s looking at mine. At least I get a week off. Yeah, I need a week off instead of going to go play in the All-Star Game.
“I don’t think that I’ll need surgery after the season, fingers crossed. I’ll get another image in two weeks, I believe. As of right now, I’m not under the impression that I’ll need surgery when the season’s over.”
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- William Guillory of The Athletic takes a look at seven key questions related to the latest news on Williamson, who is expected to be out for several more weeks as he recovers from his right hamstring injury. Guillory believes Williamson’s extended recovery timeline probably affected the Pelicans’ aggressiveness at the trade deadline, though he’s skeptical that the club would have been willing to offer the pieces necessary to land an impact player like OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges even if Zion were due back soon.
- The Pelicans’ approach to the trade deadline made it clear that the team isn’t quite ready to go “all in” yet, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The belief is that New Orleans will be willing to surrender first-round picks and go into the tax when the time is right, but the club gave up only second-round picks and shed some 2023/24 salary at last week’s deadline.
- The Pelicans’ lone deadline addition, Josh Richardson, made his debut in Oklahoma City on Monday and head coach Willie Green liked what he saw from the veteran swingman, who had a season-high five steals. “J-Rich was good,” Green said, according to Clark. “You could see his veteran savviness on the floor. Makes great decisions defensively. I thought he changed the game with steal after steal. That’s a part of what we wanted when we acquired him.”
Thunder Notes: Saric, Deadline Deals, Omoruyi, Sarr
Although he’s still just 28 years old, Dario Saric suddenly finds himself in the position of being his team’s oldest player following a trade from Phoenix to Oklahoma City last Thursday. Saric, who referred to the Thunder as a “high-level organization,” doesn’t sound like someone who will pursue a buyout from his new club, suggesting on Monday that he’s looking forward to taking on the role of veteran mentor in OKC.
“You’re always surprised,” Saric said of the trade, per Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “That’s kind of how things go. At the end of the day, happy to be here. Happy to be part of this organization, a part of this group of young, talented guys who have a lot of years in front of them to play basketball.”
Asked about the role he anticipates playing with the Thunder, Saric said he doesn’t have any real expectations and is happy to play things by ear.
“I think I will go with the flow,” he said. “We’re gonna figure out everything, how the games go. I’m here open-minded, and coach (Mark Daigneault) says he’s open-minded.”
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is looking forward to seeing what Saric brings to the Thunder, but admitted it was tough to say goodbye to Darius Bazley and Mike Muscala at the trade deadline. Gilgeous-Alexander referred to the club’s locker room as “close-knit” and added that Bazley is “like a brother” to him. Daigneault, meanwhile, said he hopes Bazley and Muscala thrive with their new teams, Mussatto writes for The Oklahoman. “We want those guys to move on and continue to have success and contribute to the teams that they’re on,” the head coach said. “I think that would be a good reflection on the program.”
- Eugene Omoruyi‘s new contract with the Thunder is a two-year, minimum-salary deal that isn’t guaranteed beyond this season, Hoops Rumors has learned. Oklahoma City will hold a non-guaranteed $1,927,896 team option on Omoruyi for the 2023/24 season following his promotion from a two-way contract last week.
- As for Olivier Sarr‘s two-way deal, it only covers the rest of this season, Hoops Rumors has learned. Players who sign two-way contracts during the second half often agree to add a second year, but that’s not the case for Sarr, who will be eligible this summer for restricted free agency.
Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard Headline 3-Point Contest Field
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton will participate in this weekend’s 3-point contest in addition to the All-Star Game, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The eight-man field will be filled out by four non-All-Stars, according to Charania: Lillard’s Blazers teammate Anfernee Simons, Haliburton’s Pacers teammate Buddy Hield, Heat guard Tyler Herro, and Kings wing Kevin Huerter.
Some of those names had been previously reported, but Charania is the first to reveal all eight participants.
The eight-man field includes just one player who has previously won the event. Hield was the 3-point champion back in 2020 when he was still a member of the Kings. He also has the highest 3PT% of any of this season’s participants at 42.3% — that ranks 11th in the NBA among qualified players in 2022/23, so none of the league’s top 10 shooters are participating.
Last year’s winner, Karl-Anthony Towns, remains sidelined for the Timberwolves due to a calf strain, so he won’t get the chance to defend his title.
Markkanen will be the hometown favorite, with the event scheduled to take place this coming Saturday in Salt Lake City.
Suns Notes: Durant, Warren, Payne, Shamet, Crowder, Wainright, Ayton
The Suns have confirmed that Kevin Durant, who is still recovering from an MCL sprain, won’t play until after the All-Star break, but the star forward “looked great” in his first practice with the team on Monday, teammate T.J. Warren said, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Durant, who wasn’t wearing a brace on his injured knee, played some 1-on-1 with assistant coach Jarrett Jack, Rankin writes.
Warren, who was sent from Brooklyn to Phoenix along with Durant, said it was a “surreal feeling” to return to the place where he spent the first five years of his career and to have a chance to play alongside superstars and contend for a title (Twitter video link via PHNX Sports).
During Warren’s first five seasons in Phoenix from 2014-19, the club posted a dismal 126-284 (.307) record. This time around, the Suns are the betting favorites to make it out of the West and play in the NBA Finals.
Warren and fellow Suns newcomer Darius Bazley aren’t on the injury report for Tuesday’s game vs. Sacramento, so they should be available to make their debuts for the team, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Suns guards Cameron Payne and Landry Shamet, who are both dealing with foot injuries, will remain sidelined through the All-Star break and will be reevaluated next week, tweets Rankin. Payne hasn’t played since January 4 due to a right foot sprain, while Shamet has been out since Jan. 16 as a result of right foot soreness.
- Now a member of the Bucks, Jae Crowder declined to take any parting shots at the Suns when asked about the situation that led to him sitting out the first several months of the season. “Obviously I’ve been working with these guys for a trade partner for months now. I think, give or take, they did exactly what they said they were gonna do. Took longer than what we all expected, but it got done,” Crowder said (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic). “… I’m thankful for the organization embracing me the past two years — we had a great run and we did some great things in Phoenix and we turned their culture around. So I’m happy for those guys. I wish them luck moving forward.”
- Suns two-way player Ish Wainright can only be active for two more games before he reaches his limit for the season, tweets Bourguet. Given that Phoenix plays twice before the All-Star break and then is off for eight days, the club will likely have Wainright active for both of this week’s contests and then use the time off to decide whether to promote him to a standard contract, Bourguet observes. The Suns currently have two openings on their 15-man roster, though Terrence Ross is expected to fill one of them.
- Deandre Ayton remained with the Suns through the trade deadline, then faced the Pacers on Friday, seven months after signing an offer sheet with Indiana that Phoenix quickly matched. Despite some speculation during the last year about whether Ayton really wanted to be with the Suns, he said he wasn’t thinking last week about what could have been, Rankin writes for The Arizona Republic. “I enjoyed playing against (Indiana) and being out there, but I’m happy with my Suns, though,” Ayton said. “Forget that. That’s behind me. I’m happy I’m with my Suns.”
2023 NBA Buyout Market Watch
The 2023 NBA trade deadline is behind us, but that doesn’t mean teams are finished making roster moves. With nearly two months left in the 2022/23 regular season, there are still many roster spots to be filled around the NBA, as well as veterans who might not finish the year with their current teams.
The NBA’s buyout market has been active since the trade deadline and could feature several more moves in the coming days and weeks.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Buyouts]
A veteran in an undesirable situation due to his playing time or his team’s place in the standings (or both) could ask to be released and may even be willing to give back a little money to accommodate the move. Some teams might make that decision unilaterally, opting to release a veteran to open up a roster spot for a younger player.
Over the rest of the month, we’ll use the space below to monitor the buyout market, keeping tabs on which veteran players have been bought out or released, and which have found new teams. We’ll also keep an eye on players who are potential buyout candidates. The list will be updated daily.
A player on an NBA contract must be waived by the end of the day on March 1 in order to retain his playoff eligibility, so that will be a key date to watch.
Here’s our breakdown of the 2023 NBA buyout market:
Last updated 3-10-23 (12:58pm CT)
Veterans who have been recently bought out or released and are free agents:
- Juancho Hernangomez, F
- Serge Ibaka, C
- Justin Jackson, F
- Stanley Johnson, F
- John Wall, G
Not every player who has been cut since the trade deadline will be mentioned here. This list is essentially just made up of players with at least a few years of NBA experience who could be of immediate interest to teams in the playoff mix.
For instance, Terry Taylor was among the players cut by the Pacers at the trade deadline, but he’s a 23-year-old with 59 NBA appearances on his résumé. He doesn’t fit the profile of a traditional buyout market pickup for a contending team, and players like him won’t be listed here for that reason.
Veterans who have been bought out or released and joined new teams:
- Dewayne Dedmon, C: Waived by Spurs; signed with Sixers.
- Reggie Jackson, G: Bought out by Hornets; signed with Nuggets.
- Danny Green, G: Bought out by Rockets; signed with Cavaliers.
- Terrence Ross, G/F: Bought out by Magic; signed with Suns.
- Justin Holiday, G/F: Bought out by Rockets; signed with Mavericks.
- Kevin Love, F: Bought out by Cavaliers; signed with Heat.
- Patrick Beverley: Bought out by Magic; signed with Bulls.
- Russell Westbrook, G: Bought out by Jazz; signed with Clippers.
- Will Barton, G: Bought out by Wizards; signed with Raptors.
- Leandro Bolmaro, G: Bought out by Jazz; signed in Spain.
- Goran Dragic, G: Waived by Bulls; signed with Bucks.
- Nerlens Noel, C: Bought out by Pistons; signed 10-day deal with Nets.
Again, we’re focusing here on players who fit the traditional buyout market profile.
The Magic signed center Goga Bitadze after he was waived by the Pacers, but Orlando is a lottery-bound team taking a flier on a young player, not a playoff contender looking for win-now help. That’s why Bitadze and any similar players aren’t listed here.
The one exception is Bolmaro, who is listed here because he gave up some money in a buyout agreement with the Jazz. He was never a player who was likely to be targeted by a contender, but since he technically did complete a buyout (instead of just being waived), we don’t want to leave him out of our buyout market recap.
Other veterans who are candidates to be bought out or released:
- Frank Kaminsky, Rockets
- Alex Len, Kings
- Derrick Rose, Knicks
We had viewed these players as possible buyout candidates, with some more realistic than others. However, they all made it through the March 1 playoff eligibility waiver deadline without being cut, so they appear likely to finish the season with their respective clubs.
Hornets’ Reggie Jackson, Rockets’ John Wall Officially Waived
Veteran guards Reggie Jackson and John Wall were among several players who were officially waived on Sunday, according to press releases from their respective teams. The Hornets cut Jackson, while the Rockets let go of Wall.
Both players had spent most of the season with the Clippers, who completed a series of deadline deals on Thursday. Jackson was sent from Los Angeles to Charlotte in trade for Mason Plumlee, while Wall was moved to Houston in a deal for Eric Gordon.
Since they were both essentially just salary-matching pieces in those trades, Jackson and Wall were widely expected to be waived. Jackson was said to be negotiating a buyout with the Hornets, while Rockets general manager Rafael Stone confirmed in his post-deadline presser than Houston would simply release Wall, whose last stint with the team didn’t end well.
Jackson is reportedly on track to sign with the Nuggets once he clears waivers; Wall doesn’t yet have his next NBA home lined up, as far as we know.
Jackson and Wall were among several veterans who were officially cut on Sunday. The Rockets also waived Danny Green, while the Magic parted ways with Patrick Beverley and Terrence Ross and San Antonio released Stanley Johnson.
Magic, Terrence Ross Finalize Buyout Agreement
FEBRUARY 12: Ross has officially been released by Orlando, the team has revealed in a press release (via Twitter). He’ll reportedly sign with the Suns upon clearing waivers.
11:06am: The Magic and veteran swingman Terrence Ross are finalizing a buyout agreement that will put him on track for free agency, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Ross, 32, has been with the Magic since being traded from Toronto to Orlando at the 2017 deadline.
He averaged 14.4 points in 27.2 minutes per game in 220 contests during his first four full seasons with the team, but has seen his role cut back in the last two seasons as the Magic have gone through a rebuilding process. He has averaged just 9.2 PPG in 22.8 MPG across 105 appearances since the start of last season.
Ross has been viewed as a trade candidate since Orlando’s 2021 fire sale that saw Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier all dealt. However, he stuck around for an extra two years beyond that, as the Magic never got the sort of offer they sought for the veteran shooter, who has made 36.2% of his 3,500 career three-point attempts.
Given that Ross is on an expiring contract and suggested last spring he’d welcome a change of scenery, it comes as no surprise that he’s seeking his exit from Orlando after staying put through the trade deadline.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who first reported that Ross was a buyout candidate, says the Mavericks and Suns are two potential suitors to keep an eye on. Marc Stein (Twitter link) has also heard word of Dallas’ interest in the veteran wing.