Bulls Waive Javon Freeman-Liberty
The Bulls have waived guard Javon Freeman-Liberty, the team announced today (via Twitter). The move reduces Chicago’s roster count to 19 players.
Freeman-Liberty went pro earlier this year after declaring for the draft following his senior year at DePaul, forgoing his additional year of college eligibility. In 2021/22, he averaged 21.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 3.2 APG on .430/.368/.739 shooting in 24 games (34.9 MPG) for the Blue Demons.
Freeman-Liberty played for the Bulls’ Summer League team in Las Vegas, then appeared in the team’s second preseason game on Friday, scoring eight points in just six minutes of action.
Because Freeman-Liberty had been on an Exhibit 10 contract, he’ll be eligible for a $50K bonus if he signs a G League contract and spends at least 60 days with the Windy City Bulls, Chicago’s NBAGL affiliate.
Lakers Waive Bacon, McCoy; Sign Harrison, Figueroa
The Lakers have completed a series of roster moves, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived camp invitees Dwayne Bacon and Javante McCoy and filled those newly-opened spots by signing guards Shaquille Harrison and L.J. Figueroa.
McCoy had an Exhibit 10 clause in his contract and could end up joining the South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles’ G League affiliate. However, Bacon’s deal wasn’t an Exhibit 10, so he’ll likely seek out a new opportunity.
The details of Harrison’s and Figueroa’s contracts haven’t been reported, but they’re almost certainly non-guaranteed camp deals as well. Since South Bay previously acquired Figueroa’s returning rights from the Santa Cruz Warriors, he’s likely ticketed for the G League. It’s unclear what the team’s plans are for Harrison, who has appeared in 175 career NBA games, but saw action in just two last season while on a pair of 10-day contracts with Brooklyn.
The Lakers have the maximum allowable 20 players under contract, including 12 on guaranteed deals and two on two-ways. Of the six other players with non-guaranteed salaries, Austin Reaves and Wenyen Gabriel are viewed as the frontrunners to make the regular season roster.
Draymond Green To Spend Some Time Away From Warriors
Addressing the media on Saturday for the first time since punching Jordan Poole in a Wednesday practice, Warriors forward/center Draymond Green said he intends to step away from the team for a few days to get his mind right and to allow the club to heal, tweets Kendra Andrews of ESPN.
Green said he’s not sure exactly how long he’ll be away from the Warriors, adding that the team still has to decide whether or not he’ll be permitted to play in the regular season opener later this month.
“I expect to play,” Green said (Twitter link via Mark Medina of NBA.com). “But will I play? That is a completely different story and something we will figure out.“
Green, who already reportedly apologized privately to Poole and his teammates for the incident, reiterated that apology publicly during his session with reporters on Saturday. According to Green, he also apologized to his own family and to Poole’s family for the embarrassment that his actions caused (Twitter links via Mark Medina of NBA.com).
Referring to himself as a “flawed human being,” Green said he was in a bad mental space on Wednesday due to some issues in his personal life, but admitted that was no excuse and said he needs to do some work on himself. He declined to offer any additional details about why he escalated the altercation with Poole, explaining that doing so would be a “sympathy tactic” (Twitter links via Melissa Rohlin of FOX Sports).
Responding to rumors that his and Poole’s contract situations played a part in the altercation (both players are entering potential contract years and are extension-eligible), Green vehemently denied that, telling reporters it had “absolutely” nothing to do with contracts and insisting that he doesn’t “count other people’s pockets” (Twitter link via Medina).
According to Green, he has taken Poole under his wing since the guard arrived in Golden State in 2019 and the two teammates have had a good relationship, but he’s not sure where things stand now. While Green – who acknowledged that he’ll have to regain the trust of Poole and the rest of the Warriors – said he thinks his apology was accepted by the team, he’s unsure how Poole took it and wants to give him some space (Twitter links via Rohlin and Medina).
“Jordan’s feelings are most important. to be honest, I don’t know how he really feels,” Green said (Twitter links via Medina). “That’s not a bridge we really crossed yet, nor should it be a bridge we should cross yet.
“… I love Jordan Poole. That’s my guy. I will still ride for Jordan, still advocate for Jordan and do anything I can to make Jordan’s job easy.”
As for the fact that video of the punch surfaced two days after the practice in question, Green expressed displeasure about the leak, but conceded that he watched the video “15 times, maybe more,” and that it looks “even worse” than he thought (Twitter links via Medina and Andrews).
“What I did was wrong, regardless of the video leaking,” Green said.
Pacific Notes: C. Johnson, Payne, Kings, Schröder, Wall
The Suns will be without a pair of rotation players for the rest of the preseason, the team announced today (Twitter link via Kellan Olson of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM). Cameron Johnson is out with a right thumb sprain, while Cameron Payne is dealing with a right finger sprain. Both Johnson and Payne will be reevaluated in a week, per the Suns, so it’s unclear at this point whether they’ll be ready to for the start of the regular season.
Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific:
- Kevin Huerter is expected to be the Kings‘ starting shooting guard when the regular season tips off, but the starting power forward job remains up for grabs, head coach Mike Brown told reporters today (Twitter link via Sean Cunningham of FOX40 Sacramento). KZ Okpala and No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray appear to be the top contenders for that spot.
- According to Cunningham, the Kings aren’t expected to make any cuts until after their second preseason game on Sunday. The team has just 12 players on guaranteed contracts, with five veterans and rookie Chima Moneke in camp on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deals, vying for back-end roster spots.
- Dennis Schröder‘s arrival stateside has been delayed due to a visa issue, but he’s scheduled to fly from Germany to Los Angeles this weekend to report to the Lakers, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Head coach Darvin Ham previously stated that he doesn’t expect it to take long for Schröder to find his rhythm once he joins the team.
- John Wall is embracing the opportunity to play a secondary role alongside Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this season after years of being a go-to option in Washington, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. “Like I told (George) and Kawhi when I came here, my job is to make the game easier for them so when the fourth quarter comes around they’re not having to waste all that energy to make all the plays,” Wall said.
Warriors Notes: Green, Poole, Curry, Iguodala
Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers spoke earlier this year about being able to move past Draymond Green‘s on- and off-court missteps because of the “built-up equity” that Green and the Warriors have established in their relationship over the years, but that equity took a major hit this week, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who says Green has to earn back to the trust and respect of his teammates after punching Jordan Poole during a practice.
As Amick writes, the consensus within the Warriors’ organization is that Green’s decision to swing at Poole was “wildly unjustified.”
As the Warriors carefully deliberate their next steps with Green, the team is also taking “every legal course of action” to investigate how video of the incident was made public on Friday, per Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- The Warriors will face more intense scrutiny now that video of the altercation has leaked and Stephen Curry‘s leadership will be put to the ultimate test, Marcus Thompson II writes for The Athletic. Sources tell Thompson that Curry spoke to the team after Wednesday’s practice and has been in frequent communication with Myers and head coach Steve Kerr about how to handle the situation.
- The fact that Poole and Green are both entering contract years further complicates how the Warriors might move forward following this week’s incident. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report spoke to multiple scouts and executives to get a sense of how comfortable they’d be signing Poole and/or Green to contract extensions.
- It doesn’t sound like Andre Iguodala will see any action during the preseason, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who tweets that Golden State is slowly working the veteran wing back into game condition. It’s also doubtful Iguodala will play much early in the regular season, Slater adds, since the team wants to manage his usage to make sure he can contribute down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Blazers Waive Devontae Cacok, Wes Iwundu, Brandon Williams
The Trail Blazers have opened up three spots on their 20-man preseason roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived forward Devontae Cacok, swingman Wes Iwundu, and guard Brandon Williams.
Cacok and Iwundu had been on non-guaranteed training camp contracts, while Williams was on a two-way deal. Portland now has 17 players under contract — 14 on standard guaranteed deals and three on Exhibit 10 pacts. That means both of the Blazers’ two-way slots are now up for grabs.
Cacok, who will celebrate his 26th birthday on Saturday, has appeared in 36 total NBA games, including 15 for the Spurs last season. His contract included Exhibit 10 language, but since Portland doesn’t have a G League team, Cacok won’t have the option of reporting to the Blazers’ affiliate and earning a $50K bonus.
Iwundu, who had been vying for a spot on the Blazers’ 15-man roster, has played in 226 total NBA games, though he only appeared in three last season while on a 10-day contract with Atlanta.
Williams, whose two-year, two-way contract began last February, averaged 12.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 3.1 RPG in 24 games (26.7 MPG) for Portland down the stretch. He shot just 37.2% from the field, including 29.2% on threes.
All three players will clear waivers on Sunday, assuming they go unclaimed.
Northwest Notes: S. Johnson, Jazz, Murray, Blazers, Thunder
The Jazz are currently carrying 18 players on guaranteed contracts, with non-guaranteed camp invitee Cody Zeller also vying for a spot on the regular season roster, so Stanley Johnson – acquired from the Lakers in August’s Patrick Beverley trade – isn’t a lock to make the 15-man squad. However, head coach Will Hardy liked what Johnson provided to the team during its second preseason game on Tuesday, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News.
“Stanley really brought a lot of energy and toughness in particular on the defensive end tonight,” Hardy said after the game. “That’s his identity as a player, that’s how he can help our team, is by being somebody who has a massive impact on the defensive end… He’s really handled himself well, all throughout camp, not only with how he’s played, but how he’s interacted with his teammates, and I was really happy for him tonight.”
Assuming they don’t make any more trades before opening night, the Jazz will have to cut four players currently on standard contracts. Besides Johnson and Zeller, Saben Lee, Udoka Azubuike, and Leandro Bolmaro are among the other players whose roster spots may not be assured.
Here are a few more notes from around the Northwest:
- Given that even the NBA’s worst team only has a 14% shot at the No. 1 overall pick, Tony Jones of The Athletic argues that the Jazz shouldn’t deliberately tank for Victor Wembanyama and suggests that establishing “winning habits” will be a priority in Utah. Given the lack of elite talent on the roster, the Jazz should still finish in the lottery and will be in position to draft a solid prospect even if they don’t land Wembanyama.
- Speaking to Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report (video link), Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said he and the team had hoped he could return from his torn ACL in time for last season’s playoff series vs. Golden State, but he realized as he was ramping up to return that he still wasn’t mentally ready to play. “Six months later, I’m in a completely different space than I was before,” said Murray, who added that he’s glad he didn’t attempt to return last season.
- Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic takes a closer look at Mike Schmitz‘s decision to leave his job as an ESPN draft analyst for an assistant GM role with the Trail Blazers. According to Vorkunov, Schmitz’s responsibilities in Portland cover more than just the draft, as he’s also getting involved in work related to the salary cap, analytics, and more.
- The Trail Blazers and Thunder both finished in the lottery last season, and John Hollinger of The Athletic expects that to happen again in 2022/23, despite the moves Portland made to upgrade its roster. Hollinger projects the Blazers to finish at 36-46 and 11th in the Western Conference, while picking the Thunder to be the West’s worst team at 20-62.
18 Players Still Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions
It has already been a relatively busy offseason for rookie scale contract extensions. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson all signed five-year, maximum-salary extensions in July, and Spurs swingman Keldon Johnson, Knicks forward RJ Barrett, and Heat guard Tyler Herro have since inked their own deals below the max.
[RELATED: 2022/23 NBA Extension Tracker]
That’s six of 25 rookie scale extension candidates who already have new contracts in place for 2023/24 and beyond. A seventh 2019 first-rounder, guard Ty Jerome, was traded from Oklahoma City to Houston and was subsequently waived. That leaves 18 players still eligible to sign rookie scale extensions before this year’s deadline.
The deadline to sign a rookie scale extension in 2022 is October 17 – the day before the regular season tips off – at 5:00 pm CT. And even though several players from the 2019 draft class have already been extended, it’s a safe bet that more will follow. Last year, for instance, five players signed rookie scale extensions on deadline day.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the remaining extension-eligible players:
Top extension candidates
- Brandon Clarke (Grizzlies)
- De’Andre Hunter (Hawks)
- Cameron Johnson (Suns)
- Jordan Poole (Warriors)
- P.J. Washington (Hornets)
- Grant Williams (Celtics)
Every player in this group has shown enough to warrant a multiyear commitment and an eight-figure annual salary.
Poole and Williams played key roles for the two clubs that met in the NBA Finals in the spring, while Johnson did the same for a Suns team that came within two wins of a title in 2021.
Hunter and Washington have each made more than 130 career starts and displayed solid two-way value. Clarke has been a regular rotation piece for a Grizzlies squad that ranked second in the league in regular season wins last season.
Not all of these players will be extended by October 17, but I’d expect all six teams to at least attempt to negotiate extensions. Of the six, Poole has the best case to command a salary near the max (projected to be approximately $150MM across four years). Some other players in this group could get less than half that amount and still be doing well.
Wild cards
- Rui Hachimura (Wizards)
- Jaxson Hayes (Pelicans)
- Nassir Little (Trail Blazers)
- Kevin Porter Jr. (Rockets)
- Matisse Thybulle (Sixers)
- Coby White (Bulls)
It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see any of these six players sign an extension in the next 10 days, but there are some question marks to consider.
Have the Wizards seen enough from Hachimura, who has missed time in each of his three seasons due to injuries, to consider him a long-term piece?
Will the Blazers commit to Little based on what was essentially a seven-week run last season as a productive starter?
Are the Rockets confident that the character concerns that ended Porter’s stint in Cleveland are behind him?
Do the Sixers believe Thybulle’s defensive abilities make up for his offensive shortcomings?
Are Hayes and White high enough on the pecking order in New Orleans and Chicago, respectively, to warrant extensions?
Of these six, I view Little, Porter, and Thybulle as the most likely extension candidates.
Unlikely to be extended
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Jazz)
- Darius Bazley (Thunder)
- Goga Bitadze (Pacers)
- Romeo Langford (Spurs)
- Cam Reddish (Knicks)
- Dylan Windler (Cavaliers)
Alexander-Walker, Langford, and Reddish were all traded during the 2021/22 season and didn’t establish themselves as must-extend players during their short stints with their new teams.
Bazley isn’t a lock to make the Thunder’s regular season roster, let alone sign a long-term extension, and Bitadze and Windler have played limited roles since entering the NBA, so it doesn’t make sense to extend them unless they’re willing to accept a bargain-basement price.
It’s too early to say that these players won’t remain with their current teams beyond 2023/24, but they’ll likely have to prove their value on the court this season before they sign new contracts.
Celtics Notes: G. Williams, Udoka, Christian, Hauser
After Larry Nance Jr. agreed to a two-year, $21MM extension with New Orleans, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype talked to four NBA executives who expect Celtics forward Grant Williams to command in the range of $12-13MM per year on his own long-term deal.
However, speaking to Scotto on the HoopsHype podcast, Jared Weiss of The Athletic suggested that he wouldn’t accept less than $15MM annually on a rookie scale extension if he were Williams.
As Weiss observes, the fourth-year forward projects to have a significant role in the Celtics’ rotation with Danilo Gallinari likely out for the season, and – unlike Nance – Williams is still just 23 years old and has plenty of time to continue improving.
According to Scotto, Williams has dropped from about 280 pounds to 265, and seems poised to have a big year. If that’s the case, he could potentially exceed $15MM per year as a restricted free agent next summer should he forgo an extension before this year’s October 17 deadline.
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- On that same HoopsHype podcast, Scotto said he spoke to four executives about the Ime Udoka situation, and all four expressed skepticism that Udoka will ever coach the Celtics again.
- As the Celtics consider adding another assistant to fortify interim coach Joe Mazzulla‘s staff, one candidate to keep an eye on is Jarrell Christian, who coached the Maine Celtics last season, says Scotto. Christian has since been named Maine’s general manager, but that typically hasn’t been a full-time position, Weiss notes, with various members of the Celtics’ scouting department filling that role in past seasons.
- Even after a nightmarish September in Boston, John Hollinger of The Athletic is bullish on the Celtics’ chances of being one of the NBA’s best teams, projecting them to win 55 games and claim the No. 1 seed in the East. However, Hollinger believes the C’s will probably need a “peak” version of Robert Williams to make it back to the NBA Finals.
- While Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser may have a good-natured difference of opinions over which player is the better three-point shooter, Tatum praised his fellow forward and stressed Hauser’s importance after Wednesday’s game. “I tell him all the time: If people left me that wide open and all I had to do was catch-and-shoot, I would make a lot more shots as well. So I tell Sam he should send me a thank you card for being on the floor together,” Tatum joked after Hauser made 8-of-13 threes in his first two preseason appearances. “Sam is obviously a great shooter and his game has come a long way. I’m happy for him. I’m happy he’s getting these opportunities, and he’s obviously making the most out of it. We’re going to need him.”
Hornets Sign Xavier Sneed To Exhibit 10 Contract
The Hornets are signing veteran free agent forward Xavier Sneed to an Exhibit 10 contract, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
Sneed, 24, went undrafted out of Kansas State in 2020 and has since played a regular role for the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate. His solid play in the NBAGL earned him a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies last December and a two-way deal with Utah in February. Sneed appeared in nine games with the two teams last season at the NBA level, logging just 39 total minutes.
While Sneed’s two-way contract with the Jazz included a second season, Utah opted to waive him last month. Based on his new agreement with the Hornets, it seems likely that Sneed will head back to Greensboro as a returning rights player this season — his Exhibit 10 deal will put him in line for a bonus worth up to $50K on top of his G League salary if he spends at least 60 days with the Swarm.
As we noted earlier today, the Hornets have waived camp invitee Isaiah Whaley, so they have an open spot on their 20-man preseason roster for Sneed.