Bucks Sign, Waive Alex Antetokounmpo
The Bucks waived forward Alex Antetokounmpo on Saturday shortly after signing him to a contract, according to the official transaction log at NBA.com.
Antetokounmpo, the brother of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, went undrafted in 2021 and spent last season coming off the bench and playing limited minutes for the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate. He previously played for UCAM Murcia in Spain during the 2020/21 season.
Only Antetokounmpo’s release – not his signing – shows up on NBA.com’s transaction log, which strongly suggests he received an Exhibit 10 contract, since Exhibit 10 signings aren’t listed on NBA.com’s log. An Exhibit 10 deal would make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he spends at least 60 days with the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ G League affiliate.
Because Antetokounmpo played for the Raptors 905 last season, they would typically hold his returning rights, but they traded those rights to the Herd in July, paving the way for the 21-year-old to play in Wisconsin in 2022/23.
Antetokounmpo is the second player to be signed and quickly waived by the Bucks in the last week, as they begin lining up players for the Herd’s roster. Rob Edwards was the other one.
Nets Sign, Waive Marcus Zegarowski
The Nets signed former second-round pick Marcus Zegarowski to a contract on Friday and waived him on Saturday, according to NBA.com’s official transactions log.
The No. 49 overall pick of the 2021 draft, Zegarowski signed a G League deal last offseason and spent his first professional season playing for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate. The 6’1″ guard, a former Creighton standout, averaged 11.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 2.4 APG with an underwhelming .351/.331/.650 shooting line in 21 total NBAGL appearances between the regular season and the Showcase Cup.
Brooklyn still held Zegarowski’s NBA rights entering the 2022/23 league year, but the decision to sign and waive him is an indication that he’s no longer in the team’s plans. If and when he clears waivers on Monday, he’ll be free to sign with any other NBA club.
The terms of the contract Zegarowski signed aren’t known, but it wasn’t an Exhibit 10 deal, since they don’t show up in NBA.com’s log. It was presumably a non-guaranteed contract, with the lack of an Exhibit 10 clause signaling that the Nets probably don’t plan on having him back in Long Island in 2022/23.
As NetsDaily tweets, the sign-and-waive maneuver was likely a procedural move freeing up the 24-year-old to seek an opportunity elsewhere.
Eight NBA Teams Have Open Two-Way Contract Slots
As of Friday evening, 52 of the NBA’s 60 two-way contract slots are filled. Given how flexible those two-way slots are, it’s possible – and, in fact, very likely – that not all 52 of those players will still be under contract when the regular season begins in a month. But for now, there are just eight two-way spots up for grabs around the league.
[RELATED: 2022/23 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker]
A team with a two-way opening doesn’t necessarily need to decide how it will fill that spot before training camps begin in 10 days. Some of those clubs may decide to bring a handful of players to camp on Exhibit 10 contracts and then let those players compete for a two-way deal, since Exhibit 10s can be converted into two-ways before opening night.
Listed below are the eight teams that still have open two-way slots, along with some potential candidates to fill those openings.
Charlotte Hornets
With second-round pick Bryce McGowens occupying one two-way slot, the Hornets have no obvious candidate to fill the other, so it’s possible the team will hold a preseason competition. Currently, Jalen Crutcher, Jaylen Sims, Anthony Duruji, and Isaiah Whaley are signed to Exhibit 10 contracts, and all are eligible to have those contracts converted into two-way deals.
Dallas Mavericks
With their first two-way slot, the Mavericks signed Tyler Dorsey, who has high-level international experience and could earn a rotation role in Dallas this season. We’ll see if the team wants to use its second slot on another player who could contribute right away or if that spot will go to someone who is more of a developmental project.
McKinley Wright IV, Mouhamadou Gueye, and Tyler Hall are signed to Exhibit 10 deals and Marcus Bingham will reportedly receive one as well. All could be two-way candidates.
Houston Rockets
Bruno Fernando is the only Rocket who currently has an Exhibit 10 contract, and he remains eligible for a two-way deal. However, Houston has some roster cutdowns to make, which could open up opportunities for other camp invitees to emerge as two-way contenders. For now, undrafted rookie Trevor Hudgins is the club’s lone two-way player.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers were the last team to sign a player to a two-way contract this offseason, completing a deal with Kendall Brown on Friday. With Brown holding one two-way slot, the other remains open.
Deividas Sirvydis, Gabe York, Bennie Boatwright, and David Stockton are the two-way candidates currently on the roster, but the team has also reportedly agreed to Exhibit 10 contracts with Tevin Brown, Eli Brooks, Fanbo Zeng, and Jermaine Samuels, so there will be no shortage of options.
Los Angeles Clippers
Moses Brown, who has 92 career regular season appearances under his belt and could provide much-needed frontcourt depth, is the most intriguing two-way candidate on the roster at the moment, but he’s hardly the only one. Like Brown, Xavier Moon and Keaton Wallace also have Exhibit 10 deals, while Justin Bean, Lucas Williamson, and Michael Devoe will reportedly receive them too.
For the time being, second-rounder Moussa Diabate is Los Angeles’ only two-way player.
Portland Trail Blazers
Given that the Trail Blazers don’t have a G League affiliate, it’s hard to see why they’d sign four players to Exhibit 10 contracts unless they want to have the option to convert one or more into a two-way deal. None of those four players – Jared Rhoden, Isaiah Miller, Devontae Cacok, and Olivier Sarr – has more than three years of NBA experience, meaning all of them are two-way eligible.
Portland’s lone current two-way player, Brandon Williams, is a holdover from last season, so his roster spot may not be as secure as a player who has signed a two-way deal since the offseason began.
Utah Jazz
Like Williams in Portland, Xavier Sneed was in the second year of his two-way contract before he was waived on Friday. The move leaves Johnny Juzang as the only two-way player on the Jazz’s roster.
Utah has a roster logjam to clear and could still make a trade or two before the regular season begins, so it’s too soon to name an obvious candidate to take Sneed’s spot. However, the team has reportedly agreed to sign Kofi Cockburn, Darryl Morsell, and Jeenathan Williams to Exhibit 10 contracts.
Washington Wizards
Jordan Schakel is in the second year of his two-way deal, so he may have to prove this preseason that he deserves to make the 17-man roster. Makur Maker, Quenton Jackson, Davion Mintz, and Jordan Goodwin are all on Exhibit 10 contracts in D.C. and could be in the two-way mix. Second-rounder Yannick Nzosa is also unsigned, but is expected to spend the 2022/23 season in the Spanish League.
Gary Payton II Underwent Core Muscle Procedure, Expected To Be Ready For Season
New Trail Blazers guard Gary Payton II underwent a procedure this offseason to address a core muscle injury, the team announced today in a press release. According to the Blazers, the procedure – which was performed at The Vincera Institute in Philadelphia – took place in July.
Payton’s rehab is “progressing well,” the Blazers said in today’s announcement, adding that the 29-year-old is expected to be fully recovered by the start of the regular season. It’s unclear whether or not he’ll be able to participate fully in basketball activities and scrimmages when training camp begins this month.
After winning a title with the Warriors in 2021/22, Payton signed a three-year, $26.15MM deal with Portland this summer. He’s coming off the best season of his NBA career — he averaged 7.1 PPG in just 17.6 MPG and shot an impressive 61.6% from the floor in addition to handling the most challenging perimeter assignments on defense.
Payton won’t be the only Blazer returning this fall from a core muscle issue. Damian Lillard‘s 2021/22 season ended early after he had surgery to address a lingering abdominal injury and Nassir Little underwent a similar procedure in May.
Jazz Waive Xavier Sneed, Paris Bass
The Jazz have officially waived forwards Xavier Sneed and Paris Bass, the team announced today in a press release. Utah now has 18 players under contract — 17 on guaranteed standard deals and one on a two-way pact.
Sneed, 24, signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Jazz in February and appeared in seven games with the team down the stretch, logging a total of 31 minutes. The former Kansas State standout also saw a little action in two contests with the Grizzlies earlier in the season after signing a 10-day deal with Memphis.
Bass, meanwhile, has spent most of his professional career playing in international leagues after going undrafted out of Detroit Mercy in 2017. He made his NBA debut last season, appearing in two games for the Suns over the course of two 10-day contracts.
Bass had been on an Exhibit 10 contract with Utah and may end up joining the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s G League affiliate.
Robert Sarver Notes: PayPal, City Of Phoenix, Silver
PayPal, whose logo is featured on the Suns‘ uniforms as part of the NBA’s jersey sponsorship program, issued a statement on Friday announcing that the company won’t continue its agreement with the franchise beyond the 2022/23 season as long as owner Robert Sarver remains involved with the team.
[RELATED: Suns’ Robert Sarver Fined $10MM, Suspended One Year]
“We have reviewed the report of the NBA league’s independent investigation into Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver and have found his conduct unacceptable and in conflict with our values,” PayPal CEO and president Dan Schulman said in a statement. “PayPal’s sponsorship with the Suns is set to expire at the end of the current season. In light of the findings of the NBA’s investigation, we will not renew our sponsorship should Robert Sarver remain involved with the Suns organization, after serving his suspension.”
PayPal’s announcement comes on the heels of Jahm Najafi, one of the Suns’ vice chairmen and minority stakeholders, calling for Sarver’s resignation.
As Baxter Holmes of ESPN relays (via Twitter), Phoenix mayor Kate Gallego and some city council members also put out a statement announcing that staffers will open an investigation into the situation to see if there’s any actions that city leaders can take in response to the report on Sarver’s misconduct.
Here’s more on the Sarver saga:
- While many league sources who spoke to Howard Beck of SI.com this week expressed frustration over Sarver’s relatively light punishment and commissioner Adam Silver‘s subsequent explanation, it’s possible the one-year suspension and $10MM fine won’t be the “final word,” Beck writes. As Beck observes, if NBA players, the public, and corporate sponsors continue to put pressure on the league to take stronger action, it’s possible the Suns’ minority owners and/or the other 29 team owners will in turn put pressure on Sarver to sell the team.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic views Silver’s Wednesday press conference as the lowlight of his tenure as commissioner, suggesting that Silver seemed unprepared for some of the tougher questions he faced and that his performance “had the impact of pouring gasoline on a brush fire.” However, Hollinger believes that Silver could salvage the situation by spending Sarver’s one-year suspension working behind the scenes to try to get the Suns owner to sell.
- Although Silver can’t force Sarver to sell his team, he could’ve imposed a suspension longer than one year on the Suns owner, Beck observes. It’s possible the NBA was wary of a potential lawsuit if it had handed Sarver a multiyear ban, Beck adds.
2022/23 NBA Over/Unders: Northwest Division
The 2022/23 NBA regular season will tip off next month, so we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.
With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites – including Bovada, BetOnline, and Betway – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
In 2021/22, our voters went 16-14 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’22/23?
We’ll wrap up our series today with the Northwest division…
Denver Nuggets
- 2021/22 record: 48-34
- Over/under for 2022/23: 51.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Nuggets win in 2022/23?
-
Over 51.5 58% (275)
-
Under 51.5 42% (198)
Total votes: 473
Minnesota Timberwolves
- 2021/22 record: 46-36
- Over/under for 2022/23: 49.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Timberwolves win in 2022/23?
-
Over 49.5 65% (355)
-
Under 49.5 35% (194)
Total votes: 549
Portland Trail Blazers
- 2021/22 record: 27-55
- Over/under for 2022/23: 40.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Trail Blazers win in 2022/23?
-
Under 40.5 57% (281)
-
Over 40.5 43% (212)
Total votes: 493
Utah Jazz
- 2021/22 record: 49-33
- Over/under for 2022/23: 25.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Talen Horton-Tucker, Ochai Agbaji, Walker Kessler, Stanley Johnson, Simone Fontecchio, Leandro Bolmaro
- Note: The Jazz are carrying 17 players with guaranteed salaries, so it’s possible not all of these players will make the regular season roster.
- Lost: Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Royce O’Neale, Danuel House, Hassan Whiteside, Juancho Hernangomez, Eric Paschall, Trent Forrest
- Added: Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Talen Horton-Tucker, Ochai Agbaji, Walker Kessler, Stanley Johnson, Simone Fontecchio, Leandro Bolmaro
How many games will the Jazz win in 2022/23?
-
Under 25.5 65% (326)
-
Over 25.5 35% (172)
Total votes: 498
Oklahoma City Thunder
- 2021/22 record: 24-58
- Over/under for 2022/23: 22.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Ousmane Dieng, Jaylin Williams
- Note: Holmgren will miss the 2022/23 season due to a right foot injury.
- Lost: Isaiah Roby
- Note: The Thunder are carrying 18 players with fully or partially guaranteed salaries, so they’ll likely part with three more players from last season’s roster.
- Added: Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Ousmane Dieng, Jaylin Williams
How many games will the Thunder win in 2022/23?
-
Over 22.5 54% (246)
-
Under 22.5 46% (208)
Total votes: 454
Previous voting results:
- Boston Celtics (55.5 wins): Under (56.1%)
- Brooklyn Nets (51.5 wins): Under (64.5%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (50.5 wins): Over (76.1%)
- Toronto Raptors (46.5 wins): Over (65.7%)
- New York Knicks (40.5 wins): Under (63.0%)
- Milwaukee Bucks (52.5 wins): Over (75.5%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (47.5 wins): Over (73.4%)
- Chicago Bulls (44.5 wins): Over (51.6%)
- Detroit Pistons (28.5 wins): Over (51.6%)
- Indiana Pacers (23.5 wins): Under (62.8%)
- Miami Heat (50.5 wins): Under (56.6%)
- Atlanta Hawks (46.5 wins): Over (53.6%)
- Charlotte Hornets (36.5 wins): Under (63.0%)
- Washington Wizards (35.5 wins): Under (50.8%)
- Orlando Magic (26.5 wins): Over (55.3%)
- Golden State Warriors (53.5 wins): Over (69.2%)
- Phoenix Suns (53.5 wins): Over (60.2%)
- Los Angeles Clippers (52.5 wins): Over (58.0%)
- Los Angeles Lakers (45.5 wins): Under (66.6%)
- Sacramento Kings (34.5 wins): Over (62.0%)
- Memphis Grizzlies (49.5 wins): Over (68.7%)
- Dallas Mavericks (48.5 wins): Over (63.7%)
- New Orleans Pelicans (44.5 wins): Over (61.2%)
- Houston Rockets (24.5 wins): Under (61.8%)
- San Antonio Spurs (23.5 wins): Under (67.5%)
Pacers Sign Kendall Brown, James Johnson, Three Others
The Pacers have officially announced a series of signings, confirming in a press release that they’ve signed second-round pick Kendall Brown to a two-way contract. Additionally, forwards James Johnson and Bennie Boatwright and guards David Stockton and Gabe York have signed with the club.
Brown, a 6’8″ forward who was selected with the No. 48 overall pick in this year’s draft, was one of the only remaining unsigned players in the 2022 class, besides those who will spend the 2022/23 overseas. The 19-year-old spent his first and only college season at Baylor in 2021/22, averaging 9.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.9 APG on .584/.341/.689 shooting in 34 games (27.0 MPG) for the Bears.
The Pacers were the NBA’s only team that had yet to fill one of its two-way contract slots, so even after signing Brown, the club has another two-way opening available.
Of the four veteran free agents to sign with Indiana, Johnson is the most notable. The 35-year-old spent most of last season in Brooklyn, registering 5.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.1 APG in 62 appearances (19.2 MPG) for the Nets. A 13-year NBA veteran, Johnson has a somewhat limited offensive game, but is considered a versatile, athletic defender. He was waived by the Nets just days before the regular season ended and should have an opportunity to make the Pacers’ regular season roster.
Boatwright and York played for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants – the Pacers’ G League affiliate – last season and look like good candidates to return to Fort Wayne in 2022/23. Stockton played in the G League last season for the Memphis Hustle, but his rights were acquired by the Mad Ants last month, so he’s also a good bet to play in Fort Wayne this season.
The Pacers now have a full 20-man roster. Assuming Johnson, Boatwright, York, and Stockton didn’t receive guaranteed contracts, the team has 13 players on fully guaranteed salaries, six on non-guaranteed deals, and Brown on a two-way pact. We can probably expect more roster turnover in Indiana in the coming weeks, since the club has reportedly reached Exhibit 10 agreements with several other players.
Warriors’ Myers Talks Roster, Payroll, Iguodala, Wiseman, More
Appearing on The TK Show with The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers said he expects to open the 2022/23 season with just 14 players under contract, leaving one opening on the team’s 15-man roster. However, he left the door open for that to change.
“I think we’d like to stay at 14, barring somebody that just snatches it,” Myers said. “But we said the same thing last year. If you would’ve been doing this podcast with me last year at the same time, I would’ve said the same thing. And (Gary) Payton (II) came along and took that job and put us in a spot where he kind of forced our hand to add him to the roster. If somebody does that (we’d keep them) — you know (team owner) Joe (Lacob) as good as I do, he wants to win. But I don’t see that. I actually hope it doesn’t happen because it’s just another big chunk on top of a pretty big payroll.”
Addressing the Warriors’ record-setting payroll, Myers acknowledged that there are “constraints,” but he said he has never been given a specific line that he can’t cross and that those financial decisions are made on a situational basis.
Golden State’s long-term cap outlook will play a role in the team’s ability to lock up Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green, all of whom can reach free agency in 2023. Myers told Kawakami that he hopes the franchise can find a way to retain all three players long-term.
“We’ve had conversations with all three players (and) their representatives. I’m not going to get into the likelihood or not of any of them getting done, but we know how important they are. I don’t know that we win a championship last year if you take any of them away,” Myers said. “… Too early for me to say what will happen or won’t happen, but the goal is to keep those guys, all three of them, as long as we can. But again, there’s a financial component.”
Here’s more from the Warriors’ top basketball executive:
- The Warriors expect a decision from Andre Iguodala soon and are hoping that he decides to return to the team for at least one more year. “He’s one of the few people in the world who can look (Stephen) Curry or Draymond or Klay (Thompson) in the eye and meet them at their level, but also grab a Jordan Poole or (James) Wiseman or (Jonathan) Kuminga and speak to them and encourage them,” Myers told Kawakami. “There’s no one else in the league that can do that for our team. And we think he can still play and help us in certain spots. So we really want him back. This isn’t like a charity thing. It’s not, ‘Oh, you know, we can’t not say yes to Andre because he’s won championships.’ We have pursued him more than he has pursued us.”
- Myers acknowledged that the Warriors could use one more ball-handler, but suggested the team may not address that need right away. “If you’re talking about just a point guard, that player probably only plays if Curry or Poole is out. So you’re talking about 12 minutes if one of them is out,” Myers said, noting that the team could use a two-way slot to sign that sort of player. “… That also may be a situation where if (an injury) does happen and we need to add, we would add on the fly rather than rostering somebody right away. … That’s where the latitude of the 15th spot may be good too, to see how things break, and if we need a guard, we can add one as we go.”
- Myers expects rookies Patrick Baldwin Jr. (ankle) and Ryan Rollins (foot) to be ready to go for training camp. “Patrick’s been playing pick-up for the last few weeks and Ryan’s just about to start,” he told Kawakami.
- Barring another injury this fall, there’s “no reason to think” the Warriors won’t exercise Wiseman’s fourth-year rookie scale option for 2023/24 by next month’s deadline, according to Myers. That option would pay the former No. 2 overall pick approximately $12.1MM.
Knicks Notes: Griffin, Aldridge, Carmelo, Howard, More
The Knicks still have two projected openings on their 15-man regular season roster, and several former All-Stars who have experience playing in New York are still available on the free agent market. Former Nets big men Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge and ex-Knicks star Carmelo Anthony are among the notable names who remain unsigned.
However, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, the Knicks don’t currently view Griffin, Aldridge, or Anthony as a great fit for their roster. If the team makes a trade or two, it’s possible that stance could change, but for now it seems unlikely that any of those veterans will sign with New York, Berman writes.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- In a separate subscriber-only story in The New York Post, Berman cites a source who says free agent center Dwight Howard would love to play for the Knicks. New York’s depth chart at center already features Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jericho Sims, so it’s unclear if the team would reciprocate that interest.
- The Knicks’ Donovan Mitchell trade talks with Utah shone a light on a front office hierarchy that many league sources have described as confusing, according to Berman. President of basketball operations Leon Rose, advisor Gersson Rosas, head coach Tom Thibodeau, senior executive William Wesley, general manager Scott Perry, and strategist Brock Aller all have a say in basketball decisions, making it challenging for the front office to come to a consensus, Berman explains.
- Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype explored several Knicks-related topics in the latest episode of the HoopsHype podcast, including the Mitchell trade negotiations — Bondy claims the Knicks and Jazz were “at the two-yard line” before those discussions fell apart. Bondy and Scotto also discussed Cam Reddish‘s status, Thibodeau’s future, and which star the Knicks might target next, among other issues.