Scottie Lewis Undergoes Surgery On Broken Leg
Free agent guard Scottie Lewis underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a fractured lower left leg, the Hornets announced in a press release.
According to the team, there’s currently no timetable for Lewis’ return to the court, but he’s expected to make a full recovery.
Lewis, 22, was the 56th overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Florida and spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Hornets. He only played in two NBA games, but he was a regular for the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate, averaging 12.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, and 1.3 BPG in 32 regular season NBAGL contests (30.5 MPG).
Lewis didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Hornets when his two-way contract expired, so he became an unrestricted free agent last week. However, he had been on Charlotte’s Summer League roster — his injury occurred on Thursday during a practice in Las Vegas.
While the Hornets didn’t provide a return timeline in their announcement, Lewis’ injury sounds like one that will require a recovery period of months, not weeks, so we probably shouldn’t expect to see him on an NBA roster this fall.
Raptors Notes: Boucher, Durant, Hines
With a new fully guaranteed three-year, $35MM contract in hand, Raptors big man Chris Boucher admitted to reporters on Thursday that he wasn’t expecting his free agency to play out this way last fall when he got off to an extremely slow start to the season, averaging 5.9 PPG on .381/.196/.667 shooting in his first 20 games.
“(After) the first 20 games? No, there’s no way,” Boucher said, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. “I mean, to be honest with you, me and (trainer) Ibrahim (Appiah) joke about that all the time. We were saying, ‘We’re probably gonna have to pack our bags and stuff’ because it didn’t look too nice at the beginning and to be honest with you … I was like, ‘I’m not playing well. I might not get traded but I might get waived or whatever,’ so that’s how we were taking it.”
After bouncing back and finishing the season strong, Boucher received offers from other teams during his first foray into unrestricted free agency. The Celtics, Bucks, Nets, and Bulls were reportedly among the clubs to express interest. But Boucher suggested on Thursday that he never seriously considered leaving Toronto.
“Hearing from other teams … was a good thing for me,” Boucher said. “But like I said, it doesn’t stop there. You know, I wanted to be comfortable, you play your best basketball when you feel like you’re at home, when you feel like you know everything, and things are going smooth and so I don’t think I would have felt that more appreciated or felt like home anywhere else.”
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Eric Koreen and Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, representing the Raptors’ and Nets‘ front offices, engaged in mock trade negotiations on a potential Kevin Durant trade, as Koreen explores whether there’s a way to get Durant to Toronto in a deal that meets Brooklyn’s asking price without including Scottie Barnes. Schiffer is amenable to a hypothetical package of Pascal Siakam, Gary Trent, Precious Achiuwa, three unprotected first-rounders, and a pick swap in exchange for Durant and Seth Curry.
- Veteran player development coach Rico Hines has left the Kings to join the Raptors, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. Hines confirmed the move in an Instagram post after previously bidding farewell to Kings fans in another post on Instagram. Hines spent the last three seasons working under Luke Walton and Alvin Gentry in Sacramento.
- The Raptors have a strong track record of exceeding expectations and making good year-over-year progress, but that forward progress is never guaranteed, according to Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star, who weighs whether it makes sense for the team to simply count on internal improvement from the current core and considers the risks of that approach.
Heat Notes: Oladipo, Roster, Tax, Two-Way Slots
After re-signing with the Heat this week, Victor Oladipo told reporters, including Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel, that he felt during free agency as if teams were hesitant to pursue him too aggressively due to his injury history.
“It kind of seemed like a lot of people were kind of shying away from me,” Oladipo said.
Oladipo didn’t look quite like his old All-Star self following his return to the court near the end of the 2021/22 season, but he showed flashes of that form — and, as Winderman relays, the 30-year-old thinks that was just the beginning.
“I truly believe that I can be better than I was,” Oladipo said. “That may sound crazy to everyone, but I’d rather have that mentality and I can live with the results after that, because I’m going to push myself to be that.
“I think the biggest goal for me is just to show everyone that I’m healthy and I can play a whole year and also to show everyone that I’m one of the best players in this league. So everything else will take care of itself, and that’s what I’m focused on.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- After restructuring Oladipo’s new contract agreement, the Heat will be able to sign a 14th player to a minimum-salary contract while remaining about $200K below the luxury tax line, Winderman writes in a separate story for The Sun Sentinel. While the team has some options with that 14th roster spot, it could be as simple as re-signing Udonis Haslem, if the veteran big man wants to continue his playing career.
- With limited roster and cap flexibility remaining, the Heat appear content, at least for the time being, to run it back in 2022/23, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. As Chiang notes, besides replacing free agent forward P.J. Tucker with first-round pick Nikola Jovic, Miami’s roster remains essentially unchanged from the end of last season.
- While Javonte Smart and Mychal Mulder currently hold the Heat’s two-way contracts, the team would be open to making a change if one of its camp invitees makes a strong impression, according to Chiang. Undrafted Fresno State big man Orlando Robinson was the first player to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Miami this offseason, but he likely won’t be the last.
Bulls Sign Dalen Terry To Rookie Scale Contract
The Bulls have signed first-rounder Dalen Terry to his rookie scale contract, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.
Appearing in 37 games (all starts) during his sophomore season at Arizona in 2021/22, Terry averaged 8.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 3.9 APG with a shooting line of .502/.364/.736 in 27.8 MPG. The 6’7″ guard also earned a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team.
After declaring for the draft as an early entrant, Terry was selected 18th overall by the Bulls. His new contract will be worth $3.19MM in his rookie season and $15.45MM across four years, unless he accepts less than 120% of the rookie scale amount, which is extremely rare.
As our tracker of draft pick signings shows, Terry is the 26th first-rounder from last month’s draft to officially finalize his rookie contract. Dyson Daniels (Pelicans), Jeremy Sochan (Spurs), Malaki Branham (Spurs), and Walker Kessler (Jazz) haven’t yet put pen to paper, but there’s no reason to believe all four won’t sign soon.
Lakers, Nets Explore Involving Spurs In Westbrook/Irving Talks?
The Lakers and Nets are exploring the possibility of getting the Spurs involved in a multi-team trade that would feature Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving, sources tell Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
Los Angeles and Brooklyn don’t appear to be on the verge of finalizing any deal involving Westbrook and Irving, with their discussions to date being characterized as “preliminary.” Irving reportedly wants to play for the Lakers, but the Nets don’t seem to have much interest in taking back Westbrook’s pricier expiring contract, even with draft assets attached, leading to speculation that a third team will have to be included.
The Spurs are the obvious choice to be that third team because they have about $30-35MM in projected cap room remaining. That doesn’t give them enough space to absorb Westbrook’s $47MM salary outright, but they could potentially get there by sending out Doug McDermott ($13.75MM) or Josh Richardson ($12.2MM), as Pincus observes.
In a scenario where Irving heads to L.A. and Westbrook goes to San Antonio, any sweeteners (ie. future draft picks) the Lakers would have sent to Brooklyn would presumably be re-routed to the Spurs as an incentive for taking on Westbrook’s unwanted contract.
While the structure of such a deal makes some sense, three-team deals are never easy to negotiate and this one would be especially complicated.
The Nets may want to resolve Kevin Durant‘s trade request before making a move with Irving, and don’t appear eager to rush into a deal involving either player.
The Lakers look like Irving’s only legitimate suitor for the time being, so they don’t want to overpay for him, especially since he’s on an expiring contract of his own. But they could feel some pressure to make a move if star forward LeBron James, who becomes extension-eligible next month, is pushing for it.
The Spurs, meanwhile, will probably have other opportunities to use their cap room to acquire draft assets from teams looking to shed salary, so they’ll have to consider all their options.
Appearing today on ESPN’s Get Up (video link), Brian Windhorst said he believes a deal sending Irving to the Lakers will “eventually” get done, but said it’s probably going to be “a fight along the way.”
Pistons Second-Rounder Procida Signs With Alba Berlin
Italian swingman Gabriele Procida has officially signed a three-year contract with Alba Berlin, the German team announced in a press release.
Procida, who turned 20 last month, was the 36th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He was selected by Portland on behalf of the Pistons, who acquired him from the Blazers as part of the Jerami Grant trade. That deal became official this week.
Procida spent the 2021/22 season with Fortitudo Bologna in Italy, averaging 7.0 PPG and 3.0 RPG on .522/.383/.784 shooting in 18.5 minutes per contest. He ranked outside the top 50 on ESPN’s big board leading up to the draft, but made a strong impression on teams at the combine and in pre-draft workouts.
Reports on the night of the draft indicated that the Pistons planned to make Procida a draft-and-stash prospect and have him continue developing overseas, so today’s news that he has signed with a new team in Europe doesn’t come as a surprise. The only question will be how long Procida remains overseas — it’s unclear if there are NBA outs in his new deal with Alba Berlin.
Shaedon Sharpe Expected To Undergo MRI On Shoulder
Trail Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe played just six minutes in his Summer League debut on Thursday before sustaining a left shoulder injury, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who tweets that Sharpe is expected to undergo an MRI to assess the severity of the injury.
Sharpe, who was technically enrolled at Kentucky for his first and only college season in 2021/22, never actually played for the team, making him one of the biggest mysteries of this year’s draft. However, Portland was willing to bet on his upside, making him the No. 7 overall pick last month.
Fans and league observers eager to watch Sharpe during the Las Vegas Summer League might only end up getting a brief glimpse — even if the 19-year-old’s shoulder injury isn’t serious, the Blazers may play it safe and shut him down for the rest of the event.
Sharpe signed his rookie scale contract last Friday, locking in a $6MM+ guaranteed salary for 2022/23.
Zach LaVine Signs Five-Year Max Deal With Bulls
JULY 7: LaVine has officially signed, the team tweets.
“We are pleased that Zach remains with the Bulls,” executive VP Arturas Karnisovas said in the statement. “His work ethic and character have helped him to become one of the top players in the NBA.”
JULY 1: The Bulls and guard Zach LaVine are in agreement on a five-year, maximum-salary contract that will include a fifth-year player option, agent Rich Paul tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
As our chart of maximum salaries for 2022/23 shows, LaVine will earn approximately $43MM per year on his new deal, which will have a total value of $215,159,700.
LaVine has emerged as one of the NBA’s most talented scorers since last reaching free agency in 2018. An All-Star in each of the last two seasons, the 27-year-old averaged 24.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 4.5 APG on .476/.389/.853 shooting in 67 games (34.7 MPG) in 2021/22, despite battling a left knee issue that forced him to undergo arthroscopic surgery this spring.
When he was a restricted free agent in 2018, LaVine signed a four-year, $78MM offer sheet with the Kings, which Chicago matched. He significantly outplayed that deal and has long been earmarked for a maximum-salary contract this offseason. His health problems this past season raised some questions about whether that max deal would still be on the table, but the knee injury is reportedly not considered a long-term concern.
LaVine was linked to a number of rival suitors earlier in the offseason and didn’t agree to terms with the Bulls right when free agency opened on Thursday, but was always most likely to remain in Chicago — especially with the team willing to offer a fifth year that other teams couldn’t. The Bulls sweetened the pot further by making that fifth year a player option. That option, which applies to the 2026/27 season, will be worth $48,967,380.
LaVine, who was the No. 2 free agent on our top-50 list, has now received the second-largest commitment among free agents this offseason. Our No. 1 free agent, Bradley Beal, also agreed to a five-year, maximum-salary contract, but Beal is eligible for a higher level of max because he more years of NBA service than LaVine.
The Bulls’ projected 2022/23 team salary remains below the tax line, but the team would likely cross into the tax if it uses its full mid-level exception.
Rockets Notes: Frontcourt, Tate, Gordon, Martin
Whether or not they hang onto Boban Marjanovic, the Rockets would like to add one more big man to their roster, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who says the club may use a two-way contract slot to add more depth up front. Trevor Hudgins currently occupies one of Houston’s two-way slots, but the other is empty.
Iko names Moses Brown, Freddie Gillespie, Bruno Fernando, and Mfiondu Kabengele as players who could be of interest to the Rockets as they look to add another frontcourt player.
According to Iko, Houston had some interest in Isaiah Roby after he was waived by Oklahoma City, but the Spurs ultimately claimed him off waivers. The Rockets were ahead of San Antonio in the waiver order and had a trade exception available to claim Roby, but they already have 18 players on guaranteed contracts for 15 spots, so they likely weren’t eager to bring in another.
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- The $500K annual bonus in Jae’Sean Tate‘s new three-year contract are tied to the Rockets winning at least 35 games, Iko reports. So Tate would earn an extra $1.5MM if Houston wins 35 or more games in each of the next three seasons.
- The Rockets were close to trading Eric Gordon on draft night, possibly to the Sixers, but the deal fell apart, according to Iko, who says the Heat, Bucks, and Suns also pursued Gordon before the draft. Sources tell The Athletic that Philadelphia re-engaged Houston on the veteran shooting guard at the start of free agency, but there’s certainly no guarantee he’ll be moved before the season begins.
- The Rockets aren’t in any rush to trade Kenyon Martin Jr. either, says Iko, noting that Martin may “need to mend some internal relationships” if a trade doesn’t materialize and he remains in Houston.
Pistons Sign Jalen Duren To Rookie Contract
The Pistons have signed No. 13 overall pick Jalen Duren to his rookie contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). The move comes less than 24 hours after Detroit officially completed its draft-night trade with New York to acquire Duren’s rights.
Duren averaged 12.0 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 2.1 BPG in 29 games (25.3 MPG) during his first and only college season at Memphis, earning AAC Freshman of the Year honors and making the All-AAC First Team.
As our rookie salary chart shows, Duren is set to earn $4.12MM as a rookie and would make $19.47MM over the course of his four-year deal, assuming he received the maximum allowable 120% of the rookie scale, which virtually every first-rounder does.
Twenty-three of this year’s 30 first-round picks have now officially signed their rookie contracts, including Duren and his new Pistons teammate Jaden Ivey.