Clippers Sign Jason Preston To Multiyear Deal
The Clippers have signed second-round pick Jason Preston, the team announced today in a press release. While the team didn’t disclose the terms of the contract, Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) hears from a source that the deal includes two guaranteed seasons with a team option on year three.
It sounds like it’ll be the same as – or very similar to – Brandon Boston Jr.‘s new deal with the Clippers, which was also confirmed today by the team. Both signings were completed using a leftover portion of the club’s taxpayer mid-level exception in order to add the third year.
The Clippers sent a future second-round pick and cash to Orlando on draft night in order to secure the No. 33 pick and select Preston. The 6’4″ guard (and former basketball blogger) played his college ball at Ohio, filling up the box score with 15.7 PPG, 7.3 APG, 7.3 RPG, and 1.5 SPG on .514/.390/.596 shooting in 20 games (34.6 MPG) as a junior in 2020/21.
Interestingly, the Clippers now project to have 16 players on fully guaranteed salaries once Kawhi Leonard, Reggie Jackson, and Nicolas Batum officially sign their new deals. Since 15 is the regular season limit, a player with a guaranteed contract will have to be traded or cut before the regular season begins. It also doesn’t look like there will be room for Yogi Ferrell, who is on a non-guaranteed deal.
Eastern Notes: Bucks, Pacers, Butler, Heat
The two second-round picks the Bucks sent to the Grizzlies in the Grayson Allen trade were the 2024 and 2026 selections Milwaukee had just acquired from Indiana in a trade for the No. 31 pick, according to RealGM.
In the deal with Indiana, Milwaukee gave up the No. 31 selection in exchange for this year’s Nos. 54 and 60 selections along with those two future second-rounders. The team subsequently flipped the second-rounders to Memphis along with Sam Merrill for Allen.
The upshot is that the Bucks gave up Merrill and the No. 31 pick (Isaiah Todd) in exchange for Allen, the No. 54 pick (Sandro Mamukelashvili), and the No. 60 pick (Georgios Kalaitzakis).
Here’s more from around the East:
- The Pacers officially announced a pair of additions to Rick Carlisle‘s staff, stating in a press release that Jannero Pargo has been hired as a player development assistant and Zach Chu has come aboard as the team’s manager of game strategy and analytics. Pargo spent the last two seasons with Portland, while Chu worked under Carlisle in Dallas.
- Jimmy Butler‘s new maximum-salary extension with the Heat will actually be a three-year deal that begins in 2023/24, meaning it’s being tacked onto his 2022/23 player option, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Instagram video). Butler’s salary in ’23/24 will likely be 35% of that year’s cap, so the exact value of his extension isn’t yet known.
- The Heat are taking their usual approach to their two-way contract slots, not filling them right away and instead auditioning several players for those openings. As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel writes, the next week at the Las Vegas Summer League could go a long way toward determining which players have the leg up for those spots. Javonte Smart, A.J. Lawson, RJ Nembhard, Micah Potter, and Marcus Garrett are expected to be in the mix.
Cristiano Felicio Signs With German Team
Former Bulls forward/center Cristiano Felicio has signed a one-year contract with German club Ratiopharm Ulm, the team announced today in a press release.
Felicio, a Brazilian big man who went undrafted in 2014, initially signed a two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Bulls in 2015, then re-upped on a four-year, $32MM deal in 2017.
That investment, which was questioned even at the time, didn’t produce positive returns for Chicago, as Felicio appeared in just 155 games across the last four years, averaging 4.2 PPG and 3.7 RPG in 14.1 minutes per contest off the team’s bench. He hasn’t played regular rotation minutes since the 2018/19 season.
Making the move to Germany will give Felicio an opportunity to once again see consistent playing time and to rebuild his value. However, it’s unclear whether he’ll make his way back to the NBA down the road or if he’ll continue playing in international leagues for the foreseeable future.
Kings, Warriors, Clippers Eyeing Pascal Siakam
The Kings, Warriors, and Clippers are among the teams believed to be especially “enamored” with forward Pascal Siakam, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
A source with knowledge of the situation tells Anderson that Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has received numerous trade inquiries on Siakam and is “listening like a good negotiator.” However, while a deal is possible, Anderson’s source doesn’t believe it’s likely, noting that Siakam has no desire to be moved.
Siakam’s name has popped up in trade rumors throughout the offeason. John Hollinger of The Athletic first suggested in June that the former All-Star was on Golden State’s radar, and multiple subsequent reports referenced a leaguewide belief that Siakam could be had, particularly in the wake of Toronto using the No. 4 pick to draft Scottie Barnes.
Sam Amick of The Athletic said last week that Sacramento “definitely” has interest in Siakam, and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report stated that the Trail Blazers engaged in some preliminary discussions involving the veteran forward.
If the Kings were to make an offer for Siakam, it would likely include Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III, and at least one future first-round pick, per Anderson. While that would be a perfect salary match, it’s not clear if such a package would be enough to seriously entice Toronto, Anderson acknowledges.
Siakam is currently recovering from shoulder surgery and will likely miss a little time at the start of the 2021/22 season.
The Kings have also displayed interest in Sixers star Ben Simmons, Anderson confirms, adding that GM Monte McNair seems motivated to make a major roster move as the pressure to win begins to build. Outside Sacramento, there’s a sense that McNair and his front office – installed just a year ago – are already “feeling the heat” from Kings owner Vivek Ranadive to take a significant step forward, says Anderson.
Hoops Rumors’ 2021 NBA Free Agent Tracker
With the NBA’s 2021 free agent period about to reach the one-week mark and most of the year’s biggest names already off the board, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this fall.
To this end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a tool we’ve maintained each year since our inception in 2012. Using our tracker, you can quickly look up deals, sorting by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.
A few notes on the tracker:
- Some of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect tentative agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
- Similarly, contract years and dollars will be based on what’s been reported to date, so in many cases those amounts will be approximations rather than official figures. Salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
- Players reported to be joining teams on training camp/Exhibit 10 contracts won’t be added to the tracker until those signings are official, since those deals are more likely to fall through and some will end up being procedural moves that aren’t completed until the preseason.
- A restricted free agent who signs an offer sheet won’t be included in the tracker right away. We’ll wait to hear whether the player’s original team will match or pass on that offer sheet before we update our tracker in order to avoid any confusion.
- If you’re viewing the tracker on our mobile site, be sure to turn your phone sideways to see more details.
Our 2021 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. On our mobile site, it can be found in our menu under “Free Agent Lists.”
The tracker will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.
Our lists of free agents by position/type and by team break down the players who have yet to reach contract agreements.
Kings Sign Neemias Queta To Two-Way Contract
Neemias Queta, the 39th overall pick in July’s NBA draft, has officially signed a two-way contract with the Kings, the club announced today in a press release.
Queta, 22, played his college ball at Utah State. As a junior in 2020/21, the young center averaged a double-double (14.9 PPG, 10.1 RPG) with an impressive 3.3 blocks per game in 29 contests (30.0 MPG).
The Kings carried over Louis King as a two-way player from last season, so King and Queta will occupy the team’s two-way contract slots.
[RELATED: 2021/22 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker]
Sacramento is currently carrying 12 players on guaranteed contracts, three players on non-guaranteed deals, and two on two-way pacts, for a total of 17. That number will increase to 20 (the offseason limit) if and when the Kings complete their previously-reported deals with Alex Len, Matt Coleman, and DJ Steward.
Bulls Acquire Lonzo Ball Via Sign-And-Trade
AUGUST 8: The Bulls have officially acquired Ball, the team announced late on Sunday night in a press release. As expected, the Pelicans acquired Satoransky, Temple, and a future second-round pick in the deal. The future second-rounder is Chicago’s 2024 selection, and New Orleans also received cash considerations.
This transaction continues to be investigated by the NBA due to possible “gun-jumping,” since it’s a complicated sign-and-trade deal that was reported as being done the minute that free agency opened on Monday.
The Pelicans and especially the Bulls may face discipline from the league based on that investigation’s findings. However, the fact that the trade was processed while the probe is ongoing is another sign the NBA isn’t going to disallow it.
Due to base year compensation rules affecting Ball’s new contract, neither the Bulls nor the Pelicans will create a trade exception in the deal.
AUGUST 2: The Bulls and point guard Lonzo Ball have agreed to a four-year, $85MM deal, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The contract will include a fourth-year player option, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Ball is a restricted free agent, but the Bulls and Pelicans will work out a sign-and-trade to get him to Chicago, Paul tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
The Pelicans will receive Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple, and a second-round pick from the Bulls in the sign-and-trade agreement, according to Charania (Twitter link).
Temple is a free agent, so he’ll be signed-and-traded as well. He’s getting a three-year contract with the first two years guaranteed, according to David Aldridge of The Athletic, who adds that the deal is expected to be worth about $5MM per year (Twitter links).
It’s a major coup for the Bulls, who have been linked to Ball for the last several months. The team reportedly discussed a trade with the Pelicans at the deadline, but couldn’t reach a deal to land Ball at the time. Now, Chicago is in position to add the former No. 2 overall pick to a starting lineup led by Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.
Ball, 23, had arguably the best season of his career in 2020/21, averaging 14.6 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 4.8 RPG in 55 games (31.8 MPG) and improving his shooting numbers to .414/.378/.781.
His deal is right in line with the four-year deals signed by fellow point guards Fred VanVleet and Malcolm Brogdon in recent free agencies.
While Pelicans stars Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram expressed a desire to continue playing with Ball, the team’s front office never seemed sold on the idea of making him a long-term cornerstone. Adding Satoransky will give New Orleans some depth at the point, though the team will likely remain in the hunt for another point guard in free agency.
Clippers Sign Brandon Boston Jr. To Multiyear Deal
AUGUST 9: Boston’s deal is now official, according to an announcement from the Clippers.
AUGUST 8: The Clippers are signing rookie wing Brandon Boston Jr. to a multiyear deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Boston will get two guaranteed years with a third-year team option.
In his single college season at Kentucky, Boston averaged 11.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 1.6 APG on .355/.300/.785 shooting in 25 games (30.4 MPG) for the Wildcats. The 19-year-old is considered a raw prospect who is still adding bulk to his slender frame.
The Grizzlies technically selected Boston with the No. 51 pick on draft night, but by that point the selection had already been part of two trades agreed to before or during the draft. It was sent to the Pelicans as part of a bigger deal earlier in the week and then flipped to the Clippers for cash on draft night.
The Clippers’ willingness to buy their way back into the draft in order to nab Boston – and their willingness to give him two guaranteed years – signals how highly they regard him. According to Keith Smith of Spotrac (via Twitter), Boston’s $2.5MM in guaranteed money will be the most ever for a player drafted in the 50s who wasn’t stashed overseas before coming to the NBA.
Los Angeles will use a portion of its $5.9MM taxpayer mid-level exception to complete the signing. ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported on Instagram on Sunday that Justise Winslow got about $3.9MM of that exception, which leaves more than enough wiggle room to accommodate Boston’s first-year salary.
Grizzlies Sign Ziaire Williams, Santi Aldama To Rookie Deals
The Grizzlies‘ two first-round picks, forward Ziaire Williams and forward/center Santi Aldama, have officially signed their rookie contracts, the team announced today in a press release.
Williams, who spent a single season at Stanford before declaring for the draft, was the 10th overall pick on July 29. Memphis acquired the selection as part of the Jonas Valanciunas/Eric Bledsoe/Steven Adams deal with New Orleans, moving up from No. 17 in order to secure Williams.
Aldama, meanwhile, was the 30th overall pick in this year’s draft. The Grizzlies packaged the No. 40 selection with two future second-rounders in a deal with Utah in order to move up to the end of the first round to draft the 6’11” Spaniard, who played his college ball at Loyola (Maryland).
Assuming they both received the maximum allowable 120% of the rookie scale (which nearly all first-round picks do), Williams will earn $4.37MM in his first NBA season, while Aldama will make $1.99MM.
The Grizzlies now have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, meaning most of their offseason business is probably done. The team does still have one two-way slot open, with a two-way qualifying offer out to Killian Tillie.
Raptors Sign David Johnson To Two-Way Contract
The Raptors issued a press release on Sunday night announcing that they’ve signed former Louisville guard David Johnson to a two-way contract.
Johnson, the 47th overall pick in July’s draft, played college ball for the Cardinals for two years before declaring for the draft following his sophomore season. In 19 games (35.1 MPG) in 2020/21, he put up 12.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 3.2 APG with a .411/.386/.700 shooting line.
The Raptors previously signed undrafted free agent Justin Champagnie to a two-way contract, so both of the team’s two-way slots have now been filled.
[RELATED: 2021/22 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker]
No. 46 pick Dalano Banton is the only one of Toronto’s three 2021 draft picks who remains unsigned, as Scottie Barnes finalized his rookie deal earlier today. The Raptors still project to have some openings on their 15-man regular season roster, so Banton seems likely to sign a standard multiyear contract at some point.