Admiral Schofield Signs With French Team
Free agent forward Admiral Schofield has signed a contract with ASVEL Basket, which competes in France’s top basketball division (LNB Elite), the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).
The 42nd pick of the 2019 draft after spending four college seasons at Tennessee, Schofield has appeared in a total of 131 NBA games with the Wizards and Magic, holding modest career averages of 3.3 PPG and 1.6 RPG in 10.5 MPG.
The 27-year-old combo forward has spent the majority of the past three seasons with Orlando, primarily on two-way contracts. He made 23 appearances for the Magic in 2023/24 for a total of 84 minutes (3.7 MPG).
Schofield’s two-way eligibility expired after he completed his fourth NBA season in ’23/24, meaning he is now only eligible for standard contracts. Evidently he didn’t find any suitable NBA offers, as he’ll be heading overseas for the first time in his professional career.
ASVEL went 25-9 last regular season in the LNB Elite, good for third place. The club was eliminated in the semifinals of the playoffs by Paris Basketball.
Clippers To Sign Trentyn Flowers
The Clippers plan to sign free agent forward Trentyn Flowers, according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).
It’s unclear what type of contract the 19-year-old will receive, but Flowers was considered a potential late second-round pick (No. 56) on ESPN’s big board before going undrafted in 2024. He was the fourth-best prospect available on the open market, per ESPN.
Considering he was called by president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, owner Steve Ballmer and head coach Tyronn Lue (Twitter video link), it seems highly likely that Flowers received more than a summer league deal, but again, the terms have yet to be reported.
An American prospect who spent the 2023/24 season in the NBL’s Next Stars program, Flowers averaged 5.2 points and 2.9 rebounds on .458/.421/.613 shooting in 18 games (12.7 minutes) with the Adelaide 36ers. Flowers is considered a top-tier athlete with scoring upside, but the rest of his game isn’t very well rounded at this stage of his development.
Sixers To Sign David Jones, Max Fiedler
The Sixers are signing Memphis guard David Jones to a two-way contract, sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
Philadelphia will also be signing Rice big man Max Fiedler to an Exhibit 10 deal, reports Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com (via Twitter).
Both Jones and Fiedler went undrafted in 2024, making them unrestricted free agents.
A 6’6″ wing, Jones had a highly productive junior campaign for the Tigers, averaging 21.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 2.2 SPG on .459/.380/.797 shooting in 32 games (32.3 MPG) in 2023/24. A native of the Dominican Republic, Jones was ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s best available list. He had previous collegiate stops at DePaul and St. John’s before transferring to Memphis.
Fiedler, meanwhile, spent all five of his college seasons with the Owls. As a “super senior” last season, he averaged 9.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 5.3 APG in 32 games (29.9 MPG).
If Fiedler is released by the 76ers before the ’24/25 season begins and spends at least 60 days with their G League affiliate (the Delaware Blue Coats), he could earn a bonus worth up to nearly $78K.
Thunder To Sign Alex Ducas, Malevy Leons
The Thunder plan to sign free agent guard Alex Ducas, who went undrafted out of Saint Mary’s, to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Oklahoma City will also ink free agent forward Malevy Leons to an Exhibit 10 contract, per Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link).
Ranked No. 32 on ESPN’s best undrafted players list, Ducas spent all five of his college seasons with the Gaels. In 2023/24, the 6’6″ Australian sharpshooter averaged 9.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 1.9 APG while knocking down 43.8% of his three-point attempts in 34 games (28.1 MPG).
A 6’9″ forward who hails from the Netherlands, Leons spent his final three collegiate seasons with Bradley after attending a junior college in Missouri. He averaged 13.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG and 1.5 BPG on .488/.341/.783 shooting in 35 games (34.4 MPG) last season for the Braves.
If Leons is waived by the Thunder before the ’24/25 season begins and spends at least 60 days with their G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, he could earn a bonus worth up to nearly $78K.
Knicks Trade No. 51 Pick Melvin Ajinca To Mavs
7:55pm: The trade is official, according to the Mavericks (Twitter link). In exchange for Ajinca, the Knicks received Hukporti, cash, and the draft rights to 2007 first-rounder Petteri Koponen. Dallas sent $1MM in cash to New York, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.
5:43pm: The Knicks are trading the No. 51 pick in the 2024 draft to the Mavericks in exchange for the No. 58 pick and cash, sources tell ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link).
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports hears New York will also acquire the rights to a player who was previously drafted, though that player has yet to be reported (Twitter link).
Dallas will acquire the rights to French wing Melvin Ajinca, who was selected 51st overall, while New York will control the rights to German big man Ariel Hukporti, the final pick of the draft.
A 20-year-old guard/forward, Ajinca averaged 9.3 PPG and 3.3 RPG on .373/.309/.797 shooting in 28 games (24.6 MPG) this past season for Saint-Quintin, which competes in France’s top basketball division (LNB Elite).
Hukporti, 22, spent the 2023/24 season in Australia with Melbourne United, averaging 8.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 1.5 BPG in 28 games (18.4 MPG).
Magic Trade No. 47 Pick Antonio Reeves To Pelicans
7:13pm: The trade is official, the Magic confirmed (via Twitter).
4:40pm: The Magic are trading the No. 47 pick in the 2024 draft to the Pelicans, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports that New Orleans will acquire the rights to Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves (Twitter links).
A source tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Pels will send Orlando second-round pick swaps in 2030 and 2031 in exchange for No. 47 (Twitter link). Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel confirms the deal (via Twitter), adding that the second-round swaps from New Orleans are unprotected.
A Chicago native who spent his first three college seasons at Illinois State, Reeves transferred to Kentucky in 2022 and spent his final two seasons with the Wildcats. The Pelicans have reportedly been looking for shooters this offseason, and Reeves fits the bill. The 6’4″ guard had a very efficient offensive season in 2023/24, averaging 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds on .512/.447/.863 shooting in 33 games (31.4 MPG).
Raptors To Sign Branden Carlson, Quincy Guerrier
The Raptors plan to sign undrafted free agent Branden Carlson to a two-way contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).
Carlson, who is ranked No. 33 on ESPN’s best available list, is a Utah native who spent all five of his college seasons with the Utes. The 7’1″ center averaged 17.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 1.5 BPG on .501/.379/.714 shooting in 36 games as a “super senior” in 2023/24 (29.6 MPG).
In his draft profile, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony says Carlson holds some intrigue as a big man with a nice blend of offensive skills, but he’s also 25 years old and very thin, which could make him a liability on the defensive end in the NBA.
Toronto also intends to sign undrafted free agent Quincy Guerrier to an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
A 6’7″ forward, Guerrier made stops at Oregon and Syracuse before finishing out his fifth and final college season with Illinois. As a super senior last season, he averaged 9.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG on .476/.374/.569 shooting in 38 games (24.1 MPG).
If Guerrier is waived by the Raptors before the ’24/25 campaign and spends at least 60 days with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate, he could earn a bonus worth up to nearly $78K.
Knicks To Trade No. 38 Pick To Thunder
The Knicks are trading the No. 38 pick in the 2024 draft to the Thunder, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Oklahoma City will be sending New York the No. 40 pick and cash, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports that the Thunder will select UC Santa Barbara guard Ajay Mitchell (Twitter links).
A native of Belgium, Mitchell had an impressive junior season for the Gauchos in 2023/24, averaging 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals on .504/.393/.858 shooting in 29 games (31.5 minutes per contest).
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Thunder previously agreed to acquire the No. 40 pick from the Trail Blazers in exchange for the No. 52 pick. OKC intially secured the 52nd pick in the deal that sent Lindy Waters to Golden State (Twitter links).
Portland will receive cash from Oklahoma City for moving down from No. 52 to No. 40.
And-Ones: France, Japan, FAs, Klutch, West, Wright
Ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, host nation France has announced that two players from its preliminary 19-man roster have been cut (Twitter link): former NBA guard Killian Hayes, who is currently an unrestricted free agent, and Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng.
Neither Hayes nor Dieng have ever suited up for the senior national team, according to Eurohoops, but they did represent their home country at the youth level. The French national team will need to trim its roster down to 12 players from the current 17 before the Olympics begin at the end of July.
Japan recently announced its own 16-man preliminary roster ahead of the Olympics, per Eurohoops. Lakers forward Rui Hachimura headlines the group, which also features Yuta Watanabe. France, Japan, Germany and the winner of the Olympic qualifying tournament in Latvia will comprise Group C of the 12-team tournament.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- John Hollinger of The Athletic ranks the top free agent small forwards and power forwards, respectively. Hollinger’s BORD$ formula rates LeBron James as the top overall free agent regardless of position, with Paul George the top small forward. Free agents can begin negotiating with other teams on June 30.
- Klutch Sports Group and Rich Paul have been sued in federal court by longtime NBA agent Mark Termini, writes Mark Vorkunov of The Athletic. Termini, a former associate of Klutch, is suing for $4.9MM plus interest for an alleged breach of contract. Termini claims Klutch began paying him less than he was owed as the “lead negotiator” on several contracts from 2018-20. “This lawsuit is inaccurate and misguided,” a Klutch spokesperson said. “And will be addressed in the proper forum.”
- Virginia prosecutors have dropped a pair of criminal charges — felony drug possession and violation of pretrial conditions — against former NBA guard Delonte West, reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN. The 40-year-old is still facing two other charges (resisting arrest and obstruction of justice) stemming from his arrest earlier this month, according to Holmes, who adds that West is due in court on July 11.
- The Knicks will soon have four former Villanova Wildcats on their roster, but former Nova coach Jay Wright has no intention of becoming a coach with New York or any other NBA team, he told Zach Braziller of The New York Post.
Knicks Notes: Dadiet, Hartenstein, McBride, Brunson
The Knicks selected French wing Pacome Dadiet with the No. 25 pick in the 2024 draft. Still just 18 years old, Dadiet spent last season playing for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany.
Given his age and New York’s financial situation — the team will be hard-capped at the $178.7MM first tax apron if the Mikal Bridges trade is finalized as currently constructed — it would make sense for the Knicks to try and stash Dadiet overseas for at least one season, delaying when he signs his rookie scale contract. However, Dadiet said he plans to play in the NBA next season, which may complicate matters (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic).
Assuming he signs for 120% of the rookie scale, which virtually every first-round draft pick does, Dadiet would project to earn $2,720,040 in 2024/25. That figure might sound relatively modest by NBA standards, but the Knicks are nearly at the first apron already with just eight players under contract.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- As Ian Begley of SNY.tv writes, the Knicks gained a little financial wiggle room by trading the No. 26 pick (Dillon Jones) to Oklahoma City for five future second-rounders. However, they’ll still need to add about $4.4MM in salary to the Bridges deal to avoid being hard-capped at the first apron — doing so would instead hard cap the Knicks at the second apron ($189.5MM). That would give New York the ability to offer Isaiah Hartenstein his Early Bird max of $72.5MM over four years. Still, Begley says Hartenstein is “unlikely” to return unless he’s willing to take a discount, since he has become the top free agent center available after Nic Claxton agreed to a four-year, $100MM deal with Brooklyn.
- Sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic that the Knicks have indeed been exploring ways to add salary to the Bridges deal to avoid the first apron hard cap. New York contemplated including Miles McBride, but the team has since “shied away” from that idea, according to Katz, who also hears the Knicks have become “pessimistic” about their chances of re-signing Hartenstein.
- Speaking of McBride, the 23-year-old guard underwent surgery on his right pinky toe this week, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). McBride is expected to resume basketball activities later this offseason.
- It would be far less lucrative than if he were to wait a year, but a league source tells Katz that Jalen Brunson is still considering signing an extension this offseason. Brunson will be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth approximately $157MM this summer. Waiting until 2025 would make him eligible for a deal worth up to a projected $270MM over five years.