And-Ones: Team USA, Prospects, Load Management, Porter
It was reported earlier this week that LeBron James was recruiting stars for the 2024 Olympics, with several players planning on joining the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in Paris.
Kevin Pelton of ESPN (Insider link) recently crafted a 12-man roster for Team USA next summer by following three criteria: An ideal team, not necessarily the best individuals; prior success with USA Basketball; and young players who can continue with the national team in the future.
Pelton’s starting five features Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, James, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid, with Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo and Evan Mobley coming off the bench. Donovan Mitchell was “perhaps the single toughest cut” from Pelton’s ideal roster.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- John Hollinger of The Athletic attended the G League Fall Invitational between G League Ignite and the Perth Wildcats to scout prospects for the 2024 NBA draft and beyond. While next year’s class isn’t considered particularly strong, Hollinger writes that several players stood out at the event, including Ron Holland, Alexandre Sarr and Izan Almansa. Ignite forward Tyler Smith was another standout who may have moved up draft boards, according to Hollinger, who notes that Perth guard Ben Henshall will be closely monitored going forward as well, perhaps for 2025 or 2026.
- NBA commissioner Adam Silver has a difficult balancing act when it comes to star players resting, with fans, revenue, and player health among the key factors to consider. But the new player participation policy is a step in the right direction, contends Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Having more stars on the court should make for a more compelling regular season, and Silver said at his press conference he had been weighing the advice of retired players, Goodwill notes. “You know, a lot of older players — by that I mean now, at this point, retired players — when I first came in the league, used to believe that they were more likely to get injured if they took nights off, that they would get out of rhythm,” he said. “In some cases, maybe (they) played fewer minutes, but they played. That’s something we want to look at as well.”
- Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested this week on felony charges of assault and strangulation, but he’s far from the first NBA player to be accused of domestic violence. If the horrific allegations are proven true, Porter’s career in the league could be over, considering his history of off-court incidents. Chris Herring of Sports Illustrated believes the NBA should have a zero-tolerance policy for violence against women, though he concedes it would be a challenging rule to implement and would likely take several years. According to Herring, since salaries are rising across the board, players should be held to “extremely high behavioral standards.”
Sixers Notes: Green, House, Reed, Nurse, Dowtin
Danny Green‘s one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Sixers is fully non-guaranteed, sources tell Yossi Gozlan and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
As Gozlan details, Green’s deal has multiple trigger dates that would give him sizeable partial guarantees. If the veteran wing makes the opening night roster, he’ll earn $500K; if he’s still on the roster on November 24, the guarantee will increase to $750K; and if he remains on the team by December 24, he’ll be guaranteed $1.3MM.
The NBA’s league-wide guarantee date is January 10. If he’s not waived by January 7 (in order to clear waivers before Jan. 10), Green will earn his full $3.2MM salary.
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- In June, wing Danuel House picked up his $4.3MM player option to stay with the 76ers for 2023/24. He called the decision to come back a “no-brainer,” writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. As Mizell notes, House has a longstanding friendship with teammate James Harden, but the 30-year-old said he has “no knowledge” about Harden’s future with the team. “I respect any decision that he (Harden) does,” House said. “Everything that’s going on, (I) don’t know.” Harden, of course, requested a trade after picking up his own player option, then publicly criticized president of basketball operations Daryl Morey after it was reported that the Sixers planned to keep the former MVP.
- Big man Paul Reed says new head coach Nick Nurse has made an early impression ahead of training camp, tweets Mizell. “Since the first day, he’s already been really hands-on,” said Reed, who added that Nurse has been working with him on his shooting form. Reed was a restricted free agent this summer and signed a unique offer sheet with Utah, which Philadelphia matched. The 24-year-old previously discussed Nurse envisioning an expanded role for him.
- The Delaware Blue Coats — the Sixers’ NBA G League affiliate — recently acquired Jeff Dowtin‘s returning player rights from the Osceola Magic. The 26-year-old guard is currently on a non-guaranteed deal with the Raptors — if he’s still on the roster past October 21, he’ll receive a $900K partial guarantee. According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), the G League trade won’t impact the Raptors as long as Dowtin remains under contract in Toronto. It just means the Blue Coats will hold Dowtin’s G League rights if he’s waived and unable to find another NBA deal. Dowtin was on a two-way deal with Toronto last season and spent time with the team’s NBAGL affiliate, the Raptors 905. NBA contracts take precedence over G League rights — that’s how Toronto was able to assign Dowtin to the 905 in ’22/23, Murphy adds (via Twitter).
Magic Sign, Waive Alex Morales
SEPTEMBER 15: The Magic have waived Morales, tweets Beede. The plan is for the guard to return to the Osceola Magic in the G League this season, and his brief stint on Orlando’s roster ensures he’ll receive an Exhibit 10 bonus for spending at least 60 days with the NBAGL club.
SEPTEMBER 14: The Magic have signed free agent guard Alex Morales, the team announced in a press release. According to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, who was first to report the news, Morales will receive an Exhibit 10 contract (Twitter link).
Morales signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Orlando last fall and was waived before the 2022/23 season began. He spent his rookie season with Lakeland, Orlando’s then-G league affiliate. The team has rebranded and moved, and is now known as the Osceola Magic.
The former Wagner star, who spent 2022 Summer League with the Warriors, averaged 6.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.1 SPG on .471/.276/.733 shooting over 30 regular season games with Lakeland (21.9 MPG). Morales, 25, also appeared in 17 games with the NBAGL squad during the Showcase Cup last fall.
The Exhibit 10 clause in Morales’ contract means he could receive a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived before the season starts and spends at least 60 days with Osceola in 2023/24. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals, and Orlando has one two-way slot open.
The Magic’s roster is now full, with 21 players under contract, the offseason maximum. That number will drop to 18 — 15 on standard deals and three two-way slots — once the regular season begins.
And-Ones: Holland, 2024 Draft, Cook, Player Participation
G League Ignite’s Ron Holland has moved up to No. 1 on Jonathan Givony of ESPN’s latest 2024 mock draft (Twitter video link). In recent exhibition games against Australia’s Perth Wildcats, Holland put up 56 points in 60 minutes, Givony notes, with the young forward displaying a tantalizing mixture of aggression, intensity, confidence, defense and shot-making.
Givony says NBA team’s will be attracted to Holland because “he is a winner” who raises the level of his teammates.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Elsewhere on his NBA Today appearance (Twitter video link), Givony said French big man Alexandre Sarr, who plays for Perth as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, was another big winner from the exhibition contests. Sarr is up to No. 5 on Givony’s latest mock. The full top 10, in order, features Holland, Isaiah Collier (USC), Matas Buzelis (Ignite), Justin Edwards (Kentucky), Sarr, UConn teammates Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle, Izan Almansa (Ignite), Kyle Filipowski (Duke) and D.J. Wagner (Kentucky).
- Former NBA forward Tyler Cook has signed with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, the NBL announced in a press release. Cook, who turns 26 next week, has played 65 games with Cleveland, Denver, Brooklyn, Detroit and Chicago over his three seasons in the league, most recently suiting up for the Bulls in 2021/22 while on a two-way deal. Cook spent last season in the G League with Utah’s affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.
- The NBA’s Board of Governors recently unanimously approved the new “player participation policy.” However, representatives from multiple teams have some reservations about certain aspects of the rules, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. One key concern is that a team may determine a player is fit to play the second game of a back-to-back, but the player might disagree and say he’s sore and needs rest. As Marks writes, since the rules weren’t part of the CBA, the team would be fined in that scenario, not the player. The participation policy might also contradict a team’s use of sports science, Marks adds.
Rockets Offering “Several” Second-Rounders To Unload Porter
2:46pm: Houston hopes to either trade or waive Porter prior to training camp, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
2:08pm: Sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter video link) that the Rockets are offering “several second-round draft picks” in an effort to trade Kevin Porter Jr., who was arrested this week on felony charges of assault and strangulation.
According to Charania, Houston is actively discussing potential Porter deals with “multiple teams.” Charania reported yesterday that the Rockets were looking to trade the 23-year-old following his latest alleged off-court incident.
As Charania has pointed out a couple times now, any team considering a move for Porter would have to weigh the negative publicity that would follow, even if the acquiring team never intends for the guard to actually play for the organization.
Porter pleaded not guilty to the assault charges at his arraignment on Tuesday and was ordered to appear in a New York court on October 16. Prosecutors said the attack left his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick, with a fractured vertebra in her neck and a deep cut above her right eye.
Charania suggests the Rockets might be trying to sell rival teams on the fact that if Porter eventually faces a suspension (without pay), a team that acquires him could get financial relief to offset part of his $15.86MM contract for 2023/24, which is fully guaranteed. In that scenario, the suspension may be applied retroactively, since his court case and the league’s investigation into the incident may not be resolved in the near future.
However, that scenario would require an acquiring team to keep Porter on its roster until he’s suspended, which would obviously be extremely unpopular with fans and members of the community. It also assumes that Porter will eventually be suspended, which isn’t certain, even if it seems likely given his history and the severity of the allegations.
Complicating matters further is the fact that Porter’s partially guaranteed salary for 2024/25 has several trigger dates throughout the upcoming season, which means any money a team might save via a suspension would be offset by owing him more money in ’24/25. He’s currently owed $1MM in ’24/25, but that will increase to $3MM on opening night and $6MM if he’s still on a team’s roster five days after the trade deadline.
Even if the Rockets can’t find a trade partner, Charania says Porter’s tenure with Houston — and possibly the NBA — is “most likely” nearing its end.
Timberwolves Sign Vit Krejci To Training Camp Contract
2:35pm: Krejci’s training camp deal is official, Minnesota announced in a press release.
11:23am: The Timberwolves plan to sign free agent guard/forward Vit Krejci to a training camp contract, league sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Krejci was released by the Hawks last month. He cleared waivers a couple days later, making him an unrestricted free agent. His salary for 2023/24 was non-guaranteed, so Atlanta doesn’t owe him any money for the upcoming season.
The 37th overall pick of the 2020 draft, Krejci spent his first post-draft season rehabbing a torn ACL. He signed a multiyear contract with the Thunder prior to the 2021/22 season, playing 30 games for the club as a rookie.
Oklahoma City traded the Czech native to Atlanta last September in a move that was mostly about finances for the Hawks. Krejci, 23, appeared in 29 games for Atlanta in ’22/23, averaging a modest 5.3 MPG.
It’s probably safe to assume that Krejci’s camp deal will feature an Exhibit 10 clause. If that’s the case, he could earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived and spends at least 60 days with Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. Exhibit 10 deals can also be converted into two-way deals — the Timberwolves do have one two-way slot open, though they also have a qualifying offer out to restricted free agent Matt Ryan.
Once Krejci’s deal is complete, Minnesota will have 17 players signed to its roster, including 14 on guaranteed standard contracts.
NBAGL Winter Showcase To Be Held In Orlando For Next Four Years
The NBA G League’s Winter Showcase will be moving to Orlando, Florida, having reached a four-year agreement for the event to be held at the Orange County Convention Center, according to a league press release.
“The NBA G League is thrilled to work with Hyatt and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission to bring the 2023 NBA G League Winter Showcase to Orlando,” said Shareef Abdur-Rahim, NBA G League President. “We’re looking forward to working with Hyatt on enhancing the experience for players and team personnel at one of the NBA G League’s marquee events.”
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported a couple months ago that the Winter Showcase, which will be held from Dec. 19-22, would be moving to Orlando in 2023/24 due to the NBA’s new in-season tournament. Las Vegas had hosted the Winter Showcase for several years, but will instead host the semifinals and final of the in-season tournament.
The Winter Showcase is the culmination of the fall Showcase Cup. Eight teams — the top four regional qualifiers and the next four teams with the best winning percentages regardless of region — will square off in a single-elimination tournament at the event for the chance to win the Showcase Cup Championship.
Cavaliers Sign Tristan Thompson
SEPTEMBER 12: The Cavaliers have officially signed Thompson, per NBA.com’s transaction log. His deal includes a partial guarantee, tweets John Hollinger of The Athletic.
SEPTEMBER 11: The Cavaliers are finalizing a contract with free agent big man Tristan Thompson, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
It will be a reunion between the two sides, as Thompson spent his first nine NBA seasons in Cleveland after the team selected him fourth overall in the 2011 draft. The 32-year-old was a key member of the Cavs’ championship run in 2016, starting all 21 playoff games and averaging 6.7 points and 9.0 rebounds while playing solid defense.
It would be shocking if Thompson received anything but a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum, considering he barely played at all in 2022/23. He signed with the Lakers on the final day of the regular season, appearing in six of the team’s 16 playoff games for 32 total minutes.
Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com confirms Charania’s report (via Twitter), noting that the Cavs currently only have 13 players on standard contracts. Teams are required to carry at least 14 players for the majority of the season, so it seems Thompson will hold that spot for now.
Thompson averaged 9.4 points and 8.7 boards over his 619 regular season games with Cleveland. He signed a two-year deal Boston as a free agent in 2020, but only lasted one year, having been traded in August 2021. He played for three different teams — Sacramento, Indiana and Chicago — in ’21/22.
We’ll have to wait and see if Thompson receives any guaranteed money from the Cavaliers. His level of play has certainly dropped off in recent years, but he had some good moments during his brief stint with the Lakers, and he’ll provide frontcourt depth and veteran leadership for Cleveland.
Once Thompson’s deal is complete, the Cavs will have 17 players under contract, with all three two-way slots filled.
Latest On Kevin Porter Jr.
Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested in New York City on Monday for assault and strangulation following an alleged incident with his girlfriend. Both charges are felonies, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
While Rockets general manager Rafael Stone previously declined to comment, both the team and the NBA later released statements acknowledging the incident.
“We are in the process of gathering information surrounding the matter involving Kevin Porter Jr.,” the Rockets said, per MacMahon. “We have no further comment at this time.”
The NBA’s statement, which was through spokesperson Mike Bass, was quite similar.
“The league office is in contact with the Houston Rockets and in the process of gathering more information.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks doesn’t expect the league to take any discipline against the 23-year-old guard until a full investigation has been completed (Twitter link).
That’s what happened with Hornets forward Miles Bridges, who remained unsigned all of last season following felony domestic abuse charges — he pleaded no contest and later received a 30-game suspension once the league’s investigation concluded. Twenty games of that suspension were applied retroactively, so Bridges will be inactive for the first 10 games of ’23/24.
Bridges’ situation was different than Porter’s because he wasn’t under contract last season — Porter has a guaranteed $15.86MM salary for ’23/24.
As Marks notes, Houston could tell Porter to stay away from the team in the short term. The NBA technically has the power to void his contract as well, Marks adds, though that seems unlikely to occur, particularly in the near future.
The incident will be a tricky one to navigate for the Rockets, because Porter’s extension is uniquely structured due to his prior off-court incidents.
According to Marks, Porter’s $1MM partial guarantee for ’24/25 will increase to $3MM if he isn’t waived by the first day of the upcoming regular season. It will increase from $3MM to $6MM if he isn’t released five days after the trade deadline.
June 30, 2024, is a huge date to watch as far as Porter’s contract goes, per Marks. If he isn’t waived by that date, his full $15.86MM salary for ’24/25 will become guaranteed, as will his identical cap hit for ’25/26. The final year of Porter’s contract, which is a team option, will become guaranteed if he isn’t waived by June 30, 2025.
Spurs Waive Cameron Payne
4:20pm: The Spurs have officially waived Payne, the team announced in a press release.
1:01pm: The Spurs are releasing Cameron Payne, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Assuming he goes unclaimed on the waiver wire, San Antonio will be on the hook for Payne’s 2023/24 salary, which is fully guaranteed at $6.5MM. Wojnarowski says there will be a “significant market of contending teams” interesting in signing the veteran guard if he clears waivers.
Phoenix traded Payne to San Antonio a couple months ago in a salary-dump deal. The Spurs picked up a 2025 second-rounder and $5.7MM in cash as part of the trade, while the Suns received a protected 2024 second-rounder.
Payne appeared in 48 games for the Suns last season, averaging 10.3 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .415/.368/.766. The 29-year-old will be one of the top players left on the free agent market after a solid run as a backup with Phoenix.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, the Spurs are facing a roster crunch — even after waiving Payne, they still have 17 players on guaranteed contracts. That number will need to be trimmed to 15 by the start of the season.
Payne freely admitted last month that he’d rather be in Phoenix than San Antonio. However, league rules forbid Payne from re-signing with the Suns, Marks notes.
With a packed roster and in the midst of a rebuild, Payne clearly wasn’t part of the Spurs’ plans. They now have 19 players under contract, two shy of the offseason limit.