Rockets Sign Jabari Smith, Tari Eason, TyTy Washington
The Rockets have officially signed their trio of first-round picks, the team announced in a press release.
Jabari Smith, the No. 3 pick out of Auburn, averaged 16.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 SPG and 1.0 BPG in 34 games (28.8 MPG) as a freshman.
Tari Eason, the No. 17 pick out of LSU, averaged 16.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG and 1.1 BPG in 33 games (24.4 MPG) as a sophomore.
TyTy Washington, the No. 29 pick out of Kentucky, averaged 12.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.9 APG and 1.3 SPG in 31 games (29.2 MPG) as a freshman.
Assuming the three players signed for the maximum allowable 120% of the rookie scale, which nearly every team gives to their first-round selections, Smith will earn $8,882,640 in 2022/23, Eason will make $3,359,160, and Washington will get $2,210,040.
Magic Sign Paolo Banchero
The Magic have officially signed Paolo Banchero, the first pick of last week’s NBA draft, the team announced in a press release.
In 39 games as a freshman for Duke this past season, the 6’10” Banchero averaged 17.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.2 APG and 1.1 SPG on .478/.338/.729 shooting. He helped lead the Blue Devils to a 32-7 record and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, where they ultimately fell to long-time rival North Carolina in the Final Four.
Banchero earned numerous accolades for his stellar season, including Consensus All-America Second Team, All-ACC First Team, and ACC Rookie of the Year, among others.
As the first overall pick, Banchero will earn $11,055,120 as a rookie in 2022/23 if he signs for the maximum allowable 120% of the rookie scale (nearly always happens). He’s eligible to make $50,158,769 over the four-year contract, assuming the Magic pick up his team options in years three and four, which is basically a lock given his draft status.
Banchero is expected to make his Orlando debut in the Las Vegas Summer League on July 7.
Raptors Sign Thaddeus Young To Two-Year Extension
11:22pm: The Raptors’ new deal with Young is already official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log. That signals that the team technically signed Young to a veteran extension on June 30, rather than waiting for him to reach the open market and signing him to a free agent contract.
For practical purposes, the outcome is the same — the Raptors have locked up Young to a deal reported to worth $16MM over two years. One notable difference is that he’ll become trade-eligible immediately instead of on December 15 like a free agent signee.
5:47pm: The Raptors are re-signing forward Thaddeus Young, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), who hears from agents Jim Tanner and Max Wiepking that Young will get a two-year, $16MM deal that includes incentives.
Toronto held Young’s Bird rights after acquiring him from San Antonio at February’s trade deadline, giving the Raptors the ability to exceed the salary cap to retain him.
Young, who turned 34 on June 21, averaged modest totals of 6.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.0 SPG on .518/.354/.469 shooting in 52 regular season games between the two teams last season (16.3 MPG). Still, he was productive on a per-minute basis, and is a smart player on both ends of the court who provides veteran leadership to a fairly young Raptors team.
The 15th pick of the 2007 draft, 2021/22 was Young’s 15th NBA season. He played for Philadelphia during his first seven seasons before bouncing around a little bit, making stops in Minnesota, Brooklyn, Indiana and Chicago prior to last season.
Young holds career averages of 12.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.4 SPG on .502/.332/.663 shooting in 1085 games (29.3 MPG). He’s unlikely to find a large role with Toronto over the next couple of seasons, but the Raptors traded their first-round pick in the draft (and got back an early second-rounder) to acquire him, so obviously they made re-signing him a priority.
Trail Blazers Eyeing Gary Payton II, Bruce Brown
The Trail Blazers are pursuing free agent guard Gary Payton II with an offer in the range of $8MM, but there’s still mutual interested in a return to the Warriors, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Fischer adds that the Blazers are also eyeing Bruce Brown, another free agent guard, who has been with the Nets the last couple of seasons.
After bouncing between the G League and the NBA in his first five seasons and never finding a consistent home or role, Payton had a terrific season for the Warriors in 2021/22, appearing in 71 regular season games (16 starts) while averaging 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals on .616/.358/.603 shooting. Though he averaged only 17.6 minutes per night, his impact was clear when he had opportunities, showcasing jaw-dropping athleticism, a knack for the ball, hustle, and excellent defense.
The 29-year-old played a key role during Golden State’s championship run, averaging 7.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals in five Finals contests (18.5 minutes per night) after returning from a fractured left elbow. In his first six playoff games (18 minutes) prior to the injury, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1 steal on .727/.750/.667 shooting.
Like Payton, Brown is one of the better perimeter defenders in the league, and the Nets trading for Royce O’Neale was viewed as an indication that Brown was unlikely to return to Brooklyn. In 71 regular season games (24.6 minutes) last season, Brown averaged 9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals on .506/.404/.758 shooting.
Despite being swept by the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, Brown was arguably Brooklyn’s most consistent postseason performer, averaging 14 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals on .568/.429/.800 shooting.
Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic report that both Kevon Looney and Payton are searching for more money than the Warriors are willing to offer, thus increasing the chances that Payton, in particular, bolts in free agency. Both players want to return to Golden State, but at the right price, which is where the separation currently exists, according to The Athletic’s duo.
The chance of a reunion between Otto Porter and the Warriors is still possible, per Slater and Amick, who say that Porter is contemplating whether to return on a minimum deal or take a larger offer elsewhere.
Warriors, Nets, Clippers Top Taxpaying Teams For 2021/22
The 2021/22 NBA season was a record-setting one for luxury tax payments.
According to data from Albert Nahmad of HeatHoops.com and Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype, the league’s previous single-year record for total luxury tax payments was $173.3MM, back in 2002/03.
This season, the Warriors‘ tax penalties alone nearly matched that league-wide record. And they were joined by six other taxpayers whose combined end-of-season bills shattered the previous record even without Golden State’s help.
Here’s the complete breakdown of the seven taxpaying teams, courtesy of Eric Pincus of SportsBusinessClassroom.com:
- Golden State Warriors: $170,331,194
- Brooklyn Nets: $97,711,261
- Los Angeles Clippers: $83,114,692
- Milwaukee Bucks: $52,037,160
- Los Angeles Lakers: $45,117,195
- Utah Jazz: $18,833,260
- Philadelphia 76ers: $13,876,624
All told, the seven teams paid a staggering combined total of $481,021,386.
Half of that total will be dispersed to the league’s non-taxpayers, which means that 23 teams will receive $10,456,987 each. The league will get the remaining $240,510,693 to help fund its revenue sharing program, says Pincus.
These numbers make it more obvious why a team like the Celtics made a concerted effort to get out of luxury tax territory at the trade deadline. A tax bill of $2MM or so wouldn’t break the bank for Boston’s ownership group, but the C’s generated more than just $2MM in savings by ducking below the tax line — they’re now one of the 23 teams that will receive a $10MM+ windfall.
Having said that, the Celtics gladly would have paid the tax penalty had they won the championship — Jaylen Brown would have received a bonus in that scenario, which would have pushed them over the line.
It’s worth noting that the Warriors are the only one of these seven taxpayers who were subject to “repeater” penalties this season, so it’s not as if those more punitive repeater penalties fueled this year’s record-setting totals. Even without the repeater penalties, the Dubs would have owed approximately $131MM in taxes.
The majority of these teams project to be taxpayers again in 2022/23.
Juan Toscano-Anderson To Sign With Lakers
Free agent wing Juan Toscano-Anderson, who just won a championship with the Warriors, has agreed to a deal with the Lakers, agent Erika Ruiz told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
It’ll be a one-year, minimum-salary contract, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
As Haynes details, Toscano-Anderson went undrafted out of Marquette in 2015 and spent the next three seasons playing in the Mexican league prior to receiving a tryout with the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz. Obviously, he impressed Golden State with his athleticism and versatility, having spent the last three seasons with the Warriors’ NBA squad.
Across 139 games (17.1 MPG) from 2019-2022, JTA holds career averages of 4.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG and 2.2 APG on .523/.361/.613 shooting. At 29, his upside might be a bit limited, but his energy and enthusiasm should help a Lakers team that was quite old and lethargic last season.
Lakers To Sign Lonnie Walker, Damian Jones, Troy Brown Jr.
The Lakers are signing Lonnie Walker to a one-year, $6.5MM deal, Damian Jones to a two-year, minimum-salary deal with a player option, and Troy Brown Jr. to a minimum deal, according reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (All Twitter links here). Brown’s contract is for one year, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Walker, 23, was the 18th pick of the 2018 draft and spent his first four seasons with the Spurs. He’s a very athletic guard and has shown glimpses of potential, but struggled with efficiency last season (.407/.314/.784 shooting line).
In 70 games (23 MPG) with San Antonio last season, Walker averaged 12.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 2.2 APG. The Spurs decided to withdraw his qualifying offer just before free agency opened, making him unrestricted and free to sign with any team. The move wasn’t very surprising considering the Spurs were better with him off the court (+2.1 net rating) than on it (-3.0), so he’ll be looking to build up his value in Los Angeles after an up-and-down tenure in San Antonio.
Jones, who turns 27 today, had a solid season with the Kings in 2021/22 after struggling to find a standard roster spot in ’20/21. In 56 games this season (18.2 MPG), Jones averaged 8.1 PPG and 4.4 RPG while shooting 65.8% from the field and 71.8% from the line.
After being drafted 30th overall in 2016 by the Warriors, Jones spent his first three seasons with Golden State but struggled to find a consistent role. He’s long and athletic, but was raw coming out of college. He made stops in Atlanta, Phoenix and L.A. from 2019-21 before landing with Sacramento, where he developed into a solid backup center.
Brown, 22, was the 15th pick of the 2018 draft and spent his first two-plus seasons with Washington before being traded to Chicago last year. The Bulls declined his qualifying offer after he struggled to make an impact this season, averaging 4.3 PPG and 3.1 RPG on .419/.353/.769 shooting in 66 games (16 MPG).
By using the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Walker, the Lakers will be limited to a minimum contract for Max Christie, whom the team selected with the 35th pick of the draft last week. Christie’s deal will be limited to two years, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks relays (via Twitter).
Malik Monk Signs Two-Year Contract With Kings
JULY 6, 1:37pm: Monk’s new deal with the Kings is now official, according to a press release from the team.
“Malik Monk is an elite shooter, fierce competitor and tremendous athlete,” GM Monte McNair said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to have him join us in Sacramento.”
JUNE 30, 5:37pm: Monk will sign a two-year, $19MM contract with the Kings, reports Damian Barling of ESPN 1320 (Twitter link).
JUNE 30, 4:07pm: “There is a lot of smoke” about Malik Monk signing with the Kings once free agency opens at 5:00pm CT, multiple sources tell James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat (Twitter link).
Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee hears similarly, reporting (via Twitter) that he’s getting “strong indications” from sources that Monk could be reuniting with former Kentucky teammate De’Aaron Fox. Monk and Fox were both lottery picks in 2017.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report was the first to link Monk to the Kings on a Spotify Live appearance with Marc Stein late Wednesday night.
Monk struggled to find a team last summer after the Hornets didn’t tender him a qualifying offer, but became one of the best values in the league on a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Lakers. Monk had a career-year last season, averaging 13.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 2.9 APG on .473/.391/.795 shooting in 76 games (37 starts, 28.1 MPG).
L.A. only holds Non-Bird rights on Monk and will be limited to a contract that starts at the taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected to be $6.5MM next season.
The Kings could offer Monk the mid-level exception, projected to be worth about $10.5MM next season, for as many as four years. There’s also a possibility that Sacramento could open up some cap space to sign him outright, depending on if the team makes some trades and releases some of their cap holds.
Monk, 24, is reportedly looking for a role where he can receive significant minutes and “be himself,” as he recently told Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
Bucks Re-Sign Bobby Portis To Four-Year Contract
JULY 6: The Bucks have officially re-signed Portis, the team announced today in a press release.
JUNE 30: The Bucks have reached an agreement to re-sign free agent big man Bobby Portis to a four-year, $49MM contract, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
That’s the maximum amount that the Bucks could have given Portis using his Early Bird rights after he turned down his $4.6MM player option earlier this week.
The 6’10” Portis had a strong second season with Milwaukee, averaging career-highs in points (14.6) and rebounds (9.1) while appearing in 72 games (28.2 minutes per contest). He also started a career-high 59 games as center Brook Lopez dealt with a back injury which required surgery.
Portis, 27, is well-known for bringing lots of energy and intensity to the court, but he’s also a skilled offensive player, posting a .479/.393/.752 shooting line. He primarily served as a shooter for the Bucks to create space and driving lanes for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has said he loves playing with Portis.
While Portis is a limited defender, he’s a good rebounder and gives solid effort, he just makes poor decisions and has trouble staying in front of smaller players. He also isn’t much of a rim protector, but Antetokounmpo is a very good backline anchor, which covers up for Portis’ weaknesses somewhat.
Portis was a key reserve when the Bucks won the title in 2020/21 and is a fan favorite in Milwaukee. Given he’s the same age as Antetokounmpo and Lopez is 34 and will be on an expiring deal, clearly the Bucks viewed Portis as a priority to retain, and since they’re over the cap, it’s not like they could easily find someone to replace his production.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Underwent Foot Surgery, Out 4-6 Months
Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent foot surgery on Wednesday and is expected to miss four-to-six months, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Memphis confirmed the news (via Twitter), noting that Jackson had a stress fracture in his right foot and is expected to make a full recovery, with further updates provided when appropriate.
The optimistic end of Jackson’s estimated recovery timeline would have him returning shortly after next season begins, but the more cautious route would have him potentially missing the first few months.
Jackson, still just 22, led the league in blocks per game (2.3) last season, earning a berth on the All-Defensive First Team for his efforts. Importantly, he also cut his foul rate, which had been an issue earlier in his career.
Jackson appeared in a career-high 78 games (27.3 MPG) for the Grizzlies, averaging 16.3 PPG and 5.8 RPG on .415/.319/.823 shooting.
He’s set to earn $28.95MM in 2022/23 after coming to terms on a four-year, $104.7MM rookie scale extension prior to last season.