Terrance Ferguson Signs With Polish Team
Free agent wing Terrance Ferguson has signed in Poland with GTK Gliwice, the team announced in a press release.
The 21st overall pick of the 2017 draft, Ferguson spent his first three NBA seasons with the team that drafted him, the Thunder. In 191 games with Oklahoma City from 2017-20, including 124 starts (20.7 MPG), he averaged 4.8 PPG and 1.4 RPG on .406/.337/.753 shooting.
Ferguson was traded to the Sixers during the 2020 offseason, but couldn’t crack Philadelphia’s rotation and only appeared in 13 games for a total of 47 minutes in 2020/21. He was later dealt to the Knicks in March of 2021 and was waived a few days later, so he never played a game for New York.
The 24-year-old joined a team in Greece, Lavrio BC, for three games last season, but ended up leaving and returning stateside to pursue an NBA comeback. He ultimately signed a G League contract with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s affiliate. However, he struggled mightily for the Vipers, appearing in 21 games (17.8 MPG) with averages of 3.0 PPG and 2.2 RPG on .295/.128/.636 shooting.
Ferguson is an electric athlete and decent defender, but has so far been unable to round out his game in order to land a second NBA contract. He’ll be making his third international stop, having played for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League back in ’16/17 prior to being drafted.
Bulls Reportedly Interested In Kostas Antetokounmpo
The Bulls are showing interest in former NBA big man Kostas Antetokounmpo, according to Christos Tsaltas of SDNA.gr.
Antetokounmpo spent the 2021/22 season with LCLC ASVEL, the champion of the French LNB Pro A league that also competes in the EuroLeague. However, he’s interested in an NBA return, and after a strong recent performance with the Greek national team in a victory over Turkey, Antetokounmpo was contacted by Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, Tsaltas reports, per Google Translate.
According to our roster count tracker, Chicago currently has 15 players signed to guaranteed standard deals, with undrafted rookie Justin Lewis, who underwent surgery last week for a torn ACL, on a two-way contract. The Bulls also have Malcolm Hill as a two-way restricted free agent.
Antetokounmpo only has three years of NBA experience, so he’d be eligible for a two-way deal for one more season, assuming the two sides are interested in that arrangement.
The 60th pick of the 2018 draft after one season at Dayton, Antetokounmpo spent his rookie season on a two-way deal with the Mavericks. He only appeared in two games at the NBA level, spending most of the season with Dallas’ G League affiliate, the Texas Legends.
Dallas waived the 24-year-old in the summer of 2019, but he was claimed by the Lakers, winning a title with L.A. in 2020 as a two-way player. In 20 games with the Lakers from 2019-2021, he played just 76 total minutes, having spent most of his time with South Bay, the team’s NBAGL affiliate.
It’s worth noting that Chicago’s reported interest in Antetokoumpo comes on the heels of his older brother, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, stating that he might be open to playing for the Bulls in the future.
The Greek national team has a couple of upcoming qualifying games for the 2023 FIBA World Cup before heading to Italy for the EuroBasket tournament, which tips off on September 1, as Tasos Kokkinidis of GreekReporter.com relays.
Tacko Fall Signing With Chinese Team
Free agent Tacko Fall is signing a one-year contract to play in China with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
After going undrafted in 2019 out of Central Florida, the 7’6″ center initially signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Celtics which was later converted to a two-way contract. He spent his first two professional seasons in Boston on two-way deals, appearing in 26 NBA games (6.5 MPG) with averages of 2.7 PPG and 2.6 RPG.
Fall signed a two-way contract with the Cavaliers last season, appearing in 11 games before being waived in January.
Despite his modest impact at the NBA level, the 26-year-old has been a G League standout, earning a spot on the All-Defensive Team last season for the Cleveland Charge. In 26 regular season games (26.5 MPG) with the Cavs’ affiliate, he averaged 14.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG and 2.7 BPG.
Fall most recently suited up for the Jazz during Summer League action.
Jazz Notes: Mitchell Trade Market, Miller Family
With Kevin Durant and the Nets agreeing to “move forward” with their partnership, Ryan McDonald of The Deseret News wonders whether the news might have an impact on the trade market for Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.
As McDonald observes, while it’s possible that some potential Durant suitors might turn to Mitchell instead, based on Utah’s return for Rudy Gobert, the team seems focused on a package centered on draft picks. Thus, the Knicks remain the most logical trade partner for Mitchell due to their ability to offer several first-rounders for Mitchell, according to McDonald.
Here’s more from Utah:
- Along the same lines, Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune explores which potential Durant suitors might pivot to Mitchell, and what those teams could potentially offer in deals for Utah’s three-time All-Star guard. According to Walden, even if teams like the Raptors, Celtics, Suns and Grizzlies aren’t all-in on Mitchell, perhaps they might give the Jazz more leverage in negotiations with the Knicks, which might help facilitate a trade sending Mitchell home to New York.
- The Miller family announced in a press release that it is selling a share of its minority stake in the Jazz. In a separate story for The Salt Lake Tribune, a source tells Walden that the move was tied to the recent news that Arctos Sports Partners is becoming a minority shareholder in the Jazz, with the intention of bringing a third professional franchise to Utah. The Millers owned the Jazz for 35 years, but sold the team to Ryan Smith in 2020 while retaining a 20% stake in the franchise. However, the initial deal stipulated that the Miller family would eventually sell all of its shares to Smith’s ownership group, and now a portion has been sold off to Arctos, with the Millers making a nice profit, Walden writes.
- In case you missed it, the Cavaliers have reportedly “touched base” with the Jazz about Mitchell in recent days. You can find more details right here.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Westbrook, Randle, Suns, Curry
Now that Kyrie Irving is reportedly off the table for the Lakers, Jovan Buha of The Athletic breaks down the team’s other potential options for dealing Russell Westbrook.
As Buha writes, a trade with the Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield makes sense for the Lakers, but they’d likely have to include both their 2027 and 2029 first-rounders to make that happen, which hasn’t transpired to this point. Buha wonders if Indiana would be interested in the move if the Lakers put protections on the ’29 pick or perhaps include a pick swap instead.
Turner and Hield would instantly become the Lakers’ “third- and fourth-best players on the roster, upgrading the starting lineup, depth and collective shooting,” Buha states, adding that Turner would complement Anthony Davis in the frontcourt due to his defensive versatility and ability to space the floor (.349 career 3PT%).
The Lakers could also get involved as a third team in a potential Donovan Mitchell trade, or target Jazz veterans like Bojan Bogdanovic, Patrick Beverley, Jordan Clarkson and Jarred Vanderbilt, Buha notes.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Within the same piece, Buha says the Lakers aren’t interested in a potential reunion with Knicks forward Julius Randle, whom L.A. drafted No. 7 overall in 2014, due to his long-term contract and “less-than-ideal fit” with Davis and LeBron James. According to Buha, New York, Charlotte and San Antonio are all unlikely trade partners for Westbrook for various reasons, even though the three teams theoretically make some sense.
- With Kevin Durant said to be sticking with the Nets, at least for now, a trio of Suns players whose names were floated in trade talks for the star have a big opportunity entering 2022/23, per Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic. Moore thinks Mikal Bridges likely won’t be affected by the rumors, but wonders if Cameron Johnson and Deandre Ayton should have bigger offensive roles next season to improve the team’s versatility as Phoenix looks to win its first championship.
- Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area details why Warriors star Stephen Curry, the reigning Finals MVP, is underpaid despite having the largest salary in the league in ’22/23 ($48.1MM). Golden State’s franchise valuation has increased a little more than 12-fold over the past 12 years ($450MM to $5.6 billion), the team is immensely popular both locally and nationally, and the Warriors have won the championship four times in the past eight years largely due to Curry’s impact, making him worth more than double his current contract, according to Poole.
International Notes: Satoransky, Motiejunas, Bennett
A report earlier today from IsraelHayom.co.il (hat tip to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando) indicated that Czech guard Tomas Satoransky would miss the upcoming EuroBasket tournament after suffering ligament damage to his right ankle in a warmup tournament against Germany. However, Eurohoops hears differently, stating that while Satoransky does indeed have a “severe” ankle sprain, he hasn’t been ruled out for the tournament.
The Czech Republic team’s opening game takes place on September 2 versus Poland, and even if Satoransky isn’t ready by that point, he’s expected to remain on the roster to try and play when he’s able to, according to Eurohoops.
“The magnetic resonance examination was the same as the other examination. Tomas remains in Prague to rehabilitate intensively. We will know the results of rehabilitation and treatment in a week after the next resonance, which will indicate further progress towards EuroBasket,” said national team manager Michal Sob while talking to the local press.
“Satoransky’s mentality is set in such a way that he wants to do what’s 100% possible to participate in the championship,” he added.
The 30-year-old spent the last six seasons in the NBA, but he’s heading back to Spain next season, having agreed to a four-year deal to reunite with FC Barcelona.
Here are a couple more international notes:
- Former NBA big man Donatas Motiejunas has re-signed with AS Monaco Basket, the team announced. Motiejunas played parts of six NBA seasons with Houston, New Orleans and San Antonio, last suiting up for the Spurs for three games in 2018/19. He averaged 10.4 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 33 EuroLeague games (19.3 MPG) with Monaco last season.
- Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2013 draft, has signed in Taiwan with the Hsinchu Lioneers, per Dario Skerletic of Sporando. Bennett had a disappointing and brief NBA run, appearing in 151 games (12.6 MPG) with Cleveland, Minnesota, Toronto and Brooklyn from 2013-17, with averages of 4.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG on .392/.261/.670 shooting. The 29-year-old forward spent last season in Israel with Hapoel Jerusalem before heading to Taiwan to play for the Kaohsiung Steelers, Skerletic notes.
James Ennis Signs With Russian Team
Veteran forward James Ennis has signed a contract to play in Russia with BC Samara, the team announced in a press release (hat tip to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando).
The 32-year-old most recently played in Israel with Hapoel Haifa, as our JD Shaw reported back in March. Ennis averaged 14.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 1.2 SPG on .402/.383/.804 shooting in nine games with Haifa, per RealGM.
Ennis has played parts of eight seasons in the NBA, including a trio of 10-day deals with three different teams (the Nets, Clippers and Nuggets) last season for a total of seven games. In 2020/21, Ennis played 41 games (37 starts, 24.0 MPG) for Orlando, averaging 8.4 PPG and 4.0 RPG on .473/.433/.805 shooting.
In total, he has appeared in 395 NBA games (140 starts, 20.3 MPG) with averages of 6.7 PPG and 3.3 RPG on .457/.360/.797 shooting for Miami, Memphis, New Orleans, Detroit, Houston and Philadelphia, as well as the aforementioned teams.
Nets Reportedly Intend To Keep Kyrie Irving
The Nets are making it clear to rival teams that they intend to keep Kyrie Irving, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who writes that Irving has been “working out with teammates and holding constructive dialogue with the organization” this summer.
Brooklyn reportedly granted Irving permission to explore trade scenarios at the end of June, but only the Lakers were said to be seriously interested in the point guard, who ultimately chose to pick up his $36.9MM player option for 2022/23.
Recent reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein indicated that the Lakers are willing to include both their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks to acquire Irving, but that would involve Russell Westbrook heading to Brooklyn, and the Nets are said to be uninterested in that scenario.
Assuming Kevin Durant remains on the roster into the season, a reunion between Irving and the Nets always made the most sense, as the 30-year-old’s value is at an all-time low and the only realistic pathway to rebuilding it is to have a good season with less off-court drama. The seven-time All-Star only appeared in 29 of Brooklyn’s 82 games last season due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but that seems unlikely to be an issue next season, as the New York City mandate was lifted in the spring and there are no plans for a league-wide mandate.
Despite his inconsistent availability and unpredictable personality, Irving has been undeniably effective and productive when on the court, averaging 27.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 5.8 APG and 1.4 SPG on .469/.418/.915 shooting during the ’21/22 regular season (37.6 MPG). Matching that level of production for a team that hopes to contend for a title would be nearly impossible for the Nets, given the relative lack of interest in Irving’s services.
As Stein wrote last week, it’s possible Brooklyn’s stance regarding Irving could change if Durant ends up being dealt, but considering Irving is said to be the primary reason Durant joined the Nets, trading his friend away would seemingly only embolden Durant to make further demands.
Community Shootaround: Kings’ Outlook
The Kings broke an ignominious NBA record last season, missing out on the postseason for the 16th consecutive year. However, things appear to be a bit brighter heading into 2022/23.
Here’s a quick rundown of the team’s current roster:
Returning:
- Backcourt: De’Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell, Terence Davis
- Wings: Harrison Barnes
- Frontcourt: Domantas Sabonis, Richaun Holmes, Alex Len, Trey Lyles, Chimezie Metu, Neemias Queta (two-way)
Additions:
- Keegan Murray: No. 4 overall pick.
- Malik Monk: Two-year, $19.42MM contract as a free agent.
- Kevin Huerter: Trade with Hawks.
- Matthew Dellavedova: Non-guaranteed deal as a free agent (becomes partially guaranteed for $250K if he’s on the opening night roster).
- Chima Moneke: Partially guaranteed deal ($250K, increases to $500K if he’s on the opening night roster) as a free agent.
- Sam Merrill: Partially guaranteed deal ($150K) as a free agent.
- Keon Ellis: Undrafted rookie on a two-way contract.
- Reported but not yet official: Kent Bazemore; Quinn Cook; KZ Okpala; Jeriah Horne (Exhibit 10?)
Out (or likely out):
- Donte DiVincenzo: Wasn’t extended a qualifying offer, signed with Warriors as a free agent.
- Justin Holiday: Traded to Hawks.
- Maurice Harkless: Traded to Hawks.
- Damian Jones: Signed with Lakers as a free agent.
- Jeremy Lamb: Free agent.
- Josh Jackson: Free agent.
With a projected starting lineup of Fox, Huerter/Monk, Murray, Barnes and Sabonis, the Kings have an interesting blend of youth, speed, shooting and athleticism. A reserve squad featuring Mitchell, Huerter/Monk, Metu/Lyles and Holmes looks pretty solid on paper as well, though the roster is a little thin on wing depth and interior size/rim protection.
A full offseason should help Fox and Sabonis, the two offensive hubs, create an even more potent rhythm together. Sabonis was acquired ahead of the trade deadline in February, and Fox thrived after the deal, averaging 28.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.8 APG and 1.0 SPG on .503/.380/.766 shooting in 16 games (38.5 MPG), but the team still struggled.
The main question I have about Sacramento entering next season is the defense, because while Huerter and Monk are both strong (albeit streaky) shooters, neither is a great defender, nor are Fox and Sabonis. Losing DiVincenzo, a stout defender, without even extending a qualifying offer was a bit of a head-scratcher.
Of course, one of the team’s biggest offseason moves was hiring Mike Brown as head coach, a defensive-minded tactician, but it’s fair to question how much he’ll revamp the team’s defense given the lack of quality defenders up and down the roster. Buy-in is great and all, but defense isn’t purely about effort, it requires skill, aptitude and awareness as well.
Much of the Kings’ success might hinge upon the play of Murray, who got off to an encouraging NBA start after being named Las Vegas Summer League MVP, but unfortunately suffered a right wrist injury that required surgery shortly thereafter. However, a league source tells James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat (Twitter link) that Murray is progressing well in his recovery and is shooting again with both hands.
The West is stacked with talented teams, so even reaching the play-in tournament will be difficult. The Warriors, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Pelicans all look strong, and the Lakers and Blazers are looking to bounce back from disappointing seasons.
We want to know what you think. Will the Kings finally snap their postseason drought? Is the play-in tournament a more realistic goal? Could Murray be the difference-maker the team has long been looking for? Head to the comments section to weigh in on Sacramento’s prospects for the upcoming season.
Nuggets’ Jamal Murray On Injury Recovery, Expectations
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray admits that it was difficult to miss the entire 2021/22 season, including the team’s first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, while recovering from a torn ACL, but says he didn’t want to rush back and have second thoughts on the court.
“It was tough, but I just wanted to wait until I was healthy, until I could play the game without thinking about it. I didn’t want to be doing both out there, especially in the biggest time of the year for basketball,” he told Kane Pitman of ESPN during a trip to Australia. “It was smart of me to miss the playoffs and get my knee right, now I can go into the next season with a lot more confidence.”
Murray was in the midst of the best season of his career in ’20/21 prior to the injury, appearing in 48 games (35.5 MPG) while averaging 21.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 4.8 APG and 1.3 SPG on .477/.408/.869 shooting. He says that although his leaping ability hasn’t quite returned to the level it was pre-injury, he thinks his game has improved overall.
“I feel like I’ve gotten better in the span I’ve been out,” Murray said. “I may not jump as high right now, but I feel like I pass better, I see the game better, my pace is a little better, I shoot a little more efficiently. I’m just looking to bring all those aspects to my game, just so I can get a feel for how hard guys are going to play again, in front of crowds’ adrenaline is running a little different, loose balls are harder to get, stuff like that.”
The 25-year-old says he’s not worried about the stacked competition in the Western Conference entering next season, as the Nuggets are focused on their own goals.
“I don’t care. I don’t care what they’ve got. I know we have a great team,” he quickly responded when Pitman asked about the depth in the West. “We have a great team. Everybody knows what we can do, you’ve seen the snippets of what we can do when we’re all healthy together, so we just look forward to that. We don’t care what the Suns have and what the Lakers have, we just want to be healthy so we can do what we set out to do.”
Murray also went into more details about his rehabilitation process and what it was like both physically and mentally, as Pitman relays.
According to Roy Ward of The Age Sport (Twitter link), Murray says he plans to play during the preseason, so Denver fans won’t have to wait until the regular season tips off to see his return to action.