Pelicans Sign Jose Alvarado To Four-Year Deal
MARCH 28: The Pelicans have officially announced Alvarado’s new deal, issuing a press release to confirm the move. The team terminated Wallace’s 10-day contract early, as expected, in order to make room on the 15-man roster for Alvarado.
Alvarado’s new contract will include a fourth-year team option, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN. That will give the Pelicans the opportunity to turn down that option and make Alvarado a restricted free agent in 2024, if they so choose.
MARCH 27: The Pelicans are converting guard Jose Alvarado from his two-way contract, signing him to a four-year, $6.5MM deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The agreement will guarantee Alvarado $3.4MM over the next two years, including $1.5MM on top of the $800K he has already earned this season, according to Charania.
Those numbers appear slightly high if the deal is only worth $6.5MM in total, but it sounds like the rookie guard will at least get two fully guaranteed years followed by two minimum-salary seasons that aren’t fully guaranteed.
Alvarado, 23, signed a two-way deal with New Orleans after going unselected in last year’s draft following four collegiate seasons at Georgia Tech. He has played a key role in the team’s backcourt this season, averaging 6.2 points, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 15.3 minutes per contest entering Sunday. He has also shot 43.5% from the floor and 31.6% from behind-the-arc.
By converting Alvarado, the Pelicans will open up a two-way contract spot. The team owns the 10th-best record in the Western Conference at 31-43, leading the Spurs by one game. Promoting Alvarado to the 15-man roster also makes him eligible to play in the postseason, including the play-in game(s).
New Orleans will dip into its mid-level exception in order to ensure Alvarado makes more than the minimum salary this season and to give him four years. The team had only used $1.7MM of its $9.5MM mid-level in 2021/22 in order to sign Herbert Jones.
The Pelicans currently have a full 15-man roster, but 15th man Tyrone Wallace is on a 10-day contract that only runs through Wednesday, so he’ll likely have that deal terminated a couple days early in order to accommodate Alvarado’s promotion.
Jazz Sign Greg Monroe To 10-Day Deal
MARCH 28: The Jazz have officially signed Monroe to his 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. The deal will run through April 6.
MARCH 27: Veteran center Greg Monroe will sign a 10-day contract with the Jazz, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Utah will be the fourth team of the season for Monroe, who previously played on 10-day contracts with the Timberwolves, Wizards and Bucks. He has appeared in a total of 10 games this season, averaging 5.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 14 minutes per night.
As backup center Hassan Whiteside battles a right foot sprain, Monroe will provide insurance on the depth chart behind Rudy Gobert as the Jazz try to hang onto fourth place in the Western Conference. With 14 days left in the regular season, the 31-year-old will have an opportunity to audition for a spot on Utah’s playoff roster.
The Timberwolves had interest in re-signing Monroe, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). Naz Reid‘s foot injury may put the Wolves in the market for a big man.
Utah has an opening on its 15-man roster, so a corresponding move won’t be necessary. If Monroe officially signs today or Monday, he will be eligible for five games during the 10-day deal.
Cavs’ Wade Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out For Season
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade has undergone surgery to address the meniscus injury in his right knee, the team announced today (via Twitter). According to the Cavs, Wade will miss the rest of the 2021/22 season.
Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported last Monday that Wade sustained a partial meniscus tear in his right knee and would be out for at least several weeks. It appears the 25-year-old and the team took some time to determine the best course of action for the injury and determined that surgery was the right choice.
Wade, who has been with the Cavs since the 2019/20 season, averaged 5.3 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 51 games (19.2 MPG) for the club this season, posting a .456/.359/.667 shooting line and making 28 starts.
Wade is one of a handful of Cleveland rotation players who have gone down with injuries in 2021/22. Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio both suffered season-ending knee injuries earlier in the season, while All-Star center Jarrett Allen has been out since March 6 due to a fractured finger. Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, and Lauri Markkanen have all had short-term absences for the team as well.
The Cavs hold a $1.93MM team option on Wade for 2022/23, which they’ll likely pick up as long as they expect him to be available for most or all of next season.
Blazers Rule Out Nurkic, Simons, Bledsoe For Season
The Trail Blazers confirmed today in a press release that center Jusuf Nurkic and guards Anfernee Simons and Eric Bledsoe won’t return for the team this season.
According to today’s announcement, Nurkic (left foot plantar fasciitis) and Simons (patellar tendinopathy in his left knee) have responded well to treatment and rehabilitation, with Nurkic’s rehab program reducing his symptoms and increasing the “overall function” of his left foot and ankle.
Nurkic will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Simons will be a restricted free agent. However, both players – especially Simons – are considered good bets to re-sign with Portland.
Bledsoe, who hasn’t played in a game for the Blazers since being acquired from the Clippers prior to February’s trade deadline, received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection last Wednesday to address the tendinopathy in his left Achilles tendon, per the team. Bledsoe technically has one more year left on his contract, but only $3.9MM of his $19.4MM salary for 2022/23 is guaranteed, so he appears likely to be waived in the offseason.
The Blazers issued injury updates on two more players, announcing that swingman Josh Hart, who has missed the club’s last four games due to patellar tendinopathy in his left knee, will be reevaluated in a week. There will only be one week left in the season at that point, so it won’t be a major surprise if Hart doesn’t play again in 2021/22.
Meanwhile, Didi Louzada – acquired from New Orleans last month in the CJ McCollum trade – is in the final stages of his return-to-play protocol after undergoing surgery on a torn mensicus on February 4. The Blazers expect him to play before the end of the season.
Damian Lillard (abdominal surgery), Nassir Little (shoulder surgery), and Joe Ingles (ACL surgery) have previously been ruled out for the season by the Blazers, while Trendon Watford (hyperextended left knee and bone bruise) is also questionable to return within the next two weeks.
Myles Turner Won’t Return This Season
Pacers center Myles Turner will miss the remainder of the 2021/22 season, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Turner, who turned 26 last Thursday, has been sidelined since January 14 due to a stress reaction in his left foot. According to Wojnarowski, Turner has made “good progress” in his recovery, but the Pacers only have seven games remaining and are out of the playoff hunt, so it doesn’t make sense to bring back the big man at this point.
Prior to going down with his foot injury, Turner averaged 12.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 2.8 BPG in 42 games (29.4 MPG) for Indiana. His name surfaced in several trade rumors earlier in the season, but his injury diminished his value to some extent and Indiana ended up moving its other center, Domantas Sabonis, while hanging onto Turner.
It’s still possible the retooling squad will shop Turner this offseason ahead of the final year of his contract. But with Sabonis no longer in the mix, the Pacers may be more inclined to keep Turner, perhaps envisioning him as their long-term starting center.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN observes (via Twitter), Turner is eligible for a contract extension this offseason and Indiana could theoretically use its cap room to to renegotiate the last year of his current deal, giving him a raise on next year’s $18MM salary as part of an extension agreement.
Trendon Watford Out At Least A Week With Leg Injuries
Trail Blazers forward Trendon Watford suffered a pair of leg injuries Saturday night that could result in an early end to his rookie season, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
The team announced that Watford has a hyperextended left knee and a bone bruise in his left leg, and his condition will be re-evaluated in a week. With just two weeks left in the regular season and little chance to reach the play-in tournament, Portland may decide to play it safe with Watford.
The injury occurred late in Saturday’s game against Houston when Watford stepped on Dennis Schröder‘s foot while driving to the basket. He collapsed to the court, and teammates and coaches had to help him to the locker room.
Watford, who led the team with 15 points and 10 rebounds, has been a pleasant surprise in a lost season in Portland. He signed a two-way contract with the Blazers in August after going undrafted out of LSU and had that converted to a standard deal in February. He has appeared in 48 games, starting 10, and is averaging 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per night.
Josh Giddey Out For Rest Of Season
Thunder rookie Josh Giddey won’t play any more this season because of soreness in his hip, tweets Oklahoma City reporter Rylan Stiles.
Coach Mark Daigneault made the announcement during a session with reporters before tonight’s game. Giddey hasn’t played since February 24, and Daigneault said the “return-to-play portion” of his rehab process would last longer than the two weeks that are left in the regular season. Giddey told the team that he has never experienced problems with the hip before, Daigneault added.
“It’s a tricky injury,” Daigneault said. “A little unpredictable, whereas Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is a bone, a break, it’s more predictable.”
Giddey, the sixth player selected in last year’s draft, will end his first season with averages of 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 54 games. He was selected to participate in both the Rising Stars tournament and the Skills Challenge at All-Star Weekend and was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month four times.
Daigneault offered two other medical updates, saying Robinson-Earl will definitely be back this season (Twitter link), and he plans to talk to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander about his status. Gilgeous-Alexander has been in and out of the lineup with an ankle injury, and Daigneault said, “The game to game thing is not sustainable.” (Twitter link)
Kyrie Irving Says He Plans To Re-Sign With Nets
Nets star Kyrie Irving holds a player option worth $36.5MM for next season, but the 30-year-old says he plans to re-sign with Brooklyn if he declines the option, as relayed by Andrew Lopez of ESPN.com. Turning down the option would allow Irving to become an unrestricted free agent.
“For me, it has always been about being comfortable and loving where I’m at. I love it here,” Irving said. “Once that summertime hits, I know we’ll have some conversations but there’s no way I could leave my man 7 [Kevin Durant] anywhere.”
Irving and Durant signed with the Nets in 2019, joining forces for the first time in their careers. Irving has only played in 20 games this season due to New York City’s vaccine mandates, but he’s averaged a career-high 28.5 points on 49% shooting from the floor.
The mandates have since been lifted, allowing Irving to play at home against Charlotte on Sunday. The seven-time All-Star will be seeking his second NBA championship this season. Should Irving return next season, Brooklyn will have most its core under contract, including Durant, Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Joe Harris.
Of course, Irving also publicly committed to re-signing with Boston back in 2018, then reversed course by the time he eventually reached free agency in 2019, opting instead to join Brooklyn. He seems focused on taking a long-term approach with the team though, which should be viewed as good news for Nets fans.
“To be honest, I signed up for this for the long run,” Irving explained. “I love this year. I’m grateful. It has not been the prototypical year. But when I look at my teammates and I look at what we have as an organization. I’m looking for the long run and what we can do, legacy talk.”
Clippers Waive Ojeleye, Convert Coffey, Sign Moon
The Clippers have called up guard Xavier Moon from their G League affiliate, signing him to a two-way contract, agent Stacey Leawood told Hoops Rumors. To create roster space, the team has promoted two-way player Amir Coffey to the 15-man roster and has waived veteran wing Semi Ojeleye, who was acquired in a trade last month.
Coffey, 24, earns a rest-of-season deal after playing 62 games with the club this season. He most recently finished with 21 points in a loss to the Sixers on Friday, shooting 9-of-15 from the floor. Converting Coffey to a standard contract will allow the Clippers to have him available during the playoffs.
Moon, a 6’2″ point guard, signed three 10-day contracts with Los Angeles earlier this season. The club was quickly impressed by his production and maturity, as the 27-year-old averaged 5.5 points and 1.7 assists in 13.8 minutes per contest.
Moon, the nephew of former NBA player Jamario Moon, has also been impressive in the G League. He has averaged 18.8 points, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game with Agua Caliente, shooting 46% from the floor and 38% from three-point range.
Ojeleye was traded from Milwaukee to Los Angeles in the four-team deadline deal that sent Serge Ibaka to the Bucks. The Clippers’ primary motive in that trade was to reduce their tax bill — Ojeleye appeared in 10 games for L.A. following his arrival, but mostly saw garbage-time minutes. He’ll clear waivers on Monday, assuming he goes unclaimed, but wouldn’t be playoff-eligible for a new team.
The Clippers currently rank eighth in the Western Conference standings at 36-39. The team has seven games left on its schedule, which includes outings against the Jazz (45-29) on Tuesday and Bulls (42-31) on Thursday.
Raptors Sign Armoni Brooks To Two-Year Deal
10:44am: Toronto has officially signed Brooks, the team announced in a press release.
9:12am: The Raptors intend to sign Armoni Brooks to two-year contract, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). The deal will include a partial guarantee for 2022/23.
Brooks will receive more than the minimum salary for the remainder of this season because the Raptors still have part of their mid-level exception to spend, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link), who adds that Brooks’ partial guarantee for next season is $250K.
In a separate tweet, Murphy notes that Brooks likely moved ahead of Justin Champagnie for the 15th and final standard roster spot — Champagnie is currently on a two-way deal and won’t be eligible for the playoffs, barring another roster move.
Brooks was previously signed to a couple of 10-day contracts by Toronto, and the team clearly liked what it saw out of the young guard. His second 10-day deal expired overnight on Friday, so the Raptors had to either sign him for the rest of the season or let him walk, since players can’t sign more than two standard 10-day contracts with the same club in a single season.
Coach Nick Nurse had said on Friday that he expected Brooks to be brought back (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports).
Through eight games with the Raptors, Brooks has averaged 2.9 points and 1.4 rebounds in 11.1 minutes per night in a limited role. However, he’s been a regular part of the team’s rotation of late, averaging 6.7 points and a steal on 40% shooting from deep over the past three games.
Eric Koreen of The Athletic explored Brooks’ fit with the Raptors a few days ago, stating that while the young guard might not fit the mold of the rest of the team, Toronto can use his long-range shooting ability — as long as he’s hitting those shots.
“It’s just trusting your work. Your shots are not gonna fall every single night. Even the best shooters have slumps. It’s just part of the game. You can have good looks and they won’t fall, but you have just got to trust that you put in the work and eventually results will turn in your favor,” Brooks said.
Brooks, 23, signed with Houston as a two-way player last year and was converted to a standard contract in October of 2021. He had a nice run with the Rockets last season, averaging 11.2 points and 3.4 rebounds on 38.2% from deep in 20 games. He was waived by Houston last month to accommodate a three-for-one deal with the Celtics at the trade deadline.