Alize Johnson Signs Multiyear Deal With Nets
9:36am: The deal is official, the Nets announced in a press release.
8:03am: The Nets have reached an agreement on a multiyear contract with power forward Alize Johnson, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Johnson’s agent, George Langberg, confirmed the deal, which could be worth up to $4.1MM. Johnson could have received more guaranteed money from another team, but he was comfortable in Brooklyn, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link).
Johnson, 24, signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Nets, the second of which expired overnight. He has appeared in six games, averaging 7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per night. Coach Steve Nash told reporters earlier this week that the Nets were happy with Johnson’s production and hoped to keep him around.
Brooklyn was able to sign Johnson for up to three years because the team still had part of its taxpayer mid-level exception available, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link).
A second-round pick in 2018, Johnson played his first two seasons with the Pacers and was in training camp this year with the Raptors.
Anthony Davis Moving Closer To Return
Lakers star Anthony Davis may be able to return to the court within the next seven to 10 days, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Team doctors will re-evaluate Davis’ condition on Thursday when the Lakers come home from their road trip, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said tonight on ABC’s pre-game show.
Davis hasn’t played since February 14 because of a calf strain and tendinosis in his right leg. He took an important step forward two weeks ago when he received clearance to advance his on-court activities.
Davis was posting his typical All-Star numbers before the injury, averaging 22.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks through 23 games. He signed a five-year max contract with Los Angeles in December.
The Lakers have been sliding down the Western Conference standings without Davis and LeBron James, who may miss another month or so with a high-ankle sprain. L.A. is 4-6 in its last 10 games and has dropped to fifth place, just two and a half games away from seventh and a spot in a play-in game.
Khem Birch Clears Waivers, Signs With Raptors
6:35pm: The signing is official, the Raptors announced on Twitter.
4:38pm: Birch has confirmed his plans to sign with Toronto, tweeting, “I’m excited for the next chapter of my career with @raptors.”
4:08pm: Former Magic center Khem Birch has officially cleared waivers and will join the Raptors for the remainder of the season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Toronto was expected to be Birch’s next destination, as long as he cleared waivers today. Any team that claimed him would have inherited the $3MM expiring contract he had with Orlando. If Birch’s signing takes place Sunday, he will earn $416K for the rest of the season and the Raptors will have a $389K cap hit, tweets Blake Murphy of The Athletic. Birch gave back $413,964 in a buyout deal with the Magic, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
Even if Birch signs right away, he’s not expected to play in tonight’s game at Cleveland, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. There’s a chance his Raptors debut could come Sunday in New York, Lewenberg adds. Toronto has been struggling through injuries and will only have nine players available tonight (Twitter link).
Birch, who was born in Montreal and went to school in Ontario, will become the sixth Canadian to play for the Raptors in team history, according to Lewenberg (Twitter link).
The 28-year-old served as the Magic’s primary backup center for most of the year, but his role was diminished as Orlando began to emphasize its younger players. He averaged 5.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 48 games this season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Alex Rodriguez, Marc Lore Finalizing Purchase Of Timberwolves
Former baseball star Alex Rodriguez and billionaire Marc Lore are finalizing a deal to purchase the Timberwolves, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Under the agreement, current owner Glen Taylor will retain control of the franchise for two more seasons before it shifts to Rodriguez and Lore in 2023.
“We look forward to entering this phase of the process with Glen Taylor,” Rodriguez and Lore said in a prepared statement. “Our respect for him and the legacy he has built lays an amazing foundation for what is to come. We are excited by the prospect of getting to know the Timberwolves organization.” (Twitter link)
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic first noted the interest from the potential buyers (Twitter link).
Rodriguez and Lore signed a letter of intent today that provides a 30-day exclusive negotiating window to finalize the purchase, Krawczynski writes in a full story.
Sources tell The Athletic that Rodriguez and Lore would become limited partners — each with an even stake — in the current ownership group for the next two and a half years before Taylor steps aside. Taylor, who will turn 80 later this month, has owned the team for 27 years and has been looking for someone to take it over.
According to Krawczynski, negotiations have already produced agreement on several key elements of the sale, include a $1.5 billion valuation for the franchise. Rodriguez and Lore met with Taylor this week at his Naples, Fla., home and made significant progress in negotiations.
If a purchase agreement is reached, the new owners would need approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors before a sale can be finalized.
Taylor, who purchased the team for $88MM in 1994, has placed it on the market several times, Krawcyznski adds, but hasn’t found an offer he was willing to accept. He was insistent on keeping it in Minnesota and wanted to find purchasers who would agree to become short-term partners so he could mentor them before they fully took over.
Since retiring from baseball in 2016, Rodriguez has become an entrepreneur and media star, Krawczynski notes. His investments include fitness gyms, coconut water, e-sports, Fanatics and a digital delivery service called goPuff. Lore began his fortune with Quidsi, which sold to Amazon for $545MM in 2021. and later founded Jet.com, which Walmart bought for $3.3 billion in 2016.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Vasilije Micić Expected To Join Thunder Next Season?
Draft-and-stash prospect Vasilije Micić is expected to join the Thunder next season, according to Chema De Lucas (hat tip to Andrew Schlecht). Micić reportedly rejected a renewal offer from Turkey’s Anadolu Efes and an offer from Real Madrid in order to play in the NBA in 2021/22.
The Serbian swingman was originally selected by the 76ers with the No. 52 pick in the 2014 draft. His rights were acquired by Oklahoma City in December as part of a multi-player deal that featured Al Horford going to the Western Conference and Danny Green joining Philadelphia.
Last season, the 6’6” Micić averaged 14.5 PPG and 5.8 APG while shooting 39.7% from distance for his Turkish club. In 32 games this season, he’s averaging 16.4 PPG and 5.0 APG in the EuroLeague.
While at least one report suggests Micić is headed to the NBA, agent Misko Raznatovic says it’s too early to be certain about that, tweeting that any report suggesting Micić has a deal lined up is “completely false.”
Cavaliers Sign Mfiondu Kabengele To 10-Day Deal
APRIL 10: The 10-day contract for Kabengele is official, the Cavaliers announced in a press release on Saturday.
APRIL 9: Free agent big man Mfiondu Kabengele will sign a 10-day contract with the Cavaliers, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The 23-year-old Kabengele played 23 games for the Clippers this season before being traded last month to the Kings, who released him three days later. He appeared in 35 total games in two seasons with L.A., averaging just 4.5 minutes per night. He was the 27th pick in 2019, and the Clippers acquired him in a draft-night trade with the Nets.
The signing will take place on Saturday, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), who adds that the Cavaliers considered drafting Kabengele in 2019.
Cleveland has two open roster spots, so another move won’t be needed to add Kabengele, who will earn $99,020 on the 10-day deal.
Potential Lottery Pick Scottie Barnes Enters Draft
Florida State forward and potential lottery selection Scottie Barnes will sign with an agent and enter this year’s draft, Jon Rothstein of CBS tweets.
Barnes is currently ranked No. 10 overall and No. 3 among small forwards on ESPN’s Best Available list. The one-and-done Barnes averaged 10.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.0 APG and 1.5 SPG in his lone college campaign, which spanned 24 games (seven starts). He scored a season-high 21 points against Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament final.
Barnes is essentially a point forward who projects as a versatile defender capable of guarding any position. He has a 7’2” wingspan and a solid frame, though his perimeter shooting is a work in progress (27.5% on 3-point attempts).
Clippers’ Beverley Has Fractured Hand, Undergoes Surgery
Clippers guard Patrick Beverley underwent surgery on Friday to repair a fracture of the fourth metacarpal bone in his left hand, the team’s PR department tweets. He’ll be re-evaluated in three or four weeks and there’s no timetable for his return.
Beverley suffered the injury while pursuing a rebound in the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Thursday. He had just returned to action after missing nearly four weeks due to a right knee injury.
Beverley has started all 31 games he’s played this season. The defensive specialist is averaging 8.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.1 APG.
Beverley, 32, is signed through next season. He’s making $13.3MM this season and will bank $14.3MM in his walk year.
Given there’s no timetable for his return, Beverley could be out until the postseason. Beverley’s injury opens the door for more playing time for Reggie Jackson, recently-acquired Rajon Rondo and Terance Mann. Luke Kennard could also see additional ball-handling duties.
Victor Oladipo To Miss At Least Four Games
Victor Oladipo will not accompany the Heat on their four-game West Coast trip, the team’s PR department tweets. He’ll undergo further evaluation in Miami.
Oladipo suffered a right knee injury against the Lakers on Thursday. He was enjoying his best game with Miami prior to the injury, posting 18 points, four rebounds and three steals in 25 minutes.
A long-term issue with Oladipo would severely hamper Miami’s attempt to make another deep playoff run. In the short term, Kendrick Nunn would seemingly re-enter the picture after losing his rotation spot and getting benched in the aftermath of the Oladipo deadline trade with Houston.
Another major injury to Oladipo, who admitted last weekend that he still hasn’t fully recovered from his serious leg injury in 2019, would naturally impact his bargaining power in unrestricted free agency this summer.
Nuggets Sign Shaquille Harrison, Cut Greg Whittington
APRIL 9: The moves are official, according to a press release from the team.
APRIL 8: The Nuggets intend to sign free agent guard Shaquille Harrison to a two-way contract, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski, Denver will make room for Harrison by waiving current two-way player Greg Whittington.
A 27-year-old guard known for his strong perimeter defense, Harrison began the season with the Jazz, but saw limited minutes (3.3 MPG) in his 17 games with the team and was released before his salary became fully guaranteed for 2020/21.
Having also spent time in past seasons with Phoenix and Chicago, Harrison has career averages of 5.5 PPG and 2.4 RPG on .444/.289/.710 shooting in 156 total contests (15.1 MPG).
Although Harrison likely won’t play a major role in Denver, he’ll be eligible to play in the postseason, since the NBA adjusted the rule restricting two-way players from participating in the playoffs this season.
As for Whittington, he signed a two-way deal with the Nuggets in the fall but appeared in just four games with the team, going scoreless in 12 total minutes. As Mike Singer of The Denver Post tweets, the 28-year-old forward injured his knee in training camp and underwent a surgical procedure on it in January, derailing his first NBA season.
Even after signing Harrison, Denver won’t necessarily be done seeking backcourt depth, Singer adds (via Twitter). The club will have an open spot on its 15-man roster after waiving Gary Clark.