Ray Spalding Joins Hornets On Two-Way Deal
8:05pm: Spalding’s two-way deal is now official, the team confirmed in a press release.
6:21pm: The Hornets will sign Ray Spalding to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The 23-year-old forward was in training camp with the Rockets and joined their G League affiliate after being waived just before the start of the season. He was averaging 15.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in 20 games with Rio Grande Valley.
Spalding got 14 games of NBA experience last year as a rookie. Thirteen of those were with Mavericks and the other one came after joining the Suns on a 10-day contract last February.
By signing today, Spalding will be eligible to spend up to 24 days in the NBA between now and the end of the G League regular season in March.
The Hornets opened a two-way slot by waiving Robert Franks earlier today, which marks the deadline for issuing two-way contracts this season.
Warriors Officially Sign Damion Lee To Three-Year Deal
Damion Lee‘s long-awaited promotion to the Warriors‘ 15-man roster is now official, with the team announcing the move today in a press release.
Lee, who was previously on a two-way contract, signed a new three-year deal with a partial guarantee for the 2020/21 season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Next season’s partial guarantee will be worth $600K, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
The promotion had been expected since last Tuesday, when the team released Marquese Chriss in order to make room under its hard cap to sign Lee. For his part, Chriss has returned to the team on a two-way contract, essentially swapping places with Lee.
Lee, who is Stephen Curry‘s brother-in-law, has been a regular rotation player all season long for the injury-plagued Warriors, averaging 12.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 2.3 APG with a solid shooting line of .407/.360/.877 in 26 games (13 starts). The 27-year-old had exhausted the 45-day NBA limit on his two-way deal, but will no longer face those restrictions on his new standard contract.
Golden State has had little financial wiggle room all season long due to its hard cap and will now be approximately $394K below the threshold, according to Marks (Twitter link). Marks notes that the Warriors will be able to sign a 15th man to a rest-of-season contract as of March 4 if no trades or 10-day signings before then affect the club’s cap sheet.
The Warriors were able to sign Lee to a three-year, minimum-salary contract by using their mid-level exception.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Warriors Re-Sign Marquese Chriss To Two-Way Deal
JANUARY 15: Chriss’ two-way contract is now official, according to the Warriors.
JANUARY 14: Just days after waiving him, the Warriors intend to bring back Marquese Chriss on a two-way contract, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link).
Chriss has spent most of the 2019/20 season with the Warriors and played well in a part-time role, averaging 7.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 1.9 APG in 37 games (17.7 MPG). However, he was released last Tuesday in advance of the league-wide salary guarantee deadline because Golden State wanted to maximize its flexibility under the team’s hard cap. The two sides were said to have mutual interest in a reunion.
The Warriors reportedly plan to promote two-way player Damion Lee to their standard roster to fill the spot that Chriss previously occupied, so the two players will essentially be swapping places. The pair of moves will need to be completed by the end of the day on Wednesday, since January 15 is the deadline for two-way signings.
Lee has already used his full 45-day NBA allotment this season but can be activated again once he signs a standard contract. As a newly-signed two-way player, Chriss will be eligible to spend up to 24 days in the NBA between now and the end of the G League regular season in March. Once the G League season ends, those restrictions will lift and he can spend the rest of the year in the NBA.
Head coach Steve Kerr had previously talked about Chriss potentially having a future in Golden State beyond 2019/20. The big man’s new two-way contract will make him a free agent at the end of the season, but the Warriors will still have options for re-signing him, particularly if he isn’t offered a sizable raise by a rival team.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Griffin: Zion Williamson On Track For January 22 Debut
Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson is expected to make his NBA regular season debut on January 22 against the Spurs, head of basketball operations David Griffin said today (Twitter link via Scott Kushner of The Advocate).
Griffin explained today to reporters that the Pelicans want Williamson to participate in two more practices on Friday and Sunday before giving him the go-ahead, as Andrew Lopez of ESPN tweets. There was an expectation that Zion’s first game could happen earlier, but the team is being extra cautious and Griffin admitted that getting in practices has been an issue due to the schedule (Twitter link via Lopez).
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Williamson was one of the NBA’s most-hyped prospects in years, and looked dominant in the preseason when he averaged 23.3 PPG on 71.4% shooting in four games (27.2 MPG).
However, a knee injury forced the former Duke star to undergo meniscus surgery on the eve of the regular season opener. At the time, the Pelicans estimated that he’d be sidelined for six-to-eight weeks, but the team’s careful approach with its future franchise player resulted in what will ultimately be a 13-week absence.
Still, having Williamson sit out all season was never under consideration, Griffin said today (Twitter link via Will Guillory of The Athletic). The Pelicans’ executive also said the 19-year-old is radically improved physical version of himself.
While there was a belief that Williamson would face a minutes restriction upon his return, New Orleans has no “hard number” in mind, according to Griffin (Twitter link via Kushner). The rookie’s playing time will be determined by how he looks on the court. Griffin did admit that Williamson may not play in back-to-backs, but the club’s next back-to-back won’t happen until March (Twitter link via Guillory).
The Pelicans endured a disappointing first half and currently rank 14th in the Western Conference with a 15-26 record. However, they’re only four games behind the eighth-seeded Grizzlies, so if Williamson’s return can help fuel a second-half run, a push for a playoff spot isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Heat Sign Chris Silva To Three-Year Deal
JANUARY 15: It happened one day later than initially expected, but Silva has officially signed his new NBA contract with the Heat, the team announced today (Twitter link). Miami can now move forward with its two-way deal for Kyle Alexander.
JANUARY 13: The Heat intend to promote Chris Silva to their 15-man roster on Tuesday, ending his two-way contract and finalizing a new three-year deal, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).
The move has long been expected, as Silva has outplayed his two-way deal this season and Miami has an open roster spot on its 15-man squad. Jackson reported over the weekend that the move was coming, while cap expert Albert Nahmad (Twitter link) predicted a three-year contract would be finalized by Wednesday.
Because they’re only $855K away from their hard cap, the Heat have thus far been unable to promote Silva, but they’ll be able to do so on Tuesday — at that time, a prorated minimum-salary contract for him will only count for about $851K for tax purposes.
Miami will use a portion of its mid-level exception to complete a three-year deal, which will give the team Bird rights on Silva in 2022 if he plays out the full contract. It’s unclear how much – if any – money will be guaranteed beyond 2019/20.
Silva, 23, has already appeared in 30 games for Miami this season despite being on a two-way contract, as the club has maximized his 45-day NBA limit. The forward is averaging 3.5 PPG and 3.1 RPG with a .691 FG% in 8.3 minutes per contest.
By converting Silva’s contract before January 15, the Heat will have the opportunity to add a second two-way player to their roster in advance of Wednesday’s deadline. Currently, Gabe Vincent occupies the team’s other two-way contract slot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Knicks Waive Ivan Rabb, Add Kenny Wooten
JANUARY 14, 3:03pm: The Knicks have officially signed Wooten to a two-way contract, the team announced today (Twitter link).
JANUARY 13, 5:07pm: Rabb has officially been waived, according the team’s PR department (Twitter link).
JANUARY 13, 4:09pm: The Knicks will waive forward Ivan Rabb and add forward Kenny Wooten on a two-way contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Wooten has been playing for the Knicks’ G League affiliate in Westchester.
The move didn’t come as a surprise. Wednesday is the final day that two-way contracts can be offered this season, and several teams had been watching Wooten, who is among the G League leaders in blocks per game. Rabb and guard Kadeem Allen were on two-way deals with the Knicks and one of them had to go to make room for Wooten.
Rabb was signed to his two-way contract in late October. Rabb, 22, was the 35th overall pick in the 2017 draft and spent his first two professional seasons in Memphis, but didn’t develop into a reliable, consistent rotation player. In 2018/19, he averaged 5.8 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 49 games (14.7 MPG). He was released by the Grizzlies during training camp.
Rabb was averaging a double-double with Westchester in 18 games — 13.1 PPG and 11.0 RPG. Wooten, 21, has appeared in 24 games with Westchester. He’s averaging 7.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 3.3 BPG in 24.0 MPG.
An undrafted rookie out of Oregon, Wooten was waived from the Knicks’ training camp roster after signing an Exhibit 10 contract during the summer. On his new two-way deal, he’ll be eligible to spend up to 24 days in the NBA before the end of the G League regular season.
Cavs Rookie Dylan Windler Out For Season
Cavaliers swingman Dylan Windler will miss the remainder of the season due to ongoing symptoms related to his left lower leg stress reaction, according to a team press release.
After an extended period of rehabilitation and treatment over the last several months, Windler will now undergo surgery to fix the issue. The procedure is scheduled for January 21.
The 6’6″ Windler was sidelined early in training camp after being diagnosed with the injury, which originally had a 4-6 week timetable. After looking good in practices and scrimmages, he was expected to make his NBA debut last month.
Windler suffered a setback in mid-December and underwent additional treatment and rehabilitation but continued to experience discomfort. He sought a second opinion from Orthopedic Specialist Dr. David Porter of IU Health Methodist Hospital and Sports Medicine in Indianapolis. Ultimately, it was determined that surgery was necessary.
Windler is one of three first-rounders on the Cavs’ roster along with Darius Garland (No. 5) and Kevin Porter (No. 30).
Windler moved up the prospects list during his senior season at Belmont, in which he averaged 21.3 PPG and 10.8 RPG with a .540/.429/.847 shooting line in 33 games.
The Cavaliers could apply for a disabled player exception as a result of Windler’s injury, but it would be worth just $1.02MM if granted.
Richaun Holmes To Miss Multiple Weeks
Kings big man Richaun Holmes will be re-evaluated in two-to-three weeks due to a right shoulder injury, the team announced on Sunday, as relayed by Jason Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Holmes recently underwent imaging that revealed an injury to his shoulder joint, with the 26-year-old now likely to miss several games. The team originally termed the injury a shoulder strain.
Holmes is enjoying a career-best season with Sacramento, averaging 13.1 points, 8.5 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per game through 37 contests in his first campaign as starting center. The Kings will greatly miss his interior production — head coach Luke Walton praised the fifth-year player earlier this month.
“He’s been an anchor for us,” Walton said, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “He plays with that passion and fire that I think the Sacramento fan base really gets behind because he just leaves it all out there every time he plays. He’s made a lot of winning plays for us. He’s having a heck of a year so far.”
Holmes’ injury will allow other frontcourt players to see increased minutes for the Kings, with seventh-year center Dewayne Dedmon worth monitoring the rest of the month. Dedmon was fined $50K for publicly requesting a trade last month and is in the first season of a three-year, $40MM contract.
The Kings have been hammered with injuries during the first half of the season, owning the third-worst record in the Western Conference at 15-24. On the flip side, the team is just two games back from the eighth seed in the conference, with upcoming home contests scheduled against Orlando on Monday and Dallas on Wednesday.
Siakam, Powell Return To Raptors
Rising Raptors star power forward Pascal Siakam and guard Norman Powell will both return to the starting five for Toronto in Sunday’s game against the Spurs, TSN’s Josh Lewenberg reports (Twitter link). Both will be placed on a minutes limit in their first game back since December. Lewenberg also notes that starting center Marc Gasol remains out (Twitter link).
Siakam, Powell, and Gasol, all Raptors starters, had all been sidelined indefinitely since a December 19 tilt against the Pistons. Siakam had been battling a stretched groin, Gasol a hamstring injury, and Powell a subluxation of his left shoulder.
Siakam is currently third in Eastern Conference All-Star frontcourt balloting, with 1,730,763 fan votes received as of January 9th, according to an Associated Press report (link via SI.com).
A fantastic two-way player, the 6’9″ Siakam had emerged as a borderline MVP candidate with his sterling performance for the 25-13 Raptors. For the 2019/20 season, the No. 27 pick in the 2016 NBA draft out of New Mexico State is averaging career-highs of 25.1 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 81.3% free throw shooting, and 39.2% shooting on 6.3 three-point attempts across 27 games.
Powell has also taken a leap this season, logging a career-high slash line of 14.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, and 4.9 three-point attempts per game. The 6’3″ shooting guard, drafted No. 46 out of UCLA in 2015, is connecting on 38.9% of those looks. Powell has also been appearing in a career-high 28.9 minutes a night for the Raptors.
Kyrie Irving Eyeing Sunday Return
JAN 12: The Nets have announced that point guard Kyrie Irving will officially be available to play tonight, according to Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).
JAN 11: Nets guard Kyrie Irving is looking to return for Sunday’s home bout against the league-worst Hawks, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). It would be Irving’s first game since injuring his right shoulder on November 14 against the Nuggets. The Hawks hold an 8-31 record this season.
After receiving a cortisone shot on Christmas Eve to treat the shoulder, Irving was able to return to 5-on-5 contact drills during a Nets team practice on Thursday. He told ESPN’s Malika Andrews then that he hoped to return to the hardwood within the week.
Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link) that the Nets hold a 13-13 record without Irving, including going a middling 4-8 against teams with a record above .500. Spencer Dinwiddie emerged as a legitimate All-Star candidate with his play for Brooklyn during Irving’s extended absence. The Nets were 4-7 in the 11 games they played with Irving.