Bulls Apply For Disabled Player Exception
The Bulls have applied for a disabled player exception due to Lonzo Ball‘s knee injury, which is expected to sideline him for the entire 2023/24 season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Chicago confirmed the news (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago). VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas previously stated the team didn’t expect Ball to play next season.
Ball underwent a third left knee surgery in March — a cartilage transplant — after two previous surgeries were unable to clear up persistent discomfort when he tried to ramp up his on-court activities. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since January 14, 2022, when he originally tore his meniscus.
A disabled player exception grants an over-the-cap team some extra spending power when it loses a player to an injury deemed more likely than not to sideline him through at least June 15, 2024.
The exception is worth either half the injured player’s salary or the value of the mid-level exception, whichever is lesser. In this case, Ball’s ’23/24 salary is $20.46MM, so Chicago’s DPE would be worth $10.23MM if the NBA grants the request.
As we explain in our glossary entry, the disabled player exception can be used to sign a free agent, to claim a player off waivers, or to acquire a player in a trade. The exception can only be used on a single player and can only accommodate a player on a one-year deal. A free agent signee can’t get a multiyear contract, and any trade or waiver target must be in the final year of his contract.
Although the disabled player exception gives a team extra cap flexibility, it doesn’t open up an extra spot on the 15-man roster. The club must have a roster spot available to use the DPE to add a player.
Ball holds a $21.4MM player option for ’24/25, the final year of his contract.
Eric Gordon Signs Two-Year Contract With Suns
JULY 6: The Suns have officially signed Gordon, the team announced in a press release.
“Eric is a winning player who will make our team more dynamic and help us in our pursuit of an NBA championship,” general manager James Jones said in a statement.
JULY 2: The Suns have reached an agreement with free agent guard Eric Gordon, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Gordon had multiple suitors and turned more lucrative offers to join one of the prime contenders for the 2024 championship, Charania adds (Twitter link).
It’s a two-year contract with a player option, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. Due to its salary-cap issues, Phoenix could only offer Gordon the veteran’s minimum after he passed through waivers.
Gordon became a free agent when the Clippers declined to guarantee his $20.9MM salary for next season. The Clippers had luxury tax issues and decided to give Gordon’s minutes to younger players.
Gordon now becomes at least a key second-unit performer on a potentially powerhouse team. He could be the leading scorer off the bench while playing alongside Cameron Payne or Damion Lee in the backcourt. It’s conceivable Gordon could slide into the starting unit with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal at the wing positions. He’s been a starter in 627 of 818 career NBA regular-season games.
After clearing waivers, Gordon had narrowed his choices to the Suns, Warriors and Rockets, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). The Warriors had made Gordon their top backcourt target on the free agent market via a veteran’s minimum deal, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. However, the pathway to minutes in Golden State’s backcourt — with the addition of Chris Paul — would have been murkier than the Suns’ current situation.
L.A. acquired Gordon from the Rockets in a three-team deal at the trade deadline. He averaged 11.0 PPG and shot 42.3% from three-point range in his 22 regular season games with the Clippers and put up similar numbers in the playoffs.
Gordon joins a host of other free agents who have reached agreements with the Suns in the early days of free agency. The Suns have also secured the services of Drew Eubanks, Keita Bates-Diop, Josh Okogie, Lee, Yuta Watanabe and Chimezie Metu.
The addition gives Phoenix a full 15-man roster. The Suns’ roster now exceeds $250MM in total payroll and luxury tax penalties, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype notes (Twitter link).
Luka Garza Returns To Timberwolves On Two-Way Deal
The Timberwolves have re-signed big man Luka Garza on a two-way contract, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype tweets. The signing is official, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
Garza was also on a two-way deal last season. Entering his third NBA season, Garza received a qualifying offer from Minnesota prior to the start of free agency, making him a restricted free agent. Minnesota has a full 15-man roster after reaching agreements with three free agents and adding two rookies via the draft.
While Garza didn’t get a standard contract from the club, he’ll now fill one of the Timberwolves’ three two-way slots for the coming season. Garza appeared in 28 games for the Timberwolves last season, averaging 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game off the bench.
He spent his first NBA season with Detroit after being selected with the No. 52 pick of the 2021 draft. He played 32 games for the Pistons, including five starts.
Under the new CBA, two-way players can now negotiate to receive $75K immediately upon signing, and they can negotiate that 50% of their salary is guaranteed if they are on the roster on the first day of the regular season.
Pelicans Sign Cody Zeller To One-Year Contract
JULY 6: The Pelicans have signed Zeller, according to an official announcement from the team.
JULY 2: The Pelicans are signing free agent center Cody Zeller to a one-year, $3.1MM contract, agent Sam Goldfeder tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Zeller just completed his 10th season, so he’ll be receiving the veteran’s minimum for a player with his experience. As our minimum-salary projections for 2023/24 show, he’ll actually be making just under $3.2MM.
The Pelicans chose not to bring back Willy Hernangomez or Jaxson Hayes, so Zeller will help fortify the team’s frontcourt depth. Hernangomez might be headed back to Europe, where he started his pro career, while Hayes is signing a two-year deal with the Lakers.
Zeller, 30, was the fourth overall pick of the 2013 draft after two college seasons at Indiana. He spent his first eight NBA seasons with Charlotte, averaging a combined 8.7 PPG and 6.0 RPG over 467 contests (22.7 MPG).
The 6’11” big man spent the past two seasons with Portland and Miami, respectively. He was a mid-season addition in ’22/23 for the Heat, who went on to make the NBA Finals as the East’s No. 8 seed.
Zeller averaged 6.5 PPG and 4.3 RPG in 15 regular season games for the Heat (14.5 MPG). He appeared in 21 of the club’s 23 postseason games, though his minutes were reduced to 8.3 per night.
The addition of Zeller means, at least for now, that the Pelicans will be above the ’23/24 luxury tax threshold, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com. A cost-cutting move could be in store to dip under the tax line.
Northwest Notes: Lillard, Jazz, Timberwolves Moves, Brown, Jackson, Braun, Wallace
The Jazz will have internal discussions about getting involved in the Damian Lillard sweepstakes, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones.
If they make a run for him, the Jazz could put together an impressive package of expiring contracts and future first-round picks for the Trail Blazers All-Star guard, who requested a trade this weekend. He’d instantly transform a team with a suddenly formidable frontcourt and quality depth into a contender.
The downside is Lillard’s age, defensive deficiencies and gargantuan contract. Jones explores the pros and cons of a potential Jazz trade for Lillard and ultimately concludes it would be worth it, as long as they set a strict limit on what they would give up.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Timberwolves, after extending Naz Reid, made a number of under-the-radar moves in free agency to help them avoid future tax issues, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes. They divvied up their mid-level exception to acquire Shake Milton and Troy Brown, as well as re-signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker via his Bird rights. All of the contracts were two-year deals. Thus, their roster is almost all set for next season and the combined salaries are below the luxury tax threshold.
- After losing Bruce Brown in free agency to Indiana, the Nuggets have a huge hole to fill in their rotation. Jones explores how Denver will fill up those available minutes. Reggie Jackson, who is re-signing with the club on a two-year deal, is slated to be the backup point guard. Christian Braun will see his minutes expand, presumably as a combo guard. Denver could also add another piece via free agency to improve its depth.
- Due to trade restrictions, Cason Wallace will miss the Thunder’s three Summer League games in Salt Lake City, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman notes. Wallace was chosen with the No. 10 pick in a draft-night swap with the Mavericks, who also shipped forward Davis Bertans to OKC in exchange for the No. 12 pick. The trade can’t be finalized until at least Thursday, forcing Wallace to miss those games. However, he’ll be eligible to play in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Raptors’ Pascal Siakam Continues To Draw Trade Interest
Raptors forward Pascal Siakam continues to draw trade interest around the NBA, multiple sources tell Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). Grange specifically mentions the Hawks as a team that remains in pursuit of the 29-year-old.
A couple days before free agency opened, Grange also identified the Hornets, Mavericks, Rockets, Pelicans and Kings as teams that had inquired on Siakam, though he cautioned that while Toronto was open to listening to offers, conversations hadn’t gotten very far.
An All-Star for the second time in 2022/23, Siakam averaged career highs in points (24.2) and assists (5.8) while chipping in 7.8 rebounds in 71 games last season. His 37.4 minutes per game led the league for the second straight season.
A two-time All-NBA member, Siakam is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $37.9MM in ’23/24. He’s eligible to sign a four-year, $192MM extension, though he’d also be eligible for a super-max extension if he isn’t traded and makes another All-NBA team next season.
Siakam previously put word out that he preferred to remain with the Raptors and likely wouldn’t re-sign with another team. A follow-up report stated that he hoped to spend his entire career with Toronto, the only NBA club he’s ever known after being selected 27th overall in the 2016 draft.
The loss of Fred VanVleet in free agency makes the Raptors less formidable, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic, who believes they should seriously consider dealing Siakam in order to re-balance the roster around Scottie Barnes, the ’21/22 Rookie of the Year.
Koreen would be less inclined to move OG Anunoby, but he points out that his deal is also expiring and the five-year, $160MM contract Jerami Grant is signing with Portland will likely be Anunoby’s floor next year in free agency, and it’s possible he might get a maximum-salary offer like VanVleet unexpectedly did from Houston. If the Raptors aren’t willing to pay Anunoby that much, they should consider dealing him as well, Koreen opines.
Rockets To Acquire Patty Mills, Flip Him To Thunder
JULY 2, 1:00pm: Mills will be heading to the Thunder, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Oklahoma City will receive unspecified draft compensation as part of the deal.
JULY 2, 8:58am: Mills’ eventual destination remains a mystery for now. Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link) says his understanding is that the veteran guard won’t be headed to the Grizzlies.
According to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, the Rockets traded for Mills in order to acquire an extra second-round draft pick. That’s not quite the same as saying the Nets are sending a single second-rounder to Houston as part of the deal, but that’s our working assumption for now.
JULY 1, 9:02pm: Mills won’t be staying with Houston, according to Iko, who tweets that the veteran guard will be included in an expanded version of the Brooks sign-and-trade and will be rerouted to a different team. It’s not clear at this point if that team will be the Grizzlies or another club.
JULY 1, 5:39pm: The Rockets continue to fill out their previously youth-heavy roster with more seasoned additions early in the 2023 offseason.
Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic report (Twitter link) that Houston is putting the finishing touches on a trade for sharpshooting Nets veteran combo guard Patty Mills.
It’s unclear exactly what the Rockets are sending to Brooklyn in the deal, but the Nets aren’t taking back any players, per NetsDaily (Twitter link).
The 6’1″ vet remains a reliable catch-and-shoot option even 14 years into his NBA career. Last season for a playoff-bound Brooklyn team, the 34-year-old Saint Mary’s alum averaged 6.2 PPG on .411/.366/.833 shooting splits, 1.4 APG and 1.1 RPG across 14.2 MPG, his lowest output since the 2012/13 season.
Mills was a huge bench contributor on two NBA Finals-bound Spurs clubs in 2013 and 2014, winning it all in ’14. A deal for him would mark just the latest move clearly made with an eye towards expediting Houston’s timeline.
The Rockets, a team already loaded with recent lottery picks, have also inked experienced free agents Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Jock Landale during this free agency period. Houston also signed controversial former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka with an eye toward professionalizing its locker room identity.
Trade Rumors: Lillard, Harden, Brogdon, Fournier, Rockets
The Trail Blazers told rival teams that they are “open for business everywhere in the league” regarding a Damian Lillard trade, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (YouTube link).
Lillard, who asked for a trade on Saturday after weeks of speculation, reportedly hopes to end up in Miami, where he could be part of a title contender. However, the Heat may not be able to offer the best trade package, and Portland GM Joe Cronin intends to focus on the team’s needs rather than Lillard’s preference while negotiating a deal.
“For Portland, they’re going to go out into the marketplace and try to find the best deal they can,” Wojnarowski said, “a combination of young players, draft picks, salary cap relief, all the things you want when a star of Damian Lillard’s magnitude asks to be traded.”
Woj adds that he doesn’t expect a Lillard deal to be completed quickly and that Miami doesn’t have any advantage because Lillard wants to go there. The Blazers haven’t told Lillard whether they intend to comply with his request to join the Heat, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
There are more trade rumors to pass along:
- The Sixers‘ asking price for James Harden has been “really high,” Wojnarowski said in the same segment, noting that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey tends to seek a lot in return when a star player wants to be traded. Harden picked up his $35.6MM player option this week, and reports have indicated that he wants to be dealt to the Clippers. Wojnarowski adds that it’s “not an easy trade to make” because Philadelphia has to get value in return to pair with MVP Joel Embiid and keep the team in title contention. Woj speculates that trade talks could extend beyond Summer League action.
- The Celtics aren’t trying to trade Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, a source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Brogdon was involved in an early version of the Kristaps Porzingis deal, but that fell through when the Clippers pulled out due to medical concerns about Brogdon. Himmelsbach adds that Brogdon is expected to be ready for the start of next season, even though he’s considering surgery for a right elbow injury he suffered in the Eastern Conference Finals.
- The Knicks will continue to explore trades involving Evan Fournier, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv, but they don’t need to open any more cap flexibility to add Donte DiVincenzo after agreeing to send Obi Toppin to the Pacers. New York doesn’t seem to be actively pursuing either Lillard or Harden, according to Begley.
- David Weiner of ClutchFans.net (Twitter link) suspects the Rockets will fold multiple reported trade agreements into their sign-and-trade deal for Dillon Brooks in order to maximize their cap room. After acquiring Patty Mills and using up their remaining cap space, Weiner posits, Houston will package Josh Christopher (to the Grizzlies), Usman Garuba and TyTy Washington (to the Hawks), and Mills (destination TBD), whose combined salaries will be enough to match Brooks’ expected first-year salary (approximately $21.6MM) without requiring room.
Wizards Sign Bilal Coulibaly To Rookie Contract
The Wizards have officially signed first-round pick Bilal Coulibaly to his rookie scale contract, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.
Coulibaly, who wasn’t originally projected to be a lottery pick in the 2023 draft, saw his stock rise over the course of the 2022/23 season as he submitted a strong performance alongside Victor Wembanyama for Metropolitans 92 in his home country of France.
Coulibaly put up modest numbers in 27 games in the French LNB Pro A league, including 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per contest. However, he showed intriguing upside as a shooter (.452 3PT%) and defender, and he’s still just 18 years old (19 later this month).
The Wizards ended up sending two future second-round picks to the Pacers in order to trade up to No. 7 to snag Coulibaly. That means, as our breakdown of this year’s rookie scale salaries shows, he’ll be in line for a first-year salary of $6.6MM and a four-year deal worth $30MM.
Pistons Sign Ausar Thompson, Jared Rhoden, Malcolm Cazalon
The Pistons have signed Ausar Thompson to his rookie scale contract, the team announced (via Twitter).
The fifth overall pick in this year’s draft, Thompson is eligible to receive $7,977,480 in his first season and can make $36,246,405 over the four-year contract, as our breakdown of rookie scale salaries shows.
Thompson, 20, was named MVP and Finals MVP last season in the Overtime Elite league. The versatile small forward averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists as the City Reapers captured the championship.
Detroit also announced the signing of guards Jared Rhoden and Malcolm Cazalon to two-way contracts (Twitter link).
Rhoden was a two-way player last season with the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, and played 14 games in the NBA. He received a two-way qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent.
Cazalon spent the past three seasons with Mega MIS in Serbia. In 25 games last season, he averaged 11.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.6 APG with a .462/.337/.800 shooting line in 25.5 minutes per night. He’s still just 21 years old.
The Pistons still have one two-way slot open.