Sixers Sign Aminu Mohammed To Exhibit 10 Contract
Undrafted Georgetown guard Aminu Mohammed, who reached an agreement with the Sixers in June, has officially signed his Exhibit 10 contract with the team, according to RealGM’s NBA transaction log.
Mohammed spent just one year in college, but made an impact for the Hoyas, averaging 13.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.6 SPG in 31 games (32.2 MPG). He struggled to score efficiently, however, shooting just 37.9% from the floor, including 31.0% on three-pointers.
The Sixers will likely waive Mohammed within the next couple days and have him join the Delaware Blue Coats, their G League team, as an affiliate player. If he spends at least 60 days in Delaware, Mohammed would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K.
Having waived Charles Bassey, Isaiah Joe, and Skylar Mays within the last two days, Philadelphia has more than enough room on its preseason roster to accommodate the addition of Mohammed. The club currently has 18 players under contract.
Celtics Sign Eric Demers To Camp Deal
The Celtics have officially signed guard Eric Demers to a training camp contract, according to the NBA transaction log at RealGM.com.
A Massachusetts native, Demers played his college ball at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. After going undrafted in 2020, he played for the Spurs’ Summer League team in 2021 and the Maine Celtics – Boston’s G League team – during the 2021/22 season.
Demers appeared in 24 regular season games for Maine last season, averaging 8.1 PPG on .374/.353/.833 shooting.
The fact that the Celtics signed Demers signals that they expect him to report back to Maine for the start of the 2022/23 season after he’s cut by the NBA team. His deal will presumably include an Exhibit 10 clause that makes him eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he spends at least 60 days with Boston’s G League affiliate.
Demers will likely be waived within the next day or two, but for now, the Celtics have 19 players under contract.
Rockets Notes: Smith, Sengun, Silas, Season Preview
Rockets rookie big man Jabari Smith Jr. remains sidelined as he continues to rehabilitate from a sprained left ankle, though he was cleared for contact practices on Tuesday, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The 6’10” power forward, the third pick out of Auburn, expressed confidence that he might be available for Houston’s 2022/23 season opener, scheduled for Wednesday, October 19, against the Hawks.
“I’m working to get back in shape now, just getting ready, getting my body ready for the first regular-season game,” Smith said. “It’s been tough, just sitting out, watching my teammates get better. I’m working to get better. I know I’ll be back in no time. It’s a long season.”
There’s more out of Houston:
- Second-year Rockets center Alperen Sengun is working to get more involved in Houston’s offense, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle in a separate piece. “Al-P’s strength is having the basketball and he hasn’t had the ball much,” head coach Stephen Silas remarked. “He’s been a pick-and-roll player. As we go through training camp, which is still going on, he’ll get his post-ups and he’ll get his elbow catches and it’ll be more comfortable for him.”
- Rockets head coach Stephen Silas has rejoined the club following a week-long absence due to his second COVID-19 infection, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Silas missed two Houston preseason contests and four team practices. Assistant coach John Lucas led the team in Silas’s absence. “It wasn’t a great experience going through it… but I feel good now,” Silas said. “I told the guys this; the hardest part is not seeing them and not being around them. The practices, it is what it is, the drills and the games and stuff. But just being around these guys, they’re such a fun group — I missed them.”
- With Rockets first-round draft selections Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and TyTy Washington Jr. now in the fold, joining young players Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Kenyon Martin Jr., Josh Christopher, and Usman Garuba, the rebuilding Rockets appear poised to enjoy a fascinating 2022/23 season of development, though that probably won’t translate to wins. John Hollinger of The Athletic previews the club’s season outlook, projecting a 22-60 finish.
Kings Sign Wesley Iwundu, Jordan Ford To Training Camp Deals
7:30pm: Iwundu and Ford have officially signed with the Kings, per RealGM’s transaction log.
4:41pm: Swingman Wes Iwundu and guard Jordan Ford are set to ink Exhibit 10 training camp contracts with the Kings, sources inform James Ham of ESPN 1320 (Twitter link). Though the signings haven’t been officially announced, Ham indicates that both players were to join Sacramento in a team scrimmage today.
Iwundu, 27, was first selected out of Kansas State by the Magic in the 2017 NBA draft. He served primarily as a bench reserve for Orlando across three seasons, and has had limited runs with the Mavericks, Pelicans, and most recently the Hawks. Across 226 career games, the 6’6″ small forward/shooting guard holds career averages of 4.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 0.9 APG.
Ford, 24, went undrafted out of Saint Mary’s in 2020. He has split his pro career between the Clippers’ G League affiliate, the Ontario Clippers, and Greek team Peristeri. In 31 games last year with the Ontario Clippers (then the Agua Caliente Clippers), Ford averaged 9.8 PPG on .461/.412/.857 shooting splits, plus 3.1 APG, 2.0 RPG, and 0.7 SPG.
Iwundu and Ford will most likely be waived ahead of the NBA regular season next week. Inking these deals now will allow them to net $50K bonuses should they join Sacramento’s NBAGL affiliate club, the Stockton Kings, and remain on the roster for 60 days or more.
Spurs Sign, Waive Stephen Zimmerman
The Spurs have signed and waived center Stephen Zimmerman, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
The seven-footer was selected by the Magic with the No. 41 pick in the 2016 draft out of UNLV, and logged his only NBA minutes to date in 19 games during the subsequent 2016/17 season, averaging 1.2 PPG and 1.8 RPG across 5.7 MPG.
Since his NBA tenure ended, Zimmerman has suited up for G League clubs the South Bay Lakers and Westchester Knicks, plus international clubs in Germany, Poland and Australia.
Joining San Antonio (and getting promptly waived) carves out a path for the 26-year-old big man to latch on with the club’s NBA G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs. Should that happen, and should Zimmerman remain in Austin for 60 days or more, he could earn a bonus worth up to $50K for his troubles.
Sixers Waive Charles Bassey, Isaiah Joe
5:37pm: The Sixers have officially announced in a press release that they’ve waived Bassey and Joe.
8:32am: The Sixers are also waiving Joe, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). With Joe’s non-guaranteed $1.78MM salary no longer on the books, the team will have more than $5.5MM in breathing room below its hard cap, tweets Bodner.
Joe appeared in 55 games for the 76ers last season, averaging 3.6 PPG and 1.0 RPG on .350/.333/.935 shooting in 11.1 MPG.
The two cuts will give the Sixers the option of opening the season with just 14 players on their standard roster or of adding a 15th man (including perhaps Joe) on a new non-guaranteed contract.
Joe’s previous deal called for his full 2022/23 salary to become guaranteed if he made the opening night roster, so Philadelphia theoretically could re-sign him on a more team-friendly contract if he passes through waivers, though it’s unclear if that’s in the plans. The team also may have interest in bringing him back on a two-way deal, says Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com.
8:18am: The Sixers have waived big man Charles Bassey, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
The 53rd overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Western Kentucky, Bassey signed a three-year, minimum-salary contract with Philadelphia last September, then appeared in 23 games as a rookie, averaging 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 7.3 minutes per contest. He played a starring role when assigned to the G League, averaging 18.9 PPG and 10.3 RPG in 17 regular season games (28.6 MPG) for the Delaware Blue Coats.
Although Bassey’s contract ran through 2024, it wasn’t fully guaranteed beyond his rookie season, making his grip on a roster spot tenuous this fall. Isaiah Joe‘s strong Summer League showing and the Sixers’ decision to sign Montrezl Harrell a month ago to fill out their frontcourt also didn’t work in his favor, making Bassey the odd man out.
Assuming Bassey clears waivers without being claimed, the 76ers will be on the hook for his partial guarantee of $74,742. Because that guarantee exceeds $50K, he’s ineligible to play for the Delaware Blue Coats – Philadelphia’s G League team – as an affiliate player or two-way player.
A team with interest in claiming Bassey off waivers would need a trade exception, disabled player exception, or cap room to absorb his $1,563,518 salary. Even though he’s earning the minimum, the fact that Bassey was on a three-year contract means he can’t be claimed using the minimum salary exception.
With Bassey and Trevelin Queen out of the picture, Philadelphia looks poised to carry a 15-man roster that features 13 players on fully guaranteed salaries, plus Paul Reed and possibly Joe on non-guaranteed deals. The Sixers’ team salary is now approximately $3.76MM below the hard cap, tweets Derek Bodner of The Daily Six.
Suns Waive Saben Lee
Two days after signing to a training camp deal with the Suns, guard Saben Lee has been waived by Phoenix, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.
Lee was sent from Detroit to Utah as part of the Bojan Bogdanovic trade. The Jazz waived the 6’2″ point guard this weekend.
Lee was drafted with the No. 38 pick out of Vanderbilt in 2020, and appeared in a total of 85 contests for the Pistons in his first two NBA seasons. He holds career NBA averages of 5.6 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.2 RPG and 0.8 SPG.
The Suns lack an NBAGL affiliate club at present, so Lee won’t report to Phoenix’s G League team. 6’5″ guard Adonis Arms, who was also signed earlier this week along with Lee, remains on the team’s roster as of this writing.
Celtics Rumors: G. Williams, Final Roster Spots, Coaching Staff
The Celtics and forward Grant Williams have had discussions about a rookie scale extension, but no deal appears imminent, according to reports from Jared Weiss of The Athletic and Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
A league source tells Himmelsbach that, as of Thursday afternoon, the two sides were at something of a stalemate, with Williams believed to be seeking approximately $14-16MM annually over four years, while Boston’s offers have fallen short of that.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who wrote earlier this week that there doesn’t appear to be an extension coming for Williams, said on Wednesday that he’s heard the forward’s camp has conveyed to the Celtics that the team’s most recent offer won’t be accepted before Monday’s deadline (hat tip to HoopsHype). However, that doesn’t mean Boston won’t increase its offer in the coming days.
Whether or not Williams signs an extension on or before Monday, he’ll be viewed as an important part of the future for the Celtics, who would be able to make him a restricted free agent next summer, Himmelsbach writes.
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- The Celtics plan to enter the season carrying a full roster of 15 players, a league source tells Himmelsbach. Danilo Gallinari‘s ACL injury is a factor in that decision — with Gallinari sidelined, holding open a roster spot would essentially put Boston down two players.
- The Celtics have 11 players on guaranteed contracts, with Al Horford and Luke Kornet (both on partial guarantees) also expected to make the roster. That leaves two openings, and Noah Vonleh looks like a safe bet to grab one of them, according to Himmelsbach, who says Jake Layman, Justin Jackson, and Mfiondu Kabengele are probably vying for the last spot. Since Kabengele is already on a two-way contract, Boston may prefer to use that 15th spot on Layman or Jackson, neither of whom are eligible for a two-way deal.
- The Celtics had been exploring the market in search of an assistant coach to add to Joe Mazzulla‘s staff following his promotion to the interim head coaching job. However, they’ve ultimately decided they’re happy with their current group and intend to move forward without making a hire, writes Himmelsbach.
- In an in-depth story for NBC Sports Boston, Chris Forsberg takes a look at why Celtics players believe Malcolm Brogdon is capable of being the piece that pushes them over the top. “I’ve played against him for a couple years now so I know what he brings,” Jayson Tatum said of his new teammate. “I’m extremely happy that we have him.”
Wolves Notes: Gobert, Towns, Chemistry, Garza
The Timberwolves‘ trade for Rudy Gobert was perhaps the NBA’s biggest blockbuster this summer, shocking league executives due to the price Minnesota was willing to pay. The move also surprised the Wolves’ own players, who were caught off guard that so many of the team’s most well-liked players – including Patrick Beverley – were included in the deal, Brian Windhorst writes in an Insider-only ESPN story.
“It wasn’t that it put us in a bad mood,” forward Taurean Prince said, “but, uh, we were surprised.”
As Windhorst outlines, the Wolves recognized that players like Gobert – a three-time Defensive Player of the Year on a long-term contract – don’t become available often, and believed he would make the team’s current core players better. On top of that, Minnesota didn’t have to give up any of those core players – Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, and Jaden McDaniels – to acquire Gobert.
“We put up the 30 best players in the league on a board,” head coach Chris Finch said. “At any given time, like there’s maybe three or four of them available. Some aren’t even available if you gave 10 picks. And if you have one you can get and he fits and does a lot of the things that we like — the more that we looked at it and the deeper we went, like just the more we felt like we couldn’t not (trade for him).”
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- Towns and Gobert are expected to be active together for the first time in Friday’s preseason finale, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Towns’ preseason debut was delayed by a non-COVID illness, while Gobert has rested in the Wolves’ two most recent preseason contests.
- The Timberwolves will need some time to figure out how Towns and Gobert work together, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who suspects it will take another year for the best version of this team to show up. Hollinger expects the Wolves to take a small step forward in 2022/23, projecting 47 wins and a seventh-place finish in the West.
- In a Q&A with Mark Medina of NBA.com, Gobert spoke about his first impressions of his new NBA home, establishing chemistry with his new teammates, and much more.
- Wolves coach Chris Finch likes what Luka Garza has brought to the team this fall, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “He’s the perfect system fit for us. Great acquisition by our front office,” Finch said. “He’s a guy I think can really grow into our system here. He can stretch the floor and he can score around the basket. That’s a great combo. Not a lot of bigs can do that.” Garza is on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, so it’s unclear if Minnesota plans to keep him on its 17-man roster to open the regular season.
Clippers Waive Nate Darling, Malik Fitts, Xavier Moon
The Clippers have removed three players from their preseason roster, announcing today that they’ve waived guard Nate Darling, forward Malik Fitts, and wing Xavier Moon. All three players had been with the team on Exhibit 10 contracts and are candidates to join the Ontario Clippers, L.A.’s G League affiliate.
Darling went undrafted out of Delaware in 2020 and spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with Charlotte, appearing in seven games for the Hornets. Last season, the 24-year-old was a fixture in the backcourt for the Clippers’ G League team, averaging 17.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 3.1 APG in 31 NBAGL appearances (32.4 MPG).
Fitts, 25, spent time in 2020/21 with the Clippers and their G League affiliate after going undrafted out of Saint Mary’s. Last season, he appeared in 15 total games for Utah and Boston, but played a very minimal role for both teams, logging just 63 total minutes. After finishing the season with the Celtics, Fitts had a non-guaranteed salary for ’22/23, but was traded to Indiana in the Malcolm Brogdon deal and was subsequently waived by the Pacers before signing with L.A.
Moon, who was on a two-way contract with the Clippers last season, didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the team in June, but eventually signed a new Exhibit 10 deal. The 27-year-old, who has spent most of his career overseas, got into 10 games with L.A. as an NBA rookie.
With the cuts, the Clippers now have 16 players under contract. Fourteen of those players have guaranteed contracts, while Moussa Diabate has a two-way deal and Moses Brown is on an Exhibit 10 pact. Brown could have his contract converted into a two-way pact before opening night, though it’s unclear if that’s the Clips’ plan.