Heat To Sign Jahmir Young
The Heat and free agent guard Jahmir Young have reached an agreement on a deal, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
According to Scotto, Young will get a chance to compete for one of Miami’s two-way contract slots. That suggests he’ll sign an Exhibit 10 contract, which can be converted to a two-way deal prior to the start of the regular season.
A 6’1″ point guard who went undrafted out of Maryland in 2024, Young opened his first professional season with the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s G League affiliate, before signing a two-way contract with Chicago in February and finishing the year with the Bulls. He was waived in July to open up a two-way slot for Yuki Kawamura.
Young logged just 30 total minutes in six games at the NBA level, but starred in the NBAGL, averaging 21.7 points, 7.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game in 43 total outings for the Gold and the Windy City Bulls. The 24-year-old struggled with his outside shot for Grand Rapids, but finished the season strong by making 39.7% of his three-point tries in 13 games for Windy City. He was named to the G League’s All-Rookie team and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.
Young reportedly drew interest from the Perth Wildcats of Australia’s National Basketball League this offseason, but will look to continue his career in the NBA. Vladislav Goldin and Myron Gardner currently occupy two-way slots for Miami, but it appears the team will hold a competition in training camp for its third and final opening.
Joe Barrer To Coach Pelicans’ G League Team
The Pelicans are naming Joe Barrer the head coach of their G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Barrer has worked in the G League for nearly a decade, first as a video coordinator and assistant coach for the Iowa Wolves (known as the Iowa Energy at the time). He spent four seasons as an assistant for the Magic’s G League affiliate from 2017-21 and then was promoted to the team’s head coaching role for two seasons from 2021-23.
Barrer has followed a similar trajectory with the Pelicans, having been an assistant coach with the Squadron for two seasons prior to his promotion to head coach this summer.
The Squadron have been coached for the past three seasons by T.J. Saint, but he left the organization this offseason in order to take a job with the Knicks under Mike Brown.
March 31 Target Date Set For Closing Of Blazers’ Sale
When the Trail Blazers first announced their plans to sell the franchise in May, they stated that the process was expected to extend into the 2025/26 season, so it came as a bit of a surprise when word broke last Wednesday that a buyer had been found.
However, the sale of the team to a group headed by Tom Dundon isn’t expected to become official in the short term. According to Jason Quick of The Athletic, a target date of March 31, 2026 has been set for the closing of the deal.
As Quick outlines, Dundon and his group of investors have reached an exclusivity agreement with the late Paul Allen‘s estate, which means that the estate is no longer permitted to negotiate with other potential buyers. The two sides are continue to discuss certain terms of the sale, but all major points have been agreed upon and the buyers hope to sign a purchase agreement next month, a source close to Dundon tells Quick.
While a seven-month timeline to complete the sale of the team would be longer than average, it typically takes a few months from the time a tentative agreement is reached for a new ownership group to completely close its sale. For instance, it was reported on March 20 that William Chisholm had struck a deal to buy the Celtics; that deal was approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors last week, with the team confirming the closing of the sale this Tuesday.
The valuation of the Blazers in the sale is estimated to be $4.25 billion, and the plan is to keep the team in Oregon. The future of Moda Center remains up in the air, however. As Quick writes, the team has a lease agreement in place to continue playing at the arena until at least 2030, but commissioner Adam Silver has said a new building will likely be necessary.
“Nothing about the arena is a deal breaker on its own,” Quick’s source said. “It’s lots of little things that add up.”
Regardless of what happens with the arena, Blazers fans should be enthusiastic about how the change in ownership will impact the franchise, that source close to Dundon tells The Athletic.
“He brings a swagger,” the source said of Dundon. “If Tom was the owner last year, he would have been trying to get Luka (Doncic). He would be like, ‘Why should the Lakers have him?'”
John Wall To Join Amazon’s NBA Coverage
When John Wall announced his retirement as a player on Tuesday, he referred to “new opportunities” presenting themselves and said he’s ready for his “next chapter.” According to Michael Lee of The Washington Post, the next phase of Wall’s career will involve joining Amazon Prime Video for its studio show in 2025/26.
Although Wall told Lee in a recent phone interview that he still felt like he has “a lot left in my tank” as a player and was disappointed he didn’t get another opportunity on the court, he’s looking forward to staying involved in the NBA by sharing his insights with fans on Prime Video beginning this fall.
“If you never really had the opportunity to sit down and talk to me, you won’t really understand how much I love basketball, where my basketball mind is at, where my IQ is,” Wall said. “I can basically tell you the best player in the country — from girls to boys, high school, to the players that’s in college, to the people that’s at the NBA and WNBA.”
It will be Amazon’s first season as an NBA broadcaster. The streaming giant will air games exclusively on Friday nights through December before adding Thursday and Saturday broadcasts later in the season. Prime Video will also be the home of the knockout round of the NBA Cup in December.
Amazon previously announced that former NBA stars Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki will be part of its studio show, which will be hosted by Taylor Rooks.
In addition to that studio team, Prime Video’s broadcasting roster will include analysts Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Candace Parker, Stan Van Gundy, Dell Curry, Brent Barry, and Udonis Haslem, as well as sideline reporters Cassidy Hubbarth, Allie Clifton, and Kristina Pink, and play-by-play announcers Kevin Harlan, Ian Eagle, Michael Grady, and Eric Collins.
Wall, meanwhile, made a few more interesting remarks in his conversation with Lee, noting that he had wanted to remain with the Wizards for his entire NBA career and that he hopes to have his No. 2 jersey retired by the franchise. The former No. 1 overall pick also discussed the health issues that derailed his playing career and ultimately cut it short.
“People think, ‘Oh, he got the money, he’s set for life, he don’t care.’ No, I would give up all the money to play basketball and never deal with none of those injuries,” Wall said. “I didn’t play the game of basketball for money. I played the game of basketball because I love it. I was itching to get back to play. I wasn’t itching to sit on the sideline and collect the check. The check don’t mean [anything].”
EuroBasket Notes: Doncic, Player Rankings, Valanciunas, Smailagic
Any concerns about Luka Doncic‘s health were eased on Tuesday when the Lakers superstar guard scored 28 points and dished out 10 assists for Slovenia in a 93-81 exhibition win over Great Britain, Eurohoops.net relays.
Doncic had an injury scare on Saturday when a Slovenian teammate fell on his right leg during an exhibition game against Latvia. It was later diagnosed as a right knee contusion.
Here’s more on the upcoming EuroBasket tournament:
- Doncic ranks third among the NBA players participating in the tournament, according to Neil Paine of ESPN. Nikola Jokic (Serbia) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) rank first and second, with Franz Wagner (Germany) and Alperen Sengun (Turkey) rounding out the top five.
- Jonas Valanciunas is the lone NBA player on the Lithuanian squad but he feels his national team can make some noise, according to Nikola Miloradovic of Eurohoops.net. “I think every team is capable. We have some big names coming. Serbia, Turkey, Germany, we have Slovenia with Luka and, Greece with Giannis,” he said. “… We have a lot of a lot of a lot of big names, but that feel like every team is capable and every team can make some shake.”
- Former Warriors forward Alen Smailagic won’t play for Serbia in the tourney, according to Sportando. Injuries prevented him from participating in prep games. Euro star Dzanan Musa will also miss the event for Bosnia and Herzegovina due to health issues, Basketnews.com relays.
Former Heat Employee Pleads Guilty In Stolen Memorabilia Case
A former Heat employee accused of stealing millions of dollars in team merchandise pleaded guilty on Tuesday to transporting and transferring stolen memorabilia across state lines, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, according to David Lyons of The Sun Sentinel.
Marcos Tomas Perez, 62, “stole hundreds of game-worn jerseys and other valuable memorabilia belonging to the Miami Heat and sold them to online brokers,” the government said in a statement.
Perez entered the guilty plea to a single count of a criminal information before a district judge in Miami. He was arrested on Aug. 5 after investigators searched his home.
The judge scheduled a sentencing hearing for Oct. 31, according to court records. Perez faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250K fine but a pre-sentencing investigation by the court’s probation office will produce a recommendation under sentencing guidelines for the judge, Lyons adds.
According to a plea agreement, Perez has cooperated with the government, which could lead to a sentence reduction.
Among the items Perez alleged stole was LeBron James’ jersey from Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals, which he sold for approximately $100K. The jersey was later sold in 2023 at a Sotheby’s auction for $3.68MM.
The federal investigation was launched in early 2024 after game-worn jerseys from James, Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade — among many other items — went missing from the Heat’s arena, the Kaseya Center.
Perez worked the City of Miami Police Department in November 1992 until he retired in April 2016. He was employed by the Heat as a security officer from 2016-21, then worked for the NBA as a security employee from 2022 until this year.
“During his tenure, Perez worked on the game-day security detail at the Kaseya Center, where he was among a limited number of trusted individuals with access to a secured equipment room,” the DOJ’s press release from earlier this month read. “This equipment room stored hundreds of game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia that the organization intended to display in a future Miami Heat museum.
“During his employment, Perez accessed the equipment room multiple times to steal over 400 game-worn jerseys and other items, which he then sold to various online marketplaces. Over a three-year period, Perez sold over 100 stolen items for approximately $2 million and shipped them across state lines, often for prices well below their market value.”
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Perez’s home in April and seized almost 300 items that the Heat confirmed had been stolen from their arena.
Eastern Notes: Bane, Heat, Magic-Heat Rivalry, Bulls
The Magic made one of the biggest moves of the offseason, trading multiple assets and veteran players to acquire Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies. John Schuhmann, the senior stats analyst for NBA.com, examines how Bane can impact Orlando’s offense.
Using a film study approach, Schuhmann lays out Bane’s strengths and details how he can blend with Orlando’s roster. Bane should help the Magic get more easy buckets on the break, increase off-the-ball movement and provide more off-the-catch opportunities for star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson takes a deep dive into the Heat‘s asset management over the past decade, breaking them down into regrettable, commendable and defensible decisions. Jackson notes that the reason why the franchise hasn’t hoarded first-round picks is that it would go against its philosophy of never tanking or intentionally taking steps back with the hope of a brighter future. The Heat’s yearly goals also include trying to win as many games as possible every season, even if the roster isn’t championship-caliber.
- Orlando Sentinel Mike Bianchi opines that the Magic must resurrect their rivalry with the Heat. The Southeast Division foes play against each other on opening night and Bianchi urges Orlando fans to muster up passion and hatred toward their in-state opponent.
- The Bulls have promoted Austin Dufault to director of player development and Isiah Price to coordinator of player development, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network tweets. Dufault was an assistant coach with the Pistons from 2021-23.
Atlantic Notes: Andonian, Sixers, Knicks
Ariana Andonian will be named the general manager of the Sixers‘ NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
Andonian is already the Sixers’ VP of player personnel, a position she has held since last September. She was previously the Grizzlies’ director of player personnel and a scouting coordinator for the Rockets. She graduated from USC in 2015 and received her MBA from Duke in 2020.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- How can the Sixers regain relevance in the Eastern Conference chase? According to Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes, they must treat oft-injured stars Joel Embiid and Paul George with kid gloves. He suggests plenty of load management, including no back-to-backs for either one and even some road trip “vacations.” Hayes calculates there should be at least 17 games in which neither is available and believes both of them should play sparingly until around the trade deadline.
- The Knicks won’t begin training camp until Sept. 24 but The Athletic’s James Edwards III offers up his depth chart surprises, rotations and starting lineup changes. Edwards believes Mitchell Robinson should start in the middle with Josh Hart serving as the sixth man. Edwards rounds out the second unit with Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, Guerschon Yabusele and Ariel Hukporti.
- In case you missed it, the Raptors are making general manager Bobby Webster their full-time head of basketball operations. Get all the details here.
Wizards Signing Skal Labissiere To Camp Roster
The Wizards have reached an agreement with free agent big man Skal Labissiere, NBA insider Chris Haynes tweets. The Wizards already have 15 players under guaranteed contracts, so it’s safe to assume Labissiere is receiving a training camp deal.
Haynes also reported on Tuesday that the Wizards were signing Alondes Williams. The additions of Williams and Labissiere would push Washington’s roster count to 20, one shy of the limit.
Labissiere, 29, has appeared in 152 NBA games after getting drafted late in the first round in 2016. He was out of the league for four seasons until he appeared in four games with the Kings last season.
He was signed to a 10-day deal in early March when injuries forced Sacramento to seek frontcourt depth. Like Williams, Labissiere was a member of Orlando’s Summer League team in July. He’ll now try to work his way onto Washington’s roster with a standout camp.
Labissiere appeared in 148 total games with Sacramento and Portland from 2016-20. He has spent most of his time since then in the G League, trying to work his way back into the NBA. The 6’10” center has played regularly for the Stockton Kings the past two seasons. He appeared in 44 games with Stockton last season, averaging 14.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 26.8 minutes per game.
He also had a brief stay with a team in Puerto Rico.
Wizards To Add Alondes Williams To Camp Roster
Free agent guard Alondes Williams has reached an agreement with the Wizards, NBA insider Chris Haynes tweets.
Considering the Wizards already have 15 players under guaranteed contracts, it’s safe to assume Williams is receiving a training camp deal. The addition of Williams would push the Wizards’ roster count to 19 players, two shy of the offseason limit.
Williams has nine games of NBA experience — he made his debut with the Nets in 2022/23, saw action in seven games with the Heat the following season, then appeared in one game with the Pistons last season.
Detroit signed Williams to a two-way deal in October but waived him in early January. Williams was a member of the Magic’s Summer League squad in July.
Last season, Williams appeared in 45 G League games with the Sioux Falls SkyForce and Motor City Cruise. He averaged 18.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 32.9 minutes per contest.
If Williams received an Exhibit 10 contract and gets waived before opening night, he could join the Capital City Go-Go, who acquired his returning rights in a trade earlier this month. Spending at least 60 days with the Go-Go- would make him eligible to earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $85,300.