Trail Blazers Sign Sidy Cissoko To Two-Way Deal, Waive Taze Moore
6:22pm: The moves are official, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release.
5:37pm: Sidy Cissoko will join the Trail Blazers on a two-way contract, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Portland will waive guard Taze Moore to open up a two-way spot, Charania tweets.
Cissoko, a 20-year-old small forward, was traded twice this week, going from San Antonio to Sacramento on Monday in the three-team deal involving De’Aaron Fox and then from the Kings to Washington on Wednesday as part of the return for Jonas Valanciunas. The Wizards released Cissoko on Thursday, and he cleared waivers earlier today.
Selected with the 44th pick in the 2023 draft, Cissoko appeared in 29 total games during his time with the Spurs. He averaged just 3.2 minutes in 17 games this season.
Before being drafted, Cissoko played alongside Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson with the G League Ignite, notes Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link).
Moore, 26, signed a two-way contract in September after playing four games with Portland last season on a pair of 10-day deals. He saw minimal time in two games this year, but averaged 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists in nine regular season contests with the Rip City Remix in the G League.
Cavs Notes: Hunter, Tyson, Jerome, LeVert, Niang
Long, athletic, and skilled wings have given the Cavaliers trouble this season, which is why – despite Cleveland’s 42-10 record – the front office explored the trade market leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline in search of someone who could help the club deal with that type of player, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes (subscription required).
According to Fedor, Cameron Johnson, Lonzo Ball, Marcus Smart, and Jerami Grant were among the potential targets who intrigued the Cavs. But the asking price for the Nets forward was too high, the Bulls guard agreed to an extension, there were injury concerns about the Grizzlies guard, and the Trail Blazers forward’s $29.8MM cap hit was too challenging to accommodate.
As the Cavs weighed their options, they kept coming back to Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, who had been on their radar for years, Fedor reported earlier this week. Cleveland’s front office spoke to several trusted sources about Hunter, including former Cav and current Hawk Larry Nance Jr., who was a strong advocate for his teammate, Fedor writes.
The Cavs also spent time analyzing Hunter’s defense, evaluating how he might match up with top Eastern Conference wings like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mikal Bridges, Pascal Siakam and others, ultimately concluding he would be an asset on that end of the court, per Fedor.
With Hunter and Caris LeVert as the centerpieces, the Cavaliers and Hawks discussed various trade constructions, with Cleveland resisting the inclusion of its 2031 first-round pick and rookie Jaylon Tyson. The two teams thought they might need to involve a third club as a facilitator in order to make sure they both got below the tax line, but that issue was addressed when Atlanta worked out a separate deal to send Cody Zeller to Houston.
The Cavs ultimately agreed to send LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks, and a pair of pick swaps to the Hawks. According to Fedor, Cleveland believes that Hunter will be a better postseason fit than the outgoing players and that he’ll be a key contributor for years to come, turning the team into a more serious title contender.
“The acquisition of De’Andre Hunter and the potential impact a player of this caliber can bring to Cleveland is immeasurable,” president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a statement after the deal was finalized. “We were presented with a great opportunity with this trade, one that was beneficial for the short- and long-term future of this franchise.
“While it’s always difficult to part ways with players who have meant so much to our success, we believe De’Andre, at 27-years-old, aligns with our long-term vision of sustainable success and ultimately competing for championships.”
Here’s more on the deal:
- It’s unclear whether Hunter will immediately become Cleveland’s starting small forward, but Altman lauded the forward’s versatility and believes he’ll be able to slot seamlessly into several different kinds of lineups. “We’re going to play him all over the floor,” Altman said, per Fedor.
- According to Fedor (subscription required), Hunter and his former University of Virginia teammate Ty Jerome talked “almost every day” since they entered the NBA in 2019 about the possibility of one day playing together. Shortly after they learned about the deal sending Hunter to Cleveland, they got on the phone and started “screaming with excitement,” Fedor writes. “It’s surreal,” Jerome said on Friday. “It’s wild. Obviously, it was more of a joke because we’re both on our individual journeys in this league, but we talked about it all the time. Like, ‘How cool would it be to play together?'”
- Although Jerome said he “couldn’t be more excited” about the addition of Hunter, he made it clear he’s sorry to see LeVert and Niang go. “I don’t want to undersell the value Caris and Georges brought to us and just how close I was to those guys,” Jerome said, according to Fedor. “Those two guys meant a lot to us on and off the court. It’s a tough business, and I’ve seen it many times in my six years. It sucks to lose those guys. At first, I was like, ‘(Expletive), it’s Caris and Georges. They’re dealing with the emotions of leaving this group and we’re dealing with losing them.’ And then it’s like, ‘Oh (expletive), we got De’Andre and I’m playing with one of best friends since 2016 again.'”
- Interestingly, when Hunter and Jerome entered the league in 2019, they thought there was a chance they’d be drafted by the same team, Fedor writes. That team was the Cavs, who had the fifth and 26th overall picks in that draft. But Hunter was selected fourth overall by Atlanta, leaving Darius Garland for Cleveland at No. 5. Jerome was drafted by Phoenix at No. 24, two spots before Cleveland’s pick. “Clearly worked out,” Jerome said on Friday with a smile. “Now, they’ve got all three of us.”
Wizards Sign Jaylen Martin To Two-Way Deal
4:03 pm: Martin has officially signed his two-way contract with the Wizards, the team announced in a press release.
10:42 am: The Wizards are signing guard Jaylen Martin to a two-way contract, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link).
Martin, 21, has split this season between the Long Island Nets and Delaware Blue Coats. In 22 total G League games, he’s averaging 16.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 47.1% from the floor. The Florida native went undrafted in 2023 after opting to play for Overtime Elite.
In his first professional season in 2023/24, Martin spent some time with the Knicks on a two-way deal. However, he didn’t appear in a game with the team. He then signed a two-year, two-way contract with Brooklyn after last season’s deadline, but still didn’t make his NBA debut until this season. Martin played just five minutes for the Nets across three outings before being waived in January.
Having traded away Jared Butler to Philadelphia the deadline, Washington had an open two-way roster spot, so no corresponding move will be necessary to sign Martin. Justin Champagnie and Tristan Vukcevic occupy the two other two-way slots for the team.
Signing Martin is a solid upside swing for a Wizards team that added young talent in both the draft and the deadline. Once he’s officially signed, 12 of Washington’s 18 players on the roster will be aged 25 or younger.
Hawks Waive Bones Hyland
February 8: The Hawks have officially waived Hyland, the team announced today in a press release.
February 7: Bones Hyland won’t be sticking in Atlanta after being traded from the Clippers to the Hawks on Thursday. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), the Hawks intend to waive the fourth-year guard.
The 26th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Hyland began his NBA career in Denver and flashed some upside as a scorer and shooter off the bench for the Nuggets in his first season-and-a-half, averaging 10.9 points in 19.2 minutes per game across 111 appearances, with a .401/.371/.860 shooting line.
However, reportedly concerned about Hyland’s fit alongside Jamal Murray, his defensive lapses, and his displeasure with his role, the Nuggets traded him to the Clippers for a pair of second-round picks at the 2023 deadline.
The former VCU standout never really found his footing in Los Angeles, appearing in just 71 games over the last two years and averaging 7.8 PPG on .392/.349/.812 shooting during that time.
Hyland, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, was attached to Terance Mann on Thursday in the deal that sent Bogdan Bogdanovic to the Clippers.
Assuming Hyland clears waivers, as expected, he’ll be eligible to sign with any NBA team besides the Clippers.
The Hawks, meanwhile, will open up a spot on their 15-man roster after an active deadline week. They’ll be on the hook for the remainder of Hyland’s $4.16MM salary, as well as his full cap hit, but he’ll come off the cap after this season.
And-Ones: Podziemski, Wallace, Australia, Buyouts, Etienne
Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski has been named an injury replacement for next Friday’s Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend in San Francisco, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
Podziemski will be replacing Thunder guard Cason Wallace, who is currently dealing with a shoulder strain. Wallace had been drafted onto honorary head coach Tim Hardaway Sr.‘s squad for the four-team event, so Podziemski will slot into Hardaway’s roster.
After a promising rookie season, Podziemski got off to a slow start in this season’s first half, but he has picked up his play since returning last month from an abdominal injury. In his first eight games back, he has averaged 14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on .494/.396/.759 shooting.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA has reached an agreement with Australia’s National Basketball League and the Victorian Government to play a pair of exhibition games in Melbourne during the 2025 preseason, according to Olgun Uluc of ESPN. The plan is for a single NBA team to travel to Australia to play an NBL squad, says Uluc, noting that it will be the first time the NBA has played a game in the country.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a look at 35 players who have already hit the buyout market or whom he considers candidates to do so. In Hollinger’s view, there are three players – Bruce Brown, Malcolm Brogdon, and D’Angelo Russell – who could be real difference-makers, though Brown and Brogdon reportedly aren’t likely to be bought out. Hollinger also considers Chris Boucher, Tre Jones, and Larry Nance Jr. to be players who could play rotation roles for playoff teams if they’re bought out by their current clubs.
- Guard Tyson Etienne has been shooting the lights out for the Long Island Nets (48.9% on three-pointers during the NBAGL regular season) and is drawing interest from NBA teams, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link), who says Etienne looks like a candidate to get a two-way deal before the March 4 deadline.
Nets Buy Out Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons has reached an agreement on a contract buyout with the Nets, paving the way for him to become an unrestricted free agent, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Nets have confirmed in a press release that they’ve officially requested waivers on Simmons. That means he’ll clear waivers and be free to sign with any NBA team as of Monday at 4:00 pm CT.
Charania first reported shortly after the trade deadline passed on Thursday that the Nets and Simmons were working toward a buyout, then co-reported on Friday along with ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst that the two sides were finalizing the terms of the agreement.
Various reports indicated that Simmons’ camp planned to meet with the Cavaliers, Clippers, and Rockets and that he wouldn’t complete a buyout with Brooklyn until he had his next destination lined up. However, agent Bernie Lee pushed back on that reporting on Friday in a statement to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).
“I just saw some of the other reporting,” Lee said. “(I) want to be really clear Ben hasn’t met with anyone nor is he. We are having conversations with the Nets and when there is something to be said we will let everyone know.”
The fact that Simmons has now been officially waived by the Nets and word still hasn’t leaked about a contract agreement with a new team backs up Lee’s comments. However, I suspect the former No. 1 overall pick wouldn’t have given up any portion of his salary to get out of his contract with Brooklyn unless he was confident about making back that money with another team, so it shouldn’t be long before we get another update.
[UPDATE: Clippers To Sign Ben Simmons]
Simmons, the 2018 Rookie of the Year, made three All-Star teams during his years in Philadelphia and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2021, but had a falling out with the team later that year. A lengthy holdout, a series of back issues, and a trade to the Nets changed the trajectory of his career — across the past three years in Brooklyn, he has appeared in just 90 total games, averaging 6.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.2 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per night.
While Simmons’ extremely limited shooting ability make him a tricky piece to incorporate into certain lineups, he’s still a talented play-maker, defender, and rebounder who should have more significantly value as a low-cost addition on the buyout market than he did on his previous maximum-salary contract.
Because he was earning far beyond the $12.8MM mid-level exception on his contract with the Nets, Simmons will be ineligible to sign with any teams operating over either tax apron once he clears waivers. That means the Suns, Timberwolves, Celtics, Knicks, Lakers, Bucks, and Nuggets won’t be options.
Spurs Sign Bismack Biyombo To 10-Day Contract
February 9: The Spurs have officially signed Biyombo, the team confirmed today (via Twitter).
Because San Antonio has just two games before the All-Star break and 10-day contracts must cover a minimum of three games, Biyombo’s deal will run through Feb. 20, the date of the team’s first game after the break. That means it’ll technically become a 12-day contract.
February 8: The Spurs are set to sign Bismack Biyombo to a 10-day contract, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Biyombo hasn’t played yet this season, but gave the Grizzlies good minutes last year.
Biyombo, 32, has 13 seasons under his belt with the Hornets, Raptors, Magic, Suns, Grizzlies and Thunder. In 839 career games (351 starts), he holds averages of 5.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. He was drafted in 2011 with the seventh overall pick, spending the first four years of his career with Charlotte.
Biyombo then signed with the Raptors in 2015, becoming a crucial part of Toronto postseason run that season. Appearing in 20 playoff games in 2016, he averaged 6.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest. The big man had several notable performances during those playoffs, including a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double that helped secure an Eastern Conference Semifinals win for Toronto, as well as a memorable 26-rebound game in a win over Cleveland in the Conference Finals.
The 6’8″ big man was able to parlay that success into a major payday with the Magic. He was then traded back to Charlotte, where he spent the following three seasons. After that, Biyombo spent time as a depth big with the Suns, Grizzlies and Thunder. He made 27 starts last year for Memphis, posting 5.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game before closing out the season with Oklahoma City.
The shot-blocking big man provides some traditional depth for Victor Wembanyama and a San Antonio team hoping to make the playoffs. The Spurs also have Charles Bassey and Sandro Mamukelashvili as depth options. After waiving Patrick Baldwin Jr., the Spurs have an open roster spot, so no corresponding move will be necessary to bring Biyombo on.
San Antonio plays tonight, so if Biyombo’s signing is made official by then, he’ll be eligible for a total of three games for the Spurs ahead of the All-Star break. If he impresses, the Spurs will have a chance to sign him to a second 10-day deal. Beyond that, they’d have to sign him for the rest of the season.
Grizzlies GM Kleiman Explains Deadline Approach, Talks Chasing Stars
The Grizzlies had two options at the trade deadline, according to Damichael Cole of Memphis Commercial Appeal: push their chips in for a star to bolster their chances at a title or create cap flexibility. Memphis ended up opting for the latter route, sending Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia out in a move that returned the expiring contracts of Marvin Bagley III and Johnny Davis.
According to Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman, the Grizzlies did explore making a move for a star player, but none of the ones they were interested in ended up being moved. Memphis was reportedly attached to Jimmy Butler at one point, but Kleiman was “not sure” why his team was a rumored destination.
Butler’s camp advised the Grizzlies not to pursue him, according to reports from January. Meanwhile, ESPN analyst Bob Myers indicated that Kevin Durant told the Grizzlies “no” in regards to potentially trading for him. Kleiman pushed back on the notion that star players wouldn’t want to play for the Grizzlies.
“I think there are misconceptions about Memphis,” Kleiman said. “I think we have a group of guys in Ja (Morant), (Desmond Bane) and Jaren (Jackson Jr.) that star players would love to play with.”
As for the moves they did make, the Grizzlies felt comfortable trading away Smart because guards/wings Jaylen Wells, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Vince Williams Jr. could handle being primary wing defenders and secondary ball handlers.
The Grizzlies attached a first-round pick to move Smart and LaRavia after spending two firsts to acquire Smart and selecting LaRavia 19th overall in 2022. Still, the Grizzlies feel Smart helped play a significant role in the growth of the team, Cole writes.
“We made a move that so far to date, hadn’t worked,” Kleiman said. “I’d much rather own that myself. That starts with me. You cut your losses on a move, and we put ourselves in best position to build the team going forward.”
As for LaRavia, the Grizzlies weren’t in a position to play him when at full health, so they opted to send him somewhere he can have a chance to contribute. Kleiman expressed confidence in the young guys they have under team control for multiple years moving forward.
While Davis’ future with the Grizzlies is “TBD” according to Kleiman, Cole writes Bagley is on his way to Memphis and will seemingly stick around with the team. If the team were to move on from Davis, it would open up a roster spot to either pursue a buyout option or promote a two-way player.
According to Cole, if the Grizzlies don’t win it all this year, they feel the deadline helped set them up for more flexibility in the summer to pursue big moves. Still, Memphis fully believes its window is right now with its core headlined by Morant, Bane, and Jackson.
“We’re taking seriously what this group can achieve right here and right now,” Kleiman said. “I think the competitive window with Ja, Des and Jaren entering the heart of their careers is here, and there’s a lot of belief in what we have on the court. We firmly believe we’re in the mix.“
Knicks’ Quiet Deadline Indicates Full Confidence In Roster
The Knicks made their biggest move of the year right before the season began, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns in a blockbuster at the start of training camp. That move has paid major dividends for a team that currently has its best regular season winning percentage since 1997.
Of course, making a move of that magnitude — Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were sent to Minnesota — meant the Knicks were likely to have a quiet trade deadline.
New York did make one minor trade, sending Jericho Sims to the Bucks in exchange for guard Delon Wright. As James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes, the Knicks have a history of sending players to situations where they can potentially thrive, like with Obi Toppin, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and this was the latest in the series.
The Mavericks, Spurs, and Pelicans were among the teams who had talks with the Knicks about Sims before he was sent to Milwaukee, according to Edwards.
As for Wright, he signed with the Bucks this past summer after closing out last season with the Heat. However, his role has been modest this season — he averaged just 2.5 points per game and shot 26.8% from the field across 26 appearances in Milwaukee.
There’s reason to believe Wright can turn his season around with the Knicks, according to the New York Post’s Bryan Fonseca. The veteran guard was a playoff contributor just last season with the Heat, and Fonseca notes that health issues affected him during his time in Milwaukee.
Knicks big men Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa stuck with the team through the deadline after both having their names floated in rumors for much of the season. Edwards writes that Robinson will be New York’s biggest midseason acquisition when he returns from injury, giving the Knicks a superb defender to add to the rotation. As a first-apron team, the Knicks won’t be eligible to sign anyone who made over the mid-level exception ($12.8MM) on the buyout market.
“You guys can read the tea leaves,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said of the team’s quiet deadline, per the New York Post’s Peter Botte. “We like our team a lot. Obviously, we are excited about Mitch. But we also feel Ariel [Hukporti] has done a good job, and [Achiuwa] has done a good job. That’s really how we approach it.
“[Team president] Leon [Rose] and his staff, they are on it all year long. I think there’s a tendency to think this happens a couple days before [deadline]. They are always looking if they can improve the club. If there’s something that makes sense, they explore it. Then, you go from there. But we like our team a lot.”
As Botte opines in another story, it will be interesting to monitor whether the gambit of relying on health will pan out for the Knicks after a couple key East rivals made moves to shore up their teams, including the top-seeded Cavaliers acquiring De’Andre Hunter.
Celtics Sign Torrey Craig
February 8: The agreement between the Celtics and Craig is official, per a team press release.
February 6: The Celtics have agreed to a deal with forward Torrey Craig, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
The eight-year NBA veteran was waived by the Bulls earlier this week in order to make room for the players they acquired in the deal that sent away Zach LaVine.
The Celtics had two open roster spots after trading away Jaden Springer at the deadline, meaning no corresponding move will be necessary to bring Craig aboard.
Earlier Thursday, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said acquiring a wing would be the first order of business for the Celtics regarding their open roster spots, according to MassLive’s Brian Robb (Twitter link).
Boston will address that need by adding a solid shooter in Craig, who has made 39.7% of 3.1 three-point attempts per game over the past three seasons with Phoenix and Chicago (141 total games).
The veteran swingman is also considered a solid, versatile perimeter defender and is an experienced playoff performer, appearing in 75 postseason games and starting in 19 of them.
Craig was limited to just nine appearances this season with the Bulls — he has battled injuries and wasn’t a significant part of the rotation even when healthy. Before being waived, he appeared to be nearing a return from a right ankle sprain that had sidelined him since December 30.
The Celtics still have some optionality with their 15th roster spot, which they’ll likely fill later in the season.