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International Notes: Monroe, Poythress, Brown, Lauvergne

July 14th, 2020 at 9:42am CST by Luke Adams

Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg is interested in signing former NBA big man Greg Monroe for the 2020/21 season, according to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops, who tweets that there are “ongoing talks” between the two sides.

Varlas suggests that Monroe is still considering both NBA and international options, with Zenit looking like one of the strongest contenders to sign him if he continues his career overseas. Monroe, the seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft, spent the 2019/20 campaign with Bayern Munich in Germany after nine years in the NBA.

Players like Monroe, who may prefer to seek an NBA deal, are in a tough spot, since European clubs are filling their rosters now while the NBA’s free agency period won’t begin for another three months. Some players with NBA aspirations may decide it’s not worth the risk to wait until the fall.

Here are a few more international updates on players with NBA experience:

  • If Monroe ends up joining Zenit St. Petersburg, he’ll join another former NBA big man in the frontcourt — Zenit announced on Monday (via Twitter) that Alex Poythress has reached a one-year deal with the team. Poythress previously appeared in 52 NBA games for Philadelphia, Indiana, and Atlanta from 2017-19.
  • Turkish team Fenerbache has agreed to a one-year contract with veteran point guard Lorenzo Brown, according to a press release. Brown has played in a total of 103 NBA regular season games since making his debut in 2013, making 26 appearances in 2018/19 for the eventual-champion Raptors before being waived last January.
  • Veteran big man Joffrey Lauvergne, who suited up for the Nuggets, Thunder, Bulls, and Spurs from 2014-18, has signed a one-year deal with Lithuania’s Zalgiris Kaunas, the team announced in a press release (hat tip to Sportando). The Frenchman returned to Europe after his contract with San Antonio expired in 2018, spending the last two seasons with Fenerbahce.
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And-Ones: 2021 Free Agency, Harrison, Poythress, Tyndall

June 21st, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by JD Shaw

As it stands, preparing for the free-agent class of 2021 is unimaginable for NBA executives, players, coaches and agents alike, David Aldridge and John Hollinger of The Athletic write.

Next summer’s class is notably star-studded compared to year’s past, headlined by the likes of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. In addition, several other players such as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George must decide on their respective player options.

“Before this year, you knew what that crop of ’21 is going to be,” one prominent, unnamed agent told The Athletic. “It’s going to be even more crowded, because you’re going to have a significantly higher number of players (this summer) doing 1+1s (two-year deals with a player option for the second season). … I’m very lucky that I’m not going nuts going into this free agency. It’s going to be a bloodbath. We don’t know what the cap is going to be, but if it stays the same, how many owners are going to go with more than 13 guys?”

In addition to not knowing salary-cap numbers and how COVID-19 will affect player’s decisions in free agency this summer, a clear timetable for when next season will end has yet to be established — and that’s assuming next season will be held under different circumstances.

“We don’t know whether they’re going to play or not,” another prominent agent told The Athletic. “I know everyone’s assuming they’re going to play, but you see all these things going on, people coming back (testing positive) from football, people protesting, I don’t know the effects of all this. … you can’t tell me that if I’m a 65-year-old executive, with a family, that I’m comfortable being in this bubble? Me, it’s just too much unknown. … it probably makes sense for everybody to sign a one-year deal. Even the big free agents like Anthony Davis – sign a one-year deal (this summer) and see what the numbers are for ’21, and sign a contract based off the projections for that.”

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • CSKA Moscow is expressing interest in free agent guard Andrew Harrison, according to basketball reporter Tolis Kotzias (as relayed by Sportando). Harrison, the No. 44 pick in 2015, has made past stops with Memphis, Cleveland and New Orleans, most recently playing for the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
  • Free agent big man Alex Poythress is registering interest from Olympiacos, according to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops. Poythress averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds with Galatasaray last season, holding NBA experience with the Sixers, Pacers and Hawks.
  • Donnie Tyndall has accepted the position of head coach of Chipola College, according to The Detroit News. Tyndall served this past season as head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive, the G League affiliate of the Pistons.
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Alex Poythress Signing With Turkish Team

November 29th, 2019 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Alex Poythress, a two-way player with the Hawks last season, will sign with Galatasaray in Istanbul, Turkey, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Poythress began the season with the Jilin Northeast Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.

Poythress got into 21 games for Atlanta last year, averaging 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per night. The 26-year-old power forward started his NBA career in April of 2017, appearing in six games with the Sixers. He joined the Pacers on a two-way deal the following season and played 25 games.

Poythress will replace former NBA center Ben Moore on the Galatasaray roster. Moore, who played two games for the Pacers during the 2017/18 season, asked to be released from his commitment with the Turkish team so he could return to the United States and be closer to his family following the death of his grandfather. He plans to seek a spot in the G League.

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Southeast Notes: Briscoe, Magic, Wizards, Hawks

March 8th, 2019 at 5:03pm CST by Luke Adams

An MRI on Isaiah Briscoe‘s injured right knee revealed a small meniscus tear, the Magic announced today (via Twitter). According to the club, Briscoe has been ruled out for tonight’s game against Dallas and treatment options are being evaluated.

It’s a tough break for the Magic, as Briscoe had recently taken the reins from Jerian Grant as the club’s backup point guard behind D.J. Augustin. Depending on how the Magic and Briscoe decide to treat his meniscus tear, he could miss significant time, which would put pressure on Grant to re-assume a key role during Orlando’s playoff push.

If the Magic decide to look outside of the organization for veteran help at the point guard position, there are plenty of options available, including Tim Frazier and Jarrett Jack. For now though, Grant appears set to become Augustin’s primary backup once more.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

  • In an extensive Q&A with Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman discusses Markelle Fultz‘s rehab process, what it would mean to the franchise to make the playoffs, and 2019’s free agent period, particularly as it relates to Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross. Weltman was extremely noncommittal when asked about a recovery timetable for Fultz, whom head coach Steve Clifford is not expecting back this season.
  • Fred Katz of The Athletic explores what could be a logjam at center for the Wizards in 2019/20. While the club would like to retain restricted free agents Bobby Portis and Thomas Bryant, Ian Mahinmi remains under contract and Dwight Howard appears increasingly likely to exercise his player option.
  • Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution provides injury updates on a trio of Hawks bigs, most notably tweeting that Omari Spellman looks like a long shot to return before the ennd of the 2018/19 season. Vivlamore also tweets that Alex Poythress is in a walking boot and will be out for “a while” after spraining his ankle, and adds (via Twitter) that Miles Plumlee has begun to take contact in his one-on-one work.
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/30/18

December 30th, 2018 at 7:56pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Here are Sunday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/22/18

December 22nd, 2018 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

  • The Suns have recalled rookie guard Elie Okobo from their affiliate in Northern Arizona, the team announced on its website. The second-round pick spent five games in the G League in his second assignment of the season, posting an 18.6/4.2/7.4 line.
  • The Timberwolves tweeted that small forward Keita Bates-Diop has been recalled from Iowa. He is averaging 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in 13 G League games.
  • The Hawks recalled forward Alex Poythress from their Erie affiliate, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
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Eastern Notes: Dotson, Poythress, Walker, Pacers

October 26th, 2018 at 9:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks second-year swingman Damyean Dotson has seen his playing time expand with rookie Kevin Knox sidelined by an ankle sprain, but coach David Fizdale was eager to play Dotson anyway, Peter Botte of the New York Post reports. Dotson has averaged 14.0 PPG over the past four games after not playing the first two games. “It was hard not to play him right away, because we have a lot of young guys I’ve got to look at. But he’s really earned his way, and he’s got my trust, for sure,” Fizdale said. Dotson is the low man on the salary list for New York. He’s making $1.378MM this season and has a non-guaranteed $1.62MM contract for next season.

There’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Hawks forward Alex Poythress will miss at least three games due to a left knee injury, according to a team press release. He was diagnosed with a capsular sprain and bone bruise and will miss the team’s upcoming road trip. Poythress averaged 5.3 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 18.0 MPG in his first four appearances with Atlanta. Poythress is one of the team’s two-way players after seeing action in 25 games with the Pacers last season.
  • The Hornets have never signed a player to a max contract since the franchise moved to 2004, something to keep in mind during Kemba Walker‘s foray into free agency, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes. The Hornets could offer Walker five seasons and just under $190MM, or up to $221MM if he earns an All-NBA selection. The most another team could offer is $140MM over four seasons. However, the franchise already has heavy financial obligations, so it’s uncertain how high the Hornets would go to retain their point guard, Bonnell adds.
  • All of the Pacers’ starters are averaging fewer minutes thanks to an improved bench, Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star points out. Victor Oladipo, at 31.4 MPG, is the only player averaging more than 30 minutes a game. “Oh man, it’s good for all of us,” guard Darren Collison told Ayello. “We’ve been chilling mostly the whole time at the end of games. We’ve had a lot of blowouts, either us doing it to them or the other way around, so all of the starters are mostly playing between 20-25 minutes. Hopefully, it will pay off in the long run.”
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Hawks Sign Alex Poythress To Two-Way Contract

August 20th, 2018 at 1:48pm CST by clarkcrum

AUGUST 20: Nearly a month after agreeing to terms with him, the Hawks have officially signed Poythress, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 24: The Hawks have agreed to sign free agent forward Alex Poythress to a two-way contract, per Chris Haynes of ESPN.

Poythress, 24, played his college ball at Kentucky before going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft. After initially playing for the Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, to begin his rookie season, Poythress was signed by the Sixers near the end of the 2016/17 season, where he played in six games for Philadelphia.

Poythress returned to Indiana for the 2017/18 season, signing a two-way contract with the Pacers in August 2017. He appeared in 25 games, averaging 1.0 points and 0.7 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per game. He was waived by Indiana earlier this summer.

The Hawks already have Jaylen Adams under contract as one of their two-way players, so absent another move, he and Poythress will occupy Atlanta’s two-way contract slots for the upcoming season.

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Pacers Waive Alex Poythress

July 6th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have waived forward Alex Poythress, according to RealGM’s transactions log. Poythress’ $1.54MM salary for 2018/19 was fully non-guaranteed, so Indiana won’t be on the hook for any of it.

Poythress, 24, signed with the Pacers last December and appeared sparingly in 25 games for the club, logging just 104 total minutes. In 53 G League games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants over the last two seasons, Poythress has averaged 18.7 PPG and 7.3 RPG with a .521 FG%.

Waiving Poythress was part of a series of roster moves completed by the Pacers that cleared the way for the team to sign Tyreke Evans and Doug McDermott. The club also renounced its rights to several free agents, including Trevor Booker and Joe Young.

Poythress will become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday if he clears waivers.

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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/14/18

March 14th, 2018 at 9:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

9:00 pm:

  • The Pacers have recalled Alex Poythress from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, according to the team’s website. The Kentucky product has played in seven G League games this season where he averaged 20.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

4:56 pm:

  • For the second consecutive day, the Jazz sent Dante Exum to the G League and then recalled him later in the day, the team announced in a press release. The former fifth overall pick is preparing for his return from a shoulder injury by practicing with the Salt Lake City Stars.
  • The Lakers have assigned rookie big man Thomas Bryant to the G League, according to the club (Twitter link). Bryant, who has averaged 19.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG in 32 G League games this season, is expected to suit up for the South Bay Lakers on Thursday night when they host the Agua Caliente Clippers.
  • Chris McCullough, who had been playing for the Northern Arizona Suns, was recalled today by the Wizards and then re-assigned to the Erie BayHawks, according to the team. Washington doesn’t have a G League affiliate of its own this season, so McCullough is eligible to play for other G League squads via the flexible assignment rule.
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