Dante Cunningham Rumors

And-Ones: Cunningham, Whitehead, Law, Christon, Bluiett

August 28th, 2021 at 11:07am CST by Dana Gauruder

Free agent forward Dante Cunningham has signed with France’s Le Mans, according to Sportando. Cunningham, a 10-year NBA veteran, played 10 games in Puerto Rico with Cangrejeros de Santurce last season. During his NBA career, he played with the Blazers, Bobcats, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Nets and Spurs, Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw notes (Twitter link).

We have more overseas news:

Free agent Isaiah Whitehead has signed with Besiktas in Turkey, Shaw tweets. Whitehead played 89 games with the Nets from 2016-18. He last played in Montenegro.
Former Magic two-way player Vic Law has signed with Australia’s Perth Wildcats of the NBL, Shaw tweets. Law, who played college ball at Northwestern, saw action in eight regular season games and one playoff game with Orlando during the 2019/20 season.
Former Thunder guard Semaj Christon has signed with Germany’s Ratiopharm Ulm, Shaw relays in another tweet. Christon played 64 games with Oklahoma City during the 2016/17 season.
Italy’s Vanoli Cremona is targeting Trevon Bluiett, according to La Prealpina, Sportando relays. The former Xavier star averaged 10.8 PPG with the Cavaliers’ summer league squad in Las Vegas.

And-Ones: Teodosic, Bennett, Cunningham, Macon, Brown

July 8th, 2021 at 10:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA guard Milos Teodosic has reached a contract extension agreement with Virtus Bologna through the 2022/23 season, according to a team press release. Teodosic played 60 games with the Clippers from 2017-19. He was waived in February of his final season and signed with the Italian club during the summer of 2019.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico has terminated Anthony Bennett’s contract and replaced him with Dante Cunningham, Dario Skerletic of Sportando relays. Cunningham had a stint in China after appearing in 715 NBA games from 2009-19. Bennett, the top pick of the 2013 draft, hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2016/17 season.
Former NBA guard Daryl Macon is expected to sign with Panathinaikos BC, Greek journalist George Zakkas tweets. Macon played for Galatasaray Istanbul and AEK Athens this past season. He began the 2019/20 season on a two-way deal with the Heat and was waived that January. He also played for Dallas.
Larry Brown has been named the recipient of this year’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced on Thursday via a league press release. Brown was a head coach for 42 years at the college and pro level, winning the NBA title with the Pistons in 2004 and NCAA championship with Kansas in 1988. He’s the only coach to lead eight different NBA teams to the playoffs.

Dante Cunningham Signs With Chinese Team

December 13th, 2019 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

DECEMBER 13: Cunningham has signed with China’s Fujian Sturgeons, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays.

DECEMBER 2: Free agent forward Dante Cunningham is working on a deal with a team in China, sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). It’s unclear which club in the Chinese Basketball Association is pursuing Cunningham.

Cunningham, 32, has spent the last decade in the NBA since being selected 33rd overall in the 2009 draft by Portland. The former Villanova standout has bounced around the league since then, suiting up for a total of seven teams and logging 715 regular season games, plus another 21 playoff contests.

Although he has played both forward spots, Cunningham is seemingly best utilized as a stretch four, having added a three-point shot to his game in recent years. In his last three NBA seasons, he knocked down 38.4% of his outside attempts.

While Cunningham was briefly linked to the Nets in September, there otherwise hasn’t been much chatter surrounding him since his contract with the Spurs expired in the spring. If he does end up playing in the CBA, the season will end before the NBA’s does, giving him the opportunity to potentially return stateside down the stretch if he looks good overseas.

Charania’s Latest: Nets, Heat, CP3, Noah, Clippers

September 23rd, 2019 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

Despite the fact that multiple Nets players are reportedly pushing for the team to sign Carmelo Anthony, Brooklyn appears very unlikely to do so at this point, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

According to Charania, the Nets are more likely to fill their 20-man offseason roster they’ve worked out in recent weeks, including perhaps veteran forward Lance Thomas and swingman C.J. Williams. Dante Cunningham and Luol Deng are among the other free agents who have emerged as viable targets for Brooklyn, Charania adds.

With Wilson Chandler facing a 25-game suspension, the Nets could theoretically move on from the former Nugget to open up a spot on their 15-man regular season roster, but they currently have no plans to do so. As Charania points out, keeping Chandler on the suspended list during his 25-game ban will allow the franchise to recoup some of his salary. Plus, team executives believe Chandler would be quickly scooped up by another team if he were released later in the season.

Here are a few more items of interest from Charania’s latest round-up:

The Heat still have some level of trade interest in Thunder point guard Chris Paul, according to Charania. Miami is expected to wait to see how the start of the season goes before seriously considering whether to renew its pursuit of CP3, who would reciprocate the Heat’s interest.
Free agent big man Joakim Noah intends to join the Clippers for workouts this week, sources tell Charania. Noah’s father first suggested earlier this month that his son would be working out for the Clippers.
Nuggets guard Malik Beasley, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension up until October 21, has hired Rich Paul and Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports for representation, says Charania.
Although DeMarcus Cousins is only a one-year contract and seems likely to miss the entire 2019/20 season due to his torn ACL, the Lakers aren’t ready to move on from him yet. The Lakers wants to integrate him into the club’s culture, according to Charania, who notes that Cousins is expected to be around the team during its mini-camp in Las Vegas this week.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Southwest Division

February 22nd, 2019 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Southwest Division:

Maxi Kleber, 27, Mavericks, PF (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $2.19MM deal in 2017
Kleber has received increased playing time since the blockbuster Kristaps Porzingis deal with the Knicks. He’s averaging 10.2 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 25.7 MPG as a starter this month while making 36% of his 3-point attempts. Kleber would be a restricted free agent if Dallas extends a $1.82MM qualifying offer. With loads of cap space to spare, the Mavs have plenty of incentive to make that modest offer for a rotation player, even though he’d probably move back to the bench next season when Porzingis is ready to play again.

Kenneth Faried, Rockets, 29, PF (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $917K deal in 2019
Clint Capela‘s return from a thumb injury this week will reduce the Manimal’s minutes. He’ll still play a valuable role for Houston, where he has revived his career after getting bought out by Brooklyn. After appearing in just 12 games with the Nets, Faried has averaged 15.7 PPG, 9.9 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 13 outings with the Rockets. It seems Faried has been in the league a long time, but he’s still just 29. In an era of stretch fours and fives, it’s questionable whether anyone views Faried as a starter going forward. He should still get a multi-year deal somewhere as a second-unit difference maker.

Justin Holiday, Grizzlies, 29, SF (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $9MM deal in 2017
Holiday was acquired from the Bulls when the Grizzlies still harbored hopes of making the playoffs. He didn’t move the needle at all before Memphis went into sell mode prior to the trade deadline. He’s averaged 8.2 PPG on 34.8% shooting (29.8% on 3-point tries) in 28.5 MPG with the Grizzlies. Holiday has posted below average PERs throughout his career, which doesn’t help his cause in the analytics era. Holiday has enough of a resume to land on someone’s bench next season but his days as a starter are likely over after this season.

Elfrid Payton, Pelicans, 25, PG (Down) — Signed to a one-year, $3MM deal in 2018
Payton inked a short-term, ‘show me’ contract after the former lottery pick flopped in Orlando and Phoenix. He was given the opportunity to replace free agent Rajon Rondo in the lineup but has spent a majority of the season in the trainer’s room. He’s appeared in just 19 games, with a right ankle sprain sidelining him for the last nine games heading into Friday’s action. The Pelicans lost six of the last eight games that he played. Payton will probably have to settle for another one-year deal this summer, this time in a backup role.

Dante Cunningham, Spurs, 31, SF (Down)– Signed to a one-year, $2.49MM deal in 2018
Cunningham has seen spot duty with the Spurs, averaging 15.9 MPG in 53 appearances. He’s managed to stay in the league for a decade, though he’s usually the No. 5 option at the offensive end. He accepts his limited role and provides some defense, so it’s possible he’ll squeeze out another veteran’s minimum deal with San Antonio or another playoff contender. But being on the wrong side of 30 means he’ll probably have to wait until late in the free agency period for an offer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Spurs’ Lonnie Walker IV To Undergo Knee Surgery

October 6th, 2018 at 3:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs first-round pick Lonnie Walker IV will undergo surgery on Monday to repair a right medial meniscus tear, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The injury was suffered during the fourth quarter of San Antonio’s preseason victory over the Pistons on Friday.

The early timeframe for Walker’s recovery is 6-to-8 weeks, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Walker was expected to play a key bench role at small forward behind Rudy Gay. His injury, at least in the short run, opens up playing time for veterans Dante Cunningham and Quincy Pondexter.

Walker was the 18th overall pick in the draft.

Spurs Notes: Walker, Duncan, Cunningham, Metu

October 3rd, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

A Spurs legend is helping Lonnie Walker navigate his first NBA training camp, writes Jabari Young of The Athletic. Tim Duncan has served as a mentor to the rookie guard, helping him refine his game to get ready for the start of the season.

“It’s a little surreal,” Walker said. “But that’s probably one of the best things about being a rookie, especially being drafted by the Spurs. You have players who are [the] previous greatest of all-time, such as him and Manu [Ginobili], and they treat you like family.”

Walker admits to being awe-struck the first time he met Duncan, but their relationship has become much more comfortable. Duncan is seen as a teacher who happy to pass along advice to any Spurs player, and he has become a surrogate to coach Gregg Popovich.

“It’s nothing unusual for us to see,” long-time Spur Patty Mills said. “[It’s] that same characteristic that Manu has of being able to help younger guys for the better of the team. Just because he’s retired doesn’t mean that that trait can’t keep going.”

There’s more tonight from San Antonio:

Popovich used numerous combinations in the preseason opener, but he seems fond of a second unit that provides a lot of floor spacing, Young adds in a separate story. The group had Mills on the floor along with Jakob Poeltl, Davis Bertans, Marco Belinelli and Bryn Forbes. “It’s a unit that can score,” Popovich said. “With Jakob in the post and shooters all around, it can be pretty interesting. We’re blessed with some people who can put it in the basket, and we want to put them in situations where they can use those skills.”
The Spurs like the toughness that veteran forward Dante Cunningham brings to the court, relays Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. San Antonio gave Cunningham a one-year, $2.5MM contract after deciding not to match the Grizzlies’ offer sheet for Kyle Anderson. Cunningham has been with six other teams during his nine-year NBA career, including the Pelicans and Nets last season. “I like to think I am more of a ball player than a position kind of guy — kind of short to be a center, kind of tall to be in a guardish-type situation,” he said. “But I kind of battle around and do a little bit of everything, I guess.”
Second-rounder Chimezie Metu has made a quick impression on his teammates with his shot-blocking skills, with LaMarcus Aldridge calling him “a pogo stick,” Orsborn notes in another piece.

Spurs Sign Dante Cunningham

July 20th, 2018 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 20: The Spurs have officially signed Cunningham, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 16: Free agent forward Dante Cunningham has agreed to terms on a deal with the Spurs, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), Cunningham will sign a one-year contract with San Antonio.

Cunningham, 31, is coming off a season in which he appeared in 73 total games for the Pelicans and Nets, having been sent to Brooklyn in a deadline-day trade. On the year, he averaged 5.7 PPG and 4.1 RPG with a .451/.345/.596 shooting line.

After making just two 3-point shots in his first six NBA seasons, Cunningham has shown an increased willingness to fire away from beyond the arc in recent years. Over the last three seasons, he has knocked down 184 threes at a 35.2% rate, solid numbers for a player who sees most of his action at power forward. He’ll likely be expected to continue stretching the floor in San Antonio.

Cunningham won’t be in line for a big payday with the Spurs. His one-year deal is expected to be worth $2.5MM, says Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link).

That would exceed Cunningham’s minimum salary, so the Spurs may be using a portion of their mid-level exception to complete the signing. San Antonio used approximately $6MM of the $8.641MM MLE to sign Marco Belinelli.

Having added Cunningham, Belinelli, and Lonnie Walker while re-signing Rudy Gay, Davis Bertans, and Bryn Forbes, the Spurs now have 14 players on NBA contracts for the 2018/19 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Wizards Express Interest In Crawford, Mbah A Moute, Others

July 3rd, 2018 at 10:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards lost one key member of their bench when Mike Scott reached an agreement with the Clippers on Monday, but the team has remained active in search of potential free agent additions.

According to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (Twitter links), the Wizards have expressed interest in a number of veteran free agents, including Jamal Crawford, Luc Mbah a Moute, Dante Cunningham, and Willie Reed. Ty Lawson, who finished last season in D.C., also remains a possibility to return, Buckner adds.

The Wizards’ backcourt is getting pretty crowded, with Tomas Satoransky and newly-acquired Austin Rivers slotting in behind John Wall and Bradley Beal. Jodie Meeks and rookie Troy Brown could also see some time at the two, so it’s not clear whether Crawford, who will want a featured role off the bench, would be a good fit in Washington.

However, Mbah a Moute, Cunningham, and Reed make more sense as potential targets for the Wizards. Mbah a Moute and Cunningham are versatile forwards capable of knocking down three-pointers, while Reed is a big man who could add depth to a Wizards frontcourt that no longer features Marcin Gortat.

The Wizards have also been linked to Dwight Howard, Jeff Green, Treveon Graham, and Thomas Robinson, among other free agents.

Timberwolves Eyeing Nick Young, Other Free Agents

July 1st, 2018 at 4:06pm CST by ChrisCrouse

4:06pm: Wolfson adds Jeff Green, Malcolm Delaney, and Treveon Graham to the list of free agents that the Timberwolves have inquired on so far (Twitter link).

12:15pm: The Timberwolves have interest in Nick Young among several other free agents, according to ESPN’s Darren Wolfson (Twitter link).

Young is coming off a down year in Golden State where he sported just a 10.0 player efficiency rating and scored just 7.3 points per game. It’s hard to envision the shooting guard surpassing the $5.19MM salary he received with the Warriors last season after floundering alongside the best supporting cast he’s ever played with.

Minnesota has the non-tax mid-level ($8.6MM) and the bi-annual ($3.4MM) at its disposal. However, with approximately $115MM already on the books, the team must be careful when handing out deals if it intends to stay below the luxury tax line. If a team uses its bi-annual exception or more than the taxpayer portion of its MLE, it becomes hard-capped for the season.

Dante Cunningham and James Ennis are among other free agents the Wolves are keeping an eye on, Wolfson adds. Lance Stephenson remains a possibility for one of the team’s five open roster spots. Minnesota is among the teams expected to have interest in the mercurial shooting guard once the first wave of free agents sign.

Other candidates for the team’s openings include Trevor Booker, Amir Johnson, Jabari Bird and Anthony Tolliver. Coach/executive Tom Thibodeau reportedly has spoken with Tolliver and team values the power forward’s lockerroom presence.