D.J. Kennedy

D.J. Kennedy To Play In China

After being waived by the Nuggets last month, D.J. Kennedy will head back overseas and continue his career in China, reports international basketball journalist David Pick. According to Pick (via Twitter), Kennedy has signed a deal with China’s Foshan Lions.

Kennedy, who turned 27 this month, originally went undrafted out of St. John’s back in 2011. Although he has participated in various training camps over the years with the Grizzlies, Mavericks, and Nuggets, Kennedy’s only NBA regular season experience consists of two games with the Cavaliers during the 2011/12 campaign — he averaged 6.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 1.5 APG in 29.5 minutes per outing.

Kennedy has split the remainder of his playing career between the NBA D-League and international teams. He spent the 2015/16 campaign with the Russian club Enisey Krasnoyarsk, appearing in 40 games and averaging 14.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 3.7 APG. Kennedy’s shooting line on the year was .451/.287/.809.

The Nuggets paid Kennedy a partial guarantee of $50K to come to training camp with the team this fall, but cut him along with Axel Toupane and JaKarr Sampson about a month ago.

The Foshan Lions cut former UConn standout Ryan Boatright to accommodate the signing of Kennedy, according to Pick.

Nuggets Waive Kennedy, Sampson, Toupane

The Nuggets have officially waived guard D.J. Kennedy, forward JaKarr Sampson and forward Axel Toupane, the team announced via press release. The moves pare down the team’s preseason roster to 17 players, which is two above the regular season maximum. The only one of the trio with any guaranteed salary is Kennedy ($50K), and that amount will remain on Denver’s cap for the season unless he is claimed off waivers by another team.

Kennedy appeared in one preseason game for the Nuggets, posting four points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals in 12 minutes of play. His NBA regular season experience consists of two games with the Cavaliers during the 2011/12 campaign where he averaged 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 29.5 minutes per outing. Kennedy has split the remainder of his playing career thus far between the NBA D-League and overseas. He spent the 2015/16 campaign with the Russian club Enisey Krasnoyarsk, appearing in 40 games and averaging 14.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Kennedy’s shooting line on the year was .451/.287/.809.

Sampson was originally inked by Denver this past February and played in the final 26 games (22 starts) of the 2015/16 season, averaging 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 18.0 minutes. He has appeared in one preseason contest this year, notching 10 points, three rebounds, one steal and one block in 20 minutes.

Toupane signed with the Nuggets in March of this year and averaged 3.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 14.5 minutes over the final 21 games of the 2015/16 campaign. He has appeared in one game this preseason, scoring 11 points, snagging seven rebounds and dishing out three assists in 19 total minutes.

Nuggets Sign D.J. Kennedy

SEPTEMBER 15: Nearly a month after agreeing to terms with him, the Nuggets have officially confirmed their deal with Kennedy, issuing a press release announcing the signing.

AUGUST 16: The Nuggets and unrestricted free agent shooting guard D.J. Kennedy have agreed to a deal, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (via Twitter). The pact will be for three years and includes a partial guarantee, Charania notes.

The 26-year-old originally went undrafted out of St. John’s back in 2011. His NBA regular season experience consists of two games with the Cavaliers during the 2011/12 campaign where he averaged 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 29.5 minutes per outing.

Kennedy has split the remainder of his playing career thus far between the NBA D-League and overseas. He spent the 2015/16 campaign with the Russian club Enisey Krasnoyarsk, appearing in 40 games and averaging 14.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Kennedy’s shooting line on the year was .451/.287/.809.

Contract Details: E. Williams, Christon, Paige

We’ve already published one contract details round-up today, passing along some specifics on deals for Jason Terry (Bucks), Joel Bolomboy (Jazz), and Yi Jianlian (Lakers). However, several more details on recently-signed contracts have surfaced since then, so let’s dive in and round up the newest updates…

  • As expected, the one-year deal signed by Elliot Williams with the Warriors earlier this month is a minimum-salary pact. The contract was initially reported as having a “strong” partial guarantee — the amount of that guarantee is $250K, per Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter). If Williams earns a spot on Golden State’s opening-night roster, his full salary will become guaranteed.
  • Draft-and-stash signee Semaj Christon got a three-year, minimum-salary deal from the Thunder, according to Pincus (via Twitter). Christon’s 2016/17 salary is guaranteed for $200K, so he’s no lock to make the roster, particularly since Oklahoma City already has 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts.
  • D.J. Kennedy‘s three-year contract with the Nuggets is a minimum-salary pact that features a modest $50K guarantee in year one, tweets Pincus.
  • The Celtics‘ deal with Marcus Georges-Hunt is a one-year, minimum-salary contract that includes a $25K guarantee, says Pincus (via Twitter). Despite the guarantee, Georges-Hunt is a long shot to make Boston’s regular-season roster.
  • By re-signing with the Grizzlies, Tony Wroten received a $25K guarantee and a second non-guaranteed year, tweets Pincus. Wroten’s previous contract included several guarantee dates, but those have been removed — the point guard will get his full 2016/17 salary if he remains under contract through January 10.
  • According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical, Marcus Paige‘s new deal with the Jazz is a two-year, minimum-salary pact with $125K guaranteed in year one.

Lakers Plan To Work Out D.J. Kennedy

MONDAY, 7:57am: Kennedy has signed with Enisey Krasnoyarsk of Russia, the team announced (Twitter link; translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). It’s unclear if the pact includes an NBA out, or if it precludes him from taking part in the workout.

SUNDAY, 8:39pm: The Lakers will work out D.J. Kennedy, a source tells overseas reporter David Pick (Twitter link).

Kennedy, 25, is a one-time swingman with the Cavs out of St. John’s. His stint with the Cavs in the 2011/12 season lasted only two games. He played in Germany last year after beginning the season with Russia’s Krasny Oktyabr. He split the prior season in France and Israel, respectively.

In January, it was reported that the Raptors, Bulls, Jazz and Pistons had reached out to Kennedy, who went undrafted in 2011. Kennedy was in camp with the Mavs in 2013.

Raptors, Bulls, Jazz, Pistons Eye D.J. Kennedy

The Raptors, Bulls, Jazz and Pistons have reached out to one-time Cavs swingman D.J. Kennedy, reports Shams Charania of RealGM. The 25-year-old is under contract with Germany’s Riesen Ludwigsburg for the rest of the season, according to Charania, so it appears that he’s off-limits until the summer.

Kennedy has played well across eight games in Germany, averaging 21.1 points and 6.5 rebounds in 35.3 minutes per contest. He put up similar numbers earlier this season with Russia’s Krasny Oktyabr, and he split last season in France and Israel, with less impressive production, after the Mavs had him in training camp. The former St. John’s mainstay was in camp with the Grizzlies the previous fall, not long after his two-game stint with the Cavs in the 2011/12 season.

It’s not uncommon for reports of interest to emerge about prospects playing in Europe months before they’re eligible to be signed, though it’s not necessarily a signal that teams are planning lucrative offers. It’d be surprising if Kennedy ends up with more than the minimum salary from an NBA team for next season, though there’s plenty of time for him to continue to boost his stock.

Nets To Work Out Ivan Johnson, Others

SUNDAY, 10:12am: According to his agent, French SF Yakhouba Diawara has been invited to the Nets mini-camp this Tuesday, reports David Pick of Eurobasket (Twitter link). Also attending will be Michael Snaer, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. In 27 games with the Italian team Enel Brindisi, Snaer averaged 8.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 1.1 APG.

3:28pm: NBA vets Ivan Johnson, Malcolm Lee, Kim English, Kevin Murphy and DaJuan Summers will join Liggins, Greene, Machado, Kennedy and others in working out for the club on Tuesday, the Nets announced. Lance Thomas will also participate, as Adam Zagoria of SNY reported earlier this week.

THURSDAY, 9:56am: Four free agents with NBA experience will visit with the Nets next week, according to Lenn Robbins of Nets.com, who says the team will see DeAndre Liggins, Donte GreeneScott Machado and D.J. Kennedy (Twitter links; hat tip to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv). The Nets are holding a mini-camp soon, so it seems like the foursome will be among those working out for the club.

Liggins has the most recent NBA experience among that group, having played in the NBA this past season on a pair of 10-day contracts with the Heat. The 26-year-old only appeared in one game for a single minute for Miami, but he made 39 appearances for the Thunder in 2012/13 and also saw playing time for the Magic the year before. He’s averaged 1.6 points in 7.1 minutes per game in the NBA since Orlando drafted him 53rd overall in 2011.

Greene, a former 28th overall pick, has the most extensive NBA experience, appearing in 253 games and making 82 starts for the Kings over four seasons, but he’s been out of the NBA since 2011/12, save for a late-season signing with the Grizzlies in 2012/13. He failed to get in a game during his time with Memphis. Machado, an undrafted former Iona standout, split this past season between France and the D-League after stints with the Rockets and Warriors in 2012/13. Kennedy, from St. John’s, has just two games with the Cavs in 2012/13 on his NBA resume, and he spent this past season playing in Israel and France.

Mini-camps at this time of year usually only help teams fill summer league rosters, but these four probably stand a chance at joining the Nets for preseason this fall, given their experience. The Nets, with a bloated payroll and limited flexibility, will have to do most of their free agent shopping with the minimum-salary exception.

Odds & Ends: Gasol, Muhammad, Burke

Pau Gasol has been in trade rumors for years, and he’s once more bracing for the possibility that the Lakers could ship him away, as he tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.

“I’m ready for it,” Gasol said. “I can’t control what they’re going to do as a team. But I’m going to try to play as well as I can for as long as I’m here. If I’m somewhere else, I’ll try to continue to do that.”

We figure to have at least some resolution to the latest Gasol saga today, and in the meantime, here’s more from around the league:

  • With Shabazz Muhammad headed to the D-League and Trey Burke of the Jazz the reigning Western Conference Rookie of the Month, Timberwolves boss Flip Saunders says it’s still too early to judge the result of their draft night swap. The Wolves officially sent Shabazz Muhammad to the Iowa Energy today, according to a press release. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune originally reported the move Friday.
  • Matt Moore of CBSSports.com breaks down the game of potential No. 1 pick Joel Embiid.
  • D.J. Kennedy is headed to Israel to play for Hapoel Holon, Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia reports. The swingman was in camp with the Mavs this fall and played with Gravelines in France earlier this season. Italy’s Reggio Emilia was also reportedly interested.
  • The Grizzlies have assigned Jamaal Franklin to the D-League, the team announced. The 41st overall pick this past June has averaged just 9.2 minutes in 14 games for Memphis this year. I identified him earlier this week as a player who could see time in the D-League.

Minor Moves: Diogu, Nogueira, Kennedy

It’s been an active past couple of days in the Association, and there are plenty of rumblings on other circuits, too. Here’s the latest on players with NBA ties:

  • Knicks training camp invitee Ike Diogu will join the D-League, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. Diogu, the ninth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft, last appeared in an NBA regular season game with the Spurs in 2011/12, though the Knicks reportedly considered bringing him back last month after Tyson Chandler‘s injury.
  • Lucas Nogueira has exercised a provision in his contract with Spanish club Estudiantes to suspend the deal while he seeks outside medical opinion on his ailing knees, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). The Hawks retain the NBA rights to Nogueira, the 16th pick in the draft this June.
  • D.J. Kennedy has left Gravelines of France and is on the radar of Italy’s Reggio Emilia, reports Prima Pagina (translation via Carchia). The Italian team may view him as a replacement for Coby Karl, who appears to be on the outs with the club. Kennedy was in camp with the Mavs this fall.
  • Kevin Murphy and French team SIG Strasbourg are in negotiations about a split, according to a L’Équipe report passed along by Catch-and-Shoot (translation via Carchia). Murphy signed with the club in August, shortly after the Warriors let him go.

Odds & Ends: Miller, Kennedy, Lighty, Pau

Quincy Miller is one of a handful of players whose contract will become guaranteed by virtue of earning a spot on his team’s opening day roster, as our schedule of guarantee dates shows. Now that he’s breathing a little easier, Miller can focus on contributing to the Nuggets, particularly with players ahead of him in the rotation sidelined with injuries, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post.

Here are a few more Sunday odds and ends:

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.