Jodie Meeks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Raptors Re-Sign Jodie Meeks

March 26th, 2019 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 26: The Raptors have officially signed Meeks, the team confirmed today in a press release.

MARCH 25: After letting Eric Moreland‘s 10-day contract expire over the weekend, the Raptors plan on filling one of their open roster spots by bringing back Jodie Meeks, per Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Toronto will sign Meeks to a rest-of-season contract.

Meeks, 31, appeared in 77 games in 2017/18 for the Wizards but saw his season come to an early end when he was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. Meeks was traded to Milwaukee in the offseason, where he served the rest of his suspension at the start of 2018/19 before being waived.

Since then, Meeks has signed just one NBA contract, inking a 10-day deal with Toronto after the All-Star break. Although he only got into a couple games with the Raptors, the veteran sharpshooter provided a spark off the bench, scoring 15 points and knocking down three 3-pointers in just 24 total minutes. The former Kentucky standout is a career 37.2% shooter from beyond the arc.

While Meeks is unlikely to play much of a role for Toronto in the postseason, he figures to see some action in the club’s final regular season games. Still, it’s not clear when the Raptors will officially sign Meeks, since they’re over the tax line and aren’t under pressure to add a 14th man right away.

When he does sign, Meeks will earn $12,295 per day for the rest of the regular season, with the contract counting against the Raps’ cap at a rate of $8,546 per day. The team will still have one more open roster spot once Meeks is back on board.

Jodie Meeks’ 10-Day Contract Expires; Raptors Seeking Frontcourt Depth?

March 2nd, 2019 at 12:00pm CST by marksuleymanov

Jodie Meeks‘ 10-day contract with the Raptors has expired and the team is unlikely to renew it, tweets TSN’s Josh Lewenberg. Toronto has two weeks to add a 14th player to its roster to meet the league minimum.

Meeks, 31, appeared in two games for the Raptors during his 10-day day, averaging 7.5 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 12 minutes per contest. After having not appeared in an NBA game since last season, the veteran shot a strong 37.5% from beyond the arc.

While Meeks had a solid showing, Toronto may seek frontcourt depth despite the acquisition of Marc Gasol, Lewenberg tweets. He mentions former Wizards center Marcin Gortat as a possible target, adding that there’s “mutual interest” between the two sides. In 47 games with the Clippers, Gortat averaged 5.0 PPG and 5.6 RPG.

To be playoff eligible, players had to be waived by their previous club ahead before March 1, so Gortat would qualify if he signs with a new team.

Atlantic Notes: Meeks, Baynes, Nets, Jenkins

February 25th, 2019 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Jodie Meeks played in an NBA game on Sunday for the first time in approximately 10 months, making his first appearance as a member of the Raptors. The veteran shooting guard was hit with a 25-game suspension at the end of last season for violating the league’s anti-drug program, was traded from the Wizards to the Bucks in the offseason, and was ultimately cut by Milwaukee. Meeks didn’t get another NBA offer until last week, when the Raptors signed him to a 10-day contract.

“When I got the call this past week, I was really excited and knew that I was ready for the opportunity,” Meeks said, per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca. “I’m just looking at it as a chance to prove myself again. I’m trying not to look at it as a 10-day. Don’t put any pressure on yourself — just go out there and play hard. Just come in ready when your number’s called, like any other player on this team. (The Raptors) have treated me very well here. I know I’ve only been here a few days, but it’s a first-class organization. I hope to stay.”

Meeks made a good first impression with the Raptors on Sunday, scoring 10 points and making a pair of three-pointers in 17 minutes off the bench. His 10-day deal will expire this Friday night, but if he keeps knocking down shots, he should get another opportunity in Toronto or elsewhere.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

It has been a frustrating season for Celtics center Aron Baynes, who has been slowed by foot and hand injuries over the course of the year, as ESPN’s Kevin Pelton details. While Baynes will face a decision this offseason on his $5.45MM player option for 2019/20, his focus for now is on getting healthy and helping the C’s make a deep playoff run.
An agreement between Mikhail Prokhorov and Joseph Tsai, which will allow Tsai to eventually assume controlling ownership of the Nets, had significant potential for disharmony, but has been a success so far, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “That’s probably one of the greatest things about [them], and a credit to Mikhail and Joe. I haven’t noticed a differing of opinions. Both collaborate,” Nets GM Sean Marks said of the ownership situation. “I collaborate with them a lot. There’s no surprises.”
John Jenkins, who inked a rest-of-season contract with the Knicks last week, is thrilled that he was able to parlay a 10-day deal into a longer-term commitment, per Marc Berman of The New York Post. “It’s all I could ask for coming in on a 10-day and getting an opportunity to succeed,” Jenkins said. “I’m thankful, grateful, extremely happy. All the hard work I’ve put in, and sacrifice, all paying off at the perfect time.”

Raptors Sign Jodie Meeks To 10-Day Deal

February 20th, 2019 at 5:28pm CST by ChrisCrouse

FEBRUARY 20: The signing is official, tweets Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.

FEBRUARY 19: The Raptors will sign Jodie Meeks to a 10-day deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.

Meeks has not played in the NBA since serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. Per the ESPN scribe, Meeks insists that he never knowingly ingested any substances that would be considered performance enhancing.

The Wizards sent the 31-year-old to the Bucks along with a second-rounder and additional cash earlier this year. Milwaukee waived Meeks prior to him seeing any court time with the team.

Toronto’s depth was depleted after sending Delon Wright to the Grizzlies in the Marc Gasol deal and watching Fred VanVleet undergo surgery on his injured hand. Meeks worked out for Toronto earlier in the week and the franchise feels the former Kentucky Wildcat could contribute off the bench because of his shooting ability, Woj notes.

By signing Meeks, the Raptors will officially get back up to the NBA-mandated minimum of 14 players. Toronto dipped to just 10 players at the trade deadline, but has since signed Malcolm Miller, Chris Boucher, and Jeremy Lin. Meeks will be the club’s 14th man.

Lakers Notes: Walton, Meeks, Ingram, Ball

January 14th, 2019 at 6:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Controlling owner Jeanie Buss holds the key to Luke Walton‘s future as head coach, Bill Oram of The Athletic opines. If team president Magic Johnson urges Buss to make a coaching change in the near future or at the end of the season, she would have to choose between her loyalty to Johnson and her faith in Walton, Oram continues. There is growing uneasiness about Walton’s job security following a loss to the woeful Cavaliers, making the team 3-7 with LeBron James sidelined by a groin injury. Johnson’s unpredictable, ultra-competitive nature and his concerns about the staff increase the possibility of him pushing Buss to make a move, Oram adds.

We have more on the Lakers:

Free agent shooting guard and former Laker Jodie Meeks is a potential roster addition as the team looks to improve its outside shooting, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. The career 37.2% 3-point shooter worked out for the Sixers on Monday. The Lakers, who have an open roster spot, rank 27th in long-range shooting at 33.5%.
Andre Ingram set a G League record for most career games played over the weekend, according to a G League tweet. Ingram, currently with the South Bay Lakers, played his 402nd game on Saturday. The 33-year-old guard made his NBA debut last season with the Lakers, appearing in two games.
Lonzo Ball would rather lead by example because he’s not as vocal as veterans like James, Rajon Rondo and Tyson Chandler, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN reports. Ball has stepped up his efforts to be a leader with James and Rondo nursing injuries.

Sixers Working Out Jodie Meeks, Corey Brewer, Others

January 14th, 2019 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers are hosting a handful of NBA veterans and G League for workouts on Monday and Tuesday, with an emphasis on backcourt players, wings, and shooters, according to reports.

Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported that the club would be working out Jodie Meeks, Corey Brewer, Brandon Rush, and Jamel Artis on Monday. Rush also worked out for the 76ers in December, but this appears to be the first time that the team has brought in Meeks, Brewer, and Artis.

Meanwhile, Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link) hears that a workout on Tuesday will feature G League wings Josh Huestis, Rashad Vaughn, and D.J. Hogg. Hogg was briefly a Sixer back in October when the club signed him at the end of the preseason to secure his NBAGL rights.

The Sixers have one open roster spot and could use some shooting help, as well as some depth on the wing. The team will keep an eye out for trade opportunities and will monitor the buyout market in the hopes of striking gold again after landing Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova a year ago.

However, while they wait for those opportunities to materialize, the Sixers might explore short-term solutions. Philadelphia’s open roster spot could accommodate a player on a 10-day contract, and the 76ers have until tomorrow to make a change to their two-way contract slots if they so desire.

Bucks Waive Jodie Meeks

November 25th, 2018 at 10:26am CST by clarkcrum

NOVEMBER 25, 10:26am: The move is official, according to a tweet from the team.

NOVEMBER 24, 12:41pm: The Bucks are waiving guard Jodie Meeks in order to maintain their roster at 15 players, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Meeks’ NBA-mandated suspension, which kept him off the team’s roster count while suspended, ends tonight.

As Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, this move has been expected since the Bucks traded for Meeks in October. Yet, as we detailed earlier this week, the Bucks always had the option to trade or release another player on their roster and keep Meeks in the fold.

Ultimately, however, it appears as though the second-round pick and cash that the Bucks received from the Wizards in the Meeks’ deal was enough incentive for Milwaukee to absorb his salary, and the Bucks didn’t need any contribution from the 31-year-old guard to make the trade for him worth their trouble.

Meeks, a nine-year veteran who has averaged 9.3 points per contest in 531 career games, will now be on the lookout for a new team.

Roster Move Due Soon For Bucks

November 23rd, 2018 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks will have to make a roster move in the coming days to ensure that they’re in compliance with NBA rules.

Currently, Milwaukee is carrying 15 players on its standard roster, with a 16th player – Jodie Meeks – on the suspended list. Entering the season, Meeks had 19 games left on the 25-game suspension he received last season, and the Bucks are set to play their 18th game on Friday, followed by their 19th game on Saturday, signaling the end of that suspension.

As long as he’s on the suspended list, Meeks doesn’t count toward Milwaukee’s roster limit, but after Saturday’s game, the team will need to make a move to get back down to the limit. The Bucks’ 20th game will take place on Monday.

The most likely outcome would see the Bucks waive Meeks. When Milwaukee first acquired him from Washington before the start of the regular season, reports suggested that he would likely be released — the Bucks were simply willing to take him from the Wizards because they also received a second-round pick and cash in the deal.

If the Bucks decide they want to keep Meeks in the mix, they could trade or release another player on their roster. However, most of the 31-year-old’s value is tied to his three-point shooting, which dipped to 34.3% in 77 games last season. Milwaukee also already ranks first in the NBA in three-pointers made and attempted per game, so Meeks doesn’t exactly fill a need for the franchise.

Bucks Apply For Teletovic Cap Relief

November 7th, 2018 at 10:14pm CST by Luke Adams

10:14pm: The Bucks have submitted a petition for cap relief to the league office, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The application is expected to be approved, Woj adds.

10:06am: It has been one full year since Mirza Teletovic last appeared in an NBA game, meaning the Bucks are now eligible to apply to have his remaining cap hits removed from their books, as cap expert Albert Nahmad notes (via Twitter).

Teletovic, who signed a three-year, $30MM contract with Milwaukee in 2016, was limited to 10 games last season due to a medical condition diagnosed as pulmonary emboli in both lungs. He had a similar health scare a few years ago when he developed multiple blood clots in his lungs and has since opted to retire as a player. When the Bucks waived him last season, they stretched his $10.5MM salary for 2018/19 across three seasons.

Given Teletovic’s health problems, the Bucks may be able to eliminate those $3.5MM annual cap charges through 2020/21. In order for Milwaukee to receive that cap relief, an independent physician or a Fitness to Play panel would have to rule that it would be a medically unacceptable risk for the 33-year-old to attempt to return to action.

Removing Teletovic from their cap wouldn’t have a major impact on the Bucks’ situation this season. As Nahmad observes (via Twitter), the club is currently $5.2MM below the luxury tax line, so that difference would increase to $8.7MM without Teletovic. The extra $3.5MM could be more useful in one of the next two seasons if it contributes more directly to the Bucks reducing a potential tax bill or gaining cap room.

While we wait for word on whether Milwaukee applies for and receives cap relief for Teletovic, it’s also worth watching Jodie Meeks‘ situation, Nahmad adds (via Twitter). Meeks, who entered the season having served six games of a 25-game suspension, will remain on Milwaukee’s suspended list through the team’s 19th game of the season, which falls on November 24. At that point, the Bucks will have to trade or waive Meeks or another player on the 15-man roster in order to avoid exceeding the 15-man limit.

Bucks Acquire Jodie Meeks From Wizards

October 15th, 2018 at 4:45pm CST by Luke Adams

4:45pm: The trade is official, according to an announcement from the Bucks (Twitter link). Milwaukee’s announcement notes that Meeks has been placed on the suspended list, allowing him to avoid counting against the Bucks’ roster limit, so it appears he won’t be waived immediately.

3:34pm: The Bucks and Wizards have agreed to a trade that will send Jodie Meeks to Milwaukee along with cash, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The Bucks will subsequently waive Meeks, Wojnarowski adds.

Previous reports indicated that the Bucks would also receive a future second-round pick as part of the swap, which Woj confirms (via Twitter). According to Jordan Schultz of ESPN (Twitter link), Milwaukee is expected to send out a heavily-protected second-rounder to complete the deal.

The cash the Bucks receive in the deal will likely be enough to cover most or all of Meeks’ salary for 2018/19, so Milwaukee will get a chance to add a second-round pick for essentially nothing. The Wizards already owe their top-55 protected 2020 second-round pick to the Bucks, so the simplest move would be to just remove the protection from that traded pick.

For the Wizards, the motivation is to reduce their projected luxury tax bill — Meeks’ $3,454,500 cap charge would have been partially reduced as a result of his suspension, which still has 19 games left on it, but that contract would still have cost the Wizards exponentially more in tax penalties. By replacing Meeks with a minimum salary player, Washington will save some money, despite sending cash to the Bucks in the trade.

The Bucks will use a $3,384,176 traded player exception created in last November’s Greg Monroe/Eric Bledsoe trade in order to absorb Meeks’ salary. While that trade exception technically isn’t worth as much as Meeks’ cap hit, the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement allows teams to trade for a salary worth the value of the TPE plus $100K. That gives Milwaukee just enough wiggle room on Meeks.

A part-time player in D.C. last season, Meeks averaged just 6.3 PPG on .399/.343/.863 shooting in 77 games before being banned 25 games for violating the league’s anti-drug program. Even after serving the final 19 games of that suspension, he wasn’t expected to be a major part of the Wizards’ rotation in 2018/19. He’ll be on the lookout for a new team once he clears waivers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.