Terence Davis

Terence Davis Likely To Receive Contract Guarantee

Terence Davis is likely to have to his contract guaranteed despite domestic abuse allegations, Michael Grange of Rogers SportsNet reports.

The Raptors’ second-year shooting guard has a $1,517,981 salary for the upcoming season that becomes guaranteed on Sunday. He had a solid rookie campaign after going undrafted, appearing in 72 regular-season games and averaging 7.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG and 1.6 APG in 16.8 MPG. Davis, 23, also saw action in six postseason games.

In terms of on-court production, Davis easily earned the second-year guarantee. However, the assault case has endangered his future with the franchise, even though the Raptors have little choice but to guarantee his contract, as Grange describes in detail.

Davis participated in the team’s mini-camp in Los Angeles last week and is expected to be with the team for training camp next week, according to Grange.

Davis was arrested in New York City in late October and faces seven charges. Davis allegedly hit his girlfriend in the face, then grabbed the victim’s phone and broke it during the incident. The woman’s son also allegedly got knocked down during the altercation. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 11.

The league is conducting its own investigation into the incident and could eventually take disciplinary action. For now, the Raptors don’t have the option of disciplining Davis. If the Raptors waived Davis prior to the contract being guaranteed, the Players Association would likely file a grievance, since the case remains unresolved.

The Raptors thus has to wait until the league takes action to decide what to do with Davis. If they waive him after Sunday, they’ll be on the hook for his salary.

Atlantic Notes: Davis, Kansas City, Hinkie, Adams

Raptors guard Terence Davis has entered a not guilty plea after being charged in New York with two counts of assault, harassment, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal mischief, Blake Murphy of The Athletic tweets. As The Athletic’s Eric Koreen writes, Davis’ girlfriend visited him at a Manhattan hotel and they allegedly got into a verbal argument. Davis allegedly hit his girlfriend in the face, then grabbed the victim’s phone and broke it. His next court date is December 11.

The Raptors issued a statement which read in part that they “take these issues very seriously, and we will fully cooperate and support the League in its investigation of this matter as we work to determine the appropriate next steps for our team.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has made a pitch to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, lobbying to bring the Raptors to his city next season, Jonathan Concool of Basketball News relays. The Raptors may need to move their games out of Canada, much like baseball’s Blue Jays did this season, due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions. Kansas City has an arena fit for an NBA team and while Lucas insists he’s not trying to get the Toronto franchise to move there permanently, he’s hoping it would be a de facto “test run” to show the league the city is worthy of an NBA franchise, according to Sports Illustrated’s Ben Pickman.
  • Former Sixers executive Sam Hinkie believes his former team made a smart move by hiring Daryl Morey to run their basketball operations, he told ESPN’s Pablo Torre (hat tip to RealGM). “I think it’s great news. He’s not a good hire. He’s a great hire,” he said.  “It’s a really big move for the franchise. For a franchise I care a lot about. With a bunch of people I care a lot about.”
  • Brian Adams is joining Doc Rivers’ Sixers staff, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Adams worked under Rivers for both the Celtics and Clippers before a two-season stint as head coach of the Clippers’ G League team, Agua Caliente.

Terence Davis Charged With Assault, Criminal Mischief

Raptors guard Terence Davis is charged with assaulting a woman and criminal mischief after being arrested Tuesday night in New York City, according to Chris Bumbaca of USA Today.

The incident involved a 20-year-old woman who told police she is Davis’ girlfriend. She visited Davis at a Manhattan hotel and he allegedly hit her after a verbal dispute, causing a “substantial amount of pain” to her eye. She said he also grabbed her phone and broke the screen.

Davis, 23, went undrafted in 2019 and signed with Toronto while playing for the Nuggets in last year’s Summer League. He earned All-Rookie Second Team honors after averaging 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 72 games. Davis’ contract for next season is non-guaranteed at $1.5MM.

The Raptors released a statement saying, “We are aware of the reports, and are seeking more information.”

Ja Morant, Kendrick Nunn Headline All-Rookie Team

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, who previously won the Rookie of the Year award, was the only player unanimously selected to this year’s All-Rookie First Team, the league announced in a press release.  A panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters selected the team.

Heat guard Kendrick Nunn collected the second-most First Team votes (98) and total points (197). Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, Pelicans forward and top overall draft pick Zion Williamson, and Warriors forward Eric Paschall rounded out the First Team.

Morant and Clarke became the first Grizzlies duo named to the All-Rookie First Team since the 2001/02 season, when Pau Gasol and Shane Battier earned the honor. Nunn is the first Heat player named to the First Team since Michael Beasley in 2008/09.

Heat guard Tyler Herro, Raptors guard Terence Davis II, Bulls guard Coby White, Hornets forward P.J. Washington, and Wizards forward Rui Hachimura gained All-Rookie Second Team honors.

Knicks wing and third overall pick RJ Barrett finished 13 points behind Hachimura for the final spot on the Second Team, with Sixers forward Matisse Thybulle narrowly missing a spot as well.

The voting was conducted based on regular-season games played prior to the restart.

Raptors Notes: Free Agency, Miller, Davis

The Raptors haven’t had meaningful cap room since 2015, so it remains to be seen whether the organization’s reputation has improved enough since then to make Toronto an appealing free agent destination for top free agents, Blake Murphy of The Athletic writes in a mailbag.

While Toronto hasn’t historically competed with big-market U.S. teams for stars on the open market, Murphy notes that last year’s championship should go a long way toward boosting the team’s appeal around the league.

Hosting a recent All-Star Weekend and establishing themselves as one of the league’s best-run franchises are also points in the Raptors favor, according to Murphy. So is the fact that quality players like Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and Serge Ibaka chose to sign new contracts with Toronto rather than jumping ship, and Marc Gasol waived his trade kicker to join the club last season.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

  • Murphy touched on several other subjects in that mailbag, addressing Fred VanVleet‘s and Ibaka’s upcoming free agencies, Stanley Johnson‘s player option, and the possibility of an OG Anunoby rookie scale extension, among other topics.
  • In a separate story for The Athletic, Murphy profiles Malcolm Miller, who has been a bench piece for the Raptors for the last three seasons. Although Toronto has liked Miller enough to keep him around that long, he has never really played regular minutes, so it’s unclear what his future holds as he prepares for restricted free agency this offseason.
  • On a conference call, undrafted rookie Terence Davis admitted that he expected to spend half the 2019/20 season in the G League (Twitter link via Murphy). Instead, Davis has become a reliable rotation player at the NBA level — he’s the only player on the Raptors’ roster to appear in all 64 of the team’s games so far.
  • In case you missed it earlier this afternoon, we explored how a spot on an All-NBA team could impact Pascal Siakam‘s future earnings.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Nets, Raptors, Celtics

Sixers center Joel Embiid has received a $25K fine for making an obscene gesture on the court and using profane language during a TV interview, the NBA announced today in a press release. Embiid gave Kevin Huerter the middle finger following an end-of-game steal by the Hawks’ swingman (video link), then dropped an f-bomb during a live postgame interview (video link). According to the league’s announcement, the amount of Embiid’s fine “reflects his multiple prior violations of acceptable on-court decorum.”

Here are a few more notes from around the Atlantic:

  • Kyrie Irving made some waves last month when he suggested the Nets had “glaring” needs and would need to add more pieces even after Kevin Durant‘s return. However, in a WFAN appearance this week, GM Sean Marks said he welcomes feedback from his star players. “I always take a select handful of player’s opinions in terms of how we can build this,” Marks said. “We’ve done this since day one. Because these guys know the players better than anyone else. …They’ll be brutally honest because they’ve got to go play with those guys. I think it’s important to weigh their opinions from time to time.”
  • In a Q&A with Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype, Raptors guard Terence Davis talked about his rookie season and his first impressions of living in Toronto, declaring that he’s “in love with the city.”
  • The Raptors were searching for more scoring at this month’s trade deadline, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Besides its 2020 first-round pick, Toronto didn’t really have any expendable trade assets of value, so the club ultimately ended up standing pat.
  • Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston examines a few potential – and oft-mentioned – targets on the buyout market for the Celtics, explaining why most of them are unlikely fits.

Atlantic Notes: Hayward, Tatum, Raptors, Nets

With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown banged up as of late, Gordon Hayward has taken on a slightly larger role for the Celtics and has played some of his best basketball of the season, averaging 20.7 PPG on .517/.458/.885 shooting in his last six games. Hayward’s strong play may attract interest from teams around the NBA, who could check in with Boston about the forward’s value, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston.

“Teams will do their due diligence when it comes to Gordon… watching him lately, he’s looked really good,” a league executive told Blakely. “But I still don’t think at the end of the day, (the Celtics) will move him.”

Even if Hayward remains with the Celtics through the deadline, as expected, teams figure to keep a close eye on how he finishes the season. He’ll have the opportunity to opt out of his contract this summer and become an unrestricted free agent. For now though, he’s just focused on the current season, telling Brian Robb of Boston Sports Journal that he’s not thinking about trade or free agency possibilities.

“We haven’t talked about that,” the Celtics forward said. “We just try to talk about, at least with me, what can we do now to try to help us win. I haven’t talked about any of the other stuff.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • Speaking to ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum admitted that last season “really wasn’t any fun,” pointing to Kemba Walker as a unifying force for this year’s team. “Everyone knows Kemba is great,” Tatum said, “and the rest of us have worked really hard to put last year behind us.”
  • The Raptors‘ lack of a true superstar could limit their upside this spring, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who notes that it will be very difficult for the team to make a trade that really moves the needle for the postseason.
  • Terence Davis‘ ongoing positive progress for the Raptors may make the club more inclined to stand pat at the trade deadline rather than pursuing a marginal rotation upgrade, writes Blake Murphy of The Athletic.
  • ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider-only link) examines potential trade options for the Nets, concluding that it’s probably more realistic for the club to pursue another piece during the offseason than at next week’s trade deadline.

And-Ones: Kyrie, Yabusele, 2019 Rookie Class

Kyrie Irving has been ruled out for the Nets‘ Wednesday’s contest vs. Charlotte, which will be the 13th game he has missed this season. As a result, he can no longer play in 70 games in 2019/20, which means he’ll miss out on a $125K bonus in his contract, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (via Twitter).

Irving’s contract with the Nets includes eight separate bonuses worth $125K, which could be worth up to $1MM in total. The other seven are still in play, but some of those incentives are tied to games-played totals as well.

For instance, the Nets’ point guard can earn $125K for committing fewer than 2.4 turnovers per game and another $125K for attempting at least 4.6 free throws per game. But he also must play at least 60 regular season games to receive those bonuses. We have the full details here.

As we wait to see when Irving will be able to return, here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Former Celtics first-rounder Guerschon Yabusele was recently fined 10,000 yuan ($1,421) by the Chinese Basketball Association for not paying sufficient attention during the pregame playing of the Chinese anthem, per an Associated Press report. Yabusele, a member of the Nanjing Monkey Kings, had his head bowed rather than directing his gaze toward the flag. The fine reflects China’s sensitivity over respect for national images, the AP report notes.
  • John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a closer look at the 2019 lottery class and makes a case that the results from the group thus far have been pretty ugly. In a follow-up article, Hollinger identifies some of the silver linings from this year’s rookie class, including a player who went undrafted: Raptors guard Terence Davis.
  • In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks breaks down every NBA contract, sorting them by expiring deals, multiyear pacts, and deals that can’t currently be traded.

Atlantic Notes: Gibson, Allen, Walker, Davis

Many of the Knicks free agent signees this summer can be dealt after December 15th but those players still believe New York can get into the playoff picture, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “You got to look at the circumstances we’re in,’’ said big man Taj Gibson, one of those free agent additions. “We’re in the East. Nobody’s running away. Maybe the top four teams. We’re still optimistic. If we get three wins in a row, you’re right back in the hunt.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Nets have already exercised their team option on center Jarrett Allen for next season and he’ll probably command major dollars once he’s eligible for free agency, Brian Lewis of the New York Post relays. Allen had a 20-20 game against Cleveland on Monday.
  • Kemba Walker‘s upbeat personality has made the Celtics’ locker room a happier place, Tim Bontemps of ESPN notes. Walker returned to action on Wednesday after recovering from a neck sprain. “I’m really just being myself,” he says. “I’m really just genuinely happy for guys and my teammates. I love when guys have success. I’ve had a lot of success in my career, and I want guys to have great success.”
  • Undrafted rookie guard Terence Davis signed a two-year contract with the Raptors in July and he’s quickly paying dividends, Arten Zwelling of SportsNet Canada reports. He’s averaging 13.0 PPG and 3.5 APG over the last four games. “I really focus on the task at hand,” he said. “Coming here and just getting better every single day. Even on off days. If it’s getting treatment, getting shots up, just doing something, just staying ahead.”

Atlantic Notes: Morris, Raptors, Nets, Jordan

Knicks forward Marcus Morris recently expressed some disappointment that he didn’t get an opportunity to remain with the Celtics when he became a free agent this summer. Responding to those comments in an appearance today on Toucher and Rich in Boston, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge acknowledged that the C’s didn’t make Morris an offer once the team locked in on Kemba Walker. However, Ainge did say the team put a three-year extension offer on the table for Morris before the 2018/19 season began (Twitter link via Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston).

Because Morris was earning a fairly modest salary last season, the Celtics’ ability to give him a significant raise would have been limited. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), Boston would have been able to offer up to about $34.36MM for three years, the same deal Spencer Dinwiddie got from Brooklyn.

Whether or not the Celtics went as high as $34MM+, Morris did better as a free agent in terms of 2019/20 salary — but his $15MM deal with New York only covers one season. If he had known what awaited him in free agency, it’s possible he would have more open to that three-year extension offer last year. And if he had accepted it, it likely would have had a ripple effect on the Celtics’ future plans, including perhaps their ability to land Walker.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • With Patrick McCaw out at least a month after undergoing knee surgery, head coach Nick Nurse said before Wednesday’s game that undrafted rookie Terence Davis will get the first shot at becoming the eighth man in the Raptors‘ rotation (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca). Davis committed five fouls in just seven minutes on Wednesday, but still looks like the frontrunner for those minutes, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic, who views Matt Thomas and Chris Boucher as other candidates.
  • Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot could have made more money by returning overseas, but he decided to accept a two-way contract with the Nets, as he explains to Chris Milholen of NetsDaily. “I wanted to still keep a foot in the NBA,” said Luwawu-Cabarrot, who played with Long Island Nets head coach Shaun Fein several years ago in France. “The Nets always gave their two-ways an opportunity to play and that was the goal. I am just trying to get better with everything I work on. In the G League, be a leader of the team, try to do something good with the team.”
  • In other Nets news, Brian Lewis of The New York Post explores Rodions Kurucs‘ struggles to adjust to a new role this season, while Peter Botte of The New York Post says DeAndre Jordan‘s ankle injury isn’t as bad as initially feared. Jordan is being listed as day-to-day.