Terrel Harris

Sixers Officially Announce Nick Nurse’s Coaching Staff

The Sixers have officially announced the assistant coaches that will work under new head coach Nick Nurse in 2023/24, issuing a press release with the details.

Here are the Sixers assistants, several of which were previously reported:

  • Bryan Gates, a veteran assistant who appeared likely to leave the Suns for the Mavericks before deciding to join the 76ers instead.
  • Bobby Jackson, a former NBA guard who has been the head coach of the Stockton Kings in the G League for the last two years.
  • Rico Hines, who was an assistant under Nurse in Toronto last season. He also previously worked for the Kings and Warriors.
  • Matt Brase, a former assistant for the Rockets and Trail Blazers who was the head coach for Pallacanestro Varese in Italy last season.
  • Doug West, a former NBA player who previously coached at Villanova.
  • Coby Karl, the son of former NBA head coach George Karl. He previously coached the Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
  • Mike Longabardi, a veteran NBA assistant who was most recently an assistant for the Hawks. He’ll also be the head coach of the Delaware Blue Coats.

In addition to those assistants, Nurse will also be flanked by assistant coach/head video coordinator John Corbacio and player development assistants Fabulous Flournoy and Jason Love.

TJ DiLeo, Reggie Redding, and former NBA players Terrel Harris and Toure’ Murry will be associate player development coaches in Philadelphia.

“Assembling a great staff with a rich collection of experience was paramount on my to-do list this summer,” Nurse said in a statement. “I’m proud to have built many relationships in our league that have led me to feel as confident as I am in every member of this group. I can’t wait to get to work as we embark on our journey toward an NBA title.”

Eastern Notes: Cavs, Rautins, Heat

The Cavaliers‘ roster overhaul this offseason is reminiscent of what the Celtics did back in 2007, including obtaining a star player from the Wolves, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Here’s more from the east:

  • Former Knicks second-round pick Andy Rautins has signed with Pallacanestro Varese of the Italian League, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Rautins only appeared in a total of five games for New York, averaging 1.6 PPG. His last NBA action came for the Bulls‘ Summer League team back in 2013.
  • If Dwyane Wade can stay healthy, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel believes that the Heat‘s roster this season is better than the one they had prior to LeBron James‘ arrival.
  • Former NBA player Terrel Harris has signed with Maccabi Ashdod SCE of the Israeli League, the team announced via their Facebook page (hat tip to Basketball Insiders). Harris has played for the Heat and the Pelicans, with a career average of 2.3 PPG. He spent last year in the NBA D-League, most recently with the Bakersfield Jam.

Trail Blazers Waive Terrel Harris

The Trail Blazers have officially parted ways with Terrel Harris, announcing today that he has been released (Twitter link). The move comes as no surprise, since Joe Freeman of the Oregonian reported last month that Portland was expected to cut Harris before camp opened.

Harris never figured to have a great chance to stick with the Blazers since coming over in the Robin Lopez deal since he was just a throw-in to make the numbers work.  When he was suspended for violating the NBA’s drug policy, his chances were even further diminished.

The 26-year-old spent time with New Orleans and Miami over the past two seasons, averaging 2.3 PPG and 1.8 RPG in 10.8 minutes per contest.  The guard is represented by Brian Elfus of Impact Sports Basketball, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.

Zach Links contributed to this post. 

Teams With Preseason Cap Decisions

Most NBA teams will have to make a handful of personnel decisions next month, paring down their roster sizes from the 20-player summer max to the 15-man regular season limit. However, just because a camp invitee earns a spot on the regular season roster doesn't mean his contract automatically becomes guaranteed.

For most players on non-guaranteed deals, the date of truth won't come until January 7th. January 10th is the day that all full-season contracts become guaranteed for the season, so if players aren't released on or before the 7th, clearing waivers by the 10th, they'll be assured of a full-season salary. Until that point though, teams can release non-guaranteed players and only pay a pro-rated portion of their salaries.

That January 7th deadline doesn't apply to everyone on non-guaranteed deals though. As our schedule shows, a few players have contracts that specifically included earlier guarantee dates, with many coming by the end of October. So while many teams will only face preseason decisions on who to keep and who to cut, this handful of clubs will be facing decisions on larger commitments. Let's break them down, case by case….

Oklahoma City Thunder: Ryan Gomes
Currently guaranteed for $25,000.
Becomes guaranteed for $50,000 if not released on or before October 1st.
Becomes guaranteed for $75,000 if not released on or before October 30th.

Gomes' bonuses are awfully insignificant in the big picture, but for a small-market team hovering right around the tax line, they're not entirely inconsequential. I imagine OKC will guarantee Gomes at least $50K, allowing him to try to earn a roster spot in October, but if he doesn't impress, the team could save a little cash by cutting him before October 30th.

Denver Nuggets: Quincy Miller
Currently guaranteed for $150,000.
Becomes fully guaranteed ($788,872) if not released on or before opening night (October 29th).

Miller is just entering his second year and is on a minimum-salary contract. We've also seen the Nuggets carry projects at the end of the bench before, such as Julyan Stone. But there's also a new GM and coach in place, and Miller's production last year was extremely limited — he appeared in just seven games for the Nuggets, and didn't blow anyone away in 26 D-League games either (11.3 PPG, .391 FG%). Without an impressive preseason, Miller could be in danger of being cut before Denver's regular-season opener.

Orlando Magic: Kyle O'Quinn
Becomes fully guaranteed ($788,872) if not released on or before opening night (October 29th).

Unlike Miller, O'Quinn gave his NBA team some solid minutes last season, recording a 15.8 PER in 57 contests (11.2 MPG). Based on his rookie season and the fact that the Magic aren't exactly in win-now mode, O'Quinn looks like a safe bet to remain on the regular-season roster and earn a fully guaranteed salary.

Miami Heat: Jarvis Varnado
Becomes guaranteed for $250,000 if not released on or before opening night (October 29th).

Varnado earned a championship ring with the Heat last season, but with the team more conscious of cutting costs due to increasing tax penalties, he may become a cap casualty this time around. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel views Varnado as a long shot to stay with the club long enough to earn that $250K bonus.

Philadelphia 76ers: James Anderson
Becomes fully guaranteed ($916,099) if not released on or before October 31st.

Sixers GM Sam Hinkie nabbed Anderson and Tim Ohlbrecht off waivers from his old team in Houston earlier this summer, and based on Philadelphia's free agent activity since then, there's no reason to think both players don't have a great chance to earn roster spots. A poor camp could derail Anderson's chances, but with the Sixers prioritizing player development over playoff contention for 2013/14, the ex-Spur is in good position for a guaranteed salary for now.

Portland Trail Blazers: Terrel Harris
Becomes guaranteed for $150,000 if not released on or before October 31st.

Because Harris was a throw-in for salary-matching purposes in the three-team deal that also sent Robin Lopez to Portland, it's possible the Blazers always intended to cut him eventually. That became more of a certainty after he was suspended for violating the NBA's drug policy. Now, it sounds like Harris won't even start camp with the team, let alone finish it.

Utah Jazz: Jerel McNeal
Becomes fully guaranteed ($884,293) if not released on or before October 31st.

Despite never actually appearing in a regular-season game, McNeal has spent parts of two seasons on NBA rosters, meaning he could be in line for a fully guaranteed third-year salary before he even makes his NBA debut. And like the Sixers, the Jazz aren't a team that will cut young players to ensure that veterans get playing time, so I would guess McNeal earns a regular-season roster spot, barring a disastrous camp or injury.

Blazers Expected To Cut Terrel Harris

The Trail Blazers reportedly added one player to their training camp roster today, but will likely remove another non-guaranteed contract from their books within the next month. According to Joe Freeman of the Oregonian, the Blazers are expected to waive Terrel Harris before camp gets underway.

Harris, 26, has played for Miami and New Orleans after the past two seasons, and was included for salary purposes in the three-way deal that sent Tyreke Evans to the Pelicans, Greivis Vasquez to the Kings, and Robin Lopez to the Blazers. Considering Harris was already a throw-in for cap purposes, it seemed reasonable to assume that he'd by cut by Portland — that possibility became even more likely when the NBA announced Harris would be suspended for violating the league's drug policy.

Assuming the Blazers do release Harris, it shouldn't have an impact on the outlook of the regular-season roster. With or without Harris, the team has 15 players on guaranteed contracts, so he would have been a long shot to earn a roster spot even if he had remained with the Blazers through camp and the preseason.

NBA Suspends Terrel Harris For Drug Violation

The NBA has announced a five-game suspension for Trail Blazers guard Terrel Harris because of a violation of the league's anti-drug program. The nature of Harris' transgression is not immediately clear.

Harris is on a minimum-salary, non-guaranteed deal with the Blazers that becomes partially guaranteed for $150K if he remains on the roster after October 31st. As long as the Blazers don't waive him, he'll get to attend training camp and take part in preseason games with the team, but he's set to miss the first five regular season games. The suspension will carry over if the Blazers cut him and he signs with another NBA club. Harris must serve the suspension without pay, so it would cost him $53,920 out of his full $884,293 salary for this season. 

Porter Fischer, the whistleblower in the Biogenesis scandal that's rocking baseball, has claimed that NBA players are involved, but no credible evidence has come forward linking anyone in the league to the Miami clinic that allegedly supplied performmance-enhancing drugs to high-profile athletes. Harris spent 2011/12 and part of 2012/13 as a member of the Heat, though his proximity to the clinic may simply be circumstantial.

The length of the suspension indicates no link to PEDs, as USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt notes (via Twitter). The NBA's collective bargaining agreement calls for a 20-game suspension the first time a player is caught using PEDs.

The Blazers acquired Harris as part of the three-team deal that also brought Robin Lopez to Portland. As Mike Tokito of The Oregonian writes, Harris isn't expected to be part of the team's long-term plans, so the suspension may not affect the Blazers.

Pelicans, Kings, Blazers Agree To Three-Way Deal

7:15pm: The Kings press release on the deal has Sacramento acquiring Vasquez from the Pelicans in exchange for Evans. The Kings also say they wind up with a 2016 second-round pick and future second-round considerations, presumably from the Blazers. 

6:43pm: The Blazers announced their part, with Lopez and Harris coming from the Pelicans in exchange for Jeff Withey, future second-round draft considerations, and cash.

JULY 10TH, 6:12pm: The Pelicans have confirmed their end of the trade, via press release. They acquire Evans and Withey, send Lopez and Harris to the Blazers, and ship Vasquez to the Kings.

JULY 4TH6:04pm: Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Portland will send Jeff Withey to the Pelicans and a future second round pick to the Kings as part of the three-team deal (Twitter links). 

4:44pm: ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports (via Twitter) that Terrel Harris, who is on a non-guaranteed contract, will also be sent to the Blazers in the deal. Meanwhile, Portland will pay Lopez's 15% trade kicker, which will be worth about $1.57MM in total, spread equally across the next two seasons. Stein adds that Sacramento will be receiving two second-round picks from the Blazers, rather than one.

4:39pm: The Pelicans will receive cash and future draft picks from the Blazers in the deal, tweets John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Sam Amick of USA Today adds (via Twitter) that the Kings will also receive a future second-rounder from Portland.

3:55pm: The Pelicans, Kings, and Trail Blazers have verbally agreed to a three-way deal that will make Tyreke Evans a Pelican, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). The deal will send Evans to the Pelicans, Robin Lopez to the Trail Blazers, and Greivis Vasquez to the Kings, with the Blazers sending out picks and cash, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).

Evans had been preparing to sign a four-year, $44MM offer sheet with New Orleans, so rather than lose him for nothing, the Kings decided to negotiate a sign-and-trade deal. The Pelicans had been motivated to move Lopez in order to make room under the cap for their offer to Evans, so involving the two players in the same deal made sense. Meanwhile, with New Orleans putting together a backcourt that will feature Evans, Jrue Holiday, and Eric Gordon, Vasquez was the odd man out, making him expendable as well.

Sacramento agreed to complete the three-way deal with the Blazers and Pelicans after Jose Calderon passed on an opportunity to sign with the team. According to Wojnarowski, the Kings wanted to sign Calderon and flip Vasquez to another team, but the Spaniard decided he didn't want to be part of a full-blown rebuild in Sacramento. Calderon will continue to negotiate with other teams, including the Pistons, tweets Wojnarowski.

As for the Pelicans, they get their man in Evans and figure to use him off the bench in a Manu Ginobili-type role, behind a starting backcourt of Holiday and Gordon. It's not clear where the cash and picks coming from the Blazers are headed, but I would guess the Pelicans will acquire something from Portland, since New Orleans is sending out multiple players in the move.

For Sacramento, the deal gives the team the opportunity to regain some value for Evans, and Vasquez's modest $2.15MM salary will allow the club to retain plenty of cap space to pursue other players. The Kings previously withdrew a four-year offer for Andre Iguodala, but should still have the flexibility to pursue Iguodala again, if they so choose. Sacramento may also get in on those draft and cash considerations from Portland, though we'll have to wait for further word.

Meanwhile, the Blazers continue to make use of their summer cap space by making trades rather than signing free agents, as Lopez will be absorbed using the team's room under the cap. Portland also agreed to acquire Thomas Robinson from the Rockets without including any outgoing salary. At the moment, only $500K of Lopez's 2013/14 salary is guaranteed, but the next two years of his contract will become guaranteed this weekend, since he won't be waived by tomorrow. He'll earn $5.12MM next season and $5.34MM in '14/15.

The three teams will be able to finalize the transaction when the July moratorium lifts next Wednesday.

Western Notes: Tony Allen, Clips, Lakers, Harris

The race for the final playoff spot(s) in the Western Conference will continue tonight, when the Lakers play the Bucks in Milwaukee and the Mavericks host the Pacers in Dallas. As we look forward to those games, let's round up a few Thursday items out of the conference….

  • Tony Allen is headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, and at least one Eastern Conference general manager thinks Allen will receive a modest raise. "Three years at $4MM per year sounds right," the GM tells Chris Mannix of SI.com. "He adds instant toughness and a defensive mentality to your team. He's a leader on the floor and he isn't going to back down from anyone. I think everyone in the league would love to have him." The Grizzlies have no interest in approaching luxury-tax territory, so it's unclear if they'll be able to bring back Allen.
  • Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com believes that both Los Angeles head coaches, Mike D'Antoni and Vinny Del Negro, could be on the outs with the Lakers and Clippers respectively if they don't finish the season strong.
  • With Metta World Peace expected to miss six weeks after undergoing surgery on his left knee, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News wonders if the veteran forward has played his last game with the Lakers.
  • Terrel Harris' new deal with the Hornets includes an second year that will become guaranteed if Harris makes the team's 2013/14 roster, reports Sam Amick of USA Today.
  • Nuggets coach George Karl tells Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post that he thinks Gregg Popovich would be interested in the Team USA head coaching position, and that Popovich would be a great choice for the job.

Hornets Sign Terrel Harris For Rest Of Season

THURSDAY, 12:21pm: The Hornets have officially signed Harris for the remainder of the season, the team announced today in a press release.

WEDNESDAY, 8:00pm: The Hornets are expected to re-sign guard Terrel Harris for the rest of the season when his second 10-day contract with the team expires tonight, reports John Reid of The Times Picayune. Harris will take up the final roster spot for New Orleans when the move becomes official, meaning the team would have to waive someone on a guaranteed contract to sign anyone else this season.

Harris saw significantly more action on his second 10-day deal with the team than he did on his first, including more than 28 minutes of run on March 18th against the Warriors, when he had four points and five rebounds. Still, those are the only points he's scored in 79 total minutes over six games with the club. Harris began the season with the Heat, who kept him on their roster all of last season on their march to the NBA championship. The 6'5" Oklahoma State product has averaged 2.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game in his two NBA seasons.

Harris will become the 11th player this year to sign two 10-day contracts followed by a rest-of-the-season deal with a team, as our 10-day tracker shows. That's more such deals than in any season since 2007/08.

Hornets Re-Sign Terrel Harris

The Hornets have signed Terrel Harris to a second 10-day contract, the team announced via press release. The guard's first 10-day deal with New Orleans expired last night. Harris has appeared in only two games for a total of 12 minutes with the Hornets so far, but today's move allows the team some more time to evaluate him before deciding whether to sign him for the rest of the season.

Harris was a part of the Heat's championship team as a rookie last season, and opened this year with Miami before the team waived him just before his minimum-salary contract would have become guaranteed for the season. The 6'5" 25-year-old has averaged 2.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game over 31 NBA contests the past two seasons.

The Hornets are at the 15-man roster limit with Harris back on board, so if they keep him, they'd have to waive someone on a guaranteed contract to sign anybody else this season. While Harris is on a 10-day deal, the Hornets have to option to terminate his contract before the 10 days are up if they'd prefer to bring in someone else, as they did when they waived Henry Sims to clear room for Louis Amundson.