Tim Frazier Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks Notes: Wood, Muhammad, Budenholzer, New Arena

September 29th, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Christian Wood appears to have the advantage in the battle for the Bucks’ final roster spot based on his performance in today’s intrasquad scrimmage, according to Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The team entered training camp with 14 guaranteed contracts and four players competing for one position: Wood, Shabazz Muhammad, Tim Frazier and Tyler Zeller.

Wood, who signed with the Bucks last week, stood out today with several offensive rebounds, a few 3-pointers and a steady performance on defense. He has been trying to earn an NBA job since leaving Nevada-Las Vegas in 2015, but has played in just 30 combined games with the Sixers and Hornets.

Muhammad, who came to Milwaukee in March after being waived by the Timberwolves, was also impressive enough to get noticed by Khris Middleton.

“C-Wood and Bazz, they’re competing for a roster spot and you could tell by the way they played,” Middleton said. “They were everywhere.”

There’s more Bucks news to pass along, all courtesy of Velazquez:

New coach Mike Budenholzer’s philosophy was on display in the scrimmage as even the centers were taking a healthy number of 3-pointers. Brook Lopez made three from long distance in a 4 1/2-minute stretch and Wood impressed with his outside marksmanship as well. Even John Henson, who has taken just 13 shots from 3-point range in his career, was experimenting with them. “We’re encouraging a lot of spacing, guys having a lot of confidence,” Budenholzer said. “It felt like we shot a ton of them.”
The Bucks are hoping to use their bench more than in past seasons, and today’s action suggests there are a lot of players who can contribute. Ersan Ilyasova and Pat Connaughton, who both signed as free agents over the summer, provide two more outside shooting threats. Rookie Donte DiVincenzo looked promising and holdovers Tony Snell, Matthew Dellavedova and Thon Maker seemed more comfortable in Budenholzer’s new system.
The scrimmage was the first event at the Bucks’ new Fiserv Forum, and the noise level was noticeable, even though the building was only partially filled. Players are hoping the new arena will provide a greater homecourt advantage than the old Bradley Center.

Bucks Sign Tim Frazier

September 22nd, 2018 at 3:51pm CST by clarkcrum

In addition to officially adding Shabazz Muhammad and Christian Wood to its roster, the Bucks have also signed free agent point guard Tim Frazier, per an official release from the team.

Frazier spent last season with the Wizards, appearing in 59 games (11 starts) and averaging 3.0 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per contest. The 6-foot guard from Penn State has played four seasons in the NBA with career averages of 5.2 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 186 career games.

While it may seem like a long shot for Frazier to make the roster, there are really only two other true point guards on the roster in Eric Bledsoe and Matthew Dellavedova, so Frazier perhaps has better than an outside chance to earn a spot on the 15-man roster.

Bucks Cut Two Players, Sign James Young

September 18th, 2018 at 1:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks continue to tweak their offseason roster, officially waiving two players and signing two more today. Jordan Barnett and Brandon McCoy have been released by Milwaukee, with James Young and Robert Johnson taking their spots on the roster, per RealGM’s transactions log. Johnson’s deal was reported on Monday.

Like other teams around the NBA, the Bucks will be rotating players on and off their roster leading up to the start of the regular season as they secure players’ rights for their G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd. Barnett and McCoy apparently won’t come to camp with the NBA squad, but they’re candidates to end up with Milwaukee’s NBAGL team once the season gets underway.

Of the four players involved in today’s transactions, Young is the most notable. The former first-round pick, selected 17th overall in 2014, has yet to make much of an impact at the NBA level, but has put up big numbers in the G League (19.8 PPG and 5.2 RPG in 70 games) and is still just 23 years old. He was in camp with the Bucks last fall, then spent part of the 2017/18 season on a two-way contract with the Sixers.

Today’s moves leave Milwaukee’s 20-man offseason roster full, but more transactions figure to come soon. The club has reached reported agreements with Shabazz Muhammad and Christian Wood, and ESPN’s Bobby Marks and RealGM’s Keith Smith (Twitter links) both indicate that veteran guard Tim Frazier is likely to join the roster at some point too. In order to accommodate those signings, the Bucks will need to open up three roster spots.

Tim Frazier To Have Nasal Surgery

February 11th, 2018 at 11:18am CST by Arthur Hill

Wizards guard Tim Frazier, who suffered a nasal fracture during Saturday’s game, will undergo surgery today, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN. There is no word yet on how long he will be out of action.

Frazier is in his first season with Washington after being acquired from the Pelicans in an offseason trade. He is averaging 3.3 points and 3.7 assists through 43 games and recently got an increase in playing time after starting point guard John Wall was sidelined by knee surgery.

The 27-year-old is making $2MM this season on an expiring contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Wizards Talking To Ramon Sessions

February 11th, 2018 at 8:52am CST by Arthur Hill

Yesterday, we told you the Wizards had interest in Derrick Rose, who recently waived by the Jazz. They are also talking to another veteran point guard about filling the void left by John Wall‘s injury.

The team has been in contact with Ramon Sessions ever since he was waived by the Knicks last month, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Sessions has recent experience in Washington, spending a season and a half there after being traded to the Wizards in 2015.

The 31-year-old signed with New York in August, but was released when the team needed a roster spot to add former Wizards guard Trey Burke. Sessions appeared in just 13 games for the Knicks, averaging 3.7 points and 2.1 assists. He has been with eight teams in an 11-year career.

The Wizards may need to act quickly, as their top two active point guards were both banged up in Saturday’s game. Tim Frazier suffered a nasal fracture and Tomas Satoransky was taken to the locker room after a violent collision that resulted in an ejection for Chicago’s Bobby Portis. Satoransky offered a social media update on his condition this morning, saying he’s “relatively OK despite the hard crash.” (Twitter link)

Washington is more than $3MM above the luxury tax line, so it needs to economize in its search. That will probably discourage a claim on Rose, who will be on waivers through tomorrow afternoon. ESPN’s Bobby Marks explained (via Twitter) that a waiver claim would cost the Wizards $2.4MM in tax penalties, opposed to $800K by waiting to sign him as a free agent. There could be competition for Rose in the free agent market, though, as the Timberwolves are also rumored to be interested.

John Wall had knee surgery at the end of January and isn’t expected back until mid- to late March.

2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Washington Wizards

February 6th, 2018 at 11:03pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards made the bold decision to commit max money to three organization grown players long-term and will permanently have their hands full managing their finances as a result. In order to make the strategy work, they’ll need to be responsible with where they spend the rest of their budget.

While the club already projects to dip into the luxury tax this season and next (with over $29MM in guaranteed money tied up in Marcin Gortat and Ian Mahinmi in 2018/19 alone), they’ll get a chance to practice financial restraint this summer with a handful of free agents that they can afford to part ways with if they feel the need to.

Tim Frazier, PG, 27 (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $4.1MM deal in 2016
One season removed from a fantastic stint as a spot starter in New Orleans in 2016/17, Frazier hasn’t had much of an impact since coming over in a draft day trade last June. The Wizards were in need of a reliable backup point guard when they targeted Frazier but seem to have grown comfortable with the idea of Tomas Satoransky handling backup point guard duties in John Wall‘s absence. For that reason, Frazier will probably have to choose between rounding out the club’s rotation as a third-string playmaker or look elsewhere.

Sheldon Mac, SG, 25 (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $1.8MM deal in 2016
A torn Achilles has rendered Mac unable to suit up in 2017/18. He’ll hit restricted free agency in the summer but don’t expect any suitors until he can prove that he’s healthy enough to battle for a rotation spot. That’ll likely have to happen in the G League.

Chris McCullough, PF, 23 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $3,8MM deal in 2015
The Wizards, to this point, have shown little interested in working McCullough into their rotation. The 23-year-old showed some flashes of promise during his rookie campaign with the Nets in 2015/16 but then again many fringe NBA players have looked half-decent in Brooklyn’s lineup the last few years. If all goes well, McCullough will find another squad to break training camp with next fall. It’s hard to say whether or not there will be much more beyond that.

Jodie Meeks, SG, 30 (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $6.7MM deal in 2017
After several years of struggling to stay on the court, Meeks has shown that he can contribute modestly off the bench. While his player option for 2018/19 comes in at a rather cheap $3.5MM for a player with his experience, don’t be surprised if the veteran elects to return. There may be a team out there willing to give the career .417 three-point shooter more than that on the open market but an argument can be made that Meeks could benefit more in the long run from simply focusing on staying healthy and relevant where he is, while worrying about free agency in 2019.

Mike Scott, PF, 29 (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $1.7MM deal in 2017
The Wizards got a key rotation piece for dirt cheap over the summer and the forward has done nothing but raise his stock over the course of the season. Expect teams to take an interest in the veteran role player with impressive efficiency numbers and the ability to put points on the board. Washington would likely be happy to retain him but will be limited in what they can offer him.

Jason Smith, C, 32 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $15.7MM deal in 2016
Smith hit free agency at the perfect time back in 2016. This summer, in contrast, teams won’t be so willing to cough up significant money for career reserves with forgettable portfolios. Smith’s stints with the Magic, Knicks and Pelicans hardly justified the contract he signed two summers ago but he’s done even less since arriving in Washington. For that reason, expect him to accept his $5.5MM player option.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Wizards Rumors: Oubre, Gortat, Mahinmi

January 19th, 2018 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards haven’t been involved in many trade rumors so far this year, but they’re still a team worth monitoring closely in the coming weeks. Washington completes a trade-deadline deal virtually every season — in 2017, the club added Bojan Bogdanovic, and two years ago it was Markieff Morris arriving in D.C. at the deadline.

In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks took a closer look at some trade options for the Wizards, so let’s dive in and round up a few of the highlights from the former Nets executive…

Kelly Oubre Jr. is a key part of the Wizards’ rotation, so the team may not be willing to move him, but he’d draw real interest from other clubs if Washington makes him available. “Oubre Jr. and Marcin Gortat are two players that consistently come up when we have personnel meetings,” one league executive told Marks.
Ian Mahinmi‘s contract is currently viewed as “not tradable,” according to Marks. Mahinmi, who isn’t playing much for the Wizards, will still have two years and $31MM+ left on his deal after this season.
The Wizards have made a habit of trading first-round picks in recent years, but they’d be wise to avoid doing so this year, writes Marks. A league source who spoke to ESPN agrees: “Washington can ill afford to move a first-round pick this year, even if it upgraded their roster for the short term.”
Another NBA executive weighed in with a take on how the Wizards should handle their future first-round picks and add complementary players around stars like John Wall and Bradley Beal: “What Washington needs to is take a look at how the Raptors built out their team. Yes, Wall and Beal are homegrown talent, but the Wizards do not have a stockpile of young players that have developed into a key part of the rotation and could start on any given night.”
Marks identifies Tyreke Evans as a trade candidate who should receive interest from the Wizards, but suggests that the team probably shouldn’t offer more than Tim Frazier, second-round picks, and cash.

Southeast Notes: Whiteside, Simmons, Frazier, MCW

November 29th, 2017 at 7:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

The knee soreness that forced Heat center Hassan Whiteside to sit out tonight’s game could become a long-term issue, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. In a video posted on the newspaper’s web site, Whiteside says the knee has been giving him problems since the season began. “It’s really bothering me, man,” Whiteside said. “We’re going to figure it out. We’re going to figure it out when we get back to Miami and figure out what’s wrong.”

The knee problems began on opening night when Whiteside suffered a bone bruise. He was held out of the next five games, but hasn’t missed another one until today. Whiteside has remained productive despite the pain, averaging 14.9 points and 12.7 rebounds in 15 games.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Free agent addition Jonathon Simmons was inserted into the Magic’s starting lineup Monday, and coach Frank Vogel plans to keep him in that role, relays Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Simmons took Terrence Ross‘ place in the starting five and responded with a team-high 21 points. Vogel said he will evaluate how he uses players before each game, but added, “I would anticipate ‘Simms’ being in the starting lineup indefinitely, until I decide otherwise.”
The Wizards just need a steady performance from point guard Tim Frazier as he fills in for the injured John Wall, writes Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Frazier and Tomas Satoransky will both see increased playing time with Wall sidelined for about two weeks with knee inflammation. “He’s not going to play like John and we don’t expect him to play like John,” coach Scott Brooks said. “We want him to just play to his best ability, and that’s getting our team in the offense and not turning the ball over, take the open shot.”
Michael Carter-Williams, who joined his fourth team in four years when he signed with the Hornets this summer, believes he has found a comfortable situation in Charlotte, according to Sam Perley of NBA.com. Carter-Williams’ season debut was delayed after getting platelet-rich-plasma injections in both knees, but he has found a role as a defensive specialist off the bench, averaging a team-high 1.25 steals per game. “MCW is a difference-maker,” said Hornets coach Steve Clifford. “He changes our defense, he can guard multiple guys. He’s working his way into shape, he’s got terrific feel, he can play fast and slow [and] he can find people.”

Southeast Notes: Richardson, White, Kaba

June 29th, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards are no closer to landing Paul George than they were a week ago but recent comments from John Wall have resurrected speculation that he could possibly end up in D.C. Per CSN Mid-Atlantic’s J. Michael, there are a number of things that would need to happen for the pipe dream to become a reality, here are just a few:

For starters, the Wizards will have to come to terms with something that all of George’s other suitors have already come to terms with: they would need to build an appealing enough package of young players and assets without any guarantee that they’ll get to re-sign him next summer.

The Wizards would also need Otto Porter to be up for a sign-and-trade, something that would require him to take less money than he’s eligible for, just to pack his bags and move to Indianapolis.

Even if the Wizards did manage to land George and played him alongside Wall and Bradley Beal, however, the organization would be extremely crunched financially for the foreseeable future.

There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:

Don’t expect the Magic to make a major splash in free agency, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes. The team would need to reel off a series of moves just to clear up space for a major signing and that’s not really their focus at this point in time.
Coming off a season in which he averaged career highs, Hawks center Mike Muscala is experiencing unrestricted free agency for the first time. He spoke with Jerry Zgoda of the Star-Tribune about the process. “It’s crazy how basketball can change from high school to college to the NBA and what you work on, what you’re compensated for,” he said, referring to his coveted skill set as a three-point shooting big man. “I’ve found if you do things the right way — if you play the right way, if you work on your game, if you’re a good teammate — you’ll be rewarded for it.”
The Heat will retain Okaro White and Josh Richardson, thus guaranteeing their contracts (or in White’s case, partially guaranteeing the deal he signed last season). Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes about how Richardson’s $1.5MM for 2017/18 will be locked in after Friday and how White will clinch $226K on Saturday.
One of the major areas that the Wizards will need to improve upon next year is in their backcourt depth, J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic says. They’ve already gotten a head start in doing so with their addition of Tim Frazier.
Second-round draft pick Alpha Kaba will play with the Hawks‘ summer league team before deciding where to play next season, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.

Southeast Notes: Magic, Adebayo, Satoransky

June 25th, 2017 at 10:01pm CST by Austin Kent

While he may be years away from reaching his true potential, the Magic are pleased with their Jonathan Isaac pickup in Thursday’s draft, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes.

In order to fully develop the sixth-overall choice, however, Orlando’s new front office will need to avoid some of the mistakes that their predecessors made, namely giving prospects playing time before they earn it.

Robbins adds that president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond should look to add quality players that will be able to compete with Isaac for minutes, something current and past Magic players like Victor Oladipo, Tobias Harris and Elfrid Payton could have benefited from over the course of the last few seasons.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

A particularly impressive workout helped Bam Adebayo convince the Heat to take a chance on him with their 14th pick in Thursday’s draft, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes. “We had already seen enough after 20 minutes. But he wanted to stay out there. He was the last one in the gym. We notice things like that,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said.
The Magic would be wise to mind the tone of their fan base and field a decent roster as soon as possible, Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes. While a new front office may be just embarking on a five-year tenure with the organization, fans of the franchise have already endured five years of losing seasons.
On the surface, the Wizards trading for a backup point guard would appear to hurt Tomas Satoransky‘s stock with the franchise but Tim Frazier is a short-term solution, Chase Huges of CSN Mid-Atlantic writes. Satoransky remains the only guard on Washington’s bench signed past 2018/19.
In a podcast with Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype, Wizards point guard John Wall that he’s like to remain with Washington for the rest of his career. The eight-year veteran and All-NBA Third Team guard also says that he still feels as though he’s underrated.