Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavs Sign Samuel Dalembert

July 19th, 2013 at 7:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

FRIDAY, 7:01pm: The Mavs have officially signed Dalembert, the team announced in a press release.

THURSDAY, 2:03pm: Dalembert will ink a two-year, $7.5MM deal with the Mavs, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. According to Wojnarowski, the second year will only be partially guaranteed.

WEDNESDAY, 6:58pm: The Mavs have reached a verbal agreement on a deal with Samuel Dalembert, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Stein reported earlier this evening that the two sides were close to an accord. Dallas and Dalembert's representatives from Pinnacle Management are continuing to hammer out the final details of his contract, and presumably that includes the financial specifics. The Mavs appear to have about $3.3MM of cap space available, and they can also use their $2.652MM room exception.

GM Donnie Nelson and company have thought about adding Dalembert for years, believing him to be an ideal fit with power forward Dirk Nowitzki. Dalembert is best on the defensive end, where he's averaged 2.6 blocks per 36 minutes for his career. His rate last season was virtually the same, even though he saw spotty playing time in Milwaukee.

The Mavs made Dalembert their primary target after missing out on Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum, but he's not the only free agent they've been eyeing. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News wrote earlier today that the team was expected to reach an agreement to re-sign Brandan Wright once it struck a deal with Dalembert. The team would like to sign Greg Oden as well, and Dallas remains high on Bernard James, who agreed to postpone the deadline for the Mavs to decide whether to guarantee his contract for this coming season. The Mavs are also discussing a new deal with Devin Harris, who consented to call off his initial three-year, $9MM deal with the team after suffering a toe injury.

Knicks, Jeremy Tyler Agree To Deal

July 19th, 2013 at 5:21pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jeremy Tyler tells Jonah Ballow of Knicks.com that the team has invited him to training camp (Twitter link). Most training camp invitations entail non-guaranteed minimum-salary contracts that cover one season, so it seems that's what Tyler's getting. Still, it's a chance to make the club and duplicate the success that Chris Copeland, a camp invitee last year, had en route to signing a two-year, $6.135MM deal with the Pacers this month.

Tyler's agent, Gabe Giordano, said this week that he was hopeful he'd be able to strike a deal with the Knicks within the next few weeks that at the very least entailed an invitation to camp. That the two sides agreed so quickly may indicate some kind of guaranteed money is involved, though that's just my speculation. Mark Berman of the New York Post also surmised that Tyler could get a partial guarantee, when he wrote this weekend that there was a "big chance" that the 22-year-old center would draw a camp invitation.

Tyler was a second-round pick of the Bobcats in 2011, but he made his NBA debut that fall with the Warriors, who traded for his rights on draft night. He made 23 late-season starts for a depleted Golden State squad his rookie year, but he averaged just 20.9 minutes per game as a starter, notching 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest. He played sparingly this past season, when the Warriors sent him to the Hawks at the trade deadline in a move to get under the tax line. The Hawks waived him two weeks later, but he's resurfaced with the Knicks summer league team, averaging 12.8 PPG and 6.4 RPG.

Drew Gooden Clears Amnesty Waivers

July 19th, 2013 at 4:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The final amnesty victim of 2013 has cleared waivers and is now an unrestricted free agent, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Stein tweets that teams have been notified that no bids were placed on Drew Gooden, who was amnestied by the Bucks on Tuesday night.

After starting 46 games and averaging 13.7 PPG and 6.5 RPG for the Bucks in 2011/12, Gooden wasn't a part of the team's rotation last season. The 31-year-old only appeared in 16 contests in 2012/13, recording about 150 total minutes for the year.

Milwaukee is still on the hook for about $13.37MM for Gooden over the next two seasons, so salary likely won't be the top priority for the former fourth overall pick as he seeks another NBA roster spot. While his career appears to be on the decline, Gooden could still be a decent bench piece for the veteran's minimum, so I'd expect him to receive a little interest.

Rockets Sign Aaron Brooks

July 19th, 2013 at 11:02am CST by Chuck Myron

FRIDAY, 11:02am: The Rockets have made Brooks' signing official, announcing the new deal today in a press release.

THURSDAY, 11:28pm: Brooks tells Berman he had other offers, but he felt most comfortable taking the one from the Rockets (Twitter link). It appears from Brooks' comment that he signed for the minimum, but that's not entirely clear.

11:02pm: It appears Aaron Brooks is re-signing with the Rockets, as Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston tweets that the point guard is returning to the team after inking a one-year deal. Houston waived Brooks on June 30th in a move to clear cap space. The five-year veteran's previous contract for 2013/14 would have become fully guaranteed if he wasn't waived by the end of last month.

Brooks was set to make $2.508MM this season before the Rockets cut him loose, but he seems unlikely to make that much this year in his new deal. Houston attempted to trade him before waiving him, but no team appeared willing to take on his old contract. The Rockets waived Carlos Delfino at the same time they waived Brooks, but Delfino has already moved on, having signed with the Bucks.

The Rockets have the $2.652MM room exception available, but I won't be surprised if the Creative Artists Agency client's new deal is for the minimum. He saw just 38 minutes of action in the regular season with Houston after signing March 5th, following his buyout from the Kings. Brooks got more run in the playoffs, averaging 11.2 minutes per contest in Houston's six-game defeat to the Thunder in the first round, but he wasn't nearly the integral part of the team that he was in 2009/10. That's when he struck for 19.6 points and 5.3 assists per game, both career highs by wide margins.

Rockets Sign Reggie Williams

July 19th, 2013 at 11:01am CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 19TH, 11:01am: The Rockets have officially signed Williams, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 10TH, 8:34pm: The second year of Williams' deal isn't a team option, but is instead non-guaranteed, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The first year is only 50% guaranteed, Feigen adds (Twitter link).

6:20pm: The Rockets have landed another outside shooter, agreeing to terms with Reggie Williams on a two-year pact worth the minimum salary, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The second year will be a team option, Stein says.

Williams, a four-year veteran, has seen his numbers decline each season after a rookie year in which he notched 15.2 points per game in a 24-game stint with the Warriors. He put up only 3.7 PPG this past season with the Bobcats, and shot just 30.6% from behind the arc, well off his mark of 42.3% from three-point range in 2010/11. He's still a 37.1% shooter for his career, and the Rockets will hope that he regains his touch to give defenses another long-range threat to worry about.

The Interperformances agency client will take a significant paycut from the $2,612,500 he earned in 2012/13. The four-year veteran's minimum will be $947,907 this coming season. Houston will likely use the minimum-salary exception, so his signing won't affect the team's pursuit of other free agents.

Pistons Sign Caldwell-Pope, Mitchell

July 19th, 2013 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have officially locked up rookies Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Tony Mitchell, the team announced today (Twitter link). Caldwell-Pope will receive a standard rookie-scale contract, while the terms of Mitchell's agreement aren't yet known.

As our chart of salaries for first-rounders shows, Caldwell-Pope, the eighth overall pick last month, will likely receive a 2013/14 salary of about $2.65MM. Mitchell, a North Texas product who is not to be confused by the former Alabama player of the same name, may receive a minimum-salary deal. However, the Pistons still appear to have some cap space, plus their room exception, so it's also possible that Mitchell receives a salary that exceeds the minimum.

For the complete breakdown of which of this year's draft picks have signed so far, check out our list here. As that list shows, the Pistons' third pick, Peyton Siva, remains unsigned. According to Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News (via Twitter), the team has yet to make a decision on Siva, who may be the odd man out on a roster that already features 15 players.

Cavaliers Waive Kevin Jones, Chris Quinn

July 19th, 2013 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have shed two non-guaranteed contracts from their books, waiving Kevin Jones and Chris Quinn, according to a team release. The moves coincide with the team's introduction of Andrew Bynum, so it appears a little extra cap space was required to squeeze in Bynum's salary.

Jones, 23, appeared in 32 contests with the Cavs last season, averaging 3.0 PPG and 2.4 RPG. He also played 12 games for the team's D-League affiliate, recording an impressive 22.4 PPG and 11.2 RPG for the Canton Charge. Quinn's stint with the Cavs was briefer, as he appeared in just seven games for the club. Both players' contracts were fully non-guaranteed, and weren't set to become guaranteed until January.

Jones' impressive D-League numbers could result in him drawing some interest around the NBA, at least as a training camp invitee. Meanwhile, Quinn is reportedly receiving some attention from foreign teams, according to a Thursday report. Both Jones and Quinn suffered concussions during Summer League action, so they may need to get healthy first before signing new deals anywhere.

Raptors Buy Out Marcus Camby

July 18th, 2013 at 6:06pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 6:06pm: The Raptors and Camby have completed the buyout, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Begley says Camby is a free agent now, but the veteran center will have to clear waivers first. Camby is hoping to play two more years before getting into coaching, as Zwerling reported today.

WEDNESDAY, 11:05pm: Camby and the Raptors are still working on the details of the buyout, which has not yet been finalized, reports Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. Still, an agreement remains in place and the parting of ways should be official by the end of the week, Zwerling writes. The Heat, Rockets, Bulls and Clippers are the front-runners to sign Camby once he clears waivers and becomes a free agent, Zwerling hears.

2:05pm: The Raptors have agreed to a buyout with Marcus Camby and have released him, the team formally announced today (Twitter link). Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reported last night that Toronto was expected to reach a buyout agreement with Camby.

Camby, 39, was sent back to Toronto, where he started his NBA career, in the trade that saw the Knicks acquire Andrea Bargnani. Not long after the move was agreed upon, the veteran big man expressed some unhappiness with being traded to a non-contender, and Marc Berman of the New York Post reported shortly thereafter that Camby had asked to be traded or bought out.

Camby was set to earn $4.38MM in 2013/14 and was on the books for a $4.18MM salary the following season, though only about $1.03MM of that second year was guaranteed. I would guess that Camby probably agreed to give up that second-year guarantee in his negotiations with the Raptors, though the terms of the buyout aren't known. The move also reduces the cap hit for Toronto, since the club can apply the stretch provision to Camby's deal.

Assuming Camby clears waivers, which seems like a safe bet, he'll be free to sign with any team except the Knicks, who are ineligible to re-add him until next July. However, according to Spears, other contenders like the Clippers, Bulls, and Rockets could have some interest.

Kings Sign Ray McCallum

July 18th, 2013 at 5:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

5:58pm: Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee hears McCallum received a guaranteed three-year contract (Twitter link).

5:50pm: The Kings have officially signed Ray McCallum, the 36th pick in last month's draft, the team announced in a press release. Financial terms weren't disclosed, but it's probably a partially guaranteed multiyear deal, based on what we've seen a few other second-rounders sign for this year. It's unlikely he'll make much more than the minimum salary.

McCallum, a 6'2" point guard out of the University of Detroit, will join fellow rookie Ben McLemore on the Kings this season. The steady floor general figures to have an uphill battle for minutes, with veteran Greivis Vasquez set to start and Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette also on the roster.

The 22-year-old McCallum averaged 18.7 points, 4.5 assists and 2.1 turnovers per game this past season at Detroit. He's not a long-distance shooter, having drained just 32.3% of his three-point looks last year, but he hit the boards for 5.1 rebounds per contest.

Andrew Bynum Signs With Cavs

July 18th, 2013 at 5:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 18TH: Bynum has officially signed his contract, the team announced. For cap-related reasons, the Cavs had delayed finalizing the deal while they considered claiming Mike Miller off waivers, but with Miller now a free agent, that appears to have cleared the way for Bynum to officially join the Cavs.

JULY 10TH, 7:01pm: Bynum's deal is for $12MM this season, only $6MM of which is guaranteed, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. It also includes a $12.5MM team option for 2014/15.

6:52pm: Andrew Bynum has decided to sign with the Cavaliers, as Chris Broussard of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). Bynum and agent David Lee just got off the phone with Cleveland to inform the club of the center's intentions, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. The Cavs, who reportedly offered a partially guaranteed two-year, $24MM deal, were growing increasingly unsure of their ability to land the oft-injured center, Amico wrote earlier today, but it looks like their fears were unfounded.

Only $6MM was guaranteed in the team's offer to Bynum, but it still appeared to be the most guaranteed money any team was willing to give him as his field of suitors narrowed to the Cavs, Mavericks and Hawks. The Sixers weren't ruling out a return, but they seemed a longshot.

The Cavs will bank on a return to health for the 2012 All-Star who missed the entire 2012/13 season. The Sixers acquired Bynum last summer as part of the blockbuster Dwight Howard deal, but he never suited up for Philadelphia, felled by a pair of balky knees that also caused him to miss significant time during his seven years with the Lakers.

Cleveland could wind up with a marquee player on the cheap, as Bynum appeared headed toward a maximum-salary contract, or something close to it, before he missed last season. The deal adds to a crowded frontcourt that includes Anderson Varejao, Tristan Thompson and No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett, and it could signal a trade is forthcoming, though that's just my speculation.

Bynum will reunite with Cavs coach Mike Brown, who coached him during his final season with the Lakers. Brown's presence was a factor in Bynum decision, Amico tweets, as the big man feels the team simply wanted him more than any other club.