Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hawks Extend QO To Jeff Teague

June 30th, 2013 at 12:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Hawks have made a $4,531,459 qualifying offer to Jeff Teague, making him a restricted free agent, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The team hasn't officially announced the move, but Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is also reporting the news (Twitter link). The offer was thoroughly expected, and it's largely a formality for a point guard who figures to be one of the most sought-after restricted free agents this summer.

Teague has shown steady improvement since Atlanta took him 19th overall in 2009. He averaged career highs in points (14.6) and assists (7.2) this past season while playing slightly fewer minutes per game than in 2011/12. Teague, who was originally in line for a qualifying offer of $3,469,568, met the starter criteria, which triggered a jump in his QO. Still, it's unlikely he'll take the offer, as he's expected to command a multiyear deal for much more.

The client of the ASM agency is one of many Hawks hitting free agency this summer. Only Al Horford, Louis Williams and John Jenkins are under guaranteed contracts for 2013/14 among the players currently on Atlanta's roster. Ivan Johnson is also eligible to receive a qualifying offer, for $1,202,744, but there's no word on whether the Hawks have decided to tender that to him.

Celtics Waive Terrence Williams

June 30th, 2013 at 11:18am CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics have waived Terrence Williams, the team announced. Williams' salary was non-guaranteed, but would have become partially guaranteed for $200K if the Celtics had not waived him by the end of today. If he had spent all of 2013/14 on Boston's roster, he would have made $947,907, the minimum salary for a four-year veteran.

Williams spent the first part of last season in China, and earned a 10-day contract with the Celtics upon returning stateside. That turned into a deal for the rest of the season and beyond, but Williams finds himself back on the unrestricted free agent market. The team also signed D.J. White and Shavlik Randolph after their stints in China last season, though it appeared the Celtics were highest on Williams, who received his rest-of-the-season deal after only one 10-day contract instead of the pair of 10-day trials that White and Randolph had to pass. White and Randolph's contracts for 2013/14 are non-guaranteed until August 1st.

Williams, an Aaron Goodwin client and former 11th overall pick, notched 4.6 points in 13.3 minutes per game over 24 regular season contests for the Celtics this past year. Boston has made a host of changes since they were bumped in the first-round of the playoffs, allowing Doc Rivers to head to the Clippers while agreeing to a deal that will send Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Nets.

Shawn Marion Opts In

June 30th, 2013 at 8:27am CST by Chuck Myron

Shawn Marion has declined his early-termination option and will remain under contract with the Mavericks for 2013/14, as expected, reports Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Marion will make $9,316,796 in the final year of his deal. The move makes Marion eligible to be traded, and his name has come up frequently in rumors, most recently regarding the Mavs’ pursuit of Rajon Rondo.

Even with Marion opting in, the Mavs appear to have just enough cap room to sign Dwight Howard. If the Mavs land Howard in free agency, the team will most likely make an unbalanced trade involving Marion, and receive no or little salary in return, according to McMahon. Presumably, such a move would take place so that Dallas could surround Howard with another attractive free agent or two.

Marion, 35, remains a useful defender, and he started all 67 games in which he appeared this past season. He averaged 12.1 points and 7.8 rebounds in 30.0 minutes per game.

Cavs Will Not Extend Wayne Ellington QO

June 29th, 2013 at 10:03pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Cavs have elected to set free guard Wayne Ellington, reports Jason Lloyd of Akron-Beacon Journal. Ellington could have been given a qualifying offer of around $3.8MM, and he would have been a restricted free agent this summer, with the team able to match any offer for Ellington's services.

But Lloyd cautions that the Cavs would like Ellington to remain with the team, despite his status now as an unrestricted free agent. The Cleveland-Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer expressed surprise (twitter) at the decision not to extend Ellington a QO, but the Cavs remain high on him moving forward while viewing the decision as a strategic move to free up cap space, Lloyd notes.

The Cavs weren't expected to extend a qualifying offer to Omri Casspi either, and they haven't notes Boyer (Twitter). They Cavs are also unlikely to bring back Luke Walton.

Lakers Waive Chris Duhon

June 29th, 2013 at 7:42pm CST by Spencer Lund

According to GM Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers have waived back-up point guard Chris Duhon tweets Lakers.com writer Mike Trudell.

Duhon signed a four-year $13.25MM contract in July of 2010 by way of the mid-level exception. The final year of his contract would have paid him $3.75MM.

By waiving the nine-year veteran out of Duke before midnight tomorrow night (June 30), the Lakers only have to pay him $1.5MM guaranteed, saving $2.25MM with the cut. Duhon now becomes an unrestricted free agent.

DeQuan Jones To Become Unrestricted Free Agent

June 29th, 2013 at 4:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Magic have decided against making a $988,872 qualifying offer to DeQuan Jones, meaning he'll become an unrestricted free agent Monday, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Jones will play for the Magic's summer league team, as Robbins notes via Twitter, so he may still wind up re-signing with Orlando.

The undrafted Jones made the Magic roster out of training camp, and surprisingly emerged as a starter early in the season. The small forward from the University of Miami averaged 3.7 points on 43.6% shooting in 12.7 minutes per game for the Magic this past season.

Jones made the minimum salary in 2012/13, and I'd be surprised if he signed for more than the minimum this summer. His QO would have been for slightly more than the minimum, and if the Magic had given it to him, he probably wouldn't have received better offers.

Suns Waive Hamed Haddadi

June 29th, 2013 at 4:16pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Suns have waived center Hamed Haddadi, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Haddadi's deal, which had been scheduled to pay him nearly $1.4MM in 2013/14, was only guaranteed for $200K as long as he was waived by today, as Coro points out.

It's certainly no surprise that the Suns want to save nearly $1.2MM with the move, even though the 28-year-old averaged more playing time in his 17-game stint with the Suns this past season than in any other year of his career. He notched 4.1 points and an eye-catching 5.1 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game for Phoenix after coming over from the Raptors at the deadline. Haddadi never made an appearance for Toronto in the few weeks he spent with the team, which acquired him from the Grizzlies in January as part of the Rudy Gay trade.

Without Haddadi, the Suns still appear well-stocked at the center position, with Marcin Gortat and No. 5 overall pick Alex Len. The team also faces a decision about whether to fully guarantee Shannon Brown's $3.5MM deal, which is only 50% guaranteed if the team cuts him loose today.

Marreese Speights Opts Out

June 29th, 2013 at 2:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

Marreese Speights has declined his $4,515,000 player option for next season with the Cavs and will become a free agent, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Cleveland acquired Speights as part of a three-for-one deal with the Grizzlies in January. The Cavs have no intention of re-signing him, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link).

An April report indicated that the Cavs felt Speights did not fit their culture, and that they were hoping he would opt out, so it sounds like they got their wish. The 25-year-old big man averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in his 39-game stint with Cleveland, numbers that would have been career highs if stretched over a full season. Still, with No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett joining a crowded frontcourt that also includes Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao and Tyler Zeller, there may not have been many minutes left over for Speights.

The move will leave the Cavs with $27.5MM in guaranteed salary for next season, so Cleveland would have wound up with plenty of cap room regardless of Speights decision.

Andrei Kirilenko To Opt Out

June 29th, 2013 at 10:55am CST by Zachary Links

Andrei Kirilenko is opting out of his deal with the T’Wolves, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter). The Russian will hit the open market rather than earn $10.22MM with Minnesota next season.

We’ve heard that the Wolves would like to bring Kirilenko back, but aren’t keen on a deal that would pay him $10MM+ per season. Kirilenko’s opting out may not be a sign that he is expecting a deal with an AAV beyond $10MM, but the 32-year-old could be seeking something in that neighborhood on a multi-year deal.

If the Wolves do not retain Kirilenko, they could be left with a decent chunk of cap space this summer. With AK off of the books, the Wolves have roughly $39MM in guaranteed salary for next season. Of course, the Wolves will have to commit a considerable amount of money to Nikola Pekovic if they decide to match his offer sheet. All indications are that the club wants to retain the 27-year-old.

Thunder Acquire Grant Jerrett

June 28th, 2013 at 9:53pm CST by Luke Adams

9:53pm: Oklahoma City has officially announced the move via press release.

12:17am: The Thunder acquired 40th overall pick Grant Jerrett from the Trail Blazers, GM Sam Presti confirmed, according to John Rohde of the Oklahoman (via Twitter). Jason Quick of the Oregonian first tweeted that Jerrett had been dealt by the Blazers. Portland will receive cash considerations for Jerrett.

It was a busy draft night for both the Thunder and the Blazers. Oklahoma City landed Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, and Alex Abrines to go along with Jerrett. Meanwhile, even without Jerrett, Portland still walked away with C.J. McCollum, Allen Crabbe, Jeff Withey, and Marko Todorovic.