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Wolves Extend Qualifying Offer To Nikola Pekovic

June 28th, 2013 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Amidst all the draft craziness yesterday, the Timberwolves made a procedural move, submitting a qualifying offer to Nikola Pekovic, the team announced (via Twitter). The one-year offer, worth $6,046,500, officially makes Pekovic a restricted free agent this summer.

Like the other top restricted free agents on the market, Pekovic won't be accepting the qualifying offer, but it ensures that the Wolves will have the opportunity to match a rival offer sheet for the big man. Although Minnesota has insisted that retaining Pekovic is the club's top priority this summer, the 27-year-old figures to receive long-term offers in the neighborhood of at least $12MM annually.

In his third season in the NBA in 2012/13, Pekovic averaged a double-double, establishing career-highs in PPG (16.3) and RPG (10.0), among other categories.

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Minor Moves: Nuggets, Leslie, Pressey, Daniels

June 28th, 2013 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2013 draft in the books, there are still plenty of intriguing prospects that were not among the 60 players who heard their names called on Thursday night. Many of those guys will be snapped up quickly for Summer League rosters, while others could sign outright with an NBA team.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported a handful of signings late last night, and it's my understanding that these are actual free-agent contracts rather than just Summer League invites, though that's not entirely clear. Either way, the agreements will provide these undrafted free agents a chance to audition for a possible NBA roster spot. Here's a recap:

  • Kennedy has corrected his earlier report (linked below), tweeting that Harris is simply playing for the Nuggets in Summer League action, and not signing with the team yet. I imagine that may be the case for Howell and some of the other players listed below as well, though it seems as if Covington, at least, will ink an actual contract with the Rockets. We'll likely have to wait until July for official word.

Earlier updates:

  • Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports (via Twitter) that undrafted free agents Richard Howell and C.J. Harris will sign with the Nuggets. Again, players don't necessarily have to be under contract with a team to play for a Summer League squad, so Kennedy's wording suggests that Howell and Harris will ink deals to earn a pair of Denver's 20 summer roster spots, though that's not 100% certain.
  • Former N.C. State forward C.J. Leslie has reached an agreement on a deal with the Knicks, reports Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Leslie had been ranked the 40th-best prospect available by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com and 41st by ESPN.com's Chad Ford.
  • Phil Pressey, a 5'11" point guard out of Missouri, has reached an agreement on a deal with the Celtics, tweets Wojnarowski. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported last night that Boston figured to "immediately go after" Pressey once he went undrafted.
  • Former VCU guard Troy Daniels has agreed to a free agent deal with the Bobcats, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Daniels averaged 12.3 PPG and shot 40.3% on three-pointers in his final season with the Rams.
  • Rodney Williams, Ford's 80th overall prospect in this year's class, has agreed to a deal with the 76ers, tweets Wojnarowski. The 21-year-old forward is coming off four years at the University of Minnesota.
  • Robert Covington will sign a two-year, partially-guaranteed contract with the Rockets, reports Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (via Twitter). According to Givony's sources, the guarantee for the former Tennessee State forward will be "substantial" — likely around $150K.
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Raptors To Decline Option On John Lucas III

June 28th, 2013 at 9:47am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have elected to decline their team option on John Lucas III for the 2013/14 season, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). The decision will make Lucas an unrestricted free agent next week, and Stein believes the veteran point guard could end up back in Chicago, where he played before joining the Raptors last summer.

Lucas' team option for next season was worth a modest amount, about $1.57MM, so it's a little surprising that Toronto turned it down. The decision leaves Kyle Lowry as the only real point guard left on the Raptors' roster, since Sebastian Telfair is also headed for free agency, so that figures to be an area the team will focus on in July.

In 63 games with the Raptors, Lucas averaged 5.3 PPG and 1.7 APG while playing 13.1 minutes per contest.

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Grizzlies, Nuggets Swap Arthur, Koufos

June 28th, 2013 at 1:14am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 1:14am: The Nuggets have officially announced the trade in a press release.

THURSDAY, 10:42pm: The Grizzlies and Nuggets have reached an agreement on a trade that will send Darrell Arthur and the 55th overall pick to Denver in exchange for Kosta Koufos, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter).

Arthur will earn about $3.23MM next season, while Koufos makes an even $3MM, so the Nuggets take on a little salary in the deal. As Stein tweets, the Denver front office wasn't happy that George Karl started Koufos over JaVale McGee last season. Even with Karl gone, the Nuggets have ensured that it won't happen again next year.

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Jazz Acquire Raul Neto

June 27th, 2013 at 11:35pm CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 12:38am: Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey has confirmed the deal, tweets Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.

THURSDAY, 11:35pm: The Hawks will receive a future second-round pick from the Jazz in exchange for this year's 47th overall pick, Raul Neto, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

It was a busy night for the Hawks, who also agreed to send James Ennis to Miami for a future second-rounder and consummated a deal with the Mavericks that landed them an extra pick and Jared Cunningham.

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Hawks Acquire Cunningham, No. 16 Pick

June 27th, 2013 at 11:25pm CST by Luke Adams

11:25pm: The Mavs confirmed this deal via press release, as it was reported: Cunningham, the 16th pick (Nogueira), and the 44th pick (Mike Muscala) in exchange for the 18th pick (Shane Larkin).

9:05pm: This deal is "still evolving," according to Broussard (via Twitter), so we'll have to wait and see if any of the previously reported details change, or if any new pieces are added.

8:46pm: Pick No. 44 is actually heading from Dallas to Atlanta in the deal, tweets ESPN.com's Chris Broussard.

8:13pm: Minutes after acquiring the No. 16 pick from the Celtics, the Mavericks will flip it to the Hawks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Jared Cunningham will also go to Atlanta in the deal, with the 18th and 44th picks headed to Dallas, Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). Atlanta doesn't have the 44th pick, so perhaps Woj means No. 47 or 50.

The move clears a little more money from the Mavericks' books, as Cunningham's $1,208,400 salary will be assumed by the Hawks. That'll give Dallas a little more room to squeeze in a maximum-salary offer for Dwight Howard.

The Hawks will use the 16th pick to draft international big man Lucas Nogueira.

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Heat To Acquire James Ennis

June 27th, 2013 at 11:19pm CST by Luke Adams

11:19pm: A future second-round pick will be sent to Atlanta in the deal, tweets Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.

11:12pm: The Heat have agreed to acquire 50th overall pick James Ennis from the Hawks, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Wojnarowski doesn't include the details of what Atlanta gets in the deal, but I'd assume it will be cash.

You can check out the full results of tonight's draft right here.

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Celtics To Acquire Colton Iverson

June 27th, 2013 at 11:17pm CST by Luke Adams

After being selected 53rd overall by the Pacers, Colton Iverson will be sent to the Celtics in exchange for cash, reports Andy Katz of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

On a night when they appear to have agreed to a much larger deal, the Celtics added a pair of bigs in Iverson and Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk.

For tonight's for draft results, click here.

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Trail Blazers To Acquire Allen Crabbe

June 27th, 2013 at 10:13pm CST by Luke Adams

After being drafted 31st overall by the Cavaliers, Allen Crabbe will be sent to the Trail Blazers, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Cavs will receive a pair of future second-round picks from Portland, reports Goodman (via Twitter).

You can check out tonight's full draft results, including trades, right here.

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