Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Sign Ike Iroegbu

October 14th, 2017 at 8:24am CST by marksuleymanov

The Clippers signed point guard Ike Iroegbu to a deal on Friday, as reported by Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Iroegbu played for 17 minutes in the Clippers’ preseason finale against the Lakers, posting seven points, five rebounds and one assist.

Iroegbu, 22, spent the last four seasons at Washington State University. He appeared in 31 games in each of his four years at the school, averaging just under 10 points, three rebounds and three assists during his tenure. After going undrafted, Iroegbu participated in Afrobasket this year representing Nigeria and appeared in one game with the Suns during Summer League.

It is likely that the Clippers waive Iroegbu ahead of the deadline for teams to finalize rosters at 15 players. Signing and then waiving Iroegbu will give the Clips first dibs to make the young guard an affiliate player for their G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario.

Bucks Cut Brandon Rush, Joel Anthony, Gary Payton II

October 14th, 2017 at 8:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have parted ways with a handful of players with NBA experience, announcing late last night (via Twitter) that they’ve requested waivers on swingman Brandon Rush, big man Joel Anthony, and second-year guard Gary Payton II.

Of the three players, Rush has the most recent NBA experience, and perhaps had the strongest case to earn a spot on the Bucks’ regular season roster. Last season, Rush appeared in 47 games (33 starts) for the Timberwolves, averaging a modest 4.2 PPG but making 38.6% of his threes. He’s a career 40.2% three-point shooter.

Rather than carrying Rush though, it appears the Bucks may open the season with Gerald Green holding their final roster spot. Currently, Milwaukee has 15 players under contract, with Green and his non-guaranteed deal joining 14 players on guaranteed salaries.

Rush, Anthony, and Payton will clear waivers on Monday, assuming they’re not claimed.

Trail Blazers Waive Anthony Morrow, Two Others

October 14th, 2017 at 7:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers have made their roster cuts in advance of the regular season, according to beat reporter Casey Holdahl, who tweets that Anthony Morrow, Archie Goodwin, and Isaiah Briscoe have been waived by the team.

The cuts of Briscoe and Goodwin were anticipated. Although they received training camp invitations from the Blazers, Briscoe and Goodwin were viewed as long shots to make the team’s regular season roster, with 14 players on guaranteed salaries already under contract.

Morrow, however, was the favorite to earn the 15th and final spot on Portland’s regular season roster. The veteran sharpshooter has a career .417 3PT%, and was viewed as a good fit to become an outside threat off the bench for a team that lost Allen Crabbe over the summer. Still, Morrow struggled last season, shooting just 30.8% from three-point range, and with the exception of a 12-point game against Toronto last week, didn’t do much in the preseason.

Rather than carrying Morrow on the regular season roster, it appears Portland will open the season with a 14-man squad. That makes some sense, considering the Blazers are currently over the tax line; any extra contract would increase the club’s projected year-end tax bill.

Portland is now carrying 15 total players — 14 on NBA deals and one on a two-way contract.

Bulls Release Bronson Koenig, Jaylen Johnson

October 13th, 2017 at 10:14pm CST by Austin Kent

The Bulls have waived Bronson Koenig and Jaylen Johnson, the team announced in a press release. After the announcement, the club’s roster sits at 18.

Koenig, who also had a brief tenure with the Bucks this offseason, was signed by the Bulls in late September. The sharp-shooting guard out of Wisconsin, however, will return to the free agent market as a potential affiliate player of the Chicago’s G League club.

Johnson served a slightly longer stretch with the Bulls, having signed on a week earlier in September. He went undrafted as an early entrant candidate out of Louisville last June.

Hornets Trim Roster With Four Cuts

October 13th, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Austin Kent

The Hornets have released Terry Henderson, Isaiah Hicks, Luke Petrasek and T.J. Williams, the team announced in a press release. After the cuts, Charlotte’s roster sits at 14 players.

All four of the players waived were on non-guaranteed deals and could end up with the club’s G League squad as affiliate players.

Notably absent from the list of cuts is Treveon Graham, the last of Charlotte’s five non-guaranteed players on the roster through training camp. It’s possible, considering where the Hornets’ roster stands, that Graham makes the team to start the season.

Magic Waive Damjan Rudez, Kalin Lucas

October 13th, 2017 at 8:53pm CST by Austin Kent

The Magic have released Damjan Rudez and Kalin Lucas, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel tweets. The decision brings Orlando’s roster down to 15 players.

Rudez, a 31-year-old veteran of three NBA seasons, played 45 games for the Magic last year but had a negligible impact on the court. Had Rudez managed to secure a spot with the team, it would have likely been because of his positive influence in the locker room.

Lucas, a 28-year-old point guard out of Michigan State last saw NBA action back in 2014/15 when he played a single game for the Grizzlies.

With Rudez and Lucas out of the picture, it appears as though Khem Birch will stick with the team through the start of the regular season.

Warriors Waive Trevor Thompson

October 13th, 2017 at 8:17pm CST by Austin Kent

The Warriors have waived big man Trevor Thompson, Sean Cunningham of ABC10 in Sacramento tweets. The seven-footer will presumably end up with Golden State’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.

The move trims Golden State down to 18 players with the rest of the cuts expected to come after the team’s preseason finale on Friday night.

Quinn Cook One Of Three Hawks Cut

October 13th, 2017 at 7:54pm CST by Austin Kent

The Hawks have waived Quinn Cook, Jeremy Evans and Tyler Cavanaugh, Bobby Marks of ESPN writes. The moves were required in order to create cap space to take on Richard Jefferson and Kay Felder.

Cook, a Duke product that suited up for both the Mavs and Pelicans last season, was signed by Atlanta in early September. Evans, a six-year NBA veteran and long-time Jazz forward was signed on later in the month.

The Hawks could potentially see all three players end up with their G League team in Erie, the first two with returning rights and undrafted rookie Cavanaugh as an affiliate player.

Atlanta will incur a $100K cap hit on Cook and another $50K on Evans but all were on non-guaranteed deals with opening day – and its inherent 15-player roster limit – looming.

The moves actually bring Atlanta’s roster down to 15 players but the additions of Jefferson and Felder will obviously push them back over until they’re themselves waived, which is expected.

Had the opportunity to land a pair of second-round picks by eating the Cavaliers’ unwanted contracts not fallen in their lap, it’s plausible that the Hawks could have carried Cook into the regular season. Shortly after the point guard was brought aboard by Atlanta we wrote about the opportunity in front of him.

Rockets Sign Danuel House

October 13th, 2017 at 7:29pm CST by Austin Kent

The Rockets have signed 24-year-old guard Danuel House, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. House played one single minute in one single game for the Wizards last season after going undrafted in 2016.

Considering that Houston already waived four players to knock their roster down to 15 players earlier today, it’s likely that they release House too, with the idea of bringing him aboard their G League team.

Nets Waive Tahjere McCall, Kamari Murphy

October 13th, 2017 at 3:52pm CST by Austin Kent

The Nets have released a pair of preseason signees, Brian Lewis of the New York Post. The club has waived Tahjere McCall and Kamari Murphy, both of whom were signed yesterday.

The hasty turnaround is no surprise, the Nets hold both players’ G League rights so they’ll presumably end up suiting up for the club’s affiliate in Long Island.