Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Re-Sign Ron Baker

August 7th, 2017 at 6:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

AUGUST 7, 6:20pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

JULY 11, 1:52pm: Baker’s new deal with the Knicks will be worth $8.9MM over two years, with a second-year player option, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. That means New York will use its room exception – worth $8,872,400 over two years – to complete the signing, which explains why it wasn’t finalized earlier, and why the Knicks were comfortable renouncing Baker’s rights.

JULY 1, 2:03pm: Baker said today that his new contract will be a two-year deal, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link).

JUNE 30, 11:35pm: The Knicks have reached an agreement on a new deal with restricted free agent Ron Baker, per Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The details of the pact (length and amount) have not been relayed at this time.

It is doubtful that the Knicks intend for Baker or 2017 first round pick, Frank Ntilikina, to begin the season as the starter at the one, but retaining Baker was a solid move for a New York team desperately in need of talent and hustle moving forward.

In his rookie season, Baker appeared in 52 games (13 starts), averaging 4.1 PPG and 2.1 APG in 16.5 minutes per contest. The Wichita State product was one of the Knicks’ few positives this past season, showing energy, tenacity, and ability on both sides of the ball.

Knicks Sign Second-Rounder Damyean Dotson

August 7th, 2017 at 2:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

AUGUST 7: The Knicks have officially signed Dotson, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 22: The Knicks have reached an agreement with second-round pick Damyean Dotson, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. Dotson’s contract covers three years, with the first two fully guaranteed.

Dotson, a 3-point marksman out of Houston, was taken with the 44th selection in last month’s draft. He averaged 17.4 points per game as a senior with the Cougars and shot an impressive 44% from long distance.

The 6’5″ guard impressed Knicks officials with his performance in the Orlando Summer League, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.

“He can really shoot the ball, he’s athletic,” said Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek. “I wasn’t quite sure how his feel for the game is but his feel for the game has been great in these scrimmages. He’s making the right passes at the right time and he’s one of those guys when he gets an open look at it you’re pretty confident he’s going to make it.”

Nets Sign Milton Doyle, Jeremy Senglin

August 4th, 2017 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have added a pair of players to their roster, announcing today in a press release that guards Milton Doyle and Jeremy Senglin have signed with the club. The signings appear to be training camp deals, making it likely that both players will ultimately end up with the Long Island Nets in the G League.

Senglin’s agreement with Brooklyn was first reported shortly after the draft. and was said to be partially guaranteed. Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reports (via Twitter) that Doyle’s one-year deal is also partially guaranteed.

Doyle, who worked out for the Nets a week before June’s draft, played his college ball at Loyola, averaging 15.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 1.8 SPG in his senior year.

Senglin, a point guard out of Weber State, averaged 21.1 PPG during his senior season, with an impressive shooting line of .522/.429/.766. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com ranked him 48th among NCAA seniors in this year’s draft class.

Both Doyle and Senglin played for the Nets’ Summer League team last month in Las Vegas.

After adding Doyle and Senglin, the Nets now have 16 players on NBA contracts, including 13 with fully guaranteed salaries. That total doesn’t include Yakuba Ouattara, who has a two-way contract with the club, and Jacob Wiley, who reportedly agreed to a two-way deal as well.

Lakers Sign Vander Blue

August 4th, 2017 at 2:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

AUGUST 4: The Lakers have officially signed Blue, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 29: The Lakers have reached an agreement with combo guard Vander Blue on a partially guaranteed contract, sources told Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The guarantee is $50K, Chris Reichert of The Step Back tweets.

Blue, 25, played eight games for Los Angeles’ summer-league team in Las Vegas and made a strong impression, averaging 15.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 3.0 APG in 27.4 MPG. The 6’4” Blue also made half of his field-goal attempts.

Blue did not play in the NBA the past two seasons but lit up the G League last season, earning MVP honors. He played 47 games for the Lakers’ affiliate, the D-Fenders, and averaged 24.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG and 1.6 SPG in 34.8 MPG.

Blue, a Marquette product, has a limited NBA resume. He appeared in three games with the Celtics during the 2013/14 season and two games with the Lakers the following season. Mainly a shooting guard, Blue joins a backcourt that includes rookies Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson, Tyler Ennis and free agent signee Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

While not all the contract details have been revealed, it’s safe to assume there are no guarantees beyond this season. The Lakers want to have as much salary-cap space as possible next summer in order to make runs at top free agents.

Spurs Re-Sign Patty Mills To Four-Year Deal

August 4th, 2017 at 10:12am CST by Austin Kent

AUGUST 4: More than a month after agreeing to terms with Mills, the Spurs have made his new deal official, announcing the signing in a press release.

JUNE 30: The Spurs and point guard Patty Mills have come to terms on a four-year, $50MM deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

With the status of Tony Parker in flux following his postseason-ending injury earlier this year, Mills could play a vital role in the future of the Spurs organization, if not as a starter than at least as a key reserve.

In 80 games for the Spurs last year, the backup guard averaged 9.5 points and 3.5 assists per game. Those numbers could easily increase if the veteran plays more than the 21.9 minutes per game he saw in 2016/17.

Last month we wrote that Parker has eyed a possible return date next January, but even if that holds true, Mills will have an opportunity to start for the first half of the 2017/18.

That said, with players like George Hill and Kyle Lowry on the market, Gregg Popovich and company could look to bring another starter on board, bumping Mills back to his reserve role.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jason Maxiell Retires As Piston

August 4th, 2017 at 9:15am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA big man Jason Maxiell has signed a contract with the Pistons in order to officially retire as a member of the organization, the club announced today in a press release. The 10-year NBA veteran spent eight of those seasons in Detroit.

“The best years of my professional career were spent in Detroit and it’s important to me to retire as a Detroit Piston,” Maxiell said in a statement. “This is a special franchise with great tradition and history. I want to thank all the fans who supported me during my eight seasons representing Detroit.”

Maxiell, the Pistons’ first-round pick in 2005, came off the bench for his first several years with the team, though he was the team’s starting power forward by the end of his time in Detroit. His best season came in 2007/08, when he appeared in all 82 games for Detroit, averaging 7.9 PPG and 5.3 RPG, with a .538 FG%.

In 618 career regular season games for the Pistons, Magic, and Hornets, Maxiell posted averages of 5.6 PPG and 4.2 RPG. Maxiell hadn’t played in the NBA since the 2014/15 season, having spent the last two seasons playing for teams in China and Turkey.

“Jason and his representatives reached out to us regarding his desire to sign one last contract with the team in order to retire as a Detroit Piston,” Pistons GM Jeff Bower said in a statement of his own. “Jason made an impact on and off the court with the organization, spending eight seasons in Detroit, many with deep playoff runs. We’re pleased that Jason has chosen to remain connected to our organization and wish him well in the future.”

Kevin Seraphin To Play For Barcelona

August 4th, 2017 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran big man Kevin Seraphin will head back overseas to continue his basketball career, having reached an agreement on a two-year deal with Barcelona, according to an announcement from the team (Twitter link). Seraphin cleared waivers and became an unrestricted free agent earlier this week after being cut by the Pacers.

Seraphin, 27, averaged 4.7 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 49 games in Indiana last season, playing a part-time role in his first and only season with the team. Prior to his lone season with the Pacers, Seraphin spent one year with the Knicks and five with the Wizards.

A native of France, Seraphin started his professional career overseas, playing for Cholet Basket from 2007 to 2010 before he was selected in the first round of the 2010 draft. The 6’9″ forward/center also has a little experience playing in Spain — he signed with Baskonia in 2011 during the NBA lockout, but returned to the Wizards when the lockout ended.

Word of Barcelona’s interest in Seraphin surfaced last month as his NBA salary guarantee deadline approached, so his decision to sign with the team doesn’t come as a major surprise.

Jamil Wilson Signs Two-Way Deal With Clippers

August 3rd, 2017 at 9:22pm CST by marksuleymanov

AUGUST 3: The Clippers have officially signed Wilson to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 15: After a strong showing in the Summer League with the Clippers, Jamil Wilson will opt-out of his EuroLeague deal with Brose Baskets Bamberg to sign a two-way deal with the Clippers, per European basketball journalist David Pick (via Twitter).

Wilson, 26, had agreed to join the Baskets earlier this month after spending time with Fiat Torino of Italy-Serie A and in Puerto Rico with Cangrejeros De Sauntruce. However, his play in Vegas this summer may lead to a more substantial opportunity than in years’ past.

In the Clippers’ first four Summer League games, Wilson averaged 13.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG while shooting an outstanding 81% (22-for-27) from the floor.

Going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, Wilson has had several tours of duty in the Summer League and the now NBA G League with the Wizards and Mavericks.

Clippers Sign Willie Reed

August 3rd, 2017 at 7:58pm CST by Luke Adams

August 3: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

July 18: The Clippers have reached an agreement with free agent center Willie Reed, reports Chris Haynes of ESPN. According to Haynes, Reed will sign a one-year, $1.5MM contract, which suggests it’s a minimum salary deal.

[RELATED: 2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

Reed, 27, enjoyed a modest breakout season for the Heat in 2016/17, averaging 5.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 71 games for the club. The Missouri native played just 14.5 minutes per contest, but made his limited playing time count, chipping in 0.7 BPG and a .568 FG% as well. Miami’s defensive efficiency numbers were also a few points better with Reed on the court.

It has been an active offseason so far for the Clippers, who lost Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, and other veterans, but added Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari, Milos Teodosic, Sam Dekker, and Montrezl Harrell. That list of incoming names didn’t include a true center, so the Clippers had remained on the lookout for a backup for DeAndre Jordan, and did well to land Reed, one of the more notable centers left on the market.

The Clippers have a small portion of their mid-level exception left, but as our minimum salary breakdown shows, a player with Reed’s experience is eligible for a minimum of $1,577,230, so the club shouldn’t need to dip into its MLE to sign the big man.

Reed previously drew some interest from the Hawks, Heat, Sixers, Pacers, and Rockets, according to various reports. Haynes adds that the Warriors also had interest in Reed.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Mavericks Sign Brandon Ashley

August 3rd, 2017 at 6:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Mavericks have signed Brandon Ashley, according to a team press release. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ashley, who played for both of Dallas’ Summer League teams this offseason, spent the 2015 preseason with the Mavericks before being waived. He then joined the team’s G-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, for the 2015/16 campaign and earned a G-League All-Star appearance.

The power forward was not selected in the 2015 draft after playing three seasons at the University of Arizona. During his collegiate career, he helped the Wildcats reach the elite eight on two occasions.