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Warriors Sign Alex Hamilton

September 21st, 2017 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have filled out their roster for training camp by signing free agent guard Alex Hamilton to a contract, the team announced today in a press release. The move increases Golden State’s roster count to 20 players.

Hamilton, who turns 24 next month, played his college ball at Louisiana Tech, averaging 19.9 PPG and 6.2 APG in his senior year in 2015/16. Although his performance earned him Conference USA Player of the Year honors, Hamilton went undrafted last year.

After a short stint with a Polish team, Hamilton was selected in the G League draft and spent the 2016/17 season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s affiliate. He averaged 11.4 PPG and 4.5 APG in his first year at Santa Cruz, and is a good bet to head back to the G League following the preseason this year.

Although the Warriors have 20 players under contract, only one of the club’s two-way contract spots has been filled, so Hamilton may be a candidate for the other slot.

Grizzlies Sign Ivan Rabb To Three-Year Deal

September 21st, 2017 at 12:08pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 21, 12:08pm: The Grizzlies have officially signed Rabb, the team announced today in a press release.

SEPTEMBER 18, 7:58pm: The Grizzlies and Rabb have agreed to a three-year deal, with the first two seasons fully guaranteed, reports Geoff Calkins of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

5:56pm: The Grizzlies are close to reaching an agreement with rookie forward Ivan Rabb on a three-year contract, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Rabb, the 35th overall pick in this year’s draft, had been one of the last 2017 draftees who remained unsigned.

Many draft experts and NBA observers expected Rabb to declare for the draft a year ago, but he made the surprise decision to stay at Cal for his sophomore season. In his second year with the Golden Bears, Rabb averaged a double-double with 14.0 PPG and 10.5 RPG, though his FG% dipped from .615 in his freshman year to .484 in 2016/17.

Viewed as a probable first-rounder if he had entered the 2016 draft, Rabb slipped to the second round this spring. The Grizzlies sent a 2019 second-round pick to Orlando in order to acquire the No. 35 overall pick, which they used to select Rabb.

While exact terms of the agreement aren’t yet known, the Grizzlies figure to use their mid-level exception to sign Rabb — that exception allows the club to offer slightly more than the minimum and to go beyond a two-year contract. Memphis already used most of its MLE to lock up Ben McLemore, Rade Zagorac, and Dillon Brooks, but still has about $1.44MM left, which is more than enough for Rabb’s starting salary.

Assuming Rabb’s 2017/18 salary is fully guaranteed on his new deal with Memphis, the team will have 16 players on guaranteed contracts. That number would increase to 17 if the Grizzlies work out a new deal with JaMychal Green, who remains a restricted free agent. Teams are only allowed to carry 15 players on their regular season rosters, so the Grizzlies will potentially have to make a trade or two before opening night in order to avoid eating some guaranteed money.

Bucks Sign Kendall Marshall To Camp Deal

September 21st, 2017 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have signed Kendall Marshall to a contract, the team announced today in a press release. The club classifies the agreement as a training camp deal, meaning it likely includes little to no guaranteed money.

Marshall, 26, was a lottery pick back in 2012, coming off the board 13th overall to the Suns. However, he has bounced around the NBA and the G League since then, spending time with the Lakers, Bucks, Sixers, and – last season – the Reno Bighorns. Although Marshall’s career NBA numbers are modest – 5.0 PPG and 4.9 APG in 160 games – he played well in the G League in 2016/17, averaging 15.1 PPG and 9.0 APG in 21 contests for Reno.

Most recently, Marshall was selected to be a member of the U.S. team that competed in the FIBA AmeriCup tournament a few weeks ago. Marshall was the club’s starting point guard and helped Team USA win a gold medal.

With Marshall under contract, the Bucks are now carrying the maximum 20 players on their offseason roster, including 14 with fully guaranteed salaries.

Hawks Sign Jordan Mathews

September 21st, 2017 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks have officially signed Jordan Mathews to their training camp roster, the team announced today in a press release. With Jeremy Evans‘ agreement having been finalized as well, Atlanta’s roster count is now at 19.

Mathews, a 6’4″ shooting guard, spent his first three college seasons at the University of California before transferring to Gonzaga for his senior year. In 2016/17, Mathews averaged 10.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 1.5 APG for the Zags, with a shooting line of .405/.392/.733. A designated marksman throughout his college career, the 23-year-old attempted more total shots from three-point range than from inside the arc.

While details of Mathews’ contract with the Hawks haven’t been reported, it figures to feature a very modest guarantee, if it includes any guaranteed money at all. The Hawks have their own G League affiliate this season, and Mathews looks like a good bet to become an affiliate player for the Erie BayHawks.

Hawks Sign Jeremy Evans To Camp Deal

September 21st, 2017 at 9:53am CST by ChrisCrouse

SEPTEMBER 21: The Hawks have officially signed Evans, the team announced today in a press release.

SEPTEMBER 13: The Hawks have signed Jeremy Evans to a training camp deal, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). After bringing in Evans, the team has 18 players on the roster.

Evans last played in the NBA for the Mavericks during the 2015/16 season, though a shoulder injury cut his campaign short. He appeared in 30 games for Dallas that season, scoring just 2.4 points per game in 8.4 minutes per contest.

Prior to his Mavericks stint, he spent five seasons in Utah where he saw a career high in minutes (18.4) during the 2013/14 season. The combo forward played in Russia last season with BC Khimki.

Suns’ Alex Len Plans To Sign Qualifying Offer

September 21st, 2017 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

Another restricted free agent is set to come off the board, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports that Suns big man Alex Len intends to sign his one-year qualifying offer before training camp gets underway. Signing that qualifying offer will put Len on track to become an unrestricted free agent in 2018.

Len, the fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, has spent the first four years of his NBA career in Phoenix, but the Suns remain reluctant to commit to him for the long term. Wojnarowski suggests in his report that the club wants to study the 24-year-old’s progress during the 2017/18 season before offering him a lucrative long-term contract. Of course, by putting a potential extension off for another year, the Suns will lose the right of first refusal that they had this offseason.

While Len and his camp investigated the possibility of signing an offer sheet with a rival suitor, or working out a sign-and-trade arrangement with the Suns, none of those scenarios were as appealing as the prospect of hitting unrestricted free agency next year, says Wojnarowski.

In 2016/17, Len appeared in 77 games for the Suns, starting 34. He averaged 8.0 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 20.3 MPG, chipping in 1.3 BPG with a .497 FG%. Like Nerlens Noel, the other RFA to sign a qualifying offer this offseason, Len didn’t meet the starter criteria, so his qualifying offer was worth just $4.188MM instead of $6.4MM.

After adding that $4.188MM salary for Len to their books, the Suns will still only be at about $82MM in guaranteed money for the 2017/18 season. That number will increase a little if Phoenix carries a couple non-guaranteed salaries, but the club will remain well below the salary floor.

Unless the Suns intend to make a run at another restricted free agent – JaMychal Green or Nikola Mirotic – that cap room is unlikely to be put toward a major signing, but it could be used to accommodate a salary dump in a trade later this season.

With Len on a one-year deal, the Suns will also retain plenty of cap space for the summer of 2018. Currently, the club has less than $60MM in guaranteed money on its cap for 2018/19, per Basketball Insiders, though that figure will increase once Phoenix exercises options on Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss, and a couple other players.

Once Len officially signs his qualifying offer, he’ll gain the ability to veto trades during the 2017/18 league year, since he would lose his Bird rights if he’s dealt.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Nuggets Sign Josh Childress

September 20th, 2017 at 1:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 20: Childress has officially signed his new contract with the Nuggets, according to RealGM’s log of NBA transactions.

SEPTEMBER 12: Josh Childress has reached an agreement with the Nuggets, making him the first BIG3 player to get an NBA deal, reports Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. According to Scotto, it’ll be a one-year, non-guaranteed pact for the veteran forward.

Childress, 34, hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2013/14 season, when he had a four-game stint with the Pelicans. He was the sixth pick in the 2004 draft and had four strong seasons with the Hawks before signing in Greece in 2008. He returned to the United States in 2010, spending two seasons with Phoenix and one with Brooklyn before being waived. He has also played in Australia and the G League and spent last season in Japan.

Childress will be a long shot to make the team in Denver, but there is a potential roster spot open. His signing brings the Nuggets to 17 players in camp, with 14 having guaranteed money. Those totals don’t include restricted free agent center Mason Plumlee, who remains unsigned.

Nuggets Re-Sign Mason Plumlee

September 20th, 2017 at 11:34am CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 20: The Nuggets have officially re-signed Plumlee, issuing a press release today to announce the deal.

SEPTEMBER 18: The Nuggets have reached a three-year deal with restricted free agent Mason Plumlee valued at $41MM, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Agent Mark Bartelstein tells Wojnarowski that the two sides struck an agreement late Sunday night.

Plumlee came to Denver in a trade with Portland at last year’s deadline, with the Nuggets giving up Jusuf Nurkic and a first-round pick for Plumlee and a second-rounder. The 27-year-old center was used mainly in a reserve role behind Nikola Jokic and averaged 9.1 points and 6.4 rebounds over 27 games.

Plumlee confirmed the signing in a “Letter to Nuggets Fans” posted on his website, saying he is looking forward to the upcoming season. “I meant what I said when I was traded here last year,” he wrote. “This is an exciting, talented young team with a bunch of high character guys and I’ve always admired the loyalty and dedication of Nuggets fans. With some of the big additions this summer and another year of experience for the young guns, I believe this team can compete with anyone in the league.”

Plumlee, who made a little more than $2.3MM last season, got a deal similar to the four-year, $56MM extension the Hornets gave Cody Zeller last fall, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). The signing pushes Denver’s salary total to $103.2MM, which ranks 20th in the league (Twitter link).

At this point in the offseason, given the lack of cap room available around the NBA, it’s a strong deal for Plumlee, and reflects the value the Nuggets place on him, even with Jokic and Paul Millsap penciled in as the starters up front.

With Plumlee under contract, the only restricted free agents left on the market are Nikola Mirotic of Chicago, Alex Len of Phoenix and JaMychal Green of Memphis.

The Nuggets’ next priority, Wojnarowski adds, will be reaching an extension with Gary Harris before the October 16 deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bucks Sign Brandon Rush

September 19th, 2017 at 6:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 19: The signing is official, according to Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 18: Free agent swingman Brandon Rush has agreed to a contract with the Bucks, according to a tweet from his agency, Priority Sports.

Contract terms weren’t revealed, but Milwaukee has luxury tax concerns that suggest it will be a minimum deal. After waiving and stretching Spencer Hawes right before the August 31 deadline, the Bucks had a team salary of $115.3MM, less than $4MM away from the tax line. They had room for two minimum-salary contracts, one of which is expected to go toward re-signing Jason Terry.

Milwaukee was revealed this morning as the latest team to join the race for Rush, who spent last season with the Timberwolves. The Mavericks, Heat and Pacers all expressed interest in Rush earlier in free agency.

The Bucks will be the fifth team for the nine-year veteran, who started his career in Indiana. He had two terms of duty in Golden State and a brief stop in Utah before signing with Minnesota last summer. The 32-year-old appeared in 47 games for the Wolves, starting 33, and averaged 4.2 points per night.

Lakers Sign Andrew Bogut To One-Year Deal

September 19th, 2017 at 6:45pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 19: The signing is official, Bill Oram of the Southern California News Group relays on Twitter.

SEPTEMBER 18: The Lakers have reached an agreement with free agent center Andrew Bogut, agent David Bauman tells Shams Charania of The Vertical. According to Charania, Bogut will sign a one-year contract with Los Angeles. David Aldridge of TNT adds (via Twitter) that the deal will be worth the veteran minimum, while ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne tweets that it’ll be partially guaranteed.

Bogut, who will turn 33 in November, began last season with the Mavericks, appearing in 26 games (21 starts) for Dallas before being traded to the Sixers in a deadline deal. He was subsequently bought out by Philadelphia and joined the Cavaliers as a free agent, but fractured his tibia in his first game with his new team, ending his season.

Bauman suggested last week that a CT scan on Bogut’s tibia showed “complete healing,” with a radiology report showing that the center’s leg is “solidly united.” With a medical green light, Bogut was expected to find a new NBA home quickly, and ultimately landed with the Lakers, who will add him to a promising frontcourt that already features Brook Lopez, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., Ivica Zubac, and rookies Kyle Kuzma and Thomas Bryant.

Even if he’s fully healthy heading into the 2017/18 season, Bogut likely won’t make a major on-court impact at this point in his career — since the start of the 2012/13 season, he has been a role player, averaging 5.9 PPG in 23.5 minutes per contest. Still, he has provided reliable rim protecting and rebounding, chipping in 1.6 BPG and 8.2 RPG during that stretch, so he could have some value in L.A.’s rotation.

According to Aldridge (via Twitter), the Timberwolves made a “major pitch” to Bogut, and the Celtics and Cavaliers were in the mix too. However, the former first overall pick liked L.A.’s “vibe,” not to mention the opportunity to reunite with head coach Luke Walton, who played a part in recruiting the ex-Warrior (Twitter link). While Boston was frequently linked to Bogut during his free agency, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) suspects the Celtics didn’t push overly hard to land him.

The Lakers entered the day with 19 players under contract, so their roster will be at the 20-man offseason maximum when they finalize their agreement with Bogut.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.