NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/14/17
Here are Tuesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
10:12 pm:
- The Cavaliers have assigned Larry Sanders to the Canton Charge, according to the D-League Digest (Twitter link). Cleveland signed Sanders on Monday.
- The Hawks have assigned DeAndre’ Bembry to the Salt Lake City Stars, according to the team’s website. Atlanta doesn’t have its own D-League affiliate, so the rookie will play for Utah’s affiliate, per the league’s flex assignment rule.
5:32pm:
- The Cavaliers have assigned rookie guard Kay Felder to the Canton Charge, the D-League affiliate wrote in a press release on its official website. Felder has appeared in 9 games for Canton already this season.
3:58pm:
- The Clippers announced they have recalled Brice Johnson from the Salt Lake City Stars (press release). Johnson, the 25th overall pick in the 2016 draft, has largely been inactive this season due to a herniated disk in his back.
- The Pistons have recalled Henry Ellenson from the D-League, according to the team.
Cavs Sign Larry Sanders, Waive Andrew Bogut
4:23pm: The Cavs formally confirmed Sanders’ deal today in a press release. The team also announced that Bogut has been waived.
8:21am: The Cavaliers have reached an agreement on a contract with free agent big man Larry Sanders, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). Sanders, who will make his return to the NBA after two years away from the league, will likely get a second-year option for 2017/18 on his new deal, adds Charania.
As Charania explains (via Twitter), Sanders is in Cleveland today with agent Joel Bell to finalize his new contract with the Cavs. The former Buck will take a physical exam this morning, and the two sides are still working on nailing down a decision date for next year’s option. Based on a report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, it sounds like it will be a team option, with a guarantee date this summer — if Sanders is still under contract beyond that date, his salary for next season will become guaranteed.
In order for Sanders’ deal to become official, the Cavaliers will need to officially waive Andrew Bogut. The former first overall pick joined the team after being cut by the Mavericks, but suffered a fractured tibia just 58 seconds into his first game with the Cavs, ending his season. A report last week indicated that the club intends to release Bogut to open up a roster spot.
As for Sanders, he has been looking to make an NBA comeback this season after walking away from the game for personal reasons more than two years ago. Sanders, now 28, flashed promising upside during his initial stint in the NBA. In the 2012/13 season, the last time he was fully healthy, the former 15th overall pick averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. Injuries and off-court problems limited him to 50 games over his last two seasons in the NBA.
[RELATED: Sanders to play games for Cavs’ D-League affiliate]
The cap-strapped Cavs can’t offer Sanders more than the minimum salary, so his cap hit will be modest, though the team will be charged an extra $2.50 in taxes for every dollar it spends on Sanders. Assuming he gets a two-year deal, Sanders will have a cap charge of $207,722 on the Cavs’ books this season, and the team would owe an additional $519,305 in taxes on his 2016/17 salary.
According to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net (via Twitter), approximately half the teams in the NBA expressed some level of interest in Sanders, but the veteran center made it known two weeks ago that he preferred to join the Cavs. Because he hasn’t been on an NBA roster this season – and therefore hasn’t been waived at all – Sanders retains his playoff eligibility for Cleveland.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls 3/12/17
Here are Sunday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
11:58pm:
- The Warriors assigned Damian Jones to the D-League, writes Connor Letourneau of SFGate. Jones is expected to finish the D-League season with Santa Cruz.
5:00pm:
- The Raptors have assigned Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam to the Raptors 905, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Poeltl and Siakam are just two of the 2016 first-round picks who were sent down to the D-League this season, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors details.
- The Mavericks have recalled Manny Harris and Jarrod Uthoff from the Texas Legends, according to a team press release. Dallas is about to embark on a 4-game road trip and each of the 15 players on the roster will make the journey, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com tweets.
- The Cavaliers have recalled Kay Felder from the Canton Charge, according to the team’s website. Felder has seen action in 37 games for Cleveland this year and he’s averaging 4.0 points per game
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls 3/11/17
Here are Saturday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Mavericks have assigned Manny Harris and Jarrod Uthoff to their D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, according to a team press release. Dallas signed both players to 10-day deals earlier this week.
- The Warriors have recalled Damian Jones from the Santa Cruz Warriors, their D-League affiliate, per a team press release. Jones is seeing court time for Golden State tonight, as coach Steve Kerr decided to rest several of the team’s top players.
Lakers Sign David Nwaba To Second 10-Day Deal
The Lakers have signed guard David Nwaba to a second 10-day contract, the team announced via press release on its official website. The move was announced by recently (formally) appointed general manager Rob Pelinka.
In five games with the Lakers over the course of his first 10-day deal, Nwaba averaged 2.6 points in 11.2 minutes per game while showcasing good energy and defense.
In addition to his time with the Lakers this season, the 24-year-old has also played in 39 contests, starting 30 of them, for the club’s D-League affiliate. In 29.0 minutes per game with the D-Fenders, Nwaba has averaged 14.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/10/17
Here are Friday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- Having signed him to a 10-day contract, the Mavericks have now recalled Manny Harris from their D-League affiliate, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Harris, assigned to the Texas Legends for one more game after signing with the Mavs on Thursday, put up 31 points last month in a loss to Northern Arizona.
- The Pistons have sent Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije back to their D-League affiliate for the weekend, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. The Grand Rapids Drive will play games in Erie tonight and tomorrow.
- Rookie guard Malik Beasley is headed to the Sioux Falls Skyforce on an assignment, the Nuggets announced today in a press release. Denver doesn’t have its own D-League squad yet, so this is Beasley’s fifth assignment to Miami’s affiliate.
- The Lakers have assigned Ivica Zubac to the D-League for tonight’s game against Reno, per Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link). Zubac has had a more regular role for the Lakers over the last month, and will get a chance to suit up for the D-Fenders today with the NBA club not in action until Sunday.
- The Knicks have assigned Maurice Ndour to Westchester, the team announced today (via Twitter). The rookie forward has averaged 14.3 PPG and 6.7 RPG in 12 D-League games this season.
- The Grizzlies have assigned Deyonta Davis to the Iowa Energy, the team announced in a press release. The No. 31 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Davis has been used sparingly in David Fizdale’s rotation; accumulating four DNP’s over Memphis’ last seven games. Davis has averaged 8.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over five games with the Energy in 2016/17.
Rockets Sign Troy Williams To 10-Day Contract
MARCH 10: Houston has made it official with Williams, as GM Daryl Morey tweeted out a welcome today to the newest Rocket. Morey added in a follow-up tweet that Williams has been sent to the D-League to play for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers tonight.
MARCH 9: The Rockets intend to fill their open 15th roster spot by signing D-League swingman Troy Williams to a 10-day contract, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). Houston’s next game is on Friday in Chicago, so the Rockets may wait until tomorrow to make things official with Williams.
An undrafted free agent out of Indiana, Williams caught on with the Grizzlies last summer and actually earned a regular season roster spot with the club. The 22-year-old appeared in 24 games for Memphis earlier this season, starting 13 of them and averaging 5.3 PPG. However, he was cut by the Grizzlies at the end of January in order to make room for Toney Douglas.
In 22 D-League games for the Iowa Energy this season, Williams has averaged 13.1 PPG and 4.1 RPG, with a .459/.330/.696 shooting line.
The Rockets opened up two spots on their roster by trading K.J. McDaniels and waiving Marcelo Huertas last month. The team filled one of those openings by signing Isaiah Taylor to a multiyear contract, and will now have a full roster again once Williams’ deal is finalized.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/9/17
Here are Thursday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- Shortly after he signed a 10-day contract with the Mavericks, Manny Harris was sent right back down to the D-League, the team announced in a press release. Harris figures to get a shot in Dallas at some point during his current 10-day deal, but with the Mavs not in action until tomorrow, Harris will remain with the Texas Legends for the club’s Thursday night game against Northern Arizona.
- The Rockets have recalled Kyle Wiltjer from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the team announced today (Twitter link). Houston had needed to get up to 12 active players by today, necessitating the call-up of Wiltjer, as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- Rookie big man Georgios Papagiannis has been sent back to the D-League by the Kings, per James Ham of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). Papagiannis is one of 16 first-round picks from 2016 who have been on D-League assignments this season, as we detailed yesterday.
- The Pelicans have assigned rookie Cheick Diallo to the D-League, according to the team (Twitter link). Diallo will head to the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’ D-League squad, via the flexible assignment rule.
Hornets Sign Briante Weber To 2nd 10-Day Deal
MARCH 9: Following the expiration of his initial 10-day deal, Weber has inked a second contract with the Hornets, as expected, the team announced today in a press release. When Weber’s second 10-day pact expires, Charlotte will have to decide whether or not to retain him for the season.
MARCH 8: The Hornets will sign Briante Weber to another 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). Weber’s first 10-day contract with the team expires tonight and by retaining the him, the team keeps its roster count at 15.
Weber hasn’t seen much action in Charlotte, logging just two minutes of action. He played seven games for the Warriors earlier this season, where he scored a total of 12 points in 46 minutes.
Weber has played for four NBA franchises during his brief career. In addition to the Warriors and Hornets, the second-year guard spent time with the Heat and the Grizzlies.
Mavericks Sign Manny Harris To 10-Day Deal
MARCH 9: The Mavs have officially signed Harris to a 10-day deal, according to a press release from the team. Dallas’ roster is now back up to 15 players.
MARCH 8: In addition to signing Jarrod Uthoff, as was reported earlier today, the Mavericks are also expected to call up guard Manny Harris from the D-League, reports Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Assuming the club finalizes 10-day contracts with both Uthoff and Harris, Dallas’ 15-man roster will once again be full.
Harris, 27, has played in 89 total regular season NBA contests for the Cavaliers and Lakers, but he hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2013/14 season. Since then, he has played primarily in the D-League. As a member of Dallas’ NBADL affiliate – the Texas Legends – this season, Harris has been one of the most prolific scorers in the league, averaging 26.2 PPG to go along with 7.6 RPG, 4.0 APG, and 2.1 SPG.
Few teams have used 10-day contracts more often this season than the Mavs — Uthoff and Harris will be the fifth and sixth players to sign 10-day deals with the club this year. Of those players, only Yogi Ferrell has earned a full-season contract so far.
Uthoff and Harris will be stepping in for Ben Bentil and Quinn Cook, who are headed back to their respective D-League clubs after their 10-day contracts with the Mavs expired last night. Cook, in particular, looked like a candidate to get a second 10-day deal from Dallas, but perhaps that will happen later this season if he doesn’t catch on with another NBA team.