Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavs Pick Up Justin Anderson’s 2017/18 Option

October 18th, 2016 at 8:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks have locked in Justin Anderson‘s salary for the 2017/18 season, exercising their team option on the third year of his rookie contract, per RealGM’s transactions log. The move guarantees Anderson’s $1,579,440 salary for the ’17/18 campaign.

The deadline for teams to make 2017/18 option decisions on rookie contracts is October 31, but the Mavs didn’t exactly need to take their call on Anderson down to the wire. Although the Virginia product didn’t make a huge impact in his rookie season in Dallas, averaging 3.8 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 55 regular-season contests (11.8 MPG), he appears poised to take on a bigger role as he continues to develop his game.

Anderson’s salary also represents a very small fraction of what the Mavericks will spend on player salaries for the next few seasons. Assuming the cap for 2017/18 rises to at least $102MM, as expected, Anderson’s salary would only represent about 1.5% of that figure.

The 6’6″ forward, who will turn 23 next month, would get another salary bump to about $2.52MM in 2018/19, assuming the Mavs exercise that option next fall. That would put Anderson on track for a contract extension in 2018 or potential restricted free agency in 2019.

Pacers Exercise 2017/18 Option On Myles Turner

October 18th, 2016 at 8:31am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have formally exercised their 2017/18 team option on Myles Turner‘s contract, according to RealGM.com’s transactions log. The move comes as no surprise, but it ensures that Turner’s salary for the ’17/18 season is now fully guaranteed.

Turner, the 11th overall pick in last year’s draft, appeared in 60 games during his rookie season in Indiana, starting 30 games at center during the regular season and four more in the playoffs. After averaging 10.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.4 BPG during the season, Turner posted similar scoring and rebounding numbers in the Pacers’ first-round series against Toronto, while also contributing an impressive 3.3 BPG in those seven contests.

Turner’s rookie-scale contract calls for a salary worth about $2.46MM in 2016/17, while the option picked up by the Pacers for the following season comes in at about $2.57MM. The Pacers will have another option decision to make on Turner next year — assuming the club picks up his 2018/19 option ($3.41MM), he would eventually be eligible for a contract extension in 2018 or restricted free agency in the summer of 2019.

Thunder Sign Reggie Williams, Waive Alex Caruso

October 17th, 2016 at 7:19pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Thunder shuffled guards on their roster today, announcing via press release that Reggie Williams has been signed and Alex Caruso was waived. The details of Williams’ deal were not relayed, though it is almost assuredly a minimum salary arrangement that may include a small partial guarantee. Caruso’s minimum salary pact included a partial guarantee of $50K, which will remain on OKC’s salary cap unless he is claimed off waivers by another club.

Williams spent the 2015/16 campaign overseas with the Russian club Avtodor Saratov. He appeared in 16 contests and averaged 13.6 points on 58.8% shooting overall. The guard has appeared in 200 career NBA games (32 starts) with the Thunder, Spurs, Hornets and Warriors. He owns career averages of 7.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 18.3 minutes

Caruso, who went undrafted in June, played his college ball at Texas A&M, averaging 8.1 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.6 RPG, and 2.1 SPG in his senior year, while shooting 36.8% from three-point range. The 22-year-old was also named to the SEC’s All-Defensive Team. He did not log a single minute of action during preseason play for the Thunder.

Pistons Waive Nikola Jovanovic

October 17th, 2016 at 4:36pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Pistons have waived forward Nikola Jovanovic, the team announced via press release. Jovanovic’s minimum salary deal included a partial guarantee of $30K, which Detroit will be on the hook for, provided the player isn’t claimed off waivers by another team. The Pistons’ roster count now stands at 17 players, which is still two above the regular season maximum.

Jovanovic wasn’t selected in June’s NBA Draft after forgoing his senior year at USC in order to become draft-eligible. In his final season with the Trojans, the 22-year-old averaged 12.1 PPG and 7.0 RPG, shooting 52.4% from the field.

The forward saw action saw action in one preseason game for the Pistons, going scoreless in just over three minutes of playing time. He’ll likely join Detroit’s D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids to start the season.

Pacers Waive Alex Poythress, Nick Zeisloft

October 17th, 2016 at 3:29pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have waived camp invitees Alex Poythress and Nick Zeisloft, the team announced today in a press release. The pair of cuts reduces Indiana’s roster to 17 players, including 16 with fully guaranteed salaries.

Poythress and Zeisloft both signed minimum-salary contracts with the Pacers this summer, and both players received very modest guarantees — Poythress got $35K, while Zeisloft received $25K. The duo played very sparingly in Indiana’s preseason games, and are likely ticketed for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ D-League squad, as Scott Agness of VigilantSports.com tweets.

With Poythress and Zeisloft no longer in the mix, the Pacers will have to make two more roster cuts to get their roster down to the regular-season limit of 15 players. Julyan Stone, whose salary is only guaranteed for $50K, is the most likely candidate to be waived. Indiana will also have to cut a player with a guaranteed salary, and Jeremy Evans may be that player — he was acquired in a salary-dump deal with the Mavericks and hasn’t played at all for the Pacers during the preseason.

Mavericks Sign Jaleel Cousins

October 17th, 2016 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks have added a big man to their roster, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed former South Florida center Jaleel Cousins to a contract. Terms of the agreement aren’t known, but Cousins will almost certainly get a minimum-salary contract with little or no guaranteed money.

Cousins, who went undrafted in June, is the brother of All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. The younger Cousins averaged 8.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in his senior year at South Florida in 2015/16, appearing in all 33 games for the team. He also spent some time with the Mavs in July, playing for the club’s Orlando Summer League squad.

As is the case with many signings of undrafted free agents at this point, the Mavs likely added Cousins with an eye toward having him join their D-League team. Because Cousins wasn’t previously affiliated with another D-League club, he’d be eligible to join the Texas Legends if and when he’s waived by the Mavs.

Dallas is now back at 20 players on its preseason roster, having cut Jameel Warney on Sunday.

Heat Sign Vashil Fernandez, Cut Stefan Jankovic

October 17th, 2016 at 12:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have tweaked the back of their roster slightly, announcing today in a press release that they’ve cut Stefan Jankovic and replaced him with newly-signed center Vashil Fernandez. Jankovic will become a free agent if and when he clears waivers, and will likely end up with Miami’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Fernandez, meanwhile, went undrafted this June after spending his four-year college career at Valparaiso. The 6’10” big man averaged just 5.6 PPG during his senior season, but also chipped in 7.3 RPG and 3.3 BPG over the course of 36 games.

Jankovic had a $100K guarantee on his deal with Miami, so the Heat have a vested interest in continuing to develop him in the D-League. Another NBA team could claim him off waivers or sign him as a free agent, but they’d have to keep him on their 15-man roster to start the season in order to get his D-League rights.

While details of Fernandez’s deal aren’t yet known, a modest guarantee – if that – on a minimum-salary contract is a safe bet. Like Jankovic, Fernandez likely won’t make Miami’s regular-season roster. In fact, the two players could end up being teammates in Sioux Falls at some point this season.

Pelicans Sign Quincy Ford

October 17th, 2016 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

At a time when most NBA teams are waiving players from their roster, the Pelicans have announced a signing. According to a team release, New Orleans has signed Quincy Ford, who recently cleared waivers after being cut loose by the Jazz. The Pelicans are now back up to the maximum 20 players.

Ford, 23, signed his first NBA contract with the Jazz out of Northeastern back in September, receiving a $75K guarantee on a three-year pact with the team. Having played Summer League ball with Utah and spent training camp with them as well, the young forward appeared ticketed for the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s D-League affiliate. However, the Pelicans may have thrown a wrench in that plan.

Still, the Pelicans don’t have a D-League affiliate of their own, so if they want to keep Ford under team control, they’ll have to include him on their 15-man regular season roster. New Orleans already has 15 guaranteed salaries on its books for 2016/17, and that doesn’t even include Lance Stephenson, who has a partial guarantee — it would be a surprise if Ford makes the cut.

Bulls, Bucks Swap Tony Snell, Michael Carter-Williams

October 17th, 2016 at 9:58am CST by ChrisCrouse

OCTOBER 17, 9:58am: The Bulls and Bucks have officially announced the trade in a pair of press releases. Given the difference between Carter-Williams’ salary and Snell’s salary, Milwaukee should also pick up a small trade exception worth $815,199 in the deal.

OCTOBER 16, 8:43am: The Bucks will send Michael Carter-Williams to the Bulls in exchange for Tony Snell, Zach Lowe and Marc Stein of ESPN.com report. While it’s not quite a done deal, it is expected to be completed by Monday, Charles F. Garner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets.

Milwaukee has been looking to acquire more shooting and defense since Khris Middleton suffered a torn hamstring in training camp, sources tell the pair of ESPN scribes. Milwaukee is interested in Snell both as a fill-in for Middleton and as a potential role player for the future. The team is expected to open contract extension talks with Snell once the deal is consummated, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.

This will be the Bucks’ second trade since the Middleton injury, as they acquired Michael Beasley last month. Snell should see significantly more playing time with his new team than he would have with the Bulls. He was facing competition for playing time in Chicago with Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler and Doug McDermott expected to see the majority of minutes on the wing.

The Bulls didn’t have a proven option at the point guard position behind new addition Rajon Rondo. The league’s reigning leader in assists per game signed a two-year deal with the team during the offseason, but only $3MM of his $13.4MM salary is guaranteed next season. Carter-Williams could have an opportunity to take over the starting spot long-term, but in the interim, he’ll provide the team with depth at the position.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Hawks Waive Matt Costello

October 17th, 2016 at 9:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks have begun to make their preseason cuts, according to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has waived Matt Costello. The move reduces Atlanta’s roster count to 19, so the club will still have to cut at least four more players before opening night.

Costello, who played his college ball at Michigan State, averaged 10.7 PPG and 8.2 RPG during his senior year in 2015/16. After going undrafted in June, Costello quickly agreed to terms with the Hawks and then made it official with the team in July. The power forward received a $50K guarantee on a two-year deal from Atlanta.

Costello played sparingly during the preseason with the Hawks, appearing in two games and totaling 18 minutes. He seems like a good bet to land with a D-League team, but Atlanta doesn’t have its own affiliate, so it would be a challenge for the Hawks to closely monitor him if he does end up in the D-League.