Cavaliers Sign DeAndre Liggins
The Cavaliers have officially signed shooting guard DeAndre Liggins to a contract, ensuring that he’ll come to training camp with the team, according to a RealGM report. Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer wrote last month that Liggins would be among the Summer League players to go to camp with the Cavs.
[RELATED: Cavaliers re-sign James Jones]
While terms of the deal aren’t yet known, RealGM’s transactions log suggests that it’s a multiyear pact for Liggins. Given the Cavaliers’ cap limitations, a two-year, minimum-salary contract seems likely. It remains to be seen whether Liggins got a small guarantee as part of the agreement.
Liggins, 28, was selected in the second round of the 2011 draft by the Magic, and appeared in 57 total NBA games with Orlando, Oklahoma City, and Miami. However, he has spent most of his time in recent years in the D-League, winning Defensive Player of the Year in two of the last three seasons.
Playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce in 2015/16, Liggins averaged 13.0 PPG, 7.0 APG, 6.3 RPG, and 2.1 SPG, shooting 43.4% on three-point attempts.
Cavaliers Re-Sign James Jones
AUGUST 3: The Cavaliers have issued a press release formally announcing that they’ve re-signed Jones.
“We’re very happy to have James back with the Cavaliers,” GM David Griffin said in a statement. “He is a Champion in every sense of the word and his leadership and professionalism over the last two years have translated with our team in many different ways that have helped us reach our goals. ‘Champ’ delivers a clear reflection of what success at the highest level should embody and his contributions and commitment to our team are something we need and appreciate greatly.”
AUGUST 2: The Cavaliers have agreed to terms on a new deal for their veteran forward who has appeared in six consecutive NBA Finals — no, not LeBron James. According to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link), it’s James Jones who is in agreement with the Cavs, striking a one-year, $1.55MM deal to return to the team.
Jones, who will turn 36 this fall, appeared in 48 regular-season contests for the Cavaliers last season, averaging 9.6 MPG and chipping in 3.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG, and a .394 3PT%. The three-time NBA champion didn’t see much action in the postseason, and doesn’t have a huge role in Cleveland, but his locker-room presence and veteran leadership is valued by the franchise and by James, his longtime teammate.
Based on the Cavaliers’ cap limitations and Charania’s report, Jones will almost certainly receive a minimum-salary contract from the club, which will be worth $1,551,659 for a player with his experience. Because it’s a one-year deal, the minimum salary exception will allow the Cavs to assume a cap hit of just $980,431, while the NBA foots the rest of the bill.
With Jones locked up, the Cavs will continue to work on securing their other free agents, such as James and J.R. Smith.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Clippers Sign Alan Anderson
AUGUST 3, 1:25pm: The Clippers have officially signed Anderson, the team announced today in a press release.
AUGUST 2, 7:14pm: Anderson’s deal is for one year and is worth the veteran’s minimum, Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times tweets.
6:37pm: The Clippers have agreed to a deal with unrestricted free agent Alan Anderson, Dan Woike of The Orange County Register reports (via Twitter). The length and terms of the arrangement are unknown, but given Los Angeles’ lack of cap space, it is likely a minimum salary pact.
There were reports that the Wizards were considering re-signing Anderson, though their interest was categorized as minimal. The swingman was limited to 13 games last season with Washington after undergoing offseason surgery on his left ankle. He averaged 5.0 points , 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 14.8 minutes per outing in 2015/16.
Anderson, 33, has appeared in a total of 300 regular season NBA games over the course of his career. He owns career averages of 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting .406/.345/.818.
Jimmer Fredette To Play In China
6:21pm: Fredette’s deal is for one year and will pay him in excess of $1MM, Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweets.
2:20pm: Five years after being selected 10th overall in the 2011 draft, Jimmer Fredette appears set to take his talents overseas. According to international basketball journalist David Pick (Twitter link), Fredette has agreed to sign with the Shanghai Sharks, the Chinese team owned by former NBA star Yao Ming.
While Fredette’s deal with the Sharks is not yet official, it doesn’t come at a surprise that he has decided to explore international opportunities. After averaging 18.6 minutes per game in his rookie season with the Kings in 2011/12, Fredette has seen his playing time steadily decline since then, as he bounced around from Sacramento to Chicago to New Orleans to New York.
Last season, the former BYU star appeared in just six total games for the Pelicans and Knicks, playing a total of 18 minutes. By heading overseas, Fredette will have a chance to take on a more significant role for a club, rather than battling for a back-end roster spot with an NBA team.
In 235 career NBA games, Fredette has averaged 6.0 PPG and 1.4 APG, shooting a respectable 38.1% on three-point attempts.
Bucks Re-Sign Miles Plumlee
AUGUST 2nd, 4:44pm: The signing is official, the team announced. “Miles is an athletic big man that gives us added depth on the frontline,” GM John Hammond said. “He does a really good job as a finisher around the basket and also as a rim protector on the defensive end. We’re very happy to have him back with the Bucks.”
JULY 18th, 11:11am: The Bucks have agreed to terms with restricted free agent Miles Plumlee on a four-year deal that will pay him $50MM+, according to multiple reports. Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who first broke word of the agreement, tweets that it’s worth $50MM, while ESPN’s Marc Stein says (via Twitter) it’s worth $52MM. Michael Scotto of The Associated Press adds (via Twitter) that there are no options, and all four years are guaranteed.
Plumlee, who turns 28 in September, has played for three teams since entering the NBA in 2012. After playing for Indiana in his rookie season, Plumlee was sent to Phoenix as part of a trade package for Luis Scola. He was later moved to the Bucks in the three-way trade at the 2015 deadline that saw Brandon Knight land in Phoenix and Michael Carter-Williams join Plumlee in Milwaukee.
After averaging nearly 20 minutes per game in Phoenix, Plumlee saw his role reduced in Milwaukee. In his first full season with the Bucks this past year, he played 14.3 minutes per contest, averaging 5.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 0.8 BPG. Those numbers are modest, but the Bucks apparently liked what they saw enough to make him a restricted free agent, then to commit big money to him on a four-year deal.
[RELATED: Milwaukee Bucks depth chart at RosterResource.com]
With Plumlee locked up, the Bucks are now on the hook for more than $40MM combined to him, John Henson, and Greg Monroe for the 2016/17 season. Even with a Giannis Antetokounmpo extension potentially coming this fall, or next summer, the Bucks have the financial flexibility to afford all three deals — Henson’s salary declines annually, and Greg Monroe can opt out of his contract in 2017.
Still, we’ve heard throughout the summer that the Bucks have been exploring the trade market in an attempt to find a viable deal for Monroe. With Henson and Plumlee now locked up through the 2019/20 season, it seems even more clear that Monroe isn’t a part of the team’s long-term plans.
As our Free Agent Tracker shows, Plumlee is the 26th free agent this summer to land a new contract with a total value of at least $50MM.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Spurs Sign David Lee
AUGUST 2: The Spurs have issued a press release officially announcing their deal with Lee.
JULY 28: The Spurs have added some veteran help to their frontcourt, with the team reaching an agreement on a contract with unrestricted free agent David Lee, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (via Twitter).
It will be a two-year pact that includes a player option for the 2017/18 campaign, Wojnarowski adds. The contract will pay Lee an estimated $3.2MM, Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News tweets. That will make it a minimum-salary pact.
Lee brings a solid work ethic, a versatile skill set and a high motor with him to San Antonio. If he can remain healthy, Lee should fit right in with the Spurs brand of basketball. He’ll add some depth to a frontcourt that will be without Tim Duncan, who announced his retirement earlier this offseason.
The 33-year-old finished the 2015/16 season with the Mavericks after he reached a buyout arrangement with the Celtics. In 25 games with Dallas, Lee averaged 8.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17.3 minutes per outing. He shot .636/.000/.738 from the field during his time in Texas.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Raptors Sign Jarrod Uthoff
AUGUST 2: The Raptors have officially signed Uthoff, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 21: The Raptors and undrafted free agent Jarrod Uthoff have agreed on a partially guaranteed two-year deal, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (on Twitter). It figures to be a minimum-salary pact, since Toronto is over the cap and has used its mid-level exception.
Uthoff will compete for the Raptors’ final roster spot. Uthoff was an All-American at Iowa last season. Among Big Ten players, Uthoff ranked second in scoring (18.9), first in blocked shots (2.7), and tied for 11th in rebounding (6.4).
Uthoff was expected by many draft pundits to get picked as a late first round selection. In a draft that featured a heavy influx of foreign talent, that, of course, was not the case. Uthoff did work out for several teams, including the Clippers, Grizzlies and Suns.
Knicks Sign J.P. Tokoto
A day after announcing the signing of undrafted free agent Ron Baker, the Knicks have added another player to their offseason roster, confirming (via Twitter) that they’ve finalized a contract for shooting guard J.P. Tokoto. Details of the agreement aren’t known, but it’s likely a training camp deal with a partial guarantee, as Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweets.
Tokoto, who will turn 23 next month, was a second-round pick in 2015, coming off the board at No. 58. He spent last offseason with the Sixers, but was ultimately cut before the regular season began, and landed in the D-League with the Oklahoma City Blue. The former Tar Heel appeared in 48 D-League contests (25 starts), averaging 11.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.5 SPG, while shooting 46.0% from the floor. Tokoto also played for the Knicks in Summer League action last month.
A busy offseason has left the Knicks with 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts for the 2016/17 season, with Baker and likely Tokoto receiving partial guarantees. Assuming the team heads into the regular season carrying the maximum 15 players and doesn’t waive a guaranteed salary, Tokoto, Baker, and others should have the opportunity to vie for the one open roster spot.
The Knicks’ roster and depth chart can be found right here.
Warriors, Elliot Williams Agree To One-Year Deal
The Warriors have agreed to a one-year contract with 27-year-old combo guard Elliot Williams, sources told Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The contract has a “strong” partial guarantee, Charania adds. Impact Sports, which represents Williams, tweeted out a congratulations to Williams.
Williams appeared in five games with the Grizzlies last season, averaging 1.6 points in 9.0 minutes. In 2014/15, he played a combined 13 games with the Pelicans and Jazz.
The 6’5” Williams made his league debut with the Trail Blazers in 2011/12, appearing in 24 games. His career was sidetracked by an Achilles injury, forcing him to miss the following season.
His most extensive playing time came with the Sixers in 2013/14, when he saw action in 67 games, including the only two starts of his career. He averaged 6.0 points in 17.3 minutes that season.
The Warriors are quite familiar with Williams, as he played for their D-League team in Santa Cruz last season. Williams averaged 28.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 21 games.
Williams has a shot to earn rotation minutes behind Stephen Curry, Shaun Livingston and Klay Thompson. The other guard options are Ian Clark and Pat McCaw.
Knicks Sign Ron Baker
AUGUST 1: More than a month after agreeing to terms with Baker, the Knicks formally announced today that the deal is official (Twitter link).
JUNE 24: The Knicks didn’t have a pick in Thursday’s draft, but the team didn’t waste much time in securing at least one prospect from this year’s class. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter), New York agreed to a partially-guaranteed, one-year deal with Wichita State’s Ron Baker.
Baker ranked as a top-20 senior in this year’s class and a top-80 prospect overall, per DraftExpress.com. The 23-year-old wing wasn’t drafted on Thursday night, despite a solid senior season that saw him average 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game for the Shockers.
Baker’s contract will likely be a minimum-salary pact, so even if he receives a decent guarantee in terms of salary, that won’t necessarily guarantee him a roster spot in New York this fall.
Still, the Knicks’ roster is currently fairly barren, with only five players under contract before Baker signs, as the team’s depth chart at Roster Resource shows. The roster will obviously fill up in July, but Baker should be in good position to vie for a place on the regular-season roster.