Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Ink Briante Weber To Multiyear Deal

April 10th, 2016 at 1:52pm CST by Eddie Scarito

SUNDAY, 1:52pm: The Heat announced the signing via Twitter. Weber will be eligible for the playoffs, as Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel tweets.

SATURDAY, 11:38am: The Heat are planning to sign point guard Briante Weber to a three-year deal, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (via Twitter). The deal will include a partial guarantee, notes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Miami is also reportedly discussing a deal with small forward Dorell Wright, with Charania previously relaying that the two sides could formalize a contract arrangement by Sunday.

The franchise is skirting the luxury tax line and the Heat need to be especially mindful of when any new deals are finalized if they wish to avoid incurring repeat-offender tax penalties. The Heat have 13 players, two shy of the league maximum, and they reportedly plan to carry 15 players into the playoffs. They’re only $46,106 shy of the tax and a prorated minimum salary contract would count $5,572 per day for tax purposes. Sunday is the first day they could sign two players in one day without incurring the tax.

Weber, 23, had a brief stint with the Grizzlies last month on a 10-day deal and is currently with Miami’s D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls. The point guard appeared in six games during his stint in Memphis and averaged 4.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 27.7 minutes per outing. Weber’s D-League numbers are solid, but not eye-popping, with him notching averages of 10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 28 appearances. His slash line for the Skyforce this season is .469/.408/.725.

Sixers Hire Bryan Colangelo As President

April 10th, 2016 at 1:40pm CST by Eddie Scarito

SUNDAY, 1:40pm: The Sixers officially named Bryan Colangelo president of basketball operations. In addition, Jerry Colangelo is no longer the chairman of basketball operations but will remain as a special adviser to the team, the Sixers announced in a press release.

THURSDAY, 7:55am: The Sixers plan to formally name Colangelo as GM on Monday, a league source tells Ketih Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

11:12pm: Bryan Colangelo and the Sixers are still negotiating terms but are hopeful of finishing the deal Thursday, league sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 8:53pm: In the wake of Sam Hinkie‘s sudden resignation as Sixers GM, the team intends to hire Bryan Colangelo to fill the now-vacant post, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. Colangelo is the son of Sixers chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo, whom the franchise hired earlier this season. The team had also been considering former Hawks GM Danny Ferry for the postition, according to an earlier report by Wojnarowski.

Philadelphia’s initial intent was to hire the younger Colangelo to work alongside Hinkie, but the former GM apparently wasn’t too keen on further diluting his power and influence within the organization. In his 13-page letter of resignation, Hinkie wrote, “There has been much criticism of our approach. There will be more. A competitive league like the NBA necessitates a zig while our competitors comfortably zag,” Hinkie wrote. “We often chose not to defend ourselves against much of the criticism, largely in an effort to stay true to the ideal of having the longest view in the room. Given all the changes to our organization, I no longer have the confidence that I can make good decisions on behalf of investors in the Sixers — you. So I should step down. And I have.”

Bryan Colangelo had actively pursued the Nets GM position prior to Sean Marks being named to the post, and was initially unenthusiastic about the idea of working for his father for the second time in his career, sources told Wojnarowski. The younger Colangelo had previously worked for his father for 13 seasons with the Suns prior to departing Phoenix to become the president and GM of the Raptors. Colangelo stepped down from his post in Toronto on June 26th, 2013.

Pelicans Sign James Ennis For Season

April 9th, 2016 at 3:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

SATURDAY, 3:33pm: The signing is official, the team announced.

MONDAY, 9:53am: The Pelicans are expected to sign James Ennis for the rest of the season after his 10-day contract expires, reports John Reid of The Times Picayune (Twitter link). That contract is up after Friday’s game against the Lakers. New Orleans is also reportedly poised to sign Jordan Hamilton until season’s end, with his 10-day deal having expired overnight. The moves will presumably come via the hardship provision, as the injury-racked Pelicans had 18 players, three above the regular season limit, until Hamilton’s 10-day ran out. The hardship prevents the team from tacking a non-guaranteed salary for next season onto the deal, so these will likely be true rest-of-season arrangements.

Ennis has played a prominent role for the Pelicans in three games so far, averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.7 turnovers in 27.7 minutes per contest. Hot shooting has been a part of that, as he’s gone 8 for 15 from 3-point range. His 83 total minutes have already exceeded the 47 he saw between the Heat and Grizzlies earlier this season, though Memphis gave him extensive time with its D-League team. In any case, Ennis is showing some of the promise that made him the 50th overall pick in the 2013 draft, albeit in a small sample size.

The Pelicans have some exception money remaining, but presumably Ennis will receive the prorated minimum salary, which would give him $24,855. The rest-of-season deal will cover only three games, but it’ll have some lasting value for New Orleans, since it gives the team the chance to make him a restricted free agent and match offers for him this summer. The Pelicans would have to make him a qualifying offer worth $1,080,431 in order to do so.

Sixers Sign Christian Wood For Rest Of Season

April 7th, 2016 at 12:18pm CST by Chuck Myron

THURSDAY, 12:18pm: The signing is official, the team announced via press release. It’s worth $21,621, provided the signing formally took place today, as the release indicates, and assuming he’s getting only the minimum salary, as is standard for deals this time of year.

WEDNESDAY, 12:23pm: The Sixers and Christian Wood have reached agreement on a deal that covers the rest of the season, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The rookie power forward’s second 10-day contract with the team expired overnight. The new deal will cover only this season and won’t include any additional years, as is sometimes the case with midseason signees, Charania adds, but the Sixers will still have the ability to make Wood a restricted free agent and match offers for him this summer.

This will be the fourth contract Wood will have signed with Philadelphia within the past year. The Sixers initially signed him in September to a four-year deal with a $50K partial guarantee, but though he won a spot on the opening night roster, Philly dumped him in January to make way for Elton Brand as new chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo brought an emphasis on veterans. Wood rejoined the team on a 10-day deal last month after the Sixers opened a roster spot through the JaKarr Sampson snafu, but the Sixers terminated that 10-day contract early so they could claim Sonny Weems off waivers. Philly backtracked on that decision nearly two weeks ago, releasing Weems and signing Wood to another 10-day pact.

Wood averaged a double-double last year at UNLV and was one of the most surprising draft snubs this past June. He appeared to secure a deal with the Rockets quickly after draft night, though that fizzled. He’s seen only 7.8 minutes per game in 16 appearances for Philadelphia and hasn’t played in the team’s last three games, but he’s averaged 17.3 points and 9.4 rebounds in 28.8 minutes per contest across 32 games with the Sixers D-League affiliate. The 20-year-old has spent time with the D-League Delaware 87ers both on assignment from the Sixers and under D-League contract.

Grizzlies Sign Xavier Munford To Two-Year Deal

April 7th, 2016 at 11:24am CST by Chuck Myron

THURSDAY, 11:24am: The signing is official, the Grizzlies announced via press release, referring to it as a multiyear deal. Memphis is limited to the minimum salary exception, so that means Munford’s new contract is a two-year arrangement that covers the rest of the 2015/16 season and 2016/17. He’ll make $874,636 next season and, provided the contract begins today as the team indicates, it’ll pay $21,621 for this season. The Grizzlies have a team option on next season, a league source tells Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). The team waived Ryan Hollins minutes ago, so Memphis has 16 players as it stands.

WEDNESDAY, 9:06am: The Grizzlies will sign shooting guard Xavier Munford for the rest of the season and the playoffs, a league source tells Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal suggested earlier this week that such a move would come in light of his increasing role and production. Still, it’s unclear whether the Grizzlies would be allowed to carry extra roster spots in the postseason as they’ve done since last month via the hardship provision, so the fate of some Memphis players is unclear. The Grizzlies currently have 16 players, one over the usual limit, and that doesn’t include Munford.

Bryce Cotton is on a 10-day contract that expires after Saturday’s game against the Warriors, and the other 15 Grizzlies have contracts that cover the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. If the NBA won’t let the Grizzlies carry extra players into the playoffs, they’ll have to waive one of those 15 for Munford to stick around, and two if they also want to keep Cotton.

The Grizzlies haven’t clinched a playoff spot yet, but they drew closer to doing so with Tuesday’s win over the Bulls. Memphis has a three and a half game lead on the ninth-place Rockets.

Munford is averaging 5.6 points in 14.2 minutes per game for the Grizzlies and has nailed eight of his 13 attempts from behind the arc. He played nearly 34 minutes in Sunday’s game against the Magic and has averaged 24.4 minutes over the last three outings for Memphis. The 23-year-old who went undrafted out of Rhode Island in 2014 had never signed an NBA contract before he inked his first 10-day deal with the Grizzlies last month, having instead played most of this season and last for the D-League affiliate of the Suns. It’s unclear if his new contract with Memphis will also cover next season, but if it doesn’t, the Grizzlies would be able to make him a restricted free agent this summer and match offers for him.

Grizzlies Waive Ryan Hollins

April 7th, 2016 at 11:07am CST by Eddie Scarito

THURSDAY, 11:07am: The move is official, the team announced via press release.

WEDNESDAY, 9:34pm: The Grizzlies intend to waive Ryan Hollins, Chris Vernon of ESPN 92.9 FM reports (Twitter link). The roster move was necessary in order to allow Memphis to ink Xavier Munford for the remainder of the season, Vernon notes. The franchise will be on the hook for the remainder of Hollins’ $239,605 salary, provided he clears waivers. Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal first noted that Hollins was a candidate to be released.

This appears to signal that the NBA won’t issue the Grizzlies any hardship exceptions for the playoffs. Memphis has 16 players under contract at current, not counting Munford, who’s reportedly due to re-sign for the season. Among the 16 is Bryce Cotton, whose 10-day contract will expire after Saturday’s game against the Warriors. The other 15 Grizzlies have contracts that run until the end of the season, so to formally add Munford on a rest-of-season deal without any hardship help from the league, the Grizzlies have to waive somebody, and that somebody appears to be Hollins.

This marks the end of Hollins’ fourth stint with the Grizzlies in 2015/16. He also spent a few weeks with the Wizards in November and December. In 32 games for Memphis this season overall, Hollins averaged 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12.9 minutes.

Sam Hinkie Steps Down As Sixers GM

April 6th, 2016 at 8:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

8:01pm: The Sixers have confirmed Hinkie’s resignation via press release. “This evening, Sam Hinkie notified the organization that he has elected to step down as President of Basketball Operations and General Manager,” the team’s official statement relayed. “While we are disappointed in Sam’s decision, we would like to sincerely thank him for his contributions over the past three seasons. There is no question that Sam’s work has put us in a very strong position to take advantage of numerous opportunities for an exciting future.”

7:47pm: In a full-length piece, Stein posted an excerpt from Hinkie’s resignation letter to team ownership. “There has been much criticism of our approach. There will be more. A competitive league like the NBA necessitates a zig while our competitors comfortably zag,” Hinkie wrote. “We often chose not to defend ourselves against much of the criticism, largely in an effort to stay true to the ideal of having the longest view in the room. Given all the changes to our organization, I no longer have the confidence that I can make good decisions on behalf of investors in the Sixers — you. So I should step down. And I have.” Stein’s sources also inform him that Bryan Colangelo’s hiring in Philadelphia is imminent.

7:40pm: Sixers team officials said that they are unaware of any resignation involving Hinkie, Wojnarowski relays (via Twitter).

7:37pm: In addition to Bryan Colangelo, Danny Ferry is the other candidate the Sixers were considering to work alongside Hinkie, Wojnarowski tweets.

7:12pm: Sixers GM Sam Hinkie has stepped down from his post with the team, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). It’s unclear at this time if this resignation was 100% voluntary and if Hinkie intends to remain with the organization in a different capacity going forward. Philadelphia is targeting Bryan Colangelo as a potential replacement for Hinkie, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical relays (Twitter links). Team ownership had stated the intention to add another top basketball executive who would hold a similar title to Hinkie’s, which did not sit well with the GM, the Vertical scribe adds.

Hinkie had said back in March that he wasn’t worried about his job security, even though the Sixers were reportedly considering a move that would further reduce his role. He’d lost much of his autonomy and influence in the wake of Jerry Colangelo being hired as chairman of basketball operations, so Hinkie’s departure doesn’t come as an absolute shock, though the timing certainly is odd given that the season has less than two weeks remaining.

Hinkie became the Sixers’ GM in May of 2013 after a stint as the Rockets executive vice president. The executive’s rebuilding through bottoming-out plan has been met with much scrutiny and derision around the league and Philadelphia had an overall record of 47-195 during Hinkie’s reign.

Nets Sign Henry Sims For Rest Of Season

April 6th, 2016 at 8:08am CST by Chuck Myron

The Nets have signed center Henry Sims for the rest of the season, the team announced via press release. His second 10-day contract expired overnight. The move restores Brooklyn to a 15-man roster, with every player signed through at least the end of the season. It’s not entirely clear whether the new deal for Sims extends into next season, but unlike the press release Brooklyn sent about its multiyear contract with former 10-day signee Sean Kilpatrick, the Sims press release refers only to the rest of the 2015/16 campaign. Thus, it appears Sims will once more become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Sims has seen plenty of opportunities in his brief time with the Nets, averaging 17.1 minutes per contest across nine games, two of which he started. The 26-year-old turned in arguably his finest Brooklyn performance Sunday, when he started and delivered 12 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes of action. Those numbers closely match the 11.8 points and seven rebounds he averaged in 26 games down the stretch for the Sixers in 2013/14.

Philadelphia gave him 32 starts last season, but he went unsigned for most of this past offseason until he hooked up with the Suns on a non-guaranteed deal in late August. Phoenix waived him before opening night and he spent the majority of this season with the D-League affiliate of the Pistons before the Nets gave him another shot at the NBA last month.

Nets Assistant GM Frank Zanin Steps Down

April 4th, 2016 at 3:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

Nets assistant GM Frank Zanin has resigned, as he announced via Twitter (All Twitter links; hat tip to Jake Fischer of SI Now). Zanin was in charge of the front office for more than a month this season in between the time Brooklyn removed Billy King from the GM job January 10th and the February 18th hiring of new GM Sean Marks. Zanin has been one of two assistant GMs for the team since Marks added Trajan Langdon in that position last month.

“I would like to thank the Brooklyn Nets for allowing me to be a part of their organization for the past six years,” Zanin wrote. “After speaking with Sean this morning I have decided to step I down from my position of Assistant GM. This will allow Sean to fill out his staff and give me a chance to pursue other opportunities.”

The Nets didn’t make a roster move while Zanin was in charge, but rival executives nonetheless praised him for his handling of the team, according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports, who suggests Zanin will be a strong candidate for front office vacancies elsewhere (Twitter link). The Kings are looking for an experienced hand under GM Vlade Divac, though they appear to be zeroing in on David Morway. More openings figure to emerge after the season.

Zanin ascended to Nets assistant GM in July 2013, when the team promoted him after he spent three seasons as pro personnel scout and director of player procurement. He was with Philadelphia for several years before that as an assistant coach, scout, video coordinator and originally a video intern, having joined his hometown Sixers upon graduating college in 1999. It’s no shock that he and the Nets are parting ways given his ties to King, who was the GM of the Sixers during Zanin’s time with them. King remains in the Brooklyn front office, but Marks likely wants to place his own imprint on the organization.

Pelicans Sign Jordan Hamilton For Rest Of Season

April 4th, 2016 at 2:01pm CST by Will Joseph

MONDAY, 2:01pm: The signing is official, the team announced. The move restores New Orleans to an 18-man roster.

SUNDAY, 3:26pm: The Pelicans plan to sign swingman Jordan Hamilton to a deal that will cover the rest of the season, Rod Walker of the New Orleans Advocate reports (Twitter link). New Orleans has six games left to play, not including today’s victory over the Nets. Hamilton’s 10-day contract expires overnight.

The Pelicans first signed Hamilton on March 25th via the hardship provision. New Orleans has experienced a rash of injuries this season. Hamilton, 25, played well in five games. He scored in double figures in all but one outing and averaged 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

Hamilton had signed with the Russian club Krasny Oktyabr in August but parted ways with the team in November. He joined the Rockets’ D-League affiliate in February and appeared in 14 games, averaging 14.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 29.2 minutes per contest. The 6’7” Hamilton appeared in 14 games for the Clippers during the 2014/15 season, averaging 2.7 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 8.7 minutes per game.