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Timberwolves Sign Greg Smith To 10-Day Deal

March 2nd, 2016 at 3:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 3:46pm: The signing is official, the team announced.

TUESDAY, 2:06pm: The Timberwolves plan to sign big man Greg Smith to a 10-day contract, a league source tells Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor (Twitter link). The four-year veteran has been with the D-League affiliate of the Raptors since January, a couple of months after failing a physical that nixed his preseason contract with the Pelicans. Minnesota has an open roster spot in the wake of its buyout with Andre Miller, while talks have reportedly taken place about a buyout for Kevin Martin that would create a second roster vacancy.

It’s no surprise to see Minnesota strike a deal after interim coach Sam Mitchell complained the team was “awfully thin” up front, and while Mitchell also indicated a signing wouldn’t take place until well after today, adding a 10-day contract allows the team to preserve flexibility to sign others who might enter the market. The team also reportedly had internal discussion about signing Chris Copeland, another frontcourt player.

Smith, 25, has averaged 12.6 points and 8.0 rebounds in 28.1 minutes per game with Toronto’s D-League team, proving his health in the wake of the torpedoed deal with New Orleans. He’s shown efficiency on the boards in 131 NBA games with the Rockets and Mavs, averaging 3.4 in 12.5 minutes per game for his NBA career. The 10-day contract will pay him $59,731 and cost the Wolves $55,722. The league foots the bill for the difference.

Grizzlies Waive James Ennis

March 2nd, 2016 at 1:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Grizzlies have waived James Ennis, the team announced via press release. The move appears to be a precursor to a deal for the rest of the season with Ryan Hollins, who’s set to sign, according to Marc J. Spears of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. It’s tough luck for Ennis, the 50th pick in the 2013 draft, who won’t be able to participate in the playoffs for another team this season but would have been eligible for the postseason had his release come as late as Tuesday night.

Cutting Ennis gives Memphis an open spot beneath the 15-man roster limit. His deal is for the minimum salary this season and next, with no guarantee on his pay for next season, so Memphis is poised to eat only about $200K if he clears waivers. It’s a three-year contract he signed in the summer of 2014 with Miami, so only teams with trade exceptions or cap room can claim him, The Vertical’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link).

Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal wrote earlier this week that he believed Ennis would be the likeliest to go if the team wanted to sign someone, so today’s news proves him right. The 25-year-old Ennis totaled only 40 minutes spread over 10 appearances with the Grizzlies in the months since Memphis acquired him in the Mario Chalmers trade. He went on eight separate trips to the D-League in the meantime, racking up 16.7 points in 33.1 minutes per contest over 15 D-League games.

Ennis and agent Scott Nichols twice worked out amended terms with the Heat that helped him stay under contract prior to the trade. The changes pushed back the dates upon which salary guarantees would kick in for this season, but Ennis avoided getting cut before the end of January 7th, which locked in his full $845,059 salary.

Clippers Sign Alex Stepheson To Second 10-Day

March 2nd, 2016 at 12:55pm CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 12:55pm: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.

TUESDAY, 11:46am: The Clippers will sign Alex Stepheson to a second 10-day contract, as Dan Woike of the Orange County Register reports and as a source confirms to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links). The rookie power forward’s first 10-day deal expired Monday night. Woike and Turner indicate the signing is set to take place Wednesday, which would allow the contract to cover five games, against the Thunder (twice), Hawks, Mavericks and Knicks.

The deal will give Stepheson $30,888 but cost the Clippers that plus $77,220 in additional projected tax penalties. It’s a smaller price than if the team signed a veteran, but Stepheson didn’t see much action in his first 10 days with the Clippers, logging just nine minutes across two games.

The Clippers reportedly turned to him when they couldn’t find a defensive-oriented guard they liked. The 28-year-old former USC player has spent most of his career overseas. His appeal is as a rebounder, and his 13.8 boards per game in 31 appearances this season for the D-League affiliate of the Grizzlies is tops in that league by a wide margin.

Wolves Waive Kevin Martin In Buyout Deal

March 1st, 2016 at 11:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

11:28pm: The Wolves have waived Martin, the team announced (Twitter link). Presumably, the official transaction took place before the 11pm Central time deadline, as previous reports indicated it would.

11:11pm: Some pessimism exists about the Mavs’ chances at Martin once he clears waivers, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.

10:38pm: The Timberwolves and shooting guard Kevin Martin have come to an agreement on a buyout deal, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). The move comes prior to the 11pm Central time deadline, so Martin will be eligible for the playoffs with any postseason-bound team he might sign with before the end of the regular season. It’s not immediately clear just how much salary the shooting guard gave up to secure his release. Martin is scheduled to earn $7.085MM this season with a $7,377,500 player option for next year. The move will give Minnesota a roster count of 13 players, two under the league maximum.

Martin was available for a trade prior to the February trade deadline, as Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press first reported, but potential suitors were apparently reluctant to take him on without knowing what he’d do about his player option for 2016/17. GM Milt Newton said after the deadline passed without a Martin trade that a buyout discussion would probably take place between Martin and the team in the near future, and that’s apparently come to fruition.

The veteran scorer shouldn’t be out of work for long with a number of teams reportedly showing interest. The Mavericks, Cavaliers, Hawks, Heat, Rockets and Thunder are all potential suitors for the shooting guard, though the Spurs are reportedly the favorites to sign him, as Stein reported last week. The Spurs remain in front, with the Mavs, Rockets and Hawks in pursuit, according to Stein’s latest dispatch (Twitter link). San Antonio currently has the league maximum of 15 players on its roster, so a corresponding move would be required if the team inks Martin.

The 33-year-old has appeared in 39 games for Minnesota this season, including 12 starts. Martin is averaging 10.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.4 minutes of action per appearance. His career numbers through 698 games are 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists to go with a shooting line of .438/.385/.870.

Rockets Waive Ty Lawson In Buyout Deal

March 1st, 2016 at 9:22pm CST by Chuck Myron

9:22pm: Lawson has officially been waived, the team announced.

7:21am: The Rockets and Ty Lawson have a deal on a buyout, reports international journalist David Pick (Twitter link). The point guard will still be eligible to take part in the playoffs for another team if he formally hits waivers today.

The prospect of a buyout seemed unlikely this weekend, even as the sides were reportedly exploring the idea, with Lawson apparently having indicated a desire to stay in Houston until season’s end. Instead, it looks like he’s headed elsewhere and is giving up a portion of his more than $12.404MM salary to do so. It’s a sharp turn of events from the summer, when the Happy Walters client forfeited the guarantee on next season’s salary to facilitate the trade that sent him from the Nuggets to the Rockets, but little has gone right for Houston this season, and Lawson is averaging a career-low 5.8 points per game in a reserve role. His assists per game have gone from 9.6 last year to 3.4 this year.

It’s unclear just how much Lawson is giving up for the chance to join another team, but the buyout will push the Rockets farther away from their $88.74MM hard cap. They’re only about $524K shy of it for now, keeping them from spending all of the nearly $900K in exception money they still have. It’ll also give the team a second opening on the roster. Houston, already with one vacancy in the wake of Marcus Thornton‘s release, reportedly has some level of interest in Chris Copeland, though a reunion with buyout candidate Kevin Martin is unlikely.

The Jazz appeared to have interest in Lawson amid the trade talks they reportedly engaged in with the Rockets before the deadline, and the Knicks apparently spoke with the Rockets about trading for Lawson, too. The market for Lawson appeared slow early this season, but his appeal figures to be greater now that he’ll be available much more cheaply.

Reports throughout the day provided sometimes conflicting information about whether Lawson and the Rockets had reached a buyout. League sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports a few hours after Pick’s report that the sides were still talking about a buyout but hadn’t struck an agreement yet (Twitter link). Walters confirmed this to Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston (on Twitter). Wojnarowski later tweeted that the sides were getting closer but a hurdle remained. Sources told both Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com minutes later that the sides had struck a buyout agreement (Twitter links). Wojnarowski clarified that a framework of the buyout was in place and that the deal would become final today once the documentation was finished (Twitter links).

Hawks Sign Kris Humphries

March 1st, 2016 at 6:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

TUESDAY, 6:56pm: The signing is official, the team announced via press release. “As we explored opportunities to add to our team after the trade deadline, we felt it was important to prioritize experience and versatility,” coach/executive Mike Budenholzer said in the team’s statement. “Kris is a versatile veteran with playoff experience who fits well with our group and within our system. We are fortunate to have Kris join our team and would like to welcome him to the Hawks family.”

10:29pm: Humphries plans to sign a minimum-salary contract with the Hawks for the rest of the season, according to Spears.

SUNDAY, 4:31pm: The Hawks will sign power forward Kris Humphries, whom the Suns waived this afternoon, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Spears confirmed that Humphries has committed to joining the Hawks once he clears waivers.

Today’s move ends Humphries’ short stay in Phoenix, where Washington traded him in a deadline-day deal for Markieff Morris. Terms of the buyout have not been released, but Humphries is making $4.6MM this season and was due to get the same amount in 2016/17.

Humphries’ contract for next season would have been guaranteed if he had not been waived by June 30th, tweets Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. He also notes that if any team decides to claim Humphries, it would only have to pay about $1.1MM for the rest of this season, although it would absorb this season’s full salary on its cap (Twitter link).

Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops first reported Saturday night that Atlanta was the front-runner to land Humphries. The Hawks are seeking a replacement for center/forward Tiago Splitter, who will miss the rest of the season after having hip surgery.

Raptors Ink Jason Thompson, Cut Anthony Bennett

March 1st, 2016 at 12:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 12:07pm: The moves are official, the Raptors announced via press release.

“We thank Anthony for his professionalism and for his service to our team and community,” Ujiri said. “We know he’s on his way to becoming an excellent NBA player but as we approach the end of the season Jason will provide us with a veteran presence that we need.”

MONDAY, 1:39pm: The Raptors are waiving Anthony Bennett to clear the way for a deal with Jason Thompson that covers the rest of the season, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The addition of Thompson helps fill a need at power forward for Toronto, but it’s nonetheless surprising to see the Raptors cut ties with Bennett, the former No. 1 overall pick whom GM Masai Ujiri had suggested would be with the team beyond this season in spite of his one-year contract. Bennett is on a minimum-salary deal, and the same will be true for Thompson, since that’s all Toronto can give. The full season salary for Bennett will stick on Toronto’s books unless another team claims him off waivers.

Thompson was also reportedly drawing the eye of the Heat in the wake of his release from the Warriors last week, a cut that came so that Golden State could sign Anderson Varejao. The Raptors reportedly had interest in trading for a handful of power forwards, including Ryan Anderson, Thaddeus Young, Kenneth Faried and Markieff Morris, but instead it appears they end up with Thompson, who started 63 games for the Kings last season but averaged just 6.4 minutes per contest with the Warriors.

Bennett, the NBA’s top pick in 2013, is hitting waivers for the second time in barely more than five months, after he and the Timberwolves reached a buyout agreement in late September. The Sixers and Blazers reportedly had interest at the time, but he wound up signing with the Raptors, his hometown team. The 22-year-old’s defense initially impressed coach Dwane Casey, but Bennett failed to convince Casey that he deserved more playing time, totaling just 84 minutes all season.

Who do you think is the bigger bust, Bennett or fellow former No. 1 pick Greg Oden? Leave a comment to have your say.

Suns Sign Phil Pressey To Second 10-Day

March 1st, 2016 at 11:19am CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 11:19am: The deal is official, the team announced.

MONDAY, 5:34pm: The Suns will sign Phil Pressey to a second 10-day contract, reports Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The point guard’s first 10-day deal will expire after tonight. Another deal for Pressey would still leave an open roster spot, with the team linked to Anthony Bennett, who’s headed for a buyout with the Raptors. Coro indicates Pressey’s signing will take place Tuesday, which would put him in line to play six games, against the Hornets, Heat, Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks and Nuggets, before the deal expires. He’ll make $55,722.

The 25-year-old Pressey has seen no shortage of playing time for the injury-depleted Suns, averaging 5.0 points, 6.0 assists and 3.3 turnovers in 22.0 minutes per game across four appearances. That’s nearly twice as much time on the court than the 12.1 minutes per game he saw during his month-long stint with the Sixers earlier this season. Phoenix is the fifth NBA team Pressey’s been on in the past 12 months, as he’s also gone through the hands of the Celtics, Trail Blazers and Jazz.

The third-year veteran impressed in his two seasons with the Celtics, and Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made it clear that cutting him was a difficult move. Suns GM Ryan McDonough worked under Ainge for several years with the C’s, so it’s no surprise to see Pressey in Phoenix, at least for the time being. The Suns and the Aaron Mintz client will face a reckoning point at the conclusion of his latest 10-day deal, since Phoenix would either have to ink him for at least the rest of the season or let him walk.

Hornets Sign Jorge Gutierrez To Second 10-Day

March 1st, 2016 at 9:09am CST by Dana Gauruder

TUESDAY, 9:09am: The signing is official, the team announced via press release. The contract will cover five games, against the Suns, Sixers Pacers, Timberwolves and Pelicans.

MONDAY, 10:07pm: The Hornets will sign point guard Jorge Gutierrez to a second 10-day contract, sources informed Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Charlotte brought in Gutierrez to fill the role of third-string point guard. He has appeared in just one game, a four-minute stint against the Cavaliers on February 24th.

The 27-year-old was in training camp with the Bucks earlier this season but did not make the opening night roster. Before signing with Charlotte, Gutierrez appeared in 22 games this season for the Canton Charge, the Cavs’ D-League affiliate, where he averaged 11.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 27.8 minutes per outing.

The playmaker appeared in a total of 35 NBA contests over the prior three seasons, 25 with the Nets and 10 more with the Bucks. The 6’3” Gutierrez was not drafted in 2012 after playing for the University of California and being named the Pac-12 Player of the Year as a senior. He had summer league stints with the Nuggets and Kings as well as the Nets.

Spurs Sign Andre Miller

February 29th, 2016 at 5:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

MONDAY, 5:34pm: The signing is official, the Spurs announced. San Antonio earlier announced that it waived McCallum to create a roster opening.

10:49pm: The Spurs will waive third-string point guard Ray McCallum to make room for Miller, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Miller must pass a physical before McCallum is waived (Twitter link).

6:05pm: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich refused to comment on the move until it becomes official, which cannot happen until Miller clears waivers, McDonald tweets.

5:07pm: Miller’s agent, Andy Miller, confirms his client’s intention to sign with the Spurs, tweets Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.

SATURDAY, 4:15pm: Veteran point guard Andre Miller, who was waived by the Wolves earlier this week, will sign with the Spurs, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. The signing will cost San Antonio an extra $375K under the luxury tax, tweets former NBA executive Bobby Marks. The Spurs have 15 players on their roster, so a corresponding move will be necessary.

Miller, 39, was let go by Minnesota on Thursday in an apparent buyout agreement. He had been on a one-year, veterans’ minimum contract with the Wolves. Miller averaged 3.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26 games this season. The Spurs will be his ninth franchise in a 17-year NBA career.

Earlier today, the Spurs were reported as the new favorite to land shooting guard Kevin Martin, who is also in buyout talks with the Wolves. It’s not certain how the Miller signing would affect their interest in Martin.