Cavs To Ink Jordan McRae To 10-Day Pact
SUNDAY, 9:08am: The signing is official, the team announced this morning.
SATURDAY, 2:40pm: A league source has confirmed the expected signing to Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon-Journal, saying the Cavaliers need more players in practice because of injuries.
FRIDAY, 6:25pm: The Cavaliers intend to sign shooting guard Jordan McRae to a 10-day contract, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor reports (Twitter link). Cleveland currently has two available roster slots, so no additional moves will be required to bring McRae into the fold.
It would appear Cleveland will gain some depth in its backcourt, though McRae is certainly a step down in stature from Joe Johnson, whom the Cavs were reportedly targeting for once he clears waivers. Johnson, who reached a buyout arrangement with the Nets, will reportedly sign with the Heat instead.
McRae, 24, has already tasted some NBA action this season while he was with the Suns via two 10-day deals. Phoenix declined to sign him for the remainder of the season when his second 10-day deal expired and he subsequently returned to the Sixers’ D-League affiliate.
The shooting guard appeared in seven contests for the Suns and averaged 5.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 11.8 minutes per night. McRae’s D-League numbers are far more eye-popping, as he’s notched 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 29 contests on the season.
Heat Sign Joe Johnson
5:55pm: The move is official, the team announced.
5:32pm: Joe Johnson, who reached a buyout agreement with the Nets on Thursday, will sign with Miami, tweets Heat managing general partner Micky Arison. Johnson cleared waivers this afternoon, and Arison’s tweet indicates that he will be available for Sunday night’s game with the Knicks.
On Friday, the Heat emerged as the favorite to sign Johnson after initial speculation that he might go to Cleveland. Miami has two open roster spots, so no move would be necessary to add Johnson. However, the signing will push the Heat back over the luxury tax line. Miami dipped below the line with moves at the trade deadline, but left itself unable to sign any player at any salary before March 6th without crossing the line again. The Heat will pay repeat-offender tax penalties of at least $2.50 for every dollar they’re over the tax line on the final day of the regular season.
Johnson averaged 11.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 57 games with Brooklyn this season. The Heat will be his fifth franchise in a 15-year NBA career.
The move has the enthusiastic support of veteran guard Dwyane Wade, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “To put somebody on the floor that can shoot the ball, can score in different areas of the floor and make plays, just adds to what we’re trying to do,” Wade said. “Joe is a friend of mine. I tried to do my best to paint the picture that this is a good place to be, and the decision from there is his. Make sure he sees my name in his in-box a lot. He made the decision what’s best for them… Open arms in Miami for him.”
Heat To Sign Joe Johnson
5:24pm: The Heat are expected to waive a player in the immediate future which will help them remain under the tax line after inking Johnson, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel relays (on Twitter).
1:47pm: The Heat expect they’ll sign Joe Johnson this weekend, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.com (Twitter links). He’s indeed headed to Miami, barring an unforeseen turn of events, as Ethan Skolnick of The Miami Herald confirms (on Twitter). The 15th-year veteran clears waivers Saturday. So, it appears Miami is poised to cross back into tax territory. The Heat would have to wait until March 6th to sign Johnson or anyone else to a minimum salary contract without putting themselves in line to pay repeat-offender tax penalties. Miami could work a buyout with another player to avert the tax or waive someone and hope another team claims him, though those scenarios rely on the cooperation of others. Failing any such tax escape hatch, a minimum-salary deal with Johnson would cost about $125K in taxes, $265K in salary and force the team to miss out on a $2.5MM windfall that would come from the league’s payout to non-tax teams, according to Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv first identified the Heat as the front-runners for Johnson earlier today, a reversal from last week, when Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer heard Johnson would sign with the Cavs if he worked a buyout with the Nets. Johnson received that buyout Thursday, reportedly giving up about $3MM in exchange for his release. The 34-year-old also apparently had serious interest in the Hawks, but instead it looks like he’s on his way to Miami, reportedly feeling as though he’d see a more significant role there than with other teams. Johnson would prefer living in Miami over other places, too, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork heard (Twitter link). The Cavs reportedly turned into long shots for him, and Skolnick hears the Thunder and Hawks, not the Cavs, were the teams that most appealed to Johnson aside from the Heat (Twitter link).
Johnson will supplement a Heat roster decimated by injuries and cost-cutting moves that have left them with only 10 healthy players. Conflicting reports surround the matter of whether the Heat are pressuring Chris Bosh to sit out the rest of the season because of renewed blood-clot issues, while Tyler Johnson is out until at least April and Beno Udrih at least May. Heat team president Pat Riley cited the team’s dwindling point guard corps Thursday when he left the door open a crack to the idea of paying the tax, but Johnson is a wing player. He’s nonetheless the jewel of the buyout market even though his scoring average has declined for four straight years. The seven-time All-Star posted 11.8 points in 33.9 minutes per game across 57 appearances with Brooklyn this season. He’s shot 37.1% on his 3-pointers this season, matching the rate for his career, and that figures to help Miami, which is 28th in 3-pointers made.
The Heat have eyed Johnson for weeks, if not longer, as Skolnick reported earlier this month that the Heat would have interest if Johnson became available on the buyout market.
Rockets Waive Marcus Thornton
3:48pm: The Rockets have officially waived Thornton, the team announced.
2:41pm: The Rockets will waive Marcus Thornton, agent Tony Dutt tells Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston (Twitter link). The news is no surprise, as Dutt and the Rockets had been set to discuss the next step for the shooting guard who hasn’t played for Houston since the trade that was to send him to Detroit was voided Monday. The seventh-year veteran signed a one-year contract for the minimum salary in the offseason, but it’s unclear if he’s giving up any of that to secure his release. He’ll be eligible to join another team for the playoffs as long as Houston formally waives him no later than Tuesday.
Thornton averaged 10.0 points in 18.8 minutes per game for the Rockets, his first double-digit scoring average since notching 12.7 points a night with the Kings in 2012/13. He posted a career-high 18.7 points per game with Sacramento in 2011/12. The 28-year-old vented frustration in December with the up-and-down minutes he was seeing in Houston, but he still averaged more minutes than the 15.0 per game he saw last season with the Suns and Celtics.
The move will open a roster spot for the Rockets. They could wind up with two open spots if buyout talks with Ty Lawson result in a waiver. However, Joe Johnson, reportedly one of Houston’s targets, instead reportedly plans to sign with the Heat.
Wolves Waive Andre Miller In Apparent Buyout
The Timberwolves have officially waived Andre Miller, the team announced. The two sides were reportedly working on a buyout arrangement, which is likely the case, though no mention of any agreement was relayed in the team’s official statement. Minnesota team owner Glen Taylor indicated earlier today that the team would probably reach a buyout agreement with Miller that would allow the 39-year-old point guard to appear in the postseason with another franchise.
Miller is on a one-year deal for the minimum salary, which the Wolves will be on the hook for the remainder of provided he clears waivers. Releasing the veteran playmaker leaves Minnesota with a roster count of 14 players, one below the regular season maximum.
The 39-year-old has appeared in 26 games this season for the Wolves averaging 3.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 2.2 assist in 10.8 minutes per night. Miller’s career averages since being the No. 8 overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft are 12.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists to accompany a slash line of .460/.217/.807.
Nets Waive Joe Johnson In Apparent Buyout
The Nets have waived Joe Johnson, the team announced via press release. The statement didn’t refer to it as a buyout, but the sides were in buyout talks, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported earlier today. The 34-year-old was making almost $24.895MM in the final year of his contract and likely relinquished a portion of that in exchange for the chance to hit free agency.
“The Nets want to thank Joe for his many contributions to the team and the organization,” Nets GM Sean Marks said in the team’s statement. “Joe has been a quality professional since joining the Nets four years ago, was a valued member of three playoff teams, and provided many thrilling moments for his teammates and Nets’ fans. We wish him much success in the future.”
No team has enough cap room or any exception large enough to claim Johnson off waivers, so he’s poised to hit the open market Saturday. He’d been planning to sign with the Cavaliers in the event of a buyout, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported, but Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution hears he has interest in rejoining the Hawks, the team he played for from 2005 to 2012. The Cavs and Hawks are among a group in pursuit of the 15th-year veteran that also includes the Celtics, Rockets, Heat, Thunder and Raptors, according to Stein. Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald first reported the Heat’s interest weeks ago, but Miami is unable to sign anyone prior to March 6th without crossing the luxury tax line.
The move leaves the Nets with two open roster spots. Brooklyn saved more than $1.5MM through a buyout deal with Andrea Bargnani this past weekend. Marks has been on the job for only a week, but both Bargnani and Johnson have hit waivers in that brief time. The Nets also released Deron Williams in a buyout deal this past summer under former GM Billy King.
Wizards Sign J.J. Hickson
The Wizards have signed J.J. Hickson, the team announced. Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reported that a deal was expected between the sides after Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports wrote that they were engaged in advanced discussions about a prorated minimum-salary contract that would run through the rest of the season. The pact indeed covers the balance of 2015/16, as Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld confirmed in the team’s press release.
“Signing J.J. for the remainder of the season gives us another solid veteran who will bring more depth to our frontcourt,” Grunfeld said. “His experience, athletic ability and physical presence will be solid additions to our team as we continue our playoff push.”
Hickson became a free agent earlier this week after the Nuggets waived him Saturday. Denver and the Jeff Schwartz client were planning to do a buyout deal, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported shortly before Hickson’s release, though it’s unclear how much salary, if any, Hickson forfeited from the $5,613,500 his Nuggets contract called for him to make this season. Assuming he’s getting the minimum as reported, he’ll make $366,337 with the Wizards as a seven-year veteran, though Washington only has to pay $273,038, the equivalent of the prorated two-year veteran’s minimum, with the league picking up the tab for the rest. That’s key, since the Wizards were already only about $1MM shy of the tax line.
Washington was only carrying only 14 players, one below the regular season maximum, so the team didn’t have to make a corresponding move. The Wizards were short a big man, since they sent Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair to the Suns for Markieff Morris in a two-for-one trade at last week’s deadline. The 27-year-old Hickson appeared in only three games for the Nuggets after December 8th, but he made nine early-season starts prior to that, eclipsing the eight starts in 73 appearances he made last year.
Suns Claim John Jenkins Off Waivers
7:03pm: The Suns have officially announced the waiver claim of Jenkins.
4:14pm: The Suns have claimed John Jenkins off waivers from the Mavericks, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The team has yet to make a formal announcement, but the move had to have taken place before 4:00pm Central, when Jenkins was set to become a free agent had no team put in a claim. He’s on a three-year minimum-salary contract, and the minimum salary exception only accommodates two-year deals, so Phoenix is using part of the $1.56MM trade exception it created in the Markieff Morris deal last week. It’s a boon for Dallas, which gets to subtract the more than $981K cap hit for Jenkins from this season’s books. The Suns are responsible for that plus his remaining paychecks this year.
Jenkins, who turns 25 next month, goes into Phoenix’s open roster spot, so no corresponding move is necessary. He’ll provide depth on the wing, where the Suns have been thin in the wake of T.J. Warren‘s season-ending broken foot. The Mavericks didn’t give Jenkins much playing time in the regular season, as he’s averaged a career low 9.2 minutes per game, even though he was one of the surprises of the preseason, when he put up 19.7 points in 28.4 minutes a night across seven appearances. Dallas waived Jenkins to make room for David Lee, who came free via buyout from the Celtics.
The Suns have the ability to control Jenkins through 2017/18, since his contract contains non-guaranteed minimum salaries for the next two seasons. He holds promise, having been the 23rd overall pick in 2012, and he’s a passable floor-stretching threat, having hit 35.7% of his 227 3-point attempts over the course of 119 NBA regular season games. Phoenix nonetheless burns the majority of the Morris exception, which declines in value to $578,652, largely unusable except for rookie minimum deals.
Magic Claim Copeland Off Waivers, Intend To Waive
6:19pm: Orlando saved itself approximately $315K by claiming Copeland as it allowed the team to reach the $63MM salary floor, Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports explains (via Twitter).
5:30pm: The Magic intend to waive Copeland within the next 24 hours, Charania writes in a full-length story. The moves to claim and subsequently waive Copeland are being made to get Orlando above the minimum salary floor, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel tweets.
4:17pm: The Magic have claimed combo forward Chris Copeland off of waivers, Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter link). The addition of Copeland will give Orlando 15 players on its roster, which is the regular season maximum. No formal announcement has been made by the team, but the move had to have taken place prior to 4:00pm Central, which is when Copeland would have officially become a free agent.
Copeland was waived by the Bucks on Monday in order to clear a roster slot for the signing of Steve Novak. Orlando is utilizing a portion of the $8,193,029 trade exception that was created as part of the deal that shipped Channing Frye to the Cavaliers since Copeland earns more than the minimum salary. The Magic will now be responsible for the remainder of Copeland’s $1.1MM salary for 2015/16 and his entire cap hit.
The Bucks had signed Copeland this past offseason, but the veteran never made much of an impact with the team. The 31-year-old is averaging 2.1 points and 0.5 assists in 6.5 minutes per game this season.
Pistons Sign Justin Harper To 10-Day Contract
WEDNESDAY, 8:55am: The signing is official, the team announced via press release. The contract will cover four games, against the Sixers, Raptors, Bucks and Spurs. Meanwhile, the Pistons will re-evaluate Johnson in a week, the team also announced.
TUESDAY, 12:03am: The Pistons plan to sign power forward Justin Harper of the Los Angeles D-Fenders to a 10-day contract, league sources tell The Vertical’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). The 6’10” Harper was averaging 14.8 points and 5.0 rebounds for the D-Fenders, Chris Reichert of Upside Motor tweets.
The 26-year-old Harper has not appeared in an NBA game since the 2011/12 season, when he played 14 games with the Magic. He was on the Nets’ training camp roster last fall but was waived after appearing in six preseason games.
A series of events led to the Pistons’ interest in Harper. They acquired power forward Donatas Motiejunas from the Rockets in a three-team deal at the trade deadline but it was voided on Monday because Motiejunas didn’t pass the team’s physicals. The voided trade left the team with an open roster spot.
Over the past two games, the Pistons have suffered injuries to their frontcourt. Power forward Anthony Tolliver is expected to miss two to four weeks with a knee injury, and rookie swingman Stanley Johnson sprained his shoulder against the Cavaliers on Monday night, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.