Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Sign Andrea Bargnani

July 17th, 2015 at 11:03am CST by Will Joseph

JULY 17TH, 11:03am: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.

“Andrea will give us the ability to space the floor and complement our other frontcourt players,” King said in the team’s statement.

Bargnani didn’t want to leave New York and personally appealed to the Nets to sign him, Windrem tweets.

JULY 12TH, 5:08pm: The Nets have agreed to sign Andrea Bargnani, Brooklyn GM Billy King announced (Twitter link). The big man will receive the veteran’s minimum on a two-year deal with a player option in the second year, tweets Robert Windrem of NetsDaily.com, who cites a league source.

Bargnani has been linked to the Kings, but instead decided to take less money and join the Nets, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reports (Twitter link). Sacramento pitched a two-year deal, Stein adds. Earlier Sunday, Stein reported that the Kings were close to signing the big man, but the Nets apparently swooped in and landed him.

It’s a low-risk move for the Nets, who have Thaddeus Young at power forward and Brook Lopez at center. Bargnani is a big man with offensive skills, but is often injured and therefore has missed significant time the last three seasons. He has also never been considered a strong defender.

The nine-year veteran was the overall number one pick in the 2006 NBA draft. He spent seven years in Toronto before being traded to New York in 2013. Bargnani earlier indicated that he was considering several options in free agency, including signing with a team in Europe. The Knicks were reportedly interested in keeping him, but only on a minimum-salary deal. Bargnani, who will turn 30 in October, played in only 71 of a possible 164 games for the Knicks.

Clippers Sign Josh Smith

July 16th, 2015 at 8:39pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

8:39pm: The signing is official, the Clippers announced.

5:40pm: The deal is for one year and the veteran’s minimum, Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times tweets.

4:15pm: The Clippers and unrestricted free agent Josh Smith are finalizing a deal that would bring the veteran to Los Angeles for next season, both Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (on Twitter) and Shams Charania of RealGM report (Twitter links). Smith’s agent, Wallace Prather, confirms that the two sides have come to terms on a one-year contract, Marc Berman of Fox 26 tweets.

The 29-year-old appeared in 55 games for the Rockets last season after he was surprisingly waived by the Pistons, averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 25.5 minutes per contest. His career numbers through 11 seasons in the NBA are 15.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 3.2 APG, with a slash line of .455/.285/.633.

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com reported on Monday that the Clippers were interested in Smith, and the Kings and Mavericks were also reportedly keen on adding the forward to their rosters. Smith had also expressed a strong interest in re-signing with Rockets, who certainly helped him rebuild his career in the wake of his unceremonious exit from Detroit.

The Clippers have been quite active this offseason in addressing their needs for outside shooting. The team also signed veteran small forward Paul Pierce, and acquired swingman Lance Stephenson from the Hornets. Smith can certainly provide depth at both forward spots, though his questionable shot selection has made coaches and fans scream in frustration on numerous occasions throughout his career.

Spurs Re-Sign Kawhi Leonard For Five Years

July 16th, 2015 at 4:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jan 22, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the second half at the United Center. The Chicago Bulls defeated the San Antonio Spurs 104-81. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

JULY 16TH, 4:05pm: The deal is official, the Spurs announced in a press release.

JULY 1ST, 4:00pm: The deal includes a player option for the fifth year, Zach Lowe of Grantland reports (on Twitter).

JUNE 30TH, 11:13pm: The Spurs will re-sign Kawhi Leonard for five years and an estimated $90MM, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The sides have agreed to a framework of a deal, as Wojnarowski details.

“I have every intention of signing with the San Antonio Spurs,” Leonard said in a statement, as Wojnarowski passes along. “There are details in the contract which need to be worked out with the organization. I am confident that this will be accomplished.”

The deal was agreed to just minutes after midnight on the East Coast, but the two sides still have to iron out some specifics over the next several days. The language in the statement (“every intention”) and the report (“agreed to the framework”) could be an inference to suggest that the Spurs will take their time in finalizing the pact. By waiting, the Spurs could avoid getting charged with max cap hit so that Leonard’s cap hold stays low, thereby preserving cap room for other free agents.

Leonard, 24, averaged 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists last season. While Tim Duncan and Tony Parker were the anchors for many elite Spurs outfits, Leonard can be expected to be the cornerstone of future contending teams. Leonard’s resume includes the 2014 Finals MVP and this past season’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

Back in April, it was reported that Leonard was unlikely to pursue offer sheets, even though he had the ability to as a restricted free agent.

Pelicans Sign Alonzo Gee

July 16th, 2015 at 3:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 16TH, 3:01pm: The deal is official, the team announced.

JULY 10TH, 10:16am: The Pelicans and Alonzo Gee will sign a deal worth two years and $2.75MM, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). It’ll include a player option, Wojnarowski also hears (Twitter link). Gee comes from the Trail Blazers, where he quickly developed a bond with LaMarcus Aldridge during the short time they were teammates following the deadline-day trade that brought Gee to Portland.

The Happy Walters client would make about $2.5MM on a two-year minimum-salary deal, and this deal appears to be for slightly more than that, meaning that New Orleans is likely using either part of its $5.464MM mid-level exception or its $2.139MM biannual exception. Gee made the minimum last season after signing before training camp with the Nuggets, who shipped him to Portland in that deadline trade. The 28-year-old averaged only 12.3 minutes per game in 2014/15, but he started all 82 games for the Cavs in 2012/13 and gives new Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry another option at small forward, a consistent trouble spot for the team.

A new deal between Gee and the Blazers didn’t appear out of the question as the offseason began, but Aldridge’s departure no doubt hastened his exit from Portland, and the Blazers renounced his rights Thursday. Gee was traded three times last summer, but his deal with the Pelicans means he can’t be traded until December 15th this year.

Kings Void Luc Mbah a Moute Contract

July 16th, 2015 at 2:51pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Kings have voided their signing of Luc Mbah a Moute after the forward failed his physical, the team announced. Bill Herenda of CSN California reported the news minutes earlier (Twitter link). It was reportedly a one-year deal for the Darren Matsubara client who returns to free agency. It’s unclear what specific ailment, if any, was identified during his exam.

Sacramento officially announced the deal Tuesday, but physicals commonly take place after players put pen to paper. It’s not unprecedented for contracts to fall apart because of an issue discovered during the exam, and it happened with the Mavs and Rashard Lewis last year. Lewis has yet to sign another NBA deal, but it remains to be seen how serious Mbah a Moute’s trouble is.

The team doesn’t owe Mbah a Moute his salary, but the voided contract nonetheless has a ripple effect. Sacramento also officially announced its signing of Omri Casspi on Tuesday, and according to former Nets GM Bobby Marks, the Kings intended to use the $2.814MM room exception for him. Instead, he falls into the cap space that Mbah a Moute occupied, since the room exception isn’t available to teams that haven’t yet used all of their cap space (Twitter links). The Kings have reportedly committed to sign Caron Butler to a deal that will extinguish their remaining cap room, but they haven’t formally signed him yet, Marks notes (Twitter link).

Kings Sign James Anderson

July 16th, 2015 at 2:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 16TH. 2:01pm: The deal is official, the team announced (on Twitter).

JULY 2ND, 12:08pm: The Kings and James Anderson have agreed on a multiyear deal, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Anderson, a former 20th overall pick, spent last season with Zalgiris of Lithuania after he was the starting shooting guard for the Sixers in 2013/14.

Anderson averaged 13.7 points in 25.2 minutes per game overseas this past season, numbers apparently strong enough to keep him on the NBA radar. His original deal with Zalgiris included an NBA out clause, but he chose not to exercise it in exchange for a raise.

It’s unclear what the Andy Miller client will make with the Kings, but following their agreement to trade three players to Philadelphia in a cap-clearing deal, Sacramento has plenty of latitude to exceed the minimum.

Kings Sign Willie Cauley-Stein

July 16th, 2015 at 1:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

The Kings have signed No. 6 overall pick Willie Cauley-Stein to his rookie scale contract, the team announced (on Twitter). Agent Rich Kleiman told the news to Sam Amick of USA Today earlier today, before the team acknowledged it (Twitter link). The center from Kentucky will see a salary of more than $3.398MM this season and make in excess of $15.35MM over the life of the four-year pact, assuming he signed for the standard 120% of the rookie scale.

Cauley-Stein is an elite defender, though his 7’1″, 242-pound body could use more bulk, and he doesn’t rebound as well as he should, as Dana Gauruder of Hoops Rumors points out in his prospect profile. Still, he was no real stretch at the sixth pick, as Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranked him No. 6 among this year’s prospects and Chad Ford of ESPN.com had him eighth. Our Eddie Scarito had him a touch lower, at No. 11, in the final Hoops Rumors Mock Draft this year.

The 21-year-old big man, who turns 22 in August, stayed at Kentucky for three years, a rarity for such a heralded NBA prospect. He’s averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and an impressive 2.8 blocks in 20.0 minutes per game so far in summer league play. Cauley-Stein took part in summer league play without a signed contract to let the Kings make the most of their cap space. Now that he’s signed, his cap hold goes up by about $600K, signaling that Sacramento is likely done with significant free agent additions this summer.

Mavs Re-Sign J.J. Barea

July 16th, 2015 at 10:05am CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 16TH, 10:05am: The deal is official, the team announced via press release.

JULY 6TH, 3:47pm: J.J. Barea will re-sign with the Mavericks, he tells Carlos Rosa Rosa of El Nuevo Dia (hat tip to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com). Rosa indicates that it’s a three-year pact with annual salaries of $2.8MM and a player option on year three, though a third year would require the team to use cap space instead of the $2.814MM room exception. Berger and TNT’s David Aldridge indicate that it’s just two years at $5.6MM total (Twitter link), which would fit within the exception, seemingly a necessity if the Mavs are to fit all of their agreements under the cap without pulling off salary-clearing maneuvers.

The Mavs and Barea had been nearing a deal since late last week, as Aldridge first reported, though it seemed just a couple of days prior that he was close to signing with the Heat. The Bulls and Lakers also reportedly had interest in the client of Dan Fegan, an agent with close ties to the Mavs.

Dallas has Non-Bird rights on Barea, but they only provide for 120% of the minimum, since he signed for the minimum with the Mavs after he cleared waivers from the Timberwolves at the beginning of the season. Thus, the Mavs appear to be turning to other means to keep the waterbug point guard in the fold.

Alexey Shved To Play In Russia

July 16th, 2015 at 8:08am CST by Chuck Myron

THURSDAY, 8:08am: The deal is official, the team announced (on Twitter; hat tip to Pick). It’s for three years and $9MM, writes Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net, while Pick hears that the deal makes Shved the highest paid player in Europe (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 10:23am: Alexey Shved has decided to head back overseas, and he’ll sign a three-year deal with Khimki Moscow, reports David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter link). The deal will include NBA outs, though presumably an NBA contract this summer is out of the question for the guard whose negotiations about a new deal with the Knicks didn’t seem destined to produce an agreement.

Agent Mark Bartelstein told Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork this week that it was unlikely the native of Russia would re-sign with the Knicks, while Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that none of New York’s three offers approached the $2.184MM room exception amount that Shved sought. Obrad Fimic, Shved’s overseas agent, said to the Tass news outlet in Russia that three NBA teams offered him a deal, though it’s unclear who the other two teams were.

Shved found himself traded three times in six months during the past year after he spent the first two years of his NBA career with the Timberwolves. He went to the Sixers in the Kevin Love trade, to the Rockets in the Corey Brewer swap, and arrived in New York as part of a package in exchange for Pablo Prigioni. He saw his most significant playing time while with the Knicks, averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 26.4 minutes per game across 16 appearances.

Clippers Waive Lester Hudson

July 16th, 2015 at 7:58am CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 16TH, 7:58am: The Clippers officially waived Hudson, the team announced via press release before the guarantee deadline Wednesday night. He’s reportedly expected to sign in China.

JULY 15TH, 11:13pm: The Clippers will waive Lester Hudson today, a league executive tells Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Bolch reported Tuesday that the move was likely. Hudson’s non-guaranteed minimum salary, worth $1,015,421, would become fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster through today.

The 30-year-old joined the Clippers this spring on a 10-day contract, and he later beat out Nate Robinson, who was still recovering from a left knee injury, for a deal that covered the rest of the season. The Clips and Hudson tacked an extra year onto the contract, but the team is poised to let him go, clearing more roster flexibility to add other minimum-salary signees. No. 56 overall pick Branden Dawson just officially signed to a contract that runs two years at the minimum with the first year guaranteed, according to Dan Woike of the Orange County Register (on Twitter).

Hudson averaged 11.2 minutes per game in five regular season games and made cameo appearances in seven playoff contests, his first NBA action since the 2011/12 season. He had been playing in China, where he was a major scoring force, pouring in 31.2 points per game for Liaoning this past season before joining the Clippers.

Will Lester Hudson latch on with another NBA team this summer? in Hoops Rumors’s Hangs on LockerDome//