Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavericks Sign Wesley Matthews

July 9th, 2015 at 5:40pm CST by Eddie Scarito

5:40pm: Matthews’ deal is now for the max, at four years and about $70MM, TNT’s David Aldridge tweets, since DeAndre Jordan pulled his about-face and signed with the Clippers.

JULY 9TH, 5:33pm: The signing is official, the Mavericks announced in a press release. “We just like him as a culture guy — his toughness and work ethic. He’s become a terrific player,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s a different kind of guy than we’ve had here, but he can play both wing positions. He can post up, he’s a great three-point shooter, and he’s developed a post game to where he can both score and make plays out of the post. We think he’s going to bring a lot to our team.”

JULY 3RD, 7:23am: The deal will probably average about $13MM a year, but that’s flexible, pending Jordan’s decision, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Presumably, a commitment from Aldridge would affect the final Matthews numbers as well, but that’s just my speculation.

JULY 2ND, 11:59pm: The Mavericks have an agreement in principle from free agent Wesley Matthews that he’ll play in Dallas next season, TNT’s David Aldridge reports (Twitter link). It will be a four-year arrangement, though the final amount has not been finalized, Aldridge adds. The Mavericks are waiting on word from free agents LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan before settling on a final amount with Matthews, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Matthews reportedly turned down a four year, $64MM offer from the Kings, who also coveted the swingman, as Aldridge notes (on Twitter). Dallas was reported to be extremely reluctant to meet Matthews’ asking price considering the frightening history of players who came back from torn Achilles tendons, noted Stein. The Mavs wanted to sign Matthews to a deal with salaries in the $10-12MM range annually, the ESPN scribe added. The Raptors were also reported to have interest in Matthews.

The shooting guard tore his left Achilles tendon on March 5th, 60 games into the season. Portland went 41-19 with the guard in the lineup and just 10-12 without him. Matthews’ 2014/15 numbers were 15.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 33.7 minutes per contest, with a slash line of .448/.389/.752. His career numbers through 441 games are 14.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 2.1 APG, with a shooting line of .443/.393/.825. Not too shabby numbers for a player who went undrafted out of Marqutte back in 2009.

Hawks Sign Edy Tavares To Multiyear Deal

July 9th, 2015 at 5:28pm CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 9TH, 5:28pm: The deal is official, the Hawks announced in a press release. “We followed Edy closely the past two seasons with Gran Canaria and are excited to officially have Edy as a member of our team. We would like to thank the coaches and executives of Gran Canaria as they played a significant role in Edy’s development and we look forward to continuing his improvement in our player development program,” coach/executive Mike Budenholzer said.

JULY 2ND, 10:26am: The Hawks will sign draft-and-stash center Edy Tavares, also known as Walter Tavares, a source told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). It’s a multiyear arrangement, Spears adds. Atlanta drafted him 43rd overall last year, but he remained overseas with Spain’s Gran Canaria for the 2014/15 season. He pulled an about-face after agreeing to a $3MM offer from Turkey’s Fenerbahce to take half that amount to play for the Hawks, according to David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter links).

Tavares, who stands 7’3″, averaged 8.2 points and 7.9 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game for Gran Canaria this past season. The numbers weren’t impressive, but he did enough to earn an All-Euroleague First Team selection.

The precise terms of his deal are unclear, so it’s not certain whether the Hawks will use cap room or an exception to sign Tavares.

Thunder Sign Kyle Singler

July 9th, 2015 at 5:21pm CST by Chuck Myron

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

JULY 9TH, 5:21pm: The deal is official, the team announced. “Kyle Singler has consistently demonstrated a selfless, hard-working and committed approach that we are always working towards for the identity of Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball,” said GM Sam Presti. “His size, shooting, willingness to accept various roles and solid fundamental base will help us continue to build the overall depth of our team.”

JULY 1ST, 3:22pm: The Thunder and Kyle Singler have agreed to a deal worth nearly $25MM over five years, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The fifth year is a team option, Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman relays (on Twitter).

Singler appeared in 26 games for the Thunder after being acquired by the Pistons at midseason, averaging 8.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 17.5 minutes per contest. His career numbers through 244 games are 8.12 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.0 APG. His career slash line is .424/.378/.688.

Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports wrote earlier this week that Oklahoma City was expected to re-sign the Greg Lawrence client. That wasn’t a surprise, given the mutual interest between the sides as this summer’s restricted free agency approached for the former 33rd overall pick.

Lakers Sign Brandon Bass

July 9th, 2015 at 5:17pm CST by Will Joseph

5:17pm: The Lakers have officially announced the signing.

THURSDAY, 9:38am: The Lakers have yet to make an official announcement, but the contract has been finalized, a source tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).

Courtesy of USA Today Sports ImagesTHURSDAY, 9:38am: The team hasn’t made an official announcement, but the contract has been finalized, a source tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link).

SUNDAY, 6:33pm: The Lakers will sign free agent forward Brandon Bass, tweets Yahoo Sports’ Marc J. Spears, who cites a source. Spears, in a full story, reports that the deal is a work in progress because, according to a source, it is pending other moves. The Lakers, in a press release, have acknowledged they have engaged in negotiations with Bass.

Bass averaged 10.6 PPG and 4.9 RPG per game last season with the Celtics. Bass’ agent, Tony Dutt, previously discussed how much Bass loved Boston and said there was mutual interest in a return. Since the Celtics are set to sign Amir Johnson and re-sign Jonas Jerebko, Boston has depth at the power forward position.

The Lakers either have $2.8MM for Bass, at the room exception, or they are clearing some cap with other moves, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. It’s already been a very busy 24 hours or so for the Lakers, who are set to acquire Roy Hibbert, and are set to sign Lou Williams.

Lakers Sign Anthony Brown

July 9th, 2015 at 4:47pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

4:47pm: The deal is for three years, and includes a team option for the final season, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports (on Twitter).

3:41pm: The Lakers have signed 2015 second round pick Anthony Brown, the team announced. The exact terms of the deal were not released, but the press release states that it is a multiyear arrangement. The forward out of Stanford was selected with the No. 34 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft.

Brown appeared in 37 games, including 36 starts, for the Cardinal last season, logging 14.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 43.1% from the field and 44.1% from beyond the arc. His career numbers are 10.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 1.6 APG, with a slash line of .427/.403/.751.

The forward helped Stanford capture the 2015 NIT championship, and he was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team in addition to earning an All-Pac-12 Honorable mention for the 2014/15 campaign.

Blazers Ink Pat Connaughton

July 9th, 2015 at 4:14pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Trail Blazers have officially announced the signing of Pat Connaughton. The details of the contract were not released. The rights to the swingman were acquired from the Nets in the trade that brought Mason Plumlee to Rip City.

“Pat’s character, competitive nature and ability to make shots will be a welcomed addition to our team,” said Neil Olshey, Portland’s president of basketball operations. “He is an excellent fit for our basketball system and our culture.”

Connaughton, 22, is an exceptional athlete who possesses good shooting range. He appeared in 139 career games while at Notre Dame, averaging 10.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. His career slash line was .450/.386/.777. He was the 58th best prospect in this year’s draft according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

Wizards Acquire Jared Dudley

July 9th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

JULY 9TH, 4:00pm: The deal is official, the Bucks and Wizards announced. Washington is sending a protected second-rounder to the Bucks in exchange for Dudley. “Jared’s versatility and shooting ability will give us depth at both forward positions and allow us to use him in a variety of lineups,” said Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld. “We are also looking forward to the leadership and veteran presence that he will bring both on the court.”

JULY 2ND, 5:57pm: The Wizards are closing in on a deal that would net them Jared Dudley of the Bucks, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Washington is expected to use a trade exception to accommodate Dudley’s contract, and are expected to ship out a protected second round pick in return, Stein adds. The Wizards own a pair of trade exceptions, $2.3MM and $4.6M, and Dudley is set to earn $4.25MM in 2015/16, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (via Twitter).

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Washington has a void at small forward in the wake of Paul Pierce taking his game to the Clippers on a free agent deal. Dudley can certainly help fill that void, as well as provide the Wizards’ young roster with a veteran presence. The 29-year-old appeared in 72 games for Milwaukee last season, averaging 7.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, with a shooting line of .468/.385/.716. His career stats through 595 games are 8.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.5 APG. His career slash line is .468/.396./.736.

Dudley, who turns 30 on July 10th, came to the Bucks in a deal last August with the Clippers. At the time, he wasn’t happy with the move, but he said back in March that he eventually became comfortable in Milwaukee, thanks in part to Jason Kidd‘s coaching style. The forward opted in for next season, and he and the Bucks were expected to work out a long-term arrangement. The veteran appreciated that the Bucks provided him an opportunity to showcase his abilities when healthy. “The trade [to Milwaukee] was the best thing for my career, where I got with a training staff that got me healthy and when I’m healthy, I’m the player you see now and the player you saw in Phoenix,” said Dudley, who claimed that he played the entire 2013/14 season with a fracture in his right knee at the request of Doc Rivers.

Lakers Sign Lou Williams

July 9th, 2015 at 3:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

THURSDAY, 3:45pm: The signing is official, the Lakers announced.

SUNDAY, 3:28pm: The Lakers and Lou Williams have agreed to a deal, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). It’ll be a three-year, $21MM arrangement, Wojnarowski adds.

There was said to be mutual interest between Williams and the Heat, but ultimately he’ll be heading west to Los Angeles. The Knicks reportedly reached out to Williams earlier this month and the new client of Wallace Prather was apparently expected to hear from New York and Sacramento, as well as the Nets. The Heat were hot on his heels, but they were limited to the $3.376MM taxpayer’s mid-level exception to get him and we now know that was well short of market value since he’ll earn an average annual value of $7MM per season.

Last season, Williams averaged 15.5 PPG, 2.1 APG, and 1.9 RPG in 25.2 minutes per contest on his way to being recognized as the league’s top bench player. Williams finally looked back to his normal self in 2014/15 for the first time since tearing his right ACL in January 2013. He was a strong fit for the Raptors despite the presence of fellow guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, affirming GM Masai Ujiri‘s decision to absorb Williams’ salary in a swap with the Hawks just before the 2013/14 season officially ended last June. The 28-year-old earned $5.45MM last season and he’ll see a healthy pay bump with his new Lakers deal.

Nets Sign Willie Reed

July 9th, 2015 at 3:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Nets have signed free agent combo forward Willie Reed, the team announced via press release. Shams Charania of RealGM first reported the deal, which is for one year. It’s partially guaranteed for $500K, according to TNT’s David Aldridge (on Twitter). Neither report indicates a salary, but since Brooklyn’s taxpayer’s mid-level appears to have been used up on deals for Wayne Ellington and Shane Larkin, Reed is almost certainly getting the minimum salary.

Assuming so, Reed’s contract is worth $947,276, the two-year veteran’s minimum, even though he’s yet to appear in an NBA regular season game. That’s because he was on the roster for the Grizzlies during the 2012/13 regular season, and the Kings carried him in the 2013/14 season. The Nets had him during preseason last fall, but they cut him before the start of the regular season.

Reed earned his way back to Brooklyn with a strong showing on the Heat’s summer league team, as he averaged 13.5 points and 7.8 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per game across his first four contests. The 25-year-old, who went undrafted out of St. Louis in 2011, will now play for the Nets summer league team.

Spurs Acquire Ray McCallum

July 9th, 2015 at 3:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

Courtesy of USA Today Sports

3:27pm: The deal is official, the Kings and Spurs announced via press releases. Sacramento will receive a 2016 second round pick in return for the guard.

10:01am: The Spurs and Kings have agreed to a deal that sends Ray McCallum to San Antonio and a future second-round pick to Sacramento, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). McCallum is making the minimum, but he’s on a three-year deal, so the Spurs can’t take on his salary without using cap space or a trade exception unless they end up sending salary to the Kings when the deal is finalized. That doesn’t appear to be happening, and the Spurs don’t have any trade exceptions. San Antonio is poised to go under the cap to sign LaMarcus Aldridge and others, so the use of cap space seems most likely for this McCallum deal.

The point guard, whose salary is non-guaranteed, ostensibly replaces free agent Cory Joseph, who’s agreed to join the Raptors, as Stein notes. McCallum is set for restricted free agency a year from now, but he at least provides temporary depth. The 24-year-old started 30 games for the Kings last season.

Sacramento has agreed to sign Rajon Rondo, and Darren Collison‘s still on the roster, so McCallum wouldn’t have been in line to do that again this year. The Kings picked the former Detroit Mercy standout 36th overall in 2013.