Expected to be headed to Detroit in the swap are Dennis Smith Jr. and additional draft compensation.

Rose’s name has come up as a popular trade target for the better part of the past two seasons. Now, the Knicks will take a flyer on the pending free agent as they jockey for position in an Eastern Conference playoff race.

This won’t be Rose’s first tenure with the Knicks – he played there in 2016-17 – but this time he’ll be reunited with a coach who is familiar with him game.

New York head coach Tom Thibodeau coached Rose at previous stops with the Chicago Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Details about the exact draft compensation have not been made public and there are a variety scenarios that could play out. New York is currently in possession of two future Pistons’ second-rounders.

The post Knicks Nearing Trade for Derrick Rose appeared first on SLAM.

Asked point blank if he was frustrated in a post-game press conference, Beal responded rhetorically: is the sky blue?

Beal has averaged 35.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game so far this season but the Wizards remain last in the entire league with a 3-11 record. Often, the frustration is visible on Beal’s face after each game.

“I just hate losing. I hate losing,” Beal said. “And I am going to continue to show pissed-off faces. I try to control them as much as I can, but I don’t like losing.“

After signing a two-year contract extension in 2019, Beal’s deal runs through the 2022-23 season. He can opt out of the final season worth $37M if he decides that he’d rather hit free agency in 2022.

Beal would have enough service time under his belt to sign a 35% max contract – the highest of the max contracts – whether he hits free agency in 2022 or 2023.

Of course it may not take free agency for Beal’s situation to change and trade speculation has often come up in any discussion about his future.

While there are no shortage of interested teams and fan bases, there are no specific teams linked to Beal thus far.

The post Bradley Beal: ‘I’m Mad About Losing’ appeared first on SLAM.

Parker will join the Eastern Conference playoff contender and immediately bolster its already impressive core. In her 13th season with the Los Angeles Sparks last summer, Parker averaged 14.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.

The move will serve as a homecoming for Parker who grew up dominating the Illinois hoops circuit before heading to Tennessee for college. In 2021, she could slot in to Chicago’s frontcourt alongside 2020 breakout star Azura Stevens.

The Parker signing could signal the end of Cheyenne Parker’s tenure with the squad. Cheyenne Parker is the lone unrestricted free agent on the Sky this offseason.

There was no All-Star Game held in the bubble last season but the 2019 WNBA event saw three Sky players – Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley and Diamond DeShields – represented.

Adding Parker to that bunch, not to mention Stevens and Kahleah Copper, makes Chicago an early contender for the 2021 title.

The post Candace Parker, Chicago Sky Agree to Deal appeared first on SLAM.

There’s still no publicly available timetable for his return but the 21-year-old is making progress.

“I have a timetable. It’s not that far, believe me,” Jackson Jr. told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “It will probably sneak up on you, but it’s something that remains to be seen.”

The Grizzlies, a fan favorite fringe playoff contender last season, have the personnel to battle for a playoff spot in 2021 but the absence of Jackson Jr., coupled with the loss of Ja Morant to a knee injury of his own, hasn’t helped.

In 56 games in 2019-20, Jackson Jr. averaged 17.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. He did so while hitting .394 from beyond the arc on 6.5 three-point attempts per game.

In addition to the injury update and a thoughtful discussion about the upcoming Martin Luther King Day, Spears confirmed with Jackson Jr. that he did in fact grow over the course of the offseason. He now stands seven feet.

“I just got to be a seven-footer now, man, do seven-foot stuff,” Jackson Jr. joked, “Duck under doors and try to touch the rim without jumping. There’s a bunch of seven-foot bucket list of things I got to check off, like being in Walmart and getting paper towels for ladies.“

The post Jaren Jackson Jr. on Return: ‘It’s Not That Far, Believe Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

The trade will also include the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The Cavs will acquire Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince in the deal while LeVert and four future first-round picks are among the package heading to Houston.

Those picks will be unprotected in 2022, 2024 and 2026.

The Pacers, a late addition to the deal, will take LeVert and a second-round pick from the Rockets and send Victor Oladipo to Houston.

Overall, the Rockets will onboard Oladipo, three unprotected first-round picks from Brooklyn, four additional pick swaps with Brooklyn, Dante Exum and Rodions Kurucs.

Related: DeMarcus Cousins: ‘My interest is to play with John Wall, to be brutally honest’

The post Brooklyn Nets to Acquire James Harden in Trade appeared first on SLAM.

As momentum builds toward a James Harden trade, the rest of the team has spoken about the state of the franchise.

“My interest is to play with John Wall, to be brutally honest,” offseason acquisition DeMarcus Cousins told the media, including The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “The disrespect started way before.”

While Harden’s desire to be traded was first reported in November, the Rockets attempted to make the situation with the 2018 NBA MVP work. That hasn’t gone according to plan.

“We feel a certain type of way about some of his actions,” Cousins continued. “This is the nasty part of the business that kind of gets swept under the rug.“

First-year head coach Stephen Silas has been at the helm of the Rockets and has worked diligently to try to navigate the precarious situation. He, naturally, took umbrage with the 31-year-old’s Tuesday night comments that the team wasn’t good enough.

“That’s hard to hear, especially when you don’t believe it and you know it not to be true,” Silas said.

Related: What we know about James Harden trade possibilities

The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘The Disrespect Started Way Before’ appeared first on SLAM.

The news comes on the heels of a particularly damning post-game press conference on Tuesday night in which Harden said that situation in Houston could not be fixed.

Two suitors floated as potential destinations for the perennial All-Star are the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets.

Until a trade is completed, the Rockets intend to keep Harden away from the team. Harden did not practice with the team today.

Related: DeMarcus Cousins, Stephen Silas react

The Athletic reports that the Nets have prepared a trade package of four first-round picks and three-pick swaps, the maximum amount of draft compensation allowable given the limiting nature of the Ted Stepien rule.

The Nets would additionally need to send out $33 million in salaries to make such a deal work. That could come in the form of one contract, Kyrie Irving’s, or a combination of rotation players.

The Rockets themselves are said to be pursuing a trade package from Philadelphia that would involve Ben Simmons and rookie Tyrese Maxey heading to Houston (Stein), although it’s worth repeating that Sixers general manager Daryl Morey has said that they have no desire to trade Simmons.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports that Matisse Thybulle is another player the Rockets are interested in.

The post Report: Rockets Determined to Trade James Harden as Soon as Today appeared first on SLAM.

Fultz injured his knee during a Wednesday night tilt with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was assisted off the court after sustaining the non-contact injury in the first half.

Fultz was acquired by the Magic during the 2018-19 season and has slowly become a solid building block for the young franchise. The 22-year-old even inked a three-year, $50 million contract extension last month.

The setback comes after a brief career full of them and now Fultz will be charged with the task of returning back to the court after another prolonged absence.

Fultz only played in 33 games during his first two NBA seasons while he struggled with a nerve issue in his shoulder.

Here’s to the top pick from the 2017 NBA Draft rallying back once again next season and picking up where he left off.

The post Markelle Fultz Out For Season With ACL Tear appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down the early returns from all players through the end of Wednesday night’s action, highlighting players who have exceeded their 2019-20 production, and broken them off into 30 team-specific tables. You can access any of the league’s squads in the grid below.

Beyond this team-by-team grid is a break down of the process we used to highlight the season’s early surprises and a quick look at some of the players, league-wide, who’ve taken the biggest strides so far in 2020-21.

Team-by-Team Breakdown

2020-21’s Early Risers

Darius Garland (CLE) – The hits keep coming for the second-year guard out of Vanderbilt. After a relatively quiet rookie campaign – his first full season back after a significant injury that prematurely ended his college career – Garland has thrived in Year 2. Garland averaged 12 and 4 in 2019-20 and has pushed those numbers up to 19 and 7 so far this season.

Christian Wood (HOU) – If you’re surprised that Wood has put on a clinic in his first three games with the Houston Rockets, you weren’t paying much attention at the end of the 2019-20 campaign. Wood, with averages of 27 and 8 and an equally dominant preseason showing, has long been the king of producing when given an opportunity. He got that opportunity for a few months in Detroit but has never been as permanent of a situation as he’s in now on a three-year, $40 million contract.

Michael Porter Jr. (DEN) – Porter Jr. showed flashes of what he was capable of during his first year with the Nuggets and then took his game to a new level in the bubble. For that reason, it’s not exactly groundbreaking that the 22-year-old has already shown he’s capable of 20 and 7 production in Year 2. The key thing to watch as MPJ develops in front of our eyes on a legitimate title contender, is how meshes with and without ball dominant guard Jamal Murray.

Nikola Jokic (DEN) – If Jokic’s Wilt Chamberlain-esque turn at the start of 2020-21 isn’t one of the key stories of the new season, I don’t know what is. Through the first four games of the season, Jokic has put up assist numbers of 12, 18, 10 and 14. He’s just toying with teams now. Still, while his 25, 12 and 14 stat line is mind altering, you know the big man would rather have his team at least above .500.

Jerami Grant (DET) – The Denver Nuggets were ready to spend big in order to retain versatile wing Jerami Grant this offseason but opted not to when it became clear that they couldn’t offer him a similar role in 2020-21. That role, apparently, is as a elite-level scorer. Grant, whose high water mark for points per game was 13.6 before this season, has averaged nearly 23 points per game through four early contests – and that includes a nine point showing dragging down the overall.

Victor Oladipo (IND) – Surely you didn’t write Oladipo off after two injury plagued seasons beyond his control, right? That must have been somebody else. Oladipo has looked strong in 2020-21 with a familiar 21, 5 and 5 stat line, and is ready to silence the naysayers that forgot just how much of an impact player he can be at full health.

CJ McCollum (POR) – We may never fully see what McCollum is capable of at full throttle given the impressive chemistry he’s formed with backcourt mate Damian Lillard over the course of the past half decade but he’s done a fine job of pushing the ceiling so far in 2020-21. The 29-year-old may not hit 28 and 6 over the course of a full season but don’t think for a second that he isn’t capable of doing it if he needed to.

Julius Randle (NYK) – No stranger to oddly dominant stat lines, Randle has taken his game to new heights in New York. The big man has thrived as a distributor with the Knicks this season and is sporting a 25, 11 and 8 stat line heading into the new year.

Josh Jackson (DET) – After a humbling year in Memphis, Jackson has returned to his home state of Michigan. The 23-year-old fell into a great opportunity with the Pistons and has made the most of it with a 17 and 6 stat line out of the gates.

Darius Bazley (OKC) – The not-so-secret sleeper has lived up to the hype through the first few games of the regular season and the Thunder clearly have a valuable young building block in 20-year-old Bazley. The former New Balance intern has put up 10 and 9 so far this season and we can’t wait to see what else he’s got in store.

Jaylen Brown (BOS) – Brown’s slow burning development has been key to the consistent threat that the the Celtics have posed on the Eastern Conference and early returns suggest that he isn’t finished yet. If Brown can keep putting up 28 points per game over the course of the season, what does that mean for Boston’s title hopes?

Dejounte Murray (SAS) – Murray is another player that you ought to have known was in store for a bigger year. Still, it’s always nice to see those glimpses of potential translate into more consistent success. The rebounding guard has averaged 19, 8 and 7 in his fourth season and will be a major part of the Spurs heading forward.

Luguentz Dort (OKC) – Um, if Dort can fill the stat sheet on offense, what on earth does that mean for this young, asset-loaded Thunder squad? The 21-year-old bruiser known largely for his presence on the defensive end has averaged 19 and 4 so far this season. If he keeps it up, OKC looks considerably scarier in the short and long term.

How It Works

Understanding that there’s no consensus way of quantifying the contributions that hoopers bring to the table on a nightly basis, let alone the intangible impacts they have on winning, we’ve measured each NBA player’s 2020-21 production against their 2019-20 numbers.

The results reveal early trends that could end up being significant parts of each team’s narrative throughout the season. Some players have thrived because of work they put in over the summer, some are filling up the box score simply because they’ve landed in a better situation.

In other scenarios, we may just be seeing statistical aberrations that won’t hold up over the course of a larger sample size, hit us on Twitter if you see anything that stands out.

Regardless, seeing which players have shown signs of taking a leap forward in 2020-21, is something that die hard fans, fantasy basketball players and casual viewers alike can get value out of.

In the team tables you’ll see players listed in order of how much more productive they’ve been, with corresponding emojis indicating whether they’ve exceeded or fallen short of their 2019-20 numbers.

You’ll also see each player’s points per game, rebounds per game and assists per game for good measure. Keep in mind that the overall calculation used for player impacts includes more than just those basic stats and does incorporate things like shooting percentages and basic defensive stats.

You can further click each player URL for a more conventional break down of the player’s early 2020-21 stat line and their game log.

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Players Who Have Thrived Out of the Gates appeared first on SLAM.

The club’s existing core of Bradley Beal, Thomas Bryant and Davis Bertans have performed admirably early but they could always use more support from super reserve Ish Smith and intriguing bubble star Troy Brown Jr. who’ve been relatively quiet.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Russell Westbrook	19.0p, 13.7r, 12.7a
Raul Neto	9.3p, 1.3r, 1.5a
Isaac Bonga	5.3p, 3.5r, 1.3a
Bradley Beal	32.0p, 4.5r, 4.5a	–
Robin Lopez	5.3p, 4.3r, 0.0a	–
Thomas Bryant	14.5p, 5.8r, 2.0a
Davis Bertans	12.0p, 2.5r, 1.3a
Moritz Wagner	4.0p, 2.0r, 1.0a
Garrison Mathews	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a
Jerome Robinson	1.0p, 1.0r, 0.5a
Ish Smith	5.8p, 3.3r, 2.8a
Troy Brown Jr.	3.8p, 3.0r, 1.3a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Washington Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

Rudy Gobert has looked effective to this point, fresh off of inking his new contract extension, whereas his front court partner, Derrick Favors, has struggled out of the gates.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Mike Conley	19.3p, 6.3r, 5.0a
Rudy Gobert	16.7p, 14.3r, 2.7a
Jordan Clarkson	18.0p, 4.7r, 1.0a
Bojan Bogdanovic	15.7p, 5.3r, 1.3a
Royce O’Neale	4.7p, 8.7r, 0.3a
Miye Oni	1.5p, 0.5r, 0.5a
Juwan Morgan	0.0p, 0.5r, 0.0a
Donovan Mitchell	20.3p, 2.3r, 5.0a
Joe Ingles	9.3p, 3.7r, 3.3a
Georges Niang	0.0p, 1.0r, 0.0a
Derrick Favors	7.0p, 5.3r, 1.7a
Shaquille Harrison	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

The team’s primary core of Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet have lived up to the bar they set last season but Norman Powell’s early impact has fallen short.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

OG Anunoby	12.7p, 6.7r, 1.7a
Chris Boucher	11.3p, 5.3r, 0.3a
Stanley Johnson	3.5p, 4.0r, 0.0a
Matt Thomas	7.0p, 1.7r, 1.7a
Kyle Lowry	19.3p, 3.0r, 9.7a	–
Pascal Siakam	18.7p, 9.0r, 4.7a
Fred VanVleet	14.7p, 4.0r, 6.0a
Aron Baynes	8.7p, 7.3r, 0.7a
Alex Len	2.0p, 5.0r, 2.0a
Norman Powell	6.0p, 1.0r, 1.0a
DeAndre’ Bembry	1.0p, 0.5r, 0.0a
Terence Davis	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Toronto Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

The team could look even scarier if Marvin Bagley takes a step forward in his own progression and if Hassan Whiteside carves out a meaninful role on the new squad.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Kyle Guy	5.0p, 2.0r, 1.0a
Harrison Barnes	13.8p, 8.3r, 3.8a
Cory Joseph	8.5p, 2.0r, 2.3a	–
Richaun Holmes	11.3p, 8.5r, 1.3a
Justin James	0.0p, 0.0r, 1.0a
De’Aaron Fox	20.3p, 2.8r, 6.8a
Marvin Bagley III	13.8p, 7.8r, 0.8a
Buddy Hield	16.3p, 4.0r, 2.3a
Nemanja Bjelica	9.3p, 3.3r, 1.8a
Glenn Robinson III	4.0p, 2.0r, 0.5a
Hassan Whiteside	6.0p, 6.0r, 0.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Sacramento Kings appeared first on SLAM.

This year, Keldon Johnson and Lonnie Walker may just be polished enough for the Spurs to keep winning ball games while also shaping their future core. Dejounte Murray and DeMar DeRozan have looked nice so far but LaMarcus Aldridge has been slow out of the gates.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Dejounte Murray	18.5p, 7.5r, 7.3a
Keldon Johnson	12.3p, 7.0r, 2.8a
Lonnie Walker IV	14.3p, 4.0r, 2.0a
DeMar DeRozan	21.5p, 5.5r, 8.3a
Patty Mills	14.0p, 2.0r, 3.0a
Rudy Gay	12.0p, 5.3r, 1.5a
Jakob Poeltl	6.0p, 7.3r, 1.8a	–
Drew Eubanks	4.0p, 5.0r, 0.0a	–
Trey Lyles	1.5p, 1.5r, 0.5a
Keita Bates-Diop	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a
Luka Samanic	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a
LaMarcus Aldridge	12.0p, 4.3r, 2.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: San Antonio Spurs appeared first on SLAM.

Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic, in contrast, have been relatively quiet after dominating in the bubble, expect a progression to the mean for those two, which bodes well for a deep Portland squad.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

CJ McCollum	28.0p, 3.5r, 6.3a
Gary Trent Jr.	13.0p, 2.0r, 1.3a
Enes Kanter	11.5p, 10.3r, 0.0a
Harry Giles III	5.0p, 3.5r, 0.0a
Derrick Jones Jr.	6.5p, 3.8r, 0.5a
Carmelo Anthony	11.7p, 3.3r, 1.3a
Anfernee Simons	3.3p, 0.3r, 0.3a
Robert Covington	5.5p, 5.3r, 1.5a
Rodney Hood	2.8p, 1.5r, 1.8a
Damian Lillard	23.0p, 4.5r, 6.3a
Jusuf Nurkic	9.8p, 7.5r, 3.3a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Portland Trail Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

Expect Devin Booker and Chris Paul to ramp up as they acclimate to their roles alongside one another, and Phoenix’s brand new, ambitious vision.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Mikal Bridges	15.5p, 6.0r, 0.5a
Cameron Johnson	15.5p, 2.5r, 0.8a
Cameron Payne	9.8p, 2.8r, 5.0a
Jae Crowder	11.0p, 5.5r, 2.5a
Chris Paul	11.8p, 3.8r, 9.5a
Dario Saric	10.0p, 4.0r, 1.0a
Deandre Ayton	11.5p, 11.8r, 1.8a
Jevon Carter	1.8p, 1.3r, 0.8a
Langston Galloway	5.8p, 0.3r, 0.5a
Damian Jones	0.5p, 1.5r, 0.0a
Frank Kaminsky	4.7p, 1.7r, 0.7a
Devin Booker	19.0p, 4.8r, 3.5a
E’Twaun Moore	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

Supplementary scorers like Tobias Harris and Seth Curry have looked solid early but all eyes will be on if young stars Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle can take addition leaps in 2020-21.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Joel Embiid	28.3p, 13.3r, 2.7a
Seth Curry	13.8p, 2.8r, 3.8a
Tony Bradley	4.0p, 8.0r, 1.0a
Tobias Harris	17.3p, 8.3r, 2.5a
Shake Milton	10.5p, 1.0r, 1.8a
Danny Green	4.8p, 2.5r, 1.5a
Mike Scott	5.3p, 2.3r, 0.0a
Furkan Korkmaz	6.0p, 2.0r, 1.0a
Ben Simmons	14.3p, 9.3r, 6.0a
Terrance Ferguson	0.0p, 0.0r, 1.0a
Dwight Howard	5.5p, 5.5r, 0.5a
Matisse Thybulle	0.0p, 0.3r, 0.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Philadelphia 76ers appeared first on SLAM.

Veterans Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross have looked solid out of the gates and the result of so many players starting out strong has given the still-undefeated Orlando Magic a significant boost early on.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Markelle Fultz	18.3p, 3.8r, 5.8a
Dwayne Bacon	7.5p, 3.8r, 1.0a
Terrence Ross	21.0p, 1.8r, 0.8a
Nikola Vucevic	20.0p, 11.5r, 3.8a
Khem Birch	6.8p, 4.0r, 0.8a
Michael Carter-Williams	5.5p, 5.0r, 1.8a	–
Evan Fournier	17.8p, 1.8r, 2.0a
Gary Clark	0.0p, 3.0r, 1.0a
Aaron Gordon	12.8p, 6.8r, 1.3a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Orlando Magic appeared first on SLAM.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley and Luguentz Dort have all shined in their first look as the team’s new core. Will George Hill and Mike Muscala emerge as potential trade candidates for contenders down the stretch?

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Isaiah Roby	19.0p, 7.0r, 0.0a
Luguentz Dort	18.7p, 3.7r, 1.0a
George Hill	17.5p, 4.5r, 3.5a
Mike Muscala	12.3p, 3.0r, 1.3a
Darius Bazley	10.0p, 9.0r, 1.0a
Hamidou Diallo	9.3p, 6.7r, 1.0a
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	23.3p, 5.7r, 7.7a
Justin Jackson	8.0p, 2.0r, 3.0a	–
Al Horford	7.0p, 9.0r, 3.5a
Kenrich Williams	3.0p, 1.7r, 1.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Oklahoma City Thunder appeared first on SLAM.

Expect more out of J.J. Redick and Eric Bledsoe as the year progresses, two scoring options that the Pels will rely on if they hope to sneak into the Western Conference playoff picture.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Brandon Ingram	23.3p, 7.0r, 6.5a
Zion Williamson	21.3p, 9.3r, 1.0a
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	7.0p, 0.5r, 2.0a	–
Steven Adams	8.3p, 8.5r, 2.0a
Josh Hart	8.3p, 7.5r, 0.3a
Willy Hernangomez	1.0p, 4.0r, 1.0a
Nicolo Melli	2.0p, 3.3r, 1.0a
Jaxson Hayes	1.5p, 2.8r, 0.8a
Lonzo Ball	11.3p, 3.8r, 3.5a
Sindarius Thornwell	2.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a
JJ Redick	9.0p, 1.8r, 0.5a
Eric Bledsoe	9.3p, 1.5r, 3.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: New Orleans Pelicans appeared first on SLAM.

Alec Burks has filled the stat sheet in his first taste of action with the squad, adding to the leap he took with the Golden State Warriors last season, while R.J. Barrett continues to make incremental gains.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Julius Randle	24.8p, 10.5r, 7.5a
Alec Burks	20.7p, 3.7r, 3.7a
RJ Barrett	16.3p, 7.3r, 3.8a
Kevin Knox II	6.0p, 3.0r, 1.3a
Reggie Bullock	10.3p, 3.5r, 1.3a
Ignas Brazdeikis	2.0p, 1.0r, 0.0a	–
Jared Harper	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a	–
Mitchell Robinson	8.0p, 7.8r, 0.3a
Dennis Smith Jr.	4.0p, 2.0r, 2.0a
Frank Ntilikina	4.5p, 1.0r, 0.8a
Nerlens Noel	3.0p, 4.5r, 0.5a
Theo Pinson	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a
Elfrid Payton	12.0p, 4.0r, 4.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: New York Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

Expect Ricky Rubio and D’Angelo Russell to ramp up as they acclimate to sharing time in Minnesota’s backcourt, that may be a critical piece of the puzzle if this team hopes to compete for a playoff spot.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Jarred Vanderbilt	5.5p, 6.5r, 3.5a
Malik Beasley	17.0p, 4.8r, 1.0a
Naz Reid	9.5p, 3.8r, 2.0a
Ed Davis	1.3p, 4.3r, 0.7a	–
Jarrett Culver	8.0p, 7.5r, 0.5a	–
Karl-Anthony Towns	19.0p, 11.5r, 5.0a
Josh Okogie	8.0p, 3.3r, 1.7a
Jake Layman	3.5p, 1.3r, 0.5a
Jordan McLaughlin	3.0p, 1.5r, 5.0a
Juancho Hernangomez	2.0p, 3.3r, 0.0a
D’Angelo Russell	17.3p, 2.5r, 4.3a
Ricky Rubio	9.5p, 2.3r, 4.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Minnesota Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson have shown up to work through the first stretch of the season and will be instrumental in the team’s success for the rest of the year.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Tyler Herro	17.0p, 6.5r, 4.5a
Gabe Vincent	7.0p, 2.0r, 2.0a
Avery Bradley	14.0p, 2.0r, 1.7a
Max Strus	7.0p, 0.0r, 1.0a
Kelly Olynyk	8.3p, 5.3r, 2.3a
Goran Dragic	16.5p, 2.8r, 4.8a
KZ Okpala	1.5p, 2.0r, 0.0a	–
Duncan Robinson	12.5p, 3.8r, 0.5a
Bam Adebayo	19.0p, 7.3r, 5.0a
Andre Iguodala	2.0p, 5.0r, 1.7a
Chris Silva	1.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a
Jimmy Butler	11.5p, 4.5r, 6.0a
Meyers Leonard	4.5p, 1.5r, 0.5a
Kendrick Nunn	6.0p, 1.7r, 2.3a
Maurice Harkless	0.8p, 1.0r, 0.3a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Miami Heat appeared first on SLAM.

Khris Middleton continues to evolve as a star and Bobby Portis has already started to prove that he could be one of the low-key free agency steals of the season.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Khris Middleton	22.6p, 6.6r, 6.4a
Bobby Portis	10.4p, 6.8r, 1.2a
Donte DiVincenzo	14.0p, 3.4r, 1.4a
Thanasis Antetokounmpo	3.3p, 2.3r, 1.3a
D.J. Wilson	3.3p, 3.3r, 0.3a	–
Pat Connaughton	5.4p, 3.2r, 1.4a
Jrue Holiday	16.4p, 4.2r, 5.2a
Torrey Craig	0.0p, 2.0r, 1.0a
Brook Lopez	8.4p, 3.8r, 0.0a
Bryn Forbes	6.6p, 1.2r, 0.2a
Giannis Antetokounmpo	22.4p, 11.6r, 5.4a
D.J. Augustin	7.0p, 1.3r, 1.3a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Milwaukee Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

The Morant injury came just as he started to show that he was in line for a drastic step forward in 2020-21. Kyle Anderson has filled the stat sheet out of the gates but other returning players, like Brandon Clarke and De’Anthony Melton, have been quiet.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Kyle Anderson	16.0p, 8.8r, 3.8a
Dillon Brooks	18.8p, 4.5r, 3.5a
Ja Morant	26.3p, 2.3r, 6.3a
John Konchar	6.0p, 3.0r, 1.7a
Jonas Valanciunas	15.5p, 12.5r, 2.3a
Grayson Allen	4.8p, 2.8r, 2.5a	–
Gorgui Dieng	8.5p, 3.5r, 1.0a
Tyus Jones	5.5p, 2.3r, 2.5a
Brandon Clarke	10.0p, 5.0r, 1.0a
De’Anthony Melton	3.0p, 2.0r, 1.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Memphis Grizzlies appeared first on SLAM.

Chriss was ruled out for Sunday’s game, the team’s third of the season, but will be out for the rest of the campaign.

Chriss had established himself as a valuable component of the team’s frontcourt depth and his absence will put additional pressure on rookie James Wiseman and backup big man Kevon Looney.

After bouncing around the league following his selection as a lottery pick in 2017, Chriss found a home with the Warriors last season. He averaged 9.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season and appeared on pace to put up similar numbers in 2020-21.

The post Marquese Chriss Out For Season With Broken Leg appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s the politics for me,” Waiters said. “Game-wise, we know what’s up. I just can’t do the politics, man. We ain’t going over that water. I’ll retire before that.“

Waiters split last season between the Lakers and Miami Heat but only saw action in 10 regular season games. Waiters reportedly showed up to camp overweight that season and struggled with team-imposed penalties until he was eventually bought out.

Waiters signed on with the Lakers in March and saw action in five playoff games in the bubble.

While Waiters’ career after four years at Syracuse has had its up and downs, the former No. 4 pick from the 2012 NBA Draft has proven that he can be an impact player in the right situations.

Waiters was a growing part of the Cleveland Cavaliers team that drafted him but took a lesser role when LeBron James returned to that squad in 2014. Waiters eventually moved on to Oklahoma City Thunder from there.

In 2016-17, Waiters was an integral piece of a feisty Heat team that nearly completed one of the most impressive regular season rallies in NBA history. The Heat fell short of the playoffs that year but Waiters earned himself a $52 million contract.

While nothing is official on the retirement front yet, Waiters has remained unsigned through the abbreviated offseason and into the 2020-21 campaign. It’s always possible that he emerges as a depth add for a contender, potentially even Los Angeles again, as the season progresses.

If this is in fact the end, don’t sleep on peak Waiters.

The post Dion Waiters Contemplating Retirement at 29 appeared first on SLAM.

It’s a dilemma that any rebuilding team is happy to have but it’s a dilemma nonetheless. Hornets head coach James Borrego is on the hook to not only find Ball minutes but also simultaneously continue to foster growth in Devonte’ Graham.

Oh, and effectively build Gordon Hayward into the team’s offense, maximize the $60 million investment in Terry Rozier last offseason, develop sophomore wing P.J. Washington and, eventually, give 2017 lottery pick Malik Monk an honest chance to prove himself after a disappointing 2019-20.

“I thought LaMelo played extremely well tonight,” Borrego told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer after Ball put up 13 points in 15 minutes of action in a hard-fought Saturday night loss to the Thunder. “I’ll look at the film and see what that looks like. Maybe there are some more minutes for him.“

Bonnell writes that Ball was limited to just over six minutes in the second half of the game after struggling defensively.

“It’s tough. There are a number of guys that are capable of handling minutes. I’ve got to juggle that rotation,” Borrego said. “LaMelo’s got to do his part. It’s my job to do what’s best for this club.“

In addition to the 15 minutes Ball played on Boxing Day, he suited up for 15 more in the team’s home opener.

The post Early Logjam Limits Playing Time for LaMelo Ball appeared first on SLAM.

“I think it was an effort thing,” Bradley Beal told Ava Wallace of the Washington Post after the game. “The last couple years Orlando has had our number, and I think it’s just from the standpoint of them playing harder than we do.”

The losses put a damper on Russell Westbrook’s first week with his new team. While Westbrook posted back-to-back triple doubles for the squad, it’s of little consolation given the noise the Wizards hope to make in the Eastern Conference in 2020-21.

The post Bradley Beal: ‘I Think It Was An Effort Thing’ appeared first on SLAM.

Even the earliest of time frames could put Toppin out of action until Jan. 6, Ian Begley of SportsNet New York surmises, given that he wouldn’t likely be able to practice with the team before Jan. 3.

While manageable, the six-game absence throws a wrench in the No. 8 pick’s first season in the NBA. With only 72 regular season games on the docket for the league this year, every game is essentially for developing players and rosters.

Toppin’s NBA debut saw the Dayton product put up nine points in limited action. The Knicks lost that game and Toppin’s first game on the sidelines.

The post Knicks’ Obi Toppin Sidelined with Calf Strain appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA requires at least eight players be available for NBA teams but a swath of absences due mostly to COVID protocols have pushed the Rockets to less than that.

While the appearance of James Harden maskless at a club on Tuesday night sent shockwaves throughout the sports world, it’s important to note that the majority of the COVID protocols are in place due to another, unrelated incident.

A number of Rockets players, including John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, were red flagged ahead of the opening game because of basic contact tracing after they received haircuts at a player’s apartment. Both Wall and Cousins tested negative.

In their release announcing the postponement, the league said that three players either tested positive or had inconclusive results.

Harden, in addition to the player’s tied to the haircut event, was deemed unavailable for the contest after violating the league’s healthy and safety protocols.

It’s unclear when Harden will be deemed available.

There is no information currently available in terms of when the game will be rescheduled but this is obviously something that the league expected when it opted to hold back the second half of the schedule.

The Rockets and Thunder are next expected to play on Dec. 26, though not against each other.

The post NBA Postpones Rockets-Thunder Opener appeared first on SLAM.

While Kennard struggled to stay on the court during his third and final season with the Pistons, he made his value as not just a shooter but as a playmaker capable of handling the rock clear. He averaged 15.8 points and 4.1 assists per game in 2019-20.

Of course Kennard will fill a different role with the contending Clippers than in Detroit but the financial investment shows the type of value they expect out of their new addition.

Kennard will play out the fourth year of his rookie deal in 2020-21 and the new pact will kick in next season.

Kennard’s new deal will involve $56 million in guaranteed money, the rest coming in the form of likely bonuses and incentives.

The post Clippers to Extend Luke Kennard Through 2024-25 appeared first on SLAM.

The 26-year-old guard has shown on occasion throughout his three years in San Antonio that he’s capable of shouldering more responsibility. Signed through the 2023-24 season, he’ll get more of those opportunities.

White averaged 11.3 points per game and bumped that figure up to north of 18 when given the opportunity to play at least 30 minutes.

White will play out the fourth and final year of his rookie contract in 2020-21.

The post Derrick White, Spurs Agree to Four-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

That fourth and final year will come with a player option, Wojnarowski adds.

Anunoby will play out the last season of his rookie deal in 2020-21 and could be in for a larger role after posting 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Raps this season.

Anunoby’s value has stretched beyond the box score the past few seasons as he’s also established himself as a plus defender.

The post Raptors, OG Anunoby to Sign Four-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

The 2023-24 campaign will come with a team option, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports.

Fultz, acquired by the Magic in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2019 trade deadline, has made steady progress with his new team after missing most of his first two years in the league to injury.

Fultz averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 assists per game in his first full season with the Magic in 2019-20. He’ll play out the fourth and final year of his rookie deal in 2020-21.

Fultz, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, landed in Orlando after a tumultuous two seasons with the Sixers. The Magic organization bought low on Fultz as questions surrounding a mysterious nerve injury obscured the young guard’s value.

Orlando was patient with Fultz, allowing him to rehabilitate the injury for the remainder of the 2018-19 season after they traded for him.

The post Markelle Fultz, Magic Agree on Three-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Lin has been out of the NBA since winning a ring with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 but his intent to return has always been clear. He played in China for the interrupted 2019-20 campaign.

Lin’s new deal will come in the form of an Exhibit 10 pact, Anthony Slater of The Athletic adds. That means the Warriors may not necessarily keep him on their roster after training camp but they’ll retain his G League rights in the event that they waive him.

Lin, 32, began his career with the Warriors but it wasn’t until he left the team to join the New York Knicks that he became an international sensation.

Lin played sparingly for the Raptors and Atlanta Hawks in 2018-19 but isn’t far removed from a significant role on the Brooklyn Nets. He averaged 14.5 points and 5.1 assists per game for them in 2016-17.

The post Warriors to Sign Jeremy Lin to Exhibit 10 Deal appeared first on SLAM.

By signing and waiving Smith, they’ll retain his G League rights.

While Smith has seen just 13 games of NBA action over the course of his first two years in the league, he’s a sharpshooting guard with untapped potential. Smith shot .376 for Philly’s G League affiliate last season.

Smith will join a Grizzlies franchise with no shortage of young talent, a team that’s not afraid to utilize their G League squad for developmental reasons.

While the 2020-21 G League campaign is up in the air, the Memphis Hustle are among those that have expressed a desire to play in a G League bubble.

The club waived Marko Guduric in order to facilitate the signings of Smith and fellow free agent signee Bennie Boatwright.

The post Grizzlies Sign, Waive Zhaire Smith appeared first on SLAM.

Antetokounmpo announced the decision on social media and terms of the deal have since been relayed through ESPN and The Athletic. Antetokounmpo’s supermax contract will pay him roughly $230 million over the five-year term.

Antetokounmpo will have the ability to opt out in the 2025 offseason if he so chooses.

Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a supermax contract extension – technically a designated veteran extension – because he met the criteria for doing so.

Players with between seven and 10 years of experience can earn 35% of the salary cap, as opposed to the usual 30%, if they’ve won MVP, been named to an All-NBA team or won Defensive Player of the Year. Antetokounmpo has done all of the above.

The MVP’s decision to remain in Milwaukee completely shifts the narrative that many franchises have clung to heading into the 2021 offseason. Organizations like the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat had long been linked to a potential pursuit of the veteran and made financial decisions to preserve their flexibility in 2021.

Antetokounmpo’s new extension will pay him drastically more than what he could have earned had he hit free agency in 2021. He wouldn’t have qualified for the 35% max, for one, had he turned down the supermax opportunity. He also wouldn’t have been able to sign for five years, with 8% raises between campaigns. Those numbers max out at four years and 5% for players changing squads.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo to Sign Five-Year Extension with Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

Davis famously turned down the opportunity to sign a supermax contract with the New Orleans Pelicans when he demanded a trade from the franchise but can still sign a five-year deal, starting at 30% of the league’s salary cap as any veteran with seven-to-ten years of experience could.

Ultimately, Davis will earn just shy of $190 million with the Lakers, down from the shade over $220 million he could have locked in had he stayed with the Pels.

The deal will keep Davis in Lakers colors through the 2024-25 season. Davis will be 31 years old at the time.

The final year of Davis’ deal with Los Angeles will include an early termination option, which means that he’ll be able to opt out ahead of the 2024 offseason if he so chooses.

The post Anthony Davis Agrees to Five-Year Deal with Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

The blockbuster move gives two perennial All-Stars a change of scenery and wraps up two of the league’s most watched offseason narratives. Both Westbrook and Wall were reported to want out of their current situations.

The move puts Westbrook in a Wizards lineup alongside Bradley Beal, which figures to inject new life into D.C.’s playoff hopes not seen since Wall was fully healthy prior to his Achilles tear in 2018.

Westbrook averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the Rockets last year, alongside one of history’s most ball dominant offensive superpowers in James Harden.

It’s worth noting that the Wall the Rockets are acquiring is healthy and hoops fans would be wise not to sleep on the 30-year-old with career averages of 19.0 points and 9.2 assists per game.

The trade reunites Wall with former Kentucky Wildcats teammate DeMarcus Cousins. That’s a pairing that the basketball world has been waiting to see at the NBA level.

Both players are on enormous supermax contracts through the 2022-23 campaign, so neither team gained additional flexibility from the move. Houston did pocket a future first pick, however, which could balance for the increased additional risk around Wall.

That pick, Shams Charania of The Athletic writes, is lottery protected in 2023 and becomes incrementally less protected as years go on if it doesn’t convey.

The post Rockets Trade Russell Westbrook to Wizards for John Wall appeared first on SLAM.

While Ball would still need to make the Pistons’ team out of training camp, he put in work with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s G League affiliate last season. He was a practice player with that squad before the league got cancelled due to COVID-19.

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver, of course, came from the Thunder organization before he took the Detroit gig. He’s brought several former OKC players over to his new franchise since, including Jerami Grant and Justin Patton.

Ball’s non-guaranteed deal will be an exhibit 10 deal, which means that the Pistons will keep Ball’s G League rights in the event that he doesn’t make the big league team out of camp.

The middle Ball brother went undrafted but worked out with the Lakers once.

The post LiAngelo Ball to Sign One-Year Deal with Pistons appeared first on SLAM.

The identity of the players has not been disclosed.

While these aren’t the first players and this isn’t the first time in 2020 that practice facilities have been closed due to the pandemic, these are the first reported positive cases among players since before the bubble in July.

Earlier today we learned, courtesy of Joshua Robbins of The Athletic, that Mo Bamba of the Orlando Magic continues to recover from a long-lasting case of the coronavirus.

The New York Knicks closed their facility three weeks ago after several employees tested positive for COVID-19 but there were no reported positive cases among players at that time.

The Bucks, Kings, Clippers and Nuggets all closed their facilities prior to the league restart in Orlando.

The players will need to undergo isolation and quarantine protocols until they are cleared to return to action. The rest of the Warriors will begin training camp on Wednesday.

The post Two Warriors Players Test Positive for COVID-19 appeared first on SLAM.

Turner hit free agency this offseason after playing out the final year of a four-year, $70 million deal signed in 2016.

Turner will retire from his playing career having averaged 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. His most productive season came as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013-14.

Turner averaged 17.4 points per game in half a season with the Sixers then but was dealt to the Indiana Pacers mid-season.

While Turner’s versatility as a big guard has intrigued basketball heads since his days at Ohio State, he struggled from beyond the arc and was eventually jettisoned from Portland to Atlanta and eventually Minnesota, in a series of financial moves.

The post Evan Turner to Join Celtics Coaching Staff appeared first on SLAM.

Green had enjoyed success with Houston prior to the injury and will look to pick up where he left off in 2018-19, although the organization he’ll be returning to could look significantly different.

The Rockets have hired a new head coach and general manager since Green’s last stint with the Rockets. While he missed the entirety of the 2019-20 campaign, he was still traded in a four-team deadline deal and was subsequently waived by the Denver Nuggets.

This will be the Houston native’s third tenure with the Rockets. The deal he will sign is non-guaranteed.

The post Gerald Green, Rockets Agree to One-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Ingram was eligible to sign for 25% of the 2019-20 cap figure because his deal will begin immediately, which explains why the $158 max is less than the $163 figure that’s been floated for the recent contract extensions that players like Jayson Tatum and Bam Adebayo have agreed to.

Ingram’s deal, thus, will start at $27.3 million and increased by 8% each year.

Ingram didn’t get a contract extension last offseason, prior to his fourth year, in part due to concerns about the blood clotting issue that ended his 2018-19 campaign prematurely.

Ingram rallied back from that incident and put forth a career year in his first season with the Pelicans. He averaged 23.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for the Pels, shooting .391 from beyond the arc.

The post Brandon Ingram, Pelicans Agree to Five-Year Max Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Adebayo’s extension will run through the 2025-26 season, a term the Heat are able to offer by making him a designated player. He’ll play out the 2020-21 campaign on the fourth year of his rookie deal.

Like the extensions we’ve seen with De’Aaron Fox, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum, Adebayo can qualify for a greater base salary in 2021-22 if he meets the criteria of the Rose Rule.

If Adebayo wins MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or is named to an All-NBA squad in 2021, he’ll earn the 30% max, which would equate to roughly $195 million over the course of the five-year deal instead of $163 million.

Those figures are based off of a $112 million salary cap in 2021-22.

If Adebayo doesn’t qualify for the 30% max, he’ll sign on for the 25% that players with less than seven years of experience are typically granted.

The post Bam Adebayo to Sign Five-Year Max Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins will join a Rockets franchise in the midst of a transition period between regimes. Both of Houston’s biggest stars, James Harden and Russell Westbrook reportedly want out of town.

Regardless of the personnel that ends up surrounding him, the 30-year-old big man will get his opportunity to start turning the corner after three major lower body injuries in a span of two seasons.

Cousins is very close to returning to full strength following his ACL tear.

The post Rockets, DeMarcus Cousins Agree to Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Boucher, 27, averaged 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in just over 13 minutes with the Raptors in 2019-20. He’ll step into a larger role with the Raptors in the wake of the departures of Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol.

In the 11 games where he played more than 20 minutes last season, Boucher averaged 17.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

The post Chris Boucher, Raptors Agree to Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Baynes joins Toronto after a career best 2019-20 campaign in which he averaged 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. The 33-year-old also shot .351 on over four three-point attempts per game.

Baynes will join a Raptors team eager to put together another deep run in the 2021 playoffs but his contract comes with a team option in 2021-22 so that the organization can maintain financial flexibility.

The post Raptors, Aron Baynes Agree to Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Gasol will be signed to a two-year contract, Wojnarowski adds.

Gasol has spent the past two seasons with the Toronto Raptors and was part of their 2019 championship team. The 35-year-old averaged 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Raps last year but his ability to guide his teams’ defense has long been his strongest skill.

Gasol will man the five for the Lakers in light of Dwight Howard’s departure for the Philadelphia 76ers. The team will also be without JaVale McGee after a Sunday trade sent him and his $5 million contract to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The post Lakers Finalizing Deal with Marc Gasol appeared first on SLAM.

Rivers averaged 8.8 points per game with the Houston Rockets last season but is just two years removed from putting up 15.1 points per game in a Los Angeles Clippers jersey.

Rivers will join a backcourt that already includes the likes of Elfrid Payton and Dennis Smith Jr. While Rivers does man the point guard position as they do, he’s equally comfortable spending time at the wings.

Rivers’ dad, head coach Doc Rivers, played two and a half season with the Knicks from 1992 to 1994.

The post Austin Rivers, Knicks Agree to One-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The deal will be worth at least $163 million, based on the the cap projection for next year, but could climb to as high as $195 million if Tatum meets the requirements for the Rose Rule.

Essentially, given his service time, Tatum is only eligible to sign for a 25% max contract, meaning 25% of the salary cap. In the event that he wins All-NBA (or Defensive Player of the Year or MVP), he can qualify for the 30% typically reserved for players with seven or more years experience.

Tatum was named to the All-NBA third team in 2019-20.

Tatum’s extension falls in line with those we’ve seen from De’Aaron Fox and Donovan Mitchell, a sign of just how strong the 2017 NBA Draft class was.

Tatum averaged 23.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for the Celtics in his third year. He’ll play out Year 4 on his rookie contract before the extension kicks in for 2021-22.

The post Celtics, Jayson Tatum Agree on Five-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

The move gives Philly a productive big man that showed glimpses of potential behind Rudy Gobert as a member of the Utah Jazz in the bubble. It also gives Detroit another raw, young talent to audition amid their rebuild.

Zhaire Smith played in just 13 games over the course of his first two seasons due to injury and illness but he remains an intriguing 21-year-old out out Texas Tech.

Smith’s rookie deal runs through 2021-22 but that year has a team option on it. Bradley’s $3.5 million contract, in contrast, expires after 2020-21.

Detroit initially acquired Bradley from the Jazz on draft night as Utah scrambled to clear space for other free agents.

The post Pistons Acquire Zhaire Smith in Trade with Sixers appeared first on SLAM.

Although the terms of the deal aren’t yet known, Biyombo will be considerably more affordable than he was when the Magic game him $70 million back in 2016.

The 28-year-old is quietly coming off a career year in Charlotte, averaging 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in less than 20 minutes of action.

Biyombo will return to a Charlotte organization with more ambitious plans in 2020-21 than last season. The team is in the process of acquiring Gordon Hayward via free agency and draft LaMelo Ball with the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft.

The post Bismack Biyombo Agrees to Return to Hornets appeared first on SLAM.

The move gives Cauley-Stein a slight pay raise and it gives him an opportunity to break training camp with the franchise. Cauley-Stein was acquired from the Golden State Warriors mid-season last year and then opted out of playing in the bubble.

Cauley-Stein, 27, had a relatively down year between his two stops in 2019-20 but isn’t far removed from two seasons as a near double-double threat with the Sacramento Kings.

Cauley-Stein will help Dwight Powell and Boban Marjanovic man the five for the Mavs.

The deal, Charania adds, has a team option in 2021-22.

The post Willie Cauley-Stein, Mavs Agree to Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Bazemore has come a long way since his last stint with the Warriors. Then a bit role player, Bazemore has since blossomed into a full-time starter in the league and even earned a four-year, $70 million deal back in 2016.

Bazemore put up 10.3 points per game for the Sacramento Kings last season, on .384 shooting. He’ll provide depth on the wing for a Warriors team still anxious to replace Klay Thompson’s production for a second consecutive season.

The post Warriors, Kent Bazemore Agree to Contract appeared first on SLAM.

Carter, 25, averaged 4.9 points per game for the Suns in 2019-20 but he’s a valuable depth piece that should slot into the deep rotation of a Phoenix team showing signs of being more competitive.

The second-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft shot .425 from beyond the arc last year but its his defensive acumen out on the perimeter that will be most appreciate in 2020-21 and beyond.

Carter will now serve as the backup to recently acquired Chris Paul.

The post Suns, Jevon Carter Agree to Three-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The addition will give Milwaukee another physical perimeter defender as they reinvent much of their rotation behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

Craig seemed to be in good standing with Denver but the team withdrew a qualifying offer initially extended his way when they ran out of roster spots.

That decision allowed Craig to sign with Milwaukee as an unrestricted free agent.

The post Bucks Agree to Deal with Torrey Craig appeared first on SLAM.

The 6’5 guard averaged 12.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the team’s G League affiliate last season and was extended a qualifying offer by the team ahead of free agency.

The move locks in a versatile player out of Purdue Fort Wayne to a team-friendly contract, giving Memphis a depth piece as they look to turn a successful rebuilding project into a contender in the Western Conference.

The post John Konchar to Sign Four-Year Deal with Grizzlies appeared first on SLAM.

Wanamaker figures to slot in as a backup point guard behind Stephen Curry as the Dubs look to bounce back from a lost 2019-20 campaign.

Wanamaker, who went undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft, saw consistent action with the Celtics during the 2020 postseason.

The post Warriors Agree to One-Year Deal with Brad Wanamaker appeared first on SLAM.

Iwundu established himself as a defensive-minded, perimeter rotation piece for the Magic and will look to provide similar value with the Mavs.

The 25-year-old, Houston native was a second-round pick in 2017 and averaged 5.8 points per game in 2019-20.

Orlando had the opportunity to extend a qualifying offer to Iwundu and make him a restricted free agent but they opted not to. He’ll sign with Dallas as an unrestricted free agent.

The post Mavs, Wesley Iwundu Agree to Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The Jazz are able to give Mitchell such a long term despite him having one final year on his rookie deal because they intend to make him a designated rookie.

The total value of the deal could rise to as much as $195 million if Mitchell meets certain pre-established criteria thanks to what is informally known as the Rose Rule. If Mitchell qualifies for All-NBA in 2020-21, he’ll the additional $30 million.

Both the $163 million and $195 million figures are based on a projection for the 2020-21 salary cap figure. They aren’t likely to change considering the league has suggested it will use a $112 million cap next season… but this is 2020.

Mitchell wasted no time taking over as the face of the Jazz franchise three years ago and averaged 24.0 points and 4.3 assists per game in 2019-20. The 24-year-old’s arrival in the organization is among the biggest factors in Utah’s ascent into the playoffs.

The post Donovan Mitchell, Jazz Agree to Five-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Forbes will join D.J. Augustin at the reserve guard positions, providing necessary depth after the Jrue Holiday trade that sent both George Hill and Eric Bledsoe out of Milwaukee.

Forbes, an undrafted guard out of Michigan State, signed a two-year, $6 million pact in 2018.

The post Bucks, Bryn Forbes Agree to Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Last offseason the Kings elected to not pick up Giles’ fourth-year rookie contract option, which means that he hit unrestricted free agency after his third season. Sacramento was limited in what they could offer the young big man in unrestricted free agency as a result.

Giles averaged 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in just over 14 minutes of action for the Kings last season. While 2019-20 was Giles’ second logging minutes for Sacramento, he took the 2017-18 campaign to rehabilitate from knee trouble after his selection in the first-round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

The addition of Giles adds yet another solid player to an impressive Blazers frontcourt. Giles joins Enes Kanter and Robert Covington as another new fact on a team with more depth than in 2019-20.

The post Harry Giles Agrees to One-Year Deal with Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka will fill a hole in Los Angeles’ frontcourt left by the departure of Montrezl Harrell, who left to join the Lakers. Ibaka averaged 15.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while shooting .385 from beyond the arc in 2019-20.

Ibaka will sign a two-year deal worth $19 million, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. It’s very possible that the Raptors could have offered more than that but perhaps only on a one-year term given their hopes of preserving cap space for the 2021 offseason.

Ibaka’s deal with L.A. will also include a player option, Wojnarowski adds.

Ibaka, 31, spent the past three and a half seasons with the Raptors but will now join former Raps teammate Kawhi Leonard on the west coast. The two have chemistry on and off the court.

The post Serge Ibaka, Clippers Agree to Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Payton averaged 10.0 points and 7.2 assists per game for the Knicks last but was waived earlier so that New York could knock $7 million off of his partially guaranteed $8 million contract.

By signing Payton to a reported $5 million deal, they’ll effectively save $2 million. Of course, the Knicks briefly had the opportunity to move on from Payton should other moves have arisen on the first day of free agency.

Payton has bounced around several teams over the course of his brief career and has yet to really stick. As a returning player to the Knicks, Payton will get a chance to grow with a team approaching its first training camp as a true rebuilding team.

In Payton’s first year in New York, the organization went through two head coaches, a front office regime change, and a concerted decision to abandon a fruitless pursuit of the No. 8 seed in order to focus more on organic development.

The post Knicks to Sign Elfrid Payton to One-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Noel enjoyed a bounce-back season with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019-20, averaging 7.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in less than 20 minutes of action.

Given the turnover on the Knicks’ roster this season, it’s possible that Noel steps into his largest role since his second season in the league with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Noel was the sixth pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

The post Knicks, Nerlens Noel Agree to One-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Teague spent last year split between Minnesota and Atlanta, finishing off the last of a three-year, $57 million deal signed in 2017 but saw his role decrease significantly with the rebuilding Hawks.

The 2015 NBA All-Star is still just 32 years old, with nearly 600 starts under his belt and a career line of 12.6 points and 5.8 assists per game.

Teague will slot into Boston’s backcourt behind incumbent starter Kemba Walker.

The post Celtics to Sign Jeff Teague to One-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The substantial deal will keep a 3-and-d spot starter on board as the Lakers set out to defend their 2019 title. Caldwell-Pope averaged 9.3 points, shooting .385 from beyond on the season.

Caldwell-Pope spent time at the two and the three for the Lakers and will do so again in 2020-21. The team has seen guard Avery Bradley and Danny Green depart but veteran Wes Matthews will join KCP on the wings.

Pope turned down an $8 million player option with the Lakers before free agency and will see both a longer commitment and annual pay raise with his new pact.

The post Lakers Agree to Three-Year Deal with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope appeared first on SLAM.

After nine seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers who drafted him, Thompson has come to terms on a two-year pact with Boston, worth $19 million.

Thompson averaged 12.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for the Cavs and will immediately arrive in Boston as one of the team’s top frontcourt options.

Thompson earned $18.5 million in 2019-20, the final year of a five-year pact he signed with the team back in 2015.

The post Celtics, Tristan Thompson Agree to Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that Anthony understands the role expected of him in Portland and is eager to contribute for a contender in the West.

Anthony averaged 15.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for Portland last year as they desperately sought to fortify an injury-riddled roster. The team will have more bodies on the depth chart this year but Anthony’s scoring touch stands alone.

Portland will welcome Zach Collins back into the mix in 2020-21, not to mention Robert Covington, but Anthony will return to join them. This will be the 18th season of Anthony’s career.

The post Carmelo Anthony to Return to Portland appeared first on SLAM.

Millsap’s return comes in the wake of Jerami Grant’s departure. The 35-year-old averaged 11.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in 2019-20 and could see a similar role in 2020-21.

Millsap had previously been on a three-year, $90 million deal inked with the franchise in the 2017 offseason.

The post Paul Millsap, Nuggets Agree to One-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

While no moves can be made official until Nov. 22, it’s rare that deals that have been agreed to fall apart, so that means this list of the best players still available should be mandatory reading for anybody looking to make sense of the rest of the offseason.

For a recap of all the signings that have already gone down, hit our archive. Note that I’ve also been updating our original feature breaking down the free agent class with signings and agreements as they’re reported.

Top 2020 NBA Free Agents Remaining

The post Top 2020 NBA Free Agents Remaining appeared first on SLAM.

Rondo averaged 7.1 points and 5.0 assists per game during the regular season with Los Angeles but came alive in the postseason as he has a tendency to do.

Rondo will back up Trae Young in Atlanta, serving in the role of battle-tested veteran for a franchise eager to take its rebuild to the next level.

Rondo will join Kris Dunn, who agreed to sign with the Hawks earlier today after not having a qualifying offer extended his way by the Bulls.

The post Rajon Rondo, Hawks Agree to Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The deal, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports, is for the veteran’s minimum.

Green has been on seven teams over the course of the past five seasons and this will be his eighth in six. He’s become somewhat of a mercenary for hire as contending teams look to add depth to their benches.

Green didn’t end up sticking with the Utah Jazz in 2019-20, he was waived in December, but he caught on with the Houston Rockets toward the end of the season and averaged 11.6 points for them in the postseason.

The move will reunite Green with his former Seattle SuperSonics draftmate Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. The pair started their career there in 2007-08 before the franchise moved to Oklahoma City.

The post Nets, Jeff Green Agree to Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Bradley had been a full-time starter for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2019-20 season but ultimately withdrew from participating in the bubble. In the 49 games he played, he averaged 8.6 points and shot .364 from the three-point line.

Bradley will arrive in South Beach as a veteran with winning experience and plus-defensive skills on the perimeter. He’s played previously with the Celtics, Pistons and Grizzlies.

The post Avery Bradley Agrees to Two-Year Deal with Heat appeared first on SLAM.

Batum opted into his player option for the 2020-21 and now his cap hit will equate to $9 million over the course of three seasons instead of $27 million in one.

Batum will hit unrestricted free agency and is suddenly one of the more intriguing veteran options available on the open market. Batum has struggled with injuries the past two seasons.

Batum averaged 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game in his first year with the Hornets. He inked a five-year deal with the team in the summer of 2016.

The post Hornets to Waive, Stretch Nicolas Batum appeared first on SLAM.

Hayward turned down a $34.5 million player option in 2020-21 and had been linked to the Indiana Pacers. News of Hayward’s signing in Charlotte thus comes as somewhat of a surprise.

Hayward enjoyed a bounce back campaign in 2019-20 after battling back from injury issues in his first two seasons with Boston. He was, of course, an All-Star the last time he was fully healthy, as a member of the Utah Jazz.

Hayward’s commitment to Charlotte comes six years after a previous one. As a restricted free agent in 2016, Hayward signed a four-year, $63 million offer sheet with the franchise but that was ultimately matched by the Jazz.

In order for Charlotte to onboard Hayward at that price tag, they’ll need to get creative. SLAM’s Keith Smith writes that the Hornets could accommodate such a deal if they unload salary ahead of time, either through a trade or potentially waiving and stretching Nicolas Batum.

A sign-and-trade, too, is always an option.

Update: The Hornets will waive and stretch Nicolas Batum.

The post Gordon Hayward, Hornets Agree to Four-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

VanVleet was a vital part of Toronto’s 2019 NBA title team and has emerged as important offensive piece for the Raptors heading forward. The combo guard shares a backcourt with Kyle Lowry.

The Detroit Pistons were also said to be in the mix for VanVleet but Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reports that they ultimately walked away when the price got too high.

VanVleet averaged 17.6 points per game in 2019-20, his first full campaign as a starter. VanVleet’s four-year deal will run through the 2023-24 campaign, in parallel with the extension that Pascal Siakam inked with the team last year.

The post Raptors Re-Sign Fred VanVleet to Four-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Melton averaged 7.6 points per game in his first campaign with the Grizzlies but was similarly productive during his rookie campaign with the Phoenix Suns.

The 22-year-old former No. 46 pick, Charania adds, will now net more money in 2020-21 than anybody in the 2018 class, regardless of draft position.

Melton joined the Grizzlies in the Josh Jackson trade and splits time between the point and shooting guard.

The post Grizzlies to Re-Sign De’Anthony Melton appeared first on SLAM.

Portis’ new pact will have a player option in the second year. The Athletic’s David Aldridge adds that the money is likely to come in at around $8 million.

While it represents a significant pay cut from what he could have earned with the Knicks, he’s in a better situation in terms of team success. Portis averaged 10.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in 2019-20, in just over 21 minutes of action.

The addition of Portis to Milwaukee’s frontcourt will fill some of the vacancies created by the departures of Robin Lopez and Ersan Ilyasova.

The post Bucks Agree to Two-Year Deal with Bobby Portis appeared first on SLAM.

Temple played the 2019-20 campaign the Brooklyn Nets but the team decline to exercise his option for the new year. Instead, the 34-year-old fresh off a career year will join a rebuilding Bulls team.

Temple averaged 10.3 points per game for the Nets, starting 35 of their 63 games.

With Brooklyn in the rearview mirror, Temple will suit up for his fifth team in the past five seasons.

The post Bulls Agree to One-Year Deal with Garrett Temple appeared first on SLAM.

The 29-year-old guard averaged 15.0 points per game over the course of the 2019-20, most of which came in a prominent role with the injury depleted Warriors.

Burks will join a rebuilding Knicks team and provide both an offensive punch and veteran leadership.

Even after the Burks signing, the Knicks will have plenty of cap space available this offseason.

The post Alec Burks to Sign One-Year Deal with New York appeared first on SLAM.

The contract represents a significant investment from the Blazers given that Hood tore his Achilles tendon last December but Hood was an impactful player when healthy prior to doing so.

The 28-year-old wing averaged 11.0 points per game in the 21 contests prior to his injury, while shooting a staggering .493 from beyond the arc. It’s likely that number falls over the course of a full season but if the career .372 shooter is in fact trending up, he’ll be an invaluable part of Portland’s offense.

Hood can spend time at the two or three and could hop in and out of Portland’s starting lineup depending on what they want to do with Robert Covington and their frontcourt.

The post Rodney Hood, Blazers Agree to Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The Green signing helps Denver fortify their rotation in the wake of Jerami Grant’s departure to Detroit.

Green won’t be a one-to-one replacement for Grant but he’s a versatile, experienced forward that can slot into Denver’s rotation without limiting the development of Michael Porter Jr.

Green averaged 6.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the Clippers last season. He had inked a two-year, $9.8 million deal last summer.

The post Nuggets Agree to Two-Year Deal with JaMychal Green appeared first on SLAM.

The move will also see Trevor Ariza, required by Detroit in a draft day trade, sent to Oklahoma City, as well as a draft pick.

The move would give Detroit a solid young guard fresh off a relatively down year in Dallas. Before he joined the Mavs, Wright averaged 12.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game for the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half of the 2018-19 season.

The trade would give Dallas a veteran on an expiring contract in Johnson. Johnson will earn $16 million in 2020-21 and has already been traded since exercising his player option. The Minnesota Timberwolves sent him to the Thunder in the Ricky Rubio trade on draft night.

The Thunder nab Ariza and his expiring contract, in addition to a young player in Jackson and a draft pick.

More to come.

The post Mavs Trade Delon Wright to Pistons in Multi-Team Deal appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski adds that the Adams acquisition could come by expanding upon the still-not-finalized Jrue Holiday swap with Milwaukee earlier this week.

The addition of Adams would fill a gap in the Pelicans’ rotation created by Derrick Favors’ decision to return to Utah.

It’s unclear what New Orleans would be parting with in return for the big man, owed $27.5 million in 2020-21, but Wojnarowski adds that it’ll include future draft picks. Adams averaged 10.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for the Thunder in 2019-20.

The news comes amid a fire sale of Thunder players. Oklahoma City general manager has already offloaded Dennis Schroder and Chris Paul from last year’s playoff team and Danilo Gallinari has left for Atlanta via free agency.

With Adams on board, the Pelicans would be able to slot him in at the five next to Zion Williamson. Favors and Jaxson Hayes manned the position in 2019-20.

More to come.

The post Thunder Could Send Steven Adams to Pelicans in Multi-Team Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Connaughton has established himself as a valuable role player for the Bucks and will return to the squad as they look to avenge their disappointing finish in the 2020 NBA postseason.

Connaughton averaged 5.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game off the bench in 2019-20 and will return to significantly different lineup in 2020-21 given that the team has already traded George Hill and Eric Bledsoe for Jrue Holiday.

Connaughton represented the Bucks in the 2020 NBA slam dunk contest.

The post Pat Connaughton Agrees to Re-Sign with Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

While Poeltl’s 5.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game don’t jump off the page, he’s a productive young big man on a team that’s in the process of reinventing itself. It’s very possible Poeltl sees more than the 17.7 minutes per game he saw in 2019-20.

Poeltl was originally drafted with the No. 9 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and was included in the package that the Toronto Raptors sent to San Antonio in exchange for Kawhi Leonard.

Poeltl will return to San Antonio along with fellow center Drew Eubanks, who signed a three-year pact of his own earlier this evening.

The post Spurs Agree to Three-Year Deal with Jakob Poeltl appeared first on SLAM.

In 2019-20, Holiday averaged 8.3 points per game. He’ll return to the club on a deal worth $18 million through 2022-23.

Holiday joined his brother Aaron Holiday on the Pacers roster when he signed with the team in 2019 and the two will continue to play together heading forward.

Justin Holiday, now 31 years old, shot .405 for the Pacers last season in exactly 25 minutes per game.

The post Pacers, Justin Holiday Agree to Three-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The final year of the contract will include a player option, ESPN’s Bobby Marks adds.

The deal returns one of Dallas’ bubble stars for the 2020-21 season. Burke joined the team in Orlando and averaged 12.0 points per game off the bench.

The No. 9 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft has changed teams six times in the past five seasons and could benefit from a consistent role on an increasingly formidable Mavs team.

The post Trey Burke Agrees to Three-Year Deal with Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

Ennis averaged 8.5 points per game after arriving in Orlando and will look to re-establish himself in the Magic rotation in 2020-21. Having changed teams mid-season in four of the past five campaigns, Ennis could benefit from his first training camp with head coach Steve Clifford.

Ennis declined his player option with the Magic in 2020-21 but it was only worth the veteran minimum.

The post James Ennis to Re-Sign with Magic appeared first on SLAM.

This year’s offseason figures to go a little bit more smoothly than last year’s. The free agent committed on a multiyear deal with the San Antonio Spurs but ultimately pivoted and signed with the Knicks.

Morris played a supporting role on a Clippers team that underachieved in the bubble, averaging 10.1 points per game in his 19 regular season contests with him. Morris showed prior to arriving in L.A., however, that he’s capable of more.

Morris put 19.3 points per game with the Knicks prior his getting bought out at the buyout deadline. This training camp, as abbreviated as it may be, will give Morris an opportunity to increase his fit with the Western Conference contender.

The post Clippers Agree to Four-Year Deal with Marcus Morris appeared first on SLAM.

Lopez’s deal is expected to be a one-year pact, worth slightly less than the mid-level exception, Smith adds.

The 32-year-old will join a Wizards organization eager to surround star Bradley Beal with a competitive roster. Lopez averaged 5.2 points per game for the Bucks last season but was a regular starter for much of the decade before that.

Lopez figures to back up Thomas Bryant at the five, in a role that Ian Mahinmi occupied in 2019-20. The Wizards also play stretch big Moritz Wagner at the five.

The post Robin Lopez Agrees to Terms with Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

The market for a 30-year-old owed over $130 million despite having not suited up since 2018 may be a difficult one for Wizards general manager Tommy Shepphard to navigate but, if fully healthy, Wall is a 20-and-10 caliber guard.

Charania writes that talks of a Wall-for-Russell Westbrook have stalled but that Wall remains intent on leaving.

The post John Wall Wants Out of Washington appeared first on SLAM.

The move will give Portland an uber athletic 23-year-old fresh off a career year with the Miami Heat.

Jones Jr.’s deal will be for $19.5 million and he’ll join a Blazers squad that hasn’t been afraid to fortify its roster this offseason. Portland has already added Robert Covington and Enes Kanter this week.

Jones Jr. averaged 8.5 points per game for the Heat last season.

The post Blazers to Add Derrick Jones Jr. on Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Grant continue to make a name for himself as a valuable utility player in his first year with the Denver Nuggets last season, averaging 12.0 points per game and showcvasing his flexibility on both ends of the ball in the postseason.

The deal marks a substantial pay raise over the three-year, $27 million pact he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder two years ago. He was traded by OKC to Denver in exchange for draft compensation last offseason.

More to come.

The post Jerami Grant to Sign Three-Year Deal with Pistons appeared first on SLAM.

Bertans has long been touted as one of the top free agents on the market this offseason and the Wizards made it a priority to bring him back into the fold next season.

After arriving in Washington as part of a salary dump so that the San Antonio Spurs could make moves last offseason, Bertans exploded in an enhanced role.

Bertans averaged 15.4 points per game for the Wizards, shooting a staggering .424 on 8.7 three-point attempts per game.

The 28-year-old opted out of participating in the bubble with the ninth-seeded Wizards in order to focus on working out and remaining healthy ahead of this free agent period.

The post Davis Bertans to Re-Sign with Washington on Five-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Harrell will sign a two-year deal worth the mid-level exception, the latter of which will include an option.

Harrell’s decision to join the Lakers, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports, comes despite having received a larger offer from the Charlotte Hornets.

The move gives Los Angeles an impressively productive forward, one who averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per in less than 28 minutes per night for the Clippers this season.

Harrell will join Anthony Davis and LeBron James in their bid to defend their 2020 NBA championship. He, along with fellow recent addition Dennis Schroder, figure to make this year’s Lakers even scarier than last year.

The post Lakers Nearing Deal with Montrezl Harrell appeared first on SLAM.

There had been reports that Gasol was interested in signing Europe earlier this offseason but those reports were refuted. The addition of the 35-year-old former Defensive Player of the Year would be a welcomed addition for the defending champions.

On Saturday night, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Raptors were meeting with Gasol eager to bring him back. The Golden State Warriors, too, are said to be interested in his services.

Gasol averaged 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Raptors but its his presence as a vocal defender that helps teams most.

Gasol was actually a second-round pick of the Lakers back in 2008 and was famously packaged in the trade that sent Pau Gasol from Memphis to Los Angeles before his two titles with the franchise in 2009 and 2010.

More to come.

The post Marc Gasol Emerging as Option for Lakers appeared first on SLAM.