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Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Nets, who are ready to dish out massive money to talented young small forward Otto Porter:
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The Brooklyn Nets made a splash in NBA free agency Tuesday night, signing restricted free agent Otto Porter to a four-year, $106 million max deal, according to multiple reports…
The Washington Wizards have until Saturday to match the deal.
Porter, a 6-foot-8 forward, had a career year for the Wiz, averaging 13.4 points and, 6.4 rebounds.
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Utah Jazz free agent forward Gordon Hayward will reportedly be signing a deal with the Boston Celtics. Tonight, the Jazz issued some statements about his departure:
Gail Miller, Chairman of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies: “Gordon has been an important part of our Jazz family for the past seven years. While disappointed that he is moving on, we thank him for his contributions to the organization and wish Gordon, Robyn and their family well. We thank him for his play, his leadership and how well he represented the Jazz and the state of Utah.”
Steve Starks, President, Utah Jazz and Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment: “The Jazz made a compelling case for Gordon to stay and managed the process well. A foundation for success has been established here, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to bring a championship to Utah. From our renovated facilities to our dedicated ownership, we are building a winning culture that will make Jazz fans proud.”
Dennis Lindsey, General Manager, Utah Jazz: “We are proud of the player that Gordon developed into with the Jazz, and wish him and his family the best of luck. Despite his departure, we still have a tremendous coaching staff and very good young core of players in place as we move forward.”
The Phoenix Suns have signed guard Mike James, an NBA rookie who has stood out playing professionally in Europe the past five seasons, most recently with Panathinaikos of the Greek Basketball League.
(This is not retired 42-year-old guard Mike James who played college ball at Duquesne and who did previously play in the NBA.)
James, an athletic guard at 6-1, 190 pounds, averaged 13.1 points, 3.0 assists and 0.9 steals in 25 Euroleague games with Panathinaikos in 2016-17, helping the team to the Euroleague playoffs where they lost to eventual champion Fenerbahce. He also posted 12.0 points, 2.8 assists and 0.9 steals in 24 Greek A1 League games as the team won both the Greek Basketball League and the Greek Cup. Since going undrafted out of Lamar University in 2012, James has had a successful professional career in Europe, playing with clubs in Croatia, Israel, Italy and Spain, in addition to Greece.
A member of the Suns’ entry at NBA Summer League 2017 in Las Vegas, James also played for the Suns at NBA Summer League in 2015, helping the team to a runner-up finish. He averaged 12.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists in seven games in 2015, including a 32-point performance in the championship against San Antonio, the highest-scoring game by any player at NBA Summer League 2015 in Las Vegas.
While at Lamar, James earned All-Southland First Team honors as a senior in 2011-12 and set a school record with a 52-point game which tied for the highest-scoring game by a Division I player in the 2010-11 NCAA season. The Portland, Oregon native began his collegiate career at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Arizona, posting the fourth-highest scoring average in NJCAA Division I in 2009-10 by averaging 26.0 points.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward Caleb Swanigan to his rookie contract, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.
The Trail Blazers selected Swanigan with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.
Swanigan (6-9, 250), 20, posted averages of 14.4 points (50.1% FG, 37.6% 3-PT, 76.0% FT), 10.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in two seasons at Purdue.
A consensus All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year as a sophomore, Swanigan averaged 18.5 points (52.7% FG, 44.7% 3-PT, 78.1% FT), 12.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his second season with the Boilermakers. Swanigan ranked second in the nation in rebounding in 2016-17 and became the first player nationally since the 1985-86 season to have 640 points, 430 rebounds and 100 assists in a season.
His 28 double-doubles last season were the most in Big Ten history and the 13th-most in NCAA history. A finalist for the Wooden, Naismith and Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Awards, Swanigan became the first player since Tim Duncan of Wake Forest (1996-97) to average 18.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a season.
Swanigan will make his Trail Blazers debut at the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Portland tips off its schedule on Saturday, July 8 vs. Utah at 3 p.m. (Pacific).
He will wear No. 50 for the Trail Blazers.
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The Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Zach Collins to his rookie contract, it was announced yesterday by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.
Acquired in a draft day trade with Sacramento, Collins (7-0, 230) was selected with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.
Collins (7-0, 230) posted averages of 10.0 points (65.2% FG, 47.6% 3-PT, 74.3% FT), 5.9 rebounds and 1.77 blocks in his lone season at Gonzaga.
In his freshman season, Collins, 19, led the West Coast Conference in field goal percentage and blocked shots (69), good for second-most in a season in Gonzaga history. A WCC All-Conference Second Team selection as well as a member of the WCC All-Freshman Team, Collins averaged 9.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.00 blocks during the 2017 NCAA Tournament while guiding Gonzaga to its first National Championship Game appearance.
In a Final Four matchup against South Carolina, Collins, a Las Vegas native, recorded 14 points (6-10 FG, 1-1 3-PT), 13 rebounds and six blocks.
Collins will make his Trail Blazers debut at the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Portland tips off its schedule on Saturday, July 8 vs. Utah at 3 p.m. (Pacific).
He will wear No. 33 for the Trail Blazers.
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The Phoenix Suns have signed forward Josh Jackson, the team’s selection with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft, to his rookie contract.
Jackson, an intense competitor and athletic two-way player, was a 2017 Wooden All-America selection and the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in his lone season at Kansas. At 6-8 and 207 pounds, the 20-year-old utilized his all-around game to help the Jayhawks win a Big 12 title, averaging 16.3 points on 51.3 percent shooting, 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks over 35 contests. With the versatility to play multiple positions, Jackson can create for himself and his teammates on the offensive end while possessing the ability to be elite on the defensive end.
During his one season in Lawrence, Jackson broke or tied four Kansas freshman records with 13 double-doubles, 220 field goals made, 429 field goals attempted and 258 rebounds (tying former Suns forward Danny Manning’s mark set in 1984-85). Over the past 25 years, he became just the fourth freshman in Division I to average at least 15 points, five rebounds and three assists while shooting over 48 percent from the field, joining Ben Simmons in 2015-16, James Harden in 2007-08 and Dwyane Wade in 2001-02.
Jackson will make his professional debut as a member of the Suns’ team at NBA Summer League 2017 in Las Vegas.
The Dallas Mavericks have signed forward Johnathan Motley to a two-way contract. An explanation of that type of contract is below.
Motley (6-10, 230) went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft after three seasons at Baylor (2014-17). As a junior, he averaged 17.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game en route to being named Baylor’s first-ever consensus All-American, taking home second-team honors.
What’s more, Motley was selected as the 2017 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year, becoming first Baylor player to win a major individual award. He was also BU’s first consensus first-team All-Big 12 honoree.
The 6-10 forward is currently competing for the Mavericks’ Orlando summer league team. In two games, Motley is averaging 3.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 block per contest.
A native of Houston, Motley led North Shore High School to back-to-back district championships his junior and senior years.
The 2017-18 season will mark the first year NBA two-way contracts will be implemented. NBA teams are allowed to have up to two players under two-way contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team.
Two-way players are paid a corresponding daily amount based on the number of days they play in each league. Only players with four-or-fewer years of NBA experience are able to sign two-way contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.
The Phoenix Suns have waived guard Leandro Barbosa.
Barbosa averaged 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 14.4 minutes in 67 appearances with the Suns in 2016-17, the first season of his third tenure with the team and ninth overall. A 14-year NBA veteran, Barbosa ranks 13th in Suns franchise history with 6,443 points and first with 4,825 scored when coming off the bench.
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Lonzo Ball, forward Kyle Kuzma and guard Josh Hart to their NBA rookie contracts, it was announced today by General Manager Rob Pelinka.
Drafted with the second overall selection of the 2017 NBA Draft, Ball averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and an NCAA-best 7.6 assists per game in his lone season at UCLA. A consensus First-Team All-American, Pac-12 Co-Player of the Year and Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year, Ball finished the season first among the Pac-12 in assists (7.6), third in steals (1.8) and fifth in field goal percentage (.551). In 2016-17, he became the first player in the conference to average at least 14 points, six rebounds and seven assists per game since Jason Kidd in 1992-93.
Kuzma, the 27th selection in this year’s draft, acquired via trade with the Brooklyn Nets on draft night, averaged 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists for Utah last season. The former All-Pac-12 First Team and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection appeared in 96 career games (64 starts) for the Utes, tallying 10.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest.
Originally selected by the Jazz with this year’s No. 30 draft pick, Hart averaged 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists for Villanova in 2016-17. A consensus First Team All-American and the reigning Big East Player of the Year, the 22-year-old finished the season ranked first in the Big East in points (18.7), fourth in field goal percentage (.510) and fourth in rebounds (6.4).
An early theme of 2017 free agent negotiations continues: Yet another really good NBA player is leaving the Eastern conference and heading West. The latest being versatile power forward Paul Millsap, who will reportedly say goodbye to the Atlanta Hawks and sign with the Denver Nuggets. Here’s the Denver Post reporting:
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The Nuggets landed one of the most significant free agents in franchise history Sunday night, agreeing to a three-year, $90 million deal with power forward Paul Millsap, a league source confirmed.
Millsap, 32, was an all-star with the Atlanta Hawks each of the last four seasons and gives the Nuggets an impact frontcourt presence alongside center Nikola Jokic.