April 2019 Basketball Wiretap

Heat Haven't Ruled Out Dion Waiters Playing For Them Again

Dec 27, 2019 4:10 PM

Pat Riley has recently met with both Dion Waiters and James Johnson and expressed the sentiment the franchise hopes for a fresh start with both players.

Miami has not closed the door on Waiters playing for them again, according to sources.

Waiters has been suspended three separate times by the Heat this season.

Waiters has one more season remaining on his contract with the Heat.

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Tags: Dion Waiters, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Rockets Agree To Sign William Howard To Two-Way Contract

Dec 27, 2019 3:34 PM

The Houston Rockets have agreed to sign William Howard to a Two-Way contract.

Howard is averaging 13.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 30.4 minutes per game in the G League for the Salt Lake City Stars. Howard is also shooting 44.3 percent on three-pointers.

The Rockets recently signed Chris Clemons to a three-year deal after he ran out of days on his Two-Way contract.

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Tags: Houston Rockets, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, D-League, D-League Teams

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Wizards Sign Johnathan Williams

Dec 26, 2019 2:57 PM

The Washington Wizards have signed forward Johnathan Williams.

Williams (6-9, 228) appeared in 18 games (12 starts) for Maccabi Rishon Lezion in Israel (I-BSL) this season, averaging 11.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. The second-year forward totaled eight double-doubles and reached double-figures in 13 games for Rishon, most recently posting 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists vs. Nahariya on December 22.

After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft, Williams signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in 24 games off the bench. The Gonzaga product also appeared in 26 games for the South Bay Lakers, posting averages of 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Johnathan Williams, Washington Wizards, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Chris Clemons Agrees To Three-Year Deal With Rockets

Dec 26, 2019 2:55 PM

The Houston Rockets have agreed to a three-year contract with Chris Clemons.

Clemons was previously on a Two-Way contract with the Rockets, but he had run out of his allotment of Two-Way days. Clemons has appeared in 20 games for the Rockets.

Clemons went undrafted out of Campbell in 2019.

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Tags: Chris Clemons, Houston Rockets, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, D-League, D-League Teams

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Anthony Davis Began Considering Trade From Pelicans Last Christmas

Dec 26, 2019 10:39 AM

Anthony Davis began thinking about requesting a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans around Christmas Day in 2018. The Pelicans were not on the NBA's lineup on Christmas Day last season and the team was 15-19.

“I think it was just the wins weren’t adding up, and it seemed like we weren’t making the playoffs," Davis told Yahoo Sports. "Everyone around me and everyone who knows me knows that I want to win. And I didn’t feel like we were going to be able to do that last year. I want to be able to win. We got off to a great start. We were 4-0. Then guys got hurt and little things started to go south. But my mindset at the time was to keep trying to lead my team.”

The Pelicans continued to struggled in January and requested a trade on January 28th.

"You don’t have a lot of time in this league. It goes by very fast," he told Yahoo Sports. "So for me, it was about putting myself in position where I can win before this career is over. And hopefully win several championships and have several winning seasons. That’s what was going through my head at that time. I’m not sure what the record was, but I felt like it was time for me to at least let the organization know where my head was at.”

The Los Angeles Lakers were always his preferred destination leaving the Pelicans, but Davis thought he might have to settle for another team due to the bad blood brewing between the two franchises.

“There were several teams in mind," Davis told Yahoo Sports. "My agent [Rich Paul] was doing a good job talking to the front office and management over there. He was the one communicating back and forth with them, and I was just trying to continue being a leader over there and still playing when they allowed me to. I’m not sure what was really being talked about, but the Pelicans didn’t do anything. So I still tried to lead that team, and when I got a chance to play, I played my heart out. It’s basketball. I’m still going to be a professional, and any time I’m on the floor with four other guys, I’m going to go out there and compete.”

Chris Haynes/Yahoo! Sports

Tags: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Jazz Sign Rayjon Tucker To Multi-Year Deal

Dec 23, 2019 11:19 PM

The Utah Jazz are close to agreement on a multi-year deal with Rayjon Tucker.

Tucker was averaging 23.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 33.8 minutes per game in the G League this season for the Wisconsin Herd.

Tucker went undrafted out of Little Rock.

The Jazz will waive Jeff Green in a related move.

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Tags: Rayjon Tucker, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, Wisconsin Herd, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, D-League, D-League Teams

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Jazz Waive Jeff Green

Dec 23, 2019 10:52 PM

The Utah Jazz will waive Jeff Green.

Green agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Jazz in the offseason.

Green was averaging 7.8 points in 18.4 minutes per game this season with the Jazz.

Shams Charania, Tony Jones/The Athletic

Tags: Jeff Green, Utah Jazz, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA Waiver

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'Leaguewide Expectation' Is For Anthony Davis To Remain With Lakers

Dec 23, 2019 9:00 PM

Anthony Davis has yet to publicly commit his future, "the leaguewide expectation is that (he) will be in a Lakers uniform for the foreseeable future," according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.

Davis becomes eligible to sign an extension with the Lakers on Jan. 7 because he waived his trade bonus when dealt by the New Orleans Pelicans.

Davis is eligible for a four-year, $146 million extension starting Jan. 7 and a five-year, $202 million deal in July.

The Lakers are built to compete for titles while no teams with 2020 cap space can offer that same chance immediately.

Bobby Marks/ESPN

Tags: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Raptors Never Believed Lakers Were An Option For Kawhi Leonard

Dec 23, 2019 4:30 PM

Magic Johnson had planned to be part of the Los Angeles Lakers' meeting with Kawhi Leonard despite his resignation several months prior as president of basketball operations.

The NBA reminded Johnson that he would not be allowed at the meeting since he no longer was employed by the Lakers and had resumed his presence as a media personality.

Leonard and his camp had sought privacy in his free agency process, but Johnson spoke publicly about his involvement with the free agent.

The notion that Leonard's decision would be impacted by Johnson didn't add up since he was no longer involved with the team.

“We did exactly what (Robertson) asked us to do,” a Lakers official involved in the process said. “They never said anything about keeping Magic’s mouth shut.”

A source with knowledge of Toronto’s process said the Raptors never truly believed that the Lakers were an option for Leonard.

The Lakers continued to pursue Leonard because one of their players had been told that Leonard truly wanted to join their team, according to a source.

Sam Amick/The Athletic

Tags: Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Report: Dennis Robertson Sought Improper Benefits From Lakers, Raptors

Dec 23, 2019 3:48 PM

The NBA conducted a formal investigation of the Los Angeles Clippers last offseason, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation that spoke with Sam Amick of The Athletic. The investigation focused on complaints that Kawhi Leonard's uncle, Dennis Robertson, had asked for improper benefits during the free agency process.

Sources say the NBA investigation found no evidence that the Clippers granted Robertson any of the improper requests.

According to sources, Robertson asked for part ownership of the team, a private plane that would be available at all times, a house and a guaranteed amount of off-court endorsement money they could expect if Leonard signed with their team. Robertson made those requests repeatedly to Jeanie Buss over the course of three phone calls.

The discussions with Robertson led Buss to suspect the Lakers were being used for leverage to help him get what he wanted from the Clippers. Sources say Robertson made similar requests to the Raptors.

The NBA subsequently doubled their fines for tampering while also re-emphasizing its ability to conduct random audits.

“This is because of Dennis. He didn’t know the rules,” said one agent.

Said one owner: “This (league-wide discussion) is all because of Uncle Dennis.”

Sam Amick/The Athletic

Tags: Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA CBA

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Execs Believe Dion Waiters Unlikely To Play In NBA Again

Bobby Marks/ESPN

Malcolm Brogdon: Pacers Valued Me More Than Bucks

Eric Woodyard/ESPN

Wizards Sign Anzejs Pasecniks To Two-Way Contract, Waive Chris Chiozza

RealGM Staff Report

Blazers Granted $2.86M Injured Player Exception For Rodney Hood

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Knicks Open To Trading Julius Randle

Steve Popper/Newsday

Raptors Won't Compromise 2021 Cap Space In Pursuit Of Giannis Antetokounmpo

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Blazers Apply For $2.85M Injured Player Exception For Rodney Hood

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Thunder To Sign Kevin Hervey To Two-Way Contract

Erik Horne/The Athletic

Thunder Waive Devon Hall From Two-Way Contract

RealGM Staff Report

Lowe: Brandon Ingram Will Be Max Contract Player In 2020 Free Agency

Zach Lowe/ESPN

Davis Bertans Could Sign For At Least $15M Per Season In Offseason

David Aldridge/The Athletic

Lakers Waive Zach Norvell Jr., Sign Devontae Cacok To Two-Way Deal

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Kevin Durant Considered Knicks, Never Pushed For Them Like Kyrie Irving Did Nets

Ramona Shelburne/ESPN

Carmelo Anthony Approached Knicks About Helping Pursuit Of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving

Frank Isola/The Athletic

High-Ranking Knicks Official Tried To Convince Carmelo Anthony To Stay In 2017

Ian Begley/SNY

Knicks Fire David Fizdale

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Jimmy Butler Ghosted Rockets During 2019 Free Agency

Tim MacMahon/ESPN

Blazers Make Carmelo Anthony's Contract Fully Guaranteed

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Damian Lillard: Blazers Allow Me To Be Best Version Of Myself, Why Would I Look Elsewhere?

Marc J. Spears/Yahoo! Sports

Carmelo Anthony Was Preparing To Retire Before Blazers Offered Deal

Rachel Nichols, Nick Friedell/ESPN