Jimmy Butler Acquired/Signs With Heat
Jimmy Butler reportedly planned on meeting with the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat this week, but it only took one meeting on Sunday to solidify his decision. That led to him getting acquired by the Heat on Sunday in a sign-and-trade, sending Josh Richardson and draft picks the other way. Miami was also interested in sending Goran Dragic out in a deal to the Dallas Mavericks, making it a three-team trade, but "they changed course." Butler will sign a four-year, $142 million deal with the Heat, leaving the Sixers after just a half-season. The former first-round draft pick was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves, by request, mid-season, and averaged 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 65 games last season. Along with Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons, they made a formidable starting lineup that fell short in the second round of the NBA Playoffs to the eventual NBA Champion, Toronto Raptors.
Warriors Re-Sign Thompson, Acquire Russell
The Golden State Warriors may have lost Kevin Durant in free agency to the Brooklyn Nets, but they still found a way to add to their roster, keeping the team fun for the new arena. First, as expected, the Warriors re-signed the injured Klay Thompson to a five-year, $190 million contract, which they had been expected to offer him all week. Thompson never showed any interest in leaving Golden State, and him tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals earlier this month knocked his stock value down a bit for other teams. He will miss most of next season, but will return to a re-join his Splash Brother, Steph Curry, as he has seven straight seasons with at least 200 three-pointers. That is tied with Curry for the most in NBA history, and he has also shot at least 40% from beyond the arc in eight straight seasons, which is the second-longest active streak behind Curry.
While Thompson heals up, the Warriors did add some help for Curry in the meantime, that being D'Angelo Russel, whom they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a sign-and-trade. Russell became a free agent once the Nets agreed to sign Kyrie Irving, and quickly signed a four-year, $117 million deal with the Warriors. The Los Angeles Lakers were a favorite to bring Russell back, already reaching out to him to set up a meeting, which never happened. The former LA first-round pick had a breakout season, leading the Nets to a playoff berth with 42 wins, averaging 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game, all while making a Nets-record 234 three-pointers. To make room on their roster, the Warriors also agreed to trade former NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Al Hoford Joins 76ers, Who Also Lock in Harris
The Boston Celtics had a tough time keeping their key components to their recent playoff runs, and that included Al Hoford, who oped out of his contract a couple weeks ago. To make it worse, he joined a team that the Celtics will be seeing plenty of, signing a four-year, $109 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 33-year-old remains in the Atlantic Division, as he basically fits in perfectly to take over for the defense that the Sixers lost in Jimmy Butler signing elsewhere. Horford is expected to be the power forward in the starting lineup, with Joel Embiid at center. Horford's player option that he turned down was worth $30 million, as he is one of 10 players in the past 40 years with at least five All-Star appearances and 12 straight seasons in the playoffs. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Atlanta Hawks, before joining the Celtics in 2016. He is coming off a season that saw him average 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while starting all 68 games he played in.
The Sixers also acquired Tobias Harris from the Los Angeles Clippers last season, and he quickly stated this summer "I'm a Philadelphia 76er." That being said, he had no doubt in his mind that he would re-sign on Sunday, which he did on a five-year deal that is worth $180 million. Harris also had stints with the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons, before making a name for himself out west with LA. The 26-year-old met with the Sixers front office on Sunday to finalize the deal, which includes no player option. That shows how committed he is to staying in Philadelphia, which he helped get to the NBA Playoffs this past season, averaging 20.0 points and 7.9 rebounds on 48 percent shooting, as he has averaged just over 15 points per game for his career.
Nuggets Give Jamal Murray Expected Extension
The Denver Nuggets didn't go out and nab any big-named free agents, but instead hung on to what got them to the top of the Western Conference, giving Jamal Murray a five-year, $170 million deal. The former first round pick out of Kentucky is coming off a career season, as he and Nikola Jokic powered the Nuggets to a quick turnaround under head coach Mike Malone. He is expected to make $29.3 million this season while playing out the remainder of his rookie contract, with this max extension beginning in the 2020-2021 season. The high-energy guard caught the eyes of many with multiple clutch shots, while averaging 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, as he continues to progress his stats in the three years since getting drafted.
Knicks Get Randle After Losing Out on Durant
The New York Knicks, for some reason, refused to offer Kevin Durant a max contract, which led to him going to the Barclays Center instead for the Brooklyn Nets. They did add some size to their roster on Sunday, agreeing to a three-year, $63 million deal with Julius Randle. The former Los Angeles Laker moved on from the New Orleans Pelicans, despite them making more room on the floor and in cap space by trading away Anthony Davis. The 24-year-old is coming off the best season of his five-year NBA career, averaging 21.4 points on 52% shooting with New Orleans. He also added 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, and had Pelicans' fans hopeful that he would stick around to play with Zion Williamson. Instead, he's going to Madison Square Garden, as are Taj Gibson and Bobby Portis, who also signed with New York on Sunday. They continued to add veteran role players on Monday, bringing in Reggie Bullock, Elfrid Payton, and Wayne Ellington two-year deals.
Magic Bringing Back Vucevic, Ross/Add Aminu
The Orlando Magic had themselves a surprising run to the NBA Playoffs this past season, sneaking in as the eighth seed before getting knocked out by the Toronto Raptors. They were worried about losing out on the guys that got them there, but surprisingly, they were able to hand on to the top two contributors. That includes Nikola Vucevic, who is returning on a four-year, $100 million contract. His first season of staying healthy led to him posting 20.8 points, 12 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game, helping the Magic reach the postseason for the first time since 2012. The 28-year-old was also named an All-Star for the first time, and he credited his resurgence on the court to first-year head coach Steve Clifford. The Magic were also able to re-sign Terrence Ross to a four-year, $54 million contract. Ross was one of the major individual surprises for the Magic, averaging a career-high 15.1 points in 81 games played. The guard was drafted by the Raptors in 2012, but was dealt to the Magic for Serge Ibaka in 2017. Since then, he has settled in to the new home, and can get comfortable with the direction this franchise is going in. They were also able to add a bit to their roster, bringing in Al-Farouq Aminu on a three-year, $29 million deal. Aminu spent four seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 9.5 points and 7.1 rebounds in that time, and basically matched those averages this past season, finishing at 9.4 points and 7.5 rebounds in 81 games.
Clippers Keep Beverley For Three More Years
Patrick Beverley was another name that kept coming up in the Los Angeles Lakers' search for more help, and he did sign with Los Angles, but is staying with the Clippers. The controversial, heated star agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract with the Clippers, and showed his excitement by retweeting Woj's announcement of the contract on Twitter. The veteran turns 31 on July 12th and averaged 7.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 78 games for the Clippers, who got in to the playoffs as an eighth seed this past spring. For his career, Beverley has averaged 9.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in seven seasons with the Houston Rockets and Clippers.
Rose, Redick, Rozier Find New Homes on Sunday
The Detroit Pistons also found themselves as an eighth seed this past season, before getting embarrassingly swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. They added more veteran presence by signing Derrick Rose to a two-year, $15 million contract on Sunday. Rose had himself a resurgent year this past season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 18.0 points per game in 51 games played. That was highlighted by an emotional 50-point performance, the first of his career, along with a game-winning block against the Utah Jazz in November. Another sharp shooter that found a home was JJ Redick, who is joining another rebuilding franchise in the New Orleans Pelicans. He was a major part in the Philadelphia 76ers' comeback season, and now he hopes to do the same for New Orleans. The contract is a two-year deal that is worth $26 million. Redick spent two seasons with the Clippers, after coming up big multiple times while with the Los Angeles Clippers. He is known for his three-point shooting, and continues to be known for that, finishing at a 39.7 percent more from beyond the arc this past season. The Pelicans are also closing in on a deal to add Derrick Favors as well. And Terry Rozier fell in to the three-team sign and trade that saw Kemba Walker join the Boston Celtics, and Kyrie Irving join the Brooklyn Nets. Rozier agreed to a three-year deal with a now rebuilding Charlotte team, who also declined their qualifying offer to Frank Kaminsky. Rozier is a former 16th overall pick in the NBA Draft, and had his best season in 2017-2018, averaging 11.3 points per game while filling in for the injured Irving.
Porzingis Gets Locked in, Jazz Get Bogdanovic, Hood Returns to Portland
The Dallas Mavericks had their big off-season move come mid-season, and all they did on Sunday was lock in that move for good, as they see it as their future right in front them. The Mavs gave Kristaps Porzingis a five-year contract extension that is worth $158 million. Porzingis was acquired from the New York Knicks earlier this season, as the 23-year-old continues to recover from a torn ACL. He is expected to be back for next season, as he joins Luka Doncic and a young Mavs' team that hopes to surprise the Western Conference. Staying in the West, the Utah Jazz added to their highly-anticipated team by giving Bojan Bogdanovic a four-year contract. The deal is worth $73 million, as they get him from the Indiana Pacers in free agency. Bogdanovic stepped up in a major way after the Pacers lost Victor Oladipo to injury, going off for 23.1 points per game in February and 21.8 points per game in March. That led Indiana to the fifth seed in the East with a 48-34 record. Another team that had a successful season was the Portland Trail Blazers, and they can thank a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Rodney Hood for how far they got. It may not have been just because of that shot, but the Blazers are keeping him around on a two-year, $16 million deal. In just 27 regular season games, he did shoot a career-low 34.5 percent from three-point range, but he stayed valuable come playoff time, averaging 9.9 points per game. The 27 year old began his career with the Jazz and has a career average of 12.7 points per game, shooting 42 percent from the field.
Mavericks Sign Seth Curry to Four-Year Deal
Seth Curry may not be at the level of his brother, Steph, but he did step up a bit in the NBA Playoffs for the Portland Trail Blazers. He did it at the perfect time with him being eligible for free agency, and he landed a big contract on Monday. He wasn't an opening deal, but he did get a four-year, $32 million contract from the Dallas Mavericks. The 28-year-old is enjoying the largest contract of his professional career, this after he ranked third in the NBA with a 45 percent mark from three-point range. This will be his second stint with the Mavericks, as he did average 13 points per game in 70 games for them during the 2017-2018 season. He's also spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings. The Mavs were also able to have Dorian Finney-Smith, re-signing him to a two-year contract on Monday.
Celtics Add Size With Enes Kanter
The Boston Celtics took a big blow to their paint play when Al Horford signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, but they did land some help in the former of Enes Kanter on Monday. Kanter received a two-year deal from Boston that is worth $10 million, this after getting plenty of playing time during the Playoffs with the Portland Trail Blazers. That was after Jusuf Nurkic went down with a serious leg injury late in the regular season, but Kanter filled in nicely down low. He started last season with the New York Knicks, but rarely got playing time with that lowly team, which made that time with the organization a forgettable one. He was let go from New York and signed with Portland in February, and was instantly, noticeably happier. That showed in his stats as well, as he averaged 19.6 points and 12.4 rebounds in five April starts. The 27-year-old has posted 11.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in his eight-year NBA career. And he is getting some help down low, as Boston also re-signed more size in Daniel Theiss to a two-year contract.
Bucks Add Wesley Matthews
Yet another key player has moved on from the Indiana Pacers, and this one has added to the threat that is the Milwaukee Bucks. Wesley Matthews has agreed to join the Bucks on a one-year deal, making the league's veteran's minimum. Matthews is the second veteran to join the Bucks in as many days, as big man Robin Lopez also signed with him, pairing him up with his brother, Brook Lopez. This somewhat makes up for Milwaukee losing Malcolm Brogdon in a sign-and-trade to the Pacers on Sunday. The 32-year-old Matthews has averaged 13.7 points in his 10-year NBA career, and is coming off a season that saw him average 10.9 points in just 23 games played with Indiana.
Austin Rivers Returning to Rockets
The Houston Rockets enjoyed the spark off their bench that came from Austin Rivers, and after they lost out on Jimmy Butler, they had some money to spend. So, they spent it on that bench spark, giving Rivers a two-year contract that is worth $5.7 million annually. The contract does include a player option for the second season, leading him in to his second season with Houston. Rivers began his career playing for his father, Doc Rivers, and the Los Angeles Clippers, this after being the 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft by New Orleans. The young player added to the three-point threat that the Rockets rely on, this after he spent time with the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns last year. He did end up starting 13 games for Houston, averaging 11.6 points per game in those starts.
Looney Stays With Warriors For Three Years
Kevon Looney was one of many Golden State Warriors that suffered injuries during the NBA Playoffs this past season, but he is sticking around to make things right at their new arena. Looney agreed to stay with the Warriors on Monday with a three-year, $15 million contract. Despite the injury, he stilled filled in nicely for the also injured DeMarcus Cousins, but Looney went down in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. The 23-year-old missed the remainder of the series, but still has something to prove after getting selected with the 30th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He averaged 18.5 minutes per game last season, recording 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds for the year.
Kings Re-Sign Barnes, Add Ariza
The Sacramento Kings kept one key veteran around, while adding another, as they look to build their young team in to a playoff contender in the Western Conference. First, the Kings agreed to re-sign Harrison Barnes to a four-year contract that is worth $85 million, this after he declined his $25.1 million player option for the 2019-2020 season. Barnes was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks in a trade this past season, and will keep him around to guide the likes of De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield as they progress in the NBA. The 27-year-old Barnes averaged 16.4 points and 4.7 rebounds this past season, shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range. He will also be joined by fellow veteran, Trevor Ariza, who agreed to a two-year, $25 million contract. Ariza spent time with both the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards last season, with a majority of his playing time coming in D.C. In 43 games with the Wizards, the 34-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
Suns Bring in Rubio on Three-Year Deal
The Phoenix Suns are attempting to give Devin Booker some help, whether it be alongside him, or even backing him up. Their recent attempt at that was to add Ricky Rubio on a three-year, $51 million contract, a deal that was agreed upon on Sunday. Rubio made $14.9 million last season with the Utah Jazz, but that time was up once Utah went out and acquired Mike Conley from the Memphis Grizzlies. Rubio started 144 of his 145 games with the Jazz, this after getting drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 NBA Draft. Over eight NBA seasons, the guard averages 12.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
Spurs Hang on to Gay, Add Carroll
The San Antonio Spurs once again are not one of the teams out there trying to nab the big-named free agents, but trying to hang on to what consistently keeps them a playoff contender, while quietly adding production. They did both of those things to kick off free agency this week, first re-signing Rudy Gay to a two-year, $32 million deal. Gay joined the Spurs in July of 2017, and is coming off a season that saw him post 13.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He had to overcome injuries just to appear in 57 games his first season, and then played in 69 games including 51 starts, last season, where the Spurs were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs in the first round. He was very efficient while on the floor last year, shooting a career-best 50.4 percent from the field, including 40.2 percent from three-point range. The Spurs also added a role-playing veteran in DeMarre Carroll with a two-year contract that is reportedly worth between $12 and $13 million. The 32-year-old spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets after getting his NBA career started with the Toronto Raptors. He was a starter in his first season with Brooklyn, but came off the bench last year, averaging 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Isaiah Thomas Joins Wizards on One-Year Deal
Isaiah Thomas has only played 44 games combined in the past two seasons with four different, so another new home gives him a fifth fresh chance to resurrect his career. Thomas agreed to join the Washington Wizards on a one-year deal Monday, this after the Wizards lost point guard Tomas Satoransky to the Chicago Bulls on a three-year, $30 million contract. The 30-year-old Thomas met with Washington on Monday, and is hopeful that he will be healthy enough to make a full return next season. He recently had surgery for an injured hip, but a full off-season should be enough for him to heal up, as he moves on from the Denver Nuggets. He also had stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, this after leading the Boston Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. Although, he is coming off a season that saw him play in 12 games, averaging eight points. His best season came in 2016-2017, when he posted 28.9 points per game in his final season in Boston.
Pistons Bring in Markieff Morris on Deal
The Detroit Pistons are bringing a Morris back to their team, but this time, instead of Marcus, it's his twin brother, Markieff Morris. The power forward agreed to a two-year contract with the Pistons on Wednesday, giving them more veteran presence on an otherwise young team. Detroit also added point guard Derrick Rose earlier this week, most likely to come off the bench as a backup to Reggie Jackson. The 29-year-old Morris split his time last season with the Washington Wizards and Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 58 games. Before this past season, he had averaged in double figures eight consecutive seasons, including time with the Phoenix Suns. He also developed a bit of long-range while with the Wizards, shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc.
Jimmy Butler reportedly planned on meeting with the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat this week, but it only took one meeting on Sunday to solidify his decision. That led to him getting acquired by the Heat on Sunday in a sign-and-trade, sending Josh Richardson and draft picks the other way. Miami was also interested in sending Goran Dragic out in a deal to the Dallas Mavericks, making it a three-team trade, but "they changed course." Butler will sign a four-year, $142 million deal with the Heat, leaving the Sixers after just a half-season. The former first-round draft pick was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves, by request, mid-season, and averaged 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 65 games last season. Along with Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons, they made a formidable starting lineup that fell short in the second round of the NBA Playoffs to the eventual NBA Champion, Toronto Raptors.
Warriors Re-Sign Thompson, Acquire Russell
The Golden State Warriors may have lost Kevin Durant in free agency to the Brooklyn Nets, but they still found a way to add to their roster, keeping the team fun for the new arena. First, as expected, the Warriors re-signed the injured Klay Thompson to a five-year, $190 million contract, which they had been expected to offer him all week. Thompson never showed any interest in leaving Golden State, and him tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals earlier this month knocked his stock value down a bit for other teams. He will miss most of next season, but will return to a re-join his Splash Brother, Steph Curry, as he has seven straight seasons with at least 200 three-pointers. That is tied with Curry for the most in NBA history, and he has also shot at least 40% from beyond the arc in eight straight seasons, which is the second-longest active streak behind Curry.
While Thompson heals up, the Warriors did add some help for Curry in the meantime, that being D'Angelo Russel, whom they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a sign-and-trade. Russell became a free agent once the Nets agreed to sign Kyrie Irving, and quickly signed a four-year, $117 million deal with the Warriors. The Los Angeles Lakers were a favorite to bring Russell back, already reaching out to him to set up a meeting, which never happened. The former LA first-round pick had a breakout season, leading the Nets to a playoff berth with 42 wins, averaging 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game, all while making a Nets-record 234 three-pointers. To make room on their roster, the Warriors also agreed to trade former NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Al Hoford Joins 76ers, Who Also Lock in Harris
The Boston Celtics had a tough time keeping their key components to their recent playoff runs, and that included Al Hoford, who oped out of his contract a couple weeks ago. To make it worse, he joined a team that the Celtics will be seeing plenty of, signing a four-year, $109 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 33-year-old remains in the Atlantic Division, as he basically fits in perfectly to take over for the defense that the Sixers lost in Jimmy Butler signing elsewhere. Horford is expected to be the power forward in the starting lineup, with Joel Embiid at center. Horford's player option that he turned down was worth $30 million, as he is one of 10 players in the past 40 years with at least five All-Star appearances and 12 straight seasons in the playoffs. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Atlanta Hawks, before joining the Celtics in 2016. He is coming off a season that saw him average 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while starting all 68 games he played in.
The Sixers also acquired Tobias Harris from the Los Angeles Clippers last season, and he quickly stated this summer "I'm a Philadelphia 76er." That being said, he had no doubt in his mind that he would re-sign on Sunday, which he did on a five-year deal that is worth $180 million. Harris also had stints with the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons, before making a name for himself out west with LA. The 26-year-old met with the Sixers front office on Sunday to finalize the deal, which includes no player option. That shows how committed he is to staying in Philadelphia, which he helped get to the NBA Playoffs this past season, averaging 20.0 points and 7.9 rebounds on 48 percent shooting, as he has averaged just over 15 points per game for his career.
Nuggets Give Jamal Murray Expected Extension
The Denver Nuggets didn't go out and nab any big-named free agents, but instead hung on to what got them to the top of the Western Conference, giving Jamal Murray a five-year, $170 million deal. The former first round pick out of Kentucky is coming off a career season, as he and Nikola Jokic powered the Nuggets to a quick turnaround under head coach Mike Malone. He is expected to make $29.3 million this season while playing out the remainder of his rookie contract, with this max extension beginning in the 2020-2021 season. The high-energy guard caught the eyes of many with multiple clutch shots, while averaging 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, as he continues to progress his stats in the three years since getting drafted.
Knicks Get Randle After Losing Out on Durant
The New York Knicks, for some reason, refused to offer Kevin Durant a max contract, which led to him going to the Barclays Center instead for the Brooklyn Nets. They did add some size to their roster on Sunday, agreeing to a three-year, $63 million deal with Julius Randle. The former Los Angeles Laker moved on from the New Orleans Pelicans, despite them making more room on the floor and in cap space by trading away Anthony Davis. The 24-year-old is coming off the best season of his five-year NBA career, averaging 21.4 points on 52% shooting with New Orleans. He also added 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, and had Pelicans' fans hopeful that he would stick around to play with Zion Williamson. Instead, he's going to Madison Square Garden, as are Taj Gibson and Bobby Portis, who also signed with New York on Sunday. They continued to add veteran role players on Monday, bringing in Reggie Bullock, Elfrid Payton, and Wayne Ellington two-year deals.
Magic Bringing Back Vucevic, Ross/Add Aminu
The Orlando Magic had themselves a surprising run to the NBA Playoffs this past season, sneaking in as the eighth seed before getting knocked out by the Toronto Raptors. They were worried about losing out on the guys that got them there, but surprisingly, they were able to hand on to the top two contributors. That includes Nikola Vucevic, who is returning on a four-year, $100 million contract. His first season of staying healthy led to him posting 20.8 points, 12 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game, helping the Magic reach the postseason for the first time since 2012. The 28-year-old was also named an All-Star for the first time, and he credited his resurgence on the court to first-year head coach Steve Clifford. The Magic were also able to re-sign Terrence Ross to a four-year, $54 million contract. Ross was one of the major individual surprises for the Magic, averaging a career-high 15.1 points in 81 games played. The guard was drafted by the Raptors in 2012, but was dealt to the Magic for Serge Ibaka in 2017. Since then, he has settled in to the new home, and can get comfortable with the direction this franchise is going in. They were also able to add a bit to their roster, bringing in Al-Farouq Aminu on a three-year, $29 million deal. Aminu spent four seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 9.5 points and 7.1 rebounds in that time, and basically matched those averages this past season, finishing at 9.4 points and 7.5 rebounds in 81 games.
Clippers Keep Beverley For Three More Years
Patrick Beverley was another name that kept coming up in the Los Angeles Lakers' search for more help, and he did sign with Los Angles, but is staying with the Clippers. The controversial, heated star agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract with the Clippers, and showed his excitement by retweeting Woj's announcement of the contract on Twitter. The veteran turns 31 on July 12th and averaged 7.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 78 games for the Clippers, who got in to the playoffs as an eighth seed this past spring. For his career, Beverley has averaged 9.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in seven seasons with the Houston Rockets and Clippers.
Rose, Redick, Rozier Find New Homes on Sunday
The Detroit Pistons also found themselves as an eighth seed this past season, before getting embarrassingly swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. They added more veteran presence by signing Derrick Rose to a two-year, $15 million contract on Sunday. Rose had himself a resurgent year this past season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 18.0 points per game in 51 games played. That was highlighted by an emotional 50-point performance, the first of his career, along with a game-winning block against the Utah Jazz in November. Another sharp shooter that found a home was JJ Redick, who is joining another rebuilding franchise in the New Orleans Pelicans. He was a major part in the Philadelphia 76ers' comeback season, and now he hopes to do the same for New Orleans. The contract is a two-year deal that is worth $26 million. Redick spent two seasons with the Clippers, after coming up big multiple times while with the Los Angeles Clippers. He is known for his three-point shooting, and continues to be known for that, finishing at a 39.7 percent more from beyond the arc this past season. The Pelicans are also closing in on a deal to add Derrick Favors as well. And Terry Rozier fell in to the three-team sign and trade that saw Kemba Walker join the Boston Celtics, and Kyrie Irving join the Brooklyn Nets. Rozier agreed to a three-year deal with a now rebuilding Charlotte team, who also declined their qualifying offer to Frank Kaminsky. Rozier is a former 16th overall pick in the NBA Draft, and had his best season in 2017-2018, averaging 11.3 points per game while filling in for the injured Irving.
Porzingis Gets Locked in, Jazz Get Bogdanovic, Hood Returns to Portland
The Dallas Mavericks had their big off-season move come mid-season, and all they did on Sunday was lock in that move for good, as they see it as their future right in front them. The Mavs gave Kristaps Porzingis a five-year contract extension that is worth $158 million. Porzingis was acquired from the New York Knicks earlier this season, as the 23-year-old continues to recover from a torn ACL. He is expected to be back for next season, as he joins Luka Doncic and a young Mavs' team that hopes to surprise the Western Conference. Staying in the West, the Utah Jazz added to their highly-anticipated team by giving Bojan Bogdanovic a four-year contract. The deal is worth $73 million, as they get him from the Indiana Pacers in free agency. Bogdanovic stepped up in a major way after the Pacers lost Victor Oladipo to injury, going off for 23.1 points per game in February and 21.8 points per game in March. That led Indiana to the fifth seed in the East with a 48-34 record. Another team that had a successful season was the Portland Trail Blazers, and they can thank a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Rodney Hood for how far they got. It may not have been just because of that shot, but the Blazers are keeping him around on a two-year, $16 million deal. In just 27 regular season games, he did shoot a career-low 34.5 percent from three-point range, but he stayed valuable come playoff time, averaging 9.9 points per game. The 27 year old began his career with the Jazz and has a career average of 12.7 points per game, shooting 42 percent from the field.
Mavericks Sign Seth Curry to Four-Year Deal
Seth Curry may not be at the level of his brother, Steph, but he did step up a bit in the NBA Playoffs for the Portland Trail Blazers. He did it at the perfect time with him being eligible for free agency, and he landed a big contract on Monday. He wasn't an opening deal, but he did get a four-year, $32 million contract from the Dallas Mavericks. The 28-year-old is enjoying the largest contract of his professional career, this after he ranked third in the NBA with a 45 percent mark from three-point range. This will be his second stint with the Mavericks, as he did average 13 points per game in 70 games for them during the 2017-2018 season. He's also spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings. The Mavs were also able to have Dorian Finney-Smith, re-signing him to a two-year contract on Monday.
Celtics Add Size With Enes Kanter
The Boston Celtics took a big blow to their paint play when Al Horford signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, but they did land some help in the former of Enes Kanter on Monday. Kanter received a two-year deal from Boston that is worth $10 million, this after getting plenty of playing time during the Playoffs with the Portland Trail Blazers. That was after Jusuf Nurkic went down with a serious leg injury late in the regular season, but Kanter filled in nicely down low. He started last season with the New York Knicks, but rarely got playing time with that lowly team, which made that time with the organization a forgettable one. He was let go from New York and signed with Portland in February, and was instantly, noticeably happier. That showed in his stats as well, as he averaged 19.6 points and 12.4 rebounds in five April starts. The 27-year-old has posted 11.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in his eight-year NBA career. And he is getting some help down low, as Boston also re-signed more size in Daniel Theiss to a two-year contract.
Bucks Add Wesley Matthews
Yet another key player has moved on from the Indiana Pacers, and this one has added to the threat that is the Milwaukee Bucks. Wesley Matthews has agreed to join the Bucks on a one-year deal, making the league's veteran's minimum. Matthews is the second veteran to join the Bucks in as many days, as big man Robin Lopez also signed with him, pairing him up with his brother, Brook Lopez. This somewhat makes up for Milwaukee losing Malcolm Brogdon in a sign-and-trade to the Pacers on Sunday. The 32-year-old Matthews has averaged 13.7 points in his 10-year NBA career, and is coming off a season that saw him average 10.9 points in just 23 games played with Indiana.
Austin Rivers Returning to Rockets
The Houston Rockets enjoyed the spark off their bench that came from Austin Rivers, and after they lost out on Jimmy Butler, they had some money to spend. So, they spent it on that bench spark, giving Rivers a two-year contract that is worth $5.7 million annually. The contract does include a player option for the second season, leading him in to his second season with Houston. Rivers began his career playing for his father, Doc Rivers, and the Los Angeles Clippers, this after being the 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft by New Orleans. The young player added to the three-point threat that the Rockets rely on, this after he spent time with the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns last year. He did end up starting 13 games for Houston, averaging 11.6 points per game in those starts.
Looney Stays With Warriors For Three Years
Kevon Looney was one of many Golden State Warriors that suffered injuries during the NBA Playoffs this past season, but he is sticking around to make things right at their new arena. Looney agreed to stay with the Warriors on Monday with a three-year, $15 million contract. Despite the injury, he stilled filled in nicely for the also injured DeMarcus Cousins, but Looney went down in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. The 23-year-old missed the remainder of the series, but still has something to prove after getting selected with the 30th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He averaged 18.5 minutes per game last season, recording 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds for the year.
Kings Re-Sign Barnes, Add Ariza
The Sacramento Kings kept one key veteran around, while adding another, as they look to build their young team in to a playoff contender in the Western Conference. First, the Kings agreed to re-sign Harrison Barnes to a four-year contract that is worth $85 million, this after he declined his $25.1 million player option for the 2019-2020 season. Barnes was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks in a trade this past season, and will keep him around to guide the likes of De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield as they progress in the NBA. The 27-year-old Barnes averaged 16.4 points and 4.7 rebounds this past season, shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range. He will also be joined by fellow veteran, Trevor Ariza, who agreed to a two-year, $25 million contract. Ariza spent time with both the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards last season, with a majority of his playing time coming in D.C. In 43 games with the Wizards, the 34-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
Suns Bring in Rubio on Three-Year Deal
The Phoenix Suns are attempting to give Devin Booker some help, whether it be alongside him, or even backing him up. Their recent attempt at that was to add Ricky Rubio on a three-year, $51 million contract, a deal that was agreed upon on Sunday. Rubio made $14.9 million last season with the Utah Jazz, but that time was up once Utah went out and acquired Mike Conley from the Memphis Grizzlies. Rubio started 144 of his 145 games with the Jazz, this after getting drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 NBA Draft. Over eight NBA seasons, the guard averages 12.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
Spurs Hang on to Gay, Add Carroll
The San Antonio Spurs once again are not one of the teams out there trying to nab the big-named free agents, but trying to hang on to what consistently keeps them a playoff contender, while quietly adding production. They did both of those things to kick off free agency this week, first re-signing Rudy Gay to a two-year, $32 million deal. Gay joined the Spurs in July of 2017, and is coming off a season that saw him post 13.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He had to overcome injuries just to appear in 57 games his first season, and then played in 69 games including 51 starts, last season, where the Spurs were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs in the first round. He was very efficient while on the floor last year, shooting a career-best 50.4 percent from the field, including 40.2 percent from three-point range. The Spurs also added a role-playing veteran in DeMarre Carroll with a two-year contract that is reportedly worth between $12 and $13 million. The 32-year-old spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets after getting his NBA career started with the Toronto Raptors. He was a starter in his first season with Brooklyn, but came off the bench last year, averaging 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Isaiah Thomas Joins Wizards on One-Year Deal
Isaiah Thomas has only played 44 games combined in the past two seasons with four different, so another new home gives him a fifth fresh chance to resurrect his career. Thomas agreed to join the Washington Wizards on a one-year deal Monday, this after the Wizards lost point guard Tomas Satoransky to the Chicago Bulls on a three-year, $30 million contract. The 30-year-old Thomas met with Washington on Monday, and is hopeful that he will be healthy enough to make a full return next season. He recently had surgery for an injured hip, but a full off-season should be enough for him to heal up, as he moves on from the Denver Nuggets. He also had stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, this after leading the Boston Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. Although, he is coming off a season that saw him play in 12 games, averaging eight points. His best season came in 2016-2017, when he posted 28.9 points per game in his final season in Boston.
Pistons Bring in Markieff Morris on Deal
The Detroit Pistons are bringing a Morris back to their team, but this time, instead of Marcus, it's his twin brother, Markieff Morris. The power forward agreed to a two-year contract with the Pistons on Wednesday, giving them more veteran presence on an otherwise young team. Detroit also added point guard Derrick Rose earlier this week, most likely to come off the bench as a backup to Reggie Jackson. The 29-year-old Morris split his time last season with the Washington Wizards and Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 58 games. Before this past season, he had averaged in double figures eight consecutive seasons, including time with the Phoenix Suns. He also developed a bit of long-range while with the Wizards, shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc.
