The final day of July brought some NBA rumors of transactions, arrests, and possible trade candidates. Today’s rumor mill surrounds Garrett Temple, Amir Coffey, Duane Washington Jr, Udoka Azubuike, and Zach LaVine. I will also look at Pete Nance and Dejan Vasiljevic earning training camp invites.
NBA Rumors: Garrett Temple, Amir Coffey, and Zach LaVine News
Garrett Temple Agrees To NBA Contract with Raptors
Temple hasn’t been out of work long, and now he doesn’t have to worry about earning an NBA training camp deal. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted yesterday afternoon that Temple and the Toronto Raptors have come to terms on a one-year, $3.2 million contract. The New Orleans Pelicans waived Temple on July 5.
Free agent F Garrett Temple has agreed on a one-year, $3.2M deal with the Toronto Raptors, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Temple — who spent the past two years with the Pelicans — will be playing his 14th NBA season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 31, 2023
Temple enters his 14th NBA season after a campaign where he just appeared in 25 games for the Pelicans. The Raptors are the 12th team for the well-traveled vet.
Temple is known for being a good locker-room presence, notes Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca.
Raptors now at 15 guaranteed spots (if Temple is guaranteed). He’s a cool guy, good room presence.
Raps about $1.9M clear of tax (and 3.1M clear if we exclude “unlikely” bonuses for a few guys), so a tiny bit of flexibility to cut a guarantee if, say, Dowtin earns a spot. https://t.co/aD1nPdUDvv
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) July 31, 2023
Temple is versatile, as he can play all three backcourt spots and a little power forward. He is a good ball-handler and defender while also being able to knock down an occasional three.
As Murphy noted, with the addition of Temple, the Raptors have 16 players on standard contracts with possibly 15 fully guaranteed. Therefore, Toronto must make at least one roster move before opening night. Jeff Dowtin‘s contract is not guaranteed, but a significant portion of his deal will reportedly be if he makes the club.
Los Angeles Clippers Forward Amir Coffey Arrested
Coffey was arrested in Hollywood, California, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning for misdemeanor possession of a firearm, according to TMZ.
Coffey was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over for speeding. When police approached the vehicle, they reportedly smelled marijuana and searched it. They found a loaded gun, which Coffey conceded was his.
According to TMZ, the 26-year-old was arrested for the misdemeanor charge, booked into jail, and released four hours later. Coffey’s court date is scheduled for August.
Coffey is coming off his fourth and worst season with the Los Angeles Clippers. The 26-year-old wing averaged 3.4 points on 38.6% shooting from the field and 27.5% from the 3-point line last season. Coffey will make $3.6 million this year as part of the three-year, $11 million deal that was signed in 2022.
Los Angeles has yet to make a statement regarding Coffey’s arrest. While the arrest is unlikely to cost Coffey his job, it would be surprising if he isn’t suspended or heavily fined by the league.
The Clippers have 16 players on standard contracts. However, Jason Preston‘s deal is nonguaranteed.
Knicks Bring Back Duane Washington Jr.
Washington returned to the New York Knicks on July 30. The 23-year-old guard was waived last week after picking up his two-Wayne, qualifying offer due to the team already filling all three of their two-way slots. Dylan Windler, Nathan Knight, and Jaylen Martin occupy those three slots.
Terms of Washington’s deal are unknown. It could have some guarantee, be nonguaranteed, or have exhibit 10 verbiage. Jacob Toppin is currently the only Knick on a training camp deal.
The Knicks have 15 players on standard contracts. However, four of those players have non-fully guaranteed pacts.
Washington signed a two-way contract with New York at the end of February. But, he never played for the Knicks.
Prior to signing with the Knicks, Washington did appear in 31 games for the Phoenix Suns last season. Washington averaged 7.9 points and 2.0 assists while posting a slash line of .367/.360/.667. He did score in double-figures 11 times, including four 20-point efforts.
Players Earn Training Camp Invites
Over the past two days, first-year players Nance and Vasiljevic have earned training camp invites and exhibit-10 contracts. Therefore, if neither player makes the 15-man roster they will likely head to the play for the team’s G-League squad.
Nance gets his opportunity from the Cleveland Cavaliers, where his brother Larry Jr. and father, Larry Sr., have also played for the organization. Nance went undrafted out of North Carolina this year after spending four years at Northwestern. The 6-10 forward played for the Cavaliers summer league squad in Las Vegas, where he averaged 7.1 points on 47.2% shooting from the field and 42.9% from the 3-point line. He added 3.33 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21 minutes over six contests.
Cleveland has 13 players on standard contracts though the Cavs need to add at least one more player on a standard warranty before training camp. The Cavaliers have already filled their three-two way slots with Emoni Bates, Isaiah Mobley, and Craig Porter Jr. So, expect Nance to start the season with the Cleveland Charge of the G-League.
Vasiljevic agreed to attend training camp with the Washington Wizard, per ESPN’s Olgun Uluc.
Dejan Vasiljevic has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Washington Wizards, sources told ESPN.
— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) July 31, 2023
Vasiljevic has played in his native Australia since going undrafted out of Miami (FL) in 2020. The 26-year-old guard spent the summer with the Wizards’ summer league team, compiling 7.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 threes with a slash line of .350/.385/1.000 in 13 minutes over three appearances.
Although the Wizards have an open two-way slot, Vasiljevic will likely begin the season with the G-League Capital City Go-Go as an affiliate player. Jared Butler and Eugene Omoruyi have already signed two-way deals with the Wizards.
Phoenix Suns Sign Udoka Azubuke to Two-Way Contract
Azubuike and the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Wojnarowski.
Free agent C Udoka Azubuike has agreed on a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns, Zach Kurtin and Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. He was the 27th overall pick to the Jazz in 2020.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 31, 2023
Azubuike has spent the last three seasons with the Utah Jazz. The 23-year-old center appeared in 36 contests with the Jazz last year, averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 caroms while shooting 81.9% from the field in 10 minutes per game. Most of his buckets came on layups, dunks, and putbacks.
Azuibuike played in the 2K24 Summer League for the Boston Celtics, where he was highly efficient and dominated on the glass. He is the second player to sign a two-way contract, with Saban Lee being the other.
Zach LaVine NBA Trade Rumors Likely To Re-Start After Start of Season
Trade speculation surrounding LaVine has cooled down, but Joe Crowley of the Chicago Sun-Times expects it to heat up once the season begins.
The indications several in the league were getting from the [Chicago] Bulls was that while the rip cord wasn’t pulled this summer, “Crowley wrote. It’s definitely in Karnisovas’ hand and being gripped firmly.”
Part of the reason that Chicago reportedly hasn’t unloaded LaVine is due to the perceived astronomical price that the Bulls were asking. But LaVine is Chicago’s only max player, and the Bulls may look to rebuild if they get off to a slow start.
For his part, LaVine appears happy to be in Chicago.
“I always rep my city, whichever team I’m playing for, to the best. And Chicago’s loved me and called me one of their own since I’ve been there. I don’t see anything happening anytime soon. But if it does, Chicago always has my love.”
