Tag: offer

Source: Sixers do not extend qualifying offer to guard Terquavion Smith, making him an unrestricted free agent source,sixers,do,not,extend,qualifying,offer,to,guard,terquavion,smith,making,him,an,unrestricted,free,agent,liberty,ballers,front-page,76ers-news

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The Sixers will not extend a qualifying offer to Terquavion Smith, a source tells Liberty Ballers. That means the two-way guard becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of NC State last year, Smith did show flashes with his high-volume shooting and microwave scoring. In 22 games for the Delaware Blue Coats last season, Smith averaged 23.1 points in 31.1 minutes per game while shooting 37.1% from three on a preposterous 10.5 attempts per game.

With the Sixers decimated by injuries, Smith did get a cup of coffee with the big club. Across 16 NBA games, Smith shot 37.1% from deep on 14.9(!) attempts per 36 minutes.

While we did get a few “Terq Time” moments and flashes, there were obvious concerns about Smith’s frame and how he’d hold up getting NBA minutes. Still, this move feels like it’s more about flexibility than any sort of referendum on Smith.

With the Sixers moving quickly to sign UDFA wings Justin Edwards and David Jones to two-way deals, it feels like that third two-way spot will eventually go to second-round pick, Adem Bona. And with first-rounder Jared McCain in the fold as undersized off guard that’s a high-volume three-point shooter, Smith might be redundant.

It was reported by The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey Saturday that the team will also decline point guard Jeff Dowtin, Jr.’s team option, making him an unrestricted free agent as well. Dowtin was a solid depth ball handler last season. We can’t rule out a possible return, but Daryl Morey is clearly choosing to keep all options open amid the team’s pursuit of Paul George.

NBA free agency kicks off at 6 p.m. Sunday when teams are allowed to contact free agents.

Celtics offer little on Porzingis after leg injury

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Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis talks with reporters before basketball practice, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Dallas, in preparation for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

DALLAS— Kristaps Porzingis didn’t do an encore with reporters two days after Boston’s big man answered questions in the immediate aftermath of the announcement of his rare lower left leg injury.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t offer much insight, either, which means Thursday’s injury report will be the closest thing to any official word on whether Porzingis’ latest ailment will keep him out of Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Dallas on Friday night.

The Celtics listed Porzingis as questionable for Game 4, just as he was before getting ruled out about two hours before Game 3.

READ: NBA Finals: Porzingis’ status uncertain due to rare leg injury

Boston moved within a victory of an 18th championship without Porzingis, beating Dallas 106-99 on Wednesday for a 3-0 series lead. The Celtics are poised to break a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA titles.

The 7-foot-2 Latvian has a dislocated tendon in his left leg, caused by a tear of the tissue that holds tendons in place. The team has called the injury rare, and Mazzulla labeled it “serious.”

Porzingis played the first two games of the finals, with a crucial role in the Game 1 win, after missing the previous 10 playoff games with a strained right calf.

Mazzulla said the commanding series lead would have no bearing on whether Porzingis plays. The medical staff deemed him unfit to play after putting him through drills before Game 3.

READ: NBA Finals: Porzingis a big problem for Mavericks team that cast him off

“Kristaps has gotten better from yesterday to today,” Mazzulla said Thursday. “He’s fighting like hell to play. But it’s going to be up to us to protect him and to make sure that it’s in the best interest for him as a player and as a person.”

Porzingis played beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time in his career when he had 11 of his 20 points and two of his three blocks in the first quarter of Boston’s 107-89 victory in Game 1.

The injury happened in the third quarter of Game 2, when Porzingis said he knocked knees with Dallas rookie center Dereck Lively II when they went for a rebound on a free throw.

READ: NBA Finals: Celtics land biggest punches again to move closer to title

Al Horford has started all three games in the finals, including the two when Porzingis played, and Xavier Tillman Sr. had a 3-pointer during a 20-5 Boston run while playing for the first time in the title series with Porzingis out.

“We’ve been playing all season and all playoffs without (Porzingis),” star guard Jaylen Brown said. “Obviously, we’d love to have (Porzingis) out there. We are different when he is. But X stepped in that role, and I thought he was great.”

Porzingis signed a $60 million, two-year extension with the Celtics after they acquired him in a trade with Washington last summer. That deal kicks in next season.

Regardless of whether he plays, Porzingis has a chance to win a championship at the home of the Mavericks, who acquired him in a blockbuster 2019 trade with the New York Knicks, hoping to create a dynamic European pairing with Dallas superstar Luka Doncic.

The Mavs branded that deal a failure by sending Porzingis to Washington before the trade deadline in 2022. The 28-year-old has a long history of injuries, including in New York and Dallas, and could be celebrating in street clothes on his old home court.

“I’ve been through some stuff in my career, and obviously this is a rough patch coming back and having something happen right away again,” Porzingis said Tuesday, when the injury was announced. “It’s very — just a tough moment right now.”

Dan Hurley turns down Lakers offer, will stay at UConn

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FILE – UConn head coach Dan Hurley calls towards his players during the first half of the Elite 8 college basketball game against Illinois in the men’s NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

LOS ANGELES–Dan Hurley has rejected a six-year offer reportedly worth a total of $70 million from the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and is remaining men’s basketball coach at the University of Connecticut, a statement said Monday.
The Lakers would have made the 51-year-old American, who guided the Huskies to US college crowns in 2023 and 2024, among the half dozen best-paid coaches in the NBA.
But Hurley turned down the deal after meeting on Friday with the Lakers.

READ: Lakers conduct public coaching search in hopes of pleasing LeBron

In a statement released by the University of Connecticut on Monday, Hurley said he would remain in college basketball.
“I am humbled by this entire experience,” Hurley said. “At the end of the day, I am extremely proud of the championship culture we have built at Connecticut.
“We met as a team before today’s workout and our focus right now is getting better this summer and connecting as a team as we continue to pursue championships.”
Hurley is 141-58 over six seasons with Connecticut and has an overall college head-coaching record of 292-163. He signed a six-year, $32.1 million deal with the Huskies last year.

READ: Lakers fire head coach Darvin Ham after NBA playoff ouster

The Lakers had a coaching vacancy after firing Darvin Ham last month.
Ham went 90-74 over two seasons in which the Lakers reached the playoffs. But after battling into the Western Conference finals last year before losing to eventual NBA champion Denver, the Lakers were ousted in the first round this time by Denver.
There was some success for the Lakers this past season as they won the first edition of the NBA In-Season Tournament, now called the NBA Cup.
The Lakers last won the NBA Finals in 2020 and hope to rebuild with Anthony Davis and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, who turns 40 in December.

Top college coach Hurley turns down Lakers offer

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (AP Photo))

LOS ANGELES – Dan Hurley has rejected a six-year offer reportedly worth a total of $70 million from the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and is remaining men’s basketball coach at the University of Connecticut, a statement said Monday.
The Lakers would have made the 51-year-old American, who guided the Huskies to US college crowns in 2023 and 2024, among the half dozen best-paid coaches in the NBA.
But Hurley turned down the deal after meeting on Friday with the Lakers.
In a statement released by the University of Connecticut on Monday, Hurley said he would remain in college basketball.
“I am humbled by this entire experience,” Hurley said. “At the end of the day, I am extremely proud of the championship culture we have built at Connecticut.
“We met as a team before today’s workout and our focus right now is getting better this summer and connecting as a team as we continue to pursue championships.”
Hurley is 141-58 over six seasons with Connecticut and has an overall college head-coaching record of 292-163. He signed a six-year, $32.1 million deal with the Huskies last year.
The Lakers had a coaching vacancy after firing Darvin Ham last month.
Ham went 90-74 over two seasons in which the Lakers reached the playoffs. But after battling into the Western Conference finals last year before losing to eventual NBA champion Denver, the Lakers were ousted in the first round this time by Denver.
There was some success for the Lakers this past season as they won the first edition of the NBA In-Season Tournament, now called the NBA Cup.
The Lakers last won the NBA Finals in 2020 and hope to rebuild with Anthony Davis and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, who turns 40 in December.