Guard Nick Young agrees to a deal with Warriors
OAKLAND » Veteran guard Nick Young is getting a new start with Golden State, agreeing to a $5.2 million, one-year contract Wednesday with the champion Warriors.
Young’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed the deal in a message to The Associated Press. Warriors general manager Bob Myers also said the team would finalize a contract with Young once the free agency moratorium period concludes Thursday.
In addition, forward Omri Casspi is joining the Warriors on a $2,106,470, one-year contract, a person with direct knowledge of the deal said Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because it hadn’t been announced. This will be the 29-year-old Casspi’s sixth team as he enters his ninth NBA season, including two separate stints in Northern California with the Kings. He played for Sacramento, New Orleans and Minnesota last season, averaging 5.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 17.9 minutes.
Golden State’s familiar-looking roster is taking shape. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry is back on a record $201 million, five-year contract; NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant agreed Monday to a deal for approximately $53 million over the next two years; 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala got a three-year contract with $48 million guaranteed; fellow key reserves Shaun Livingston for $24 million and three years, and David West on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum $2.3 million.
The 32-year-old Young last month declined the player option in his contract for next season with the Lakers, which would have paid him more than $5.6 million, and became a free agent. He had said in April that it was “60/40” he would leave the Lakers — preferring to be part of a playoff team. Now, he’s on a super team. Young averaged 13.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 60 games for the Lakers. He will provide the Warriors with the kind of depth they like on a long bench as coach Steve Kerr regularly rotates in his reserves to spell the stars.
Source: Porter has Nets offer sheet, Wizards can match
NEW YORK » Following his best NBA season, Otto Porter Jr. has a big offer to join the Brooklyn Nets. It appears he’ll be staying right where he is in Washington.
Porter has agreed to sign an offer sheet with the Nets, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The Wizards plan to match the offer and keep Porter, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Porter finished fourth in voting for Most Improved Player last season after averaging 13.4 points and shooting 43.4 percent from 3-point range, fourth-best in the league. The No. 3 pick in the 2013 draft from Georgetown was one of the keys to a Washington team that reached the second round of the playoffs.
Source: Heat, Waiters agree on new deal
MIAMI » Dion Waiters bet on himself last season, and it paid off.
Waiters and the Miami Heat have agreed on a four-year deal, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The deal is worth a maximum of $52 million, provided all incentives are met, said the person who spoke Wednesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Waiters averaged 15.8 46 games last season for points in the Heat. He was a significant part of how Miami turned its season around after an 11-30 start, going 30-11 in the second half.
The Heat were 27-19 when Waiters played, 14-22 when he did not. Last season was his first in Miami, coming in to essentially fill the role vacated when Dwyane Wade left for Chicago last summer.
“Big Congrats to @dionwaiters3 on the new deal with The Heat,” Wade tweeted Wednesday. “It was only right bro!!!”
Miami missed out on landing Gordon Hayward this week, when the All-Star forward decided that he will be signing with the Boston Celtics. So Plan B for Miami meant retaining its own free agents like Waiters and James Johnson.
Jefferson returning to Cavaliers
CLEVELAND » Richard Jefferson isn’t messing with any retirement talk this summer.
After saying he would stop playing after the Cavaliers won the NBA title in 2016 and changing his mind, Jefferson said Wednesday that he will be back with Cleveland next season — his 17th as a pro.
The 37-year-old announced his plans on an episode of his “Road Trippin”’ podcast.
Jefferson, who had contemplated quitting, has one guaranteed season left on his contract worth $2.5 million. He averaged 5.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 79 games for the Cavs.