Former Pitt star signs with Washington
Former Pitt standout Michael Young signed a twoyear contract Wednesday with the Washington Wizards, according to his agent.
The deal Young signed is a two-way contract, meaning the Duquesne native can shuffle between the Wizards and their club in the G League (formerly known as the NBA Development League) over the course of a season.
He can spend up to 45 days on an NBA roster while earning an NBA salary on a pro rata basis, receiving $75,000 guaranteed and potentially getting as much as $275,000, depending on how much time he spends in the NBA.
At any time, it can be converted into a full-time NBA deal, something that stands as an important distinction as the franchise’s roster fluctuates.
Young has been the only player to receive such a contract from the Wizards this offseason.
As a senior last season, Young led the ACC in scoring at 19.6 points per game.
In other Wizards news, after his best NBA season, Otto Porter Jr. reportedly agreed to sign a four-year, $106 million offer sheet with the Nets. Under NBA rules, the Wizards have two days to match the offer since Porter is a restricted free agent.
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.
Heat
Dion Waiters is reportedly staying in Miami and has agreed on a new fouryear, $52 million contract with the Heat. Waiters averaged 15.8 points in 46 games last season for 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 was 27-19 when Waiters played, 14-22 when he did not. He played for $2.9 million in 2016-17.
Warriors
Veteran guard Nick Young is getting a new start with Golden State, agreeing to a $5.2 million, one-year contract with champion Golden State. Warriors general manager Bob Myers said the team would finalize a contract with Young once the free agency moratorium period concludes Thursday. Forward Omri Casspi also is reportedly joining the Warriors on a $2,106,470, one-year contract. Casspi played for Sacramento, New Orleans and Minnesota the past season, averaging 5.2 points and 3.1rebounds in 17.9 minutes.
Cavaliers
Richard Jefferson isn’t messing with any retirement talk this summer. After saying he would stop playing after Cleveland won the NBA title in 2016 and changing his mind, Jefferson, 37, said that he will be back with the Cavaliers next season — his 17th year as a pro. 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 Cavaliers, serving mostly as a backup for LeBron James. He provided Cleveland with a big lift off the bench in the NBA Finals, when he was asked to guard Golden State’s Kevin Durant and was perhaps the Cavaliers’ most productive reserve.
Thunder
Forward Patrick Patterson reportedly agreed to a three-year, $16.4 million deal with Oklahoma City. Patterson is leaving Toronto to join All-Star Paul George in a new-look frontcourt. The Thunder also reportedly agreed to terms with Andre Roberson on a three-year, $30 million contract, keeping Roberson in Oklahoma City, where he emerged as a topflight perimeter defender.