RealGM Basketball Wiretap

22 October 2024

• Bones Hyland, Clippers Won't Agree To Extension By Deadline

  Bones Hyland the LA Clippers will not agree on a contract extension and he'll become a restricted free agent in 2025. Hyland is represented by agent Austin Walton.

  The Clippers acquired Hyland from the Denver Nuggets at the 2023 trade deadline.

  Last season in 37 games, Hyland averaged 6.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 14.6 minutes.

• Clippers Waive Tosan Evbuomwan, Elijah Harkless, Braxton Key, Alondes Williams

  The LA Clippers waived forwards Tosan Evbuomwan and Braxton Key, and guard Elijah Harkless and Alondes Williams. All four players were signed to non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contracts.

  Evbuomwan, Key and Harkless are expected to join the San Diego Clippers for the upcoming G League season. Williams is reportedly signing a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons.

• Clippers Convert Kai Jones To Two-Way Contract

  The LA Clippers are converting big man Kai Jones to a two-way contract. Jones was previously signed to an Exhibit 10 deal.

  Jones finished last season with the Clippers, but did not appear in any NBA games. LA has been impressed with the 6-foot-11 big man's work ethic and has a role for him behind Ivica Zubac early in the season.

• Clippers Agree To Contract With Tosan Evbuomwan

  The Los Angeles Clippers signed Tosan Evbuomwan to a contract, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

  Evbuomwan averaged 7.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in his rookie season for the Pistons last year.

• Kawhi Leonard Out Indefinitely To Start 24-25 Season

  Kawhi Leonard will be out indefinitely to start the LA Clippers' 24-25 season as he rehabs from inflammation in his right knee. Leonard is currently in the midst of a rehab process in hopes of sustainably allowing him to play through the season.

  Leonard has not participated in any on-court contact during training camp.

  "He has not been a part of what we've been doing on a daily basis," Clippers assistant coach Brian Shaw said after Wednesday's practice. "I know the company line has been that we're going to be patient with him, so he's doing everything that he can to rehab it and strengthen that knee on his own with our medical staff. And we're just dealing with the guys that we have [available]."

  James Harden figures to play a larger role in the absence of Leonard.

• Kawhi Leonard Out For Rest Of Preseason, Uncertain To Play In Season Opener

  Ty Lue ruled Kawhi Leonard out for the final Los Angeles Clippers preseason game on Thursday.

  Leonard has missed all three preseason games thus far.

  "Continue to keep rehabbing. Keep getting better. Keep checking the boxes," said Lue when asked about Leonard's current status.

  Leonard's availability for the Clippers' regular-season opener against the Suns on October 23 is also uncertain.

  Leonard has not participated in any contact drills in training camp.

• Braxton Key, Clippers Sign Camp Contract

  The LA Clippers have signed an Exhibit 10 contract with forward Braxton Key. The Clippers are back to the maximum of 21 players on their preseason roster.

  Key spent last season with the Denver Nuggets on a two-way contract. He saw limited action in 20 NBA games. In 13 G League games with the Grand Rapids Gold, Key averaged 21.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.

  Key has one year of two-way contract eligibility remaining. The Clippers have one open two-way spot on their roster. LA also has Kai Jones, E.J. Harkless and Alondes Williams in camp, who all have two-way eligibility remaining as well.

• Clippers Waive Nate Darling

  The LA Clippers have waived guard Nate Darling. The Clippers are now at 18 players on standard contracts. That is three players above the regular season maximum of 15 players on standard contracts.

  Darling is expected to return to the Clippers G League affiliate in San Diego for this upcoming season. Last season, Darling missed all but two games due to a toe injury. In the 2022-23 G League season, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 20.7 points on 47/41/85 shooting splits.

• Jerry West: I Almost Wish I Had Never Played Or Worked For Lakers

  Jerry West was part of the Los Angeles Lakers as a player, coach and an executive, but he had a complicated and acrimonious relationship with the franchise later in life.

  "I almost wish that I had never played or worked for them," West told ESPN in 2020.

  The issues came to a head in 2019 when the Lakers parted ways with Ryan West, who is one of Jerry's sons. Ryan West had spent 10 years with the Lakers and was director of player personnel. The dismissal came a few weeks after the LA Clippers, who were employing Jerry West as a consultant, signed Kawhi Leonard and also traded for Paul George.

  Jerry West considered the exit of Ryan from the Lakers as collateral damage in his clash with members of the Lakers.

  "It's like a soap opera," a former longtime Lakers executive said. "There is fallout, which is hurtful. Ryan, to me, it looks like he paid the price for all this pettiness."

  Later in 2019, the Lakers took away West's four season tickets without informing him of the decision in advance. West's tickets were promised to him by Dr. Jerry Buss in 2000.

  Some of the fractures in West's relationship with the Lakers began when they hired Phil Jackson in 1999. Kurt Rambis had previously served as interim head coach and thought he would get the job. Jackson also eventually began a romantic relationship with Jeanie Buss, which West privately expressed concerns about.

  Over the subsequent years as West worked for the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and then the Clippers, comments from both sides were taken out of context or were either real or perceived slights that made the situation more toxic.

• PJ Tucker To Be Away From Clippers By Mutual Consent

  PJ Tucker will be away from the Los Angeles Clippers by mutual consent, the team released in a statement on Sunday.

  The two sides will work to "find the best solution for him moving forward."

  Tucker, who was largely out of the Clippers lineup following a trade from the Sixers, exercised his $11.5 million player option with the team this offseason.