Woj: San Antonio to convert Dominick Barlow to standard NBA contract

A 6-foot-9 swingman who is still just 20 years old, Barlow has flashed hints he may have untapped upside.

It seems that the San Antonio Spurs front office likes what they have seen so far this season from Spurs two way power forward Dominick Barlow. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the “San Antonio Spurs are converting two way (forward) Dominick Barlow to a standard NBA contract” for the rest of the 2023-24 NBA season.

“Barlow — undrafted in 2022 — has played 51 games in his two Spurs seasons,” adds Woj of the Overtime Elite alumnus. This season with San Antonio, Barlow has been putting up 4.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game in 13.3 minutes of floor time per game with the Spurs.

A 6-foot-9 swingman who is still just 20 years old, Barlow has flashed hints he may have untapped upside, hitting 42.9% from beyond the arc on very limited attempts this season.

His free throw percentage — a career 67.8% — suggests there is still plenty of work yet to be done in that regard, but has shown signs of improvement when shooting from beyond 10 feet from the basket this season.

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Chicago elevating two way wing Onuralp Bitim to regular roster spot

The Chicago Bulls have made a decision to elevate one of their two way players to a regular roster spot.

The Chicago Bulls have made a decision to elevate one of their two way players to a regular roster spot after the dust of All-Star Week has settled. Per a release circulated by the team, the Bulls have elected to convert the two way contract of forward Onuralp Bitim to a standard NBA contract.

Though Bitim has just played in two games with Chicago at the NBA level since signing with the team last July, the Turkish forward has played a dozen games with the Windy City Bulls. There, he logged 16.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He has been Windy City’s best 3-point shot as well, going 43.3% from beyond the arc at the G League level.

The 24-year-old, 6-foot-6 wing will help pick up some of the slack in Chicago’s rotation created by the loss of forward Patrick Williams to foot surgery for the rest of the league’s 2023-24 season.

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Former Chicago point guard Ryan Arcidiacono signing with Windy City Bulls

Arcidiacono is rejoining the Bulls to play for the ball club’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls.

A familiar face is rejoining the ranks of the Chicago Bulls, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. Former New York Knicks point guard Ryan Arcidiacono is rejoining the Bulls to play for the ball club’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls.

It is something of a full circle moment with the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Villanova in 2017. The Arch of Dimes (as Arcidiacono is sometimes called) has since also played for the Portland Trail Blazers at the NBA level. The 6-foot-3, 29-year-old floor general played so few minutes in his last stop that it is hard to get an idea of his production with a greater opportunity — just 2.3 minutes per game.

But Arcidiacono has career averages of 4.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game which were similar to his play at similar stops as recently as last season with the Blazers.

At this stage of his career it seems unlikely that we will see too much of Arcidiacono at the NBA level with the Bulls. But the Philly native could find luck trying to rehab his career at that level, even if not necessarily with Chicago.

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Colts sign WR Terrell Bynum to futures contract

The Colts signed WR Terrell Bynum to a reserve/future contract on Wednesday.

The Indianapolis Colts signed wide receiver Terrell Bynum to a reserve/future contract, the team announced Wednesday.

Bynum entered the league as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2023 NFL draft, signing with the Los Angeles Chargers. He spent the majority of the season on the practice squad but was elevated for one regular-season game.

Bynum went to USC during his final collegiate season, appearing in 10 games while recording 16 receptions for 159 yards and one touchdown. Before that, he spent five seasons at Washington, appearing in 34 games (19 starts) while recording 65 receptions for 934 yards and six touchdowns.

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Stein: San Antonio has ‘made available’ Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman for trade

“A trade before this season’s deadline, sources say, is much more likely,” writes Stein.

It seems that the San Antonio Spurs are looking to move on from a pair of veteran wings currently on the team’s roster. In a recent report that echoes what we have been hearing from Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, his fellow podcast host and Substack legend Marc Stein is echoing those reports.

Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman are two veterans that the Spurs have made available before the Feb. 8 deadline — with both players (McDermott at $13.8 million at Osman at $6.7 million) on expiring contracts,” writes Stein of the wings in question. While McDermott is the elder of the two at 32, he is shooting a sizzling 46.8 from deep this season, and will likely garner attention from fringe contenders looking for a short-term offensive boost to their roster.

Osman, at 28, may not be quite the long-distance marksman, but he is shooting a healthy 36.7 from 3, and can pass the ball a bit.

“The Spurs could have traded McDermott last season but decided, in the end, against parting ways,” adds Stein. “A trade before this season’s deadline, sources say, is much more likely.”

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Colts sign 3 more to future contracts

The Colts signed three more to future contracts.

The Indianapolis Colts signed three more players to Reserve/Future contracts, the team announced Tuesday.

After signing nine players to future contracts and four more to one-year extensions Monday, the Colts signed safety Kendell Brooks, guard Lewis Kidd and safety Michael Tutsie to future contracts.

Kidd spent most of the season on the practice squad when he was signed in September but was released from the practice squad in December.

Tutsie signed with the Colts this offseason as an undrafted rookie free agent in June and was active in training camp before suffering an injury that led to him being waived-injured in August. He was waived with an injury settlement the following week.

Brooks, a Michigan State product, spent the 2023 offseason with the Arizona Cardinals after signing with them as an undrafted rookie free agent. He was released before the start of the regular season.

The Colts can sign as many future contracts as they please as long as the offseason roster does not exceed the 90-player limit, which does not go into effect until the start of the new league, which is set for March 13.

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Are the Golden State Warriors ready to make changes at the NBA’s trade deadline?

What sort of stomach might Warriors fans have for trading Draymond Green?

It goes without saying that fans of the Golden State Warriors expect to see future Hall of Famers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson retire with Golden State. In light of the chaos he has created within the organization and across the NBA, however, what sort of stomach might Warriors fans have for trading Draymond Green?

This and similar questions dominate the current debate surrounding what the Dubs’ front office ought to do to breathe life into a season that has been in part derailed by Green’s behavior on the court. Just how radical of a deal might we see from Golden State ahead of the league’s Feb. 8 trade deadline?

The hosts of the 95.7 The Game’s “Morning Roast” show took a deep dive into what the Warriors might hope to do at the trade deadline and how big of a deal might be coming.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear their thoughts on potential Dubs deadline deals.

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Colts sign 9 to futures contracts among several roster moves

The Colts made 14 roster moves Monday to begin the 2024 offseason.

The Indianapolis Colts officially got their offseason underway Monday by making several roster moves, including the signings of nine players to Reserve/Future contracts, the team announced.

Along with the nine futures contracts the team signed, all of which include players from the practice squad, the Colts also signed four players to one-year contract extensions while waiving another player. So in total, the Colts made 14 moves.

As is typical protocol following the end of the regular season, the Colts will be preparing to expand their roster to 90 players for the offseason. Much of that includes signing players to futures contracts.

The expansion of the roster to 90 players doesn’t go into effect until the start of the new league year, which is March 13. That’s why it’s technically a reserve contract. It is essentially stating the player will be on the 90-man roster when the time comes.

There is no limit to how many futures contracts the Colts have as long as they are within the 90-man limit when the new league year rolls around.

Here’s a look at the 14 moves the Colts made to begin the offseason:

Colts promote WR Juwann Winfree to the active roster

Juwann Winfree was promoted to the active roster.

The Indianapolis Colts signed wide receiver Juwann Winfree to the active roster from the practice squad, the team announced Tuesday.

Winfree will be taking the spot of tight end Andrew Ogletree, who was placed on the Commissioner Exempt List last weekend following an arrest for domestic battery.

While Ogletree is essentially on paid leave, Winfree will be taking his spot as the No. 5 wide receiver.

Winfree had a solid preseason, but has played only 21 snaps on offense this season. He’s spent much of the campaign on the practice squad and has had a role on special teams when he’s active on gamedays.

Also, the Colts signed tight end Eric Tomlinson to the practice squad.

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Colts elevate LB Liam Anderson, WR Ethan Fernea for Week 17

Liam Anderson and Ethan Fernea get called up for Week 17.

The Indianapolis Colts elevated linebacker Liam Anderson and wide receiver Ethan Fernea ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, the team announced Saturday.

Anderson is likely being called up for the game after special teams linebacker Cameron McGrone was downgraded from questionable to doubtful due to an illness.

Fernea will provide depth in the wide receiver room while mostly playing on special teams. The Colts listed wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. as questionable even though he passed the concussion protocol for the second week in a row.

The Colts also are going to be without tight end Andrew Ogletree, who was arrested Friday on two counts of domestic battery. Because they didn’t elevate a tight end, they’ll be rolling with Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox and rookie Will Mallory.

The Colts and Raiders are set to kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.