2012 July | Hoops Rumors

Hoops Rumors Features

July 25th, 2012 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors passes along the latest news and rumors on NBA player movement 365 days a year, but those aren't the only updates you'll see on the site. On our right sidebar, you'll find a number of additional features and featured posts. Here's a rundown of a few of them:

Our Free Agent Tracker features up-to-date details on this summer's free agent signings, with data sortable by team, position, contract years, and contract amount.
We also have free agent lists for both this summer and next summer in text form, which will continue to be modified as players are signed or released.
Using our 10-day contract tracker, you can find any 10-day contract signed since 2007, sorting by player, team, year, and other variables.
Every Thursday at 4:00pm CT, Luke Adams answers readers' questions in a live chat. You can check out transcripts of past chats here.
Our list of outstanding traded player exceptions is updated whenever a trade exception is used or expires.
We're also tracking teams' amnesty provisions — using our complete list, you can check to see which clubs have used the amnesty clause and which will carry it into next summer.
The Hoops Rumors glossary helps explain some of the more complex concepts in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Our Offseason Outlook series previewed this summer for all 30 NBA teams.
Zach Links rounds up the best of the blogosphere every Saturday in his weekly Hoops Links feature.
Be sure to check out the Featured Posts section on the right sidebar for more original pieces from the Hoops Rumors writing team. Recently, we explained how the Bulls' signings will affect their cap flexibility, examined the NBA's new maximum salary, and listed the expected first-year salaries for this year's first-round picks.

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Alonzo Gee, Cavs Far Apart In Negotiations

July 25th, 2012 at 10:36am CST by Luke Adams

Restricted free agent Alonzo Gee and the Cavaliers are "said to be far apart in negotiations," reports Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. The Cavs extended a qualifying offer to Gee last month, making him restricted, but the 25-year-old wing has received very little interest from other clubs, according to Amico.

With no clear rival suitors in play, the Cavs are under no pressure to up their offer to Gee. The team's standing QO is worth close to $2.7MM, and Gee has the option of accepting that offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. However, he would presumably prefer to land a multiyear deal. Gee finds himself in a situation similar to Warriors swingman Brandon Rush, who has also been unable to find an offer sheet, with rival teams assuming Golden State will match any reasonable offer.

I'd expect the Cavs and Gee to reach a resolution eventually, given Cleveland's cap room and Gee's apparent lack of alternatives. However, the Cavs seem prepared to explore other options. As we heard last night, the team has set up a meeting with unrestricted free agent C.J. Miles. According to Amico, the scheduled visit will be a two-day affair.

Timberwolves Sign Alexey Shved

July 25th, 2012 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 25TH: The Timberwolves have officially signed Shved, the team announced today (Twitter link).

JULY 23RD: Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press passes along an interview conducted by Russia's R-Sport, in which the terms of Shved's deal with the Timberwolves are said to be three years and $10MM. That was reported to be Shved's asking price back in May.

While the Timberwolves have yet to officially finalize the signing, CSKA Moscow formally announced Shved's departure for the NBA earlier today.

JULY 10TH: The Timberwolves have reached an agreement to sign Russian guard Alexey Shved, according to an Associated Press report (via the Washington Post). Sports.ru first reported earlier today that Shved had left CSKA Moscow to sign a deal with the T-Wolves (Twitter link).

For the T-Wolves, it's yet another salary commitment in a July that has been full of them so far. When I examined the contract agreements the team has made with Brandon Roy and Nicolas Batum, I noted that there must be at least one or two more moves coming to clear the necessary cap space. With Shved heading to Minnesota as well, the club will need even more flexibility. As John Hollinger of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter), the Wolves must be "pretty confident in something," whether it's the Blazers matching on Batum, a separate trade or two, or something else.

Shved, 23, reportedly drew interest this offseason from the Wolves, Cavs, and Grizzlies, among other teams. The 6'5" guard went undrafted in 2010 and has played for CSKA Moscow since then. In 21 Euroleague games this season, he averaged 10.6 points in 21.6 minutes per game and shot 49.3% on three-pointers, according to DraftExpress.

2011/12 Taxpaying Teams

July 25th, 2012 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

While teams get their books in order for the 2012/13 season, navigating the salary cap and the luxury tax threshold, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com takes a look back at the league's 2011/12 finances. Deeks shares the official list of teams that paid the luxury tax in 2011/12, along with the amount each club paid. The list is as follows:

Los Angeles Lakers: $12,557,264
Boston Celtics: $7,365,867
Miami Heat: $6,129,340
Dallas Mavericks: $2,738,843
San Antonio Spurs: $2,514,275
Atlanta Hawks: $666,199

The more punitive luxury-tax penalties introduced in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement have yet to kick in, so the tax penalties for the aforementioned six teams come by way of the old system — teams are penalized $1 for every dollar they spend over the tax line. In 2011/12, that tax line was at $70,307,000, so the Hawks, for instance, spent $70,973,199 on their roster.

Tax penalties for 2012/13 will remain the same as in 2011/12, but next offseason the CBA's increased restrictions take effect in earnest. In the summer of 2013, teams over the luxury tax line are ineligible to acquire players in sign-and-trade deals, while clubs that exceed the tax threshold for the 2013/14 season will pay an incremental rate based on team salary.

Timberwolves Targeting Andrei Kirilenko

July 25th, 2012 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

As we learned last night, having lost out on Nicolas Batum last week, the Timberwolves have shifted their focus to trying to land Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko. The T-Wolves have entered three-way trade talks with the Suns and Hornets in an effort to clear cap space. While that trade has yet to be finalized, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that centerpiece Robin Lopez could be returning soon from a vacation to take a physical for the Hornets.

If the proposed deal goes through, the T-Wolves would be parting ways with former fourth overall pick Wesley Johnson and a future lottery-protected first-round pick. While the move is more about cap space for Minnesota, the team would also acquire a pair of second-round picks from the Hornets, according to Wojnarowski.

With the Timberwolves' deals for Greg Stiemsma, Alexey Shved and Brandon Roy yet to be finalized, it's unclear exactly how much cap space the team currently owns. Based on reported salaries for those three players, I'm guessing the team would have about $3-4MM left over after signing those deals. Removing Johnson's $4.29MM salary from the books as well would allow the T-Wolves to make a competitive offer for Kirilenko, who isn't interested in signing for the veteran's minimum in Brooklyn, according to Wojnarowski.

According to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Wolves are willing to pay as much as $9MM per season over two years for Kirilenko. While we're not sure if they can go quite that high in year one, any agreement would figure to be in that ballpark — Wojnarowski says Kirilenko is seeking a contract that would pay him "in the vicinity" of $8MM annually.

For his part, Kirilenko has said he wants to decide on his new team before the Olympics begin, so we should get some resolution on the 31-year-old's contract situation in the near future.

Magic Sign Jameer Nelson

July 25th, 2012 at 7:56am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 25TH, 7:56am: Nelson's deal will pay him $8.6MM in each of the first two seasons, and $8MM in year three, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. The third season is partially guaranteed, but Nelson could make over $25MM if he receives the full guarantee.

JULY 16TH, 9:20pm: Jameer Nelson has signed a three-year deal with the Magic, tweets the Orlando Sentinel's Joshua Robbins.

JULY 5TH, 2:34pm: Nelson's agent confirmed to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that Nelson's new contract will be for three years (Twitter link).

9:52am: Jameer Nelson and the Magic have reached an agreement on a new contract, according to Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter). The point guard turned down his player option for 2012/13 in hopes of signing a multiyear deal to remain in Orlando.

Reports on the amount of Nelson's 2012/13 option varied from source to source, perhaps due to incentives included in the deal, but it would have paid him at least $7MM, and perhaps in excess of $8MM. However, Nelson wasn't interested in playing on an expiring contract and becoming a year-long trade chip. While his new contract may not match the annual salary he would've earned in 2012/13, it's a near certainty that it will be for at least two or three years.

Nelson struggled at times this past season, setting a career-low in FG% (.427), and averaging just 11.9 PPG and 14.6 PER. But the 30-year-old is still a capable point guard and has expressed a desire to stay in Orlando long-term, something that can't be said about all the players on the Magic roster.

Nelson is the latest domino to fall on the point guard market, as Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Goran Dragic, George Hill, and Andre Miller have already agreed to deals.

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Hawks, Miles, Brewer

July 24th, 2012 at 10:22pm CST by Michael Pina

ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg takes a closer look at the non-guaranteed contract Jamar Smith has signed with the Celtics after impressing the team in summer league. That's one of a handful of Tuesday night odds and ends from around the league. Here are a few more:

With only four players remaining on the Hawks roster from last season, new general manager Danny Ferry has managed to clean his team's salary structure while keeping hopes high for the future, writes HoopsWorld.com's Lang Greene.
C.J. Miles, a free agent who most expected to have found a new team by now, will meet with the Cavaliers this week, writes The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko.
The Timberwolves made Ronnie Brewer a "generous" offer, but the free agent forward decided to sign with the Knicks instead, according to TwinCities.com's Ray Richardson.
Before signing A.J. Price, the Wizards were interested in signing Jonny Flynn to be John Wall's backup, but decided against it, writes the Washington Post's Michael Lee.
ESPNNewYork.com's Jared Zwerling breaks down the Knicks decision to acquire Ronnie Brewer and Pablo Prigioni.
Mavericks second-round pick Bernard James is expected to sign a contract with the team in the next day or two, reports ESPNDallas.com's Jeff Caplan.
The Trail Blazers reportedly interviewed as many as 10 candidates to fill their empty head coach position in Las Vegas last week, but have yet to contact any of them to say they were advancing to a second round of discussion, according to The Oregonian's Jason Quick. The process remains in its infant stage.
Agent Mark Bartelstein tells Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle that he hopes Carl Landry and Dominic McGuire will make decisions in the next few days. Those two players, including free agent Brandon Rush, could be part of the Warriors' plan moving forward (Sulia links).

Andrei Kirilenko To Return To NBA

July 24th, 2012 at 8:34pm CST by Luke Adams

8:34pm: Several league executives believe the Timberwolves are pursuing Andrei Kirilenko. Kirilenko is no longer considering Brooklyn, tweets Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski. The Star Tribune's Jerry Zgoda believes the Wolves may offer Kirilenko a deal somewhere along the lines of two years and $18MM. (Twitter link)

3:39pm: According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Nets are making a "hard push" to sign Kirilenko, despite only being to offer the veteran's minimum. Stein confirms that the Warriors are also in the hunt for the veteran forward.

12:04pm: The Nets have not been officially informed that Kirilenko won't sign with them, so that possibility still could be alive, says Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).

11:22am: After spending the 2011/12 season overseas, Andrei Kirilenko will return to the NBA, he confirmed today. Kirilenko told Russia's R-Sport (English link via Sportando) that he has informed CSKA Moscow president Andrei Vatutin of his intentions to continue his career in the NBA.

Kirilenko has long been linked to the Nets, in large part due to his friendship with the team's owner, Mikhail Prokhorov. However, a source tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link) that Kirilenko is not interested in signing in Brooklyn for the veteran's minimum, which is all the Nets could offer.

If the Nets are out of the running, Kirilenko's NBA destination is a bit of a mystery. There are a few teams with cap space or exceptions left to make the Russian forward a competitive offer, but many of those clubs are non-contenders — it seems unlikely the 31-year-old would make the jump to the NBA unless he were signing with a playoff team.

The Warriors are one team recently reported to have interest in Kirilenko.

Lakers Interested In Delonte West

July 24th, 2012 at 5:21pm CST by Michael Pina

The Lakers are interested in signing free agent Delonte West, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin. The 29-year-old West spent last year in Dallas, where he averaged 9.6 PPG and 3.2 APG in 44 games. The team views him as a versatile guard who can fill an important role backing up both Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash.

Los Angeles still has its mini mid-level exception to use, which allows the team to sign someone to a first-year salary of $3.09MM, but Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has said there's a chance his club doesn't use it. If this in fact turns out to be the case, expect the Lakers to offer West a one-year offer at the veteran's minimum (about $1.2MM, in West's case).

Earlier today, Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson said he was in negotiations with West, and that he hoped the two parties could work something out. Throughout his eight-year career, West has been involved in several on- and off-court incidents that have prevented him from signing long-term deals with one franchise. The Lakers would be his fifth team.

Agent: Pietrus Won’t Sign For Veteran’s Minimum

July 24th, 2012 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Celtics likely wouldn't mind having Mickael Pietrus on their roster for next season, it appears it will take more than the veteran's minimum to bring Pietrus back. Agent Bill McCandless tells WEEI.com's Ben Rohrbach that his client won't be accepting a minimum-salary contract this summer.

"[Pietrus] will not play for the veteran’s minimum. Period," said McCandless. "It’s not happening. That’s the beginning, middle and end of that…. He is not a veteran’s minimum player. There’s no chance he’ll ever sign for that."

The minimum salary for a nine-year veteran like Pietrus would be about $1.23MM, but McCandless says he's received an offer "triple that" from a team overseas. According to the agent, he's also engaged in serious talks with a few NBA teams about Pietrus, and has discussed money "much more than the veteran minimum."

"He’s looking for a team that likes him and respects what he does," Pietrus' agent said. "If he ends up on a championship or playoff contender, that’ll take care of itself…. He’s still open to a return. He loved Boston. Everybody knows that. But we’re all big boys, and this is a big boy business."

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