Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

2014 Free Agent Market

And-Ones: Free Agency, NBAPA, Lottery

May 11th, 2014 at 8:28am CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s free agent signing period begins in July, and Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders breaks down where he thinks the big name free-agents like Carmelo Anthony, Luol Deng, Greg Monroe, and Kyle Lowry will end up and how much he thinks they will sign for.

More from around the league:

  • Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweets that in an e-mail sent from Kevin Johnson to the NBA players, the presented plan for the search for the new NBAPA executive director is to interview 8-12 candidates and then narrow it to down to 3-5 finalists. No exact timetable was mentioned.
  • The crew at Basketball Insiders speculate on who will win the league’s MVP award for the 2014/15 season.
  • Tom Moore of Calkins Media presents his primer for the May 20th NBA Draft Lottery.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Players Up For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2014

February 5th, 2014 at 2:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

Perhaps the most intriguing sideshow in the lead-up to this year’s trade deadline has involved Kyrie Irving, who’s denied a report that he wants out of Cleveland amid a depressing season for the Cavs. Central to that story line is Cleveland’s ability to offer Irving an extension this summer, which will be Irving’s first opportunity at salaries commensurate with his ability. If the Cavs see Irving as a maximum-salary player, there’s little Irving can do even if he turns down the extension, since Cleveland would be able to match any team’s offer to him in the summer of 2015.

Still, Irving could signal his dissatisfaction with the Cavs organization if he turns down a max extension, so the negotiations provide a forum for him to express any desire he may have for changes. The Cavs will also have a chance to give Tristan Thompson a rookie scale extension this summer, and what they do with him might be even more interesting to watch. Thompson probably isn’t a maximum-salary player, making his worth harder to define. Pegging the value of second-tier guys is a challenge for teams and agents alike, and since the extensions usually entail a four-year commitment, the consequences are long-lasting. If the sides can’t come to an agreement, the team may pull off a trade, as the Thunder did with James Harden before last season.

Negotiations can start on rookie scale extensions July 1st, and the deadline to finalize deals is October 31st. Most deals don’t happen until the last minute, but max-level players, like John Wall this past summer and Blake Griffin in 2012, often ink their extensions in the summer.

Here’s a list of each player eligible for a rookie scale extension this year, sorted by team:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Latest On Carmelo Anthony

January 25th, 2014 at 8:24pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

As many know by now, last night was a record breaking evening for Carmelo Anthony. Anthony’s 62 point performance was not only a career-high but also eclipsed three different NBA marks. ‘Melo broke Kevin Durant‘s season high for points after three quarters with 56 points, Hall of Famer Bernard King‘s record for most points in a game as a Knick, and Kobe Bryant‘s record for most points in Madison Square Garden. With Anthony’s on-court performance grabbing attention from everyone around the NBA, Anthony’s off-court free agent decision this upcoming summer has also gained attention.

A few notes on Carmelo’s free agency:

  • Bernard King “knew one day Carmelo would break [his scoring] record” notes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Carmelo’s childhood idol is “delighted it happened” and hopes last night’s performance will convince Anthony to re-sign with the Knicks this summer. King disclaimed any inside information to Anthony’s decision next summer but thinks that Anthony will stay in New York next season. King cites Anthony’s desire to win championships as the reason he will realize New York is the best place in the NBA to make that dream a reality.
  • Providing his own take on King’s interview, Ian Begley of ESPN quotes King as asking “Where else [would Carmelo] go?” According to King, Anthony has relished his time in New York. Combining that with the love Knicks fans have for Anthony, King can’t think of any other NBA team that could offer a similar situation.
  • Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal thinks by not making a “proactive step”, the Knicks are making the job of keeping Carmelo more difficult than it needs to be. Herring gives his opinion as to what the Knicks should do to convince the player they gave up a pick from next year’s draft and a third of their roster for, to remain a Knick next season. According to Herring, the Knicks should first give head coach Mike Woodson a deep performance analysis now that many of their key players have returned from injury to determine if he remains the coach of their future. If the Knicks do retain Woodson’s services, Herring thinks the Knicks should then require Woodson to change his coaching habits, primarily his defensive schemes. Lastly, Herring believes the Knicks, who have “cycled through a league-high 77 players in the past five seasons,” should make a roster change to prevent Carmelo from leaving. Players that Herring suggests the Knicks should consider moving include Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, and Iman Shumpert, although he warns of the mixed signals each of those moves could send to Carmelo.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Kupchak On Bryant, Gasol, Free Agency, Draft

January 11th, 2014 at 6:34pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

Earlier today, Lakers’ General Manager Mitch Kupchak spoke to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com regarding questions every Lakers fan has seemed to ask so far this season. It is a great read for anyone interested in the direction the Lakers are headed in the near future. Here are a few takeaways from the discussion.

  • It was no coincidence at the beginning of this season that the Lakers’ payroll aligned to only have Steve Nash under contract beyond this season. Kupchak and the Lakers made a conscious decision to plan their roster this way so they could take a fresh look at everyone on their roster. Kupchak’s didn’t want to fall in the same trap as other championship teams who sign star players a few years beyond their prime. Although extending Kobe Bryant was a diversion from this plan, Kupchak believes the Lakers still have plenty of flexibility to sign a max contract free agent each of the next two summers. 
  • Which free agent the Lakers pursue is still up in the air because according to Kupchak, the league is “too competitive” to plan for one player’s contract actions. Kupchak did hint however that if the 2014 free agent market doesn’t turn out like he hopes the Lakers may not sign a maximum contract player this summer and instead wait until the 2015 or 2016 free agent markets.
  • Looking at the young players on the team, Kupchak credited his familiarity with watching the college careers of Xavier Henry and Kendall Marshall as selling points in signing both of them this season. For Nick Young, it was the conversations between his agent, Mark Bartelstein, and Kupchak that sold Young on the Lakers as a place he could thrive with playing time and style of play. Kupchak would like to continue giving Young playing time as he hopes Nick will opt in to his player option this summer and become “a Laker for a long time”.
  • On an older player on the roster, Pau Gasol, Kupchak thinks he is having a great year given the circumstances. Gasol never planned to return from major surgery to a Lakers lineup sans Bryant, Steve Nash, and Steve Blake but has handled it well according to Kupchak. Regarding Gasol’s upcoming free agency, Kupchak knows Pau will have other offers but thinks if all things remain constant, Gasol would “love to continue to play here, and we’d love to have him here”. He also believes Gasol is bound for the Hall of Fame.
  • On the luxury tax, Kupchak said the “ownership here has never been afraid to be in the tax.” He also agreed with Trudell that the luxury tax is a major factor to be aware of but for the Lakers it is not a black and white line they aren’t allowed to cross.
  • Regarding next summer’s draft, Kupchak thinks the first 10 players drafted will be as “good as [he’s] seen in a long time”. Kupchak also noted he prepares for every draft so that he could make every pick, 1 through 60.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Free Agency Notes: Hayward, Billups, Parker

December 27th, 2013 at 12:34pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

Although a report came out this morning that Mike Woodson’s job is currently safe it hasn’t stopped anyone from speculating otherwise. Another person to come to Woodson’s defense is former University of Indiana teammate, and former Knicks head coach, Isiah Thomas. Thomas told Marc Berman of the New York Post that he expects Woodson to hold up well and succeed once he gets all his players back from injury.

A few notes regarding players who could join Woodson in looking for jobs soon.

  • Since Gordon Hayward and the Jazz were unable to reach an agreement on an extension this offseason, Hayward will be headed to restricted free agency next summer. Hayward expressed to Lang Greene of HoopsWorld that the Jazz remain his preferred option because he loves the way the franchise is headed. Of particular interest to Hayward is the Jazz’s core group of players, a bunch of young players whom he thinks will be successful in the near future. As Greene points out, the Jazz only have $27MM in guaranteed salaries next season which will allow them to be a competitor in free agency next summer.
  • David Mayo of MLive Media Group passed along in a Q&A session that he doesn’t think either the Pistons or Chauncey Billups will want Detroit to exercise their team option on Billups $2.5MM contract next year.
  • Although the Knicks have been promised no trades for the near future, their moves in free agency are still a major focal point of discussion around the league. One upcoming free agent that has been linked with the Knicks is the Spurs‘ Tony Parker. Dan McCarney broke down the likelihood of Parker signing with the Knicks in 2015. McCarney believes Parker’s past loyalty to the Spurs will continue through his next round of free agency and doesn’t imagine we will ever see Parker in any jersey other than San Antonio’s. 
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Eastern Notes: Carmelo, LeBron, Korver, Butler

December 26th, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Charlie Adams

Here’s the latest from the NBA’s Eastern Conference:

  • Carmelo Anthony is a free agent at the end of the season, but Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports the Knicks are quite confident they’ll re-sign the All-Star forward. Said one executive: “They’re one confident bunch… To listen to them, they expect to have Carmelo re-signed and have another star with him in another year. They’re so sure about it you’d think they already know what will happen.“
  • The Heat’s LeBron James is another potential free agent, but Kennedy reports in the same post that James isn’t giving next summer much thought: “I’m so zoned in on what my task is here this year that it’s hard to think about anything else.” James can exercise the early termination clause in his contract and become a free agent at the end of the year, but he certainly sounds content in Miami: “What is there not to like about Miami?” James said. “It is a home. My family is very happy; I’m very comfortable.”
  • Hawks GM Danny Ferry has been pleased with Kyle Korver‘s production this year, revealed Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer. Korver re-signed with Atlanta this offseason. In her piece, Boyer passes along a few fond words that Ferry had about Korver: “I respect him. As we build our culture, our environment here in Atlanta, having Kyle back as a part of that was exciting.”
  • Rasual Butler hasn’t always had a reputation as an asset in the locker room, but Frank Vogel insists that hasn’t been the case during the veteran’s time with the Pacers, as Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star observes. Butler didn’t make the team out of camp solely because Danny Granger had been slow to recover from injury, Vogel adds.
  • The Pistons announced today via press release that they have assigned rookies Tony Mitchell and Peyton Siva to the D-League. The duo will get to see minutes playing for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

2014/15 NBA Team And Player Options

December 24th, 2013 at 6:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Our list of 2014 free agents includes players that have options or non-guaranteed contracts for next season. However, since they’re mixed in with all the rest of the free agents, it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of which players may continue playing on their current contracts. So we’ll use this space to round up all the players who have a player option, an early termination option, or a team option for the 2014/15 season.

The decision to exercise a team option can only be made by the club, while a player option can only be exercised by the player. An early termination option is a type of player option that can only be included in contracts of five years or more. If an option is picked up, the player will remain under contract for at least the 2014/15 season, while turning down an option means the player is eligible to become a free agent next July. Decisions are due by the end of June.

Listed below are the player, early termination, and team options for the 2014/15 season, along with each player’s team and the amount of the option.

Player

Team

Early Termination

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

2013 NBA Rookie Scale Extensions

November 1st, 2013 at 8:04am CST by Luke Adams

Beginning on July 1st, fourth-year players on rookie scale contracts were eligible to sign contract extensions with their respective teams and forgo the chance to hit restricted free agency next summer. Those players had until October 31st to sign new deals, but the ones who finalized extensions with their teams generally did so well in advance of that deadline, so we didn’t exactly see a flurry of activity yesterday.

Here’s a recap of the extension-eligible fourth-year players that signed contract extensions this offseason, removing themselves from 2014’s free agent market:

The following extension-eligible players didn’t sign new deals and will hit the open market next summer. Assuming their teams tender qualifying offers, they’ll be restricted free agents:

A year ago, eight extension-eligible players inked new contracts worth well over $400MM, making it the most lucrative offseason for extensions over the last several years. 2013’s six extensions is more in line with previous years, though depending on what the maximum salary is worth for 2014/15, the total amount of money committed will still be significant. By my estimation, the six deals could be worth more than $330MM, which would be the second-highest amount since 2008.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0