The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association will open negotiations toward a new collective bargaining agreement in August. This is well in advance of a December 2016 deadline that both sides face to inform the other if they intend to opt out of the existing CBA after the 2016/17 season. An opt out from one side or the other has long been expected. The sides will discuss how to split a flood of new revenue from the $24 billion TV deal the league struck with its media partners this fall, among other matters. Union head Michele Roberts has taken an aggressive tack since being hired last summer, with the recent bombshell having been the revelation that the union will apparently exercise its rarely used right to independently audit five teams this summer. Adam Silver, who’ll be in the role of commissioner during CBA talks for the first time, has raised the notion that the league would push for a hard salary cap, among other measures sure to meet with union resistance.
Here’s a look back at the rest of the week that was…
Trades
- The Pistons acquired Ersan Ilyasova from the Bucks in exchange for Caron Butler and Shawne Williams. Butler expects that Milwaukee will waive him.
2015 NBA Draft News/Rumors
- French forward Alpha Kaba is expected to withdraw his name from the draft.
- The Knicks are reportedly involved in active discussions to acquire a late first round or early second round pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
- Second-round draft prospect Nedim Buza has signed with Oostende of Belgium. Buza’s deal runs three years with an option for a fourth, though it’s unclear whether it’s a team, player or mutual option.
- German forward Paul Zipser intends to withdraw from this year’s draft.
- You can keep up with all of the scheduled and completed player workouts and interviews here.
Coaching News/Rumors
- Michael Malone landed a second interview with the Nuggets for their head coaching vacancy. Trail Blazers assistant David Vanterpool has also interviewed for the post.
- The Jazz hired Hawks strength and conditioning coach Jeff Watkinson as an assistant coach.
- The Kings have added John Welch and Chad Iske as assistants on George Karl‘s coaching staff.
- Robert Pack has signed on to be an assistant on the staff of new Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry.
- Adrian Griffin is being considered for a spot on Scott Skiles‘ coaching staff with the Magic.
- The L.A. D-Fenders, the Lakers‘ D-League affiliate, named Conner Henry as the team’s new head coach.
News/Rumors
- The Cavaliers announced that point guard Kyrie Irving suffered a fractured left kneecap during the first game of the NBA Finals, and he underwent surgery to repair the damage and will be out of action for a minimum of three to four months.
- Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro accepted an offer to join the Nuggets front office. He’ll work in a supporting role under team president Josh Kroenke with both the Nuggets and the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche.
- The Warriors and Harrison Barnes share a mutual interest in a contract extension.
- Draft-and-stash prospect Nikola Jokic reportedly has his sights set on joining the Nuggets next season.
- The Rockets will reportedly exercise their team option to keep Kostas Papanikolaou under contract for next season.
- Eric Gordon is reportedly leaning toward picking up his player option worth more than $15.514MM to stay with the Pelicans for next season.
- Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge’s quest to acquire Kevin Love has reportedly cooled off a bit, though Ainge still has an interest in the big man.
- The Mavericks will look at avenues of ridding themselves of Raymond Felton‘s salary of more than $3.95MM for next season in an effort to clear flexibility to re-sign Al-Farouq Aminu.
- The Guangdong Southern Tigers have reportedly given Will Bynum a standing offer to return to China on a three-year deal.
- The Mavericks are reportedly the “biggest threat” to sign LaMarcus Aldridge away from the Trail Blazers this summer.
- Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby will move into a role as senior adviser and GM Ryan McDonough will become the team’s head of basketball operations on August 1st.
- The Lakers are likely to retain Robert Sacre past June 30th, when his non-guaranteed salary becomes fully guaranteed.
- Andrei Kirilenko is expected to retire this offseason.
- The Bulls, Mavericks, Pacers and Magic have expressed interest in signing point guard Aaron Jackson, who plays for Russia’s CSKA Moscow.
- The Jazz are reportedly expected to make an active pursuit of soon-to-be free agent Paul Millsap this summer.
- The Bucks have grand designs for the summer ahead and plan a hard push to sign at least one of Brook Lopez and Tyson Chandler.
- The Sixers are reportedly in talks with Turkey’s Anadolu Efes to bring 2014 draftee Dario Saric to the NBA next season.