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Month: November 2024

Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Turner, Williams

November 27th, 2015 at 11:01am CST by Eddie Scarito

Raptors power forward James Johnson took to Twitter earlier this week to express displeasure with how he was being utilized, not a wise move for a player whose NBA career may depend on how he adjusts to a limited role with the team, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes. Johnson, who is earning $2.5MM this season, is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and appearing to be disruptive, especially after a team win, won’t help his value on the open market, Smith opines. The 28-year-old is averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per contest.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Sixers have been attempting to rebuild through the draft by bottoming out as a franchise, but the risk the team runs is that the process may become toxic prior to paying dividends, Nate Scott of USA Today writes. The franchise runs the risk of conditioning its players to lose, as well as potentially souring any free agent targets on coming to Philadelphia, Scott notes.
  • Derrick Williams has apparently fallen out of Knicks coach Derek Fisher‘s rotation, which doesn’t please the veteran, but he is trying to make the best of the situation, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “We got to sacrifice a little bit. We went on a little win streak. So you don’t want to complain when you’re winning. It just makes you look like a bad individual,” Williams said. “I’ve always been a team guy. I’m happy when we’re winning. [Wednesday], when I know I can play and I think I can help, it does get frustrating. But we have more games. So hopefully Friday [at home against Miami], things turn around a little bit.”
  • With Philadelphia on the verge of setting the NBA record for futility to begin a campaign, swingman Evan Turner feels bad for his former franchise, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I know Brett [Brown] is a great coach, and those players over there grind hard,” said Turner. “It’s not like they are sitting around doing nothing. Those kids grind, man. I know for sure they stay over the summer and work out together. So you feel bad in that sense, [because] it is a team working to be successful. It’s not like they are a bunch of high-paid players that have a crazy attitude about it.“
  • The Raptors have recalled Delon Wright from their D-League affiliate, the team announced.
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2016/17 Salary Cap Projection: Boston Celtics

November 27th, 2015 at 10:01am CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league prior to the official numbers being announced had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM. Many league executives and agents believe that the salary cap will escalate to a whopping $95MM for 2016/17, a higher figure than the league’s last projection of $89MM. This significant bump is a result of the league’s new $24 billion TV deal that kicks in just in time for next season.

The increase in the salary cap will almost assuredly set off a flurry of activity in the free agent market next summer, and it will also make it easier than ever for teams to deal away their higher-priced stars. Prudent executives are acutely aware of exactly how much cap room they have to play with, not just for the current campaign, but for next season and beyond as well. While the exact amount of 2016/17’s salary cap won’t be announced until next summer, it always pays to know just how much salary is on the books for each franchise. With this in mind, we at Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the projected 2016/17 financial commitments for each franchise, and we’ll continue onward with a look at the Boston Celtics:

  • Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $33,971,629
  • Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $0
  • Non Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $17,000,000*
  • Total Projected Salary Cap Commitments: $50,971,629

*Note: This amount will become fully guaranteed if both Amir Johnson ($12MM) and Jonas Jerebko ($5MM) remain on the team’s roster past July 3rd.

If the salary cap were to fall in line with the projection of $89MM, Boston would have approximately $38,028,371 in cap space, or $44,028,371 if the cap were to be set at the higher mark of $95MM. Again, these are merely predictions until the exact cap amounts are announced, and they are not meant to illustrate the exact amount that the team will have available to spend this coming offseason.

Boston will also need to make decisions regarding Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger, both of whom are eligible to become restricted free agents next summer. If the Celtics wish to retain the right to match any offer sheets the two players were to receive the team would need to submit qualifying offers to both, with Zeller’s being worth $3,695,169 and $3,270,004 for Sullinger. This would increase the team’s projected cap commitments by a total of $6,965,173, though that number would merely be a place holder until the players either inked new deals or signed their qualifying offers, which would then set them up for unrestricted free agency the following offseason.

Trades and long-term free agent signings made during the season will also have a significant impact on the figures above, and we’ll be updating these posts to reflect the new numbers after any signings and trades have been made official.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

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Austin Daye To Play In Italy

November 27th, 2015 at 8:45am CST by Eddie Scarito

Small forward Austin Daye has signed with the Italian club Victoria Libertas Pesaro, the team announced (translation by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The length and terms of the arrangement are not yet known, nor if Daye’s pact includes an NBA out clause.

The 27-year-old was waived by the Hawks back in July in an effort to clear cap space. Daye’s salary was non-guaranteed, but releasing him cleared away his $1,185,784 cap hold from Atlanta’s books, which the team needed to re-sign Paul Millsap and trade for Tiago Splitter. The forward then signed with the Cavaliers back in September on a non-guaranteed deal but didn’t snag a regular season roster slot and was subsequently waived in October. The former 15th overall pick averaged 5.0 points in 11.9 minutes per game in six preseason appearances for Cleveland.

Daye has made 293 career regular season appearances in the NBA over the span of his six year career. His averages per contest are 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.7 assists with a slash line of .402/.351/.778.

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Offseason In Review: Oklahoma City Thunder

November 26th, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Will Joseph

Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team’s offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees and more will be covered as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.

Signings

Extensions

  • None

Trades

  • Acquired Charlotte’s 2016 second round pick (top-55 protected in 2016, unprotected in 2017) and Luke Ridnour from the Hornets in exchange for Jeremy Lamb.
  • Acquired the draft rights to Tomislav Zubcic from the Raptors in exchange for Ridnour and $250K.
  • Acquired Boston’s 2018 second round pick (top-55 protected) from the Celtics in exchange for Perry Jones III, Detroit’s 2019 second round pick, and $1.5MM.

Waiver Claims

  • None

Draft Picks

Camp Invitees

Departing Players

Rookie Contract Option Decisions

Mark D. Smith/USA Today Sports Images

Mark D. Smith/USA Today Sports Images

Unable to satisfy those in the organization who believed the Thunder should have at least one title by now, Oklahoma City replaced Scott Brooks with new coach Billy Donovan in a bold offseason move. The decision made sense to critics of Brooks because the team failed to make the playoffs and things seemed rather stagnant offensively. On the other hand, the timing of the coaching change was interesting because many supporters of Brooks pointed to the fact that health was a significant issue last season for the Thunder. Kevin Durant, most notably, missed 55 games and Russell Westbrook was out for 15.

The Thunder returned a talented nucleus and were without a glaring weakness on the roster heading into the offseason, so the coaching change was all about wanting a new leader with a new voice, in my opinion. Perhaps it will be what this team needs. It seemed inevitable for Donovan, who won two titles with Florida and is well-respected by players around the league, to land a job like this one, but his success will likely be measured by how well the Thunder perform in the postseason.

Assuming health doesn’t become a repeat issue for Oklahoma City, the Thunder seem poised for a deep run and should be in the championship mix. Durant and Westbrook still have several years left in their respective primes. Besides making a coaching splash, the Thunder didn’t do much in the offseason because they didn’t have to.

Of significance, however, the Thunder matched the Blazers’ $70MM, four-year offer sheet for then-restricted free agent Enes Kanter. Many fans and columnists asked if Kanter was worth the money and the common opinion was no. The deal nonetheless signaled the Thunder were all in. Kanter, a center who is adept at hitting elbow jumpers, is performing well and is currently averaging 12.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. The move was widely expected because Oklahoma City offered Kanter about $62MM, not much less than the max deal he ultimately wound up with, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). While critics pointed out his inconsistent defense, Kanter, 23, excelled after Oklahoma City acquired him from the Jazz. He averaged 15.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season with the Thunder and Jazz. The new deal for Kanter pushed the team far beyond the $84.74MM tax threshold at the time.

To help alleviate some of the financial hit, the Thunder traded Perry Jones III to the Celtics. They made the move with luxury tax savings in mind. It saved the Thunder about $7MM in combined salary and tax payments, according to Royce Young of ESPN.com. Oklahoma City did not acquire much in return (a protected 2018 second-round pick), but shedding Jones’ money was somewhat vital. Still, star power comes with a price and the Thunder currently have a payroll of $97,749,910, second-highest in the league. The Thunder also cut ties with Jeremy Lamb when they dealt him to the Hornets for Luke Ridnour and a conditional 2016 second round pick. The Thunder flipped Ridnour to the Raptors for the rights to draft-and-stash prospect Tomislav Zubcic. Oklahoma City also got to create a trade exception worth $2.75MM.

The Thunder didn’t quite stop at Kanter, though, as far as bringing guys back. Oklahoma City re-signed Kyle Singler to a deal worth nearly $25MM over five years. Singler, a reserve small forward, provides bench depth. Singler, 27, appeared in 26 games for the Thunder last season after being acquired by the Pistons at midseason, averaging 8.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 17.5 minutes per contest.

The good thing about not making the playoffs last season is that it enabled the Thunder to draft Cameron Payne as the No. 14 overall pick. Payne starred at mid-major Murray State, averaging 20.2 points and six assists per game. His rookie contract did little in terms of having an effect on the Thunder’s financial flexibility because the team was well over $70MM cap anyway. The Thunder make sense for Payne because he won’t be asked to do too much as a rookie, considering all the other talent on the team.

The Thunder had a mostly quiet offseason (aside from the hiring of Donovan and matching the offer for Kanter), but they could have benefited, in my opinion, from acquiring a defensive-minded shooting guard. Even with Donovan, a good defensive coach, guiding the team, the Thunder have still struggled to stop opponents, allowing 103.8 points per game (ninth-worst in the league).

Still, there is no doubt that the Thunder are a title contender if they remain healthy. They are gambling that their coaching change pays off in the postseason. After all, next summer should be far more interesting for an obvious reason: Durant is set to be a free agent. Playing with Westbrook and being on a title contender likely hold a lot of weight when it comes to Durant re-signing next summer, so it behooves the Thunder to have strong season.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post. The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of it.

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And-Ones: Scott, Daye, Lawson

November 26th, 2015 at 8:39pm CST by Will Joseph

Lakers coach Byron Scott believes he still has the support of GM Mitch Kupchak and executive vice president of basketball personnel Jim Buss, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News details. The Lakers are 2-12 so far this season. Scott, as Medina points out, is in the second year of a four-year contract worth $17MM, with a team option for the final season.

“We still understand that this is a process,” Scott said, per Medina. “We have a lot of young guys on this team that we feel will be very good players. But it’s not going to happen in a month. It’s going to take some time. It might take a year or two.”

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • Austin Daye, who the Cavs waived in October, is close to signing overseas with Victoria Libertas Pesaro, a team in Italy, according to Italy news source Spicchi d’Arancia (h/t Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). Daye agreed to join the Cavs in September on a non-guaranteed deal. The 27-year-old former 15th overall pick averaged 5.0 points in 11.9 minutes per game in six preseason appearances. Daye’s career numbers through 293 NBA contests are 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.
  • Ty Lawson‘s playing time is being compromised because of his poor play and Patrick Beverley‘s return from an injury, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle relays. Lawson, whom the Rockets acquired in July despite his legal problems, was held scoreless Wednesday for the second straight game.
  • The Knicks are better this season, but in order for New York to continue to play well, Carmelo Anthony needs to step up as a leader internally and remain heavily invested in the team, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders opines.
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Central Notes: Parker, Jackson, Bulls

November 26th, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by Will Joseph

Jabari Parker chose Dr. Charles Tucker as his new agent after leaving the Wasserman Media Group and agent B.J. Armstrong earlier this month for familiarity and trust reasons, Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times details. Parker, according to Woelfel, got to know Tucker and his son, Charles Jr., while playing basketball on the AAU circuit as a kid. Both the younger Tucker and Parker, whom the Bucks chose with the second overall selection in the 2014 draft, have remained friends and religion is a big reason why, Woelfel writes.

Here’s more from around the Central Division:

  • Reggie Jackson does not anticipate a warm reception when he returns to Oklahoma City Friday for the first time since the February trade that brought him to the Pistons, David Mayo of MLive.com writes. Jackson, as Mayo adds, grew tired of his backup role under Russell Westbrook while with the Thunder. The Pistons acquired Jackson last season after Brandon Jennings was lost to a season-ending injury. The Pistons re-signed Jackson to a five-year, $80MM contract over the summer. “I know what to expect,” Jackson said, per Mayo. “I know how it was. I was booed when I came out there to start there last year. So I expect some of the same treatment. It’s like every other arena. I get booed in other arenas when I come out, so I’m just ready to go out there and play.”
  • With Pau Gasol wanting more touches and Joakim Noah struggling, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg has a problem regarding his big men, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com explains. Hoiberg, in his first year with the team, is still trying to figure out what works best, Friedell writes. Noah is a 2016 free agent while Gasol has a player option on the final season of a three-year, $22.3MM contract that brought him to Chicago in 2014.
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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 11/26/15

November 26th, 2015 at 5:00pm CST by Will Joseph

We at Hoops Rumors wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. While many of us connect today’s holiday to football, there is plenty to be thankful for in the basketball world. For starters, there is the entertainment the Warriors seemingly provide each time they play (and win).

Our question of the day is an easy one to digest: What are you most thankful for regarding your favorite NBA team so far this season?

As someone who grew up rooting for the Knicks, I (surprisingly) have a few things to be thankful for so far this season. What we appreciate the most are usually things we did not anticipate. That’s why I’m thankful the Knicks drafted Kristaps Porzingis because he has been a sensational double-double machine and someone who could possibly help lead the team to a playoff spot.

Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what your thoughts are. We look forward to learning about what you have to share.

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2016/17 Salary Cap Projection: Atlanta Hawks

November 26th, 2015 at 3:50pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league prior to the official numbers being announced had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM. Many league executives and agents believe that the salary cap will escalate to a whopping $95MM for 2016/17, a higher figure than the league’s last projection of $89MM. This significant bump is a result of the league’s new $24 billion TV deal that kicks in just in time for next season.

The increase in the salary cap will almost assuredly set off a flurry of activity in the free agent market next summer, and it will also make it easier than ever for teams to deal away their higher-priced stars. Prudent executives are acutely aware of exactly how much cap room they have to play with, not just for the current campaign, but for next season and beyond as well. While the exact amount of 2016/17’s salary cap won’t be announced until next summer, it always pays to know just how much salary is on the books for each franchise. With this in mind, we at Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the projected 2016/17 financial commitments for each franchise, and we’ll begin with a look at the Atlanta Hawks:

  • Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $52,717,353
  • Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $0
  • Non Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $7,657,000*
  • Total Projected Salary Cap Commitments: $60,375,353

*Note: This amount includes the $1,015,616 team option for Mike Muscala.

If the salary cap were to fall in line with the projection of $89MM, Atlanta would have approximately $28,624,647 in cap space, or $34,624,647 if the cap were to be set at the higher mark of $95MM. Again, these are merely predictions until the exact cap amounts are announced, and they are not meant to illustrate the exact amount that the team will have available to spend this coming offseason. Trades and long-term free agent signings made during the season will also have a significant impact on the figures above, and we’ll be updating these posts to reflect the new numbers after any signings and trades have been made official.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

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Texas Notes: Dekker, Matthews, Spurs

November 26th, 2015 at 2:22pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Rockets combo forward Sam Dekker is glad to have undergone the surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back, even if it will cost him at least the first three months of his rookie campaign, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle writes. “I’m a little more comfortable,” Dekker said. “I feel good, happy we got everything out of the way. Now, we heal. I met with a lot of people, got a lot of different opinions. We decided this was the best decision. Catching this early will now be good for me for the rest of my career.”

Dekker noted that the issue with his back flared up during summer league play, and that he initially hoped that he would be able to play through the pain this year, Feigen adds. “It effected everything I did on and off the court,” Dekker said. “That was probably the biggest part, being able to get up, walk and get out of bed in the morning. You don’t want to [be unable] to do that, especially at my age, 21. If I want to play a long time in this league, better get that fixed. With how I like to do things, hopefully we can get back as soon as possible. I already began the rehab process.”

Here’s more from the Lone Star state:

  • Mavs swingman Wesley Matthews admitted lamenting the missed opportunities of his 2014/15 Blazers squad, where injuries derailed any chance that the team had to advance in the playoffs, Chris Mannix of SI.com relays. Matthews also noted that his future with Portland was directly tied to whether or not the team re-signed LaMarcus Aldridge, the SI scribe adds. When asked if he ever thought about what might have been in Portland, Matthews told Mannix, “A little bit, but not so much anymore. When it first happened, when the season ended the way it did, yeah, I thought about it. We were good. We were a top four team in the league. That wasn’t a fluke, either. You couldn’t help but think about it. I wasn’t sure [after the season] if I’d be back. It was kind of 50-50, really. I came to find out that my fate was tied to LMA [Aldridge]. That’s the decision [Blazers GM] Neil [Olshey] wanted to make with the organization.”
  • With the offseason signing of Aldridge and the continued emergence of small forward Kawhi Leonard, the roles of the other members of the Spurs have changed this season, something that the team is still adjusting to despite its 12-3 record, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com writes. “People are still trying to figure out when and where their shots are and what’s right and wrong in the offense. So that leads to a little bit of hesitation,” Tim Duncan said. “We’re gonna make mistakes, and we’re gonna use as we always do, use the 82 [regular season games] to figure those mistakes out and try to minimize them as much as possible. It’s very different for us, but it’s been wonderful because [the new players have] been great, willing to learn.“
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Eastern Notes: Batum, Clifford, James

November 26th, 2015 at 12:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hornets coach Steve Clifford‘s new contract extension could enhance the team’s chance of re-signing swingman Nicolas Batum, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer notes (Twitter links). “He trusts me. He believes in me. So that could be a big factor,” Batum said when discussing his upcoming free agent decision. Batum was acquired from Portland this past summer in exchange for Noah Vonleh and Gerald Henderson.

Here’s more from the East:

  • The first three years of Clifford’s extension are fully guaranteed, with the final season in 2019/20 a team option, Bonnell tweets.
  • The Cavaliers held a players-only meeting after their Wednesday night loss to the Raptors, and LeBron James and James Jones both chastised the squad for its inconsistent play and effort, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes. “It’s all mindset,” James said after the game. “It comes from within. I’ve always had it; my upbringing had me like that. It’s either you got it or you don’t.” LeBron also noted that the Eastern Conference, which has been much-maligned for being mediocre the past few seasons, is greatly improved this year, McMenamin relays. “There’s always been a lot of shade thrown at our conference the last few years, so it’s great to see that our side is definitely picking it up and playing at a high level,” James said.
  • Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis is winning over the team’s fans, but he still hasn’t forgotten that his draft selection was met with boos when first announced, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. “It still sits inside of you a bit,’’ Porzingis said of the boos. “It’s not a good feeling when you get booed. But I don’t want to be good because somebody booed me. I want to be great player because that’s the way I am. It definitely gave me extra motivation.’’
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