Month: November 2024

Looming Player Option Decisions: West

March 24th, 2016 at 2:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

The NBA regular season ends in less than three weeks, so time is running short for players to make their final impressions. The stakes are higher for those whose contract situations for next season are unresolved. Player options are a coveted contractual feature, but the decisions players make often depend on how other teams regard them. Players do well to gauge the potential free agent market for their services, lest they follow the path of J.R. Smith, who turned down a $6.4MM player option last summer and wound up languishing in free agency for two months until accepting a deal from the Cavs that pays him only $5MM this season.

Most option decisions aren’t due until late June, but as the season winds to a close, we’ve examined the likelihood of each player opting in or out. We started last week in the Eastern Conference, and we’re following up now with the Western Conference, where many of the tougher calls exist:

Likely to opt out:

Dwight Howard, Rockets ($23,282,457) — Howard is expected to opt out in search of a max deal that would pay him about $30MM next season.
Chandler Parsons, Mavericks ($16,023,000) — The versatile forward’s potential season-ending injury is reportedly expected to have no bearing on his plans to opt out and enter a robust market.
Deron Williams, Mavericks ($5,621,026) — The 31-year-old is putting up numbers strikingly similar to the ones he posted in his final season with the Nets. The difference is that this year’s production comes against much lower expectations in Dallas. The rising salary cap presumably lifts the stock of just about every free agent, so Williams stands to make as much or more than he did last summer if he opts out. That’s particularly so considering Williams didn’t really experience an open market last year, coming free from the Nets after most other notable players had signed.
Austin Rivers, Clippers ($3,344,106) — The combo guard signed a short-term deal last summer because he wanted to improve his stock and quickly return to free agency. The terms of his existing contract were dictated by the declined option on his rookie scale pact, which barred the Clippers from giving him more, but no such bounds will exist for his next deal. A career-high 8.3 points per game so far will help Rivers, the son of Clippers coach/executive Doc Rivers.
Darrell Arthur, Nuggets ($2,940,630) — This one’s a tough call, but Arthur’s production is up, and his work on the boards is better than it’s been in four years. His 14 starts this season are his most since he started 64 games as a rookie.
Caron Butler, Kings ($1,551,659) — It’s surprising that he’s still on Sacramento after the Kings reportedly promised to trade him in December. He was supposedly a strong bet for a buyout last month, but that didn’t happen, either. It’s tough to say much with certainty here given the evidence, but it seems like the 36-year-old will try to latch on elsewhere for a better chance at the playoffs.
David West, Spurs ($1,551,659) — Money was clearly no object for West this past offseason, when he took a sharp pay cut to sign for the minimum salary with the Spurs and chase a title. We can assume that he’ll opt out to see if he can again go after a ring and make more money doing so, though that’s certainly not a given.

Toss-up:

Tim Duncan, Spurs ($5,643,750) — Duncan, even as he approaches his 40th birthday next month, is worth far more than the value of his option, but he’s no stranger to discounts, and this decision likely comes down to whether or not he wants to retire.
Manu Ginobili, Spurs ($2,940,630) — Ginobili, who turns 39 this year, is in the same position as Duncan. If he wants to play again, he probably opts in. If he wants to retire, he’ll turn it down.
Wesley Johnson, Clippers ($1,227,286) — His minutes and scoring are down significantly from last season, though that was to be expected after a Lakers-to-Clippers move.
James Anderson, Kings ($1,139,123) — The swingman’s minutes have been inconsistent this season, though coach George Karl thinks he’s probably the team’s best defender. Still, Anderson was out of the NBA last season, so his position isn’t secure.

Likely to opt in:

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks ($8,692,184) — Nowitzki hasn’t said so explicitly, but he told USA Today’s Sam Amick in November that he plans to “ride this contract out,” presumably meaning he’ll stay under this discounted pact, one that helps the Mavs chase other stars who could team with Nowitzki in a title quest.
Brandon Bass, Lakers ($3,135,000) — It’s conceivable he’ll opt out to seek either a larger role, a better chance to win or both, but the bet here is that he sticks it out with the Lakers after putting up his lowest numbers in six years this season.
Alonzo Gee, Pelicans ($1,379,400) — The journeyman has started 36 games for the injury-depleted Pelicans, but he’s averaged only 4.0 points per game and shot just 28.1% from 3-point range. The option gives him slightly more than he’d get on a minimum salary deal, and the money is guaranteed.
Cole Aldrich, Clippers ($1,227,286) — The big man has been in the rotation since Blake Griffin‘s went down around Christmas, but it’s tough to see him doing much better than the guaranteed minimum salary his option provides.
Seth Curry, Kings ($1,015,696) — Sacramento’s minutes for Curry have fluctuated, leading him to mild frustration, but he’d played only six NBA games before this season, so giving up guaranteed money would be a major risk.

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

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

And-Ones: Jennings, Pistons, Draft, Suns

March 24th, 2016 at 12:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said he’ll “keep an eye” on Brandon Jennings this summer in the hopes that the soon-to-be free agent finds the right situation, as MLive’s Aaron McMann relays. Van Gundy said in January that he could envision re-signing the point guard, despite the presence of entrenched starter Reggie Jackson, before Detroit traded Jennings to the Magic last month. It’s unclear whether Van Gundy is thinking about a reunion with Jennings, but it’s nonetheless apparent that the Pistons boss has affection for him, lauding his commitment and positive locker room influence. “The one thing, and some people probably think you’re full of crap,” Van Gundy said. “We said to him all along — he and his agent [Jeff Schwartz] — that if we traded him, we would try very hard to get him into a good situation. He had played for [Magic coach] Scott [Skiles] before, and the Magic really wanted him. It sounded to us like he was going to get an opportunity there. That was important to us because I’ve got great respect for Brandon and for what he did for us last year.”

See more from around the NBA:

University of Iowa shooting guard Peter Jok is entering this year’s NBA draft but won’t immediately hire an agent, thus allowing him to retain his college eligibility, the school confirmed via press release, according to Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Marty Tirrell of KBGG-AM radio first reported the news (Twitter link). The junior has only long shot pro hopes, as he isn’t among the many prospects in either Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings or Chad Ford’s ESPN.com listings. Early entrants have until May 25th to withdraw from the draft and retain their college eligibility.
Givony, writing for The Vertical, examines the impact of the rules changes that allow underclassmen to enter the draft, gauge their stock and retain their college eligibility if they pull out, noting that existing NBA rules let players withdraw from the draft only twice. Prospects become automatically eligible for the draft the year following their second withdrawal, Givony points out, so that means freshmen take a slight risk if they enter with the intention of pulling out, since they’d become automatically draft-eligible after their junior seasons if they entered and withdrew again as sophomores.
Suns affiliate player Terrico White has backed out of an agreement with Israel’s Maccabi Rishon and will play for Israeli rival Nes-Ziona instead, reports international journalist David Pick (Twitter link). White, the 36th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, has spent the season with Phoenix’s D-League team since a training camp stint on the NBA roster.

Southeast Notes: Harris, Bosh, Humphries, Morris

March 24th, 2016 at 12:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

Tobias Harris just signed a four-year, $64MM deal with the Magic in July, but he took it in stride when the team traded him to the Pistons at last month’s deadline, observes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. “I’m not mad at Orlando for the trade,” Harris said Tuesday. “Actually, if I was to sit here and be upset, that would be selfish, wouldn’t it? All they did was put me in an amazing situation. Truthfully, I thank them for that. I mean, I loved my time there, but business is business, and I think being here has been great for me.”

Harris’ new team got the better of his old one Wednesday as Detroit beat Orlando, 118-102. See more from the Southeast Division:

Chris Bosh and the Heat have received conflicting information about how soon he can stop taking blood thinners and return to the court, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Bosh can’t play until he’s off blood thinners, and while some doctors recommend that patients stay on blood thinners for three to six months after a clot develops, others disagree, Jackson notes. Bosh reportedly developed the clots in mid-February.
The buyout market signing of Kris Humphries has returned the big man to a traditional inside role after the Wizards tried to make him into a stretch four earlier this season, and the arrangement has been beneficial for the Hawks, coach/executive Mike Budenholzer said, notes Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. Humphries goes back on the free agent market July 1st. “He’s fit in really well,” Budenholzer said. “I’d just say rebounding is an area where we need to be better and he’s kind of come in and given a little life. He tracks offensive boards, goes to the offensive boards. And I’m hoping he’ll be more of an influence on our other guys even though it’s not something we prioritize. He brings a little bit of a physicality, a little bit of a toughness. And then he can make shots, he can spread the court. Shoot threes, make threes. And his personality, he’s added a little personality to our locker room, too, so it’s just been a really good fit.”
Markieff Morris makes Washington’s defense better, his contract isn’t a killer, and the top-nine protected pick the Wizards gave up in the trade to acquire him is unlikely to cost the team a landmark player, contends J. Michael of CSN Mid Atlantic, who sees the deal as a victory for Washington. “It’s the versatility of him being able to guard postup guys as well as out on the perimeter, whether it’s a three, four or five guy,” coach Randy Wittman said. “His knowledge of the game, his willingness to pass. He’s a willing passer and makes great decisions at the other end.”

Every Kentucky Player To Test Draft Waters

March 24th, 2016 at 11:01am CST by Chuck Myron

Every underclassman on the University of Kentucky basketball team will enter the NBA draft but retain college eligibility, coach John Calipari said Wednesday in a stream of tweets (See all nine Twitter links from Calipari right here). That means 14 Wildcats plus Alex Poythress, the only senior on the Kentucky roster, will be eligible to work out for NBA teams and participate in the NBA combine, taking advantage of new rules that allow prospects to gauge their draft stock until May 25th, the deadline for players to pull out of the draft if they want to remain eligible for college ball. The players would forfeit their college eligibility if they hire agents, so presumably they’ll hold off on doing so.

Calipari’s announcement shows the player-friendly side of the rules changes, which leave NBA teams in the dark about just who’ll be in the draft until that May 25th deadline. Previously, college players had to choose whether to enter the draft or return to college in April, before workouts and the combine.

Several among the Wildcats entering the draft figure to stay in, with freshman combo guard Jamal Murray leading the way as the No. 4 prospect in Chad Ford’s ESPN.com rankings and as No. 7 on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress list. He’ll battle Providence junior Kris Dunn, who’s declaring for the draft and hiring an agent, to become the first point guard taken, though Murray played off the ball much of the time this season, deferring to Tyler Ulis. Murray led the Wildcats with 20.0 points per game and also pulled down 5.2 rebounds per contest despite standing only 6’5″.

Freshman center/forward Skal Labissiere, who began the season as the No. 1 prospect on Givony’s board, is now No. 10 and checks in 15th with Ford. He struggled this year, floating in and out of the starting lineup and averaging only 6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per contest.

Ulis, a sophomore, is 20th with both Givony and Ford. He led the SEC with 7.0 assists per game and was the team’s second-leading scorer at 17.3 points per contest.

Isaiah Briscoe, a freshman combo guard, also has a legitimate shot to be drafted, coming in 75th with Ford and 80th with Givony, while Poythress, a combo forward and the lone senior on the team, is No. 77 in Ford’s rankings and No. 90 in Givony’s.

Guards Jonny David, E.J. Floreal, Dominique Hawkins, Charles Matthews, Mychal Mulder and Dillon Pulliam and forwards Isaac Humphries, Marcus Lee, Derek Willis and Tai Wynyard comprise the rest of the Wildcats, who lost to Indiana in the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past weekend.

Categories:
2016 NBA Draft

J.R. Smith To Drop CAA, Hire Klutch Sports

March 24th, 2016 at 10:00am CST by Chuck Myron

J.R. Smith is in the midst of parting with agent Leon Rose and the Creative Artists Agency and plans to sign with Rich Paul of the LeBron James-backed Klutch Sports Group, reports Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It’s the latest step in the growing bond between Smith and James, who’ve strengthened their connection on the court and off since Smith arrived in Cleveland via trade in January 2015, Haynes writes. Smith is on an unusual two-year contract that includes a player option and partially guaranteed salary for next season.

That deal came at the end of a frustrating summer for Smith, who turned down a player option worth nearly $6.4MM and lingered on the market for about two months before agreeing to a $5MM salary for this season. The partial guarantee on next season’s $5.375MM salary is worth only $2.2MM, though it increases to a full guarantee if he remains under contract through September 7th.

Smith will join James and fellow Cavs teammate Tristan Thompson as clients of Paul. The swingman represents the latest score for Klutch, which also landed Ben Simmons, a prime contender for the No. 1 overall pick who announced his selection of Klutch on Wednesday. John Wall left Dan Fegan of Relativity Sports to sign with Paul earlier this season. CAA has also otherwise had a strong year so far, landing Joel Embiid as well as soon-to-be free agent Pau Gasol.

The 30-year-old Smith has had a reputation for inconsistent play and stirred controversy in the past, but he was recently cleared of any wrongdoing in a case involving an incident outside a New York nightclub. Coach Tyronn Lue is impressed with Smith’s growth, as Haynes relays.

“Just talking to him the other day after the game, just hearing his maturity. I think him taking that step he took this summer, I think that’s helped him off the court,” Lue said. “And then on the court, every night, he’s giving us effort every single night. He’s playing hard. He’s competing and that’s all we can ask of J.R. It’s been good because I’ve known him since he was 18 years old, just to see the growth and how he’s matured over the years.”

Reaction To Talk Of LeBron-‘Melo-Wade-CP3 Team

March 24th, 2016 at 9:21am CST by Chuck Myron

A meeting between LeBron James and Cavaliers GM David Griffin and conflicting statements from Carmelo Anthony represented some of the fallout from the Wednesday publication of comments that James made shortly before the All-Star break about his desire to play at least one NBA season on the same team as Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul. James has spoken with Cavs management in the past to propose the idea of trading for Anthony, who has a no-trade clause, a source told Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal, though it’s not clear when such talk took place. James and Griffin spoke in general terms Wednesday, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The conversation was “positive and productive,” with James striking an upbeat tone about the Cavs, Vardon writes.

Anthony echoed James’ assertion that he would take a discount to facilitate teaming with the other stars, though he hinted that if it happened, it wouldn’t take place in New York, as Marc Berman of the New York Post relays. The Knicks have Anthony under contract until at least 2018, when he can opt out.

“Everybody has fantasies,” Anthony said. “We’d all have to take pay cuts. I’d take one. I think at that time we’d want to go someplace warm. Later — [close to] retirement.’’

Anthony re-signed with the Knicks in 2014, though he reiterated Wednesday, when the Knicks beat the Bulls, that he came “very close” to signing with Chicago that summer instead, notes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter link). Still, Anthony once more restated his commitment to the Knicks during ESPN’s broadcast of the game, McMenamin notes.

“I came here for a reason, which was to win in New York,” Anthony said. “Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case thus far, but I feel like I have unfinished business to take care of. And I feel like, I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, if I just get up and run away from something that I started, that I feel a part of and that’s not done yet, then I think I would carry that burden on my shoulders. That’s just me as an individual.”

James isn’t sure that having the four stars on the same team would fly with any owner, given the vast power the players would have in such a circumstance, a source told McMenamin. The former MVP tamped down the notion of playing with his high-profile friends in comments he made Wednesday, as McMenamin relays.

“It would definitely be cool if it happened, but we don’t know how realistic it could be to have us four,” James said. “If you got an opportunity to work with three of your best friends, no matter what, it’s not even about sports, it’s about being around guys that you don’t even have to say nothing, you automatically know. We just have that type of history. Can it happen? I don’t know if it can even happen but it would be cool.”

James had a lingering chat with Wade at halftime of Cleveland’s loss to Miami on Saturday while the Cavs were warming up, and James later apologized to Cavs coach Tyronn Lue for that, Vardon writes. Cleveland was down 21 at the time in a game the Cavs lost by that same margin.

“I just told him we can’t have that, being down like we were and him being the leader,” Lue said to Vardon. “Just me being a competitor, I didn’t like it. We had a long talk about it. It was good. He understood, he apologized, and he’s been great.”

Wade largely brushed off talk of playing with James, Anthony and Paul, as ESPN’s Michael Wallace relays in McMenamin’s story.

“I don’t know, man,” Wade said. “Yeah, I heard it. I read it. I’m not really jumping into the headlines right now. For me, I’m focused on my teammates in here. As cool as the headlines is, that has nothing to do with what we’re trying to do in here.”

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/23/16

March 23rd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers face a long climb if they wish to return to prominence in the Eastern Conference. The effectiveness of GM Sam Hinkie‘s rebuilding through tanking plan is certainly debatable given the team’s woeful record the past few seasons. One major critique levied against Hinkie is his failure to build a cohesive roster, a valid criticism given his lack of attention to the team’s backcourt the past two years. The executive has used three lottery picks in a row to select big men, players whose skills don’t appear to complement each other, which will likely become a bigger issue when and if Joel Embiid finally makes his NBA debut.

Hinkie did land point guard Michael Carter-Williams in the 2014 NBA Draft, a player who snagged Rookie of the Year Honors for the 2013/14 campaign. While Carter-Williams’ game certainly has its flaws, he did provide the team with steady production at a critical position. Since dealing away the 24-year-old to the Bucks during the 2014/15 season, the Sixers have struggled to find a playmaker who could run the team as well as help their young big men develop.

Philadelphia made an attempt to fix this glaring roster hole this season with its acquisition of Ish Smith from the Pelicans in December, a move that hasn’t translated into wins, but there is no denying that the Sixers are a better team since Smith arrived. In 39 games since joining Philly, Smith has notched 14.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 31.7 minutes per night. Smith certainly has his negatives as a player, namely his high turnover rate (2.5 per game) and shaky shot selection (39.7% from the field overall), but he has certainly performed better than anyone the team has trotted out at the one spot since Carter-Williams was dealt.

This brings me to the question/topic for today: Is Ish Smith the long-term answer at point guard for the Sixers?

The Sixers aren’t viewed as a free agent destination around the league given their current state, which doesn’t bode well for landing a big name free agent to lead the team this offseason. This means that the team will either need to pin its hopes on Smith, who is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, attempt to upgrade via the draft or to try and strike gold on the free agent market with a lower-tiered player.

So what say you? Should the Sixers look to re-sign Smith this offseason and hand the team over to him, or is he just a placeholder in your eyes? If you don’t believe Smith is the solution, who is a realistic target for the team either via the draft, free agency or the trade market? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

And-Ones: Anthony, Pierce, Grizzlies

March 23rd, 2016 at 10:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Carmelo Anthony noted that the drama surrounding LeBron James and the Cavaliers this season is more trivial than what the Knicks are dealing with, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News relays. “Their drama is more comical,” Anthony said. “It’s more getting off of Twitter. You know what I mean? It’s always something that they blow up; him [James] unfollowing the organization. Him shutting his Twitter down. It’s always something there along those lines. Over here it’s, you know, drama … different type of drama over here.”

The small forward is growing tired with those who question his loyalty to the Knicks and the constant questions regarding if he would waive his no-trade clause this summer, Isola adds. “I know the reason why I [re-signed],” Anthony said. “And the people that really understand it know why I’m sticking out. I think it is odd to question loyalty at this point and time especially when I’ve shown time and time again my loyalty to not just the organization but to New York and vice versa. At this point I just go out and play basketball and try not to worry about it.”

Here’s more from around the league:

The Grizzlies coaching staff deserves credit for keeping the team in the playoff hunt despite having to use 27 players this season because of the rash of injuries that have befallen the roster, writes J.A. Adande of ESPN.com. Coach Dave Joerger also credits the team’s veteran players with holding things together amid all the lineup and roster changes, Adande adds. “It’s crazy,” Joerger said. “It’s a couple of things, though. First of all, it’s veteran leadership. It’s Matt Barnes, Vince Carter, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph. Those guys have really been helping our younger guys, taking them under their wing. Our staff has done a great job with the young guys and new guys and helping them get acclimated. Our guys have accepted each other for who they are as individuals.”
Sixers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce was interviewed on Tuesday for the vacant head coaching post at Santa Clara University, his alma mater, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reports (Twitter link). Pierce played for the Broncos from 1998-2002, then served as an assistant coach from 2003-2007 before joining the Cavs as coordinator for player development prior to the 2007/08 season. He’s been with the Sixers since 2013.

Western Notes: McCollum, Sampson, Ingles

March 23rd, 2016 at 9:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Trail Blazers have benefited from their decision to allow Wesley Matthews to depart as a free agent last summer because it allowed C.J. McCollum to take on a larger role, one that he has taken full advantage of this season, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. “Some players aren’t ready for the drastic change,” McCollum said. “I was ready. The opportunity increased, and my game rose with the increase. I knew what I was capable of. I just needed the opportunity to play.” The team isn’t surprised by McCollum’s breakout season, MacMahon notes. “If C.J. doesn’t get hurt in his rookie year, and by the time he comes back we were 22-4, we’d probably be talking about a three-year starter now,” GM Neil Olshey said. “This wouldn’t be year one of a Lillard-McCollum backcourt. We always believed in C.J.”

Despite their faith in McCollum’s abilities, he wasn’t the reason that the Blazers elected not to re-sign Matthews, MacMahon adds. “I don’t think that was by any means the motivating factor or deciding factor in what we did,” coach Terry Stotts said. “We knew. Neil drafted him. We were very confident in what he could do.”

Here’s more from out West:

Nuggets combo forward JaKarr Sampson has fond memories of playing in Philadelphia and said he was surprised when he found out the Sixers had waived him, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Sampson was released in order to clear a roster spot for Joel Anthony, but the team lost out when the trade was voided. “Even though I was on a non-guaranteed [contract], I was expecting to be there longer than what I was,” Sampson said. “A lot of that had to do with I like Philly. I fell in love with the city. I loved how the city supported us. They still support us even though we are going through struggles, and we have been going through struggles for like three years.“
Joe Ingles‘ role with the Jazz has been reduced this season, but he’s remained positive and has contributed when called upon, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News writes. “It’s not easy. It’s not something that obviously every player wants to play as much as possible,” Ingles said. “So it’s difficult sometimes, but at the end of the day, the bigger picture obviously is to win games and hopefully to push toward the playoffs.” The 28-year-old is only averaging 14.7 minutes per contest this season after logging 21.2 in 2014/15.
The Rockets have assigned rookie power forward Montrezl Harrell to the D-League, the team announced. This will be Harrell’s fifth jaunt to Rio Grande Valley on the season.

Dwayne Bacon To Enter NBA Draft

March 23rd, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Florida State freshman Dwayne Bacon intends to test the waters and enter the 2016 NBA Draft, reports Jon Rothstein of CBSSports (Twitter link). He won’t hire an agent right away, Rothstein notes, so he’ll retain his college eligibility if he pulls out in advance of the May 25th withdrawal deadline.

Bacon isn’t guaranteed to be drafted this June, which makes his decision to hold off on hiring an agent a wise move. The 20-year-old is currently ranked as the 74th overall prospect according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, coming in at No. 19 among freshmen, according to the scribe. ESPN’s Chad Ford pegs Bacon as a late second-rounder at best, so his predraft workouts will be vital if he hopes to make the leap to the NBA for next season.

The small forward appeared in 34 games for the Seminoles and averaged 15.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 28.8 minutes per contest. His slash line on the campaign was .447/.281/.714.

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