We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com. Here are this week’s inquiries:
How big will Dion Waiters‘ contract be? — LG3, via Twitter
Waiters has opted out of a deal worth more than $3.2MM next season and will be one of the top shooting guards in free agency. The 25-year-old averaged 15.8 points in 46 games this season and shot a career-best 39.5% from 3-point range. In an April article on The Players Tribune, Waiters expressed a desire to remain in Miami, saying team president Pat Riley helped him revive his career. But that will likely mean taking less money than he could get on the open market. The Nets offered Allen Crabbe four years at $75MM last summer and Tyler Johnson four years at $50MM, so a team may be willing to give Waiters something in that neighborhood, even though he was limited to about half a season because of injuries. The Heat won’t have full Bird rights on Waiters for another year, and Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel suggested last month that he might agree to a two-year, $20MM deal to stay in Miami with an option year to maximize his earnings next summer. Waiters’ salary will depend on how patient he is and how strongly he wants to remain with the Heat.
With the numerous second-rounders that they have this year, can you see the Celtics trying to turn them into a late first-rounder to snatch someone like Harry Giles if he’s still on the board? Before the knee trouble he was the first pick on practically every GM’s board. They need front court help/depth, and his athleticism came through at the combine. Medical concerns may put [president of basketball operations] Danny Ainge off, but they could get a steal for a minimum price. Then if the Nets fail in free agency and tumble in the standings again, the Celtics could target Deandre Ayton in 2018 as a long-term replacement for Al Horford. — Chris Hawkins
Ainge has the assets to make almost any move he wants, though it will probably take more than the Celtics’ three second-rounders [Nos. 37, 53 and 56] to move into the first round. Giles goes 20th in the latest mock published by DraftExpress, and some team might gamble on him even higher if it believes his knees can hold up. Roster spots are another concern in Boston, which has 10 players under contract for next season, not including free agents Kelly Olynyk, Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson, Gerald Green and James Young, draft-and-stash prospects Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic and whatever they do with the No. 1 pick. Ainge may not want to bring another rookie with a guaranteed contract into that mix, especially if it involves a medical gamble like Giles.
I really want the Mavericks to take Jonathan Isaac or Dennis Smith Jr. with the ninth pick. I feel New York is going to select Frank Ntilikina with the eighth pick, so if they are not available does Dallas have interest in trading its pick to Denver for Emmanuel Mudiay and the 13th pick? At No. 13, Dallas can select OG Anunoby or Isaiah Hartenstein or Lauri Markkanen if there’s a miracle and he’s still available. Don’t forgot Mudiay is only 21 years old, he has time to learn to shoot and I heard the Mavs have a very good shooting coach. — Jason Tom
The question is whether the Mavericks believe any shooting coach can fix what’s wrong with Mudiay. He was a highly touted prospect who was taken with the seventh pick two years ago, but his NBA career has been a major disappointment so far. Denver would jump at the chance to move up four spots and get rid of Mudiay, who fell completely out of the rotation at midseason. He’s still young and he’s the type of player worth taking a chance on, but the Mavericks could probably pick him up much cheaper if they’re interested.
I’m hoping the Heat can keep James Johnson at about $12 million per, and Waiters at $14 million per, but that number could be light for both of them. Both have expressed desire to stay in Miami and willingness to take less, so if anyone offers anything comparable, I think they’d take it. If it’s an exorbitant amount though, they’ll have to take the money elsewhere