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Jason Terry Wants One More Year With Bucks

April 30th, 2018 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Jason Terry has spoken repeatedly this year about wanting to play 20 NBA seasons, and with the offseason around the corner, he hasn’t changed his tune. Terry, who is coming off his 19th year in the NBA, said during his exit interview with the media that he intends to play one more season and wants it to be with the Bucks, per Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link).

According to Velazquez, Terry said he has already talked to Bucks management about the possibility of spending the 2018/19 season in Milwaukee. Having been with the club for the last two years, the 40-year-old no longer has a major role in the rotation, but he has been a respected voice in the locker room.

“Obviously I know my impact,” Terry said, per an AP report (link via ESPN.com). “I’ve been here two years now. I want to see the process, the finished product, because I know the potential.”

The Bucks don’t project to have any cap room this summer, with more than $98MM in guaranteed money already on their books and Jabari Parker up for a new contract. That could work in Terry’s favor, however. Since he won’t expect more than a minimum-salary contract, the NBA’s active leader in career three-pointers could help the Bucks fill out the back of their roster on the cheap.

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Tyler Johnson Undergoes Thumb Surgery

April 30th, 2018 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Tyler Johnson has undergone successful surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, the team announced today in a press release. The procedure was completed on Monday morning.

According to the Heat, Johnson will be in a cast for the next six weeks. It’s not clear when he’ll be able to resume all basketball activities, but he’s expected to make a full recovery and to be ready for training camp in the fall, per the club.

Johnson, who played through this thumb injury during the last couple games of the Heat’s first-round series vs. the Sixers, had a solid overall year for the club, averaging 11.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.3 APG with a .435/.367/.822 shooting line in 72 games (39 starts).

Johnson will be under more scrutiny to produce in 2018/19. Due to the way his offer sheet from Brooklyn was structured in the summer of 2016, Johnson’s salary will jump from $5.88MM this season to $19.25MM next year. The Nets could’ve smoothed out Johnson’s cap hits over his four-year deal if they’d landed him, but the Heat didn’t have that option available after they matched the offer sheet, resulting in this significant third-year increase.

While Johnson is a very good bet to be back with the Heat due to his sizable cap hit, the team will have to find a way to address its glut of shooting guards. Josh Richardson, Dion Waiters, and Rodney McGruder also remain under contract, with Dwyane Wade and Wayne Ellington up for new deals.

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Mavs’ Wesley Matthews Picks Up Player Option

April 30th, 2018 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks wing Wesley Matthews has officially exercised the player option on his contract for the 2018/19 season, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. The final year on Matthews’ four-year deal with Dallas will pay him a salary of $18,622,514.

The move doesn’t come as a surprise, as we heard just last week that Matthews intended to exercise his option. He would have had little chance of matching or exceeding that $18MM+ salary if he had opted out and tested the free agent market.

Matthews, 31, appeared in 63 games for the Mavs in 2017/18, averaging 12.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 2.7 APG with a .406/.381/.822 shooting line. His season was cut short by a fractured fibula — he sustained the injury on March 10 and didn’t return before season’s end. However, Matthews confirmed earlier this month that he has been medically cleared to resume full basketball activities, so he should be back to 100% for the start of training camp in the fall.

The Mavs reportedly explored the possibility of moving Matthews at February’s trade deadline, but their asking price was high — the club was said to be seeking a first-round pick, which was unrealistic given the veteran’s modest production and his looming $18MM option.

Still, while Matthews may never replicate the numbers he posted in Portland earlier in his career, he has been a solid three-point shooter and defender during his time with Dallas, and could become more appealing as a trade chip now that he’ll be on an expiring contract. It will be interesting to see if the rebuilding Mavs revisit the trade market for Matthews during the offseason.

Matthews is the second player to formally pick up a player option for 2018/19, joining Jeremy Lin, as our tracker shows.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Giannis Confident Parker Will Remain With Bucks

April 30th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

Former second overall pick Jabari Parker will be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason, and given his underwhelming play down the stretch and the Bucks’ lack of cap flexibility, his future in Milwaukee isn’t a lock. Still, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo fully expects his teammate to be back, as Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel details.

“Jabari ain’t going nowhere,” Antetokounmpo said. “He’s going to be here and he’s going to be ready for next season. And we will be all excited and playing in the new arena. And everyone is going to be having fun.”

While Antetokounmpo seemed “totally confident” about Parker’s status, the RFA forward’s future will ultimately hinge on whether he and the Bucks can reach a deal that both sides are happy with. If another suitor swoops in and makes Parker an offer he can’t refuse, Milwaukee would face a difficult decision on whether or not to match that offer sheet.

It has been a rough year for Parker, who missed more than half the season as he recovered from a second ACL tear. He showed flashes of his old self upon returning, but his role (24.0 MPG) was modest, and he struggled to make an impact in the postseason (10.0 PPG on .452/.316/.615 shooting). A winter report suggested that the Bucks offered Parker an extension worth $18MM per year last offseason during his ACL rehab process, but the 23-year-old said earlier this month that he “wished” that offer had been on the table.

Despite his comments on Parker, Antetokounmpo downplayed the idea that he has – or wants to have – a significant role in influencing roster decisions, writes Velazquez. The Bucks star would like to remain in the loop when the team makes major moves, but says he prefers to trust the front office on those decisions.

“I just want them to do the right moves for us to be successful, that’s it,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s what I care about. I care about coming back and winning games, that’s it. At the end of the day, you’ve got to draw a line … ‘Can you help me? Can you not?’ Overall, our goal is to be one the best teams in the East, win a championship.”

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2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Sacramento Kings

April 30th, 2018 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings entered the 2017/18 season looking set to straddle the line between developing young players like De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Buddy Hield, and potentially pushing for the eighth seed in the West led by veterans like George Hill. However, Hill struggled mightily in Sacramento and the team quickly fell out of contention, shifting the focus exclusively to player development by the second half. Barring an unexpected splash in free agency this summer, the focus will likely remain on those young prospects heading into 2018/19.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Kings financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $21,562,883

  • Our cap projection for the Kings includes their nine guaranteed contracts, the cap hold for their lottery pick, and all three player options. While it’s possible that one or more of Shumpert, Koufos, or Temple opts out to explore free agency, they seem unlikely to top their player-option salaries for 2018/19, making them decent bets to opt in. Taking into account all those salaries and cap holds, and assuming all free agents are renounced, the Kings’ total team salary adds up to $79,437,117.
  • If any of those player options are declined, or the Kings make a trade or two, they could create more cap room. However, the club doesn’t look ready to contend, and may exercise restraint in free agency after last year’s big veteran investment (Hill) backfired.

Footnotes:

  1. Hayes’ exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
  2. The Kings are seventh in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking as high as No. 1 ($8,095,595) or as low as No. 10 ($3,522,533).

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Suns To Interview Igor Kokoskov For Second Time

April 29th, 2018 at 10:08pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Suns will interview Jazz assistant coach Igor Kokoskov for the second time as the organization continues to search for a head coach, 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports’ John Gambadoro reports. Phoenix initially interviewed Kokoskov over the phone in between Utah’s game two and three playoff matchups against the Thunder.

A former assistant coach with the Suns from 2008 to 2013, Kokoskov has served as an assistant for Utah since 2015 as part of Quin Snyder‘s staff. Before joining the Jazz, Kokoskov was an assistant coach for several teams, including the Clippers, Pistons, Cavaliers, and Magic. While Kokoskov has never been a head coach in the NBA, he does have experience coaching the Georgian, Serbian, and Slovenian national teams.

The Suns’ candidates for the position are slowly dwindling. Earlier today, interim coach Jay Triano was said to be ruled out as a candidate for the head coach position. Triano coached Phoenix for most of the 2017/18 season after Earl Watson was dismissed three games into the season. Also, Arizona native Mike Budenholzer removed himself from consideration after meeting with the organization.

David Fizdale, Frank Vogel, Vinny Del Negro, David Blatt, and Kevin McHale have all either interviewed or been linked to the position as well.

Keep up with all the latest action on the coaching front by following our 2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker.

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Wolves Notes: Butler, Taylor, Offseason

April 29th, 2018 at 9:40pm CST by marksuleymanov

With the Timberwolves‘ season over after their loss to the Rockets in the first round, the focus now turns to the roster and how the organization can build a long-term roster with its current assets. The first man on that agenda is Jimmy Butler, whom the team acquired as part of a draft-day trade last summer.

Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune writes that Butler’s future will be one of the most important Timberwolves storylines to watch this summer. Butler can opt out of his contract and hit the free agent market a year from now. So if the Timberwolves can’t reach an extension with Butler, it’s not out of the question that they’d test the trade market to see what kind of value they could get in lieu of him leaving as a free agent.

Butler seems unlikely to go anywhere, as owner Glen Taylor has indicated that the star forward is a crucial part of the team. Still, keeping him in Minnesota will require some financial maneuvering on the Wolves’ end. Andrew Wiggins‘ max extension is about to take effect, and Karl-Anthony Towns will soon be eligible for a considerable payday of his own.

Check out more notes surrounding the Wolves below:

  • In the same story, Taylor spoke about the Timberwolves making their first postseason since 2005. While the result was an early playoff exit, Taylor said that, at least, the team reached its goal of making the postseason.“I thought with the changes we made, the people we brought in, the sacrifices we made in moving some young, potential people, that we needed to be in the playoffs,” Taylor said. “Those were my expectations.”
  • Earlier in the week, we wrote about the possibility of Butler, who spent his first six seasons with the Bulls, ending up back in the Windy City if he hits free agency in 2019.
  • Chris Hine of the Star Tribune breaks down Minnesota’s offseason and what the team should be focused on as free agency and the draft approach.
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Pacific Notes: Durant, Curry, Teodosic, Lakers

April 29th, 2018 at 8:14pm CST by marksuleymanov

Kevin Durant has already said he will re-sign with the Warriors this summer, but it will likely be for a significantly higher salary than his previous contract. During an appearance on the Warriors Plus/Minus podcast, Durant addressed his decision to take a $10MM pay cut last summer, which helped enable Golden State to comfortably re-sign Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.

Durant said that money has never been a driving force behind his decisions and he is more focused on playing well and dealing with contractual matters later. However, Durant also noted that he does not want to set a precedent for himself where the team can take advantage of him in future negotiations.

“I thought that, at that time, it was a good deal,” Durant said of his 2017/18 contract. “But that’s not setting a good precedent for me if I’m like, ‘Man, I’m taking [a $10MM discount].’ Now, they’re going to start taking advantage of me. You know what I’m saying? I know it’s a business, too. So, I’ve got a business to handle as well.”

For his part, Durant has put himself in position for another significant payday this offseason. In 68 games, he averaged 26.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 5.4 APG for the Warriors.

Check out more Pacific Division notes below:

  • Per a report from yesterday, the Warriors expect to have two-time Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry for their Game 2 matchup against the Pelicans on Tuesday. Curry missed the first-round series against the Spurs — which Golden State won 4-1 — and was “50-50” heading into Saturday’s Game 1.
  • Milos Teodosic came to the Clippers this past season as one of the most popular and decorated players in Europe. While his first season was mired with injuries, his prolific passing ability was on display. Also, when healthy, the Clippers were 29-16 with Teodosic on the court, according to the Clippers’ website.
  • With the Thunder eliminated from the postseason, the focus now shifts to the Lakers pursuing top-tier free agents – including Paul George – to team up with their young studs, Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register writes.
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Jay Triano No Longer In Consideration For Suns Job

April 29th, 2018 at 6:17pm CST by marksuleymanov

Jay Triano, who served as the Suns‘ interim head coach during the 2017/18 season, will not return to the position in a full-time capacity, as first reported by 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s John Gambadoro.

Per ESPN’s Chris Haynes, assistant coach Ty Corbin has also been relieved of his duties.

Triano took over as Phoenix’s interim coach three games into the season after Earl Watson was fired. The Suns went 21-58 with Triano at the helm.

Phoenix has been aggressive in the early going, interviewing several candidates for their head coach vacancy. Earlier this week, soon-to-be Hall-of-Famer and former Suns player, Jason Kidd, was eliminated from consideration for the job. The same day, we relayed that Raptors assistant Nick Nurse and Pelicans associate head coach Chris Finch were interviewed for the job.

Since the end of the regular season, along with the aforementioned names, David Fizdale, Igor Kokoskov, Frank Vogel, Vinny Del Negro, David Blatt, Kevin McHale, and Mike Budenholzer have all either interviewed or been linked to the position.

Keep up with all the latest action on the coaching front by following our 2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker.

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John Wall Talks Teammates, Front Office, Offseason

April 29th, 2018 at 6:03pm CST by marksuleymanov

Another early postseason exit for the Wizards means another offseason full of questions for the organization and All-Star John Wall. After losing to the Raptors in six games, Wall and other members of the Wizards met with the media for an end-of-season press conference. Wall vocalized his frustrations with the team and what he thinks can be done to improve the situation.

As Candance Bucker of The Washington Post writes, Wall called out his teammates and challenged the front office to put together a team that is on the same page. The 27-year-old appeared in just 41 games this season after knee surgery sidelined him for several months. In that time, he and teammate Marcin Gortat exchanged words in the press, which both men downplayed. Washington backed its way into the postseason, ending up with the eighth seed.

The entire story is worth reading, but here are some highlights from Wall’s media session:

On his teammates being on the same page:

“I don’t put the pressure on everybody else. I put the pressure on myself because I am that franchise guy. I am the guy that has to be the leader of the team, that has to get everybody better, make everybody better on my team. At the same time, if I’m doing my part, the other 14 guys on my team have to do their part at getting better every year. Just being true to the team. Our problem at a lot times is guys don’t understand their role and respect their role.”

What the Wizards need to improve their roster:

“It’s pretty obvious. I don’t need to point it out. I think the way the league is going, you need athletic bigs, you need scoring off the bench, you need all of those types of things. We don’t really have an athletic big.”

On the front office and what it needs to do this summer:

“I don’t know. It’s up to them to make the decision. Like I said, whoever comes back, whoever stays, what it is, we deal with it because those are our teammates. Those guys do the best they can. They have the ability to help us out as much as possible. We know what it is, what the situations are. That’s up to the front office to decide. If they want to make any changes or keep guys. At the same time, you kind of know what guys want to be here from what people have said in the past or what they haven’t said.”

On his teammates understanding their role:

“Some people don’t understand their roles, so if you don’t understand your role and you think you deserve a bigger role, that’s not about to happen.”

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