2018 June | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Declining Lance Stephenson’s Team Option

June 25th, 2018 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

3:09pm: The Pacers have officially confirmed that they’re declining Stephenson’s option.

“This was a very difficult decision, but as free agency begins on July 1, we want to have flexibility so that we can prepare for all of our available options,” president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement.

2:23pm: The Pacers won’t exercise their 2018/19 team option on Lance Stephenson, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). By turning down the option, Indiana will save $4.36MM and will allow Stephenson to reach the free agent market.

Stephenson averaged 9.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 2.9 APG for the Pacers in 2017/18, appearing in all 82 games. While his shooting numbers (.427/.289/.661) were all below his career marks, it’s still a little surprising to see Stephenson’s option declined — his option salary was fairly modest, and he was part of Indiana’s rotation for the entire regular season and postseason.

Still, the Pacers are in position to open up some cap room this summer, so parting ways with Stephenson will allow them to maximize their space. According to ESPN’s Chris Haynes (via Twitter), the club has its eye on free agents like Will Barton and Tyreke Evans. Marcus Smart has also been cited as a potential target. If Indiana is unable to sign an impact free agent, the team could also use its cap flexibility to accommodate a trade.

The Pacers’ precise cap outlook for 2018/19 remains somewhat up in the air, as the team has several non-guaranteed salaries and options on its books for next season. Reports have indicated that Indiana is expected to retain Bojan Bogdanovic and Darren Collison, who each have partial guarantees on their $10MM salaries. Al Jefferson also has a partially guaranteed deal, while Thaddeus Young is still weighing his decision on his $13MM+ player option.

In the unlikely event that Jefferson and other players on smaller non-guaranteed salaries are cut and Young turns down his option to sign elsewhere , the Pacers could create upwards of $30-35MM in cap room, though that scenario seems unlikely.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Magic Waive Shelvin Mack

June 25th, 2018 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic are waiving veteran point guard Shelvin Mack before his salary becomes fully guaranteed for 2018/19, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The team has confirmed the move in a press release.

Mack, who inked a two-year, $12MM with Orlando during the 2017 offseason, appeared in 69 games for the Magic, averaging 6.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 2.4 RPG as a backup to Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin.

Mack’s modest production and his non-guaranteed contract made him a candidate to be cut this offseason. His $6MM salary for 2018/19 is reportedly partially guaranteed for just $1MM, so the Magic will have the option of keeping that full $1MM charge on their cap for next season or stretching it across three years.

According to Basketball Insiders’ data, Mack’s contract called for his 2018/19 salary to become guaranteed if he remained under contract for more than four days after the 2018 NBA draft, which is why Orlando is making its decision now. Assuming Mack clears waivers, as expected, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent and will be able to sign anywhere.

Aaron Gordon Receives Qualifying Offer From Magic

June 25th, 2018 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have tendered a qualifying offer to power forward Aaron Gordon, officially putting him on track for restricted free agency, per RealGM’s NBA transactions log.

Players eligible for restricted free agency don’t become RFAs by default. A team must extend a qualifying offer to the player in order to make him restricted. That offer essentially functions as a one-year contract offer that the player can accept at any time. If the player signs his qualifying offer rather than inking an offer sheet with another team or a longer-term deal with his own club, he’d put himself in line for unrestricted free agency in a year.

In Gordon’s case, his qualifying offer is worth $7,260,330. However, he’s considered one of the top restricted free agents on the market and will likely attract a sizable offer sheet if Orlando doesn’t negotiate a new deal with him directly, so I wouldn’t expect him to sign his QO.

Gordon, 22, posted new career highs in PPG (17.6), RPG (7.9), APG (2.3), and 3PG (2.0) in 2017/18, with a shooting line of .434/.336/.698 in 58 games.

Bulls, Suns, Pacers Among Potential Marcus Smart Suitors?

June 25th, 2018 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Marcus Smart is less than a week from reaching restricted free agency, and potential suitors for the four-year veteran are beginning to emerge. According to Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), the Bulls, Suns, Pacers, and Mavericks are among the teams that could challenge the Celtics for Smart’s services.

The Mavericks were identified as a possible suitor for Smart last week, but the draft results may have altered their free agency plans. Having selected Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson on Thursday, Dallas appears more likely to target big men in free agency — Schultz suggests the Mavs’ interest in Smart “depends on [the] price.”

As for the other teams mentioned by Schultz, they’d all make some sense as potential landing spots. The Pacers are closer to contending than Phoenix or Chicago, but at age 24, Smart is capable of either contributing right away to a playoff team or being a long-term building block for a club that’s still a year or two away.

The Suns’ point guard outlook remains somewhat unclear, with Brandon Knight coming off a torn ACL and Elie Okobo probably not ready for a major role. The Bulls have Kris Dunn at the point, while the Pacers figure to retain Darren Collison and Cory Joseph. However, both of those teams should have cap space, and could use Smart to create intriguing combinations in their respective backcourts.

Smart, who missed time with a thumb injury in 2017/18, averaged 10.2 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 3.5 RPG for the season. While his numbers – particularly his .367/.301/.729 shooting line – were modest, the 24-year-old is considered one of the NBA’s most talented perimeter defenders, and has been a culture-setter in Boston.

There’s mutual interest between Smart and the Celtics for a new deal, but the club has several other expensive long-term commitments to consider, so it’s not clear how high the front office will be willing to go to retain the hard-nosed guard.

Northwest Notes: Barton, Wolves, Bjelica, Thunder

June 25th, 2018 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Now that Wilson Chandler has opted into the final year of his contract and Nikola Jokic is on track to sign a massive new deal of his own, Will Barton may be odd man out in Denver. However, speaking after the draft to reporters, including Michael Kelly of The Associated Press, Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said that retaining Barton “is still a priority.”

While Connelly says the Nuggets will be “aggressive” trying to keep the free agents they want back, re-signing Barton to a fair deal could push team salary north of $140MM, which would lead to a huge luxury tax bill.

As we wait to see how Denver handles its possible cap issues, let’s round up a few more notes out of the Northwest…

Within a lengthy discussion with Britt Robson on the Timberwolves‘ offseason plans, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that Minnesota would love to bring back Nemanja Bjelica, who is a free agent this summer. Second-round pick Keita Bates-Diop will provide some frontcourt insurance if Bjelica departs, but the club values the 30-year-old veteran as a known – and reliable – commodity, Krawczynski adds.
Erik Horne of The Oklahoman assesses the market for Paul George, suggesting that the Lakers and Sixers look like the biggest threats to pry the All-Star forward away from the Thunder.
Although George is the Thunder‘s most important free agent, the club will have decisions to make this offseason on several other contributors, says Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman. As Dawson details, Jerami Grant figures to be Oklahoma City’s most sought-after free agent besides George, so it will be a challenge for the Thunder to bring him back.

Notable Player Option Decisions Still To Come

June 25th, 2018 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

The lack of salary cap space around the NBA this offseason has resulted in a substantial uptick in veterans exercising player options. In 2016, just three players picked up those options, while five followed suit in 2017. So far in 2018, 16 players have elected to opt into their contracts for 2018/19, and Spurs swingman Danny Green is expected to increase that number to 17.

Player option decisions are due by June 29, this Friday, and there are still several noteworthy decisions to come. Here’s a quick breakdown of the ones we’re still waiting on:

LeBron James, Cavaliers ($35,607,968): While it seems like a lock that James would opt out to reach free agency, exercising his option makes more sense if he wants to join certain over-the-cap teams, as we explained here. I still expect LeBron to opt out, but if he picks up this option, he’ll likely be doing so with a specific trade destination in mind.
DeAndre Jordan, Clippers ($24,119,025): Jordan is unlikely to get a $24MM starting salary in free agency, but if he could get a three- or four-year contract with an average annual value of $15-20MM, that might be preferable to opting in. His decision will have a huge impact on the Clippers’ offseason, since the club would be well over the cap with Jordan’s salary on its books.
Paul George, Thunder ($20,703,384): Of all the options on this list, George’s looks like the easiest call. Even if he wants to stay with the Thunder, he’s more likely to opt out and sign a new deal that starts at his max, $30.3MM. This option is a virtual lock to be declined.
Enes Kanter, Knicks ($18,622,514): Picking up the option is probably the right move for Kanter, who wouldn’t get an $18MM+ salary on the open market, but he has talked about opting out. As in Jordan’s case, turning down the option could mean accepting a lesser salary in 2018/19 in exchange for greater long-term security.
Thaddeus Young, Pacers ($13,764,045): Young is said to be strongly considering declining his option, and he’s another player who could seek a longer-term deal that increases his overall payday. For example, a new three-year, $30MM contract might appeal more to Young than finishing out a one-year, $13MM+ deal.
Garrett Temple, Kings ($8,000,000): Temple is coming off a solid year in Sacramento, but he’s 32 years old and isn’t a starting point guard, so opting in for an $8MM guarantee appears to be the right call.
Joffrey Lauvergne, Spurs ($1,656,092): Lauvergne is reportedly considering turning down his option. If he does so, there’s little downside — he’d simply have to find another minimum salary offer in order to match his option salary. The big man may not want to risk following in the footsteps of former Spur David Lee, who declined a minimum-salary player option last summer and then didn’t sign another NBA contract, but at age 26, Lauvergne should a safe bet to receive an offer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

LeBron James Not Interested In Elaborate Recruiting Pitches

June 25th, 2018 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

When LeBron James first reached unrestricted free agency in 2010, several suitors flew in delegations to make presentations to him, and he eventually announced his decision on a televised special. That won’t be the case this time around, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who writes that James has “no intention” of inviting teams to make elaborate recruiting pitches.

Of course, with James’ decision on his player option for next season due by this Friday, it’s possible that the future Hall-of-Famer won’t even reach free agency. However, even if he turns down that option and hits the open market on July 1, LeBron considers it unnecessary to have interested clubs make presentations.

According to Shelburne, James may end up speaking with a team official or owner at some point during his decision-making process. But league sources believe that he and his agents – Rich Paul and Mark Termini – have a strong enough understanding of the “stakes and NBA landscape” to go through the process with little fanfare.

The Lakers and Cavaliers have increasingly been viewed as the most likely destinations for James by outside observers, though many other teams – including the Rockets, Sixers, Clippers, Celtics, and Heat – could still be possibilities.

Pistons To Hire Sidney Lowe As Lead Assistant

June 25th, 2018 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have reached an agreement with veteran coach Sidney Lowe and will add him to Dwane Casey‘s new staff, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, Lowe will be the lead assistant in Detroit.

Lowe, who has head coaching stints for the Timberwolves, Grizzlies, and North Carolina State on his résumé, has primarily served as an NBA assistant coach for the better part of the last three decades. In addition to spending multiple stints with the Wolves since first joining the club as an assistant in 1991, Lowe has also worked for the Cavaliers, Pistons, Jazz, and Wizards.

Casey is still in the process of filling out his staff after being hired as the Pistons’ new head coach earlier in the offseason. The club reportedly struck a deal with Bucks assistant Sean Sweeney to bring him to Detroit, while DJ Bakker is also joining the Pistons as Casey’s new player development coach.

Eastern Notes: Pacers, Magic, Nets, Pistons

June 24th, 2018 at 10:04pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Pacers should enter July with the flexibility to explore free agency, president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard doesn’t sound like someone ready to pursue the top players on the open market. While a foray into free agency is possible, Pritchard could also use Indiana’s cap room to accommodate the acquisition of an impact player in a trade, as J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star writes.

“Where we really get better is July 1,” Pritchard said of the Pacers. “I’m not saying we’re going to sign a guy. I think there could be uneven trades. A lot of things can happen with that. We preserved that (space).”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

After putting together a roster full of athletic players with long wingspans in Milwaukee, Magic GM John Hammond appears to be doing the same thing in Orlando, says Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype.
Although the two international prospects drafted by the Nets on Thursday have plenty of long-term promise, neither Dzanan Musa nor Rodions Kurucs is expected to make an immediate impact in the NBA, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post details.
Dwane Casey continues to fill out his new staff in Detroit, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that DJ Bakker is heading from the Raptors to the Pistons to become Casey’s player development coach.
Speaking of the Raptors, they offered Sarunas Jasikevicius an assistant coaching job on Nick Nurse‘s staff, but he has elected to remain in Lithuania, per Jonas Miklovas (Twitter link). The Zalgiris Kaunas coach interviewed for Toronto’s head coaching vacancy before the club promoted Nurse.

Mavericks Notes: Free Agency, Centers, Doncic

June 24th, 2018 at 8:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks were one of the NBA’s worst rebounding teams in 2017/18, and this year’s draft class featured plenty of quality big men — especially at the top. However, Dallas used its top-five pick on a play-making guard/forward (Luka Doncic, and selected a point guard (Jalen Brunson) with its second-rounder.

As such, it was no surprised that president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson agreed on draft night that the Mavs’ priority in free agency will be finding a center (Twitter link via Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com). Head coach Rick Carlisle echoed that assessment.

“July 1 is right around the corner,” Carlisle said this week, per Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. “We’ll address it. There will be options. This organization with Mark (Cuban) at the helm is always going to be opportunistic and be in a mode to make things happens, when they’re the right kinds of things.

Here’s more on the Mavs:

As Sefko relays, Carlisle is ready to pencil in Doncic as part of the Mavericks’ starting lineup right away, adding that he thinks the No. 3 pick and last year’s lottery choice Dennis Smith Jr. “will complement each other extremely well.”
In a separate article for The Dallas Morning News, Sefko explores which big men might be targets for the Mavericks in the coming days or weeks.
One name on Sefko’s list is DeAndre Jordan, who committed to the Mavs the last time he reached free agency in 2015, only to back out of that agreement and re-sign with the Clippers. Jordan can become a free agent again next weekend, and while it seems unlikely that he’d end up in Dallas, Mike Fisher of 247Sports.com hears from a source that the Mavs wouldn’t avoid the veteran center out of principle.
Dwain Price of Mavs.com takes an extended look at the Mavs’ decision to move up in the draft and nab Doncic, the player the club targeted throughout the pre-draft process. “At one point we thought that there might be a slight chance he could fall to us,” Carlisle said of the Real Madrid star. “But then a couple of days ago it was pretty clear that there was no way that that was going to happen. He’s just too good, and so we made this deal — we moved up.”

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