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Latest On Early Entrants List For 2019 NBA Draft

April 22nd, 2019 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The deadline for early entrants to declare for the 2019 NBA draft fell on Sunday night, with plenty of NCAA underclassmen and international prospects entering their names into the draft before that deadline.

News continues to trickle in on players making draft decisions, and it will just be a matter of time before the NBA issues an official list of the players who declared for the 2019 NBA draft as early entrants. Once that group is set, the next key deadline to watch will be May 29 — that’s the last day for NCAA players to withdraw from draft consideration while retaining their college eligibility.

Here are many of the early entrants who have declared for the draft within the past couple days (our full list can be found here):

NCAA early entrants:

International early entrants:

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NBA Team Option Decisions For 2019/20

April 22nd, 2019 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Having already created a space to track this offseason’s player option decisions, we’re turning our attention today to team options. Over the next couple months, we’ll use the space below to keep tabs on all the team options for 2019/20, making note of whether they’re picked up or declined.

True team options are somewhat rare in the NBA, since clubs have typically preferred to include a non-guaranteed year or two in player contracts. Non-guaranteed salaries are less restrictive and provide a little more flexibility than team options, which clubs must act upon by a specific date (June 29) each year.

The list below also doesn’t include rookie scale team options for 2019/20, since those third- and fourth-year options function differently than team options on standard veteran contracts. Those ’19/20 rookie scale team option decisions were made during the 2018 offseason, and can be found here.

The standard team options for 2019/20 are listed below. We’ll keep this list updated through the end of June to note the latest decisions.

Point Guards

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Power Forwards

Centers

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2019 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Phoenix Suns

April 22nd, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns approached the 2018 offseason as if they planned to contend, signing Trevor Ariza in free agency to fortify their starting lineup. However, the team didn’t have enough talent – particularly at point guard – to remain in the playoff hunt in the West, and quickly shifted gears, looking toward the future. That focus on the long term figures to continue this summer, as Phoenix likely won’t have the cap flexibility to be a major player in free agency.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Suns financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2019:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • None

Restricted Free Agents

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $109,000,000
Projected Tax Line: $132,000,000

Offseason Cap Outlook

  • Realistic cap room projection: $0
  • With less than $62MM in guaranteed salary on their books for 2019/20, the Suns seemingly should be in position to create cap room. However, that figure doesn’t account for Johnson’s $19.2MM player option (a lock to be exercised), Oubre’s $9.6MM cap hold, and a $5.8MM cap hold for their first-round pick. Add those figures and Phoenix’s team salary increases to over $96MM, putting the club in position for its exceptions to push it right to the projected $109MM cap.
  • Max cap room scenario: Let’s say the Suns want to create cap space to pursue a marquee free agent. They could, in theory, renounce Oubre and waive-and-stretch Johnson. That would leave the team with approximately $31.5MM in cap room. That’s probably an unlikely series of events though.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Mid-level exception: $9,246,000 2
  • Bi-annual exception: $3,619,000 2

Footnotes

  1. Because Bender’s fourth-year rookie scale option was declined, the Suns are ineligible to offer him a starting salary greater than his cap hold.
  2. These are projected values. If the Suns use cap room, they’d lose these exceptions and instead would gain access to the $4,760,000 room exception.

Note: Minimum-salary and 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 and RealGM was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Magic Johnson Remains Involved With Lakers

April 22nd, 2019 at 11:03am CST by ChrisCrouse

Magic Johnson shocked the NBA world when he stepped down as the Lakers‘ president of basketball operations. However, despite the lack of title, he said he still remains involved with the team.

“I’m still helping them. It’s almost like I never left [laughs]. I’m still talking to them every day,” Johnson said via TMZ (h/t Harrison Faigen of SB Nation).

Johnson, who told the media of his plans to leave before speaking with owner Jeanie Buss, added that he wouldn’t change his communication approach if he had to do it again.

“Everybody knows I love the Lakers, and so I’m gonna always help them. Like right now, I’m gonna still help them. I love my team, I love my franchise, and I love this city,” Johnson said. “You have to do things sometimes on your own terms. It doesn’t matter what other people think, see? And I’m that guy.”

The best point guard of all time reiterated that his relationship with Buss remains solid.

“I love Jeanie,” Johnson said. “I’ve been talking to her almost every day. I’m trying to help. Listen, I may not be in there physically, but I’m still there.”

Johnson squashed any notion that friction with LeBron James was the reason he stepped down. He told TMZ that LBJ was going to lead the Lakers to a championship.

“LeBron is going to lead us to a championship, so we’re excited about what he’s going to do, and we’re also excited that he signed,” Johnson said. “It’s all good with me and LeBron, and [Maverick Carter] and Rich Paul. So now all we need is keep going down the same path, get another superstar this summer and we’ll be fine.”

There were rumblings that Johnson would continue to help the Lakers shortly after his impromptu resignation. Last summer, he played a key role in Los Angeles landing James, one of the flashiest free agent additions in team history. Theoretically, he’s in position to help the franchise land another piece this summer without the threat of tampering.

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WNBA Lands Major TV Deal

April 22nd, 2019 at 10:36am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced that it has a multi-year contract with CBS Sports for the network to televise live WNBA games starting in the 2019 season, according to the league’s website.

“Through our partnership with CBS Sports Network, the WNBA is joining an elite lineup of premium sports programming,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We thank CBS Sports for making such a meaningful commitment to women’s basketball and for providing another platform to showcase the world-class athletes of the WNBA.”

There will be 40 live, nationally-televised WNBA games in prime time and on weekends on the network, with the first game on May 25 when the Minnesota Lynx take on the Chicago Sky. The league is entering its 23rd season.

“We are truly excited to partner with the WNBA, bringing the country’s premier women’s sports league to CBS Sports Network. This partnership is one of the biggest and most impactful women’s sports programming arrangements ever at CBS Sports, offering national exposure of 40 games per year,” said Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports.

“This agreement provides great live content throughout the summer in primetime and on weekends, and aligns two great brands in the WNBA and CBS Sports. We look forward to working with the WNBA for many years to come.”

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Community Shootaround: Jrue Holiday’s Best Fit

April 22nd, 2019 at 9:12am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pelicans could be in a full-on rebuild this summer and Anthony Davis is not the only player rival teams will be monitoring. Several clubs would have interest in Jrue Holiday should New Orleans make him available, as Sporting News’ Sean Deveney recently reported.

If Holiday, who has three seasons remaining on his five-year, $126MM deal, is put on the trade block, the Suns should be considered a “top contender,” per Deveney. Phoenix has struggled to put out a consistent product at the point guard spot dating back to their trade of Goran Dragic. Arriving in Phoenix would allow Holiday to primarily shift back to the one, a position he played only sparingly over his past two seasons with the Pelicans (just 5% of his minutes in 2018/19, according to Basketball-Reference). The versatile Holiday would be a nice fit next to the offensive-oriented Devin Booker.

The Magic and Bulls would also have interest in Holiday, though as Deveney noted, Holiday’s brother, Justin, didn’t have the best experience in Chicago before the team traded him to the Grizzlies. Still, the Bulls could use an upgrade at the backcourt, as the early returns on the Kris Dunn project haven’t been great.

Orlando’s point guard of the future may or may not already be on the roster. The Magic traded for former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz at the deadline but he has yet to suit up for the team. The potential Fultz-Holiday backcourt combo would be a tough one for opposing offenses should both players stay healthy.

There’s no word yet whether the Pelicans will make Holiday available. Davis isn’t expected to change his stance on his trade request even after he meets with new VP of basketball operations David Griffin. The team could still keep Holiday, building a team around him and whatever they get in return for the 6-time All-Star.

Which team would be the best fit for Holiday? Should the Pelicans keep him and attempt to make the playoffs, or should they make him available to the highest bidder?

Would the Suns, Bulls or Magic be the best fit for the 28-year-old California native or is there another team that would benefit more from making a deal with Griffin and the Pelicans?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

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Northwest Notes: Blazers, Millsap, Murray, Harkless, Nuggets

April 21st, 2019 at 9:43pm CST by JD Shaw

The Trail Blazers are focused on executing their game plan more than using their emotion for Sunday’s Game 4 in Oklahoma City, Sekou Smith of NBA.com writes. 

Portland will look to take a 3-1 series lead in a hostile playoff environment and quiet the boisterous Thunder crowd, one of the league’s toughest arenas to win games in.

“We’ve just got to focus on us,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “We’ve got to be us and do what we do and all of the peripheral stuff … doesn’t have to do with us.”

The Blazers protected home court in Games 1 and 2, jumping out to a 2-0 series lead. Stealing Game 4 on Sunday would allow the team to wrap the series up in five games at their arena on Tuesday, but the mission will prove to be challenging.

“It’s going to be talk, it’s going to be fouls, it’s going to be all that stuff. All that stuff is going to be part of it. But it’s who can deal with that stuff and not be too emotional,” Lillard said on Saturday, one day after a crazy Game 3 atmosphere. “Who can be more even-keeled. Who can handle it more and still have the right mentality through all of those things. And we just stay within ourselves, play hard and we compete.

“And if something is brought to our doorstep, we’re going to open the door and see what’s going on. And that’s all it was. Because we don’t go out there talking and acting no type of way. But like I said, if it comes to our doorstep, we’re going to open the door and see what’s going on.”

There’s more today from the Northwest Division:

  • Nuggets forward Paul Millsap opened up on “little brother” and teammate Jamal Murray, as detailed by Mike Singer of the Denver Post. “The main thing is just playing the game,” Millsap said of Murray. “Not getting focused on what people want him to do but just playing the game. Seeing him having 19 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds instead of focusing in on just scoring and trying to be going for 50 every single night. He’s actually playing the game now, and I’m super proud of him by how far he’s come.”
  • Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless was fined $15,000 for throwing his headband into the spectator stands during Game 3 of the team’s series against Oklahoma City, the league announced on Saturday. Harkless’ incident marks the fifth separate fine the NBA has issued since the weekend began.
  • Nuggets coach Mike Malone made a change to his starting lineup in Game 4 against San Antonio, starting Torrey Craig in place of Will Barton. The adjustment played a part in Denver stealing a road victory and regaining homecourt advantage, with Craig scoring 18 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in 37 minutes. “Torrey’s size and physicality, his hustle, like Torrey Craig was leaving it all on the floor, which I love,” Malone previously said after Game 3, as relayed by Mike Singer in a different story for the Denver Post. “And then Malik’s obviously shooting (well).  He’s been one of our best offensive players this whole series, shooting the ball very confidently. Attacking the basket and also playing pretty good defense. Both of those guys warrant more minutes, and I’m sure they’ll both get a great chance to play extended minutes [in Game 4].”
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Pacific Notes: McGruder, Suns, Iguodala, Green

April 21st, 2019 at 8:11pm CST by JD Shaw

Clippers forward Rodney McGruder is getting a unique perspective of the playoffs due to his ineligibility to play, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times writes.

McGruder, 27, was claimed by the Clippers after being waived by Miami earlier in the month. Because he was released after March 1, NBA rules prohibit him from playing in the postseason — causing him to participate in practice and watch games from the sidelines.

“They welcomed me like no other,” McGruder said of the Clippers. “They made me feel welcome, and it’s been a great experience just getting to meet the guys and see how everything works around here. It’s basically like a recruiting visit.”

Los Angeles respected the grit and determination McGruder has played with in his short professional career, believing in his ability and bringing him on board.

“You play against people, they leave an impression,” teammate Patrick Beverley said of McGruder. “The impression he left on us is he plays extremely hard.”

The Clippers can extend a qualifying offer to McGruder by June 29 and allow him to enter restricted free agency, though it’s unclear where their plans stand ahead of the offseason.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division today:

  • Sam Vecenie of The Athletic examines the Suns’ offseason and potential draft options, noting that several sources around the NBA believe Phoenix may prefer to end up with Ja Morant rather than Zion Williamson. Suns general manager James Jones, according to Vecenie, is enamored with Morant’s playing abilities — coupled with the fact that his team needs a point guard.
  • Warriors coach Steve Kerr agrees with Andre Iguodala that he could play beyond his current contract, which is set to expire at the end of next season, as relayed by Mark Medina of The Mercury News. “I think he can play beyond this contract, if he really wants,” Kerr said. “He may not want to be. He may just want to go to the golf course and call it a career. But he can keep playing if he wants.” Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP, has averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in a career-low 23.2 minutes per game this season.
  • The playoffs could be a prime chance for Draymond Green to raise his value ahead of potential contract extension talks with the Warriors this summer, Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. When asked if he could use the playoffs as an opportunity to boost his value entering any potential negotiations, Green said, “Not at all. No, I can’t negotiate any contract right now, so I’ll be damned if I’m going to stress myself out trying to negotiate it in my head. It makes no sense. It’s a waste of time and energy.”
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Jimmy Butler, Jared Dudley Fined For Game 4 Scuffle

April 21st, 2019 at 6:38pm CST by JD Shaw

Sixers guard Jimmy Butler and Nets forward Jared Dudley have each been fined for their involvement in a Game 4 scuffle between the teams on Saturday, the NBA announced today in a press release.

Dudley received a $25K fine for shoving Joel Embiid and escalating an on-court incident which spilled into the stands, while Butler received a $15K fine for pushing Dudley and escalating the matter further. The incident occurred at the 7:42 mark of the third quarter and started when Embiid delivered a flagrant foul to Nets center Jarrett Allen near the baseline.

Both Butler and Dudley were ejected from the game, an advantageous trade-off for Brooklyn that the team couldn’t capitalize on. The Nets wound up losing the game 112-108 and now trail the Sixers 3-1 heading back to Game 5 in Philadelphia this Tuesday.

Embiid managed to keep his composure during the scuffle despite being shoved by Dudley, recognizing his importance to the team and stepping away from the fray.

“I mean, first of all, he’s a nobody,” Embiid said of Dudley after the game. “When opponents try do do stuff like that, that’s just to get us out of the game. I’m too valuable for my team, that’s why I didn’t react.

“I did not do anything, and I didn’t think that was a flagrant foul because I played the ball, too. But enough with that situation. I just have to stay composed and be mature and let it go because my teammates need me more than they need him. I just got to be mature.”

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Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan Fined $25,000

April 21st, 2019 at 5:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan has been fined $25,000 for throwing the game ball at official Scott Foster during Game 4 of their first round series against Denver, the NBA announced today.

The incident occurred with 5:01 remaining in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, with DeRozan disagreeing on a charge call and tossing the ball past Foster into the spectator stands. DeRozan was assessed one technical foul and ejected upon his decision.

San Antonio lost the game 117-103 and will now travel to Denver for Game 5 on Tuesday, a pivotal contest that’ll help determine which team wins the series and advances to the second round.

On the night, DeRozan finished with 19 points, five rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes of work, registering a minus-16 net rating. The Spurs struggled defensively and allowed the Nuggets to shoot a scorching 48% from 3-point range on their home floor.

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