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L.A. Notes: Lakers, Lue, Williams, Clippers, West

April 19th, 2019 at 9:37am CST by Luke Adams

As we detailed earlier this week, Tyronn Lue‘s meeting with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka about the team’s head coaching vacancy is taking place today, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirms (via Twitter).

Lue has experience coaching LeBron James in Cleveland, which could be a point in his favor as Pelinka and the Lakers weigh their options for Luke Walton‘s replacement. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst writes, coaching James isn’t without its challenges, but if a coach comes in with a game plan, holds LeBron accountable, and is prepared for push-back, he can succeed.

Lue and Monty Williams are among the candidates apparently in the running for the Lakers’ job, though both men have reportedly been warned to proceed with caution. As Colton Jones of Amico Hoops relays, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said during an appearance on 710 ESPN that “everyone in the league” has told Williams not to take the job, while Jorge Sedano of ESPN said one of Lue’s close friends has given the former Cavs coach a similar warning.

It remains to be seen which direction the Lakers are leaning, or whether they’ll expand their search beyond Lue, Williams, and Juwan Howard. However, Shelburne also notes that it wouldn’t be a total surprise if Williams prefers to remain with the Sixers, where he’s an assistant on Brett Brown‘s staff. His family is settled there, and he could be next in line if Philadelphia were to move on from Brown, says Shelburne (via Jones).

Here’s more on the NBA’s two Los Angeles teams:

  • According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, there’s no indication that the Lakers plan to reach out to Clippers consultant Jerry West about the possibility of returning to the franchise following Magic Johnson‘s resignation from his president of basketball operations role. For his part, West said he’s preparing for an eventful offseason with the Clippers, but made no guarantees about his role next season and beyond. “Well, as far as I can tell, I really don’t have a future, OK? My future is now,” West told Amick. “I don’t really worry about that. I worry about getting through this season, and really concentrating – all of us, concentrating – on free agency.”
  • Although they fell back to earth last night, the fact that the Clippers made the postseason and are capable of performances like their Game 2 win over Golden State bodes well for the pitch they can make to free agents this summer, writes Shaun Powell of NBA.com. Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times conveys a similar sentiment, writing that the club’s future is bright regardless of what happens in the playoffs.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks takes a deep dive into the Lakers’ offseason, exploring the head coaching search, the possibility of revisiting Anthony Davis trade talks, the club’s free agency options, and more.
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Sekou Doumbouya Enters 2019 NBA Draft

April 19th, 2019 at 8:31am CST by Luke Adams

Another potential lottery pick has entered the 2019 NBA draft pool, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com, who hears from agent Bouna Ndiaye that French forward Sekou Doumbouya has submitted the paperwork necessary to declare as an early entrant.

While he won’t arrive with the same sort of fanfare that Luka Doncic did a year ago, Doumbouya is widely considered to be the top international prospect in 2019’s draft class. He comes in at No. 8 overall on the big board at ESPN.com, with Mike Schmitz praising the combo forward’s strong potential as a defender and shooter.

As Givony observes, Doumbouya also has youth on his side. He won’t turn 19 until December 23, so assuming he stays in the draft and suits up for an NBA team in 2019/20, he’ll become the youngest player to appear in a game since the league instituted its age limit in 2005.

In 2018/19, Doumbouya has been playing for Limoges in the French Pro A league and the EuroCup, averaging 6.7 PPG and 3.0 RPG with a .497/.328/.759 shooting line in 28 games (16.7 MPG).

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Wizards’ Dwight Howard Opts In For 2019/20

April 18th, 2019 at 10:55pm CST by Luke Adams

In an unsurprising move, Dwight Howard has picked up his 2019/20 player option, opting in for next season, reports ESPN’s Zach Lowe (via Twitter). The decision ensures that the Wizards center locks in his $5,603,850 salary for ’19/20.

Howard, 33, signed a two-year deal with the Wizards last summer after spending his previous three seasons with three different teams in Houston, Atlanta, and Charlotte. Having used the full taxpayer mid-level exception to sign him, Washington viewed Howard as its major offseason addition, but the big man’s stint in D.C. hasn’t gone as planned.

Sidelined by spinal surgery for most of the 2018/19 season, Howard also injured his hamstring during his rehab and was ultimately limited to just nine games. He was reasonably effective when he saw the court, averaging 12.8 PPG and 9.2 RPG in 25.6 minutes per contest as the Wizards’ starting center, but the question marks surrounding his health ensured that he wouldn’t land a contract on the open market this offseason worth more than his $5.6MM option.

With Howard back in the fold, the Wizards are now on the hook for approximately $89.5MM in guaranteed salaries for 2019/20, per Basketball Insiders. That doesn’t include potential contracts for free agents like Tomas Satoransky, Bobby Portis, Trevor Ariza, Thomas Bryant, or Jeff Green. It also doesn’t account for Jabari Parker‘s $20MM team option, though that’s a lock to be declined.

Portis and Bryant are both eligible for restricted free agency this summer, so it will be interesting to see how the Wizards handle their situations, given the team’s limited financial flexibility and the fact that veteran centers Howard and Ian Mahinmi are entering contract years.

Howard is the sixth player so far to exercise a 2019/20 player option or confirm that he plans to do so. The full list can be found right here.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Pelicans, Trent Redden To Discuss Senior Front Office Role

April 18th, 2019 at 10:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Clippers have granted the Pelicans permission to speak with assistant GM Trent Redden about a senior front office position, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.

New Orleans recently tagged David Griffin as its executive VP of basketball operations. Griffin and Redden worked together in the Cavaliers’ front office when the team won the 2016 NBA championship. Wojnarowski writes that it’s no secret that Griffin would prioritize finding a way to add Redden to his team.

Joe Vardon of The Athletic first reported earlier this week that Redden would likely end up assuming a general manager role under Griffin in New Orleans. However, the Pelicans’ new head of basketball operations said at his introductory presser on Wednesday that he’s more concerned about bringing in the right people than in specific titles, so it’s not clear if that’s the exact role he’d have in mind for Redden.

Redden began his career as an intern in the Cavaliers front office, working his way up over his 11-plus years with the franchise. The Clippers hired him after the 2016/17 season.

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Tim Hardaway Jr. Undergoes Surgery On Leg

April 18th, 2019 at 8:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Tim Hardaway Jr. underwent surgery on his left tibia today, according to a Mavericks team press release. He had been dealing with a stress injury and he’s expected to resume basketball activities before the start of training camp.

Hardaway Jr. was sent to Dallas as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal at this year’s trade deadline. He’s set to make approximately $20MM next season, which is currently the highest figure for any player on the Mavs. Dallas has under $46MM in guaranteed salary on the books for the 2019/20 campaign against a projected $109MM salary cap (though with cap holds and Dwight Powell‘s player option, available space could be capped around $30MM).

The franchise will look to use its cap space to put talent around Porzingis and rookie phenomenon Luka Doncic this summer. Hardaway, who has two seasons left on his deal, including a player option of $18.76MM for 2020/21, appears likely to remain with the team regardless of any additions due to his rehabilitation timeline and cumbersome contract.

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Sixers Without Joel Embiid In Game 3

April 18th, 2019 at 7:07pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Sixers center Joel Embiid has been ruled out for the team’s Game 3 matchup with the Nets, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays (Twitter feed). Greg Monroe will get the start at the five.

Embiid warmed up pregame but ultimately, his knee soreness was too severe to suit up. This is the first playoff game Embiid was forced to miss because of his knee. The big man sat out 18 games during the regular season.

Monroe was waived by the Nets earlier this season after Brooklyn acquired him a deal with the Raptors. Philadelphia signed him to add depth in the frontcourt toward the end of the season. He has 18 games of playoff experience, though Game 3 in Brooklyn will be his first start in the postseason.

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NBA Agent: Clippers Would Be “Seamless Fit” For “Any Star”

April 18th, 2019 at 5:32pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Courting Kevin Durant will be among the Clippers‘ top priorities this offseason and Los Angeles is set up to provide him—or any star—with a situation that’s going to be hard to turn down.

“L.A. is a desired place of living — guys like to be there during the offseason,” an NBA agent told Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “And [The Clippers] have stuff that sets them apart from like the Lakers: continuity, cohesiveness. They have an owner who will do whatever it takes that’s possible.”

“…If you’re a star and you come in, they already have guys who know their roles. In other situations, you try to bring in role players and have to deal with role allocation and adjustments. I think any star would be a seamless fit with the Clippers.”

The Clippers are an attractive basketball situation, not just for their ability to offer max contracts but also for their ability to immediately surround any star with a full team, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com explained in a piece where he supplies a blueprint for coaching LeBron James and examines the two Southern California basketball franchises. Having so many quality players on low-cost deals means the Clips won’t have to gut their roster to accommodate superstar additions.

Lou Williams, who unanimously won our staff’s Sixth Man of the Year award, is on Los Angeles’ books for just $8MM next season. The core of Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Landry Shamet, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will account for slightly less than $20MM.

The franchise plans on pursuing both Durant and Kawhi Leonard this summer. Landing either would be a win. Landing both without sacrificing depth, as we saw during James’ first season in Miami, is possible because of the front office’s ability to extract value from free agency and trades.

Durant, Leonard or any of the other top stars could shun the Clippers and sign elsewhere. Talk within some league circles would lead you to believe Durant-to-the-Knicks is already a done deal. Though if the Clippers strike out on the top stars, they won’t be hasty with their cap space.

“They’re gonna be disciplined this summer,” the agent tells Buha. “They have primary targets and won’t eat into their cap space just to eat into the cap. They’re developing their young players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet. Getting the most bang for their buck with Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell. Pat Beverley and Ivica Zubac should be back. A lot of good aspects.”

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2019 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Atlanta Hawks

April 18th, 2019 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks were viewed by prognosticators as perhaps the NBA’s worst team entering the 2018/19 season, and while they still didn’t crack the 30-win mark, they exceeded their modest expectations and flashed some intriguing long-term potential. With a handful of core pieces already in place, Atlanta has the draft assets and the cap flexibility to keep adding more this offseason.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Deyonta Davis ($1,645,357)
  • Jaylen Adams ($1,316,852) 1
  • Total: $2,962,209

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: $43.4MM
  • The Hawks have nine players on fully guaranteed contracts for 2019/20. If they simply keep those players plus both of their first-round picks, then renounce or waive the rest of their players, this would be their cap room projection. That’s not an unrealistic scenario, since none of Atlanta’s free agents are players the team must re-sign.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Trade exception: $1,378,242 (expires 2/7/20) 3
  • Room exception: $4,760,000 4

Footnotes

  1. Adams’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 19.
  2. The salaries for two-way players don’t count against a team’s cap, but their cap holds do during the offseason.
  3. The Hawks will lose this exception if they go under the cap to use room.
  4. This is a projected value. In the unlikely event that the Hawks remain over the cap, they’d instead gain access to the mid-level exception ($9,246,000) and bi-annual exception ($3,619,000).

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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Jarrett Culver Declares For 2019 NBA Draft

April 18th, 2019 at 3:11pm CST by Luke Adams

After helping Texas Tech reach the NCAA championship game this spring, sophomore swingman Jarrett Culver has opted to enter the 2019 NBA draft, he announced today at a press conference (Twitter link). While Culver can withdraw his name anytime up until May 29, it would be a surprise if he does so.

Culver, who turned 20 in February, is currently the No. 6 prospect on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, and looks like a lock to be a lottery pick.  In his latest mock draft, Givony wrote that despite Culver’s up-and-down play during the NCAA tournament, there’s plenty to like about his game on both ends of the floor.

Givony describes Culver as a player who has the versatility to guard three positions, as well as an active defender and rebounder. The young wing has also shown an improved ability as an on-ball creator and is a reliable shot-maker, though his release is somewhat slow, according to Givony, who has Culver coming off the board at No. 6 to the Wizards in that aforementioned mock.

For the 2018/19 season, Culver averaged 18.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 3.7 APG with a .461/.304/.707 shooting line. He shot just 3-and-12 from the floor in the Final Four versus Michigan State and 5-of-22 against Virginia in the NCAA championship. However, he had some stronger performances earlier in March Madness, including 29 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in round one against Northern Kentucky.

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Hoops Rumors’ 2019 NBA Award Picks: Most Improved Player

April 18th, 2019 at 2:13pm CST by Hoops Rumors

While the NBA won’t announce this year’s award winners until June, we’re making our picks for 2019’s major awards this week and next week.

The Hoops Rumors writing team has weighed in with our choices below, but we also want to know which players, coaches, and executives you think are most deserving of the hardware this season, so jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts.

We’re keeping things going today with the award for Most Improved Player. Here are our selections:

Luke Adams: Pascal Siakam (Raptors)
In a season littered with breakout performances, nearly half of the NBA’s rosters feature at least one legit candidate for this award. None has a stronger case than Siakam.

Grouped together with young Raptors role players like Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby a year ago, Siakam has raised his ceiling significantly since then, improving every aspect of his game, from his ball-handling to his outside shooting to his defensive versatility. The Raptors leaned on Siakam as one of their primary play-makers on offense and asked him to defend point guards, centers, and everything in between on the other end of the floor. He responded admirably to every challenge, emerging as an indispensable part of a 58-win team and as a future All-Star.

Dana Gauruder: Pascal Siakam (Raptors)
Siakam only started five games last season before blossoming into the second-best player on a prime playoff contender in 2018/19, his third NBA campaign. The 25-year-old averaged nearly 10 points more than last season, was one of the Raptors’ top rebounders (6.9 RPG), and improved his assist totals as the season went along (4.1 in the month of March). Even if Kawhi Leonard leaves in free agency, Siakam may be primed to step into a starring role.

JD Shaw: Pascal Siakam (Raptors)
This is the easiest award for me to vote on, mostly because Siakam’s improvement on both ends was so clear this season that you really don’t have to look at the stat sheets. He was tasked with a much larger role under head coach Nick Nurse and accepted the challenge, cementing his role as starting power forward and helping lead the Raptors to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 58-24.

If you do check the numbers, you’ll see Siakam raised his shooting marks drastically. He shot 55% from the floor, up from 51% last season, and 37% from 3-point range, up from 22%, to go along with an average of 16.9 points per game, good for the second-most on his team.

Arthur Hill: D’Angelo Russell (Nets)
Injury-free for the first time since his rookie season, Russell developed into the leader the Lakers were hoping for when they drafted him second overall in 2015. His stats didn’t improve as much as those of other candidates (21.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 7.0 APG this season, compared to 15.5/3.9/5.2 last year), but he became the top crunch-time option for a Nets team that reached the playoffs for the first time in four years. Russell was Brooklyn’s leader in scoring, 3-pointers, assists, steals, deflections, games played, minutes played and PER, and appears ready to be one of the top point guards in the East for years to come.

Chris Crouse: Pascal Siakam (Raptors)
Russell took a huge step forward this year, while Siakam took a Giannis-from-the-free-throw-line style leap.

Siakam’s improvement came in ever-changing circumstances. The Raptors only saw Leonard and Kyle Lowry suit up together in 43 games. Siakam played in 80 contests and was part of 19 different starting lineups for Toronto. His role routinely fluctuated from top defensive stopper to floor-spacing third option to isolation play-maker to in-transition tempo-setter.

Due to injuries, Russell also had to deal with a rotating cast beside him, but he consistently was the No. 1 option. He led the Nets to the playoffs first the first time since Paul Pierce was in Brooklyn, scoring 4.6 more points and dishing out nearly two more assists per game than he did last season without increasing his turnovers. His player efficiency rating skyrocketed from barely above league average to 19.4.

Russell’s year-to-year usage in Brooklyn remained steady and he deserves credit for becoming more efficient with his opportunities. Siakam expanded his game and earned additional opportunities, upping his scoring by nearly 10 points per contest with a completely new offensive game. Brooklyn’s first-time All-Star appears to want the award more than Siakam, but the Raptors’ utility knife has the better case for 2018/19’s Most Improved Player.

Who is your pick for Most Improved Player? Share your choices and your thoughts in the comment section below!

Previously:

Still to come:

  • Rookie of the Year
  • Defensive Player of the Year
  • Most Valuable Player

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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