As our 2019 NBA Free Agent Tracker shows, 27 of the league’s 30 teams have reached an agreement on a standard NBA contract with at least one player. Not every one of those clubs has made a huge splash, but they’ve been involved in free agency to some extent.
That leaves just three teams that have stayed out of the proceedings so far: Atlanta, Cleveland, and Denver. Two of those teams (the Hawks and Cavaliers) have at least signed an undrafted rookie to a two-way contract, but none have reached an agreement to add an NBA free agent on a standard deal.
The Hawks‘ inactivity on the free agent market so far is unsurprising. When he looked ahead to the free agent period more than two months ago, general manager Travis Schlenk predicted that the team would be patient, waiting to see which players slipped through the cracks after the first wave of signings.
Atlanta has used some its cap room to absorb salary (Allen Crabbe), but still has up to about $14MM in space available, per Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights. Given Schlenk’s fondness for taking on unwanted contracts, we’ll see if he goes that route to use the rest of the Hawks’ space, or if the team has its eye on any remaining free agents. For what it’s worth, the deal that will send Miles Plumlee and Solomon Hill to Memphs for Chandler Parsons will open up an extra roster spot for Atlanta.
As for the Cavaliers, their cap situation makes it difficult for them to be too aggressive in free agency. Even if they waive J.R. Smith‘s non-guaranteed contract, they’re still right up against the tax line. A couple years ago, that wouldn’t have stopped them from adding another free agent or two, but ownership won’t want to risk repeater-tax penalties for the current roster.
If the Cavs waive and stretch a veteran, their mid-level exception could be in play, but for now I don’t expect them to be throwing any money at free agents.
Finally, the Nuggets essentially made their big free agency move when they decided to exercise Paul Millsap‘s $30MM+ team option for 2019/20. Denver still has enough wiggle room below the luxury-tax line to use its mid-level exception, though Trey Lyles remains a wild card. Lyles is a restricted free agent with a $4.5MM qualifying offer, and the Nuggets may ultimately have to choose between retaining him and using their full mid-level, assuming they want to stay below the tax.
Still, the Nuggets should have enough room to add a lower-cost free agent or two if they want to. A Denver Post report last weekend suggested the team would be on the lookout for a combo guard, a wing defender, and/or another big man.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Cavs have a number of waive-and-stretch candidates, thus plenty of room for their MLE. I assume Boss Gilbert is not available to approve of anyone. I thought they would be more active.
The Cavs will have a much smaller & cheaper roster next year so pushing expenses into the future is not a problem. (There will be 4 vets and 3 rooks, leaving $55MM of room.) I hope they’re not not doing the leave-room-for-two-maxxes thing. Won’t work.
How about an RFA-offer bidding war for Delon Wright. All 3 of these teams can bid, if only for Lyles.
To be moe blunt, Altman should be fired if he does nothing to improve the team and uses the #5 on a PG after just using a #8 for one… Planning to start both but not acquiring a shotblocker like Nerlens Noel when he clearly would be easy to sign away.
Opposing guards will have it too easy getting to the rim. Maybe after a pick but no need for plays. The locals will be mad for a while then just give up on showing up. Can I hope there’s a plan.
Available(?) FA centers: Joakim Noah, Eric Moreland, maybe Javale McGee, Cousins, Zubac, Gortat, Sala Mejri, Khem Birch. Probably more.
I agree with you that Kobe has been way too quiet thus far. It was said that Gilbert gave him the ok to take on salary for draft assets. Coupled with the expiring contracts we have, we should’ve been able to play a role in some of these recent trades for teams looking for salary cap reasons. Where I disagree with you is seeing the back to back drafting of a guard the last two years. Clarkson is not in our log term plans. His FG% was good this year but he still chooses poorly and isn’t an elite enough shooter to justify his 5 3pt apt on 33%. Neither Sexton nor Garland are pure point guards but they can handle the ball. No problem with the pick but I do agree they need to address rim protection as there’s no one the roster you would ball a shot blocker although they are great rebounder.
I liked the Garland pick too but it could be used against the GM when they have trouble stopping guards again. Actually I suspect Garland will still be having knee issues so will not look at his best.
I forgot they have John Henson on the roster, but they warehoused him last year. The rim protection issue could be solved well enough with a change in policy. He’s only 28 and is good at that.