2020 July | Hoops Rumors

Offseason Extension Unlikely For Bam Adebayo?

July 28th, 2020 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

After a breakout season in 2019/20, big man Bam Adebayo will be eligible for a rookie scale contract extension this offseason, but the Heat may wait until 2021 – when he reaches restricted free agency – to lock him up, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

Within his larger look at NBA team owners’ financial situations, Windhorst said the Heat “might” not extend Adebayo this offseason because it will help them preserve cap room for 2021, when they want to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo and/or other star free agents. Addressing the situation in a podcast, Windhorst took a stronger stance.

“He’s not going to get a max contract in the offseason,” Windhorst said of Adebayo, per RealGM. “Even though I think he should. Because the Heat are going to save money for the 2021 summer. That’s a storyline that I can almost guarantee for you: Bam Adebayo will not sign a contract extension this offseason. It will be, ‘Bam, we’ll take care of you later.'”

This isn’t the first time this idea has been broached. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald suggested in the spring that the Heat would consider the possibility of waiting on Adebayo’s new deal, especially with the coronavirus pandemic expected to limit the amount the salary cap will increase within the next year or two.

If he doesn’t sign an extension during the 2020 offseason, Adebayo would enter the 2021 offseason with a cap hold of $15.35MM. He’d be eligible to sign for up to five years with the Heat at that time, and Miami would have the right of first refusal, meaning the club could match any offer sheet he signs with another team. As long as the Heat carry that $15.35MM cap hold, they’d be able to go over the cap to re-sign Adebayo once they use up the rest of their space.

If the Heat were to sign Adebayo to a maximum-salary extension this offseason, they’d enter the 2021 offseason with that max salary already on their books. That exact amount will depend on where the ’21/22 cap lands, but there’s a good chance Adebayo would be making at least $28-29MM.

In other words, the Heat could generate upwards of $13-14MM in extra cap flexibility in 2021 by waiting to sign Adebayo, then going over the cap to lock him up. For his part, Adebayo could end up with an identical deal whether he signs this year or next.

Assuming Adebayo is on board with the plan, it makes sense for the team to go this route. Often, a club will sign a young star to a max-salary extension as soon as possible to show its commitment to him and to give the player financial security so that he doesn’t have to worry about the possibility of getting injured in a contract year. The Heat would surely be willing to take that path as well if Adebayo pushes for it. As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel observes, the organization can’t – and won’t – let the situation get contentious.

But if Adebayo is comfortable taking on a little risk to assist in the Heat’s pursuit of roster upgrades, it could be a win-win for the two sides — Miami would gain extra flexibility, while Adebayo could eventually get his max-salary contract with an even stronger roster around him.

Anthony Davis’ Status For Thursday TBD

July 28th, 2020 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

After sitting out of the Lakers‘ third and final scrimmage on Monday, star forward/center Anthony Davis also missed the team’s practice on Tuesday, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times.

Head coach Frank Vogel told reporters on a Zoom call that Davis is feeling discomfort in his right eye and will be re-evaluated on Wednesday (Twitter link via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin). His status for Thursday’s showdown with the Clippers remains up in the air, according to the Lakers’ coach.

“There is some concern that he potentially will not play Thursday, but we’re hopeful that he does,” Vogel said of Davis.

The Lakers open the summer schedule with a 5.5-game lead on the Clippers for the Western Conference, so Thursday’s game isn’t insignificant. If the Lakers win it, they’ll essentially lock up the No. 1 spot in the West. Of course, even if the Lakers drop that game, they’ll still have a fairly comfortable 4.5-game cushion with seven games left to play, so the team won’t rush AD back if he’s not 100%.

If Davis is unable to go, Kyle Kuzma looks like the most logical candidate to take his place in the starting five.

After Thursday, the Lakers have games on tap with the Raptors on Saturday, Utah on Monday, and Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Restart Notes: COVID-19, Campus, Silver, Drug Testing

July 28th, 2020 at 10:33am CST by Luke Adams

Less than a week into the Major League Baseball season, more than a dozen players and staffers on the Miami Marlins tested positive for the coronavirus, resulting in multiple postponed games and serious questions about the viability of MLB’s plan to complete its season. However, because the NBA has gathered its teams in a single location, the league remains confident in its plan despite observing the MLB outbreak from afar, writes Mark Medina of USA Today.

“I don’t even compare the two,” Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said. “What they’re doing and what we’re doing is so different. I like what we’re doing.”

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to feel safe here, and I feel super safe,” Pelicans guard J.J. Redick said of the NBA’s campus. “This is an environment here I feel has been really good. The protocols are in place. It’s hard to compare what baseball or the NFL is doing because it’s not what we’re doing. We’re doing something completely different. But obviously we’re all watching to see how baseball and football work given the uncertainty of next season as well.”

As Medina points out, the NBA isn’t ready to run a victory lap just yet, considering its season won’t be over for another two-plus months, and plenty could go wrong between now and then. However, the last coronavirus testing update issued by the league indicated that there had been zero new positive tests on the Walt Disney World campus, which bodes well for the NBA’s plan.

Here’s more on the restart:

While MLB’s coronavirus outbreak may not be of immediate concern to the NBA, it will give the league more to think about in relation to its 2020/21 season, writes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. The ’20/21 campaign is tentatively scheduled to begin as early as December and the hope is that teams will be able to play in their home arenas.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who is scheduled to make his first appearance at the Florida campus this week, said he thinks the league’s plan is going “very well” so far, as Marc Stein of The New York Times writes. “I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re on the right track,” Silver said.
The NBA sent a reminder today to teams that random drug testing for steroids, PEDs, masking agents, and diuretics will resume on Thursday when seeding games get underway, a source tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link). The NBA and NBPA previously reached an agreement to resume PED and steroid testing this summer, while marijuana testing remains paused.
As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press details, the NBA’s efforts to keep its Orlando campus safe even extend to new protocols for the handling of referee whistles.

Categories:
COVID-19
Adam Silver

Princepal Singh Opts For G League Professional Path

July 28th, 2020 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

Princepal Singh, a 6’10” forward from India and a graduate of the NBA Academy, has signed a contract to play in the G League in 2020/21, the NBAGL announced today in a press release. Singh will “train and compete alongside” the new Select Team, according to today’s announcement.

Singh, who joined The NBA Academy India in 2017 and transitioned to the league’s Global Academy in Australia in 2018, will be the first graduate of the program to sign a professional contract and the first to sign with the G League.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer Princepal the opportunity to begin his professional basketball journey in the NBA G League,” NBAGL president Shareef Abdur-Rahim said in a statement. “We’ve long hoped that our development pathway for elite high school players would include roster spots for emerging international talent, including players who have participated in the NBA Academy program, and we’re excited to have Princepal forge this new path and develop his skills in our league.”

Singh, who has a 7’2″ wingspan, is a good athlete with solid offensive versatility, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, who tweets that the youngster was receiving interest from major U.S. college programs. Givony isn’t convinced that Singh is an NBA-caliber player, but the Indian prospect remains focused on making it to the Association, as he told Anirudh Menon of ESPN earlier this year.

As a result of joining the NBAGL professional path, Singh will get the opportunity to train and play alongside top prospects such as Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Daishen Nix, and Isaiah Todd, among others.

Pacific Notes: Zubac, Okobo, Len, Barnes, Holmes

July 27th, 2020 at 8:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Center Ivica Zubac, who has recovered from COVID-19, played 13 minutes in the Clippers’ third Orlando scrimmage on Monday and appears ready for the league restart, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times writes. Zubac, who signed a four-year, $28.5MM contract last summer, contributed two points and six rebounds during his short stint.

“I don’t care how much you work out, a basketball game, an NBA basketball game is different and so you get winded,” Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said. “But I thought he did what Zub does, he clogged up the paint, he rolled for us, he did a lot of good things.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Suns guard Elie Okobo participated in practice on Monday, Gina Mizell tweets. Okobo’s arrival in Orlando was delayed due to undisclosed reasons. He has extra incentive to perform well in the restart, as his $1.66MM salary for next season is not guaranteed.
Kings center Alex Len‘s status for the team’s opening game at the Orlando campus remains uncertain, James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. Len rejoined the club approximately 10 days ago after he recovered from his own bout with COVID-19. He has yet to go through a full contact session, Ham adds.
Big man Richaun Holmes and forward Harrison Barnes participated in the Kings’ final scrimmage on Monday, Ham notes. Holmes, who had to serve a 10-day quarantine after violating league protocols, had six points and five rebounds in 18 minutes. Barnes, who overcame a battle with the coronavirus, finished with 12 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes.

Southeast Notes: Fultz, Bamba, Bonga, Borrego

July 27th, 2020 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic guard Markelle Fultz is confident he’ll play effectively in the league restart. He told Josh Robbins of The Athletic and other media members that he’s actually feeling better than he did before the stoppage of play in March. “Right now I actually feel really good,” he said. “I think it’s just a matter of getting those reps up in a game.”

Fultz arrived at the Orlando campus late due to a personal matter and didn’t start practicing until July 17, but played in the Magic’s scrimmage against the Nuggets on Monday.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The Magic have limited the minutes of big man Mohamed Bamba after he added 20 pounds to his frame during the shutdown, according to Chris Hays of The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando coach Steve Clifford wants to make sure Bamba can play at a high level while carrying the extra weight but Bamba is irritated by the plan. “It is difficult to not be frustrated because at the end of the day, you want to go out there and be able to play,” he said.
The Wizards’ Isaac Bonga‘s $1.66MM salary for next season is not guaranteed but he’s making a strong impression during scrimmages in Orlando, according to NBC Sports Washington’s Chase Hughes. “He impacts the game because of his enthusiasm and his effort and just his spirit,” coach Scott Brooks said of the young big. “Everyone wants to play with him because he just plays so hard. He makes the right plays. He’s not thirsty out there.”
Hornets coach James Borrego wants players who have more than just talent, as he explained to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Borrego values players who are passionate and hungry. “Players who care about their team, care about their teammates. Who want to get better, have a curiosity (how) to get better,” he said. “Have an appetite to want to get better. To have an appetite to be part of something bigger than themselves.”

And-Ones: Jackson, Holland, Box Scores, Video

July 27th, 2020 at 6:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mark Jackson hasn’t coached since the Warriors let him go in 2014 but his desire to patrol the sidelines hasn’t waned. He told Marc Berman of the New York Post and other reporters he’d relish another chance to be a head coach.

“I truly look forward to having the opportunity to coach again,” the ESPN/ABC analyst said. “I had a blast at Golden State, built incredible relationships that will last a lifetime and I look forward to the challenge of coaching again.”

Jackson expressed similar feelings in an ESPN interview in May. However, he did not receive an interview in the Knicks’ coaching search before they chose Tom Thibodeau.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Former Cavaliers guard John Holland has signed with Russia’s Unics Kazan, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Holland played in Israel last season. He saw action in 25 total games with Cleveland – all but one during the 2017/18 season – and averaged 2.2 PPG in 7.0 MPG.
Add a new line to NBA box scores due to the pandemic — NWT (Not With Team)-Self Isolating, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. That will apply to players who miss games due to the coronavirus or are in quarantine for a given reason. The league has also developed rules regarding player participation at the Orlando campus, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Teams must designate participation status in a league portal by 5 PM the day before games. In instances when teams are playing the second game of back-to-back, teams must submit player participation status five hours prior to tip-off.
More than 300 fans will be invited to appear live on the 17-foot video boards surrounding the court during each game of the restart, according to NBA press release. It will give participating fans the feeling of sitting next to one another at a live game without leaving the comfort and safety of their homes, the release adds. The league’s national broadcast partners, ESPN and Turner Sports, will have more than 30 cameras — including many in robotic form — repositioned closer to the court and showcase never-before-seen camera angles.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Lillard, Jazz, Wolves

July 27th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have been one of the most short-handed teams at the NBA’s campus so far, having been limited to just eight players in each of their first two scrimmages this summer. However, reinforcements are on the way for Monday’s game against Orlando.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told reporters this afternoon that Jamal Murray, Will Barton, Michael Porter Jr., and Keita Bates-Diop will all be available to play in tonight’s game, increasing the team’s roster count to 12 (Twitter link via Kendra Andrews of The Athletic).

While he won’t be active tonight, Nuggets guard Monte Morris moved one step closer to getting back on the court as well, having cleared quarantine, as Mike Singer of The Denver Post tweets. He seems likely to be ready by the time Denver plays its first seeding game vs. Miami on Saturday.

Let’s round up a few more Northwest items…

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard missed Sunday’s scrimmage against Toronto due to inflammation in his left foot, but head coach Terry Stotts said the club doesn’t expect it to be “a long-term thing,” writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com.
Sarah Todd of The Deseret News takes a deep dive into the Jazz‘s ability to retain both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert long term, exploring the odds of the team doing so and speculating about what their contracts might look like.
University of Denver guard Ade Murkey, a Minnesota native, has interviewed with his hometown Timberwolves during the pre-draft process, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Murkey averaged 18.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG with a .481/.400/.731 shooting line as a senior.

Financial Effects Of Pandemic Likely To Impact NBA Offseason

July 27th, 2020 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

A number of team owners around the NBA are feeling the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com writes. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, for instance, has seen business fall off precipitously at his restaurants, hotels, and casinos, while Heat owner Micky Arison has had to temporarily shut down his Carnival Cruise Lines.

While some team owners have been hit harder than others by the effects of COVID-19, there’s an expectation that the pandemic will have a league-wide impact on spending this offseason, as Windhorst writes. Some teams may have to make difficult financial decisions that could result in unexpected player movement.

“With few exceptions, no one wants to make long-term commitments right now,” one general manager told ESPN. “You can already feel it coming.”

In addition to the teams that may feel pressure to dump pricey contracts or avoid expensive free agent commitments, some clubs may face financial constraints in the draft. Although selling second-round draft picks remains fairly common, no NBA team has sold a first-round pick since the Nuggets did so with the No. 27 selection in the 2013 draft, according to Windhorst. Some people around the league believe that teams will consider the possibility again in 2020.

“I suspect first-round picks will be for sale in this draft,” a team executive said. “We haven’t really seen that in a decade.”

Here are a few more noteworthy details and quotes from Windhorst’s examination of NBA teams’ finances:

Warriors owner Joe Lacob has told his fellow owners that he’s exploring a deal with Goldman Sachs to raise up to $250MM to manage expenses, per Windhorst. Sources tell ESPN that other team owners are considering ways to raise capital as well, with some – including the Rockets – pursuing legal action against companies that have denied coronavirus-related insurance claims.
Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta recently took out a $300MM loan and is more leveraged than many other owners, since he purchased the franchise fairly recently, but he continues to insist he’s not looking to sell any shares in the team. Brokers who have approached him representing potential bidders have been told the same, reports Windhorst.
Nets owner Joseph Tsai recently sold about 25% of his shares in tech company Alibaba, according to Windhorst. Other owners might not have similar opportunities to raise capital. “I don’t know what will happen, but I may lose $50MM next season,” one owner told Windhorst. “If that happens, I have three options: I could borrow the money, I could sell part of the team or I could do a cash call and me and my partners would have to write checks.”
NBA rules allow team owners to borrow $325MM against the equity in their franchises. A majority of NBA teams – including the Warriors – have maxed out that credit, sources tell Windhorst.
Although the Buss family’s pockets aren’t as deep as some of their fellow owners, the Lakers bring in about $200MM annually from their local TV deal and aren’t expected to have any issues re-signing Anthony Davis, writes Windhorst.

Southwest Notes: Mbah A Moute, Rivers, Porzingis, Spurs

July 27th, 2020 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to reporters for the first time since reporting to the NBA’s campus and clearing quarantine, Rockets forward Luc Mbah a Moute confirmed that his arrival was delayed because he had contracted the coronavirus, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

Mbah a Moute signed with the Rockets on July 7 as a substitute player replacing Thabo Sefolosha, but didn’t arrive in Orlando until last Wednesday. According to Feigen, Mbah a Moute said today that he dealt with “chills (and) body ache” while battling COVID-19, adding that the recovery was “tough.”

Meanwhile, Mbah a Moute’s teammate Austin Rivers hasn’t tested positive for the coronavirus, but remains quarantined in his hotel room after briefly leaving the Orlando campus last week. Rivers, who returned on Saturday, is scheduled to complete his four-day quarantine period on Tuesday and should be ready to go for the Rockets’ first seeding game this Friday vs. Dallas, Feigen writes for The Chronicle.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis was held out of Sunday’s scrimmage because he missed a mandatory coronavirus test on Saturday, though head coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t overly upset by the mistake, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “This situation was one where he just took his eye off the ball a little bit in terms of the day-to-day protocols and procedures,” Carlisle said. “It can be challenging on off days to keep track of the schedule. I almost missed testing on our first off day. … It’s an innocent mistake, but it’s significant.”
Trey Burke just signed with the Mavericks on July 1 and was late arriving to the NBA’s campus in Orlando, but he believes his experience playing for Carlisle in 2018/19 will help him quickly adjust, Sefko writes at Mavs.com. “I feel comfortable, rather than other places coming into a new place and it’s a brand new system and a brand new coaching staff,” Burke said. “I pretty much know the pace that coach likes to play with, I know how hard he can be on guys and I’m ready for that.”
With LaMarcus Aldridge and Trey Lyles sidelined for the summer, the Spurs are experimenting with some guard-heavy lineups, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. One unit, which features recent first-rounders Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, and Lonnie Walker playing alongside each other, could be a preview of the club’s future backcourt, McDonald notes.

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