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 2020/21, 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 each year. Typically, that date falls in late June, but this year it will be October 17 if free agency isn’t further delayed.
Still, team options can be useful at the end of a contract, since turning down that option allows the team to retain some form of Bird rights on the player — waiving a player with a non-guaranteed salary doesn’t present that same opportunity. Additionally, a handful of contracts still don’t become fully guaranteed once an option is picked up, giving teams an extra level of flexibility.
The list below doesn’t include rookie scale team options for 2020/21, since those third- and fourth-year options function differently than team options on standard veteran contracts. Those ’20/21 rookie scale team option decisions were made during the 2019 offseason, and can be found here.
The standard team options for 2020/21 are listed below. This list – which can be found anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu – will be updated throughout the fall to note the latest decisions.
Point Guards
- Cameron Payne, Suns ($1,977,011): Exercised *
Shooting Guards
- Deonte Burton, Thunder ($1,663,861): Declined *
- Hamidou Diallo, Thunder ($1,663,861): Exercised
- Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Pistons ($1,663,861): Exercised *
- David Nwaba, Rockets ($1,824,003): Exercised
- Theo Pinson, Knicks ($1,701,593): Declined
- Garrett Temple, Nets ($5,005,350): Declined
Small Forwards
- Melvin Frazier, Magic ($1,663,861): Declined
- Abdel Nader, Suns ($1,752,950): Exercised *
Power Forwards
- Cheick Diallo, Suns ($1,824,003): Declined
- Semi Ojeleye, Celtics ($1,752,950): Exercised *
- Bobby Portis, Knicks ($15,750,000): Declined
Centers
- Frank Kaminsky, Suns ($5,005,350): Declined
- Jontay Porter, Grizzlies ($1,517,981): Declined
Note: Options marked with an asterisk (*) won’t become fully guaranteed once they’re exercised, per Basketball Insiders and/or ESPN. If they’re exercised, they’ll become partially guaranteed or remain non-guaranteed until a later deadline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nwaba and Temple might be worth the minimum, which is apparently what they are making. No way the other guys are worth much in the NBA. Portis and Kaminsky are extremely overpaid.
The Rockets just signed Nwaba even though he’s not playing right now. There’s no way they would get rid of him unless he is recovering so slow from his injury that he won’t play at all next season.
Nader and Diallo are no brainers for the thunder. Unsure about Burton. My guess is they let him go with a first rounder coming in this year. Although decisions on Ferguson, roberson and gallinari need to be made as well. (Trades, sign and trade, etc).
Trade Ferguson as soon as possible and let Roberson walk in free agency
Did you say fray Turduson? Only a little extreme.
Hamidou Diallo and Abdul Nader keep, as they can be useful in unsettling opponents, with rebounding and Egyptian eyes.
Payne, russky, & elder Nwaba are sure keeps.
I assume you’re referring to Svi as Russky, he’s Ukrainian. I would think the Grizzlies would want to see what Porter can offer if anything especially given what his brother has done in the bubble.
If a team declines a team option for a player with < 4 years experience who is NOT on a rookie option (E.g. semi ojeleye, hamidou diallo, deonte burton) then does that team still have the ability to extend a QO to make them a RFA or do they straight away become a UFA???
They could still become an RFA.